1
|
Smoliński S, Glazaczow A. Causal network linking honey bee (Apis mellifera) winter mortality to temperature variations and Varroa mite density. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 954:176245. [PMID: 39306118 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 08/27/2024] [Accepted: 09/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/26/2024]
Abstract
Winter season is a critical time for honey bees (Apis mellifera) colonies when individual mortalities may lead to total colony losses or diminish productivity in subsequent seasons. A deeper understanding of the causes and consequences of winter mortality is required. In this study, we analyzed winter (November-March) individual bee mortality in an apiary in Central Europe from 1991 to 2023. We observed consistency in mortality times among years, but also some systematic departures from the shared trend. We distinguished four clusters of year-specific mortality trajectories. However, we found no statistically significant differences in means of spring (March-May), autumn (October), winter (November-March) temperatures, or autumn Varroa destructor density among clusters. Nevertheless, our insights into the dynamics of individual bee mortality may be important for determining critical moments during wintering when implementing additional protective measures could prove beneficial. Hypothesis-driven path analysis indicated causal links in our study system, including both direct and indirect influences. The density of V. destructor in autumn was positively related to temperature, especially in the preceding spring, but to a lesser extent also in autumn. Increased winter mortality was related to lower winter temperatures and a higher mite infestation in autumn. We found no significant effects of individual winter mortality on honey harvests in subsequent seasons. Honey harvest was determined by bee abundance in spring, and the latter, unexpectedly, was not related to winter mortality. Our study adds to accumulating evidence of the major role of weather and climatic conditions in the resilience of honey bee colonies and improves our understanding of mortality processes. We highlighted the importance of causative factors, especially seasonal temperatures and V. destructor density, and their potential as predictive indicators of individual winter mortality, bee colony fate, and honey productivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Szymon Smoliński
- Department of Fisheries Resources, National Marine Fisheries Research Institute, Kołłątaja 1, 81-332 Gdynia, Poland.
| | - Adam Glazaczow
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lukic B, Raguz N, Kovačić M, Curik I, Obšteter J, Prešern J, Bubnič J, Lužaić R, Pihler I, Mirjanić G, Pietropaoli M, Puškadija Z. Genomic diversity and population structure of Carniolan honey bee in its native habitat. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:849. [PMID: 39256678 PMCID: PMC11385169 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10750-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research into the genetic diversity of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) populations has become increasingly significant in recent decades, primarily due to population declines attributed to human activities and climate change. As a species of great importance, breeding programs that leverage understanding of genomic diversity could offer solutions to mitigate these challenges. The objective of this study was to examine the genomic diversity and population structure of Carniolan honey bees (Apis mellifera carnica) using the Illumina SNP chip on a large honey bee sample collected from Central and South-Eastern European countries. The study also aims to offer recommendations for future breeding programs. RESULTS Our analysis involved Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components (DAPC), heterozygosity, admixture analysis, fixation indices (FST), Neighbour-Joining tree, gene flow and Isolation-by-distance analysis. DAPC indicated distinct separation between the Carniolan and Italian honey bee (Apis mellifera ligustica) populations, whereas the admixture analysis revealed varying levels of gene flow and genetic admixture within the Carniolan honey bee populations, demonstrating closer relationships between specific geographic regions (confirmed by Isolation-by-distance analysis). Furthermore, the research of heterozygosity, genomic inbreeding, pairwise FST values, and Neighbour-Joining tree provided insights into the patterns of genetic differentiation and similarity among the populations of Carniolan honey bee within its natural habitat. We have observed genetic homogeneity of the Carniolan honey bee population when considered in a broader genetic/geographical context. However, the Carniolan honey bee has sufficient genetic diversity in its geographical home range that needs to be carefully monitored and maintained. CONCLUSIONS This study provides important insights into the genetic composition, differentiation, and relationships among Carniolan honey bee populations in Central and South-Eastern European countries. The findings are crucial for conservation efforts, breeding programs, and sustainable beekeeping practices. They emphasise the importance of considering genetic factors and population structure in the breeding and management of honey bees. By understanding these genetic relationships, we can develop strategies to preserve genetic diversity, improve breeding outcomes, and ensure the resilience of honey bee populations in the face of environmental changes and challenges. This knowledge can also inform policy makers and stakeholders on best practices to maintain healthy bee populations, which are vital for ecosystem services and agricultural productivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Boris Lukic
- Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Vladimira Preloga 1, Osijek, 31000, Croatia
| | - Nikola Raguz
- Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Vladimira Preloga 1, Osijek, 31000, Croatia.
| | - Marin Kovačić
- Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Vladimira Preloga 1, Osijek, 31000, Croatia.
| | - Ino Curik
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska cesta 25, Zagreb, 10000, Croatia
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 40, Guba S. str, Kaposvár, H-7400, Hungary
| | - Jana Obšteter
- Department of Animal Science, The Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Hacquetova ulica 17, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia
| | - Janez Prešern
- Department of Animal Science, The Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Hacquetova ulica 17, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia
| | - Jernej Bubnič
- Department of Animal Science, The Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Hacquetova ulica 17, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia
| | - Ras Lužaić
- Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Vladimira Preloga 1, Osijek, 31000, Croatia
| | - Ivan Pihler
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, Novi Sad, 21000, Serbia
| | - Goran Mirjanić
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Banja Luka, 1A Vojvode Petra Bojovića Blvd, Banja Luka, 78 000, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Marco Pietropaoli
- L'Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e Toscana, Via Appia Nuova 1411, Roma (Capannelle), 00178, Italy
| | - Zlatko Puškadija
- Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Vladimira Preloga 1, Osijek, 31000, Croatia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Deboutte W, De Smet L, Brunain M, Basler N, De Rycke R, Smets L, de Graaf DC, Matthijnssens J. Known and novel viruses in Belgian honey bees: yearly differences, spatial clustering, and associations with overwintering loss. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0358123. [PMID: 38860822 PMCID: PMC11218457 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03581-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, managed honey bee colonies have been suffering from an increasing number of biotic and abiotic stressors, resulting in numerous losses of colonies worldwide. A pan-European study, EPILOBEE, estimated the colony loss in Belgium to be 32.4% in 2012 and 14.8% in 2013. In the current study, absolute viral loads of four known honey bee viruses (DWV-A, DWV-B, AmFV, and BMLV) and three novel putative honey bee viruses (Apis orthomyxovirus 1, apthili virus, and apparli virus) were determined in 300 Flemish honey bee samples, and associations with winter survival were determined. This revealed that, in addition to the known influence of DWV-A and DWV-B on colony health, one of the newly described viruses (apthili virus) shows a strong yearly difference and is also associated with winter survival. Furthermore, all scrutinized viruses revealed significant spatial clustering patterns, implying that despite the limited surface area of Flanders, local virus transmission is paramount. The vast majority of samples were positive for at least one of the seven investigated viruses, and up to 20% of samples were positive for at least one of the three novel viruses. One of those three, Apis orthomyxovirus 1, was shown to be a genuine honey bee-infecting virus, able to infect all developmental stages of the honey bee, as well as the Varroa destructor mite. These results shed light on the most prevalent viruses in Belgium and their roles in the winter survival of honey bee colonies. IMPORTANCE The western honey bee (Apis mellifera) is a highly effective pollinator of flowering plants, including many crops, which gives honey bees an outstanding importance both ecologically and economically. Alarmingly high annual loss rates of managed honey bee colonies are a growing concern for beekeepers and scientists and have prompted a significant research effort toward bee health. Several detrimental factors have been identified, such as varroa mite infestation and disease from various bacterial and viral agents, but annual differences are often not elucidated. In this study, we utilize the viral metagenomic survey of the EPILOBEE project, a European research program for bee health, to elaborate on the most abundant bee viruses of Flanders. We complement the existing metagenomic data with absolute viral loads and their spatial and temporal distributions. Furthermore, we identify Apis orthomyxovirus 1 as a potentially emerging pathogen, as we find evidence for its active replication honey bees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ward Deboutte
- KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Division of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lina De Smet
- UGent-Ghent University, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology (L-MEB), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marleen Brunain
- UGent-Ghent University, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology (L-MEB), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Nikolas Basler
- KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Division of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Riet De Rycke
- VIB Center for Inflammation Research and BioImaging Core, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, UGent-Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lena Smets
- KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Division of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dirk C de Graaf
- UGent-Ghent University, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology (L-MEB), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jelle Matthijnssens
- KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Division of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Claing G, Dubreuil P, Bernier M, Ferland J, L'Homme Y, Rodriguez E, Arsenault J. Varroa destructor and deformed wing virus interaction increases incidence of winter mortality in honey bee colonies. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY RESEARCH = REVUE CANADIENNE DE RECHERCHE VETERINAIRE 2024; 88:69-76. [PMID: 38988334 PMCID: PMC11232088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Winter mortality of honey bee colonies represents a major source of economic loss for the beekeeping industry. The objectives of this prospective study were to estimate the incidence risk of winter colony mortality in southwestern Quebec, Canada and to evaluate and quantify the impact of the associated risk factors. A total of 242 colonies from 31 apiaries was selected for sampling in August 2017. The presence of Varroa destructor, Vairimorpha (Nosema) spp., Melissococcus plutonius, deformed wing virus (DWV), and viruses of the acute-Kashmir-Israeli complex (AKI complex) was investigated in each colony. Management practices of the various colonies were obtained from a questionnaire. The incidence risk of colony mortality during the winter of 2017-2018 was estimated to be 26.5% [95% confidence interval (CI): 15.4 to 40.3]. In logistic regression modeling of winter mortality in colonies, an interaction was discovered between V. destructor and DWV; the detection of ≥ 1 V. destructor mites per 100 bees was associated with higher odds of mortality (3.46, 95% CI: 1.35 to 8.90) compared to colonies with < 1 mite per 100 bees, but only in DWV-positive colonies. There were more colony losses in apiaries from beekeepers owning 1 to 5 colonies than in apiaries from beekeepers owning over 100 colonies, which suggests that beekeeper experience and/or type of management are important contributors to winter colony mortality. Assuming a causal relationship, the results of this study suggest that up to 9% of all colony mortalities in the population could have been prevented by reducing the level of V. destructor to < 1 mite per 100 bees in all colonies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle Claing
- Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2 (Claing, Arsenault, Dubreuil); Centre de recherche en sciences animales de Deschambault, 120a chemin du Roy, Deschambault, Québec G0A 1S0 (Bernier); Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec, 200 chemin Ste-Foy, ville de Québec, Québec G1R 4X6 (Ferland, Rodriguez); Cégep Garneau, 1660 boulevard de l'Entente, ville de Québec, Québec G1S 4S3 (L'Homme)
| | - Pascal Dubreuil
- Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2 (Claing, Arsenault, Dubreuil); Centre de recherche en sciences animales de Deschambault, 120a chemin du Roy, Deschambault, Québec G0A 1S0 (Bernier); Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec, 200 chemin Ste-Foy, ville de Québec, Québec G1R 4X6 (Ferland, Rodriguez); Cégep Garneau, 1660 boulevard de l'Entente, ville de Québec, Québec G1S 4S3 (L'Homme)
| | - Martine Bernier
- Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2 (Claing, Arsenault, Dubreuil); Centre de recherche en sciences animales de Deschambault, 120a chemin du Roy, Deschambault, Québec G0A 1S0 (Bernier); Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec, 200 chemin Ste-Foy, ville de Québec, Québec G1R 4X6 (Ferland, Rodriguez); Cégep Garneau, 1660 boulevard de l'Entente, ville de Québec, Québec G1S 4S3 (L'Homme)
| | - Julie Ferland
- Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2 (Claing, Arsenault, Dubreuil); Centre de recherche en sciences animales de Deschambault, 120a chemin du Roy, Deschambault, Québec G0A 1S0 (Bernier); Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec, 200 chemin Ste-Foy, ville de Québec, Québec G1R 4X6 (Ferland, Rodriguez); Cégep Garneau, 1660 boulevard de l'Entente, ville de Québec, Québec G1S 4S3 (L'Homme)
| | - Yvan L'Homme
- Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2 (Claing, Arsenault, Dubreuil); Centre de recherche en sciences animales de Deschambault, 120a chemin du Roy, Deschambault, Québec G0A 1S0 (Bernier); Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec, 200 chemin Ste-Foy, ville de Québec, Québec G1R 4X6 (Ferland, Rodriguez); Cégep Garneau, 1660 boulevard de l'Entente, ville de Québec, Québec G1S 4S3 (L'Homme)
| | - Edisleidy Rodriguez
- Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2 (Claing, Arsenault, Dubreuil); Centre de recherche en sciences animales de Deschambault, 120a chemin du Roy, Deschambault, Québec G0A 1S0 (Bernier); Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec, 200 chemin Ste-Foy, ville de Québec, Québec G1R 4X6 (Ferland, Rodriguez); Cégep Garneau, 1660 boulevard de l'Entente, ville de Québec, Québec G1S 4S3 (L'Homme)
| | - Julie Arsenault
- Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec J2S 2M2 (Claing, Arsenault, Dubreuil); Centre de recherche en sciences animales de Deschambault, 120a chemin du Roy, Deschambault, Québec G0A 1S0 (Bernier); Ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation du Québec, 200 chemin Ste-Foy, ville de Québec, Québec G1R 4X6 (Ferland, Rodriguez); Cégep Garneau, 1660 boulevard de l'Entente, ville de Québec, Québec G1S 4S3 (L'Homme)
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Requier F, Leyton MS, Morales CL, Garibaldi LA, Giacobino A, Porrini MP, Rosso-Londoño JM, Velarde RA, Aignasse A, Aldea-Sánchez P, Allasino ML, Arredondo D, Audisio C, Cagnolo NB, Basualdo M, Branchiccela B, Calderón RA, Castelli L, Castilhos D, Escareño FC, Correa-Benítez A, da Silva FO, Garnica DS, de Groot G, Delgado-Cañedo A, Fernández-Marín H, Freitas BM, Galindo-Cardona A, Garcia N, Garrido PM, Giray T, Gonçalves LS, Landi L, Malusá Gonçalves D, Martinez SI, Moja PJ, Molineri A, Müller PF, Nogueira E, Pacini A, Palacio MA, Parra GN, Parra-H A, Peres Gramacho K, Castro EP, Pires CSS, Reynaldi FJ, Luis AR, Rossini C, Sánchez Armijos M, Santos E, Scannapieco A, Spina YM, Tapia González JM, Vargas Fernández AM, Viana BF, Vieli L, Yadró García CA, Antúnez K. First large-scale study reveals important losses of managed honey bee and stingless bee colonies in Latin America. Sci Rep 2024; 14:10079. [PMID: 38698037 PMCID: PMC11066017 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59513-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the last quarter century, increasing honey bee colony losses motivated standardized large-scale surveys of managed honey bees (Apis mellifera), particularly in Europe and the United States. Here we present the first large-scale standardized survey of colony losses of managed honey bees and stingless bees across Latin America. Overall, 1736 beekeepers and 165 meliponiculturists participated in the 2-year survey (2016-2017 and 2017-2018). On average, 30.4% of honey bee colonies and 39.6% of stingless bee colonies were lost per year across the region. Summer losses were higher than winter losses in stingless bees (30.9% and 22.2%, respectively) but not in honey bees (18.8% and 20.6%, respectively). Colony loss increased with operation size during the summer in both honey bees and stingless bees and decreased with operation size during the winter in stingless bees. Furthermore, losses differed significantly between countries and across years for both beekeepers and meliponiculturists. Overall, winter losses of honey bee colonies in Latin America (20.6%) position this region between Europe (12.5%) and the United States (40.4%). These results highlight the magnitude of bee colony losses occurring in the region and suggest difficulties in maintaining overall colony health and economic survival for beekeepers and meliponiculturists.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabrice Requier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay.
| | - Malena Sibaja Leyton
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Carolina L Morales
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Grupo Ecología de la Polinización, INIBIOMA (CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue), Quintral 1250, Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
| | - Lucas A Garibaldi
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales, Agroecología y Desarrollo Rural, Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales, Agroecología y Desarrollo Rural, Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
| | - Agostina Giacobino
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Instituto de Investigación de La Cadena Láctea (INTA-CONICET), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria- Rafaela, Ruta 34 Km 227, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Martin Pablo Porrini
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales (CIAS)-Instituto de Investigación en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM CONICET-UNMdP), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata-CONICET, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Estación Costera J.J. Nágera, Ruta Provincial 11 Km 5395 Playa Chapadmalal (7603) Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Juan Manuel Rosso-Londoño
- Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas, Facultad de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales and Colectivo Abejas Vivas, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Rodrigo A Velarde
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Andrea Aignasse
- Ministerio de la producción y ambiente Formosa (MPA), Facultad de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Formosa (UNAF), Av Luís Gutnisky 3200, Formosa, Argentina
| | - Patricia Aldea-Sánchez
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Universidad SEK, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Instituto de Investigación Interdisciplinar en Ciencias Biomédicas SEK, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mariana Laura Allasino
- Área de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Agricultura Familiar Región Cuyo, INTA, San Juan entre Sarmiento y José Pedro Cortinez Oeste, San Martín, 5439, San Juan, Argentina
| | - Daniela Arredondo
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Lab. de Microbiología y Salud de las Abejas, Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Carina Audisio
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química (INIQUI-CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Salta, Av. Bolivia 5150, Salta, Argentina
| | - Natalia Bulacio Cagnolo
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Instituto de Investigación de La Cadena Láctea (INTA-CONICET), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria- Rafaela, Ruta 34 Km 227, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Marina Basualdo
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias-PROANVET Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires UNCPBA, Tandil, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Belén Branchiccela
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Sección Apicultura, Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria, Ruta 50, km 11, Colonia, Uruguay
| | - Rafael A Calderón
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Programa Integrado de Patología Apícola, Centro de Investigaciones Apícolas Tropicales, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica
| | - Loreley Castelli
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Lab. de Microbiología y Salud de las Abejas, Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Dayson Castilhos
- Dep. de Ciências Animais, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Arido, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
| | - Francisca Contreras Escareño
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario de la Costa Sur, Autlán, Jalisco, México
| | - Adriana Correa-Benítez
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Medicina y Zootecnia de Abejas, Conejos y Organismos Acuáticos, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Delegación Coyoacán, 04510, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Fabiana Oliveira da Silva
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Campus do Sertão, Departamento de Educação em Ciências Agrárias e da Terra, e Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Estudos Interdisciplinares e Transdisciplinares em Ecologia e Evolução (INCT-IN-TREE), Mossoró, Brazil
| | - Diego Silva Garnica
- Federación Colombiana de Apicultores y Criadores de Abejas, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Grecia de Groot
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Grupo Ecología de la Polinización, INIBIOMA (CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue), Quintral 1250, Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
| | - Andres Delgado-Cañedo
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Centro Integrado de Pesquisas Biotecnológicas, Campus São Gabriel, Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), Rua Aluízio Barros Macedo, Br 290, km 423 Bairro Piraí, São Gabriel, RS, 97300-000, Brazil
| | - Hermógenes Fernández-Marín
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Centro de Biodiversidad y Descubrimiento de Drogas, Instituto de Investigaciones Científicas y Servicios de Alta Tecnología (INDICASAT-AIP), Clayton, 0843-01103, Panamá
| | - Breno M Freitas
- Departamento de Zootecnia, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, 60356-000, Brazil
| | - Alberto Galindo-Cardona
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Instituto de Ecología Regional (IER-CONICET), Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Nancy Garcia
- Centro Pyme Adeneu, Agencia de desarrollo económico del Neuquen, Neuquén, Argentina
| | - Paula M Garrido
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales (CIAS)-Instituto de Investigación en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM CONICET-UNMdP), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata-CONICET, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Estación Costera J.J. Nágera, Ruta Provincial 11 Km 5395 Playa Chapadmalal (7603) Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Tugrul Giray
- Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus and Institute of Neurobiology, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Lionel Segui Gonçalves
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Dep. de Ciências Animais, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Arido, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Prêto, SP, Brazil
| | - Lucas Landi
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Producción Animal, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Agronomía, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- INTA, Centro de Investigación en Recursos Naturales, Instituto de Recursos Biológicos, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Silvia Inés Martinez
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Universidad Nacional de Río Negro, Sede Andina, Escuela de Producción Agropecuaria y Tecnología Ambiental, El Bolsón, Argentina
| | - Pablo Joaquín Moja
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Estación Experimental Agropecuaria INTA Cuenca del Salado, Agencia de Extension Rural Chascomus, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana Molineri
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Instituto de Investigación de La Cadena Láctea (INTA-CONICET), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria- Rafaela, Ruta 34 Km 227, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Pablo Fernando Müller
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Director de Producción Apícola del Ministerio del Agro y de la Producción de la Provincia de Misiones. Centro de Investigación Apícola y Meliponícola del Instituto Superior del Profesorado en Ciencias Agrarias y Protección Ambiental (PROCAyPA), Misiones, Argentina
| | - Enrique Nogueira
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Unidad Académica de Animales de Granja, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Adriana Pacini
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Instituto de Investigación de La Cadena Láctea (INTA-CONICET), Estación Experimental Agropecuaria- Rafaela, Ruta 34 Km 227, 2300, Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - María Alejandra Palacio
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible (IPADS) Balcarce (INTA-CONICET), RN 226 km 73.5,7620, Balcarce, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (FCA-UNMdP), Ruta 226km 73.5, Balcarce, 7620, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Guiomar Nates Parra
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Abejas, Departamento de biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, sede Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Alejandro Parra-H
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Grupo de Investigaciones para la Gestión y Conservación de Servicios Ecosistémicos, Corporación para la Gestión de Servicios Ecosistémicos, Polinización y Abejas-SEPyA, Bogotá D.C., Colombia
| | - Kátia Peres Gramacho
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Dep. de Ciências Animais, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Arido, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
| | - Eleazar Pérez Castro
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Facultad de Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional del Centro del Perú, Av. Mariscal Castilla N° 3909, El Tambo, Huancayo, Perú
| | - Carmen Sílvia Soares Pires
- Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Parque Estação Biológica, Avenida W5 Norte (Final), Caixa Postal 02372, Brasília, DF, 70770-917, Brazil
| | - Francisco J Reynaldi
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Centro de Microbiología Básica y Aplicada (CEMIBA), Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) y Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, La Plata (CCT-CONICET, La Plata), La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Anais Rodríguez Luis
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Centro de Investigaciones Apícolas, Havana, Cuba
| | - Carmen Rossini
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Ecología Química, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Estela Santos
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Facultad de Ciencias, Iguá 4225, 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Alejandra Scannapieco
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Instituto de Genética E. A. Favret, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Yamandú Mendoza Spina
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Sección Apicultura, INIA La Estanzuela, Colonia, Uruguay
| | - José María Tapia González
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas (CIABE), Centro Universitario del Sur, Universidad de Guadalajara, Enrique Arreola Silva 883, Cd., Guzman, JAL, Mexico
| | - Andrés Marcelo Vargas Fernández
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Beeing Company, Departamento Ciencias Universidad de Chile, Avda. Santa Rosa 11315, La Pintana, 882080, Santiago, Chile
| | - Blandina Felipe Viana
- Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Campus de Ondina, Rua Barão de Geremoabo s/n, Salvador, BA, 40170-210, Brazil
| | - Lorena Vieli
- Departamento de Ciencias Agronómicas y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Forestales, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Carlos Ariel Yadró García
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Centro de Investigaciones Apícolas, Havana, Cuba
| | - Karina Antúnez
- Sociedad Latinoamericana de Investigación en Abejas (SOLATINA), Montevideo, Uruguay
- Lab. de Microbiología y Salud de las Abejas, Departamento de Microbiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Rinkevich FD, Danka RG, Rinderer TE, Margotta JW, Bartlett LJ, Healy KB. Relative impacts of Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata:Varroidae) infestation and pesticide exposure on honey bee colony health and survival in a high-intensity corn and soybean producing region in northern Iowa. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2024; 24:18. [PMID: 38805656 PMCID: PMC11132140 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieae054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
The negative effects of Varroa and pesticides on colony health and survival are among the most important concerns to beekeepers. To compare the relative contribution of Varroa, pesticides, and interactions between them on honey bee colony performance and survival, a 2-year longitudinal study was performed in corn and soybean growing areas of Iowa. Varroa infestation and pesticide content in stored pollen were measured from 3 apiaries across a gradient of corn and soybean production areas and compared to measurements of colony health and survival. Colonies were not treated for Varroa the first year, but were treated the second year, leading to reduced Varroa infestation that was associated with larger honey bee populations, increased honey production, and higher colony survival. Pesticide detections were highest in areas with high-intensity corn and soybean production treated with conventional methods. Pesticide detections were positively associated with honey bee population size in May 2015 in the intermediate conventional (IC) and intermediate organic (IO) apiaries. Varroa populations across all apiaries in October 2015 were negatively correlated with miticide and chlorpyrifos detections. Miticide detections across all apiaries and neonicotinoid detections in the IC apiary in May 2015 were higher in colonies that survived. In July 2015, colony survival was positively associated with total pesticide detections in all apiaries and chlorpyrifos exposure in the IC and high conventional (HC) apiaries. This research suggests that Varroa are a major cause of reduced colony performance and increased colony losses, and honey bees are resilient upon low to moderate pesticide detections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank D Rinkevich
- USDA-ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Laboratory, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Robert G Danka
- USDA-ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Laboratory, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Thomas E Rinderer
- USDA-ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Laboratory, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Joseph W Margotta
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| | - Lewis J Bartlett
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Disease, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Kristen B Healy
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Gray D, Goslee S, Kammerer M, Grozinger CM. Effective pest management approaches can mitigate honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony winter loss across a range of weather conditions in small-scale, stationary apiaries. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2024; 24:15. [PMID: 38805654 PMCID: PMC11132132 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieae043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Managed honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies in North America and Europe have experienced high losses in recent years, which have been linked to weather conditions, lack of quality forage, and high parasite loads, particularly the obligate brood parasite, Varroa destructor. These factors may interact at various scales to have compounding effects on honey bee health, but few studies have been able to simultaneously investigate the effects of weather conditions, landscape factors, and management of parasites. We analyzed a dataset of 3,210 survey responses from beekeepers in Pennsylvania from 2017 to 2022 and combined these with remotely sensed weather variables and novel datasets about seasonal forage availability into a Random Forest model to investigate drivers of winter loss. We found that beekeepers who used treatment against Varroa had higher colony survival than those who did not treat. Moreover, beekeepers who used multiple types of Varroa treatment had higher colony survival rates than those who used 1 type of treatment. Our models found weather conditions are strongly associated with survival, but multiple-treatment type colonies had higher survival across a broader range of climate conditions. These findings suggest that the integrated pest management approach of combining treatment types can potentially buffer managed honey bee colonies from adverse weather conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Darcy Gray
- Department of Entomology, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Center for Pollinator Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Sarah Goslee
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Melanie Kammerer
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Christina M Grozinger
- Department of Entomology, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Center for Pollinator Research, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zapata-Hernández G, Gajardo-Rojas M, Calderón-Seguel M, Muñoz AA, Yáñez KP, Requier F, Fontúrbel FE, Ormeño-Arriagada PI, Arrieta H. Advances and knowledge gaps on climate change impacts on honey bees and beekeeping: A systematic review. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2024; 30:e17219. [PMID: 38450832 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.17219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
The Western honey bee Apis mellifera is a managed species that provides diverse hive products and contributing to wild plant pollination, as well as being a critical component of crop pollination systems worldwide. High mortality rates have been reported in different continents attributed to different factors, including pesticides, pests, diseases, and lack of floral resources. Furthermore, climate change has been identified as a potential driver negatively impacting pollinators, but it is still unclear how it could affect honey bee populations. In this context, we carried out a systematic review to synthesize the effects of climate change on honey bees and beekeeping activities. A total of 90 articles were identified, providing insight into potential impacts (negative, neutral, and positive) on honey bees and beekeeping. Interest in climate change's impact on honey bees has increased in the last decade, with studies mainly focusing on honey bee individuals, using empirical and experimental approaches, and performed at short-spatial (<10 km) and temporal (<5 years) scales. Moreover, environmental analyses were mainly based on short-term data (weather) and concentrated on only a few countries. Environmental variables such as temperature, precipitation, and wind were widely studied and had generalized negative effects on different biological and ecological aspects of honey bees. Food reserves, plant-pollinator networks, mortality, gene expression, and metabolism were negatively impacted. Knowledge gaps included a lack of studies at the apiary and beekeeper level, a limited number of predictive and perception studies, poor representation of large-spatial and mid-term scales, a lack of climate analysis, and a poor understanding of the potential impacts of pests and diseases. Finally, climate change's impacts on global beekeeping are still an emergent issue. This is mainly due to their diverse effects on honey bees and the potential necessity of implementing adaptation measures to sustain this activity under complex environmental scenarios.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Germán Zapata-Hernández
- Instituto de Geografía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Centro de Acción Climática, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Martina Gajardo-Rojas
- Instituto de Geografía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Centro de Acción Climática, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Matías Calderón-Seguel
- Departamento de Ciencias Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Tarapacá, Iquique, Chile
| | - Ariel A Muñoz
- Instituto de Geografía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Centro de Acción Climática, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Centro de Ciencia del Clima y la Resiliencia, Santiago, Chile
| | - Karen P Yáñez
- Centro de Biotecnología Dr. Daniel Alkalay Lowitt, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Fabrice Requier
- CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Francisco E Fontúrbel
- Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Pablo I Ormeño-Arriagada
- Centro de Acción Climática, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Departamento de Informática, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Héctor Arrieta
- Centro de Acción Climática, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
van Dooremalen C, Ulgezen ZN, Dall’Olio R, Godeau U, Duan X, Sousa JP, Schäfer MO, Beaurepaire A, van Gennip P, Schoonman M, Flener C, Matthijs S, Claeys Boúúaert D, Verbeke W, Freshley D, Valkenburg DJ, van den Bosch T, Schaafsma F, Peters J, Xu M, Le Conte Y, Alaux C, Dalmon A, Paxton RJ, Tehel A, Streicher T, Dezmirean DS, Giurgiu AI, Topping CJ, Williams JH, Capela N, Lopes S, Alves F, Alves J, Bica J, Simões S, Alves da Silva A, Castro S, Loureiro J, Horčičková E, Bencsik M, McVeigh A, Kumar T, Moro A, van Delden A, Ziółkowska E, Filipiak M, Mikołajczyk Ł, Leufgen K, De Smet L, de Graaf DC. Bridging the Gap between Field Experiments and Machine Learning: The EC H2020 B-GOOD Project as a Case Study towards Automated Predictive Health Monitoring of Honey Bee Colonies. INSECTS 2024; 15:76. [PMID: 38276825 PMCID: PMC10816039 DOI: 10.3390/insects15010076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Honey bee colonies have great societal and economic importance. The main challenge that beekeepers face is keeping bee colonies healthy under ever-changing environmental conditions. In the past two decades, beekeepers that manage colonies of Western honey bees (Apis mellifera) have become increasingly concerned by the presence of parasites and pathogens affecting the bees, the reduction in pollen and nectar availability, and the colonies' exposure to pesticides, among others. Hence, beekeepers need to know the health condition of their colonies and how to keep them alive and thriving, which creates a need for a new holistic data collection method to harmonize the flow of information from various sources that can be linked at the colony level for different health determinants, such as bee colony, environmental, socioeconomic, and genetic statuses. For this purpose, we have developed and implemented the B-GOOD (Giving Beekeeping Guidance by computational-assisted Decision Making) project as a case study to categorize the colony's health condition and find a Health Status Index (HSI). Using a 3-tier setup guided by work plans and standardized protocols, we have collected data from inside the colonies (amount of brood, disease load, honey harvest, etc.) and from their environment (floral resource availability). Most of the project's data was automatically collected by the BEEP Base Sensor System. This continuous stream of data served as the basis to determine and validate an algorithm to calculate the HSI using machine learning. In this article, we share our insights on this holistic methodology and also highlight the importance of using a standardized data language to increase the compatibility between different current and future studies. We argue that the combined management of big data will be an essential building block in the development of targeted guidance for beekeepers and for the future of sustainable beekeeping.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Zeynep N. Ulgezen
- Wageningen University & Research, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Ugoline Godeau
- Institut National de la Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, 84914 Avignon, France
| | | | - José Paulo Sousa
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, TERRA Associated Laboratory, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Marc O. Schäfer
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Bundesforschunginstitut für Tiergesundheit, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany
| | | | - Pim van Gennip
- Stichting BEEP, 3972 LK Driebergen-Rijsenburg, The Netherlands
| | | | - Claude Flener
- Suomen Mehiläishoitajain Liitto, 00130 Helsinki, Finland
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Famke Schaafsma
- Wageningen University & Research, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jeroen Peters
- Wageningen University & Research, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mang Xu
- Wageningen University & Research, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Yves Le Conte
- Institut National de la Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, 84914 Avignon, France
| | - Cedric Alaux
- Institut National de la Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, 84914 Avignon, France
| | - Anne Dalmon
- Institut National de la Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, 84914 Avignon, France
| | - Robert J. Paxton
- Martin-Luther-Universitaet Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Anja Tehel
- Martin-Luther-Universitaet Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Tabea Streicher
- Martin-Luther-Universitaet Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Daniel S. Dezmirean
- Universitatea de Stiinte Agricole si Medicina Veterinara Cluj Napoca, 400372 Cluj Napoca, Romania
| | - Alexandru I. Giurgiu
- Universitatea de Stiinte Agricole si Medicina Veterinara Cluj Napoca, 400372 Cluj Napoca, Romania
| | | | | | - Nuno Capela
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, TERRA Associated Laboratory, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sara Lopes
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, TERRA Associated Laboratory, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Fátima Alves
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, TERRA Associated Laboratory, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Joana Alves
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, TERRA Associated Laboratory, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Bica
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, TERRA Associated Laboratory, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sandra Simões
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, TERRA Associated Laboratory, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - António Alves da Silva
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, TERRA Associated Laboratory, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sílvia Castro
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, TERRA Associated Laboratory, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Loureiro
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, TERRA Associated Laboratory, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Eva Horčičková
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, TERRA Associated Laboratory, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Martin Bencsik
- The Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG11 8NS, UK
| | - Adam McVeigh
- The Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG11 8NS, UK
| | - Tarun Kumar
- The Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG11 8NS, UK
| | - Arrigo Moro
- Institute of Bee Health, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Frizzera D, Zanni V, D'Agaro M, Boaro G, Andreuzza L, Del Fabbro S, Annoscia D, Nazzi F. Varroa destructor exacerbates the negative effect of cold contributing to honey bee mortality. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 151:104571. [PMID: 37832840 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2023.104571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Several concurrent stress factors can impact honey bee health and colony stability. Although a satisfactory knowledge of the effect of almost every single factor is now available, a mechanistic understanding of the many possible interactions between stressors is still largely lacking. Here we studied, both at the individual and colony level, how honey bees are affected by concurrent exposure to cold and parasitic infection. We found that the parasitic mite Varroa destructor, further than increasing the natural mortality of bees, can induce an anorexia that reduces their capacity to thermoregulate and thus react to sub-optimal temperatures. This, in turn, could affect the collective response of the bee colony to cold temperatures aggravating the effect already observed at the individual level. These results highlight the important role that biotic factors can have by shaping the response to abiotic factors and the strategic need to consider the potential interactions between stressors at all levels of the biological organization to better understand their impact.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Davide Frizzera
- Dipartimento di Scienze AgroAlimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy.
| | - Virginia Zanni
- Dipartimento di Scienze AgroAlimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Mauro D'Agaro
- Dipartimento di Scienze AgroAlimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Giulia Boaro
- Dipartimento di Scienze AgroAlimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Laura Andreuzza
- Dipartimento di Scienze AgroAlimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Simone Del Fabbro
- Dipartimento di Scienze AgroAlimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Desiderato Annoscia
- Dipartimento di Scienze AgroAlimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy
| | - Francesco Nazzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze AgroAlimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Jovanovic NM, Glavinic U, Ristanic M, Vejnovic B, Ilic T, Stevanovic J, Stanimirovic Z. Effects of Plant-Based Supplement on Oxidative Stress of Honey Bees ( Apis mellifera) Infected with Nosema ceranae. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3543. [PMID: 38003159 PMCID: PMC10668651 DOI: 10.3390/ani13223543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most important approaches in the prevention and treatment of nosemosis is the use of herbal preparations as food supplements for bees. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a plant-based supplement branded as "B+" on honeybees in a laboratory experiment. Four experimental groups were established: treated group (T), N. ceranae-infected and treated group (IT), N. ceranae-infected group (I) and non-infected group (NI). Survival, N. ceranae spore load and oxidative stress parameters together with expression levels of antioxidant enzyme genes and vitellogenin gene were monitored. The mortality in the T, IT and NI groups was significantly (p < 0.001) lower than in than in the I group. Within Nosema-infected groups, the IT group had a significantly lower (p < 0.001) number of N. ceranae spores than the I group. In addition, expression levels of genes for antioxidant enzymes were lower (p < 0.001) in the IT group compared to the I group. The concentration of malondialdehyde and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione S-transferase) were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the IT group compared to the I group. No negative effects of the tested supplement were observed. All these findings indicate that the tested supplement exerted beneficial effects manifested in better bee survival, reduced N. ceranae spore number and reduced oxidative stress of bees (lower expression of genes for antioxidant enzymes and oxidative stress parameters).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nemanja M. Jovanovic
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (N.M.J.); (T.I.)
| | - Uros Glavinic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (U.G.); (M.R.); (Z.S.)
| | - Marko Ristanic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (U.G.); (M.R.); (Z.S.)
| | - Branislav Vejnovic
- Department of Economics and Statistics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia;
| | - Tamara Ilic
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (N.M.J.); (T.I.)
| | - Jevrosima Stevanovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (U.G.); (M.R.); (Z.S.)
| | - Zoran Stanimirovic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade, Bul. Oslobodjenja 18, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (U.G.); (M.R.); (Z.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Cornman RS. Data mining reveals tissue-specific expression and host lineage-associated forms of Apis mellifera filamentous virus. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16455. [PMID: 38025724 PMCID: PMC10655722 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Apis mellifera filamentous virus (AmFV) is a large double-stranded DNA virus of uncertain phylogenetic position that infects honey bees (Apis mellifera). Little is known about AmFV evolution or molecular aspects of infection. Accurate annotation of open-reading frames (ORFs) is challenged by weak homology to other known viruses. This study was undertaken to evaluate ORFs (including coding-frame conservation, codon bias, and purifying selection), quantify genetic variation within AmFV, identify host characteristics that covary with infection rate, and examine viral expression patterns in different tissues. Methods Short-read data were accessed from the Sequence Read Archive (SRA) of the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Sequence reads were downloaded from accessions meeting search criteria and scanned for kmers representative of AmFV genomic sequence. Samples with kmer counts above specified thresholds were downloaded in full for mapping to reference sequences and de novo assembly. Results At least three distinct evolutionary lineages of AmFV exist. Clade 1 predominates in Europe but in the Americas and Africa it is replaced by the other clades as infection level increases in hosts. Only clade 3 was found at high relative abundance in hosts with African ancestry, whereas all clades achieved high relative abundance in bees of non-African ancestry. In Europe and Africa, clade 2 was generally detected only in low-level infections but was locally dominant in some North American samples. The geographic distribution of clade 3 was consistent with an introduction to the Americas with 'Africanized' honey bees in the 1950s. Localized genomic regions of very high nucleotide divergence in individual isolates suggest recombination with additional, as-yet unidentified AmFV lineages. A set of 155 high-confidence ORFs was annotated based on evolutionary conservation in six AmFV genome sequences representative of the three clades. Pairwise protein-level identity averaged 94.6% across ORFs (range 77.1-100%), which generally exhibited low evolutionary rates and moderate to strong codon bias. However, no robust example of positive diversifying selection on coding sequence was found in these alignments. Most of the genome was detected in RNA short-read alignments. Transcriptome assembly often yielded contigs in excess of 50 kb and containing ORFs in both orientations, and the termini of long transcripts were associated with tandem repeats. Lower levels of AmFV RNA were detected in brain tissue compared to abdominal tissue, and a distinct set of ORFs had minimal to no detectable expression in brain tissue. A scan of DNA accessions from the parasitic mite Varroa destructor was inconclusive with respect to replication in that species. Discussion Collectively, these results expand our understanding of this enigmatic virus, revealing transcriptional complexity and co-evolutionary associations with host lineage.
Collapse
|
13
|
Requier F, Fournier A, Pointeau S, Rome Q, Courchamp F. Economic costs of the invasive Yellow-legged hornet on honey bees. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 898:165576. [PMID: 37467993 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Biological invasions have ecological impacts worldwide with potential massive economic costs. Among other ecosystem services such as nitrogen cycle, carbon sequestration and primary production, invasive alien species are particularly known to impact pollination. By predating honey bees (Apis mellifera), the invasive Yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax) increases the mortality risk of European bee colonies; however, little is known about its economic costs. We developed an analytic process combining large-scale field data, niche modelling techniques and agent-based models to spatially assess the ecological and economic impacts of the Yellow-legged hornet on honey bees and beekeeping in France. In particular, we estimated (i) the hornet-related risk of bee colony mortality, (ii) the economic cost of colony loss for beekeepers and (iii) the economic impact of livestock replacement compared to honey revenues at regional and national scales. We estimated an overall density of 1.08 hornet nest/km2 in France, based on the field record of 1260 nests over a searched area of 28,348 km2. However, this predator density was heterogeneously spread out across the country as well as the distribution of managed honey bee colonies. Overall, this hornet-related risk of bee colony mortality could reach up to 29.2 % of the beekeepers' livestock at national scale each year in high predation scenario. This national cost could reach as much as € 30.8 million per year due to colony loss, which represents for beekeepers an economic impact of livestock replacement of 26.6 % of honey revenues. Our results suggest non-negligible ecological and economic impacts of the invasive Yellow-legged hornet on honey bees and beekeeping activities. Moreover, this study meets the urgent need for more numerous and accurate economic estimations, necessary to calculate the impact of biological invasions on biodiversity and human goods, with a view to enhance policies of biodiversity conservation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabrice Requier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, UMR Évolution, Génomes, Comportement et Écologie, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
| | - Alice Fournier
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Ecologie Systématique Evolution, 91405 Orsay, France; Biochimie et Toxicologie des Substances Bioactives (BTSB), EA7417 Université de Toulouse, INU Champollion, 81000 Albi, France
| | - Sophie Pointeau
- ITSAP - Institut de l'abeille, Domaine Saint-Paul, CS 40509, 84914 Avignon, France
| | | | - Franck Courchamp
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Ecologie Systématique Evolution, 91405 Orsay, France
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Prouty C, Abou-Shaara HF, Stanford B, Ellis JD, Jack C. Oxalic acid application method and treatment intervals for reduction of Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) populations in Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2023; 23:13. [PMID: 38055944 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iead086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Oxalic acid (OA) is a popular miticide used to control Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) in western honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies. Our aim was to investigate which method of OA application (dribbling, fogging, or vaporizing) was the most effective at reducing V. destructor infestations (Experiment 1) and to improve upon this method by determining the treatment interval that resulted in the greatest V. destructor control (Experiment 2). We used the product Api-Bioxal (97% OA) and maintained 40 honey bee colonies (10/treatment) in both experiments. In Experiment 1, the treatments included (i) dribbling 50 ml of 3% OA solution, (ii) vaporizing 4 g of solid OA, (iii) using an insect fogger supplied with 2.5% OA dissolved in ethyl alcohol, and (iv) an untreated control. After 3 weeks, only the vaporization method reduced V. destructor infestations (from 9.24 mites/100 bees pretreatment to 3.25 mites/100 bees posttreatment) and resulted in significantly increased brood amounts and numbers of adult bees over those of the controls. In Experiment 2, all colonies were treated with 4 applications of OA via vaporization at a constant concentration of 4 g OA/colony. In this experiment, the groups were separated by treatment intervals at either 3-, 5-, or 7-day intervals. We observed that 5- and 7-day treatment intervals significantly reduced V. destructor populations from pretreatment levels over that of the controls and 3-day intervals. Our data demonstrate the efficacy of OA in reducing V. destructor infestation, particularly vaporizing 4 g every 5-7 days as the most effective method of application.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cody Prouty
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Hossam F Abou-Shaara
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt
| | - Branden Stanford
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry, Bureau of Plant and Apiary Inspection, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - James D Ellis
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Cameron Jack
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Willcox BK, Potts SG, Brown MJF, Alix A, Al Naggar Y, Chauzat MP, Costa C, Gekière A, Hartfield C, Hatjina F, Knapp JL, Martínez-López V, Maus C, Metodiev T, Nazzi F, Osterman J, Raimets R, Strobl V, Van Oystaeyen A, Wintermantel D, Yovcheva N, Senapathi D. Emerging threats and opportunities to managed bee species in European agricultural systems: a horizon scan. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18099. [PMID: 37872212 PMCID: PMC10593766 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45279-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Managed bee species provide essential pollination services that contribute to food security worldwide. However, managed bees face a diverse array of threats and anticipating these, and potential opportunities to reduce risks, is essential for the sustainable management of pollination services. We conducted a horizon scanning exercise with 20 experts from across Europe to identify emerging threats and opportunities for managed bees in European agricultural systems. An initial 63 issues were identified, and this was shortlisted to 21 issues through the horizon scanning process. These ranged from local landscape-level management to geopolitical issues on a continental and global scale across seven broad themes-Pesticides & pollutants, Technology, Management practices, Predators & parasites, Environmental stressors, Crop modification, and Political & trade influences. While we conducted this horizon scan within a European context, the opportunities and threats identified will likely be relevant to other regions. A renewed research and policy focus, especially on the highest-ranking issues, is required to maximise the value of these opportunities and mitigate threats to maintain sustainable and healthy managed bee pollinators within agricultural systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bryony K Willcox
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AR, UK.
| | - Simon G Potts
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AR, UK
| | - Mark J F Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, UK
| | - Anne Alix
- Corteva Agriscience, Regulatory and Stewardship Europe, Middle East and Africa, Abingdon, UK
| | - Yahya Al Naggar
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
- Unit of Bee Research and Honey Production, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, 61413, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Marie-Pierre Chauzat
- ANSES, Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Unit of Honey Bee Pathology, 06902, Sophia Antipolis, France
| | - Cecilia Costa
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, 40128, Bologna, Italy
| | - Antoine Gekière
- Laboratory of Zoology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
| | - Chris Hartfield
- National Farmers' Union, Agriculture House, Stoneleigh Park, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, CV8 2TZ, UK
| | - Fani Hatjina
- Department of Apiculture, Institute of Animal Science, ELGO 'DIMITRA', 63200, Nea Moudania, Greece
| | - Jessica L Knapp
- Department of Botany, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Vicente Martínez-López
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | | | | | - Francesco Nazzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agroalimentari, Ambientali e Animali, Università degli Studi di Udine, Udine, Italy
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Julia Osterman
- Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Str. 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Risto Raimets
- Department of Plant Protection, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51014, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Verena Strobl
- Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Dimitry Wintermantel
- Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, Tennenbacher Str. 4, 79106, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Deepa Senapathi
- Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AR, UK
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Albarrak AB, Gray A. Seasonal Colony Loss Rates and Honey Bee Management in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Results of a Survey of Beekeepers. INSECTS 2023; 14:513. [PMID: 37367329 DOI: 10.3390/insects14060513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
There is high demand for honey in Saudi Arabia, honey bees make a valuable contribution to agriculture and the economy, and therefore it is important to know levels of colony loss and potential reasons for losses. While there is much research into honey bee colony losses worldwide, little is known about colony losses in Saudi Arabia, management practices or beekeeping experience there. The aims of this work were to address this knowledge gap. Results of a survey of beekeepers in southwest Saudi Arabia conducted in summer 2018 are presented, including colony losses in five different seasons. Data collection involved face-to-face interviews, supplemented by an online survey, using a purpose-designed questionnaire. Responses were obtained from 109 beekeepers, all male, managing 135 to 1700 colonies, with 2 to 45 years of beekeeping experience. Most (73.1%) respondents mainly kept local hybrid bees, while 25.9% mainly kept Apis mellifera jemenitica. Honey yields per colony varied much more between beekeepers than between bee races. A high proportion (83.5%) of beekeepers reported losing colonies over the period studied. The reported colony loss rate was significantly higher in summer than in other seasons, but still low. The overall proportion of colonies lost was 11.4% in summer 2017 and was lowest in spring 2018 (6.6%). The main reported causes of loss were Varroa destructor and disease. Most beekeepers (88.0%) treated against the Varroa mite, although only one method was reported, tau-fluvalinate as Apistan strips, and only 41.7% used a screened bottom board. The results establish a benchmark for future beekeeper surveys in Saudi Arabia and other environmentally similar countries where colony losses are of interest in all seasons of the year. Informing and supporting Saudi beekeepers concerning Varroa monitoring and treatment and optimal hive management could result in fewer losses, higher honey yields, potential to market organic honey and a greater share of the domestic honey market.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abdulmajeed Barrak Albarrak
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XH, UK
- Mathematics Department, College of Science, Jouf University, Sakaka P.O. Box 2014, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alison Gray
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XH, UK
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Woodford L, Sharpe G, Highet F, Evans DJ. All together now: Geographically coordinated miticide treatment benefits honey bee health. J Appl Ecol 2023; 60:790-802. [PMID: 38505246 PMCID: PMC10947427 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Deformed wing virus (DWV) is a pathogenic virus of honey bees transmitted by the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor. Annual overwintering colony losses, accounting for ~25% of all colonies, are associated with high levels of Varroa-DWV infestation. Effective miticide treatments are available to control Varroa. However, the absence of coordinated treatment means environmental transmission of mites continues unchecked. We aimed to determine whether rational, coordinated treatment is beneficial, and characterized the DWV population as an indicator of colony health.This study uses coordinated treatment of Varroa in a geographically isolated environment (Isle of Arran, Scotland) over 3 years. The study area contained 50-84 colonies managed by ~20 amateur beekeepers. Sampling and virus analysis to assess strain diversity and viral loads were conducted before and after treatments, and changes in population diversity were quantified by sequence analysis.Over the 3 years analysis of the virus population revealed that the dominant DWV variant shifted from Type A to Type B in all apiaries, regardless of mite levels or proximity to other colonies. During this period the number of managed colonies increased by 47% (57-84 colonies), but despite this, we estimate total mite numbers decreased by 58%. Synthesis and applications. In this study, the beekeepers in Arran significantly improved the number of colonies they managed, without importing any bees onto the island, indicating that an improved focus on management techniques, through the combination of a coordinated miticide programme and an improved understanding of bee diseases, could yield positive results for bee health and sustainability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luke Woodford
- Biomedical Sciences Research ComplexUniversity of St. AndrewsSt. AndrewsUK
| | | | - Fiona Highet
- Science and Advice for Scottish AgricultureEdinburghUK
| | - David J. Evans
- Biomedical Sciences Research ComplexUniversity of St. AndrewsSt. AndrewsUK
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Underwood RM, Lawrence BL, Turley NE, Cambron-Kopco LD, Kietzman PM, Traver BE, López-Uribe MM. A longitudinal experiment demonstrates that honey bee colonies managed organically are as healthy and productive as those managed conventionally. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6072. [PMID: 37055462 PMCID: PMC10100614 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32824-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Honey bee colony management is critical to mitigating the negative effects of biotic and abiotic stressors. However, there is significant variation in the practices implemented by beekeepers, which results in varying management systems. This longitudinal study incorporated a systems approach to experimentally test the role of three representative beekeeping management systems (conventional, organic, and chemical-free) on the health and productivity of stationary honey-producing colonies over 3 years. We found that the survival rates for colonies in the conventional and organic management systems were equivalent, but around 2.8 times greater than the survival under chemical-free management. Honey production was also similar, with 102% and 119% more honey produced in conventional and organic management systems, respectively, than in the chemical-free management system. We also report significant differences in biomarkers of health including pathogen levels (DWV, IAPV, Vairimorpha apis, Vairimorpha ceranae) and gene expression (def-1, hym, nkd, vg). Our results experimentally demonstrate that beekeeping management practices are key drivers of survival and productivity of managed honey bee colonies. More importantly, we found that the organic management system-which uses organic-approved chemicals for mite control-supports healthy and productive colonies, and can be incorporated as a sustainable approach for stationary honey-producing beekeeping operations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robyn M Underwood
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
| | - Brooke L Lawrence
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Nash E Turley
- Department of Entomology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | | | - Parry M Kietzman
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Brenna E Traver
- Department of Biology, Penn State Schuylkill, Schuylkill Haven, PA, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Huyen Ton Nu Nguyet M, Bougeard S, Babin A, Dubois E, Druesne C, Rivière M, Laurent M, Chauzat M. Building composite indices in the age of big data - Application to honey bee exposure to infectious and parasitic agents. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15244. [PMID: 37123927 PMCID: PMC10133659 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Pollinator insects play a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity and agricultural production worldwide. Yet they are subject to various infectious and parasitic agents (IPAs). To better assess their exposure to IPAs, discriminative and quantitative molecular methods have been developed. These tools produce large datasets that need to be summarised so as to be interpreted. In this paper, we described the calculation of three types of composite indices (numerical, ordinal, nominal) to characterize the honey bee exposure to IPAs in 128 European sites. Our summarizing methods are based on component-based factorial analyses. The indices summarised the dataset of eight IPAs quantified at two sampling times, into synthetic values providing different yet complementary information. Because our dataset included two sampling times, we used Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA) to synthetize the information. More precisely, the numerical and ordinal indices were generated from the first component of MFA, whereas the nominal index used the first main components of MFA combined with a clustering analysis (Hierarchical Clustering on components). The numerical index was easy to calculate and to be used in further statistical analyses. However, it contained only about 20% of the original information. Containing the same amount of original information, the ordinal index was much easier to interpret. These two indices summarised information in a unidimensional manner. Instead, the nominal index summarised information in a multidimensional manner, which retained much more information (94%). In the practical example, the three indices showed an antagonistic relationship between N. ceranae and DWV-B. These indices represented a toolbox where scientists could pick one composite index according to the aim pursued. Indices could be used in further statistical analyses but could also be used by policy makers and public instances to characterize a given sanitary situation at a site level for instance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - S. Bougeard
- ANSES, Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort Laboratory, Epidemiology and Welfare of Pork, France
| | - A. Babin
- ANSES, Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Unit of Honey Bee Pathology, France
| | - E. Dubois
- ANSES, Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Unit of Honey Bee Pathology, France
| | - C. Druesne
- ANSES, Research Funding & Scientific Watch Department, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - M.P. Rivière
- ANSES, Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Unit of Honey Bee Pathology, France
| | - M. Laurent
- ANSES, Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Unit of Honey Bee Pathology, France
| | - M.P. Chauzat
- Paris-Est University, ANSES, Laboratory for Animal Health, Maisons-Alfort, France
- ANSES, Sophia Antipolis Laboratory, Unit of Honey Bee Pathology, France
- Corresponding author. ANSES, Animal Health Laboratory (LSAn), 14, rue Pierre et Marie Curie F-94701, Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Đorđievski S, Vukašinović EL, Čelić TV, Pihler I, Kebert M, Kojić D, Purać J. Spermidine dietary supplementation and polyamines level in reference to survival and lifespan of honey bees. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4329. [PMID: 36922548 PMCID: PMC10017671 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31456-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Honey bee health has been an important and ongoing topic in recent years. Honey bee is also an important model organism for aging studies. Polyamines, putrescine, spermidine and spermine, are ubiquitous polycations, involved in a wide range of cellular processes such as cell growth, gene regulation, immunity, and regulation of lifespan. Spermidine, named longevity elixir, has been most analysed in the context of aging. One of the several proposed mechanisms behind spermidine actions is antioxidative activity. In present study we showed that dietary spermidine supplementation: (a) improved survival, (b) increased the average lifespan, (c) influenced the content of endogenous polyamines by increasing the level of putrescine and spermidine and decreasing the level of spermine, (d) reduced oxidative stress (MDA level), (e) increased the antioxidant capacity of the organism (FRAP), (f) increased relative gene expression of five genes involved in polyamine metabolism, and (g) upregulated vitellogenin gene in honey bees. To our knowledge, this is the first study on honey bee polyamine levels in reference to their longevity. These results provide important information on possible strategies for improving honey bee health by introducing spermidine into their diet. Here, we offer spermidine concentrations that could be considered for that purpose.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Srđana Đorđievski
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
| | - Elvira L Vukašinović
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Tatjana V Čelić
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Ivan Pihler
- Departmnent of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Marko Kebert
- Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Danijela Kojić
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Jelena Purać
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Arias-Calluari K, Colin T, Latty T, Myerscough M, Altmann EG. Modelling daily weight variation in honey bee hives. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1010880. [PMID: 36857336 PMCID: PMC9977058 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
A quantitative understanding of the dynamics of bee colonies is important to support global efforts to improve bee health and enhance pollination services. Traditional approaches focus either on theoretical models or data-centred statistical analyses. Here we argue that the combination of these two approaches is essential to obtain interpretable information on the state of bee colonies and show how this can be achieved in the case of time series of intra-day weight variation. We model how the foraging and food processing activities of bees affect global hive weight through a set of ordinary differential equations and show how to estimate the parameters of this model from measurements on a single day. Our analysis of 10 hives at different times shows that the estimation of crucial indicators of the health of honey bee colonies are statistically reliable and fall in ranges compatible with previously reported results. The crucial indicators, which include the amount of food collected (foraging success) and the number of active foragers, may be used to develop early warning indicators of colony failure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karina Arias-Calluari
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Theotime Colin
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Tanya Latty
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mary Myerscough
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Eduardo G. Altmann
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Schüler V, Liu YC, Gisder S, Horchler L, Groth D, Genersch E. Significant, but not biologically relevant: Nosema ceranae infections and winter losses of honey bee colonies. Commun Biol 2023; 6:229. [PMID: 36859713 PMCID: PMC9977864 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04587-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The Western honey bee Apis mellifera, which provides about 90% of commercial pollination, is under threat from diverse abiotic and biotic factors. The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor vectoring deformed wing virus (DWV) has been identified as the main biotic contributor to honey bee colony losses worldwide, while the role of the microsporidium Nosema ceranae is still controversially discussed. In an attempt to solve this controversy, we statistically analyzed a unique data set on honey bee colony health collected from a cohort of honey bee colonies over 15 years and comprising more than 3000 data sets on mite infestation levels, Nosema spp. infections, and winter losses. Multivariate statistical analysis confirms that V. destructor is the major cause of colony winter losses. Although N. ceranae infections are also statistically significantly correlated with colony losses, determination of the effect size reveals that N. ceranae infections are of no or low biological relevance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Schüler
- Institute for Bee Research, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Friedrich-Engels-Str. 32, 16540, Hohen Neuendorf, Germany
| | - Yuk-Chien Liu
- Institute for Bee Research, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Friedrich-Engels-Str. 32, 16540, Hohen Neuendorf, Germany
- University of Potsdam, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Sebastian Gisder
- Institute for Bee Research, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Friedrich-Engels-Str. 32, 16540, Hohen Neuendorf, Germany
| | - Lennart Horchler
- Institute for Bee Research, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Friedrich-Engels-Str. 32, 16540, Hohen Neuendorf, Germany
| | - Detlef Groth
- University of Potsdam, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, 14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Elke Genersch
- Institute for Bee Research, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Bee Diseases, Friedrich-Engels-Str. 32, 16540, Hohen Neuendorf, Germany.
- Freie Universität Berlin, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Microbiology and Epizootics, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7, 14163, Berlin, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Kagiali E, Kokoli M, Vardakas P, Goras G, Hatjina F, Patalano S. Four-Year Overview of Winter Colony Losses in Greece: Citizen Science Evidence That Transitioning to Organic Beekeeping Practices Reduces Colony Losses. INSECTS 2023; 14:193. [PMID: 36835762 PMCID: PMC9963079 DOI: 10.3390/insects14020193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The honey bee is one of the most important pollinators with a close relationship to humans. The questionnaire from the non-governmental association "COLOSS", answered by beekeepers around the world, is a valuable tool for monitoring and analyzing factors involved in overwintering losses, as well as for understanding the evolution of the beekeeping sector over the years. Between 2018-2021, Greece's participation in this survey involved collecting data from 752 beekeepers and 81,903 hives, from almost the whole country, with a stable balance between professional/non-professional participants and hives, providing a solid representation of the beekeeping practices and winter losses during this period. The results of this study identify a transition towards more natural beekeeping practices concomitant with a significant decrease in winter losses (average losses in 2018: 22.3% and 2019: 24%, dropped in 2020: 14.4% and 2021: 15.3%). Indeed, some factors, such as the increased use of natural landscapes for honey production (from 66.7% usage in 2018 to 76.3% in 2021) and the reduction in the exclusive use of synthetic acaricides (from 24.7% usage in 2018 to 6.7% in 2021) seem to have a significant impact on hive survival. Although these correlations remain to be confirmed experimentally, our study shows that Greek beekeepers follow recommendations and policies toward more sustainable practices. In the future, these trends could be further analyzed and integrated into training programs to strengthen the cooperation and information exchange between citizens and science.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evangelia Kagiali
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research (IFBR), Biomedical Sciences Research Center (BSRC) “Alexander Fleming”, 16672 Vari, Greece
- Laboratory of Sericulture and Apiculture, Department of Crop Science, School of Plant Sciences, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Kokoli
- Department of Cell Biology and Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15701 Athens, Greece
| | - Philippos Vardakas
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research (IFBR), Biomedical Sciences Research Center (BSRC) “Alexander Fleming”, 16672 Vari, Greece
- Department of Apiculture, Institute of Animal Science ELGO ‘DIMITRA’, 11145 Nea Moudania, Greece
| | - Georgios Goras
- Laboratory of Sericulture and Apiculture, Department of Crop Science, School of Plant Sciences, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Fani Hatjina
- Department of Apiculture, Institute of Animal Science ELGO ‘DIMITRA’, 11145 Nea Moudania, Greece
| | - Solenn Patalano
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research (IFBR), Biomedical Sciences Research Center (BSRC) “Alexander Fleming”, 16672 Vari, Greece
- Department of Apiculture, Institute of Animal Science ELGO ‘DIMITRA’, 11145 Nea Moudania, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Crude Extracts of Talaromyces Strains (Ascomycota) Affect Honey Bee ( Apis mellifera) Resistance to Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus. Viruses 2023; 15:v15020343. [PMID: 36851556 PMCID: PMC9958978 DOI: 10.3390/v15020343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses contribute significantly to the global decline of honey bee populations. One way to limit the impact of such viruses is the introduction of natural antiviral compounds from fungi as a component of honey bee diets. Therefore, we examined the effect of crude organic extracts from seven strains of the fungal genus Talaromyces in honey bee diets under laboratory conditions. The strains were isolated from bee bread prepared by honey bees infected with chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV). The antiviral effect of the extracts was also quantified in vitro using mammalian cells as a model system. We found that three extracts (from strains B13, B18 and B30) mitigated CBPV infections and increased the survival rate of bees, whereas other extracts had no effect (B11 and B49) or were independently toxic (B69 and B195). Extract B18 inhibited the replication of feline calicivirus and feline coronavirus (FCoV) in mammalian cells, whereas extracts B18 and B195 reduced the infectivity of FCoV by ~90% and 99%, respectively. Our results show that nonpathogenic fungi (and their products in food stores) offer an underexplored source of compounds that promote disease resistance in honey bees.
Collapse
|
25
|
Mutinelli F, Pinto A, Barzon L, Toson M. Some Considerations about Winter Colony Losses in Italy According to the Coloss Questionnaire. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13111059. [PMID: 36421962 PMCID: PMC9693309 DOI: 10.3390/insects13111059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The Italian beekeeping industry has grown steadily during the last decade, according to data from the national beekeeping registry, which came into existence in February 2015. Winter colony losses remain a matter of concern for beekeepers in Italy, and administration of the questionnaire defined by the Coloss Association could contribute to a better understanding of this phenomenon. To evaluate the percentage trends over time in honeybee colony losses arising from various causes, we used the quasi-binomial generalized linear modelling (GzLM) approach, taking the year as an independent variable. We set our level of significance at 5% and performed the data analysis only for the seven regions that sent data continuously from 2014 to 2020. We considered the percentage of losses due to queen-related problems, natural disasters, and dead or empty colonies, given that these questions remained unchanged over the years. The survey also revealed that the percentage trend for respondents using drone brood removal showed a significant increase. In general, the percentage of colony losses due to queen-related problems remained lower than 8%, and the percentage of colony losses associated with natural disasters was very low (<2%). The mean percentages of losses due to dead or empty colonies ranged from 6 to 17% in the considered period. In addition, we took account of the responses relating to treatments against Varroa mite infestation, given the importance attributed to this honeybee parasite. Unlike the other variables, we calculated the percentages related to the types of beekeeper treatments against Varroa destructor based on the respondents, not on the colonies. What emerged was that almost every beekeeper used at least one type of treatment against V. destructor. In general, the trend of respondents appeared stable at 0.3% during the last four years.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Franco Mutinelli
- NRL for Honey Bee Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
| | - Anna Pinto
- Communication Laboratory, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
| | - Luciana Barzon
- NRL for Honey Bee Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
| | - Marica Toson
- Epidemiology Laboratory, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, 35020 Legnaro, PD, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Schödl I, Odemer R, Becher MA, Berg S, Otten C, Grimm V, Groeneveld J. Simulation of Varroa mite control in honey bee colonies without synthetic acaricides: Demonstration of Good Beekeeping Practice for Germany in the BEEHAVE model. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9456. [PMID: 36381398 PMCID: PMC9643073 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The BEEHAVE model simulates the population dynamics and foraging activity of a single honey bee colony (Apis mellifera) in great detail. Although it still makes numerous simplifying assumptions, it appears to capture a wide range of empirical observations. It could, therefore, in principle, also be used as a tool in beekeeper education, as it allows the implementation and comparison of different management options. Here, we focus on treatments aimed at controlling the mite Varroa destructor. However, since BEEHAVE was developed in the UK, mite treatment includes the use of a synthetic acaricide, which is not part of Good Beekeeping Practice in Germany. A practice that consists of drone brood removal from April to June, treatment with formic acid in August/September, and treatment with oxalic acid in November/December. We implemented these measures, focusing on the timing, frequency, and spacing between drone brood removals. The effect of drone brood removal and acid treatment, individually or in combination, on a mite-infested colony was examined. We quantify the efficacy of Varroa mite control as the reduction of mites in treated bee colonies compared to untreated bee colonies. We found that drone brood removal was very effective, reducing mites by 90% at the end of the first simulation year after the introduction of mites. This value was significantly higher than the 50-67% reduction expected by bee experts and confirmed by empirical studies. However, literature reports varying percent reductions in mite numbers from 10 to 85% after drone brood removal. The discrepancy between model results, empirical data, and expert estimates indicate that these three sources should be reviewed and refined, as all are based on simplifying assumptions. These results and the adaptation of BEEHAVE to the Good Beekeeping Practice are a decisive step forward for the future use of BEEHAVE in beekeeper education in Germany and anywhere where organic acids and drone brood removal are utilized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Schödl
- Department of Ecological ModellingHelmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZLeipzigGermany
| | - Richard Odemer
- Julius Kühn‐Institute (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated PlantsInstitute for Bee ProtectionBraunschweigGermany
| | - Matthias A. Becher
- Artificial Life Laboratory, Institute of Biology, Karl‐Franzens University GrazGrazAustria
| | - Stefan Berg
- Bavarian State Institute for Viticulture and Horticulture, Institute for Bee Research and BeekeepingVeitshöchheimGermany
| | - Christoph Otten
- Service Centre for Rural Areas (DLR), Expert Centre for Bees and BeekeepingMayenGermany
| | - Volker Grimm
- Department of Ecological ModellingHelmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZLeipzigGermany
- Plant Ecology and Nature ConservationUniversity of PotsdamPotsdamGermany
| | - Jürgen Groeneveld
- Department of Ecological ModellingHelmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZLeipzigGermany
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Sevin S, Bommuraj V, Chen Y, Afik O, Zarchin S, Barel S, Arslan OC, Erdem B, Tutun H, Shimshoni JA. Lithium salts: assessment of their chronic and acute toxicities to honey bees and their anti-Varroa field efficacy. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:4507-4516. [PMID: 35808970 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Varroa control is essential for the maintenance of healthy honey bee colonies. Overuse of acaricides has led to the evolution of resistance to those substances. Studies of the short-term acaricidal effects and safety of various lithium (Li) salts recently have been reported. This study examined the long-term in vitro and in vivo bee toxicities, short-term motor toxicity to bees and long-term anti-Varroa field efficacy of several Li salts. RESULTS In an in vitro chronic-toxicity assay, lithium citrate (18.8 mm) was the most toxic of the examined salts, followed by lithium lactate (29.5 mm), and lithium formate (32.5 mm). In terms of acute locomotor toxicity to bees, all of the Li salts were well-tolerated and none of the treatment groups differed from the negative control group. In an in vitro survival study, all of the Li treatments significantly reduced bee life spans by a factor of 1.8-7.2, as compared to the control. In terms of life expectancy, lithium citrate was the most toxic salt, with no significant differences noted between lithium formate and lithium lactate. In the bee-mortality field study, none of the examined treatments differed from the negative control. Amitraz and lithium formate exhibited similar acaricide effects, which were significantly different from those observed for lithium lactate and the negative control. CONCLUSION In light of lithium formate's honey bee safety and efficacy as an acaricide, additional sublethal toxicity studies in brood, drones and queens, as well as tests aimed at the optimization of administration frequency are warranted. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sedat Sevin
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Vijayakumar Bommuraj
- Department of Food Quality & Safety, Institute for Postharvest and Food Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Yaira Chen
- Department of Food Quality & Safety, Institute for Postharvest and Food Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| | - Ohad Afik
- Agricultural Extension Service, Ministry of Agriculture and rural development, Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Shlomi Zarchin
- Agricultural Extension Service, Ministry of Agriculture and rural development, Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Shimon Barel
- Kimron Veterinary Institute, Department of Toxicology, Bet Dagan, Israel
| | - Okan Can Arslan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Babür Erdem
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Hidayet Tutun
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkey
| | - Jakob A Shimshoni
- Department of Food Quality & Safety, Institute for Postharvest and Food Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Johannesen J, Wöhl S, Berg S, Otten C. Annual Fluctuations in Winter Colony Losses of Apis mellifera L. Are Predicted by Honey Flow Dynamics of the Preceding Year. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13090829. [PMID: 36135530 PMCID: PMC9501173 DOI: 10.3390/insects13090829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Winter loss rates of honey bee colonies may fluctuate highly between years in temperate climates. The present study combined survey data of autumn and winter loss rates in Germany (2012-2021) with estimates of honey flow-assessed with automated hive scales as the start of honey flow in spring and its magnitude in summer-with the aim of understanding annual fluctuations in loss rates. Autumn colony loss rates were positively and significantly correlated with winter loss rates, whereas winter loss rates were inversely related to loss rates in autumn of the following year. An early start of net honey flow in spring predicted high loss rates in both autumn and winter, whereas high cumulative honey flow led to lower loss rates. The start of net honey flow was related to temperature sums in March. Combined, the results implied that the winter loss rate in one year was influenced by the loss rate of the preceding winter and shaped by honey flow dynamics during the following year. Hence, the rate of colony loss in winter can be viewed as a cumulative death process affected by the preceding one and a half years.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jes Johannesen
- Fachzentrum Bienen und Imkerei, DLR-Westerwald-Osteifel, Im Bannen 38, 56727 Mayen, Germany
| | - Saskia Wöhl
- Fachzentrum Bienen und Imkerei, DLR-Westerwald-Osteifel, Im Bannen 38, 56727 Mayen, Germany
| | - Stefen Berg
- Institut für Bienenkunde und Imkerei, An der Steige 15, 97209 Veitshöchheim, Germany
| | - Christoph Otten
- Fachzentrum Bienen und Imkerei, DLR-Westerwald-Osteifel, Im Bannen 38, 56727 Mayen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Community Dynamics in Structure and Function of Honey Bee Gut Bacteria in Response to Winter Dietary Shift. mBio 2022; 13:e0113122. [PMID: 36036626 PMCID: PMC9600256 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01131-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Temperate honey bees (Apis mellifera) are challenged by low temperatures and abrupt dietary shifts associated with behavioral changes during winter. Case studies have revealed drastic turnover in the gut microbiota of winter bees, highlighted by the seasonal dominance of a non-core bacterium Bartonella. However, neither biological consequence nor underlying mechanism of this microbial turnover is clear. In particular, we ask whether such changes in gut profile are related to winter dietary shift and possibly beneficial to host and associated gut microbiome? Here, we integrated evidences from genomics, metagenomics, and metabolomics in three honey bee subspecies maintained at the same locality of northern China to profile both diversity and functional variations in gut bacteria across seasons. Our results showed that winter dominance of Bartonella was shared in all tested honey bee lineages. This seasonal change was likely a consequence of winter dietary shifts characterized by greatly reduced pollen consumption and accumulation of metabolic waste due to restricted excretion. Bartonella showed expanded genomic capacity in utilizing more diverse energy substrates, such as converting metabolic wastes lactate and ethanol into pyruvate, an energy source for self-utilization and possibly also for host and other symbionts. Furthermore, Bartonella was the only bacterium capable of both producing and secreting tryptophan and phenylalanine, whose metabolic products were detected in bee guts, even though all gut bacteria lacked relevant digestion enzymes. These results thus suggested a possible mechanism where the gut bacteria might benefit the host by supplementing them with essential amino acids lacking in a protein shortage diet.
Collapse
|
30
|
Varroa Appears to Drive Persistent Increases in New Zealand Colony Losses. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13070589. [PMID: 35886765 PMCID: PMC9318748 DOI: 10.3390/insects13070589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary New Zealand is a significant exporter of high-value honey, and honey bees are the major pollinator of many important food crops. Bee colonies naturally die over winter due to the pressures of the season, and we have been surveying beekeepers annually since 2015 to record these losses. The percentage of colonies that died over winter increased every year between 2015 and 2021. While problems with queen bees were previously the main issue to which beekeepers attributed losses, 2021 was the first year in which beekeepers identified the parasitic varroa mite as the main cause. The mite invaded New Zealand in 2000; despite being in the country for more than 20 years, New Zealand beekeepers are still struggling to control varroa. Abstract New Zealand’s temperate climate and bountiful flora are well suited to managed honey bees, and its geographic isolation and strict biosecurity laws have made sure that some pests and diseases affecting bees elsewhere are not present. Nevertheless, given the importance of pollination and high-value export honey to the economy, New Zealand began systematically measuring winter colony losses in 2015. The New Zealand Colony Loss Survey is modelled on the COLOSS survey but has been adapted to the New Zealand apicultural context. Some 49% of New Zealand beekeepers completed the winter 2021 survey. Between 2015 and 2021, overall colony loss rates increased monotonically from 8.37% [95% CI: 7.66%, 9.15%] to 13.59% [95% CI: 13.21%, 13.99%]. Whereas beekeepers most commonly attributed losses to queen problems between 2015 and 2020, attributions to varroa have escalated year-on-year to become the largest attributed cause of colony loss. Losses to varroa are perhaps amplified by the 23.4% of respondents who did not monitor mite loads and the 4.4% of beekeepers who did not treat varroa during the 2020/21 season. Indeed, most beekeepers consider their treatment to be effective and note that treating at the wrong time and reinvasion were major drivers of losses to varroa.
Collapse
|
31
|
Devkota K, Egan PA, Dos Santos CF, Blochtein B. Beekeeping Livelihood Development in Nepal: Value-Added Opportunities and Professional Support Needs. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2022; 115:706-714. [PMID: 35526117 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toac058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Beekeeping contributes to poverty reduction in many developing countries, and in addition, provides pollination services for sustainable crop production. In Nepal, management practices associated with beekeeping are poorly characterized, and so the potential for this sector to further contribute to livelihood development remains unclear. This study sought to examine and identify factors associated with production efficiency and financial profitability of beekeeping with the aim of enhancing economic gains for Nepali beekeepers. Our study included a sample of 150 respondents from more than twenty commercial beekeeping districts across the Terai and mountainous regions of Nepal. Profitability of beekeeping with the European honeybee (Apis mellifera) Linnaeus, 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and the Asian honeybee Apis cerana Fabricius, 1793 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) was quantified and disaggregated according to several variables, including hive-derived products produced, marketing strategy employed, number of beehives managed, and postharvest management practices. Our results showed that the different types of management practices adopted (such as number of beehives kept, colony multiplication, supplementary feeding, month of honey harvesting, and marketing approach) significantly influenced the productivity and economic profitability of beekeeping. Our results also revealed that professional supports, such as the availability of subsidies and training, were key factors to enhance productivity. As a whole, this study provides insight into the biological factors and management practices associated with higher economic returns from beekeeping. This work can help guide policymakers and professional support agencies to expand commercial beekeeping for sustainable livelihood development in Nepal and beyond.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- K Devkota
- Graduate Program in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Faculty of Agriculture, Agricultural and Forestry University, Rampur, PO Box 13712, Chitwan, Nepal
| | - P A Egan
- Faculty of Agriculture, Agricultural and Forestry University, Rampur, PO Box 13712, Chitwan, Nepal
- Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 102, SE-23053, Alnarp, Sweden
| | - C F Dos Santos
- Graduate Program in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - B Blochtein
- Graduate Program in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Reitmayer CM, Girling RD, Jackson CW, Newman TA. Repeated short-term exposure to diesel exhaust reduces honey bee colony fitness. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 300:118934. [PMID: 35114309 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.118934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Production of insect-pollinated crops is often reliant on honey bee (Apis mellifera) pollination services. Colonies can be managed and moved to meet the demands of modern intensified monoculture farming systems. Increased colony mortalities have been observed, which are thought be caused by interacting factors including exposure to pesticides, parasites, viruses, agricultural intensification, and changes in global and regional climate. However, whilst common tropospheric air pollutants (e.g. NOx, particulate matter etc) are known to cause a range of negative effects on human health, there is little evidence of their impact on the health of A. mellifera. This study investigates the effects of exposure to diesel exhaust on A. mellifera, both at the level of individual foragers and on the whole colony. We exposed a series of colonies to diesel exhaust fumes for 2 h a day over the course of three weeks and contrasted their performance to a series of paired control colonies located at the same field site. We investigated markers of neuronal health in the brains of individual foragers and measured the prevalence of common viruses. Electronic counters monitored daily colony activity patterns and pollen samples from returning foragers were analysed to investigate plant species richness and diversity. The amounts of honey, brood and pollen in each colony were measured regularly. We demonstrated an upregulation of the synapse protein Neurexin 1 in forager brains repeatedly exposed to diesel exhaust. Furthermore, we found that colonies exposed to diesel exhaust lost colony weight after the exposure period until the end of the summer season, whereas control colonies gained weight towards the end of the season. Further investigations are required, but we hypothesise that such effects on both individual foragers and whole colony fitness parameters could ultimately contribute to winter losses of honey bee colonies, particularly in the presence of additional stressors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Robbie D Girling
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6EU, UK; School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
| | | | - Tracey A Newman
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
El-Seedi HR, Ahmed HR, El-Wahed AAA, Saeed A, Algethami AF, Attia NF, Guo Z, Musharraf SG, Khatib A, Alsharif SM, Naggar YA, Khalifa SAM, Wang K. Bee Stressors from an Immunological Perspective and Strategies to Improve Bee Health. Vet Sci 2022; 9:vetsci9050199. [PMID: 35622727 PMCID: PMC9146872 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9050199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Honeybees are the most prevalent insect pollinator species; they pollinate a wide range of crops. Colony collapse disorder (CCD), which is caused by a variety of biotic and abiotic factors, incurs high economic/ecological loss. Despite extensive research to identify and study the various ecological stressors such as microbial infections, exposure to pesticides, loss of habitat, and improper beekeeping practices that are claimed to cause these declines, the deep understanding of the observed losses of these important insects is still missing. Honeybees have an innate immune system, which includes physical barriers and cellular and humeral responses to defend against pathogens and parasites. Exposure to various stressors may affect this system and the health of individual bees and colonies. This review summarizes and discusses the composition of the honeybee immune system and the consequences of exposure to stressors, individually or in combinations, on honeybee immune competence. In addition, we discuss the relationship between bee nutrition and immunity. Nutrition and phytochemicals were highlighted as the factors with a high impact on honeybee immunity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hesham R. El-Seedi
- Pharmacognosy Group, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Biomedical Centre, P.O. Box 591, SE 751 24 Uppsala, Sweden
- International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
- International Joint Research Laboratory of Intelligent Agriculture and Agri-Products Processing (Jiangsu University), Jiangsu Education Department, Nanjing 210024, China
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom 32512, Egypt;
- Correspondence: (H.R.E.-S.); (K.W.); Tel.: +46-700-43-43-43 (H.R.E.-S.); +86-10-62596625 (K.W.)
| | - Hanan R. Ahmed
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom 32512, Egypt;
| | - Aida A. Abd El-Wahed
- Department of Bee Research, Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Giza 12627, Egypt;
| | - Aamer Saeed
- Department of Chemistry, Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan;
| | - Ahmed F. Algethami
- Al nahal al jwal Foundation Saudi Arabia, P.O. Box 617, Al Jumum, Makkah 21926, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Nour F. Attia
- Chemistry Division, National Institute of Standards, 136, Giza 12211, Egypt;
| | - Zhiming Guo
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China;
| | - Syed G. Musharraf
- H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan;
| | - Alfi Khatib
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Kulliyyah of Pharmacy, International Islamic Univetsity Malaysia, Kuantan 25200, Malaysia;
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya 60155, Indonesia
| | - Sultan M. Alsharif
- Biology Department, Faculty of Science, Taibah University, Al Madinah 887, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Yahya Al Naggar
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt;
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle, Germany
| | - Shaden A. M. Khalifa
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, SE 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden;
| | - Kai Wang
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- Correspondence: (H.R.E.-S.); (K.W.); Tel.: +46-700-43-43-43 (H.R.E.-S.); +86-10-62596625 (K.W.)
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Automated Beehive Acoustics Monitoring: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature and Recommendations for Future Work. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12083920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Bees play an important role in agriculture and ecology, and their pollination efficiency is essential to the economic profitability of farms. The drastic decrease in bee populations witnessed over the last decade has attracted great attention to automated remote beehive monitoring research, with beehive acoustics analysis emerging as a prominent field. In this paper, we review the existing literature on bee acoustics analysis and report on the articles published between January 2012 and December 2021. Five categories are explored in further detail, including the origin of the articles, their study goal, experimental setup, audio analysis methodology, and reproducibility. Highlights and limitations in each of these categories are presented and discussed. We conclude with a set of recommendations for future studies, with suggestions ranging from bee species characterization, to recording and testing setup descriptions, to making data and codes available to help advance this new multidisciplinary field.
Collapse
|
35
|
de Graaf D, Bencsik M, De Smet L, Neumann P, Schoonman M, Sousa JP, Topping C, Verbeke W, Williams J, van Dooremalen C. B-GOOD: Giving Beekeeping Guidance by cOmputatiOnal-assisted Decision making. RESEARCH IDEAS AND OUTCOMES 2022. [DOI: 10.3897/rio.8.e84129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A key to healthy beekeeping is the Health Status Index (HIS) inspired by EFSA’s Healthy-B toolbox which we will make fully operational, with the active collaboration of beekeepers, by facilitating the coordinated and harmonised flow of data from various sources and by testing and validating each component thoroughly. We envisage a step&#2;by-step expansion of participating apiaries, and will eventually cover all EU biogeographic regions. The key to a sustainable beekeeping is a better understanding of its socio-economics, particularly within local value chains, its relationship with bee health and the human-ecosystem equilibrium of the beekeeping sector and to implement these insights into the data processing and decision making. We will fully integrate socio-economic analyses, identify viable business models tailored to different contexts for European beekeeping and determine the carrying capacity of the landscape. In close cooperation with the EU Bee Partnership, an EU-wide bee health and management data platform and affiliated project website will be created to enable sharing of knowledge and learning between scientists and stakeholders within and outside the consortium. We will utilise and further expand the classification of the open source IT-application for digital beekeeping, BEEP, to streamline the flow of data related to beekeeping management, the beehive and its environment (landscape, agricultural practices, weather and climate) from various sources. The dynamic bee health and management data platform will allow us to identify correlative relationships among factors impacting the HSI, assess the risk of emerging pests and predators, and enable beekeepers to develop adaptive management strategies that account for local and EU-wide issues. Reinforcing and establishing, where necessary, new multi-actor networks of collaboration will engender a lasting learning and innovation system to ensure social&#2;ecological resilient and sustainable beekeeping.
Collapse
|
36
|
Attia YA, Giorgio GM, Addeo NF, Asiry KA, Piccolo G, Nizza A, Di Meo C, Alanazi NA, Al-qurashi AD, El-Hack MEA, Khafaga AF, Bovera F. COVID-19 pandemic: impacts on bees, beekeeping, and potential role of bee products as antiviral agents and immune enhancers. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:9592-9605. [PMID: 34993785 PMCID: PMC8736297 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17643-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic has passed to the front all the contradictions of the beekeeping sector: the valuable role of bee products as immune enhancers and antiviral agents and the impact that unsustainability of human activities has on bees' health and survival. The COVID-19 emergency led several countries to adopt severe restriction measures to contrast the infection. The lowering of industrial and commercial activities, transports, and the general lockdown had immediate consequences on the air quality, significantly improving environmental conditions. This had a positive impact on honeybees' life's quality. On the other hand, the bee and beehive transportation limitations threaten to hit food production by affecting the pollinator service, and this is particularly true in large, food-exporting countries like the USA and China where due to the few numbers of local bees, beekeepers import them by other countries and convey by truck hives for thousands of kilometers to pollinate crops. Furthermore, honeybee products, focusing on their natural pharmacological properties, can play an essential role as a potential natural contrast to the virus by enhancing the immunity defenses of both humans and animals, and their demand by consumers is expected to increase. Several researchers in the last months focused their attention on bee products to evaluate their effect in the cure of COVID-19 patients to ameliorate the symptoms or to contrast the coronavirus directly. This review reports these preliminary results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Youssef A. Attia
- Agriculture Department, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80208, Jeddah, 21589 Saudi Arabia
- The Strategic Center To Kingdom Vision Realization, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80200, Jeddah, 21589 Saudi Arabia
- Department of Animal and Poultry Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Damanhour University, Damanhour, Egypt
| | - Gianpaolo M. Giorgio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Napoli Federico II, via Delpino, 1, 80137 Napoli, Italy
| | - Nicola F. Addeo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Napoli Federico II, via Delpino, 1, 80137 Napoli, Italy
| | - Khalid A. Asiry
- Agriculture Department, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80208, Jeddah, 21589 Saudi Arabia
| | - Giovanni Piccolo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Napoli Federico II, via Delpino, 1, 80137 Napoli, Italy
| | - Antonino Nizza
- Department of Agronomy, University of Napoli Federico II, Via Università, 100, 80055 Portici, Napoli Italy
| | - Carmelo Di Meo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Napoli Federico II, via Delpino, 1, 80137 Napoli, Italy
| | - Naimah A. Alanazi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Ha’il, PO Box 2440, Ha’il 81451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Adel D. Al-qurashi
- Agriculture Department, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80208, Jeddah, 21589 Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Asmaa F. Khafaga
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University, Edfina, 22758 Egypt
| | - Fulvia Bovera
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Napoli Federico II, via Delpino, 1, 80137 Napoli, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Use of Lactobacillus plantarum in Preventing Clinical Cases of American and European Foulbrood in Central Italy. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12031388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
American and European Foulbrood (AFB and EFB) are considered the most contagious infectious diseases affecting honeybees worldwide. New sustainable strategies need to be implemented for their prevention and control, and probiotics may represent one solution to investigate. In our study, we evaluated the efficacy of one strain of Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) isolated from northern Italy, orally administered to the bees for AFB and EFB prevention. From March to September 2014, a total of 979 honeybee colonies (9.6% of Viterbo province—Central Italy) were taken under observation from 22 apiaries. Overall prevalence of AFB was 5.3% in treated colonies and 5.1% in the untreated ones. On the contrary, EFB prevalence was lower in the treated colonies (2.5%) compared to the untreated ones (4.5%). L. plantarum showed a significant effect in reducing insurgence of cases of EFB up to 35 days after the end of the treatment (p-value: 0.034). Thanks to this study we could investigate the preventive efficacy of L. plantarum in controlling AFB and EFB, and obtain official data on their clinical prevalence in Central Italy.
Collapse
|
38
|
Prado A, Brunet JL, Peruzzi M, Bonnet M, Bordier C, Crauser D, Le Conte Y, Alaux C. Warmer winters are associated with lower levels of the cryoprotectant glycerol, a slower decrease in vitellogenin expression and reduced virus infections in winter honeybees. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 136:104348. [PMID: 34906562 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2021.104348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Within the context of climate change, winter temperatures at high latitudes are predicted to rise faster than summer temperatures. This phenomenon is expected to negatively affect the diapause performance and survival of insects, since they largely rely on low temperatures to lower their metabolism and preserve energy. However, some insects like honeybees, remain relatively active during the winter and elevate their metabolic rate to produce endothermic heat when temperatures drop. Warming winters are thus expected to improve overwintering performance of honeybees. In order to verify this hypothesis, for two consecutive years, we exposed honeybee colonies to either a mild or cold winter. We then monitored the influence of wintering conditions on several parameters of honeybee overwintering physiology, such as levels of the cryoprotectant glycerol, expression levels of immune and antioxidant genes, and genes encoding multifunctional proteins, including vitellogenin, which promotes bee longevity. Winter conditions had no effect on the expression of antioxidant genes, and genes related to immunity were not consistently affected. However, mild winters were consistently associated with a lower investment in glycerol synthesis and a higher expression of fat body genes, especially apidaecin and vitellogenin. Finally, while we found that viral loads generally decreased through the winter, this trend was more pronounced under mild winter conditions. In conclusion, and without considering how warming temperatures might affect other aspects of honeybee biology before overwintering, our data suggest that warming temperatures will likely benefit honeybee vitality by notably reducing their viral loads over the winter.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Prado
- Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Unidad Juriquilla, UNAM Querétaro, Mexico
| | | | | | - Marc Bonnet
- INRAE, Abeilles & Environnement, 84914 Avignon, France
| | - Celia Bordier
- INRAE, Abeilles & Environnement, 84914 Avignon, France
| | | | - Yves Le Conte
- INRAE, Abeilles & Environnement, 84914 Avignon, France
| | - Cedric Alaux
- INRAE, Abeilles & Environnement, 84914 Avignon, France.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
El Agrebi N, Steinhauer N, Tosi S, Leinartz L, de Graaf DC, Saegerman C. Risk and protective indicators of beekeeping management practices. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 799:149381. [PMID: 34358747 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Explaining the reasons for the high honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony loss rate in recent years has become a top global research priority in apicultural and agricultural sciences. Although there are indications of the role played by beekeeping management practices on honey bee health, very little information is currently available. Our study aimed to characterize the beekeeping management practices carried out in Belgium, and to determine the relationship between beekeeping management practices and colony losses. Variables obtained from face-to-face questioning of a representative randomized and stratified sample of Belgian beekeepers (n = 186) were integrated into a logistic regression model (univariate and multivariate) and correlated to the declared colony loss rates to identify risk and protective indicators. We used a classification tree analysis to validate the results. We present evidence of a relationship between poor beekeeping management practices and colony losses. The main factors protecting honey bee colonies are the aptitude of the beekeeper to change his management practices, the hive type, the equipment origin and hygiene, wintering in proper conditions (the use of divider boards, i.e. board blocks or space fillers off part of the hive body), the colony strength estimation before wintering, winter monitoring, and last but not least, appropriate integrated pest management. Proper estimation of the Varroa infestation level should be performed prior to treatment. The consequences of poor beekeeping practices on honey bee health can be addressed by proper training of beekeepers. An online tool was developed and published for beekeepers allowing them to evaluate the effect of their management practices on colony health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noëmie El Agrebi
- Research Unit of Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Applied to Veterinary Sciences (UREAR-ULiège), Fundamental and Applied Research for Animal and Health (FARAH) Center, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Quartier Vallée 2, Avenue de Cureghem 7A, B42, 4000 Liège (Sart-Tilman), Belgium
| | - Nathalie Steinhauer
- Department of Entomology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Simone Tosi
- Department of Agricultural, Forest, and Food Sciences, University of Turin, Via Verdi 8, 10124 Torino, Italy
| | - Laurent Leinartz
- Teaching Support Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Quartier Vallée 2, Avenue de Cureghem 5C-5D, B41, 4000 Liège, Sart-Tilman, Belgium
| | - Dirk C de Graaf
- Faculty of Sciences, Honeybee Valley, Ghent University (UGent), Krijgslaan 281 S33, 9000 Ghent, Belgium; Faculty of Sciences, Laboratory of Molecular Entomology and Bee Pathology, Ghent University (UGent), Krijgslaan 281 S2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Claude Saegerman
- Research Unit of Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Applied to Veterinary Sciences (UREAR-ULiège), Fundamental and Applied Research for Animal and Health (FARAH) Center, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, Quartier Vallée 2, Avenue de Cureghem 7A, B42, 4000 Liège (Sart-Tilman), Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Holt S, Cremen N, Grassl J, Schmid-Hempel P, Baer B. Genetic Variation in Antimicrobial Activity of Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Seminal Fluid. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.755226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Honey bees can host a remarkably large number of different parasites and pathogens, and some are known drivers of recent declines in wild and managed bee populations. Here, we studied the interactions between the fungal pathogen Nosema apis and seminal fluid of the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera). Honey bee seminal fluid contains multiple antimicrobial molecules that kill N. apis spores and we therefore hypothesized that antimicrobial activities of seminal fluid are genetically driven by interactions between honey bee genotype and different N. apis strains/ecotypes, with the virulence of a strain depending on the genotype of their honey bee hosts. Among the antimicrobials, chitinases have been found in honey bee seminal fluid and have the predicted N. apis killing capabilities. We measured chitinase activity in the seminal fluid of eight different colonies. Our results indicate that multiple chitinases are present in seminal fluid, with activity significantly differing between genotypes. We therefore pooled equal numbers of N. apis spores from eight different colonies and exposed subsamples to seminal fluid samples from each of the colonies. We infected males from each colony with seminal fluid exposed spore samples and quantified N. apis infections after 6 days. We found that host colony had a stronger effect compared to seminal fluid treatment, and significantly affected host mortality, infection intensity and parasite prevalence. We also found a significant effect of treatment, as well as a treatment × colony interaction when our data were analyzed ignoring cage as a blocking factor. Our findings provide evidence that N. apis-honey bee interactions are driven by genotypic effects, which could be used in the future for breeding purposes of disease resistant or tolerant honey bee stock.
Collapse
|
41
|
Identifying the climatic drivers of honey bee disease in England and Wales. Sci Rep 2021; 11:21953. [PMID: 34754028 PMCID: PMC8578631 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01495-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Honey bee colony health has received considerable attention in recent years, with many studies highlighting multifactorial issues contributing to colony losses. Disease and weather are consistently highlighted as primary drivers of colony loss, yet little is understood about how they interact. Here, we combined disease records from government honey bee health inspections with meteorological data from the CEDA to identify how weather impacts EFB, AFB, CBP, varroosis, chalkbrood and sacbrood. Using R-INLA, we determined how different meteorological variables influenced disease prevalence and disease risk. Temperature caused an increase in the risk of both varroosis and sacbrood, but overall, the weather had a varying effect on the six honey bee diseases. The risk of disease was also spatially varied and was impacted by the meteorological variables. These results are an important step in identifying the impacts of climate change on honey bees and honey bee diseases.
Collapse
|
42
|
Carbonell-Rozas L, Canales R, Lara FJ, García-Campaña AM, Silva MF. A natural deep eutectic solvent as a novel dispersive solvent in dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on solidification of floating organic droplet for the determination of pesticide residues. Anal Bioanal Chem 2021; 413:6413-6424. [PMID: 34410442 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-021-03605-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Current trends in analytical chemistry encourage the use of innocuous solvents to develop modern methods aligned with green chemistry. In this sense, natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) have emerged as a novel generation of green solvents which can be employed in sample treatments as an alternative to the toxic organic solvents commonly used so far. In this work, a new extraction method employs dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on a solid floating organic droplet (DLLME-SFO), by using a mixture composed of a less dense than water extraction solvent, 1-dodecanol, and a novel dispersive solvent, NADES. The methodology was proposed to extract and preconcentrate some pesticide residues (fipronil, fipronil-sulfide, fipronil-sulfone, and boscalid) from environmental water and white wine samples before analysis by liquid-chromatography coupled to ultraviolet detection (HPLC-UV). Limits of quantification (LOQs) lower than 4.5 μg L-1, recoveries above 80%, and precision, expressed as RSD, below 15% were achieved in both samples showing that the proposed method is a powerful, efficient, and green alternative for the determination of these compounds and, therefore, demonstrating a new application for NADES in sample preparation. In addition, the DLLME-SFOD-HPLC-UV method was evaluated and compared with other reported approaches using the Analytical GREEnness metric approach, which highlighted the greenness of the proposed method.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Carbonell-Rozas
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Campus Fuentenueva s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Romina Canales
- Instituto de Biología Agrícola de Mendoza (IBAM-CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Francisco J Lara
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Campus Fuentenueva s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Ana M García-Campaña
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Granada, Campus Fuentenueva s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - María Fernanda Silva
- Instituto de Biología Agrícola de Mendoza (IBAM-CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Overview of Bee Pollination and Its Economic Value for Crop Production. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12080688. [PMID: 34442255 PMCID: PMC8396518 DOI: 10.3390/insects12080688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary There is a rising demand for food security in the face of threats posed by a growing human population. Bees as an insect play a crucial role in crop pollination alongside other animal pollinators such as bats, birds, beetles, moths, hoverflies, wasps, thrips, and butterflies and other vectors such as wind and water. Bees contribute to the global food supply via pollinating a wide range of crops, including fruits, vegetables, oilseeds, legumes, etc. The economic benefit of bees to food production per year was reported including the cash crops, i.e., coffee, cocoa, almond and soybean, compared to self-pollination. Bee pollination improves the quality and quantity of fruits, nuts, and oils. Bee colonies are faced with many challenges that influence their growth, reproduction, and sustainability, particularly climate change, pesticides, land use, and management strength, so it is important to highlight these factors for the sake of gainful pollination. Abstract Pollination plays a significant role in the agriculture sector and serves as a basic pillar for crop production. Plants depend on vectors to move pollen, which can include water, wind, and animal pollinators like bats, moths, hoverflies, birds, bees, butterflies, wasps, thrips, and beetles. Cultivated plants are typically pollinated by animals. Animal-based pollination contributes to 30% of global food production, and bee-pollinated crops contribute to approximately one-third of the total human dietary supply. Bees are considered significant pollinators due to their effectiveness and wide availability. Bee pollination provides excellent value to crop quality and quantity, improving global economic and dietary outcomes. This review highlights the role played by bee pollination, which influences the economy, and enlists the different types of bees and other insects associated with pollination.
Collapse
|
44
|
The Honey Bee: An Active Biosampler of Environmental Pollution and a Possible Warning Biomarker for Human Health. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/app11146481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Member states of the European Union are required to ensure the initiation of monitoring programs to verify honey bee exposure to pesticides, where and as appropriate. Based on 620 samples of dead honey bees—42 of pollen, 183 of honey and 32 of vegetables—we highlighted the presence, as analyzed by liquid and gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometric detection, of many active substances, mainly tau-fluvalinate, piperonyl butoxide, chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos-methyl, permethrin and imidacloprid. Among the active substances found in analyzed matrices linked to honey bee killing incidents, 38 belong to hazard classes I and II, as methiocarb, methomyl, chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin and permethrin, thus representing a potential risk for human health. We have shown that, at different times between 2015 and 2020, during implementation of the Italian national guidelines for managing reports of bee colony mortality or depopulation associated with pesticide use, pesticide pollution events occurred that could raise concern for human health. Competent authorities could, as part of a One Health approach, exploit the information provided by existing reporting programs on honey bees and their products, in view of the close correlation to human health, animal health and ecosystem health.
Collapse
|
45
|
Effect of Application of Probiotic Pollen Suspension on Immune Response and Gut Microbiota of Honey Bees (Apis mellifera). Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2021; 12:929-936. [PMID: 31912341 DOI: 10.1007/s12602-019-09626-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Although the use of probiotic bacteria in invertebrates is still rare, scientists have begun to look into their usage in honey bees. The probiotic preparation, based on the autochthonous strain Lactobacillus brevis B50 Biocenol™ (CCM 8618), which was isolated from the digestive tracts of healthy bees, was applied to the bee colonies in the form of a pollen suspension. Its influence on the immune response was determined by monitoring the expression of genes encoding immunologically important molecules in the honey bee intestines. Changes in the intestinal microbiota composition were also studied. The results showed that the probiotic Lact. brevis B50, on a pollen carrier, significantly increased the expression of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides (abaecin, defensin-1) as well as pattern recognition receptors (toll-like receptor, peptidoglycan recognition proteins). Gene expression for the other tested molecules included in Toll and Imd signaling pathways (dorsal, cactus, kenny, relish) significantly changed during the experiment. The positive effect on intestinal microbiota was manifested mainly by a significant increase in the ratio of lactic acid bacteria to enterobacteria. These findings confirm the potential of the tested probiotic preparation to enhance immunity in bee colonies and thus increase their resistance to infectious diseases and stress conditions.
Collapse
|
46
|
Gratzer K, Brodschneider R. How and why beekeepers participate in the INSIGNIA citizen science honey bee environmental monitoring project. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 28:37995-38006. [PMID: 33728609 PMCID: PMC8302492 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-13379-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
In the "contributory" citizen science project INSIGNIA, beekeepers carried out non-invasive sampling of their own honey bee colonies for an environmental investigation of pesticide residues and pollen plant origin. We surveyed several traits and attitudes of 69 of the volunteering beekeepers from ten countries. We found that their motivation was similar to that found in previous studies of environmental volunteer motivation, with helping the environment and contributing to scientific knowledge being strong motivators. Our results suggest that receiving laboratory analysis results of the samples from their colonies is the most meaningful way of appreciation for beekeepers, but is not their primary reason for participation. A citizen scientist beekeeper in this study spent on average 10.4 working hours on the project during a sampling season. Our study indicates that most of our volunteers would participate in similar future investigations, or would recommend participation to other beekeepers, underlining the potential of beekeepers as citizen scientists in honey bee research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Gratzer
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, Graz, 8010 Austria
| | - Robert Brodschneider
- Institute of Biology, University of Graz, Universitätsplatz 2, Graz, 8010 Austria
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Using Citizen Science to Scout Honey Bee Colonies That Naturally Survive Varroa destructor Infestations. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12060536. [PMID: 34207891 PMCID: PMC8226701 DOI: 10.3390/insects12060536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Citizen Science is a valuable resource that can substantially contribute to the conservation of biodiversity. However, its use in honey bee research has remained minimal. The Survivors Task Force of the COLOSS association created and promoted an online surveying tool with the aim of identifying potential cases of Western honey bee, Apis mellifera, populations that are surviving infestations with ectoparasitic mites Varroa destructor without control measures by beekeepers. The reports suggest that there could be twice as many naturally surviving colonies worldwide than are currently known. The survey also shows that citizens can be readily engaged through social media, personal networks, and promotional campaigns to gather valuable and previously inaccessible data. These reports of surviving honey bee colonies will now be validated through the new initiative Honey Bee Watch, a global and multi-year Citizen Science project founded to connect citizens, beekeepers, and scientists. This will enable to increase scientific knowledge, mitigate honey bee colony losses, and develop education and conservation campaigns. Abstract Citizen Science contributes significantly to the conservation of biodiversity, but its application to honey bee research has remained minimal. Even though certain European honey bee (Apis mellifera) populations are known to naturally survive Varroa destructor infestations, it is unclear how widespread or common such populations are. Such colonies are highly valuable for investigating the mechanisms enabling colony survival, as well as for tracking the conservation status of free-living honey bees. Here, we use targeted Citizen Science to identify potentially new cases of managed or free-living A. mellifera populations that survive V. destructor without mite control strategies. In 2018, a survey containing 20 questions was developed, translated into 13 languages, and promoted at beekeeping conferences and online. After three years, 305 reports were collected from 28 countries: 241 from managed colonies and 64 from free-living colonies. The collected data suggest that there could be twice as many naturally surviving colonies worldwide than are currently known. Further, online and personal promotion seem to be key for successful recruitment of participants. Although the survivor status of these colonies still needs to be confirmed, the volume of reports and responses already illustrate how effectively Citizen Science can contribute to bee research by massively increasing generated data, broadening opportunities for comparative research, and fostering collaboration between scientists, beekeepers, and citizens. The success of this survey spurred the development of a more advanced Citizen Science platform, Honey Bee Watch, that will enable a more accurate reporting, confirmation, and monitoring of surviving colonies, and strengthen the ties between science, stakeholders, and citizens to foster the protection of both free-living and managed honey bees.
Collapse
|
48
|
Honey Bee Health in Maine Wild Blueberry Production. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12060523. [PMID: 34198744 PMCID: PMC8227623 DOI: 10.3390/insects12060523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Wild blueberry is an important native North American crop that requires insect pollination. Migratory western honey bee colonies constitute the majority of commercial bees brought into Maine for pollination of wild blueberry. Currently, many stressors impact the western honey bee in the US. We designed a two-year monitoring study (2014 and 2015) to assess the potential health of honey bee colonies hired for pollination services in wild blueberry fields. We monitored the colony health of nine hive locations (three hives/location) in 2014 and nine locations (five hives/location) in 2015 during bloom (May–June). Queen health status, colony strength, rate of population increase, and pesticide residues on pollen, wax, and honey bee workers were measured. In addition, each hive was sampled to assess levels of mite parasites, viruses, and Microsporidian and Trypanosome pathogens. Different patterns in colony health were observed over the two years. Factors predicting colony growth rate over both years were Varroa mite infestation and risk due to pollen pesticide residues during bloom. In addition, recently discovered parasites and pathogens were already observed in most of the colonies suggesting that parasites and diseases spread rapidly and become established quickly in commercial honey bee colonies. Abstract A two-year study was conducted in Maine wild blueberry fields (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) on the health of migratory honey bee colonies in 2014 and 2015. In each year, three or five colonies were monitored at each of nine wild blueberry field locations during bloom (mid-May until mid-June). Colony health was measured by assessing colony strength during wild blueberry bloom. Potential factors that might affect colony health were queen failure or supersedure; pesticide residues on trapped pollen, wax comb, and bee bread; and parasites and pathogens. We found that Varroa mite and pesticide residues on trapped pollen were significant predictors of colony health measured as the rate of change in the amount of sealed brood during bloom. These two factors explained 71% of the variance in colony health over the two years. Pesticide exposure was different in each year as were pathogen prevalence and incidence. We detected high prevalence and abundance of two recently discovered pathogens and one recently discovered parasite, the trypanosome Lotmaria passim Schwartz, the Sinai virus, and the phorid fly, Apocephalus borealis Brues.
Collapse
|
49
|
Arpaia S, Smagghe G, Sweet JB. Biosafety of bee pollinators in genetically modified agro-ecosystems: Current approach and further development in the EU. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2021; 77:2659-2666. [PMID: 33470515 PMCID: PMC8247894 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Bee pollinators are an important guild delivering a fundamental input to European agriculture due to the ecological service they provide to crops in addition to the direct economic revenues from apiculture. Bee populations are declining in Europe as a result of the effects of several environmental stressors, both natural and of anthropic origin. Efforts are ongoing in the European Union (EU) to improve monitoring and management of pollinator populations to arrest further declines. Genetically modified (GM) crops are currently cultivated in a limited area in Europe, and an environmental risk assessment (ERA) is required prior to their authorization for cultivation. The possible impacts of GM crops on pollinators are deemed relevant for the ERA. Existing ecotoxicological studies indicate that traits currently expressed in insect-resistant GM plants are unlikely to represent a risk for pollinators. However, new mechanisms of insect resistance are being introduced into GM plants, including novel combinations of Cry toxins and double strand RNA (dsRNA), and an ERA is required to consider lethal and sublethal effects of these new products on nontarget species, including insect pollinators. The evaluation of indirect effects linked to the changes in management practices (e.g. for herbicide-tolerant GM crops) is an important component of EU regulations and a requirement for ERA. This paper reviews current approaches used to test the sensitivity of pollinators to GM plants and their products to determine whether sufficient data are being provided on novel GM plants to satisfy EU risk assessment requirements. © 2021 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Salvatore Arpaia
- TERIN‐BBCENEA, Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic DevelopmentRotondellaItaly
| | - Guy Smagghe
- Department of Plants and CropsGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | | |
Collapse
|
50
|
Al Naggar Y, Brinkmann M, Sayes CM, AL-Kahtani SN, Dar SA, El-Seedi HR, Grünewald B, Giesy JP. Are Honey Bees at Risk from Microplastics? TOXICS 2021; 9:toxics9050109. [PMID: 34063384 PMCID: PMC8156821 DOI: 10.3390/toxics9050109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous and persistent pollutants, and have been detected in a wide variety of media, from soils to aquatic systems. MPs, consisting primarily of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyacrylamide polymers, have recently been found in 12% of samples of honey collected in Ecuador. Recently, MPs have also been identified in honey bees collected from apiaries in Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as nearby semiurban and rural areas. Given these documented exposures, assessment of their effects is critical for understanding the risks of MP exposure to honey bees. Exposure to polystyrene (PS)-MPs decreased diversity of the honey bee gut microbiota, followed by changes in gene expression related to oxidative damage, detoxification, and immunity. As a result, the aim of this perspective was to investigate whether wide-spread prevalence of MPs might have unintended negative effects on health and fitness of honey bees, as well as to draw the scientific community’s attention to the possible risks of MPs to the fitness of honey bees. Several research questions must be answered before MPs can be considered a potential threat to bees.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yahya Al Naggar
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
- General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-152-2676-3431
| | - Markus Brinkmann
- School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5C8, Canada;
- Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 3H5, Canada
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada;
| | - Christie M. Sayes
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798-7266, USA;
| | - Saad N. AL-Kahtani
- Laboratory of Bio-Control and Molecular Biology, Department of Arid Land Agriculture, College of Agricultural and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Hofuf 31982, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Showket A. Dar
- Division of Agricultural Entomology, KVK-Kargil II, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar 191111, India;
| | - Hesham R. El-Seedi
- International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China;
- Pharmacognosy Group, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom 32512, Egypt
| | - Bernd Grünewald
- Institut für Bienenkunde, Polytechnische Gesellschaft Frankfurt am Main, Goethe-Universität, 61440 Oberursel, Germany;
| | - John P. Giesy
- Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada;
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798-7266, USA;
- Center for Integrative Toxicology, Department of Zoology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| |
Collapse
|