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Meikle WG, Corby-Harris V, Ricigliano V, Snyder L, Weiss M. Cold storage as part of a Varroa management strategy: effects on honey bee colony performance, mite levels and stress biomarkers. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11842. [PMID: 37481663 PMCID: PMC10363162 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39095-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Placing honey bee colonies in cold storage has been proposed as a way to induce a pause in brood production as part of a Varroa mite treatment plan. Here, we exposed colonies to combinations of with or without an October cold storage period and with or without a subsequent miticide application. We then measured the effects of those treatments on colony-level variables (i.e. colony size, Varroa infestation level, survivorship and hive weight and temperature) and pooled individual-level variables that are associated with nutritional and stress responses. Colonies were assessed before and after cold storage, and again post winter, for a total duration of about 5 months, and the experiment was repeated. Brood levels were significantly lower after cold storage, and hive temperatures indicated that most or all brood had emerged after about two weeks in cold storage. However, Varroa levels at the end of the experiments in February were not significantly different among treatment groups. Colonies kept outside (not subjected to cold storage) and treated with a miticide had higher survivorship on average than any other treatment group, but no other group comparisons were significant, and long-term impact of cold storage on adult bee populations and on colony thermoregulation was low. The bee forage environment was also very different between the 2 years of the study, as rainfall and bee forage availability were much higher the second year. Colonies were over 2.5 times larger on average the second year compared to the first, both in terms of adult bee mass and brood area, and expression levels of nutrition and stress response genes were also significantly higher the second year. The results indicate that limited cold storage would likely have little long-term impact on most colony and individual measures of health, but for such a strategy to succeed levels of stressors, such as Varroa, may also need to be low.
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Affiliation(s)
- William G Meikle
- Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, USDA-ARS, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA.
| | | | - Vincent Ricigliano
- Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, USDA-ARS, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
- Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research, USDA-ARS, Baton Rouge, LA, 70820, USA
| | - Lucy Snyder
- Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, USDA-ARS, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
| | - Milagra Weiss
- Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, USDA-ARS, Tucson, AZ, 85719, USA
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2
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Strange JP, Tripodi AD, Huntzinger C, Knoblett J, Klinger E, Herndon JD, Vuong HQ, McFrederick QS, Irwin RE, Evans JD, Giacomini JJ, Ward R, Adler LS. Comparative analysis of 3 pollen sterilization methods for feeding bumble bees. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2023; 116:662-673. [PMID: 36930576 DOI: 10.1093/jee/toad036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Pollen is an essential component of bee diets, and rearing bumble bees (Bombus spp.) for commercial use necessitates feeding pollen in mass quantities. This pollen is collected from honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies because neither an artificial diet nor an economical, large-scale pollen collection process from flowers is available. The provenance of honey bee-collected pollen is often unknown, and in some cases has crossed international borders. Both deformed wing virus (DWV) and the fungal pathogen Ascosphaera apis (Claussen) Olive & Spiltoir (cause of chalkbrood disease); occur in honey bee-collected pollen, and infections have been observed in bumble bees. We used these pathogens as general surrogates for viruses and spore-forming fungal diseases to test the efficacy of 3 sterilization methods, and assessed whether treatment altered pollen quality for the bumble bee. Using honey bee-collected pollen spiked with known doses of DWV and A. apis, we compared gamma irradiation (GI), ozone fumigation (OZ), and ethylene oxide fumigation (EO) against an untreated positive control and a negative control. Following sterilization treatments, we tested A. apis spore viability, detected viral presence with PCR, and tested palatability to the bumble bee Bombus impatiens Cresson. We also measured bacterial growth from pollens treated with EO and GI. GI and EO outperformed OZ treatment in pathogen suppression. EO had the highest sterilizing properties under commercial conditions and retained palatability and supported bee development better than other treatments. These results suggest that EO sterilization reduces pathogen risks while retaining pollen quality as a food source for rearing bumble bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Strange
- USDA-ARS-Pollinating Insect Biology Management and Systematics Research Unit, Logan, UT 84341, United States
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
| | | | - Craig Huntzinger
- USDA-ARS-Pollinating Insect Biology Management and Systematics Research Unit, Logan, UT 84341, United States
| | - Joyce Knoblett
- USDA-ARS-Pollinating Insect Biology Management and Systematics Research Unit, Logan, UT 84341, United States
| | - Ellen Klinger
- USDA-ARS-Pollinating Insect Biology Management and Systematics Research Unit, Logan, UT 84341, United States
- Department of Entomology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, United States
| | - James D Herndon
- USDA-ARS-Pollinating Insect Biology Management and Systematics Research Unit, Logan, UT 84341, United States
- Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84321, United States
| | - Hoang Q Vuong
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, United States
| | - Quinn S McFrederick
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, United States
| | - Rebecca E Irwin
- Department of Applied Ecology, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695United States
| | - Jay D Evans
- Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, US Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, United States
| | - Jonathan J Giacomini
- Department of Applied Ecology, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695United States
| | - Robert Ward
- Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322United States
| | - Lynn S Adler
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003United States
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3
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Penn HJ, Simone-Finstrom MD, de Guzman LI, Tokarz PG, Dickens R. Viral species differentially influence macronutrient preferences based on honey bee genotype. Biol Open 2022; 11:276570. [PMID: 36082847 PMCID: PMC9548382 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Food quantity and macronutrients contribute to honey bee health and colony survival by mediating immune responses. We determined if this held true for bees injected with chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) and deformed wing virus (DWV), two common honey bee ssRNA viruses. Pollen-substitute diet and syrup consumption rates and macronutrient preferences of two Varroa-resistant stocks (Pol-Line and Russian bees) were compared to Varroa-susceptible Italian bees. Bee stocks varied in consumption, where Italian bees consumed more than Pol-Line and Russian bees. However, the protein: lipid (P:L) ratios of diet consumed by the Italian and Russian bees was greater than that of the Pol-Line bees. Treatment had different effects on consumption based on the virus injected. CBPV was positively correlated with syrup consumption, while DWV was not correlated with consumption. P:L ratios of consumed diet were significantly impacted by the interaction of bee stock and treatment, with the trends differing between CBPV and DWV. Variation in macronutrient preferences based on viral species may indicate differences in energetic costs associated with immune responses to infections impacting different systems. Further, virus species interacted with bee genotype, indicating different mechanisms of viral resistance or tolerance among honey bee genotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah J Penn
- USDA ARS Sugarcane Research Unit, 5883 Usda Rd., Houma, LA, USA 70360
| | - Michael D Simone-Finstrom
- USDA ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Laboratory, 1157 Ben Hur Rd., Baton Rouge, LA, USA 70820
| | - Lilia I de Guzman
- USDA ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Laboratory, 1157 Ben Hur Rd., Baton Rouge, LA, USA 70820
| | - Philip G Tokarz
- USDA ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Laboratory, 1157 Ben Hur Rd., Baton Rouge, LA, USA 70820
| | - Rachel Dickens
- USDA ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Laboratory, 1157 Ben Hur Rd., Baton Rouge, LA, USA 70820
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4
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Penn HJ, Simone-Finstrom MD, Chen Y, Healy KB. Honey Bee Genetic Stock Determines Deformed Wing Virus Symptom Severity but not Viral Load or Dissemination Following Pupal Exposure. Front Genet 2022; 13:909392. [PMID: 35719388 PMCID: PMC9204523 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.909392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Honey bees exposed to Varroa mites incur substantial physical damage in addition to potential exposure to vectored viruses such as Deformed wing virus (DWV) that exists as three master variants (DWV-A, DWV-B, and DWV-C) and recombinants. Although mite-resistant bees have been primarily bred to mitigate the impacts of Varroa mites, mite resistance may be associated with increased tolerance or resistance to the vectored viruses. The goal of our study is to determine if five honey bee stocks (Carniolan, Italian, Pol-Line, Russian, and Saskatraz) differ in their resistance or tolerance to DWV based on prior breeding for mite resistance. We injected white-eyed pupae with a sublethal dose (105) of DWV or exposed them to mites and then evaluated DWV levels and dissemination and morphological symptoms upon adult emergence. While we found no evidence of DWV resistance across stocks (i.e., similar rates of viral replication and dissemination), we observed that some stocks exhibited reduced symptom severity suggestive of differential tolerance. However, DWV tolerance was not consistent across mite-resistant stocks as Russian bees were most tolerant, while Pol-Line exhibited the most severe symptoms. DWV variants A and B exhibited differential dissemination patterns that interacted significantly with the treatment group but not bee stock. Furthermore, elevated DWV-B levels reduced adult emergence time, while both DWV variants were associated with symptom likelihood and severity. These data indicate that the genetic differences underlying bee resistance to Varroa mites are not necessarily correlated with DWV tolerance and may interact differentially with DWV variants, highlighting the need for further work on mechanisms of tolerance and bee stock–specific physiological interactions with pathogen variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah J. Penn
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Sugarcane Research Unit, Houma, LA, United States
- *Correspondence: Hannah J. Penn, ; Michael D. Simone-Finstrom,
| | - Michael D. Simone-Finstrom
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research Unit, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
- *Correspondence: Hannah J. Penn, ; Michael D. Simone-Finstrom,
| | - Yanping Chen
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Bee Research Laboratory, Beltsville, MD, United States
| | - Kristen B. Healy
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University and AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
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Colin T, Warren RJ, Quarrell SR, Allen GR, Barron AB. Evaluating the foraging performance of individual honey bees in different environments with automated field
RFID
systems. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Théotime Colin
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Ryan J. Warren
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture University of Tasmania Hobart Tasmania Australia
| | - Stephen R. Quarrell
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture University of Tasmania Hobart Tasmania Australia
| | - Geoff R. Allen
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture University of Tasmania Hobart Tasmania Australia
| | - Andrew B. Barron
- Department of Biological Sciences Macquarie University Sydney New South Wales Australia
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6
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Penn HJ, Simone-Finstrom MD, de Guzman LI, Tokarz PG, Dickens R. Colony-Level Viral Load Influences Collective Foraging in Honey Bees. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2022; 2:894482. [PMID: 38468777 PMCID: PMC10926460 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2022.894482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Nutrition is an important component of social insect colony health especially in the face of stressors such as parasitism and viral infections. Honey bees are known to preferentially select nectar and pollen based on macronutrient and phytochemical contents and in response to pathogen loads. However, given that honey bees live in colonies, collective foraging decisions may be impacted directly by forager infection status but also by colony health. This field experiment was conducted to determine if honey bee viral infections are correlated with pollen and nectar foraging and if these associations are impacted more by colony or forager infection. By comparing regressions with and without forager and colony variables and through structural equation models, we were able to determine the relative contributions of colony and forager virus loads on forager decisions. We found that foragers had higher numbers and levels of BQCV and CBPV but lower levels of DWV viruses than their respective colonies. Overall, individuals appeared to forage based a combination of their own and colony health but with greater weight given to colony metrics. Colony parasitism by Varroa mites, positively correlated with both forager and colony DWV-B levels, was negatively associated with nectar weight. Further, colony DWV-B levels were negatively associated with individually foraged pollen protein: lipid ratios but positively correlated with nectar weight and sugar content. This study shows that both colony and forager health can simultaneously mediate individual foraging decisions and that the importance of viral infections and parasite levels varies with foraging metrics. Overall, this work highlights the continued need to explore the interactions of disease, nutrition, and genetics in social interactions and structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah J. Penn
- USDA ARS, Sugarcane Research Unit, Houma, LA, United States
| | - Michael D. Simone-Finstrom
- USDA ARS, Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research Laboratory, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Lilia I. de Guzman
- USDA ARS, Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research Laboratory, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Philip G. Tokarz
- USDA ARS, Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research Laboratory, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
| | - Rachel Dickens
- USDA ARS, Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research Laboratory, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
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7
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Simone-Finstrom M, Strand MK, Tarpy DR, Rueppell O. Impact of Honey Bee Migratory Management on Pathogen Loads and Immune Gene Expression is Affected by Complex Interactions With Environment, Worker Life History, and Season. JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE (ONLINE) 2022; 22:6523145. [PMID: 35137136 PMCID: PMC8825759 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/ieab096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The effects of honey bee management, such as intensive migratory beekeeping, are part of the ongoing debate concerning causes of colony health problems. Even though comparisons of disease and pathogen loads among differently managed colonies indicate some effects, the direct impact of migratory practices on honey bee pathogens is poorly understood. To test long- and short-term impacts of managed migration on pathogen loads and immunity, experimental honey bee colonies were maintained with or without migratory movement. Individuals that experienced migration as juveniles (e.g., larval and pupal development), as adults, or both were compared to control colonies that remained stationary and therefore did not experience migratory relocation. Samples at different ages and life-history stages (hive bees or foragers), taken at the beginning and end of the active season, were analyzed for pathogen loads and physiological markers of health. Bees exposed to migratory management during adulthood had increased levels of the AKI virus complex (Acute bee paralysis, Kashmir bee, and Israeli acute bee paralysis viruses) and decreased levels of antiviral gene expression (dicer-like). However, those in stationary management as adults had elevated gut parasites (i.e. trypanosomes). Effects of environment during juvenile development were more complex and interacted with life-history stage and season. Age at collection, life-history stage, and season all influenced numerous factors from viral load to immune gene expression. Although the factors that we examined are not independent, the results illuminate potential factors in both migratory and nonmigratory beekeeping that are likely to contribute to colony stress, and also indicate potential mitigation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Simone-Finstrom
- USDA-ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research Laboratory, 1157 Ben Hur Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70820, USA
- Corresponding author, e-mail:
| | - Micheline K Strand
- Life Sciences Branch, U.S. Army Research Office, 800 Park Office Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27703, USA
| | - David R Tarpy
- Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, 100 Derieux Place, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- The W.M. Keck Center for Behavioral Biology, North Carolina State University, 112 Derieux Place, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
- Current address: Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University, 100 Eugene Brooks Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
| | - Olav Rueppell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, CW 405 Biological Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 321 McIver Street, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
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8
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López-Uribe MM, Ricigliano VA, Simone-Finstrom M. Defining Pollinator Health: A Holistic Approach Based on Ecological, Genetic, and Physiological Factors. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2019; 8:269-294. [PMID: 31618045 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-020518-115045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Evidence for global bee population declines has catalyzed a rapidly evolving area of research that aims to identify the causal factors and to effectively assess the status of pollinator populations. The term pollinator health emerged through efforts to understand causes of bee decline and colony losses, but it lacks a formal definition. In this review, we propose a definition for pollinator health and synthesize the available literature on the application of standardized biomarkers to assess health at the individual, colony, and population levels. We focus on biomarkers in honey bees, a model species, but extrapolate the potential application of these approaches to monitor the health status of wild bee populations. Biomarker-guided health measures can inform beekeeper management decisions, wild bee conservation efforts, and environmental policies. We conclude by addressing challenges to pollinator health from a One Health perspective that emphasizes the interplay between environmental quality and human, animal, and bee health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita M López-Uribe
- Department of Entomology, Center for Pollinator Research, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA;
| | - Vincent A Ricigliano
- Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research, USDA-ARS, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70820, USA; ,
| | - Michael Simone-Finstrom
- Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics and Physiology Research, USDA-ARS, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70820, USA; ,
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Comb Irradiation Has Limited, Interactive Effects on Colony Performance or Pathogens in Bees, Varroa destructor and Wax Based on Two Honey Bee Stocks. INSECTS 2019; 10:insects10010015. [PMID: 30626028 PMCID: PMC6359134 DOI: 10.3390/insects10010015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Parasitic mites and pathogens compromise honey bee health. Development of sustainable and integrative methods of managing these problems will minimize their detrimental impact on honey bees. Here, we aimed to determine if the combination of using mite-resistant stocks along with gamma-irradiated combs influences colony health and productivity. The major finding concerned honey bee genotype confirming that Russian honey bees are more resistant to Varroa destructor than Italian honey bees. The effect of comb irradiation was inconsistent showing a significant increase in adult bee population and amount of stored pollen in 2015, but not in 2016. The increased amount of stored pollen was probably associated with larger adult population in colonies with irradiated combs in September 2015 regardless of honey bee stock. Nevertheless, the ability of bees to collect and store more pollen in the irradiated group does not appear to compensate the negative impacts of mite parasitism on honey bees especially in the Italian bees, which consistently suffered significant colony losses during both years. Results of viral analyses of wax, newly emerged bees, and Varroa and their pupal hosts showed common detections of Deformed wing virus (DWV), Varroa destructor virus (VDV-1), Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), and Black queen cell virus (BQCV). Wax samples had on average ~4 viruses or pathogens detected in both irradiated and non-irradiated combs. Although pathogen levels varied by month, some interesting effects of honey bee stock and irradiation treatment were notable, indicating how traits of mite resistance and alternative treatments may have additive effects. Further, this study indicates that wax may be a transmission route of viral infection. In addition, pupae and their infesting mites from Italian colonies exhibited higher levels of DWV than those from Russian colonies suggesting potential DWV resistance by Russian honey bees. CBPV levels were also reduced in mites from Russian colonies in general and in mites, mite-infested pupae, and newly emerged bees that were collected from irradiated combs. However, BQCV levels were not reduced by comb irradiation. Overall, the contribution of irradiating comb in improving honey bee health and colony survival appears to be subtle, but may be useful as part of an integrated pest management strategy with the addition of using mite-resistant stocks.
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