Apiculturists have recently been confronted with drastic and inexplicable winter losses of coloni... more Apiculturists have recently been confronted with drastic and inexplicable winter losses of colonies, and virus infections may be involved. Here, we surveyed 337 Swiss honey bee colonies in the winter of 2005 and 2006 and categorized their health status as: 1. dead (= no or few live bees left); 2. weak (= dwindling, high mortality of adult bees); or 3. healthy (= normal overwintering colony). From each colony, pooled adult workers were analyzed for deformed wing virus (DWV), acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) and Kashmir bee virus (KBV). Neither KBV nor CBPV were found, but significantly higher ABPV and DWV infections were found in dead vs. weak vs. healthy colonies (except DWV in 2006 between weak and healthy). Moreover, ABPV and DWV loads were positively correlated with each other. This is the first report demonstrating statistically significant correlations between viruses associated with Varroa destructor and winter mortality. Infecciones víricas y pérdidas invernales de colonias de abejas (Apis mellifera) Resumen Los apicultores se han enfrentado recientemente con drásticas e inexplicables pérdidas de colonias en el invierno, y las infecciones víricas podrían estar involucradas. Aquí, muestreamos 337 colonias suizas de abejas en el invierno de 2005 y 2006 y catalogamos su estado de salud como: 1. muerta (=con ninguna o escasas abejas); 2. débil (escasas, alta mortalidad de abejas adultas); o 3. sanas (= colonia que hiberna normal). De cada colonia, se analizaron grupos de obreras adultas para el virus del ala deformado (DWV), el virus de la parálisis aguda de la abeja (ABPV), el virus crónico de la parálisis de la abeja (CBPV) y el virus de Cachemira de la abeja (KBV). No se encontraron ni KBV ni CBPV, pero infecciones perceptiblemente más altas de ABPV y de DWV fueron encontradas en colonias muertas vs débil vs colonias sanas (excepto DWV en 2006 entre débil y sano). Por otra parte, las cargas de ABPV y de DWV se correlacionaron positivamente. Éste es el primer informe que demuestra correlaciones estadísticamente significativas entre los virus asociados con Varroa destructor y la mortalidad del invierno.
Interactions between pathogens might contribute to honey bee colony losses. Here we investigated ... more Interactions between pathogens might contribute to honey bee colony losses. Here we investigated if there is an association between the microsporidian Nosema ceranae and the deformed wing virus (DWV) in different body sections of individual honey bee workers (Apis mellifera ligustica) under exclusion of the vector Varroa destructor. Our data provide correlational evidence for antagonistic interactions between the two pathogens in the midgut of the bees.► Interactions between pathogens might contribute to honey bee colony losses. ► Negative correlation between Nosema ceranae spores and deformed wing virus copies in host guts. ► Data suggest antagonistic interactions between the two pathogens in the midgut of the bees.
In polydomous populations of the wood ant Formica exsecta filial nest founding is common. This is... more In polydomous populations of the wood ant Formica exsecta filial nest founding is common. This is relevant for colony dynamics, short-distance dispersal and colony survival. However, little is known about nest site choice, microsite requirements and the nest-building behavior itself. In this context we evaluate the role of the European mole, Talpa europaea, as an ecosystem engineer that provides suitable
we showed that the discriminant analysis produced only one cluster for the parasitic clone bees. ... more we showed that the discriminant analysis produced only one cluster for the parasitic clone bees. That means that these bees are morphometrically inseparable despite very varied envi- ronmental conditions at the two sampling localities. The samples were taken at late stages of infestation, 5 when the host queen was already absent for more than two weeks. Thus, these frames definitely
Apiculturists have recently been confronted with drastic and inexplicable winter losses of coloni... more Apiculturists have recently been confronted with drastic and inexplicable winter losses of colonies, and virus infections may be involved. Here, we surveyed 337 Swiss honey bee colonies in the winter of 2005 and 2006 and categorized their health status as: 1. dead (= no or few live bees left); 2. weak (= dwindling, high mortality of adult bees); or 3. healthy (= normal overwintering colony). From each colony, pooled adult workers were analyzed for deformed wing virus (DWV), acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) and Kashmir bee virus (KBV). Neither KBV nor CBPV were found, but significantly higher ABPV and DWV infections were found in dead vs. weak vs. healthy colonies (except DWV in 2006 between weak and healthy). Moreover, ABPV and DWV loads were positively correlated with each other. This is the first report demonstrating statistically significant correlations between viruses associated with Varroa destructor and winter mortality. Infecciones víricas y pérdidas invernales de colonias de abejas (Apis mellifera) Resumen Los apicultores se han enfrentado recientemente con drásticas e inexplicables pérdidas de colonias en el invierno, y las infecciones víricas podrían estar involucradas. Aquí, muestreamos 337 colonias suizas de abejas en el invierno de 2005 y 2006 y catalogamos su estado de salud como: 1. muerta (=con ninguna o escasas abejas); 2. débil (escasas, alta mortalidad de abejas adultas); o 3. sanas (= colonia que hiberna normal). De cada colonia, se analizaron grupos de obreras adultas para el virus del ala deformado (DWV), el virus de la parálisis aguda de la abeja (ABPV), el virus crónico de la parálisis de la abeja (CBPV) y el virus de Cachemira de la abeja (KBV). No se encontraron ni KBV ni CBPV, pero infecciones perceptiblemente más altas de ABPV y de DWV fueron encontradas en colonias muertas vs débil vs colonias sanas (excepto DWV en 2006 entre débil y sano). Por otra parte, las cargas de ABPV y de DWV se correlacionaron positivamente. Éste es el primer informe que demuestra correlaciones estadísticamente significativas entre los virus asociados con Varroa destructor y la mortalidad del invierno.
Interactions between pathogens might contribute to honey bee colony losses. Here we investigated ... more Interactions between pathogens might contribute to honey bee colony losses. Here we investigated if there is an association between the microsporidian Nosema ceranae and the deformed wing virus (DWV) in different body sections of individual honey bee workers (Apis mellifera ligustica) under exclusion of the vector Varroa destructor. Our data provide correlational evidence for antagonistic interactions between the two pathogens in the midgut of the bees.► Interactions between pathogens might contribute to honey bee colony losses. ► Negative correlation between Nosema ceranae spores and deformed wing virus copies in host guts. ► Data suggest antagonistic interactions between the two pathogens in the midgut of the bees.
In polydomous populations of the wood ant Formica exsecta filial nest founding is common. This is... more In polydomous populations of the wood ant Formica exsecta filial nest founding is common. This is relevant for colony dynamics, short-distance dispersal and colony survival. However, little is known about nest site choice, microsite requirements and the nest-building behavior itself. In this context we evaluate the role of the European mole, Talpa europaea, as an ecosystem engineer that provides suitable
we showed that the discriminant analysis produced only one cluster for the parasitic clone bees. ... more we showed that the discriminant analysis produced only one cluster for the parasitic clone bees. That means that these bees are morphometrically inseparable despite very varied envi- ronmental conditions at the two sampling localities. The samples were taken at late stages of infestation, 5 when the host queen was already absent for more than two weeks. Thus, these frames definitely
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