Since Nosema ceranae causes mortality in honey bee populations in both managed apiaries and in the wild, many chemical compounds have been screened and tested for their abilities to suppress populations of N. ceranae. However, the use of synthetic substances has resulted in residues in colonies and honey bee products. The development of new methods for the control of nosema disease is therefore much needed by beekeepers and bee scientists. We evaluated the effects of propolis from the stingless bee Trigona apicalis on N. ceranae-infected Asian honey bees, Apis cerana. One-day-old N. ceranae free worker bees were individually inoculated with 2 μl of 50% sucrose solution containing 80,000 N. ceranae spores per bee and then fed with 50 and 70% (v/v) propolis extract in water. All propolis-treated bees had significantly higher survival rates than untreated bees (F 5 = 92.6, p < 0.0001). Bees treated with the highest propolis concentration (70%) had the lowest infection ratio of cells, while the significantly highest spore count in a single bee was found in control bees (F 5 = 390.3, p < 0001, F 5 = 309.0, p < 0.001). These results suggest that the propolis may have toxic effects on N. ceranae spores, and could have potential use in disease management. Efectos de propó leos de abejas sin aguijó n en abejas asiáticas Apis cerana infectadas com Nosema ceranaeDebido a que Nosema ceranae causa mortalidad en las poblaciones de abejas de la miel tanto en colmenas manejadas como en el medio silvestre, muchos compuestos químicos han sido seleccionados y probados por su capacidad para suprimir las poblaciones de N. ceranae. Sin embargo, el uso de sustancias sintéticas ha dado lugar a residuos en las colonias y los productos de las abejas de la miel. El desarrollo de nuevos métodos para el control de la enfermedad de Nosema, es por tanto, muy necesario para los apicultores y científicos apidó logos. Se evaluaron los efectos de los propó leos de la abeja sin aguijó n Trigona apicalis, en abejas melíferas asiáticas Apis cerana infectadas por N. ceranae. Se inocularon individualmente abejas obreras de un día de edad libres de N. ceranae con 2 μl de solució n de sacarosa al 50% con 80.000 esporas de N. ceranae por abeja y luego se alimentaron con extracto de propó leo en agua al 50% y 70% (v / v). Todas las abejas tratadas con propó leos tuvieron tasas de supervivencia significativamente más altas que las abejas no tratadas (F 5 = 92,6, P <0,0001). Las abejas tratadas con la mayor concentració n de propó leos (70%) tuvieron la tasa de infecció n de célu-las más baja, mientras que el recuento de esporas en una sola abeja significativamente más alto se encontró en las abejas control (F 5 = 390,3, p <0,001, F 5 = 309,0, p <0,001). Estos resultados sugieren que el propó leos puede tener efectos tó xicos sobre las esporas de N. ceranae, y podrían tener un uso potencial en el manejo de enfermedades.

-It was determined that 300 Cape workers, Apis mellifera capensis (collected from each of 6 colonies at each of 5 localities about 200 km apart along an 800 km transect in the Western and Eastern Cape Provinces, South Africa) was the sample size required to statistically estimate the proportions of workers with spermathecae at each location at 95% confidence levels. Because of the extremely clinal nature of this honeybee population, we tested the hypotheses that (1) ovarian number and development of the spermatheca covary in Cape workers, and (2) covary clinally as well. A regression analysis revealed that the frequencies of bees with spermathecae significantly decreased from west to east, with Stellenbosch having the highest and Grahamstown the lowest frequencies. Spermatheca size also significantly decreased from west to east. A multiple regression analysis revealed that the number of ovarioles significantly decreased from west to east and also differed significantly between workers with and without a spermatheca. Moreover, the number of ovarioles was significantly correlated with the size of the spermatheca and workers without it had significantly fewer ovarioles. Both hypotheses are confirmed. The outcomes of these measurements will provide a more quantitative basis for estimates of effective social parasitism among these bees along a geographic continuum.Apis mellifera capensis / spermatheca / ovarioles

-Published estimates of the mean spermatozoa numbers for Apis dorsata drones vary from 1.2

No abstract

-Sixty three queens of Apis mellifera were inseminated each with about 8 million spermatozoa from either 1 A. mellifera drone, 8 A. cerana, 5 A. dorsata or 20 A. florea drones. Spermatozoa were collected from vesiculae seminales, diluted in buffer and re-concentrated at 1,000 g for 10 minutes. Between 1.4% and 2.8% of the spermatozoa reached the spermatheca. Motility of spermatozoa of A. mellifera and A. cerana did not change within 4 weeks, it was nearly 100%. The motility of A. florea spermatozoa decreased to 83.4% after 3 days and to 33.9% after 4 weeks and motility of A. dorsata spermatozoa decreased to 61.2% after 3 days and to 26% after 4 weeks. Fertilization of A. mellifera eggs was 57% by A. mellifera spermatozoa. Calculation based on non-hatching eggs showed that about 40% were fertilized by A. cerana and A. florea and less than 20% by A. dorsata spermatozoa. The composition of spermathecal fluid seems to be different within the species and its significance for long term sperm storage is discussed. sperm survival / spermathecal fluid / hetero specific insemination / Apis mellifera queens / Apis species

No abstract

Mixed colonies of both Apis cerana L. and Apis mellifera L. workers were established. Three colonies were headed by A. cerana queens; SUMMARYComb building in mixed-species colonies of Apis cerana and Apis mellifera was studied. Two types of cell-size foundation were made from the waxes of these species and inserted into mixed colonies headed either by an A. cerana or an A. mellifera queen. The colonies did not discriminate between the waxes but the A. cerana cell-size foundation was modified during comb building by the workers of both species. In pure A. cerana colonies workers did not accept any foundation but secreted wax and built on foundation in mixed colonies. Comb building is performed by small groups of workers through a mechanism of self-organisation. The two species cooperate in comb building and construct nearly normal combs but they contain many irregular cells. In pure A. mellifera colonies, the A. cerana cell size was modified and the queens were reluctant to lay eggs on such combs. In pure A. cerana colonies, the A. mellifera cell size was built without any modification but these cells were used either for drone brood rearing or for food storing. The principal elements of comb-building behaviour are common to both species, which indicates that they evolved prior to and were conserved after speciation.

No abstract