The health of the honey bee Apis mellifera is challenged by the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor , and the numerous harmful pathogens it vectors. Existing pesticide-based Varroa controls are not sustainable. In contrast, one promising approach for improved honey bee health is the breeding of hygienic bees, capable of detecting and removing brood that is parasitized or diseased. In three experiments we find evidence to support the hypothesis that stock-specific chemical brood signals are induced by Varroa and Deformed Wing Virus, and elicit hygienic response in the honey bee. By collecting, analyzing, and running bioassays involving mite-infested and control brood extracts from three honey bee breeding stocks we: 1) found evidence that a transferrable chemical signal for hygienic behavior is present in Varroa -infested brood extracts, 2) identified ten stock-specific hydrocarbons as candidates of hygienic signaling, and 3) found that two of these hydrocarbons linked to Varroa and DWV were also elevated in brood targeted for hygienic behavior. These findings expand our understanding of honey bee chemical communication, and facilitate the development of improved hygienic selection tools to breed honey bees with greater resistance to Varroa and associated pathogens.
Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) is arguably the most damaging parasitic mite that attacks honey bees worldwide. Since its initial host switch from the Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) to the Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Varroa has become a widely successful invasive species, attacking honey bees on almost every continent where apiculture is practiced. Two haplotypes of V. destructor (Japanese and Korean) parasitize A. mellifera, both of which vector various honey bee-associated viruses. As the population of Varroa grows within a colony in the spring and summer, so do the levels of viral infections. Not surprisingly, high Varroa parasitization impacts bees at the individual level, causing bees to exhibit lower weight, decreased learning capacity, and shorter lifespan. High levels of Varroa infestation can lead to colony-wide varroosis and eventually colony death, especially when no control measures are taken against the mites. Varroa has become a successful parasite of A. mellifera because of its ability to reproduce within both drone cells and worker cells, which allows populations to expand rapidly. Varroa uses several chemical cues to complete its life cycle, many of which remain understudied and should be further explored. Given the growing reports of pesticide resistance by Varroa in several countries, a better understanding of the mite’s basic biology is needed to find alternative pest management strategies. This review focuses on the genetics, behavior, and chemical ecology of V. destructor within A. mellifera colonies, and points to areas of research that should be exploited to better control this pervasive honey bee enemy.
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