Hygroregulation, a key ability for eusocial insects: Native Western European bees as a case study

Eouzan, Iris; Garnery, Lionel; Pinto, M. Alice; Delalande, Damien; Neves, Cátia J.; Fabre, Francis; Lesobre, J.; Houte, Sylvie; Estonba, Andone; Montes, Iratxe; Sime-Ngando, Télesphore; Biron, David G.

doi:10.1101/351874

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 36 publications

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“…Automatic and semi-automatic, non-invasive, realtime and accurate data are optimal for keeping track of the health status and development of a honey bee colony. New technologies including scales and other sensors (e.g., temperature, humidity, sound, and vibration (Eouzan et al, 2019;Ramsey et al, 2020)) are attractive, as they are associated with minimal colony disturbance. These technologies can be used for colony evaluation by beekeepers or researchers, and are promising tools for obtaining standardized, large-scale, and long-term data on colony development.…”

Section: Future Directions and Developmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

High accuracy monitoring of honey bee colony development by a quantitative method

Capela

Dupont

Rortais

et al. 2022

Journal of Apicultural Research

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Honey bees are key insect pollinators, providing important economic and ecological value for human beings and ecosystems. This has triggered the development of several monitoring methods for assessing the temporal development of colony size, food storage, brood and pathogens. Nonetheless, most of these methods are based on visual assessments that are observer-dependent and prone to bias. Furthermore, the impact on colony development (invasiveness), as well as accuracy, were rarely considered when implementing new methods. In this study, we present and test a novel accurate and observer-independent method for honey bee colony assessment, capable of being fully standardized. Honey bee colony size is quantified by assessing the weight of adult bees, while brood and provision are assessed by taking photos and conducting image analysis of the combs with the image analysis software DeepbeeV R . The invasiveness and accuracy of the method were investigated using field data from two experimental apiaries in Portugal, comparing results from test and control colonies. At the end of each field experiment, most of the tested colonies had the same colony size, brood levels and honey production as the control colonies. Nonetheless, continuous weight data indicated some disturbance in tested colonies in the first year of monitoring. The overall accuracy of the image analysis software was improved by training, indicating that it is possible to adapt the software to local conditions. We conclude that the use of this fully quantitative method offers a more accurate alternative to classic visual colony assessments, with negligible impact on colony development.

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Section: Future Directions and Developmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

High accuracy monitoring of honey bee colony development by a quantitative method

Capela

Dupont

Rortais

et al. 2022

Journal of Apicultural Research

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Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMF) on honey bee queen development and mating success

Odemer

2018

Preprint

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9Mobile phones can be found almost everywhere across the globe, upholding a direct 10 point-to-point connection between the device and the broadcast tower. The emission of 11 radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMF) puts the surrounding environment 12 inevitably into contact with this pollutant. We have therefore exposed honey bee queen 13 larvae to the radiation of a common mobile phone device (GSM) during all stages of 14 their pre-adult development including pupation. After 14 days of exposure, hatching of 15 adult queens was assessed and mating success after further 11 days, respectively. 16Moreover, full colonies were established of five of the untreated and four of the treated 17 queens to contrast population dynamics. We found that mobile phone radiation had 18 significantly reduced the hatching ratio but not the mating success. If treated queens 19 were successfully mated, colony development was not adversely affected. We provide 20 evidence that RF-EMF only acts detrimental within the sensitivity of pupal 21 development, once succeeded this point, no further impairment has manifested in 22 adulthood. Our results are discussed against the background of long-lasting 23 consequences for colony performance and the possible implication on periodic colony 24 losses. 25 26 Keywords: radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMF); honey bee queen 27 development; mating success; Apis mellifera; mobile phone devices; colony collapse 28 disorder (CCD) 29 30 2 31 HIGHLIGHTS 32  Chronic RF-EMF exposure significantly reduced hatching of honey bee queens 33  Mortalities occurred during pupation, not at the larval stages 34  Mating success was not adversely affected by the irradiation 35  After the exposure, surviving queens were able to establish intact colonies 36 37 GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT 38 39 Illustrations after Gullan & Cranston 2014 40 41 42 43 3 44 157

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Hygroregulation, a key ability for eusocial insects: Native Western European bees as a case study

Cited by 2 publications

References 36 publications

High accuracy monitoring of honey bee colony development by a quantitative method

High accuracy monitoring of honey bee colony development by a quantitative method

Effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF-EMF) on honey bee queen development and mating success

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