Increased alarm pheromone component is associated withNosema ceranaeinfected honeybee colonies

Abstract

Use of chemicals, such as alarm pheromones, for rapid communication with conspecifics is widespread throughout evolutionary history. Such chemicals are particularly important for social insects, such as the honeybee ( Apis mellifera ), because they are used for collective decision-making, coordinating activities and self-organization of the group. What is less understood is how these pheromones change due to an infection and what the implications might be for social communication. We used semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction (sqPCR) to screen for a common microsporidian gut parasite, Nosema ceranae , for 30 hives, across 10 different locations. We then used high-resolution accurate mass gas chromatography–quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry to generate an exposome profile for each hive. Of the 2352 chemical features identified, chemicals associated with infection were filtered for cosanes or cosenes. A significant association was found between N. ceranae and the presence of ( Z )-11-eicosen-1-ol, a known alarm pheromone component. The increase in ( Z )-11-eicosen-1-ol could be the recognition mechanism for healthy individuals to care for, kill, or quarantine infected nestmates. Nosema ceranae has contributed to the global decline in bee health. Therefore, altered alarm pheromones might play a role in disrupting social harmony and have potential impacts on colony health.

The peritrophic matrix delays Nosema ceranae infection in the honey bee Apis mellifera midgut

“…Infection by Nosema spp. in A. mellifera causes death of bees (Higes et al, 2007; Huang et al, 2015; Marin‐Garcia et al, 2022), increased susceptibility to pesticides (Liu et al, 2021; Pettis et al, 2013), low honey production (Seitz et al, 2016; Wakagri & Yigezu, 2021), suppression of the immune response and alteration in the production of pheromones (Lourenço et al, 2021; Mayack et al, 2021; Paris et al, 2018).…”

Age and Season Effect the Timing of Adult Worker Honeybee Infection by Nosema ceranae

“…The establishment of infection in very young bees and the different progression of infection between seasons might have important consequences on the posterior development and viability of the colony. Indeed, N. ceranae infection plays an important role on honeybee polyethism (Dussaubat et al, 2013;Lecocq et al, 2016;Natsopoulou et al, 2016;Mayack et al, 2021) and colony dynamics (Higes et al, 2008;Goblirsch et al, 2013;Wolf et al, 2016;Biganski et al, 2017).…”