Mite species inhabiting commercial bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) nests in Polish greenhouses

Abstract

Nests of social insects are usually inhabited by various mite species that feed on pollen, other micro-arthropods or are parasitic. Well-known negative effects of worldwide economic importance are caused by mites parasitizing honeybee colonies. Lately, attention has focused on the endoparasitic mite Locustacarus buchneri that has been found in commercial bumblebees. However, little is known of other mites associated with commercial bumblebee nests. Transportation of commercial bumblebee colonies with unwanted residents may introduce foreign mite species to new localities. In this study, we assessed the prevalence and species composition of mites associated with commercial bumblebee nests and determined if the mites are foreign species for Poland and for Europe. The study was conducted on 37 commercial bumblebee nests from two companies (Dutch and Israeli), originating from two greenhouses in southern Poland, and on 20 commercial bumblebee colonies obtained directly from suppliers. The species composition and abundance of mites inhabiting commercial bumblebee nests were determined. Seven mite species from three families were found in nests after greenhouse exploitation. The predominant mite species was Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Acaridae) that was a 100-fold more numerous than representatives of the family Laelapidae (Hypoaspis marginepilosa, H. hyatti, H. bombicolens). Representatives of Parasitidae (Parasitellus fucorum, P. crinitus, P. ignotus) were least numerous. All identified mite species are common throughout Europe, foreign species were not found. Mites were not detected in nests obtained directly from suppliers. We conclude that probably bumblebee nests are invaded by local mite species during greenhouse exploitation.

<p><strong>New Zealand<em> Pneumolaelaps</em> (Acari: Laelapidae): description of a new species, key to species and notes on biology</strong></p>

“…New Zealand: Auckland (AK): 1 female, honey bee (Apis mellifera), 16.ix.2002, by A. Yearsley (PANZ, 03/2002/2545 (Ye & Ma 1996;Ren & Guo 2008;Bai & Ma 2013), former Czechoslovakia (Haragsim et al 1978), Italy (Canestrini 1885;Berlese 1920); New Zealand (Macfarlane 2005;Donovan 2007; present study), Poland (Rozej et al 2012), Switzerland (Schwarz et al 1996), USA (El-Banhawy & Nasr 1984), former USSR (Gilyarov & Bregetova 1977).…”

Populations of Stored Product Mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae Differ in Their Bacterial Communities

“…Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank, 1781) has been reported from agricultural soils ( Smrz and Jungova, 1989 ), commercial bumblebee colonies ( Rozej et al, 2012 ), and the nests of birds and small mammals ( Solarz et al, 1999 ). This mite is very common in human-created habitats such as dust in urban environments, medical and laboratory facilities, farms, the food industry ( Franz et al, 1997 ; Solarz et al, 2007 ), and in fungal and insect cultures in laboratories ( Duek et al, 2001 ).…”

First Record of Three Mite Species (Acari) in Greece Collected on Commercial Bumblebee (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus Terrestris Linnaeus, 1758)

“…Sternal and genital shields are covered by reticulate sculptural pattern. The association of this mite species with the commercial bumblebee is mentioned by Karg (1993) from Central and Northern Europe and by Rożej et al (2012) from Poland. This association earlier was not mentioned neither from the Balkan Peninsula and nor from South Europe.…”

“…The association between the mites and the Apidae is a well-known phenomenon in the field of acarology, but the mites living together with the bumblebees are scarcely investigated. Only few papers are presented about bumblebee associated mites from Europe, like five mite species are recorded on Bombus lapidarius (Linnaeus, 1758) from Switzerland (Schwatz & Huck 1997) and seven species were found on nest of the commercial bumblebee (Bombus terrestris Linnaeus, 1758) (Rożej et al 2012). We have very few information about the bumblebee associated mites in different parts of Europe, therefore I would like to present three bumblebee associated mites which were collected in Northern-Greece.…”