The alternative Pharaoh approach: stingless bees mummify beetle parasites alive

Abstract

Workers from social insect colonies use different defence strategies to combat invaders. Nevertheless, some parasitic species are able to bypass colony defences. In particular, some beetle nest invaders cannot be killed or removed by workers of social bees, thus creating the need for alternative social defence strategies to ensure colony survival. Here we show, using diagnostic radioentomology, that stingless bee workers (Trigona carbonaria) immediately mummify invading adult small hive beetles (Aethina tumida) alive by coating them with a mixture of resin, wax and mud, thereby preventing severe damage to the colony. In sharp contrast to the responses of honeybee and bumblebee colonies, the rapid live mummification strategy of T. carbonaria effectively prevents beetle advancements and removes their ability to reproduce. The convergent evolution of mummification in stingless bees and encapsulation in honeybees is another striking example of co-evolution between insect societies and their parasites.

A scientific note on the association of Haptoncus luteolus (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) with colonies of multiple stingless bee species

“…Taken together with earlier reports in honeybee, A. mellifera , colonies (Atkinson and Ellis 2011a, b), this suggests that this beetle species can exploit a variety of different social bee species. This is similar to the small hive beetle, which can infest colonies of honeybees (Neumann and Elzen 2004), bumblebees Bombus impatiens (Spiewok and Neumann 2006), as well as stingless bees Trigona carbonaria (Greco et al 2010) and Austroplebeia australis (Halcroft et al 2011). …”

Pharmacophagy and pharmacophory: mechanisms of self-medication and disease prevention in the honeybee colony (Apis mellifera)

“…Plant resins are widely used in bee societies as honeybees and other bees share a common spectrum of diseases and predators. Stingless bees' resinous products have known antifungal effects (Aspergillus niger ) (Garedew et al 2003b;Muli et al 2008) and are highly effective when used to mummify A. tumida beetles by deposing resin on the body of the intruder (Greco et al 2010;Halcroft et al 2011). Comparative studies (single type resin vs. mixtures) revealed that single resins may have different effects, and mixtures are more effective indicating functional complementarity for repellent effects against predatory ants and A. tumida (Drescher et al 2014).…”

X‐ray computed tomography and its potential in ecological research: A review of studies and optimization of specimen preparation

“…In terms of applied studies, monitoring of pest and invasive species (Fuchs et al., 2004; Halley et al., 2005; Harrison et al., 1993; Monaenkova et al., 2015; Soné, Mori, Ide, Setoguchi, & Yamanouchi, 1995; Tarver et al., 2006), interaction between hosts and parasites (Greco et al., 2010; Schwabe et al., 2014), forensic entomology (Johnson et al., 2012), and ecotoxicological research (Brinkmann et al., 2016; Holliday & Holliday, 2012; Lind et al., 2004; Pigneret et al., 2016; Yunusa, Braun, & Lawrie, 2009) have been also benefited greatly from this technique so far.…”