The effect of induced queen replacement on Nosema spp. infection in honey bee (Apis mellifera iberiensis) colonies

Abstract

Microsporidiosis of adult honeybees caused by Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae is a common worldwide disease with negative impacts on colony strength and productivity. Few options are available to control the disease at present. The role of the queen in bee population renewal and the replacement of bee losses due to Nosema infection is vital to maintain colony homeostasis. Younger queens have a greater egg laying potential and they produce a greater proportion of uninfected newly eclosed bees to compensate for adult bee losses; hence, a field study was performed to determine the effect of induced queen replacement on Nosema infection in honey bee colonies, focusing on colony strength and honey production. In addition, the impact of long-term Nosema infection of a colony on the ovaries and ventriculus of the queen was evaluated. Queen replacement resulted in a remarkable decrease in the rates of Nosema infection, comparable with that induced by fumagillin treatment. However, detrimental effects on the overall colony state were observed due to the combined effects of stressors such as the queenless condition, lack of brood and high infection rates. The ovaries and ventriculi of queens in infected colonies revealed no signs of Nosema infection and there were no lesions in ovarioles or epithelial ventricular cells.

Queen Quality and the Impact of Honey Bee Diseases on Queen Health: Potential for Interactions between Two Major Threats to Colony Health

“…Moreover, reproductive quality influences queen mandibular gland pheromone profile and influences colony cohesion [196]. Replacing the queen in Nosema - and CBPV-infected colonies with a young, healthy, and productive queen has been recommended to maintain the colony homeostasis [188,197] and presumably is also advisable when other diseases are detected. Through direct and indirect effects a healthy, high-quality queen can mitigate disease effects on colony fitness or even make colonies more resistant to disease [105].…”

Linking evolutionary lineage with parasite and pathogen prevalence in the Iberian honey bee

“…The variable prevalence and abundance of Nosema species, both at the colony and individual honey bee level, may be influenced by many factors, including host genetic variation, climate, levels of exposure and treatments administered or beekeeping practices (Runckel et al, 2011;Botías et al, 2011a). However, studies of Nosema prevalence in different hosts are scarce.…”

“…(Martín-Hernández et al, 2007;Botías et al, 2011a). PCR reactions (50 lL) were carried out in a Mastercycler Ò ep gradient S apparatus (Eppendorf), eachcontaining 25 lL of Fast Start PCR Master (No.…”

Detection of Nosema spp. in worker bees, pollen and bee bread during the honey flow season

“…Nosema spores were more frequently detected in forager bees (FB) than in hive bees (HB). Other researchers also reported a high level of infection with spores in forager bees (Higes et al 2008a;Meana et al 2010;Botias et al 2012;Smart and Sheppard 2012). Higes et al (2008a) explained the presence of Nosema spp.…”