Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bairu Liu, Yicong Xu, Weixing Zhang
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of antennal gene expression in honey bees and reveals the olfactory adaptation mechanism and gene expression associated with division of labour. It also identifies and validates significant alternative splicing events correlated with development and division of labour.
INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Quan Zhang, Lili Fu, Tao Cang, Tao Tang, Mingcheng Guo, Bingbing Zhou, Guohua Zhu, Meirong Zhao
Summary: With the increasing demand for pollinating services, the wellness of honeybees has received widespread attention. Research has shown that S-dinotefuran is more toxic than rac-dinotefuran and R-dinotefuran by 114 times, and that the Eastern honeybee is more susceptible to the highly toxic enantiomer S-dinotefuran.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Richard Galajda, Alexandra Valencakova, Monika Sucik, Petra Kandracova
Summary: Nosematosis is a honey bee disease caused by Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae, with exposure to pesticides and nutritional stress being key factors that weaken the immune response of bees and make them more susceptible to parasites. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is an important method for detecting and distinguishing between the two species causing the disease.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Janko Gospocic, Karl M. Glastad, Lihong Sheng, Emily J. Shields, Shelley L. Berger, Roberto Bonasio
Summary: Kr-h1 is a transcription factor that maintains distinct brain states in Harpegnathos saltator ants, established in response to socially regulated hormones, influencing the characteristic behaviors between workers and gamergates.
Article
Entomology
Piotr Dziechciarz, Grzegorz Borsuk, Krzysztof Olszewski
Summary: The study found that manipulating comb cell width is not an effective method for modeling worker body size, as worker bees exhibit relatively constant body size. However, using small-cell combs may increase worker resistance to Varroa destructor. Additionally, morphometric traits commonly used for honeybee subspecies identification remained relatively stable despite changes in comb cell width, confirming their suitability for identification.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lauren M. Rusert, Jeffrey S. Pettis, David R. Tarpy
Summary: The study found that the presence of Varroa mites in Hawaii may not significantly decrease the mating success of honey bee queens, with overall high levels of polyandry observed. Additionally, there was a significant association between the number of sperm stored in queen bees' spermathecae and the number of managed colonies in the mating localities.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Milyausha Kaskinova, Elena Saltykova, Alexander Poskryakov, Alexey Nikolenko, Luisa Gaifullina
Summary: The Southern Ural Mountains are a habitat for one of the last surviving populations of the dark forest bee Apis mellifera mellifera, facing issues of hybridization with subspecies from lineage C and being affected by nosematosis. Urgent measures are needed to protect this population. Analysis revealed that 30.4% of the colonies belong to lineage C, and about half of the sampled colonies were infected with Nosema apis, posing a threat to the survival of the population.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhen Li, Heyan Yang, Longtao Yu, Chen Liu, Xiaobo Wu
Summary: This study investigated the effects of chronic exposure to sublethal concentrations of flumethrin on honeybees. The results showed that increasing concentrations of flumethrin led to a shorter lifespan for adult bees, down-regulation of detoxification-related genes, and impaired memory and immune functions.
PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Eduardo L. Almeida, Celine Ribiere, Werner Frei, Denis Kenny, Mary F. Coffey, Paul W. O'Toole
Summary: In this study, the microbiome of honeybees from different time points in various apiaries across Ireland was analyzed. It was found that the microbiome composition showed stronger clustering by time point rather than by apiary site. The study also revealed certain bacteria in the honeybee microbiome that were correlated with hive health, highlighting the importance of the global honeybee microbiome in supporting thriving hives.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Minghui Sun, Xiaoxue Fan, Qi Long, He Zang, Yiqiong Zhang, Xiaoyu Liu, Peilin Feng, Yuxuan Song, Kunze Li, Ying Wu, Haibin Jiang, Dafu Chen, Rui Guo
Summary: piRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that play essential roles in gene expression and biological processes. In this study, the expression pattern of piRNAs in honeybee larvae after Ascosphaera apis infection was analyzed. The results showed that the expression of piRNAs was altered and they were involved in various pathways related to energy metabolism, development, and immune response. Furthermore, specific piRNAs were found to negatively regulate the expression of immune-related genes during the infection. These findings provide a platform for further investigation of piRNAs in honeybees and shed light on the mechanisms underlying the host response to A. apis infection.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Krystyna Czekonska, Sylwia Lopuch
Summary: This study aimed to determine the thermal preferences of Apis mellifera carnica drones according to their age and sexual maturity. The results showed that the drones had different temperature preferences at different ages, which corresponded to physiological changes and the rate of sexual maturation.
Article
Biology
Petr Mraz, Marian Hybl, Marek Kopecky, Andrea Bohata, Jana Konopicka, Irena Hostickova, Petr Konvalina, Jan Sipos, Michael Rost, Vladislav Curn
Summary: Chalkbrood is a globally spread honey bee brood disease caused by the fungal pathogen Ascosphaera apis, and controlling the disease has been a challenge. This study evaluated the impact of various artificial media and temperatures on the growth and development of the fungus, finding that a medium modified with crushed bee brood was most suitable for reproductive structure production. The experiments also revealed a specific relationship between temperature and the size of fungal reproductive structures.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gabriela de Brito Sanchez, Anna Exposito Munoz, Li Chen, Weifone Huang, Songkun Su, Martin Giurfa
Summary: Manipulating the energy budget of bee foragers revealed a significant impact of the energy budget (starved vs. partially-fed) on the decision to ingest or respond to pure sucrose solution and sucrose solution spiked with salicin, but no direct effect of AKH. These findings support the hypothesis of a loss of function of AKH in honey bee foragers due to their social life and energy resource storage in the hive.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Marcelo Polizel Camilli, Samir Moura Kadri, Marcus Vinicius Niz Alvarez, Paulo Eduardo Martins Ribolla, Ricardo Oliveira Orsi
Summary: The study found that zinc supplementation can modulate gene expression and play an important role in the development of Apis mellifera bees. The information obtained in this study can contribute to future research in the field of bee nutrigenomics.
Article
Ecology
Annik Imogen Gmel, Matthieu Guichard, Benjamin Dainat, Geoffrey Rhys Williams, Sonia Eynard, Alain Vignal, Bertrand Servin, Markus Neuditschko
Summary: This study analyzed the whole-genome queen genotypes of 265 Western honeybee colonies, revealing the genetic diversity and differences in genetic background among subspecies. The analysis of genetic frequencies and admixture levels provided insights into the population dynamics and identified genes associated with environmental adaptation and morphological phenotypes. Overall, this study provides fundamental information for conserving native honey bees.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Qodratollah Sabahi, Nuria Morfin, Gholamali Nehzati-Paghaleh, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa
JOURNAL OF APICULTURAL RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Daniel Borges, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa, Paul H. Goodwin
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nuria Morfin, Paul H. Goodwin, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa
Article
Microbiology
Nuria Morfin, Paul H. Goodwin, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jose O. Macias-Macias, Jose C. Tapia-Rivera, Alvaro De la Mora, Jose M. Tapia-Gonzalez, Francisca Contreras-Escareno, Tatiana Petukhova, Nuria Morfin, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2020)
Article
Microbiology
Daniel Borges, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa, Paul H. Goodwin
Summary: Nosema ceranae, a microsporidian fungus that infects honey bees, can be controlled with food supplementation of prebiotics and probiotics. While acacia gum showed the greatest reduction in spore numbers, it also increased bee mortality. However, single-strain probiotics like Protexin Concentrate were effective at reducing spore numbers without affecting mortality. Multiple doses of probiotics also significantly reduced spore numbers and improved bee survival. Protexin Concentrate single-strain shows promise in reducing N. ceranae proliferation and increasing bee survivorship.
Article
Entomology
Alvaro De la Mora, Nuria Morfin, Laura G. Espinosa-Montano, Carlos Aurelio Medina-Flores, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa
Summary: The research tested the hypothesis that Varroa destructor parasitism affects the stinging response threshold of individual honey bees by exposing worker bees to an electric stimulus. Bees parasitized by Varroa destructor stung significantly faster than control bees in each trial, indicating that the irritation caused by the parasite reduces the stinging response threshold of honey bees. Further studies are needed to understand how Varroa destructor affects neuronal processes in honey bees to increase their defensive behavior.
JOURNAL OF APICULTURAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Pegah Valizadeh, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa, Paul H. Goodwin
Summary: Nosema ceranae is believed to have originated in East Asia and subsequently spread worldwide, with the highest genetic variation found in Vietnam. The invasive range showed less variation compared to the native range, with three distinct groupings observed.
BIOLOGICAL INVASIONS
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Qodratollah Sabahi, Paul Gordon Kelly, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa
Summary: This study tested the toxicity of four natural compounds to mites and bees under laboratory conditions and calculated their safety margin for bees. The results showed that carvone and citral were highly toxic to varroa mites and relatively safe for bees.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Carlos Aurelio Medina-Flores, Luis Abdelmir Medina Medina, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa
Summary: The study evaluated the impact of hygienic behavior (HB) on the resistance of Africanized honeybees to ascospherosis. The results showed that colonies with high HB had significantly fewer mummies and there was no difference in susceptibility to the fungus between colonies with high and low HB.
REVISTA MEXICANA DE CIENCIAS PECUARIAS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gilda Ponce-Vejar, S. Lizette Ramos de Robles, Jose Octavio Macias-Macias, Tatiana Petukhova, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa
Summary: This preliminary study analyzes the presence and concentration of pesticides in honey obtained from honey bee colonies in two regions with different agricultural practices. The results show the detection of 14 pesticides in variable concentrations, with higher concentrations of insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides. The study finds that intensive and highly-technified agriculture areas have a higher number, frequency, and concentration of pesticides, including residues of imidacloprid above sublethal doses for honey bees. The study suggests that honey can be used as a bioindicator for pesticide contamination and emphasizes the importance of monitoring contaminants in honey to assess the risks on pollinators, ecosystems, and human health.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Alvaro De la Mora, Nuria Morfin, Jose C. Tapia-Rivera, Jose O. Macias-Macias, Jose M. Tapia-Gonzalez, Francisca Contreras-Escareno, Tatiana Petukhova, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa
Summary: Africanized honey bees are negatively affected by the fungus Nosema ceranae and the neonicotinoid insecticide thiamethoxam. Thiamethoxam decreases the bees' survivorship while N. ceranae affects their immune response. The two stressors do not have a synergistic effect when the bees are exposed to both.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Ana K. Ramos-Cuellar, Alvaro De la Mora, Francisca Contreras-Escareno, Nuria Morfin, Jose M. Tapia-Gonzalez, Jose O. Macias-Macias, Tatiana Petukhova, Adriana Correa-Benitez, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa
Summary: This study aimed to analyze the impact of genotype and climate on the resistance of honey bee colonies to parasitic and viral diseases. The prevalence and intensity of parasitism by Varroa destructor, infection by Nosema spp., and four honey bee viruses were determined in 365 colonies of predominantly European or African ancestry in Mexico. Varroa destructor was the most prevalent parasite (95%), while N. ceranae was the least prevalent parasite (15%). The viruses detected were Deformed wing virus (DWV) and black queen cell virus (BQCV), with frequencies of 38% and 66% respectively. Varroa destructor was significantly more prevalent in colonies of European ancestry, and the intensity of parasitism by V. destructor or infection by DWV and BQCV was also significantly higher in European descent colonies than African descent colonies. However, there were no significant effects of climate on parasitism or infection intensity for both genotypes. Therefore, it is concluded that the genotype of honey bee colonies, but not climate, influences their resistance to DWV, BQCV, and V. destructor.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Shane S. Klassen, William VanBlyderveen, Les Eccles, Paul G. Kelly, Daniel Borges, Paul H. Goodwin, Tatiana Petukhova, Qiang Wang, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa
Summary: The prebiotics eugenol, chitosan, and naringenin, along with the probiotic Protexin(R), showed potential in controlling the honey bee gut parasite Nosema ceranae, with significant reductions in infection rates and increases in adult bee populations. Treatment in spring and fall could effectively decrease N. ceranae infection and improve colony health.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Berna Emsen, Alvaro De la Mora, Brian Lacey, Les Eccles, Paul G. Kelly, Carlos A. Medina-Flores, Tatiana Petukhova, Nuria Morfin, Ernesto Guzman-Novoa
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2020)