Article
Microbiology
Maria Michalczyk, Rajmund Sokol
Summary: Bumblebees are essential pollinators, but their population decline may be related to pathogen infections and food shortage. This study focused on screening for pathogens in bumblebees in Poland.
Article
Parasitology
Maria Buendia-Abad, Pilar Garcia-Palencia, Luis Miguel de Pablos, Jose Maria Alunda, Antonio Osuna, Raquel Martin-Hernandez, Mariano Higes
Summary: This study provides the first description of the life cycle and pathogenicity mechanisms of Lotmaria passim and Crithidia mellificae in Apis mellifera. It reveals that their flagella can transform into attachment structures and remain attached to the host surface via zonular hemidesmosome-like structures.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Carolina Bartolome, Maria Buendia-Abad, Concepcion Ornosa, Pilar De la Rua, Raquel Martin-Hernandez, Mariano Higes, Xulio Maside
Summary: Trypanosomatids, common parasites in bees, were studied for population diversity using genetic data from three single copy loci. The analysis showed that the parasites experienced purifying selection, similar diversity within species regardless of host, evidence of recombination among haplotypes, and no haplotype structuring by host. C. bombi had low synonymous variation, C. mellificae displayed extensive polymorphism, and L. passim showed intermediate values likely due to spread to new areas.
Article
Parasitology
Satomi Yamamoto, Sakure Nakamura, Kazuhiko Nakayama, Kodai Kusakisako, Koh Watanabe, Hiromi Ikadai, Taishi Tanabe
Summary: This study investigated the prevalence of Crithidia mellificae and Lotmaria passim in Apis mellifera in six regions of Japan from 2018 to 2019. The results showed that the detection rate of Crithidia mellificae was 0.0% in all regions, while Lotmaria passim was detected in 16.7%-66.7% of the honeybees. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis revealed that all the analyzed samples belonged to the Lotmaria passim clade. This study highlights the predominant prevalence of Lotmaria passim infection in Japanese honeybees and suggests the need for further epidemiological surveys on Crithidia mellificae infection.
PARASITOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tomas Erban, Kamila Parizkova, Bruno Sopko, Pavel Talacko, Martin Markovic, Jana Jarosova, Jan Votypka
Summary: A challenge in bee protection is to assess the risks of pesticide-pathogen interactions. This study found that both Lotmaria passim parasite and imidacloprid pesticide may affect the physiology, behavior, immunity, microbiome, and lifespan of honey bees. Cage experiments showed that imidacloprid increased the infection rate and load of L. passim in individual bees. Proteomic analysis revealed that imidacloprid neutralized the effect of L. passim on transferrin 1 expression.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Francis A. Drummond, Jennifer Lund, Brian Eitzer
Summary: A two-year study in Maine wild blueberry fields monitored the health of migratory honey bee colonies in 2014 and 2015. Varroa mite infestations and pesticide residues on pollen were significant predictors of colony health, explaining 71% of the variance in colony health over the two years. Pathogen prevalence and incidence varied between the two years, with high levels of recently discovered pathogens and parasites detected.
Article
Entomology
Mary-Kate F. Williams, Dylan A. Cleary, Amber D. Tripodi, Allen L. Szalanski
Summary: A study on honey bee samples from various regions in the United States found that co-infection rates of N. ceranae and L. passim were higher in Hawaii and Utah. Infection rates were similar between managed colonies and swarms, but both were higher than feral honey bee colonies.
JOURNAL OF APICULTURAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Maria Buendia-Abad, Raquel Martin-Hernandez, Mariano Higes
Summary: Bee trypanosomatids have been discovered to affect honey bee colonies by increasing winter mortality and shortening worker bee lifespan. This study presents a new qPCR method that can differentiate and quantify the parasitic load of the three most common trypanosomatid species in honey bee colonies: L. passim, Crithidia mellificae, and Crithidia bombi. The analysis of honey bee colonies in central Spain confirms that L. passim is the most prevalent species with higher parasitic loads, increasing over the years and being higher in spring. Crithidia mellificae was present but at non-quantifiable loads, while Crithidia bombi was not detected.
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
M. Michalczyk, R. Sokol, A. Bancerz-Kisiel
Summary: The aim of this study was to determine the most susceptible age of honey bee worker larvae to common parasites. Real-time PCR analysis showed differences in the presence of L. passim and N. apis among larvae of different ages. Additionally, the study revealed that apparently healthy bee colonies can serve as a source of infection for other colonies and larvae.
JOURNAL OF APICULTURAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Olga Barranco-Gomez, Jessica Carreira De Paula, Jennifer Solano Parada, Tamara Gomez-Moracho, Ana Vic Marfil, Maria Zafra, Francisco Jose Orantes Bermejo, Antonio Osuna, Luis Miguel De Pablos
Summary: The aim of this study was to develop a sensitive and robust real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay for detecting trypanosomatid parasites in parasitized insect samples. The results showed that the developed qPCR assay successfully detected trypanosomatids in different insect hosts and demonstrated excellent performance in honeybee samples.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2023)
Article
Zoology
Cecilia Rudelli, Gloria Isani, Giulia Andreani, Perla Tedesco, Roberta Galuppi
Summary: This study highlights the presence of Lotmaria passim in honeybees in the province of Bologna, providing important information for the field of honeybee pathology.
JOURNAL OF INVERTEBRATE PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Robyn M. Underwood, Brooke L. Lawrence, Nash E. Turley, Lizzette D. Cambron-Kopco, Parry M. Kietzman, Brenna E. Traver, Margarita M. Lopez-Uribe
Summary: Honey bee colony management is essential for mitigating stressors, and variations in beekeeper practices result in different management systems. A longitudinal study experimentally tested three representative management systems (conventional, organic, and chemical-free) and found that conventional and organic systems had equivalent survival rates, but were 2.8 times greater than chemical-free systems. Honey production was also higher in conventional and organic systems. Significant differences were found in pathogen levels and gene expression. The study highlights the importance of beekeeping practices in colony survival and productivity, and suggests organic management as a sustainable approach.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Chauncy Hinshaw, Kathleen C. Evans, Cristina Rosa, Margarita M. Lopez-Uribe
Summary: The study shows that feral honey bee colonies have higher levels of DWV compared to managed colonies, and the levels are more variable over time. Higher pathogen levels are associated with increased immune gene expression, with feral colonies showing higher expression in five out of the six examined immune genes for at least one sampling period.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Ashley L. St Clair, Ge Zhang, Adam G. Dolezal, Matthew E. O'Neal, Amy L. Toth
Summary: Large scale agricultural production can reduce habitat availability for wild bees and lead to population declines. The presence of managed honey bee colonies may not have an immediate negative impact on wild bees. Instead, wild bees respond strongly to landscape composition, with lower species richness in landscapes dominated by crops. Woodland and grassland habitats have the greatest positive effect on bee richness.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aleksandra Patenkovic, Marija Tanaskovic, Pavle Eric, Katarina Eric, Milica Mihajlovic, Ljubisa Stanisavljevic, Slobodan Davidovic
Summary: Urbanization impacts the genetic diversity of honey bees, causing high genetic differentiation between feral and managed colonies. Feral honey bees in urban areas have distinct patterns of genetic diversity and can adapt to human-modified environments.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Jessica L. Mullins, James P. Strange, Amber D. Tripodi
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Ecology
Peter Graystock, Wee Hao Ng, Kyle Parks, Amber D. Tripodi, Paige A. Muniz, Ashley A. Fersch, Christopher R. Myers, Quinn S. McFrederick, Scott H. McArt
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2020)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Felicity Muth, Amber D. Tripodi, Rene Bonilla, James P. Strange, Anne S. Leonard
Summary: Sexual dimorphism can result in differences in morphological, physiological, and cognitive traits due to different sources of selection faced by females and males. In a study comparing wild bumblebees, it was found that male and female bumblebees did not differ in their ability to learn, indicating potential similarities in associative learning between the sexes in natural populations.
BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
M. A. Janowiecki, J. W. Austin, A. L. Szalanski, E. L. Vargo
Summary: In the eastern United States, there are nine species of subterranean termites, with five species of Reticulitermes being able to be quickly identified using an ISSRs genetic method. This method is cost-effective, rapid, and provides a useful technique for pest management and future ecological research.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Mary-Kate F. Williams, Dylan A. Cleary, Amber D. Tripodi, Allen L. Szalanski
Summary: A study on honey bee samples from various regions in the United States found that co-infection rates of N. ceranae and L. passim were higher in Hawaii and Utah. Infection rates were similar between managed colonies and swarms, but both were higher than feral honey bee colonies.
JOURNAL OF APICULTURAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Horticulture
Runshi Xie, Bin Wu, Mengmeng Gu, Stacey R. Jones, James Robbins, Allen L. Szalanski, Hongmin Qin
Summary: Crapemyrtle bark scale (CMBS) is an invasive insect first discovered in the United States in 2004. This insect has a polyphagous feeding habit, allowing it to infest a wide range of plant species beyond its primary host Lagerstroemia. Research has shown that CMBS can infest not only native plants like American beautyberry, but also other economically important crops in the Amygdaloideae subfamily.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Matthew W. Austin, Amber D. Tripodi, James P. Strange, Aimee S. Dunlap
Summary: Human-modified landscapes can increase intraspecific trait variation. This study focuses on the body size variation of five bumble bee species across an urban gradient and finds evidence of geographic clines induced by plasticity. Low genetic diversity and inbreeding may affect the survival risk of these species.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Nicholas A. Ivers, Zacchariah Jordan, Hamutahl Cohen, Amber Tripodi, Mark J. F. Brown, Heidi Liere, Brenda B. Lin, Stacy Philpott, Shalene Jha
Summary: This study investigates the impact of urban garden management and regional landscape composition on the disease dynamics of a critical native pollinator, the bumble bee Bombus vosnesenskii. The research found that higher pollinator taxonomic richness in gardens led to lower prevalence of certain parasites, indicating a dilution effect. Additionally, gardens with higher mulch use and surrounded by greater proportions of impervious urban cover had higher prevalence of certain parasites.
Article
Entomology
James P. Strange, Amber D. Tripodi, Craig Huntzinger, Joyce Knoblett, Ellen Klinger, James D. Herndon, Hoang Q. Vuong, Quinn S. McFrederick, Rebecca E. Irwin, Jay D. Evans, Jonathan J. Giacomini, Robert Ward, Lynn S. Adler
Summary: Pollen is an essential component of bee diets, but there is currently no artificial diet or economical method for large-scale pollen collection from flowers. The provenance of honey bee-collected pollen is often unknown and may cross international borders. This study tested three sterilization methods and found that ethylene oxide fumigation had the highest sterilizing properties under commercial conditions while maintaining palatability and supporting bee development.
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Entomology
James P. Strange, Amber D. Tripodi, Thuy-Tien T. Lindsay, James D. Herndon, Joyce Knoblett, Morgan E. Christman, N. Pinar Barkan, Jonathan B. U. Koch
Summary: This study reported the successful nest initiation and establishment rates of 15 western North American Bombus species and generated a timeline of colony development. The results showed significant variations in nest success and colony growth dynamics among different species. This study contributes to the knowledge of systematic nesting biology of western North American Bombus species and provides valuable information for conservationists and researchers.
JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Dylan Cleary, Allen L. L. Szalanski
Summary: Managed honey bee populations in the U.S. have fluctuated due to various biotic and abiotic stressors. This study surveyed parasite and pathogen species in hobbyist-managed honey bee colonies in Arkansas and found Vairimorpha ceranae and Varroa destructor to be relatively common, while Lotmaria passim was detected in a significant number of colonies. Other studied pathogens were not detected. This provides a comprehensive assessment of parasite and pathogen species in hobbyist-managed honey bee colonies at the state level.
JOURNAL OF APICULTURAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Haylee Campbell, Kelly Loftin, Allen Szalanski, Donald Steinkraus, Elizabeth Smith
Summary: Wild pigs are spreading throughout Arkansas and the southeastern USA, posing a threat to public and animal health due to their potential to carry various pathogens and parasites. A study on tick species parasitizing Arkansas wild pigs collected four tick species, with Amblyomma americanum being the most common.
FLORIDA ENTOMOLOGIST
(2022)
Article
Biology
Erica Sarro, Amber Tripodi, S. Hollis Woodard
Summary: Studies on the physiological states of wild-caught organisms are crucial for understanding the connections between ecology and physiology. This study investigated the relationship between ovary development and nest-searching behavior in bumble bee queens. The findings suggest that ovary development and nest-searching occur independently in bumble bee queens.
INTEGRATIVE ORGANISMAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Austin Goldsmith, Kelly Loftin, Donald Steinkraus, Allen Szalanski, Dylan Cleary, Louela Castrillo
Summary: The lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, found in Arkansas, can be infected with Metarhizium fungi, showing potential for biological control of this tick species.
FLORIDA ENTOMOLOGIST
(2021)