2009-2013年中国西方蜜蜂蜂群损失情况调查分析

近年,欧洲和北美地区相继出现蜜蜂蜂群崩溃(Colony Collapse Disorder, CCD)现象,蜂业科学家在世界范围内开展蜜蜂蜂群损失情况调查与分析。基于此,探讨近4年我国主要西方蜜蜂饲养省份蜂群损失情况,并对损失量、损失原因进行分析。研究采用欧盟政府间合作框架(COST)下项目- CoLoss (Prevention of honey bee COlony LOSSes)项目组提供的国际统一的标准调查表格,利用R语言在RStudio环境下开展全部的统计分析工作,采用广义线性混合模型分析调查数据的相关性及因变量为非正态分布的非独立数据。调查我国12 个主要西方蜜蜂饲养省份的蜂群越冬死亡损失情况。2009-2013 年蜂群平均损失率为8.9%,损失比例同比低于欧洲和北美国家和地区的蜂群损失率,在可接受范围内。利用广义线性混合模型分析,显著影响蜜蜂蜂群损失的因素有:巢脾使用时间及蜂王因素。我国蜂群损失率较低,大部分损失症状不属于CCD。CCD现象在我国尚未确认发生。加强蜂螨及其他病害的防治工作,增加更新巢脾频率,监控蜂王在蜂群中的表现及增加换王次数等可以有效控制蜂群越冬损失率。结果对明确我国蜂群是否受蜜蜂蜂群崩溃症状现象影响提出了明确的解释,对蜂群损失的防控提供重要的指导建议。

Mortality in Apis mellifera L. colonies in China from 2009 to 2013

In recent years, large-scale losses of honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies have taken place in Europe and North America. Apiculture scientists have organized a CoLoss Network to investigate and explain these losses. This article presents survey results and analyses of honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) colony mortality from 2009 to 2013 in 12 provinces in China, analyses of the proportions of colony mortality, and their possible causes. Standard questionnaires were used in this survey, as supplied by CoLoss, and financial support was provided by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST). All statistical analyses were performed using R statistical software. A generalized linear mixed effects model (GLMM) was used to analyze potential risk factors. In total, more than 5300 beekeepers responded to the survey. This included less than half of the Apis cerana survey data set. A total of 3742 apiaries, which were part of the valuable Apis mellifera dataset that contains 520653 colonies, were also statistically analyzed in this paper. Average mortality over the winters of 2009-2013 was estimated to be 8.9%. The loss (12%) during the winter of 2011-2012 was higher than in other years. This level of mortality was considered acceptable by beekeepers and apiculture scientists. There was substantial variation in total loss by province (range 2.3%-19%). Xinjiang Province and Henan Province differed significantly from other provinces in their average loss. Average loss also differed significantly by type of operation, such as commercial, part-time, and sideline operations, although part-time and sideline operations did not differ significantly from each other during most surveyed years. Xinjiang Province and Henan Province have large numbers of commercial beekeeping operations. Province and operational data were calculated collectively, and the results supported the hypothesis that commercial beekeeping operations caused frequent honeybee queen failure and fostered the spread of other diseases, confirming that these were the two causes of colony loss. Colony collapse disorder (CCD) was not a common problem in China until recently. Overall rates of colony loss were low in general, with differences among operations of different sizes and among different provinces. The GLMM results highlighted several factors that have a significant effect on winter losses. The frequency of comb renewal and problems with the queens were responsible for most losses. The rates of colony mortality were considered acceptable, and the symptoms of colony mortality did not match those of CCD. The parasitic mite Varroa destructor was not found to be the main cause of these losses. This is because beekeepers regularly treat colonies for Varroa destructor in early spring before the queens lay most of their eggs and again in late fall. This twice-yearly treatment kept the colonies in normal or better conditions before the onset of winter. Improving the frequency of comb renewal, strengthening the prevention and control of bee mites and other diseases, monitoring the queens, and increasing the use of the new queens may keep colony mortality within acceptable ranges. This is the first nationwide investigation of Apis mellifera colony losses. These results could help prevent and control honey bee colony losses in China.