进境熊蜂风险分析

【目的】对进境熊蜂所带来的病虫害、生物入侵等一系列风险进行分析,为制定相应的检疫措施提供科学依据。【方法】本文根据新西兰风险分析模型,从传入释放的可能性、定殖和扩散的可能性以及对经济和生态的潜在危害性3个方面对进境熊蜂进行风险分析。【结果】熊蜂孢子虫Apicystis bombi、熊蜂短膜虫Crithidia bombi、熊蜂微孢子虫Nosema bombi、布赫纳蝗螨Locustacurus buchneri、寄生蜂Melittobia acasta和蜂巢小甲虫Aethina tumida 6种病虫害能给国内熊蜂带来较高的风险,同时引进非本地种熊蜂也可能带来生物入侵问题。【结论】进境熊蜂能带来一定的风险,需要制定相应的风险管理措施。     

进境熊蜂风险分析

【目的】对进境熊蜂所带来的病虫害、生物入侵等一系列风险进行分析,为制定相应的检疫措施提供科学依据。【方法】本文根据新西兰风险分析模型,从传入释放的可能性、定殖和扩散的可能性以及对经济和生态的潜在危害性3个方面对进境熊蜂进行风险分析。【结果】熊蜂孢子虫Apicystis bombi、熊蜂短膜虫Crithidia bombi、熊蜂微孢子虫Nosema bombi、布赫纳蝗螨Locustacurus buchneri、寄生蜂Melittobia acasta和蜂巢小甲虫Aethina tumida 6种病虫害能给国内熊蜂带来较高的风险,同时引进非本地种熊蜂也可能带来生物入侵问题。【结论】进境熊蜂能带来一定的风险,需要制定相应的风险管理措施。     

中华蜜蜂的欧洲幼虫腐臭病病原研究

采用中华蜜蜂Apis cerana cerana F.临床自然发病的欧洲幼虫腐臭病(European Foulbrood, EFB)幼虫,对其病原体进行了分离鉴定。结果表明：中华蜜蜂EFB的病原系蜂房蜜蜂球菌Melissococcus pluton。该菌为革兰氏阳性的兼性厌氧菌,形态学及染色特性、致病性试验、血清学试验和细菌DNA G+C mol%试验均证明中华蜜蜂和西方蜜蜂的EFB病原属于同属的蜂房蜜蜂球菌。生理生化特性结果与国外的早期研究结果相近似。该试验为不同地理位置、不同种寄主间蜂房蜜蜂球菌的遗传差异的研究,以及中华蜜蜂EFB病的防治学研究打下基础。     

蜜蜂幼虫粪肠球菌的分离与鉴定

在对患有欧洲幼虫腐臭病的蜜蜂幼虫进行细菌分离与培养时,获得1株未知菌株。从分离培养特性、形态学、生理生化特性和分子生物学等方面对该菌株进行了鉴定,得知该菌株为欧洲幼虫腐臭病的次生菌——粪肠球菌,属于肠球菌属,并暂定名为Enterococcus faecalis FB102。同时,得知根据该菌的分离培养特性可与欧洲幼虫腐臭病病原区分,并且将其单独接种蜜蜂幼虫后未能使幼虫患病。根据粪肠球菌较欧洲幼虫腐臭病病原易于分离培养的特性,得知通过对粪肠球菌的鉴定可以简化欧洲幼虫腐臭病的诊断过程,而且推测该菌株可能对人体健康有一定的影响。     

我国蜜蜂主要病原检测技术

蜜蜂是重要的经济昆虫。蜜蜂病害威胁蜜蜂产业的发展。蜜蜂病害检测及病原鉴定是病害防治的基础。文章详细介绍我国蜜蜂常见6种主要病害(美洲幼虫腐臭病,欧洲幼虫腐臭病,囊状幼虫病,慢性麻痹病,微孢子虫病,白垩病)的病原快速准确的检测方法。     

噬菌体疗法及其在美洲幼虫腐臭病中的研究进展

美洲幼虫腐臭病是西方蜜蜂中最严重的细菌病之一,给养蜂业带来了严重的损失。幼虫芽胞杆菌是幼蜂感染美洲幼虫腐臭病的病原菌。由于抗生素产生的耐药性越来越严重,并且抗生素的使用会破坏宿主肠道菌群,使蜂群处于高危的环境中,因此迫切需要抗生素治疗的替代技术,而噬菌体在预防和控制细菌耐药性方面已显示出显著的优势。主要综述了噬菌体疗法、安全性及其在蜜蜂美洲幼虫腐臭病中的研究现状,介绍了噬菌体疗法在各类细菌病中的研究与应用,对今后噬菌体治疗蜜蜂细菌病研究方向进行了展望。     

蜜蜂寄生螨—狄斯瓦螨的研究进展

狄斯瓦螨Varroa destructor是对世界养蜂业危害最大的蜜蜂寄生虫,严重危害蜜蜂封盖幼虫、蛹和成蜂,并携带和传播蜜蜂病毒,造成蜂群生产力严重下降乃至全群毁灭。狄斯瓦螨的有效防治措施的研发有赖于对其研究进展的了解,本文综述了以下3方面的研究概况:1)狄斯瓦螨的繁殖特性;2)对蜜蜂的危害;3)主要防治方法。以期为蜂螨相关的研究和应用奠定基础。     

蜜蜂瓦螨敏感卫生行为研究进展

蜜蜂具有很高的生态价值和经济价值,对农业生产帮助巨大。然而,狄斯瓦螨Varroa destructor寄生给西方蜜蜂Apis mellifera蜂群造成重大损失,对蜜蜂健康构成严重威胁,因此,狄斯瓦螨的防治变得尤为紧要。虽然化学防治是防治狄斯瓦螨常用且有效措施,但仍存在许多缺点,如造成蜂产品污染、导致蜂螨产生抗药性等。另一方面,培育抗螨蜂种被证明是可持续的狄斯瓦螨防治方法。瓦螨敏感卫生行为(Varroa sensitive hygiene, VSH)是蜜蜂重要的抗螨性状之一。本文从狄斯瓦螨的生活周期、对蜜蜂的危害、蜜蜂抗螨行为、瓦螨敏感卫生行为调控和遗传育种等方面进行综述,为狄斯瓦螨防治和抗螨蜂种选育提供参考。     

小蜂螨的研究现状

小蜂螨,是亚洲地区蜜蜂重要的经济害螨之一。小蜂螨以吸食蜜蜂封盖子的血淋巴为生,能导致大量封盖幼虫和蛹变形或死亡,勉强出房的工蜂也出现体型畸形,致使蜂群的生产力严重下降,直接影响蜂群的发生发展。本文就小蜂螨的分类分布、繁殖生物学、流行病学及行为学、危害防治及其蜂螨、蜜蜂与病毒直接的关系等展开阐述。旨在有助于将来更深入的探索小蜂螨,对今后小蜂螨的防治提供理论参考。     

褐拟谷盗传入我国的风险分析及管理对策

【背景】褐拟谷盗分布广泛,成虫和幼虫都可取食谷物、豆类、干果及其加工品等。危害后发出难闻的气味,并在受害物上呈现明显损害痕迹,是粮谷储藏中最重要的害虫之一。【方法】通过分析褐拟谷盗在我国传入、定殖、扩散的可能性,危害影响、危害管理难度等方面内容,依据国际植物检疫措施标准(ISPM)中的有害生物风险分析原则,采用多指标综合评估方法来计算褐拟谷盗的风险程度,建立了一、二级评判标准的计算模型,对褐拟谷盗传入我国的风险进行评估。【结果】通过定性和定量风险分析,对其传入中国的风险做出综合评价,得出风险评估值R=2.22。【结论与意义】褐拟谷盗在我国属高度危险的有害生物,需要在全国各口岸加强检疫,分析结果可为开展褐拟谷盗的检疫防控提供参考。     

生态条件的多样性变化对蜜蜂生存的影响

蜜蜂在整个生态系统中起着重要的传花授粉作用,是生态链中不可或缺的物种。随着现代农业的发展,蜜蜂赖以生存的环境遭到破坏,继而引发蜜蜂数量大幅减少,影响了蜂种的生存与可持续发展。总结了近年来生态条件的变化,归纳了影响蜜蜂生存的主要因素,分析了蜜蜂生存艰难的原因,提出了蜜蜂生存的关键问题,并展望了未来维持蜜蜂强群的主要研究方向。     

Socialized medicine: Individual and communal disease barriers in honey bees

Honey bees are attacked by numerous parasites and pathogens toward which they present a variety of individual and group-level defenses. In this review, we briefly introduce the many pathogens and parasites afflicting honey bees, highlighting the biology of specific taxonomic groups mainly as they relate to virulence and possible defenses. Second, we describe physiological, immunological, and behavioral responses of individual bees toward pathogens and parasites. Third, bees also show behavioral mechanisms for reducing the disease risk of their nestmates. Accordingly, we discuss the dynamics of hygienic behavior and other group-level behaviors that can limit disease. Finally, we conclude with several avenues of research that seem especially promising for understanding host–parasite relationships in bees and for developing breeding or management strategies for enhancing honey bee health. We discuss how human efforts to maintain healthy colonies intersect with similar efforts by the bees, and how bee management and breeding protocols can affect disease traits in the short and long term.     

Pesticide Residues and Bees – A Risk Assessment

Bees are essential pollinators of many plants in natural ecosystems and agricultural crops alike. In recent years the decline and disappearance of bee species in the wild and the collapse of honey bee colonies have concerned ecologists and apiculturalists, who search for causes and solutions to this problem. Whilst biological factors such as viral diseases, mite and parasite infections are undoubtedly involved, it is also evident that pesticides applied to agricultural crops have a negative impact on bees. Most risk assessments have focused on direct acute exposure of bees to agrochemicals from spray drift. However, the large number of pesticide residues found in pollen and honey demand a thorough evaluation of all residual compounds so as to identify those of highest risk to bees. Using data from recent residue surveys and toxicity of pesticides to honey and bumble bees, a comprehensive evaluation of risks under current exposure conditions is presented here. Standard risk assessments are complemented with new approaches that take into account time-cumulative effects over time, especially with dietary exposures. Whilst overall risks appear to be low, our analysis indicates that residues of pyrethroid and neonicotinoid insecticides pose the highest risk by contact exposure of bees with contaminated pollen. However, the synergism of ergosterol inhibiting fungicides with those two classes of insecticides results in much higher risks in spite of the low prevalence of their combined residues. Risks by ingestion of contaminated pollen and honey are of some concern for systemic insecticides, particularly imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, chlorpyrifos and the mixtures of cyhalothrin and ergosterol inhibiting fungicides. More attention should be paid to specific residue mixtures that may result in synergistic toxicity to bees.     

Pervasiveness of parasites in pollinators

Many pollinator populations are declining, with large economic and ecological implications. Parasites are known to be an important factor in the some of the population declines of honey bees and bumblebees, but little is known about the parasites afflicting most other pollinators, or the extent of interspecific transmission or vectoring of parasites. Here we carry out a preliminary screening of pollinators (honey bees, five species of bumblebee, three species of wasp, four species of hoverfly and three genera of other bees) in the UK for parasites. We used molecular methods to screen for six honey bee viruses, Ascosphaera fungi, Microsporidia, and Wolbachia intracellular bacteria. We aimed simply to detect the presence of the parasites, encompassing vectoring as well as actual infections. Many pollinators of all types were positive for Ascosphaera fungi, while Microsporidia were rarer, being most frequently found in bumblebees. We also detected that most pollinators were positive for Wolbachia, most probably indicating infection with this intracellular symbiont, and raising the possibility that it may be an important factor in influencing host sex ratios or fitness in a diversity of pollinators. Importantly, we found that about a third of bumblebees (Bombus pascuorum and Bombus terrestris) and a third of wasps (Vespula vulgaris), as well as all honey bees, were positive for deformed wing virus, but that this virus was not present in other pollinators. Deformed wing virus therefore does not appear to be a general parasite of pollinators, but does interact significantly with at least three species of bumblebee and wasp. Further work is needed to establish the identity of some of the parasites, their spatiotemporal variation, and whether they are infecting the various pollinator species or being vectored. However, these results provide a first insight into the diversity, and potential exchange, of parasites in pollinator communities.     

Honey bee and bumblebee trypanosomatids: specificity and potential for transmission

Abstract 1. Experimental studies of multihost parasite dynamics are scarce. Understanding the transmission dynamics of parasites in these systems is a key task in developing better models of parasite evolution and to make more accurate predictions of disease dynamics. 2. Bumblebee species (Bombus spp.) host the trypanosomatid parasite, Crithidia bombi. Its transmission in the field occurs through the shared use of flowers. Flowers are a perfect scenario for inter‐taxa transmission of diseases because they are used by a wide range of animals. 3. Honey bees host a poorly studied trypanosomatid, Crithidia mellificae. In this study, five questions have been experimentally addressed: (a) Can C. bombi infect honey bees? (b) Can C. mellificae infect bumblebees? (c) Can the honey bee act as a vector for C. bombi? (d) Are C. bombi cells present in honey‐bee faeces? (e) Does C. bombi have an effect on the mortality of honey bees after ingestion? 4. While both parasites were found to be specific to their hosts at the genus level, results suggest that honey bees may play a role in the epidemiology of C. bombi transmission.     

A new threat to honey bees, the parasitic phorid fly Apocephalus borealis

Honey bee colonies are subject to numerous pathogens and parasites. Interaction among multiple pathogens and parasites is the proposed cause for Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a syndrome characterized by worker bees abandoning their hive. Here we provide the first documentation that the phorid fly Apocephalus borealis, previously known to parasitize bumble bees, also infects and eventually kills honey bees and may pose an emerging threat to North American apiculture. Parasitized honey bees show hive abandonment behavior, leaving their hives at night and dying shortly thereafter. On average, seven days later up to 13 phorid larvae emerge from each dead bee and pupate away from the bee. Using DNA barcoding, we confirmed that phorids that emerged from honey bees and bumble bees were the same species. Microarray analyses of honey bees from infected hives revealed that these bees are often infected with deformed wing virus and Nosema ceranae. Larvae and adult phorids also tested positive for these pathogens, implicating the fly as a potential vector or reservoir of these honey bee pathogens. Phorid parasitism may affect hive viability since 77% of sites sampled in the San Francisco Bay Area were infected by the fly and microarray analyses detected phorids in commercial hives in South Dakota and California's Central Valley. Understanding details of phorid infection may shed light on similar hive abandonment behaviors seen in CCD.     

Development of a 44K SNP assay focussing on the analysis of a varroa-specific defence behaviour in honey bees (Apis mellifera carnica)

Honey bees are exposed to a number of damaging pathogens and parasites. The most destructive among them, affecting mainly the brood, is Varroa destructor. A promising approach to prevent its spread is to breed for Varroa-tolerant honey bees. A trait that has been shown to provide significant resistance against the Varroa mite is hygienic behaviour, a behavioural response of honey bee workers to brood diseases in general. This study reports the development of a 44K SNP assay, specifically designed for the analysis of hygienic behaviour of individual worker bees (Apis mellifera carnica) directed against V. destructor. Initially, 70,000 SNPs chosen from a large set of SNPs published by the Honey Bee Genome Project were validated for their suitability in the analysis of the Varroa resistance trait 'uncapping of Varroa-infested brood'. This was achieved by genotyping of pooled DNA samples of trait bearers and two trait-negative controls using next-generation sequencing. Approximately 36,000 of these validated SNPs and another 8000 SNPs not validated in this study were selected for the construction of a SNP assay. This assay will be employed in following experiments to analyse individualized DNA samples in order to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) involved in the control of the investigated trait and to evaluate and possibly confirm QTL found in other studies. However, this assay is not just suitable to study Varroa tolerance, it is as well applicable to analyse any other trait in honey bees. In addition, because of its high density, this assay provides access into genomic selection with respect to several traits considered in honey bee breeding. It will become publicly available via AROS Applied Biotechnology AS, Aarhus, Denmark, before the end of the year 2011.     

Sudden deaths and colony population decline in Greek honey bee colonies

During June and July of 2009, sudden deaths, tremulous movements and population declines of adult honey bees were reported by the beekeepers in the region of Peloponnesus (Mt. Mainalo), Greece. A preliminary study was carried out to investigate these unexplained phenomena in this region. In total, 37 bee samples, two brood frames containing honey bee brood of various ages, eight sugar samples and four sugar patties were collected from the affected colonies. The samples were tested for a range of pests, pathogens and pesticides. Symptomatic adult honey bees tested positive for Varroa destructor,Nosema ceranae, Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV), Acute paralysis virus (ABPV), Deformed wing virus (DWV), Sacbrood virus (SBV) and Black queen cell virus (BQCV), but negative for Acarapis woodi. American Foulbrood was absent from the brood samples. Chemical analysis revealed that amitraz, thiametoxan, clothianidin and acetamiprid were all absent from symptomatic adult bees, sugar and sugar patty samples. However, some bee samples, were contaminated with imidacloprid in concentrations between 14 ng/g and 39 ng/g tissue. We present: the infection of Greek honey bees by multiple viruses; the presence of N. ceranae in Greek honey bees and the first record of imidacloprid (neonicotonoid) residues in Greek honey bee tissues. The presence of multiple pathogens and pesticides made it difficult to associate a single specific cause to the depopulation phenomena observed in Greece, although we believe that viruses and N. ceranae synergistically played the most important role. A follow up in-depth survey across all Greek regions is required to provide context to these preliminary findings.     

Punch in the gut: parasite tolerance of phytochemicals reflects host diet

Gut parasites of plant-eating insects are exposed to antimicrobial phytochemicals that can reduce infection. Trypanosomatid gut parasites infect insects of diverse nutritional ecologies as well as mammals and plants, raising the question of how host diet-associated phytochemicals shape parasite evolution and host specificity. To test the hypothesis that phytochemical tolerance of trypanosomatids reflects the chemical ecology of their hosts, we compared related parasites from honey bees and mosquitoes – hosts that differ in phytochemical consumption – and contrasted our results with previous studies on phylogenetically related, human-parasitic Leishmania. We identified one bacterial and 10 plant-derived substances with known antileishmanial activity that also inhibited honey bee parasites associated with colony collapse. Bee parasites exhibited greater tolerance of chrysin – a flavonoid found in nectar, pollen and plant resin-derived propolis. In contrast, mosquito parasites were more tolerant of cinnamic acid – a product of lignin decomposition present in woody debris-rich larval habitats. Parasites from both hosts tolerated many compounds that inhibit Leishmania, hinting at possible trade-offs between phytochemical tolerance and mammalian infection. Our results implicate the phytochemistry of host diets as a potential driver of insect–trypanosomatid associations and identify compounds that could be incorporated into colony diets or floral landscapes to ameliorate infection in bees.