A qualitative model of mortality in honey bee (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Apis mellifera</Emphasis>) colonies infested with tracheal mites (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Acarapis woodi</Emphasis>) |
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Authors: | John B McMullan Mark J F Brown |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, 2, Ireland |
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Abstract: | The tracheal mite has been associated with colony deaths worldwide since the mite was first discovered in 1919. Yet controversy
about its role in honey bee colony mortality has existed since that time. Other pathogens such as bacteria and viruses have
been suggested as the cause of colony deaths as well as degenerative changes in individual honey bees. Using data from published
work we developed a qualitative mortality model to explain colony mortality due to tracheal mite infestation in the field.
Our model suggests that colonies of tracheal-mite infested honey bees, with no other pathogens present, can die out in the
late winter/early spring period due to their inability to thermoregulate. An accumulation of factors conspire to cause colony
death including reduced brood/bee population, loose winter clusters, reduced flight muscle function and increasing mite infestation.
In essence a cascade effect results in the colony losing its cohesion and leading to its ultimate collapse. |
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Keywords: | Apis mellifera Acarapis woodi Tracheal mite Colony mortality Thermoregulation |
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