Search

We investigated the influence of winter and summer on Varroa destructor infestation in honey bees from the Atlantic Forest in 28 apiaries, also registering the temperature and rainfall for the locations. We found 94% of the honey bee colonies were infested by varroa mite and its prevalence was higher in summer. General varroa infestation level was 4.2±3.9%. Colonies over winter (5.12±4.8%) presented higher infestation compared to summer (3.4±2.5%) ranging from 0 to 17.8% and Pearson correlation showed a low degree of correlation between temperature (r = -0.24; p=0.03) and rainfall (r = 0.23; p=0.04) with varroa infestation levels. We concluded that seasons can influence the mite infestation level and high mite levels found in some colonies, evidencing the need for constant monitoring to avoid colony loss.

We aimed to evaluate the occurrence and level of infestation by Varroa destructor in Apis mellifera from different regions and Koppen-Geiger climate typologies in Brazil. We evaluated a total of 15...

Approximately 72 pathogenic viruses have been described affecting the health of Apis mellifera colonies around the world, causing weakening and mortality of honey bees. The presence of viruses in A...

The African-derived honey bee, Apis mellifera scutellata L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), is reported to be somewhat resistant to the parasitic mite Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Mesostigmata: Varroidae). However, this parasitic mite is considered a danger to honey bee colonies around the world and is reported to have negative effects in Brazil as well. Climate and altitude can affect the infestation levels of this mite. However, the impact of climate and altitude on Varroa infestation rates in Africanized honey bee is not well known; therefore, the goal of this study was to assess environmental effects on Varroa and honey bees in Brazil. We sampled 193 colonies across Bahia state during the Brazilian winter period, also collecting climatic information (rainfall and temperature) and altitude data for each apiary location. We used several statistical tests, such as Kruskal-Wallis, Pearson’s correlation, and canonical discriminant analysis to evaluate the possible influence of the environmental variables on Varroa infestation levels. Varroa destructor was present in 94% of the samples, with the colonies showing infestation levels (proportion of infested bees per sample) ranging from 0 to > 20%. We found that weather and altitude in Neotropical areas have moderate degrees of influence on V. destructor infestation rates in Africanized honey bees. Colonies of Africanized honey bees located in areas with greater rainfall and lower altitude can have greater mite presence and infestation levels than in warmer, higher areas. Beekeepers in the lower, wetter areas should monitor their colonies regularly to detect the presence, and avoid increase, in mite infestation rates. Resumo A abelha africanizada e utilizada na apicultura brasileira e e relatada como resistente ao acaro Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman 2000 (Mesostigmata: Varroidae). Este acaro parasita e considerado perigoso para essas abelhas em todo o mundo e e apontado como responsavel por perdas de colonias. Os parâmetros climaticos e altitudes podem ter um efeito importante nos niveis de infestacao deste acaro, devido ao impacto que esses fatores podem causar sobre as abelhas. No entanto, em abelhas africanizadas, o impacto dos parâmetros climaticos e altitude sobre o nivel de infestacao pelo varroa ainda nao e bem compreendido ou estudado, e este foi o objetivo desse estudo. Foram avaliadas 193 colonias na Bahia durante o inverno brasileiro, sendo ainda coletados dados sobre parâmetros climaticos e altitude dos locais onde os apiarios estavam localizados. Os parâmetros climaticos e altitude em cinco diferentes mesorregioes foram avaliados pelos testes de Kruskal-Wallis, correlacao de Pearson e analise de discriminantes canonicas. O Varroa destructor foi encontrado em 94% das amostras avaliadas e as colonias apresentaram niveis de infestacao (proporcao de abelhas infestadas por amostra) variando de ausencia a acima de 20%. Os resultaram apontaram que em areas neotropicais, os parâmetros climaticos e altitude influenciam moderadamente o nivel de infestacao pelo V. destructor em abelhas africanizadas. Onde colonias localizadas em areas com maior pluviosidade e baixa altitude podem ter maior presenca e nivel de infestacao por esse acaro quando comparadas com as colonias de abelhas localizadas em areas mais altas e quentes. Os apicultores das areas com baixa altitude, maior precipitacao pluviometrica e menor temperature devem monitorar suas colonias maior frequencia para detectar e evitar o aumento no nivel de infestacao por esse acaro. View this article in BioOne

Globalization has facilitated the spread of emerging pests such as the Varroa destructor mite, resulting in the near global distribution of the pest. In South African and Brazilian honey bees, mite-resistant colonies appeared within a decade; in Europe, mite-resistant colonies are rare, but several of these exhibited high levels of “re-capping” behavior. We studied re-capping in Varroa-naïve (UK/Australia) and Varroa-resistant (South Africa and Brazil) populations and found very low and very high levels, respectively, with the resistant populations targeting mite-infested cells. Furthermore, 54% of artificially infested A. m. capensis worker cells were removed after 10 days and 83% of the remaining infested cells were re-capped. Such targeted re-capping of drone cells did not occur. We propose that cell opening is a fundamental trait in mite-resistant populations and that re-capping is an accurate proxy for this behavior.

Honey bee-mite-pathogen associations have led to the widespread collapse of Apis mellifera colonies in various parts of the world. The global trade in bees continues to expose honey bees to new pests and pathogens. Here we highlight to the beekeeping community a potential new mite-pathogen association. In South America, ecto-parasitic Leptus mite larvae have been recorded parasitizing adult honey bees and these mites are known to transmit Spiroplasma bacteria, the causative agent of “Mays disease” in bees. Here we provide new data and review past studies on Leptus mites, and discuss the potential risk to A. mellifera that this mite may pose in the future.

The global spread of the parasitic Varroa mite has introduced a new bee to the bee horizontal transmission route for several RNA viruses that bypasses existing barriers in honey bees. From among these viruses, deformed wing virus (DWV) is now among the most widespread insect pathogens in the world. Brazilian stingless bees are a diverse group often managed in close proximity to honey bees. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence and load of DWV in 21 stingless bee (Melipona subnitida) and 26 honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies from Brazil. DWV was detected in all colonies with DWV-A and DWV-C dominating in M. subnitida, while DWV-A dominated in A. mellifera. Average total viral loads per bee were 8.8E+07 and 6.3E+07 in M. subnitida and A. mellifera, respectively, which are much lower than DWV levels (>1E+10) found in honey bees in the northern hemisphere. In colonies introduced 30 years ago to the remote island of Fernando de Noronha, the DWV load was low (

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) function as recognition compounds with the best evidence coming from social insects such as ants and honey bees. The major exocrine gland involved in hydrocarbon storage in ants is the post-pharyngeal gland (PPG) in the head. It is still not clearly understood where CHCs are stored in the honey bee. The aim of this study was to investigate the hydrocarbons and esters found in five major worker honey bee (Apis mellifera) exocrine glands, at three different developmental stages (newly emerged, nurse, and forager) using a high temperature GC analysis. We found the hypopharyngeal gland contained no hydrocarbons nor esters, and the thoracic salivary and mandibular glands only contained trace amounts of n-alkanes. However, the cephalic salivary gland (CSG) contained the greatest number and highest quantity of hydrocarbons relative to the five other glands with many of the hydrocarbons also found in the Dufour's gland, but at much lower levels. We discovered a series of oleic acid wax esters that lay beyond the detection of standard GC columns. As a bee's activities changed, as it ages, the types of compounds detected in the CSG also changed. For example, newly emerged bees have predominately C19-C23 n-alkanes, alkenes and methyl-branched compounds, whereas the nurses' CSG had predominately C31:1 and C33:1 alkene isomers, which are replaced by a series of oleic acid wax esters in foragers. These changes in the CSG were mirrored by corresponding changes in the adults' CHCs profile. This indicates that the CSG may have a parallel function to the PPG found in ants acting as a major storage gland of CHCs. As the CSG duct opens into the buccal cavity the hydrocarbons can be worked into the comb wax and could help explain the role of comb wax in nestmate recognition experiments.

Thaumastocoris peregrinus (Hemiptera: Thaumastocoridae) is a new insect pest that is associated with the Eucalyptus plantations. The damage caused by this insect on eucalyptus is easily identifiable. There is an initial silvering of the leaves, which progresses to tanning of the treetops. This is the first record of T. peregrinus attacking isolated Eucalyptus plants located in the municipality of Sao Cristovao-Sergipe.

Acarapis woodi Rennie (Acari: Tarsonemidae) is an endoparasitic mite, which can affect the respiratory system in the honey bee Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) causing mortality. This mite was first recorded in Brazil in the 1970s, but its current presence is unclear. Therefore, we evaluated the presence of A. woodi in the Africanized honey bee A. mellifera in Brazil, to update the occurrence data of this parasite, 47 yr after its detection. We examined a total of 153 honey bee colonies, from 15 different states using dissection and molecular techniques. This is the first study of the detection of A. woodi in Brazil using molecular techniques. The results were negative for both methods employed, and we can conclude that A. woodi is not present in Africanized honey bee colonies in Brazil.

SUMMARY Bee pollen, which is the material that adheres to honeybees as they collect nectar from flowers, is agglutinated into balls with nectar and bee saliva substances and is important to the survival of colonies of these insects. Damage to bee pollen stored at 10% RH was found in samples collected in Sergipe State, Brazil. Insects found in the pollen were identified as Lasioderma serricorne (Fabricius, 1792) (Coleoptera: Anobiidae), a cosmopolitan insect and one of the main insects infesting tobacco and many stored food products. This is the first record of damage by this insect in dehydrated pollen balls, which makes this product unfit for human consumption.

Os ácaros tetraniquídeos representam importantes pragas para diversas culturas agrícolas em todo o mundo. Durante a prospecção em mudas de Erytrina velutina no distrito de São Cristovão, Estado de Sergipe, Brasil, a ocorrência destes foi observada em 15% das mudas que foram levadas ao laboratório para a caracterização dos danos. As mudas apresentavam sintomas de redução e encarquilhamento do limbo. Foram coletados 100 indivíduos destas plantas, os quais foram montados em lâminas de microscopia para a identificação taxonômica. Os ácaros foram identificados como pertencentes à espécie Tetranychus neocaledonicus (Acari: Tetranychidae). Este é o primeiro relato em E. velutina, como hospedeira para T. neocaledonicus no Brasil.

O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a toxicidade dos extratos aquosos da Annona squamosa L. (Magnoliales: Annonaceae), Azadirachta indica A. Juss (Sapindales: Meliaceae), Corymbia citriodora Hook. (Myrtales: Myrtaceae), Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt ex Bor (Poales: Poaceae), Lippia sidoides Cham. (Lamiales: Verbenaceae), Mentha arvensis L. (Lamiales: Lamiaceae), Ricinus communis L. (Malpighiales: Euphorbiaceae), e Sapindus saponaria L. (Sapindales: Sapindaceae) nos estágios de desenvolvimento (ovos, quin- to instar e adultos) do predador generalista Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Os ovos foram imergidos em extratos com concentrações de 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 e 10%, ninfas e adultos do predador receberam 1 μl de cada extrato na área dorsal. Os extratos de A. indica (flores), A. squamosa e R. communis afetaram a eclosão de ninfas. Nenhum dos extratos avaliados afetou a mortalidade nas ninfas, porém os extratos de S. saponaria, A. indica (flores) e L. sidoides causaram alta mortalidade aos adultos. Apesar desses extratos possuirem ação inseticidas, eles devem ser utilizados com cuidado, pois podem afetar o ciclo de vida do predador P. nigrispinus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of aqueous ex- tracts of Annona squamosa L. (Magnoliales: Annonaceae), Azadirachta indica A. Juss (Sapindales: Meliaceae), Corymbia citriodora Hook. (Myrtales: Myrtaceae), Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt ex Bor (Poales: Poaceae), Lippia sidoides Cham. (Lamiales: Verbenaceae), Mentha arvensis L. (Lamiales: Lamiaceae), Ricinus communis L. (Malpighiales: Euphorbiaceae), and Sapindus saponaria L. (Sapindales: Sapindaceae) on the developmental stages (eggs, 5th instars, and adults) of a generalist predator Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). The eggs were dipped in extract concentrations of 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10%, and the nymphs and adults received 1 μL of each extract on the dorsal thorax. The extracts affected hatching, with the extracts of A. indica (flowers), A. squamosa, and R. communis being the most toxic. None of the extracts affected the mortality in the nymphal stage, whereas S. saponaria, A. indica (flowers), and L. sidoides extracts caused relatively high mortality rates in adults. Due to the insecticidal effect of these extracts, they need to be used with care because they affect the life cycle of the predator P. nigrispinus.

This study records the difference of interspecific and intracolonial pigmentation on the second metasomal tergum of S. septentrionalis for the first time. Differentiation in the pigmentation pattern was achieved using CorelDraw software. Three out of the five colonies studied presented reddish pigmentation in the second metasomal tergum, also differentiation in the colour intensity among the castes were found in the colonies. This new finding contributes an improved understanding for differentiating the species from this genus.

Data on the preferred foraging times and identification of pollen collected by stingless bees has led to further insights into the bees’ behavioral and ecological habits, thus enabling the analysis of the honey produced which in turn will facilitate quality control of this product. Present study reveals the foraging times and food preferences of the stingless bee Melipona scutellaris (hymenoptera: Apidae) together with a physicochemical evaluation of the honey produced by this bee. M. scutellaris tended to be more active in the morning during the winter, visited a wide variety of plants in their search for food, and produced a good quality honey. In winter the bees showed generalist behavior foraging many different plants.

Casuarina glauca (ex Sieb. Spring, 1826) west of Bahia State (S 11° 08' 09" W -42° 06' 46"), (Fagales: Casuarinaceae), native to Australia, is and it has an Haplic Cambisol clay soil type, an a fast-growing, mediumsized evergreen tree of equatorial tropical climate, mean annual rainfall 10-15 m to 25 m high and 3 feet (91 cm) in diam of 605 mm and a dry season from Apr to Oct. The at the base with gray bark on new branches and planting used in this study was composed of 70 C. brown dark on the old ones. It has a high tannin glauca trees interspersed with fruit trees, content (between 6 and 18%).The most common The percentage of C. glauca trees with some use of C. glauca is for fuel. Casuarina wood is defoliation was calculated by dividing the number reddish and hard, and is used also for handles, of plants attacked by the total sampled plants. To fences, beams and piles (Midgley 1983). determine the degree of defoliation trees were Grasshoppers are serious pests in various reclassified into grades defoliation 0, 30, 70 and gions of the world (Lecoq & Sukirno 1999). Roma100% and the average defoliation was calculated, leidae is a diverse Neotropical grasshopper family Samples of grasshopper adults were collected with 467 species in 109 genera. Grasshoppers in manually for identification (Fig. 1) and stored in this family are large and sturdy with brilliantly 70% ethanol. The adults were pinned in the labo colored front wings (Amedegnato 1974). ratory and sent for identification to the Pontifical Here we report the occurrence and damage Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, where caused by a single species of grasshopper on C. they were identified by Dra. Maria Katia M. da glauca plants in the region of the Baixio do Irece, Costa as Tropidacris collaris (Stoll, 1813) (Or municipality of Central Bahia, Bahia State, Brathoptera: Acridoidea: Romaleidae) by consulting zil. This semi-arid region is located in the northCarbonell (1984, 1986).