Varroa destructor reproduction and cell re-capping in mite-resistant Apis mellifera populations

Martin, SJ; Hawkins, GP; Brettell, Laura; Reece, NJ; Correia-Oliveira, ME; Allsopp, MH

Abstract

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.

Citation

Martin, S., Hawkins, G., Brettell, L., Reece, N., Correia-Oliveira, M., & Allsopp, M. (2020). Varroa destructor reproduction and cell re-capping in mite-resistant Apis mellifera populations. Apidologie, 51(3), 369-381. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-019-00721-9

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 7, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Dec 10, 2019
• Publication Date: Jun 1, 2020
• Deposit Date: Feb 28, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 28, 2020
• Journal: Apidologie
• Print ISSN: 0044-8435
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Volume: 51
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 369-381
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-019-00721-9
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-019-00721-9
• Related Public URLs: https://link.springer.com/journal/13592
• Additional Information: Funders : British Beekeeping Association;Hort Frontiers Pollination Fund