Competition and Identification of Anaerobic Organisms Isolated from Apis mellifera Gut Microbiota

Abstract

Apis mellifera, the most common species of honeybee, has been suffering the epidemic of colony collapse disorder (CCD). This is defined by the sudden and unexplainable death of an entire colony of bees, and populations worldwide dwindle further every year. Although research continues, there exists no lasting or effective treatment. One underdeveloped area of study has been the option to treat bees with probiotics ( Audisio, 2017; Baffoni et al., 2015). There have been numerous studies within other organisms and honeybees that show that a well‐maintained gut microbiome is a key component of health, especially when the pathogen is endemic to the intestines – as in the case of Nosema pathogen, which has been implicated in CCD ( Raymann, 2018; Shreiner, 2015). The hypothesis being investigated is that microbes cultivated from the gut of normal bees will suppress the growth of known honey bee pathogens. Identification of such normal flora may serve as a probiotic for treatment of bees experiencing CCD due to infectious agents.Support or Funding InformationResearch Grant from the University of Wisconsin ‐ Stout