Abstract
The near-globally distributed ecto-parasitic mite of the Apis mellifera honeybee, Varroa destructor, has formed a lethal association with Deformed wing virus, a once rare and benign RNA virus. In concert, the two have killed millions of wild and managed colonies, particularly across the Northern Hemisphere, forcing the need for regular acaricide application to ensure colony survival. However, despite the short association (in evolutionary terms), a small but increasing number of A. mellifera populations across the globe have been surviving many years without any mite control methods. This long-term survival, or Varroa resistance, is consistently associated with the same suite of traits (recapping, brood removal and reduced mite reproduction) irrespective of location. Here we conduct an analysis of data extracted from 60 papers to illustrate how these traits connect together to explain decades of mite resistance data. We have potentially a unified understanding of natural Varroa resistance that will help the global industry achieve widespread miticide-free beekeeping and indicate how different honeybee populations across four continents have resolved a recent threat using the same suite of behaviours.
Highlights
Throughout the world the western honeybee, Apis mellifera, is an irreplaceable species, in terms of their pollination services that contribute to food security and wider ecosystem health [1,2]
While it is apparent that numerous stressors such as intensive agriculture and diseases are owing to this decline, it is well established that during the past 70 years the synergy between Deformed wing virus (DWV) and its vector Varroa destructor has become a critical global threat to honeybee health [5]
Three Varroa-infested A. mellifera populations exist without DWV and have never been treated with acaricides
Summary
Throughout the world the western honeybee, Apis mellifera, is an irreplaceable species, in terms of their pollination services that contribute to food security and wider ecosystem health [1,2]. Varroa-resistant colonies first appeared in Africa [23,24] and Africanized honeybees (African × European hybrid) in South America [25], and were associated with widespread lack of control due to acaricide cost and the general resilience of the bee populations These populations, unlike in developed countries, are not frequently treated or medicated against a range of pathogens and pests [26]. Three studies [27,33,34] using the same methods found two traits (increased recapping and mite infertility) in Varroa-resistant populations in South Africa, Brazil, France, UK, Norway and Sweden, countries with different environmental conditions (tropical to sub-artic) This indicates that Varroa resistance has arisen in multiple locations, irrespective of honeybee variety or environment, especially since recapping behaviour is rarely seen in Varroa-naive populations in Australia, Isle of Man and Isle of Colonsay, UK [33,34]. We construct a potential framework that links these three traits and use modelling to explore various aspects of the framework
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