Abstract
The ectoparasite Varroa destructor is the greatest biotic threat of honey bees Apis mellifera in vast regions of the world. Recently, the study of natural mite-resistant populations has gained much interest to understand the action of natural selection on the mechanisms that limit the mite population. In this study, the components of the A. mellifera–V. destructor relationship were thoroughly examined and compared in resistant and susceptible honey bee populations from two regions of Uruguay. Mite-resistant honey bees have greater behavioral resistance (hygienic and grooming behaviors) than susceptible honey bees. At the end of the summer, resistant honey bees had fewer mites and a lower deformed wing virus (DWV) viral load than susceptible honey bees. DWV variant A was the only detected variant in honey bees and mites. Molecular analysis by Short Tandem Repeat showed that resistant honey bees were Africanized (A. m. scutellata hybrids), whereas susceptible honey bees were closer to European subspecies. Furthermore, significant genetic differentiation was also found between the mite populations. The obtained results show that the natural resistance of honey bees to V. destructor in Uruguay depends on several factors and that the genetic variants of both organisms can play a relevant role.
Highlights
The shift of the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor from the Asian honey bee Apis cerana, its first host, to Apis mellifera and its subsequent dispersal throughout the world, has created one of the largest biotic threats to honey bee populations and caused great damages to the beekeeping industry [1,2].In A. cerana, the mite reproduces only in drone cells and it maintains a stable relationship with the host without causing significant damage [3,4,5])
Varroa destructor entered the country in 1978 and until the late 1990s it did not cause significant problems, and colonies were able to survive without acaricide treatments
Honey bee populations from Colonia received acaricide treatment at least once a year to survive the infestation by V. destructor (“mite-susceptible colonies”)
Summary
The shift of the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor from the Asian honey bee Apis cerana, its first host, to Apis mellifera and its subsequent dispersal throughout the world, has created one of the largest biotic threats to honey bee populations and caused great damages to the beekeeping industry [1,2]. In A. cerana, the mite reproduces only in drone cells and it maintains a stable relationship with the host without causing significant damage [3,4,5]). In addition to the direct damage caused by V. destructor to A. mellifera, especially in the brood during the reproductive phase, it acts as a vector for different RNA viruses and suppresses the immune response of honey bees [6,7].
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