Queen Loss Research Articles

Queen and pheromonal factors influencing comb construction by simulated honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) swarms

The influence of the queen and her pheromonal signal on comb construction was examined. We tested four treatments with newly hived packages of bees containing: 1) a mated queen, 2) a virgin queen, 3) no queen but with a dispenser containing synthetic queen mandibular pheromone (QMP), and 4) no queen and no pheromone. After 10 days, the comb produced by each colony was removed, comb measurements made, bees from the comb-building area collected, the size of the scales on the wax mirrors of the collected bees ranked on a scale of 0-4 and the queens removed and analyzed for QMP components. Queenless workers built substantially less comb and the comb they did build had significantly larger, drone-sized cells than for the other 3 treatments, indicating that both cell size and the quantity of comb built are mediated through the queen, particularly QMP. The observations of wax scale size suggested that QMP influenced comb building behaviour rather than wax scale production. These results support the idea that queenless honey bees can adopt a strategy of constructing drone-sized cells in order to increase reproductive fitness through male production following queen loss.

Pheromonal contest between honeybee workers (Apis mellifera capensis).

Queenless workers of the Cape honeybee (Apis mellifera capensis) can develop into reproductives termed pseudoqueens. Although they morphologically remain workers they become physiologically queenlike, produce offspring, and secrete mandibular gland pheromones similar to those of true queens. However, after queen loss only very few workers gain pseudoqueen status. A strong intracolonial selection governs which workers start oviposition and which remain sterile. The "queen substance", 9-keto-2(E)-decenoic acid (9-ODA), the dominant compound of the queen's mandibular gland pheromones, suppresses the secretion of queenlike mandibular gland pheromones in workers. It may act as an important signal in pseudoqueen selection. By analysing the mandibular gland pheromones of workers kept in pairs, we found that A. m. capensis workers compete to produce the strongest queen-like signal.

Field evaluation of neem and canola oil for the selective control of the honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) mite parasites Varroa jacobsoni (Acari: Varroidae) and Acarapis woodi (Acari: Tarsonemidae).

Neem oil, neem extract (neem-aza), and canola oil were evaluated for the management of the honey bee mite parasites Varroa jacobsoni (Oudemans) and Acarapis woodi (Rennie) in field experiments. Spraying neem oil on bees was more effective at controlling V. jacobsoni than feeding oil in a sucrose-based matrix (patty), feeding neem-aza in syrup, or spraying canola oil. Neem oil sprays also protected susceptible bees from A. woodi infestation. Only neem oil provided V. jacobsoni control comparable to the known varroacide formic acid, but it was not as effective as the synthetic product Apistan (tau-fluvalinate). Neem oil was effective only when sprayed six times at 4-d intervals and not when applied three times at 8-d intervals. Neem oil spray treatments had no effect on adult honey bee populations, but treatments reduced the amount of sealed brood in colonies by 50% and caused queen loss at higher doses. Taken together, the results suggest that neem and canola oil show some promise for managing honey bee parasitic mites, but the negative effects of treatments to colonies and the lower efficacy against V. jacobsoni compared with synthetic acaricides may limit their usefulness to beekeepers.

Queen Introduction, Acceptance, and Survival in Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies of a Tropical, Africanized Region

The acceptance and survival of queens in honey bee, Apis mellifera L., colonies located in a tropical region of Mexico were recorded. Four methods of queen introduction were compared: the traditional (Benton mailing-cage), the traditional plus smearing hexadecane on the cage, the traditional plus rubbing the old queen on the cage screen, and the traditional plus smearing vanilla essence on the cage. The highest rate of queen acceptance was obtained with the traditional method, which yielded 80.4% successful introductions. This method differed from the traditional plus hexadecane and from the traditional plus old queen rubbing methods, but was not different from the traditional plus vanilla essence method, Of the original experimental queens, 60.8, 39.6, and 28.1% were still in their hives, 6, 9, and 12 mo after being introduced and accepted in colonies. Queen replacement and queen loss increased over time. Six, 9, and 12 mo after queen introduction, 28.8, 46.2, and 56.5% of the experimental colonies had new queens; whereas in 10.4, 14.2, and 15.4% of them, no queens were found for the same periods, respectively. These results do not support the use of chemicals and queen substances to increase queen acceptance by workers in honey bee colonies. Therefore, it is suggested that beekeepers continue using the traditional methods of queen introduction, until more reliable methods are developed and tested. Results on queen survival suggest that colonies should be requeened every 6-9 mo in tropical, Africanized regions.

EFFECT OF QUEEN MANDIBULAR PHEROMONE ON INITIATION AND MAINTENANCE OF QUEEN CELLS IN THE HONEY BEE (APIS MELLIFERA L.)

AbstractAdding queen mandibular pheromone into honey bee colonies earlier than 24 h after queen loss resulted in an inhibition of queen-rearing, but not when added after 4 days. The number of queen cells initiated in each treatment decreased with the addition of the pheromone, although there were no effects on the number of queen cells torn down following pheromone treatment. The effect of adding the pheromone to queenless colonies given newly hatched female larvae under different regimens of queen cell provisioning and cell structure also was investigated. Only colonies in which larvae were presented in unmodified worker comb exhibited significantly lower rates of queen-rearing. Results indicate that queen mandibular pheromone inhibits the initiation of queen-rearing but not the maintenance of established cells.

Extra multiple nucleus hives

Single, double or at a maximum 4-compartment mating hives with only one entrance hole in each hive wall are commonly used (in the former Soviet Union). Attempts have been made, for economic reasons, to increase the number of compartments per hive, thus also increasing the number of entrance holes per wall. This always led to increased queen losses and reduced mating success1,8,9. This article briefly reviews the author's work on entrance divisions to reduce bees walking from one entrance to another and discusses—in the light of his results—the prospects for new designs of multiple nucleus hives.

Effect of a lactic acid treatment during winter in temperate climate upon Varroa jacobsoni Oud. and the bee (Apis mellifera L.) colony

Three groups of bee colonies were treated with lactic acid, the pesticide Perizin or lactic acid and Perizin in order to validate the applicability of lactic acid in Varroa mite control. The lactic acid treatment was conducted during winter. Eight ml of lactic acid (15%) per comb side were applied with a dosage gun. The treatment was highly efficient and 94.2%–99.8% of the mites in a colony were killed. Due to precise dosage the lactic acid treatment caused less bee mortality than a treatment with the pesticide Perizin. A lactic acid treatment at-0.2°C caused bee mortality comparable to a Perizin treatment. The number of queen losses after lactic acid treatment and after Perizin treatment was comparable. The number of bees, the size of the brood area, the amount of stored honey and Nosema infestation rates were not significantly different in lactic acid treated colonies and Perizin treated colonies in spring after treatment.

Reproduction by virgin queen fire ants in queenless colonies: Comparative study of three taxa (Solenopsis richteri, hybridS. invicta/richteri, S. geminata) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

In the fire ant,Solenopsis invicta, some winged virgin queens are known to shed their wings (dealate) upon removal of the mated mother queen. These virgin queens then develop their ovaries and begin to lay eggs, thereby foregoing the option of leaving on mating flights and attempting to found their own colonies. Such a response of virgin queens to queenlessness has not been reported for other ants. In order to determine if virgin queens of some other fire ants (subgenusSolenopsis) would respond in the same way, experiments were conducted onS. richteri, hybridS. invicta/richteri andS. geminata, a member of a species complex different from that of the other taxa. Just as inS. invicta, virgin queens ofS. richteri and the hybrid dealated and began to lay eggs within days of the removal of the queen. In addition, workers executed many of the reproductively active virgin queens, a phenomenon also found inS. invicta. In contrast, virgin queens ofS. geminata did not dealate or quickly begin to lay eggs upon separation from the queen. Reasons for the variability in the response of virgin queens of the different species may be 1) higher probability of reproductive success for unmated dealated queens compared to normal claustral founding inS. invicta andS. richteri linked to relatively frequent loss of the mother queen; or 2) phylogenetic constraint.

Worker reproduction and related behavior in orphan colonies of a Japanese paper wasp,Polistes jadwigae (Hymenoptera, Vespidae)

Worker reproduction and related behavior in 2 orphan colonies ofPolistes jadwigae, one of which had been maintained by a queen and 5 artificially introduced alien workers, were observed. After the queen loss, a dominance hierarchy was established among workers, and several workers laid eggs without physical interference from other workers. Only males emerged from worker-laid eggs, however, a few new queens were produced from queen-laid eggs. Investment sex ratio of queenright (=normal) colonies (0.27) fell between the 2 theoretical values, corresponding to worker control (0.20 or 0.18) and queen control (0.48 or 0.46) of the sex ratio, both being calculated by considering the excess of males produced in the orphan colonies.

A quantitative study of worker reproduction in honey bee colonies

In 11 Apis mellifera colonies with laying queens, about 0.12% of the males produced derived from eggs laid by workers. This result requires explanation both of why workers produce any males, and, since they do, why they produce so few. Workers may maximize their inclusive fitness by forgoing reproduction, or their sterility may be due to to enforcement of the interests of the queen or those of other workers. The presence of laying workers might then result from developmental noise in the workers, from a failure of communication of the queen's presence, or a failure of enforcement mechanisms. Selection for worker reproduction in colonies following queen loss may also play a role in shaping worker reproduction in colonies with a queen. The hypothesis of worker sterility enforced by other workers seems most likely to be correct, but further studies on these hypotheses are needed.

Responses of Africanized Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) to Pollination-management Stress

Fifteen Africanized (AHB)and 15 European (EHB) honey bee, Apis mellifera L., colonies were moved to six different crop sites during a 2-mo test in Venezuela. Several problems with AHB suggested that these bees may be difficult to use commercially for pollination. Debilitating reductions of adult populations occurred more frequently among AHB colonies ( n = 12) than among EHB colonies ( n = 5). In 6 of 11 tests of defensive response, targets were stung more by AHB colonies than by EHB colonies; no differences were found in the five other stinging comparisons. Also during defense tests, AHB colonies typically had more bees that contributed to nest defense by buzzing intruders. Inspections of AHB colonies were more difficult because bees often ran off combs and festooned. Weight gain (nectar and honey storage) was greater by EHB colonies than by AHB colonies at two of the six sites; gains were similar at the other four sites. Frequencies of queen losses were similar among the two groups of bees. Swarming was never initiated during the test.

Events following queen removal in colonies of european-derived honey bee races (Apis mellifera)

The timing of queen rearing and swarming are described after queens were removed from colonies of European-derived honey bee races. Queen cell construction began within one day of queen loss, and 91 % of the queens which emerged were eggs at the time of queen loss. Queen cells were evenly distributed over the comb face, and 4 % of the brood reared as queens were moved from worker cells to queen cups. There was considerable variation in the number of queen cells which were viable, aborted, and unoccupied. Brood mortality was high following queen loss. Six of the eight study colonies swarmed following the emergence of a virgin queen. These results differ from previous studies of queen loss in tropically-evolved honey bees in the timing of new queen production and the frequency of queen-loss swarming and of brood movement by workers.

Response of Honey Bees, Apis mellifera L., to High-Voltage Transmission Lines 1

Honey bee colonies under a 765-kV power line (electric field [E-field[ 7 kV/m) showed effects, with hive height and weather-influenced hive current distribution the controlling factors. Hive current was a mean of 59 μA(= 1 m hive height) or 85 μA (1.5 m). Shielded controls under the line had E-fields and hive currents 150- to 300- fold and 100-fold lower, respectively, than exposed hives. Groups were exposed or shielded 8 or 16 weeks, with treatment reversal for some at week 8. A 16-week exposure did not affect percent honey moisture or teneral adult weight. When first exposed, colonies exhibited pronounced but transient elevations in temperature. Capped brood was normal in exposed 1-m hives but declined ( P <0.01) in 1.5-m hives by week 4, associated with higher incidence of queen loss and queen cells and colony failure. Weight gain was depressed in all exposed hives after 2 weeks, being severe in 1.5-m hives ( P <0.001 at week 5) and intermediate in 1-m hives (P = 0.05 at week 8). Effects were more pronounced the first 8 weeks than the last 8. Painted hive interiors reduced bio-effects, presumably by reducing internal current flow. Only exposed colonies propolized hive entrances, but amount and time of onset were not dose related. Treatment reversal at midseason resulted in reversal of colony behavior, manifested more with hive weight than brood. Overwinter survival of exposed groups was ≤29% compared with ≥71% among shielded ones.

The ontogeny of the social structure in a captive Bombus terrestris colony

In this paper the results are presented of an analysis of the interaction—structure and dominance hierarchy in a captive Bombus terrestris colony. The results show that: 1. The workers start their lives at a position on the hierarchical ladder far removed from that of the queen and subsequently approach the queen. Once a worker has reached a position on the queen-side of the axis, established in a principal co-ordinate analysis (PCA), she remains on that side until the queen leaves the nest. At all stages of the observation period the number of workers at the queen-side of the axis is about one quarter of the entire population. The workers who approach the queen generally become laying workers. 2. The dissimilarity between the queen and the workers on her side of the axis (the ‘elite group’) is remarkably constant. The elite workers show more interaction with other workers than do the common workers and they have a high dominance index towards workers in transition towards the elite group. Workers tend to interact more frequently than estimated with their own age class than with others. During the period of their admission to the elite the older workers show an increased frequency of interaction with the queen. 3. After the departure of the queen many of the older workers drop to a lower position; a false queen emerges who has a position similar to that of the queen. Force of numbers, rather than senescense of the queen, seems to cause the queen's loss of dominance.

Biological effects of a 765-kV transmission line: exposures and thresholds in honeybee colonies.

Honeybee colonies exposed under a 765-kV, 60-Hz transmission line at 7 kV/m show the following sequence of effects: 1) increased motor activity with transient increase in hive temperature; 2) abnormal propolization; 3) impaired hive weight gain; 4) queen loss and abnormal production of queen cells; 5) decreased sealed brood; and 6) poor winter survival. When colonies were exposed at 5 different E fields (7, 5.5, 4.1, 1.8, and 0.65-0.85 kV/m) at incremental distances from the line, different thresholds for biologic effects were obtained. Hive net weights showed significant dose-related lags at the following exposures: 7 kV/m, one week; 5.5 kV/m, 2 weeks; and 4.1 kV/m, 11 weeks. The two lowest exposure groups had normal weight after 25 weeks. Abnormal propolization of hive entrances did not occur below 4.1 kV/m. Queen loss occurred in 6 of 7 colonies at 7 kV/m and 1 of 7 at 5.5 kV/m, but not below. Foraging rates were significantly lower only at 7 and 5.5 kV/m. Hive weight impairment and abnormal propolization occur at lower E-field intensity than other effects and limit the "biological effects corridor" of the transmission line to approximately 23 m beyond a ground line projection of each outer phase wire. Intrahive E fields of 15-100 kV/m were measured with a displacement current sensor. Step-potential-induced currents up to 0.5 microA were measured in an electrically equivalent bee model placed on the honeycomb in a hive exposed at 7 kV/m. At 1.8 kV/m body currents were a few nanoamperes, or two orders of magnitude lower, and these colonies showed no effects. E-field versus electric shock mechanisms are discussed.

Events following queen removal in colonies of Africanized honeybees in South America

The timing of queen rearing and swarming are described after queens were removed from colonies of Africanized bees. New queens were reared from newly hatched to three day old worker larvae, many of which were moved in the egg or newly eclosed larval stages by workers into newly constructed queen cells. Mortality of worker eggs and larvae following dequeening was high, averaging 50%. When new queens emerged, swarms issued from two-thirds of the colonies. This process of queen replacement and queen-loss swarming differs from that of reproductive swarming in the lack of preparation before queen loss, longer queenless interval, lack of correlation between number of swarms and sealed brood area or number of queen cells, and lack of Congestion in colonies when swarms issued.

Queen substance dispersal by messenger workers in honeybee colonies

1. Worker honeybees contacting a queen can transport the queen's inhibitory signal, queen substance, to other workers unable to contact the queen. Airborne dispersal of queen substance is at most a minor mechanism for queen substance transmission. 2. This worker transport of queen substance is an important supplement to queen substance dispersal by direct queen-worker contacts. For although colonies lose their inhibition against queen rearing within 10 h of queen loss, a queen contacts only approximately 35% of the broodnest workers in 10 h. 3. The queen facilitates queen substance dispersal by frequently standing stationary, at which times workers can thoroughly contact her, and by occasionally making a major shift in her position within the nest. 4. Queen attendance by workers is strongly age-dependent, with 3–9 days being the age range for intense contact with the queen. 5. Workers that have made extensive (>30s) queen contact appear to behave as ‘messengers’ dispersing queen substance. They walk more rapidly, antennate nestmates and receive inspections more frequently, and perform fewer labor acts in the 30 min following queen contact than do randomly chosen broodnest workers of the same age (control bees). 6. The following observations support the surface transport model over the food exchange model for queen substance transmission by workers: (1) the higher frequency of antennations with nestmates and of inspections by nestmates for messenger bees relative to control bees, (2) the close correlation (r=0.76) for messenger bees between duration of queen contact and number of inspections by nestmates, and (3) the low frequency of food donations (x=1.8) compared with nestmate antennations (x=56.4) by messenger bees in the 30 min following queen contact. 7. There are no messenger bee specialists cycling rapidly between contacts with the queen and workers. 8. Messenger bees were analyzed by gas chromatography for (E)-9-oxodec-2-enoic acid. As little as 0.1 ng (=3.3x1011 molecules) of the acid per messenger bee could have been detected, but none was found. 9. The evolution of messenger behavior by workers and the significance of the findings to understanding the timing of colony reproduction are discussed.

SHIPPING HONEY BEE QUEENS IN PACKAGE BEES WITH AND WITHOUT ATTENDANTS

AbstractQueen losses were compared when caged queens with attendant worker bees and caged queens without attendants were used in packages of honey bees being shipped from the southern United States to Canada. When the colonies were hived there was no difference in queen losses in the two treatments.

Reducing Queen Losses in Package Bees by using Queen Cages of Large-Mesh Wire Gauze

SUMMARYQueen cages of large-mesh wire gauze were tested in packages of honeybees shipped from the southern United States to Canada. When the colonies were hived fewer queens were lost with these cages than with standard queen cages.

Arthur's Loss of Queen and Kingdom

Previous articleNext article No AccessArthur's Loss of Queen and KingdomArthur C. L. BrownArthur C. L. Brown Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Speculum Volume 15, Number 1Jan., 1940 The journal of the Medieval Academy of America Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2307/2849084 Views: 8Total views on this site Copyright 1940 The Mediaeval Academy of AmericaPDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.