Beekeeping: Science updates

  Science updates: Varroa mite resistance & queen honey bees     The study aimed to determine if hygienic behaviors, which are key to Varroa resistance, are passed from worker bees to others through learning or if these traits are genetically encoded in the queen and thus inherited by her offspring.   The researchers conducted experiments in both Hawaii and the UK, re-queening colonies with either mite-naïve or resistant queens to observe the effects on Varroa levels over time. After several months, they found that colonies headed by resistant queens maintained lower mite levels, regardless of the initial worker population. This suggests that resistance is a trait transmitted by the queen rather than learned by workers.   The study also found that beekeepers can propagate Varroa-resistant traits by re-queening susceptible colonies with locally mated queens from resistant populations. This method is already practiced by some beekeepers in th...

  Science updates: Seasonal viral prevalence & bees   The study investigates the seasonal prevalence of common bee viruses and parasites in honey bees (Apis mellifera) and bumble bees (Bombus impatiens) to understand their role as potential pathogen reservoirs. The research, conducted over multiple years and seasons in Pennsylvania, USA, involved molecular testing for deformed wing virus (DWV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), and morphological screening for Vairimorpha spp., nematodes, and parasitic flies.   Key findings include: 1.     Honey bees consistently exhibit higher viral prevalence than bumble bees, particularly for DWV and BQCV. 2.     Both bee species show a reduction in viral prevalence over winter, but bumble bees experience a drop to negligible levels each spring, suggesting they purge parasites annually. 3. Honey bees may act as a reservoir for parasites, potentially reinfecting bumble bees and sustainin...

  Science updates: Pollinator competition & honey bees     The research article investigates the dynamics of nectar depletion during the early spring mass-flowering of rosaceous fruit trees in central Germany. The study examines the competition among pollinators and tests two hypotheses regarding the seasonal dynamics of floral resource limitation: either the rates of resource production and consumption are matched seasonally (H1), or there is a mismatch in early spring, leading to a period of relaxed resource limitation (H2).   The study's findings, published in Ecology and Evolution, show that nectar depletion rates were generally lower in spring compared to the near 100% depletion observed in summer grasslands in the same region. However, depletion rates varied significantly throughout the day and across sampling days, with some species showing pronounced differences. These results support the seasonal mismatch hypothesis (H2), indicating that ea...

  Science updates: Foraging rewards in sunflowers & honey bees   The study aimed to determine if honey bee foraging preferences are influenced by the accessibility of nectar, as indicated by floret size, and to assess the nutritional variation in sunflower pollen, particularly in terms of total and essential fatty acids.   During the first year, honey bee foraging preference was inversely related to floret length, similar to observations with wild pollinators. However, in the second year, this relationship was not significant, possibly due to lower nectar rewards and a shift in floret size distributions. The study found that honey bee visitation rates were lower in the second year and that bees preferred moderate nectar concentrations.   The analysis of pollen samples revealed significant differences in total and essential fatty acid concentrations among sunflower lines in the second year, suggesting greater variation in pollen quality than previ...