Parasitic mites and microsporidians in managed western honey bee colonies on the island of Newfoundland, Canada
Abstract Western honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), occur in nearly every region inhabited by man because they provide valuable honey, wax, and pollination services. Many commercial honey bee operations are plagued by economically important parasites; however, beekeepers on the isl...
| Published in: | The Canadian Entomologist |
|---|---|
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2010
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.4039/n10-029 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0008347X00001346 |
| Summary: | Abstract Western honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), occur in nearly every region inhabited by man because they provide valuable honey, wax, and pollination services. Many commercial honey bee operations are plagued by economically important parasites; however, beekeepers on the island of Newfoundland, Canada, are in a unique position because of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador’s strict import regulations and geographic isolation. We surveyed about 25% of the island’s approximately 100 managed honey bee colonies. The parasitic mites Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman (Acari: Varroidae) and Acarapis woodi (Rennie) (Acari: Tarsonemidae) were not detected, whereas Nosema spp. microsporidia were detected in two of four beekeeping operations and in 11 of 23 (48%) colonies (intensity = 482 609 ± 1199 489 (mean ± SD); median intensity = 0). Because V. destructor and A. woodi are important pests that typically require chemical treatments, beekeepers on the island of Newfoundland may be uniquely positioned to market organic honey bee products from colonies that could also be a source of mite-naïve bees for research. |
|---|