TY  - JOUR
T1  - Factors Limiting the Growth of <I>Varroa destructor</I> Populations in Selected Honey Bee (<I>Apis mellifera</I> L.) Colonies
AU - Emsen, Berna AU - Petukhova, Tatiana AU - Guzman-Novoa, Ernesto 
JO  - Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances
VL  - 11
IS  - 24
SP  - 4519
EP  - 4525
PY  - 2012
DA  - 2001/08/19
SN  - 1680-5593
DO  - javaa.2012.4519.4525
UR  - https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=javaa.2012.4519.4525
KW  - Varroa destructor
KW  -Apis mellifera
KW  -hygienic behavior
KW  -mite reproduction
KW  -resistance
AB  - The objective of this study was to compare the hygienic behavior 
  of worker bees (<I>Apis mellifera</I>) as well as infestation and reproduction 
  parameters of the parasitic mite <I>Varroa destructor</I> between groups of 
  honey bee colonies with high and low rates of Varroa population growth. More 
  than 150 colonies were screened for mite fall in early spring and again 16 weeks 
  later. The 10 colonies with the Lowest rates (L) and the 10 colonies with the 
  Highest rates (H) of mite population growth were selected. These 20 colonies 
  were evaluated for hygienic behavior, brood and adult bee infestation rates 
  and mite reproduction in cells. The amount of brood and the adult bee population 
  of the selected colonies were also estimated. No differences were found between 
  the two groups of colonies for brood or adult bee population or for hygienic 
  behavior. However, significant differences were detected for mite infestation 
  levels and for mite reproduction. Brood and adult bee infestation rates in the 
  colonies of the H group were 17 and 6 times higher, respectively than in the 
  colonies of the L group. The proportion of reproductive mites was 0.92&plusmn;0.05 
  in the H colonies vs. only 0.40&plusmn;0.16 in the L colonies. Additionally, 
  two times more immature mites were found in singly Varroa-infested cells of 
  H colonies than in similarly infested cells of L colonies. Furthermore, the 
  ratio of brood to adult bee infestation rate was 2.4 times greater for the H 
  colonies in comparison with that of the L colonies. These results indicate that 
  brood-associated effects may influence the growth of varroa mite populations 
  in honey bee colonies. The implications of these results are discussed.
ER  -