Colony Collapse Disorder: A Descriptive Study

BACKGROUND: Over the last two winters, there have been large-scale, unexplained losses of managed honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies in the United States. In the absence of a known cause, this syndrome was named Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) because the main trait was a rapid loss of adult worker bees. We initiated a descriptive epizootiological study in order to better characterize CCD and compare risk factor exposure between populations afflicted by and not afflicted by CCD. METHODS AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Of 61 quantified variables (including adult bee physiology, pathogen loads, and pesticide levels), no single measure emerged as a most-likely cause of CCD. Bees in CCD colonies had higher pathogen loads and were co-infected with a greater number of pathogens than control populations, suggesting either an increased exposure to pathogens or a reduced resistance of bees toward pathogens. Levels of the synthetic acaricide coumaphos (used by beekeepers to control the parasitic mite Varroa destructor) were higher in control colonies than CCD-affected colonies. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first comprehensive survey of CCD-affected bee populations that suggests CCD involves an interaction between pathogens and other stress factors. We present evidence that this condition is contagious or the result of exposure to a common risk factor. Potentially important areas for future hypothesis-driven research, including the possible legacy effect of mite parasitism and the role of honey bee resistance to pesticides, are highlighted

Insect Pollinated Crops, Insect Pollinators and US Agriculture: Trend Analysis of Aggregate Data for the Period 1992–2009

In the US, the cultivated area (hectares) and production (tonnes) of crops that require or benefit from insect pollination (directly dependent crops: apples, almonds, blueberries, cucurbits, etc.) increased from 1992, the first year in this study, through 1999 and continued near those levels through 2009; aggregate yield (tonnes/hectare) remained unchanged. The value of directly dependent crops attributed to all insect pollination (2009 USD) decreased from $14.29 billion in 1996, the first year for value data in this study, to$10.69 billion in 2001, but increased thereafter, reaching $15.12 billion by 2009. The values attributed to honey bees and non-Apis pollinators followed similar patterns, reaching$11.68 billion and $3.44 billion, respectively, by 2009. The cultivated area of crops grown from seeds resulting from insect pollination (indirectly dependent crops: legume hays, carrots, onions, etc.) was stable from 1992 through 1999, but has since declined. Production of those crops also declined, albeit not as rapidly as the decline in cultivated area; this asymmetry was due to increases in aggregate yield. The value of indirectly dependent crops attributed to insect pollination declined from$15.45 billion in 1996 to $12.00 billion in 2004, but has since trended upward. The value of indirectly dependent crops attributed to honey bees and non-Apis pollinators, exclusive of alfalfa leafcutter bees, has declined since 1996 to$5.39 billion and $1.15 billion, respectively in 2009. The value of alfalfa hay attributed to alfalfa leafcutter bees ranged between$4.99 and $7.04 billion. Trend analysis demonstrates that US producers have a continued and significant need for insect pollinators and that a diminution in managed or wild pollinator populations could seriously threaten the continued production of insect pollinated crops and crops grown from seeds resulting from insect pollination

An Unusual New Species of Neocypholaelaps (Acari: Ameroseiidae) from the Nests of Stingless Bees (Apidae: Meliponinae)

A new species of Neocypholaelaps (Ameroseiidae) is described from the nests of stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponinae) from Malaysia. Neocypholaelaps phooni Baker & Delfinado-Baker, n. sp. is unusual among ameroseiids in that it shows morphological specialization found in certain Hypoaspidinae-Laelapidae species inhabiting stingless bee nests. Hyper-trophy of certain body and leg setae to form attachment organs is a common feature of this group. The 11 known species of Neocypholaelaps are primarily tropical in distribution. They occur on various tropical and sub-tropical flowers, and they are believed to be pollen feeders. The mites use the bees (Apis and Trigona spp.), moths and butterflies as means of dispersal. An identification key to Neocypholaelaps species is given as well as distribution and a list of hosts

New Mites (Sennertia: Chaetodactylidae) Phoretic on Honey Bees (Apis Mellifera L.) in Guatemala

Two new phoretic mites, Sennertia shimanukii and S. faini are described from specimens found in a sample of dead honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) from Guatemala. The bees were parasitized by a conopid fly (Physocephala sp.) with the conopid larva present either in the abdomen or in the thorax of the bee. Acarapis dorsalis Morganthaler and Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) were found also in the bee sample and are reported as new distribution records from Central America. The honey bee is a new host record of the genus Sennertia, a phoretic associate of carpenter bees (Xylocopidae)

Tropiladaps, a new genus of mite from the Philippines (Laelaptidae [s. lat.]: Acarina)

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