24 research outputs found
Application dâune stratĂ©gie de lutte intĂ©grĂ©e contre le parasite Varroa destructor dans les colonies dâabeilles mellifĂšres du QuĂ©bec
Le parasite Varroa destructor provoque depuis plus de 30 ans la perte de nombreuses colonies Ă travers le monde. Lâutilisation dâacaricides de synthĂšse sâest avĂ©rĂ©e inefficace au Canada et ailleurs dans le monde Ă la suite de la sĂ©lection de varroas rĂ©sistants. Dans ce contexte, il est devenu impĂ©ratif de trouver de nouveaux moyens pour contrĂŽler cette peste apicole. Ce travail original de recherche a pour but de dĂ©terminer les paramĂštres fondamentaux dâune lutte intĂ©grĂ©e contre la varroase fondĂ©e sur lâutilisation pĂ©riodique de diffĂ©rents pesticides organiques (lâacide oxalique, lâacide formique et le thymol) associĂ©e Ă des seuils dâinterventions.
Les seuils dâintervention ont Ă©tĂ© dĂ©terminĂ©s Ă lâaide de rĂ©gressions linĂ©aires entre les taux de parasitisme par V. destructor et la formance zootechnique des colonies dâabeilles mellifĂšres (production de miel et force des colonies). Un total de 154 colonies dâabeilles du Centre de recherche en sciences animales de Deschambault (CRSAD) ont Ă©tĂ© suivies de septembre 2005 Ă septembre 2006. Les seuils calculĂ©s et proposĂ©s Ă la suite de cette recherche sont de 2 varroas par jour (chute naturelle) au dĂ©but mai, 10 varroas par jour Ă la fin juillet et de 9 varroas par jour au dĂ©but septembre.
LâefficacitĂ© des traitements organiques avec lâacide oxalique (AO), lâacide formique (AF) et le thymol a Ă©tĂ© vĂ©rifiĂ©e en mai (avant la premiĂšre miellĂ©e) en juillet (entre deux miellĂ©es), en septembre (aprĂšs la miellĂ©e et pendant le nourrissage des colonies) et en novembre (avant lâhivernage). Lâacide oxalique a Ă©tĂ© appliquĂ© en utilisant la mĂ©thode dâĂ©gouttement (4% dâAO p/v dans un sirop de sucrose 1 :1 p/v). Lâacide formique a Ă©tĂ© appliquĂ©e sous forme de MiteAwayIIâą (tampon commercial imbibĂ© dâAF 65% v/v placĂ© sur le dessus des cadres Ă couvain), Mitewipe (tampons Dri-Locâą 10/15cm imbibĂ©s de 35 mL dâAF 65% v/v placĂ©s sur le dessus des cadres Ă couvain) ou Flash (AF 65% coulĂ© directement sur le plateau infĂ©rieur dâune colonie, 2 mL par cadre avec abeilles). Le thymol a Ă©tĂ© appliquĂ© sous forme dâApiguardâą (gĂ©lose contenant 25% de thymol p/v placĂ©e sur le dessus des cadres Ă couvain). Les essais dâefficacitĂ© ont Ă©tĂ© rĂ©alisĂ©s de 2006 Ă 2008 sur un total de 170 colonies (98 appartenant au CRSAD et 72 appartenant au privĂ©). Les rĂ©sultats montrent que les traitements de printemps testĂ©s ont une faible efficacitĂ© pour le contrĂŽle des varroas qui sont en pleine croissance durant cette pĂ©riode. Un traitement avec lâAF Ă la mi-Ă©tĂ© permet de rĂ©duire les taux de parasites sous le seuil en septembre mais il y a risque de contaminer la rĂ©colte de miel avec des rĂ©sidus dâAF. Les traitements en septembre avec le MiteAwayIIâą suivis par un traitement Ă lâacide oxalique en novembre (5 mL par Ă©gouttement entre chaque cadre avec abeilles, 4% dâAO p/v dans un sirop de sucrose 1 :1 p/v) sont les plus efficaces : ils rĂ©duisent les niveaux de varroase sous le seuil de 2 varroas par jour au printemps. Nos rĂ©sultats montrent Ă©galement que les traitements rĂ©alisĂ©s tĂŽt en septembre sont plus efficaces et produisent des colonies plus fortes au printemps comparativement Ă un traitement rĂ©alisĂ© un mois plus tard en octobre.
En conclusion, ce travail de recherche dĂ©montre quâil est possible de contenir le dĂ©veloppement de la varroase dans les ruchers au QuĂ©bec en utilisant une mĂ©thode de lutte intĂ©grĂ©e basĂ©e sur une combinaison dâapplications dâacaricides organiques associĂ©e Ă des seuils dâintervention.For nearly 30 years, Varroa destructor has been responsible for the loss of many honey bee colonies around the world. The continued use of synthetic acaricides has resulted in their reduced efficacy against this pest in Canada and in other countries because of the selection of resistant mite populations. With this situation still present, it has become of utmost importance to develop efficient methods to control this apicultural pest. The major goal of this original work is to determine the fundamental parameters underlying the use of an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy against the varroa mite. The IPM strategy developed in this research is based on the periodic use of organic pesticides (oxalic acid, formic acid and thymol) and treatment threshold.
Treatment thresholds were determined from linear regressions between the varroa mite levels and the zootechnical performances (honey production and colony strength) of honey bee colonies. A total of 154 honey bee colonies from the livestock of the âCentre de recherche en sciences animales de Deschambaultâ (CRSAD) were monitored from September 2005 to September 2006. Based on our findings, we propose economic treatment thresholds for three periods in the year: early May, late July and early September that are respectively 2, 10 and 9 varroa mites per day.
Efficacy of the various organic treatments: formic acid (FA), oxalic acid (OA) and thymol was evaluated in May (before the first honey flow), in July between two honey flows, in September (after the honey flow and before the fall feeding of colonies) and in November (before wintering). OA was applied using the trickling method (4% OA w/v in a sucrose syrup 1:1 w/v). FA was applied using MiteAwayIIâą (pads imbedded with FA 65% v/v placed on top of brood frames), Mitewipe (Dri-Locâą pads 10/15cm imbedded with 35 mL FA 65% v/v placed on top of brood frames), Flash (FA 65% poured directly on the bottom board of colonies, 2 mL per frame with bees). Thymol was applied using Apiguardâą (gel with 25% de thymol w/v placed on top of the brood frames). Efficacy trials were realised from 2006 to 2008 on a total of 170 colonies (98 from the CRSAD and 72 owned by a commercial beekeeper). Results show that treatments applied in spring give low efficacy on reducing varroa mite populations that are in full growth at this time because of large amounts of brood available for mite reproduction. Application of a FA treatment in mid-summer offers the opportunity to reduce mite populations at the 11 mites per day September threshold but FA summer application is accompanied by a risk of incorporating residues in the harvested honey. Application of MiteAwayIIâą in September followed by an oxalic acid treatment in November (trickling method 4% OA w/v in a sucrose syrup 1 :1 w/v, 5 mL between frames with bees) gave the best efficacy results: varroa mite levels are reduced below the 2 mites per day spring threshold. Our results also show that an early September management strategy of colonies for winter preparation (varroa treatment and fall feeding) gives greater varroa control, higher colony winter survival and stronger colonies in spring when compared to a later treatment in October.
In conclusion, this work shows that varroa mite control in honey bee colonies in Québec is possible by using an integrated pest management strategy based on the application of a combination of organic acaricides in association with treatment thresholds
Pupal development of Aethina tumida (Coleoptera : Nitidulidae) in thermo-hygrometric soil conditions encountered in temperate climates
The pupal development of Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) was studied at various combinations of thermo-hygrometric soil conditions (temperatures of 16, 18, and 20°C and soil water content levels of 0.37, 0.56, and 0.73 m3 water per cubic meter of dry soil) representative of southeastern Canada. Survivorship and development duration of A. tumida pupae, as well as sex ratio and life span of emerging adults, were assessed. Assays were conducted in growth chambers on an average of 50 third-instar larvae per thermo-hygrometric combination. Results show that survivorship of pupae decreased with lower temperature and higher soil water content. Pupal development time shortened as temperature increased (69â78 d at 16°C, 47â54 d at 18°C, and 36â39 d at 20°C), but was longer in dryer soil. Optimal soil water content for pupal development was 0.56 m3 water per cubic meter of soil. We estimated that the minimum development temperature for pupae is between 10.2 and 13.2°C, depending on soil water content. The sex ratio of emerging adults was influenced by soil water content. We measured one female to one male for dry and intermediately wet soils and three females to one male for wet soils. Higher soil water content reduced the life span of emerging adults by half. This study contributes to a better understanding of A. tumida population dynamics in eastern Canada
Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) drone sperm quality in relation to age, genetic line, and time of breeding
A honey bee (Apis mellifera Linnaeus; Hymenoptera: Apidae) queenâs life expectancy is strongly dependent on the number of sperm she obtains by mating with drones during nuptial flights. Unexplained replacement of queens by the colony and young queens showing sperm depletions have been reported in North America, and reduced drone fertility has been a suspected cause. The aim of this study was to evaluate drone reproductive qualities during the queen-rearing season, from May to August. Drones from two different genetic lines were reared six times during the 2012 beekeeping season at our research centre in QuĂ©bec (Canada). Semen volume as well as sperm number and viability were assessed at the ages of 14, 21, and 35 days. Results showed (1) a greater proportion of older drones with semen at the tip of the genitalia after eversion; (2) an influence of rearing date on semen production; and (3) no influence of drone genetic line, age or time of breeding on sperm viability. These results highlight the necessity of better understanding drone rearing and how it can be improved to ensure optimum honey-bee queen matingLa durĂ©e de vie de la reine de lâabeille (Apis mellifera Linnaeus; Hymenoptera: Apidae) est dĂ©pendante du nombre de spermatozoĂŻdes quâelle acquiert durant les vols nuptiaux. Des remplacements de reines ainsi que de jeunes reines ayant Ă©puisĂ© leurs rĂ©serves de spermatozoĂŻdes sont rapportĂ©s en AmĂ©rique du Nord et des problĂšmes de fertilitĂ© chez les faux-bourdons sont suspectĂ©s. Le but de cette Ă©tude Ă©tait dâĂ©valuer les qualitĂ©s reproductives du faux-bourdon durant la saison de production des reines abeilles de mai Ă aoĂ»t. Des faux-bourdons de deux lignĂ©es diffĂ©rentes ont Ă©tĂ© Ă©levĂ©s Ă six reprises au cours de la saison apicole 2012 au Centre de recherche en sciences animales de Deschambault, QuĂ©bec (Canada). Le volume de sperme, le nombre de spermatozoĂŻdes et la viabilitĂ© ont Ă©tĂ© Ă©valuĂ©s aux Ăąges de 14, 21 et 35 jours de vie. Les rĂ©sultats montrent que 1) le volume de sperme augmente avec lâĂąge des faux-bourdons testĂ©s; 2) le moment de lâĂ©levage influence la production du sperme et 3) le nombre de spermatozoĂŻdes et la viabilitĂ© des gamĂštes ne semblent pas influencĂ©s par la lignĂ©e gĂ©nĂ©tique, lâĂąge ou le moment de lâĂ©levage. Cette Ă©tude souligne la nĂ©cessitĂ© dâen connaĂźtre davantage sur lâĂ©levage des faux-bourdons afin dâobtenir des reines abeilles adĂ©quatement fĂ©condĂ©es
The use of the predatory mite Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) to control Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) in honey bee colonies in early and late fall
The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman is a major pest of the honey bee Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and its control is one of the most important challenges that beekeepers have to face. In this study, we investigated the use of the predatory mite Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Womersley) for the biological control of varroa mites in Eastern Canada, as part of an integrated pest management strategy. Our study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of S. scimitus in controlling varroa populations in early and late fall in comparison with untreated colonies and two currently used organic treatments: Thymovar and oxalic acid. Performing weekly mite drop monitoring, we first compared the effectiveness of two introduction rates of S. scimitus (â6,250 or 12,500 mites/colony) during a fall treatment (September) and, as we detected no differences of effectiveness between these two treatment types, we used the dosage currently recommended by biocontrol suppliers (â6,250 mites) in a complementary treatment test (November). Results showed that S. scimitus did not succeed in controlling varroa populations in honey bee colonies when introduced either in early or in late fall according to current suppliersâ recommended rates and application method. On the other hand, our results demonstrated that Thymovar and oxalic acid remain effective options for controlling varroa mite populations during fall in Quebec, Canada
Risk assessment and predation potential of Stratiolaelaps scimitus (Acari: Laelapidae) to control Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in honey bees
The biocontrol of the honey bee ectoparasite Varroa destructor is an underexploited but promising avenue that would benefit from being integrated in a Varroa management program. Our study aimed to investigate the potential of the predatory mite Stratiolaelaps scimitus to control Varroa infestations in honey bees. Tests on safety and predation were carried out to: (1) assess the risk of predation of the honey bee brood by S. scimitus under laboratory conditions and within the colony, and (2) evaluate the predation potential of S. scimitus on phoretic Varroa mites. Under laboratory conditions, S. scimitus was able to feed upon free Varroa mites, but also attacked every unprotected honey bee brood stages with a strong preference for bee eggs. When introduced inside colonies, however, S. scimitus does not have negative effects on the survival of the bee brood. Moreover, observations made in the laboratory revealed that S. scimitus does not attack Varroa mites when they are attached to the body of bees. However, all Varroa mites that had naturally fallen from the bees were predated upon by S. scimitus and died in less than 24h. This study provides evidence that S. scimitus does not represent a significant threat to the bee brood, but also suggests that its effect in Varroa control will probably be limited as it does not attack phoretic Varroa mites. Our results represent a first step in assessing the potential of S. scimitus to control V. destructor and provide novel information about the predatorâs behavior inside the honey bee colony
Control of aethina tumida (Coleoptera : Nitidulidae) using in-hive traps
The small hive beetle (SHB), Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), is a non-native pest of honey bees (Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae)) newly introduced to Canada. The effectiveness of three in-hive traps was tested in springtime in West-MontĂ©rĂ©gie (southern QuĂ©bec, Canada) and in late summer in Essex County (southern Ontario, Canada): AJâs Beetle Eaterâą (AJâs Beetle Eater), Beetle Barnâą (Rossmann Apiaries), and Hoodâą trap (Brushy Mountain Bee Farm). Traps were placed in the brood chamber of 12 colonies in West-MontĂ©rĂ©gie, and in 48 colonies in the top honey super in Essex County. In-hive traps were effective in reducing SHB populations without compromising the bee population or colony weight gain. In West-MontĂ©rĂ©gie, the Beetle Barnâą was the most effective trap during the first week, when SHB populations were high. It was less effective when honey bees sealed trap openings with propolis. In Essex County, the AJâs Beetle Eaterâą was the most effective throughout the trial. There was no difference in efficacy between the various solutions used in the Hoodâą trap (mineral oil versus mineral oil and apple cider vinegar).Le petit colĂ©optĂšre de la ruche (CR), Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) est
un ravageur apicole (Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae)) nouvellement arrivé au Canada.
LâefficacitĂ© de trois modĂšles de piĂšges fut testĂ©e au printemps, en MontĂ©rĂ©gie-Ouest, au sud du QuĂ©bec
(Canada) et Ă la fin de lâĂ©tĂ©, dans le ComtĂ© dâEssex, au sud de lâOntario (Canada): le AJâs Beetle
Eaterâą (AJâs Beetle Eater), le Beetle Barnâą (Rossmann Apiaries) et le piĂšge Hoodâą (Rocky
Mountain Bee Farm). En Montérégie-Ouest, les piÚges furent placés dans la chambre à couvain
infĂ©rieure de 12 colonies tandis que dans le comtĂ© dâEssex, les piĂšges furent installĂ©s dans la hausse Ă
miel supĂ©rieure de 48 colonies dâabeilles domestiques. Les piĂšges utilisĂ©s ont significativement rĂ©duit
la population de CR par rapport aux colonies tĂ©moins. Ils nâont pas eu dâeffet sur la population
dâabeilles immatures, ni sur la rĂ©colte en miel. En MontĂ©rĂ©gie-Ouest, le Beetle Barnâą a Ă©tĂ© le plus
efficace à la premiÚre date de récolte, lorsque la densité de population de CR était élevée. Cependant, il
perd de son efficacité lorsque les abeilles bouchent les ouvertures avec de la propolis. Dans le comté
dâEssex, le AJâs Beetle Eaterâą fut significativement plus efficace que tous les autres piĂšges.
Lâutilisation dâhuile minĂ©rale ou du mĂ©lange dâhuile minĂ©rale et de vinaigre de cidre de pommes dans
le piĂšge Hoodâą nâa pas influencĂ© lâefficacitĂ© de capture
MSPB: a longitudinal multi-sensor dataset with phenotypic trait measurements from honey bees
We present a longitudinal multi-sensor dataset collected from honey bee
colonies (Apis mellifera) with rich phenotypic measurements. Data were
continuously collected between May-2020 and April-2021 from 53 hives located at
two apiaries in Qu\'ebec, Canada. The sensor data included audio features,
temperature, and relative humidity. The phenotypic measurements contained
beehive population, number of brood cells (eggs, larva and pupa), Varroa
destructor infestation levels, defensive and hygienic behaviors, honey yield,
and winter mortality. Our study is amongst the first to provide a wide variety
of phenotypic trait measurements annotated by apicultural science experts,
which facilitate a broader scope of analysis. We first summarize the data
collection procedure, sensor data pre-processing steps, and data composition.
We then provide an overview of the phenotypic data distribution as well as a
visualization of the sensor data patterns. Lastly, we showcase several hive
monitoring applications based on sensor data analysis and machine learning,
such as winter mortality prediction, hive population estimation, and the
presence of an active and laying queen.Comment: Under review; project webpage:
https://zhu00121.github.io/MSPB-webpage
Dietary contamination with a neonicotinoid (clothianidin) gradient triggers specific dysbiosis signatures of microbiota activity along the honeybee (Apis mellifera) digestive tract
Pesticides are increasing honeybee (Apis mellifera) death rates globally. Clothianidin neonicotinoid appears to impair the microbeâimmunity axis. We conducted cage experiments on newly emerged bees that were 4â6 days old and used a 16S rRNA metataxonomic approach to measure the impact of three sublethal clothianidin concentrations (0.1, 1 and 10 ppb) on survival, sucrose syrup consumption and gut microbiota community structure. Exposure to clothianidin significantly increased mortality in the three concentrations compared to controls. Interestingly, the lowest clothianidin concentration was associated with the highest mortality, and the medium concentration with the highest food intake. Exposure to clothianidin induced significant variation in the taxonomic distribution of gut microbiota activity. Co-abundance network analysis revealed local dysbiosis signatures specific to each gut section (midgut, ileum and rectum) were driven by specific taxa. Our findings confirm that exposure to clothianidin triggers a reshuffling of beneficial strains and/or potentially pathogenic taxa within the gut, suggesting a honeybeeâs symbiotic defense systemsâ disruption, such as resistance to microbial colonization. This study highlights the role of weak transcriptional activity taxa in maintaining a stable honeybee gut microbiota. Finally, the early detection of gut dysbiosis in honeybees is a promising biomarker in hive management for assessing the impact exposure to sublethal xenobiotics
Diversity and nutritional value of pollen harvested by honey bee (Hymenoptera : Apidae) colonies during lowbush blueberry and cranberry (Ericaceae) pollination
The growth of the commercial pollination industry raises important concerns regarding honey bee (Apis mellifera Linnaeus; Hymenoptera: Apidae) health and development. While providing such services, honey bees are often exposed to undiversified pollen sources that may contribute to nutritional deficiencies, notably in protein and amino acids. To understand how honey bees are affected during provision of pollination services, we compared honey bee colonies that pollinated lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton; Ericaceae) and/or cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Aiton; Ericaceae) crops (management strategies) with control colonies in a diversified farmland environment. We identified the floral species of pollen collected by honey bee colonies in those crops compared to pollen collected by control colonies. We also analysed the protein and essential amino acid content of collected pollen and bee bread and measured the nutritional impact of pollination services on honey bee colonies. We found that honey bees providing blueberry and/or cranberry pollination services are exposed to a less diversified pollen diet than colonies located in a farmland environment, especially in a cranberry field. There was a significantly lower proportion of crude protein content in collected and stored pollen during provision of blueberry pollination services, which led to a smaller brood population. Many nutritional deficiencies were measured with regards to essential amino acids
Comparison of three methods to multiply honey bee (Apis mellifera ) colonies
In Canada, there is a growing need for additional honeybee colonies to satisfy the demand for pollination services and compensate for high winter colony mortality. The objective of our study was to develop a methodology that would be both better structured and adapted to producing new colonies in todayâs beekeeping industry. Efficacy of three colony production techniques was compared at the Deschambault Research Center for Animal Sciences, QuĂ©bec: 1) package bees; 2) one brood frame, 3) two brood frames. A young mated queen was added in each new colony. Experimental colonies were monitored from July 2014 to June 2015, and several parameters were measured to evaluate their strength and the presence of pathogens. Results showed no statistical difference in colony strength between methods. However, making nuclei from one brood frame offered the greatest multiplication potential. This method was also the most advantageous economically, producing up to 6 nuclei from the same mother colony