Mite biting bees
Mite biting bees is a natural defensive behavior of honeybees to fight off the ectoparasitic mites Varroa destructor.[1][2][3][4] This behavior has been studied for several decades for honeybee breeding and improve honeybee stocks on mite resistance.[5][6] Krispn Given and Dr. Greg Hunt at Purdue University started a hierarchical selective breeding program in 1997-present for increased mite-biting/grooming behavior of European Honey bee (Apis mellifera). A group of Midwest bee breeders visiting the Purdue bee lab were inspired to start the Heartland Honey Bee Breeders Coop (HHBBC) as a result of their work. [7]
Breeding program
Counting damaged mites is a method to measure the trait of mite biting behavior in honeybee colonies. Procedures for mite counts included 1) collecting mites, 2) placing mites on microscope slides, 3) counting number of mites, 4) observing mites for any damage under a microscope, and 5) summarizing the data for each colony.
Discovery of neurexin-1 gene
A comparison between colonies of the selected stock and colonies of unselected Italian bees showed that the proportion of mutilated mites, the severity of mutilations, and winter colony survival were higher in Indiana mite-biter colonies. Additionally, the number of fallen mites and the rate of mite population growth were lower in the colonies of the selected genotype than in those of the unselected genotype. The expression of a gene associated with grooming behavior, AmNrx-1 (neurexin), was significantly higher in the selected stock. Moreover, AmNrx-1 expression was positively correlated with the proportion of mutilated mites but not with mite population growth. AmNrx-1 may have the potential to be used for marker-assisted selection in the future.
References
- ^ THAKUR, R. K.; BIENENFELD, K.; KELLER, R. (1997). "Varroa defense behavior in Apis mellifera carnica". American Bee Journal. 137: 143–148
- ^ Gonçalves, L. S. (2001). "Africanized Honey Bee: Introduction, Adaptation and Benefits". Apimondia – via (FFCLRP-University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto-SP-Brazil.).
- ^ FRIES, I.; CAMAZINE S. ; SNEYD J. (1994). "Population dynamics of Varroa jacobsoni: a model and a review". Bee World. 75: 5–28.
- ^ Peng; Fang; Xu; Ge (1987). "The Resistance Mechanism of the Asian Honey Bee, Apis cerana Fabr. to an Ectoparasite Mites, Varroa jacobsoni Oudemans". Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 49: 54–60.
- ^ OSTERLUND, E. (2001). The Elgon Bee and Varroa Mites. Am. Bee J. 141: 174-177.
- ^ ROSENKRANZ, P.; FRIES, I.; BOECKING, 0.; STURMER, M. (1997). "Damaged Varroa mites in the debris of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies with and without hatching brood". Apidologie. 28: 427–437.
- ^ https://www.beeculture.com/breeding-mite-biting-bees-to-control-varroa/
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