title: Social encapsulation of beetle parasites by Cape honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera capensis Esch.).
abstract: Worker honeybees (Apis mellifera capensis) encapsulate the small hive beetle (Aethina tumida), a nest parasite, in propolis (tree resin collected by the bees). The encapsulation process lasts 1-4 days and the bees have a sophisticated guarding strategy for limiting the escape of beetles during encapsulation. Some encapsulated beetles died (4.9%) and a few escaped (1.6%). Encapsulation has probably evolved because the small hive beetle cannot easily be killed by the bees due to its hard exoskeleton and defensive behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Institut für Zoologie/Molekulare Okologie, Halle/Saale, Germany. p.neumann@zoologie.uni-halle.de
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Pirk
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Hepburn
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Solbrig
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Ratnieks
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Elzen
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Baxter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000502:physiology*; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012919:Social Behavior