Social encapsulation of beetle parasites by Cape honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera capensis Esch.).
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.
Neumann
P
P
Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Institut für Zoologie/Molekulare Okologie, Halle/Saale, Germany. p.neumann@zoologie.uni-halle.de
Pirk
C W
CW
Hepburn
H R
HR
Solbrig
A J
AJ
Ratnieks
F L
FL
Elzen
P J
PJ
Baxter
J R
JR
D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000502:physiology*; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012919:Social Behavior