title: Evaluation of cage designs and feeding regimes for honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) laboratory experiments.
abstract: The aim of this study was to improve cage systems for maintaining adult honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) workers under in vitro laboratory conditions. To achieve this goal, we experimentally evaluated the impact of different cages, developed by scientists of the international research network COLOSS (Prevention of honey bee COlony LOSSes), on the physiology and survival of honey bees. We identified three cages that promoted good survival of honey bees. The bees from cages that exhibited greater survival had relatively lower titers of deformed wing virus, suggesting that deformed wing virus is a significant marker reflecting stress level and health status of the host. We also determined that a leak- and drip-proof feeder was an integral part of a cage system and a feeder modified from a 20-ml plastic syringe displayed the best result in providing steady food supply to bees. Finally, we also demonstrated that the addition of protein to the bees' diet could significantly increase the level ofvitellogenin gene expression and improve bees' survival. This international collaborative study represents a critical step toward improvement of cage designs and feeding regimes for honey bee laboratory experiments.
authors.forename: Shao Kang
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Tamas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Csaki
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Doublet
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dussaubat
authors.forename: Jay D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gajda
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gregorc
authors.forename: Michele C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kamler
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lecocq
authors.forename: Mustafa N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Muz
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: Asli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ozkirim
authors.forename: Aygün
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schiesser
authors.forename: Alex R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sohr
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tanner
authors.forename: Cansu Ozge
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Tozkar
authors.forename: Geoffrey R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Lyman
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Huoqing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Yan Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056630:Beekeeping / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001516:Bees / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D005248:Feeding Methods; D014680:Veins; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000378:metabolism; D014921:Wings, Animal
chemical_list: D014819:Vitellogenins