title: The Status of Honey Bee Health in Italy: Results from the Nationwide Bee Monitoring Network.
abstract: In Italy a nation-wide monitoring network was established in 2009 in response to significant honey bee colony mortality reported during 2008. The network comprised of approximately 100 apiaries located across Italy. Colonies were sampled four times per year, in order to assess the health status and to collect samples for pathogen, chemical and pollen analyses. The prevalence of Nosema ceranae ranged, on average, from 47-69% in 2009 and from 30-60% in 2010, with strong seasonal variation. Virus prevalence was higher in 2010 than in 2009. The most widespread viruses were BQCV, DWV and SBV. The most frequent pesticides in all hive contents were organophosphates and pyrethroids such as coumaphos and tau-fluvalinate. Beeswax was the most frequently contaminated hive product, with 40% of samples positive and 13% having multiple residues, while 27% of bee-bread and 12% of honey bee samples were contaminated. Colony losses in 2009/10 were on average 19%, with no major differences between regions of Italy. In 2009, the presence of DWV in autumn was positively correlated with colony losses. Similarly, hive mortality was higher in BQCV infected colonies in the first and second visits of the year. In 2010, colony losses were significantly related to the presence of pesticides in honey bees during the second sampling period. Honey bee exposure to poisons in spring could have a negative impact at the colony level, contributing to increase colony mortality during the beekeeping season. In both 2009 and 2010, colony mortality rates were positively related to the percentage of agricultural land surrounding apiaries, supporting the importance of land use for honey bee health.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie (DipSA), Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2903-9390
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Porrini
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, NRL for beekeeping, Legnaro (Padova), Italy.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-2903-9390
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mutinelli
authors.affiliation: CRA-API, Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bortolotti
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, NRL for beekeeping, Legnaro (Padova), Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Granato
authors.affiliation: FERA, Sand Hutton, York, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Laurenson
authors.affiliation: FERA, Sand Hutton, York, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, NRL for beekeeping, Legnaro (Padova), Italy.
authors.forename: Albino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gallina
authors.affiliation: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, NRL for beekeeping, Legnaro (Padova), Italy.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Silvester
authors.affiliation: CRA-API, Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Medrzycki
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie (DipSA), Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Renzi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie (DipSA), Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sgolastra
authors.affiliation: CRA-API, Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lodesani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D056630:Beekeeping; D001516:Bees / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D064308:Ecological Parameter Monitoring; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005843:Geography; D006304:Health Status; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D007558:Italy; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis; D011058:Pollen; D011159:Population Surveillance
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides