Go East for Better Honey Bee Health: Apis cerana Is Faster at Hygienic Behavior than A. mellifera.
The poor health status of the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera, compared to its Eastern counterpart, Apis cerana, is remarkable. This has been attributed to lower pathogen prevalence in A. cerana colonies and to their ability to survive infestations with the ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor. These properties have been linked to an enhanced removal of dead or unhealthy immature bees by adult workers in this species. Although such hygienic behavior is known to contribute to honey bee colony health, comparative data of A. mellifera and A. cerana in performing this task are scarce. Here, we compare for the first time the removal of freeze-killed brood in one population of each species and over two seasons in China. Our results show that A. cerana was significantly faster than A. mellifera at both opening cell caps and removing freeze-killed brood. The fast detection and removal of diseased brood is likely to limit the proliferation of pathogenic agents. Given our results can be generalized to the species level, a rapid hygienic response could contribute to the better health of A. cerana. Promoting the fast detection and removal of worker brood through adapted breeding programs could further improve the social immunity of A. mellifera colonies and contribute to a better health status of the Western honey bee worldwide.
College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Zheguang
Z
Lin
Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Center, Bern, Switzerland.
Paul
P
Page
College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Li
L
Li
College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Yao
Y
Qin
College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Yingying
Y
Zhang
College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Fuliang
F
Hu
Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.|Bee Protection Laboratory, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.|Social Insect Research Group, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Peter
P
Neumann
College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Huoqing
H
Zheng
Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Center, Bern, Switzerland.|Social Insect Research Group, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Vincent
V
Dietemann
D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D005615:Freezing; D006262:Health; D013997:Time Factors