title: Cold Ambient Temperature Promotes Nosema spp. Intensity in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera).
abstract: Interactions between parasites and environmental factors have been implicated in the loss of managed Western honey bee (=HB,Apis mellifera) colonies. Although laboratory data suggest that cold temperature may limit the spread ofNosema ceranae, an invasive species and now ubiquitous endoparasite of Western HBs, the impact of weather conditions on the distribution of this microsporidian in the field is poorly understood. Here, we conducted a survey forNosemaspp. using 18 Swiss apiaries (four colonies per apiary) over a period of up to 18 months. Samples consisting of 60 workers were collected monthly from each colony to estimateNosemaspp. intensity, i.e., the number of spores in positive samples using microscopy. Ambient apiary temperature was measured daily to estimate the proportion of days enabling HB flight (>10 °C at midday). The results show thatNosemaspp. intensities were negatively correlated with the proportion of days enabling HB flight, thereby suggesting a significant and unexpected positive impact of cold ambient temperature on intensities, probably via regulation of defecation opportunities for infected hosts.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern 3003, Switzerland. gina.retschnig@vetsuisse.unibe.ch.|Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern 3003, Switzerland. gina.retschnig@vetsuisse.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: Gina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Retschnig
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern 3003, Switzerland. williams@auburn.edu.|Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern 3003, Switzerland. williams@auburn.edu.|Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA. williams@auburn.edu.
authors.forename: Geoffrey R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern 3003, Switzerland. annette.schneeberger@hispeed.ch.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schneeberger
authors.affiliation: Institute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern 3003, Switzerland. peter.neumann@vetsuisse.unibe.ch.|Agroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern 3003, Switzerland. peter.neumann@vetsuisse.unibe.ch.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neumann
keywords: Apis mellifera; Nosema spp.; microsporidian infection; parasite intensity; temperature; weather