Search results for "honey bees"

Honeybees produce millimolar concentrations of non-neuronal acetylcholine for breeding: possible adverse effects of neonicotinoids

2016

The worldwide use of neonicotinoid pesticides has caused concern on account of their involvement in the decline of bee populations, which are key pollinators in most ecosystems. Here we describe a role of non-neuronal acetylcholine (ACh) for breeding of Apis mellifera carnica and a so far unknown effect of neonicotinoids on non-target insects. Royal jelly or larval food are produced by the hypopharyngeal gland of nursing bees and contain unusually high ACh concentrations (4–8 mM). ACh is extremely well conserved in royal jelly or brood food because of the acidic pH of 4.0. This condition protects ACh from degradation thus ensuring delivery of intact ACh to larvae. Raising the pH to ≥5.5 and…

Defensive Behavior of Honey Bees Toward Ants

1970

Determination of pesticide residues in honey bees, pollen and beeswax: assessing pesticide hazard in spanish apiaries

2020

Pollinator decline is an emerging worldwide problem with serious repercussions on agriculture and environment. Around one third of human food relies on insect pollination, and most of the flowering plants need pollinators to survive. Honey bee is the main pollinator in environments where anthropogenic pressure has reduced the number of native pollinators, like urban, rural and agricultural areas. The main cause of beekeeping crisis is parasite Varroa destructor and secondary infections associated with the mite. Pesticide contamination and nutritional deficiencies, combined with the parasite, can act synergistically and reduce survival of bee colonies. Honey bees patrol extensive areas when …

Transfer of Immunity from Mother to Offspring Is Mediated via Egg-Yolk Protein Vitellogenin.

2015

Insect immune systems can recognize specific pathogens and prime offspring immunity. High specificity of immune priming can be achieved when insect females transfer immune elicitors into developing oocytes. The molecular mechanism behind this transfer has been a mystery. Here, we establish that the egg-yolk protein vitellogenin is the carrier of immune elicitors. Using the honey bee, Apis mellifera, model system, we demonstrate with microscopy and western blotting that vitellogenin binds to bacteria, both Paenibacillus larvae – the gram-positive bacterium causing American foulbrood disease – and to Escherichia coli that represents gram-negative bacteria. Next, we verify that vitellogenin bi…