Entomology Commons^™

Association Of Excessive Precipitation And Agricultural Land Use With Honey Bee Colony Performance, Gabriela M. Quinlan, Rufus Isaacs, Clint R. V. Otto, Autumn H. Smart, Meghan O. Milbrath

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Context From landscape variables to weather, multiple environmental factors affect honey bees and other pollinators. Detailed honey bee colony assessments in a variety of landscape and weather conditions offer the opportunity to develop a mechanistic understanding of how landscape composition, configuration, and weather are associated with colony nutrition, demography, and productivity.

Objectives Our objective was to test if weather and landscape characteristics (e.g., agricultural versus forested land use) are associated with different honey bee colony outcomes (foraged nectar mass, foraged pollen mass, pupal population size, and adult population size change).

Methods We collected detailed colony measurements on over 450 honey …

Mitochondrial Dna Diversity, Parasite And Pathogen Occurrence, And A Potential Disease Vector In Managed And Unmanaged Honey Bee, Apis Mellifera L. Populations, Dylan Cleary

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The western honey bee, Apis mellifera L., is a globally important pollinator plagued by several harmful stressors impacting colony health and survival. At least eight A. mellifera subspecies were imported and continue to be the genetic ancestors of U.S. honey bee populations today. Successive genetic bottle-neck events have led to reduced genetic diversity in U.S. honey bees. First, the subset of subspecies imported into the U.S. represents only a third of A. mellifera subspecies. Next, the parasitic varroa mite reduced managed and feral populations. Third, ongoing breeding practices have selected for traits from a single genetic lineage and bred from …

Grassy–Herbaceous Land Moderates Regional Climate Effects On Honey Bee Colonies In The Northcentral Us, Gabriela M. Quinlan, Douglas Sponsler, Hannah R. Gaines-Day, Harper B G Mcminn-Sauder, Clint R V Otto, Autumn H. Smart, Théotime Colin, Claudio Gratton, Rufus Isaacs, Reed Johnson, Meghan O. Milbrath, Christina M. Grozinger

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The lack of seasonally sustained floral resources (i.e. pollen and nectar) is considered a primary global threat to pollinator health. However, the ability to predict the abundance of flowering resources for pollinators based upon climate, weather, and land cover is difficult due to insufficient monitoring over adequate spatial and temporal scales. Here we use spatiotemporally distributed honey bee hive scales that continuously measure hive weights as a standardized method to assess nectar intake. We analyze late summer colony weight gain as the response variable in a random forest regression model to determine the importance of climate, weather, and land cover …

Developing Regional Extension Programs And Research Tools For Beekeepers, Sheldon Brummel

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The body of work presented in this thesis describes the development and structure of the Regional Great Plains Master Beekeeping training program, which started in 2019, serves 1500+ beekeepers across five Midwest states (IA, KS, MO, NE, WY), and is supported through local partnerships and beekeepers. This chapter also discusses the leadership structure and aspects I developed for program advancement and long-term sustainability, such as incorporating mentorship and volunteer service goals as well as requiring independent projects to become a certified Master beekeeper. Independent projects may focus on research or teaching goals but must illustrate the candidate’s ability to apply …

Honey Bee Foraged Pollen Reveals Temporal Changes In Pollen Protein Content And Changes In Forager Choice For Abundant Versus High Protein Flowers, Gabriela Quinlan, Meghan Milbrath, Clint Otto, Autumn Smart, Deborah D. Iwanowicz, Robert Cornman, Rufus Isaacs

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Protein derived from pollen is an essential component of healthy bee diets. Protein content in honey bee foraged pollen varies temporally and spatially, but the drivers underlying this variation remain poorly characterized. We assessed the temporal and spatial variation in honey bee collected pollen in 12 Michigan apiaries over 3 summers (2015–2017). We simultaneously monitored forage in flowering habitats (uncultivated floristically-rich areas and conservation program land) near these apiaries throughout the growing season. We used these data, along with data from the literature on plant pollen protein content, to determine if honey bees collected a greater proportion of pollen from …

Women In Beekeeping: Impacts Of A Beekeeper Educational Program, Bridget Gross

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The decline in honey bee populations over the past two decades in the United States is alarming. The management provided by beekeepers to their honey bee colonies influences the survival of the colony. However, there is a lack of information on the experiences of beekeepers, specifically women beekeepers. The Center for Rural Affairs (CFRA) in Nebraska hosted the “Honey Bees on the Farm: Connecting Women Beekeepers and Women Farmers for Environmental and Economic Benefit” program that provided informal, educational events to women beekeepers and landowners. Using a convergent mixed methods design, the first research question examines the impacts of the …

Varroa Destructor Mites Vector And Transmit Pathogenic Honey Bee Viruses Acquired From An Artificial Diet, Francisco Posada-Florez, Eugene V. Ryabov, Matthew C. Heerman, Yanping Chen, Jay D. Evans, Daniel E. Sonenshine, Steven C. Cook

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructoris one of the most destructive pests of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) and the primary biotic cause of colony collapse in many regions of the world. These mites inflict physical injury on their honey bee hosts from feeding on host hemolymph and fat body cells/cellular components, and serve as the vector for deadly honey bee viruses, including Deformed wing virus (DWV) and the related Varroa destructor virus-1 (VDV-1) (i.e., DWV-like viruses). Studies focused on elucidating the dynamics of Varroa-mediated vectoring and transmission of DWV-like viruses may be confounded by viruses present in …

Effects Of Pesticide Residue Accumulation On Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera L.) Development & Implications For Hive Management, Jennifer Weisbrod

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies face annual declines of 40% in the United States. Pesticides play a role in these losses. Pesticide residues picked up from the environment as well as beekeeper-applied compounds may accumulate within the hive. The effects of pesticide accumulation in comb on bee health mitigation of accumulation have not been well-studied. To examine pesticide exposure on health and development, chlorothalonil and the amitraz metabolite N-(2,4-dimethylphenyl) formamidine (DMPF), two pesticides found in hive products, were applied to brood comb. Queen bees were caged onto treated and control comb and egg laying and development were assessed. …

The Effects Of Oral And Venereal Transmission Of Deformed Wing Virus On Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera) Queen And Colony Health, Sarah Lang

LSU Master's Theses

Honey bees are important pollinators necessary for the production of many foods. Managed honey bee colonies have been experiencing high levels of colony loss over the last decade due to a combination of different factors. Parasites, pathogens, and queen failure are repeatedly reported as major causes for colony loss, but there is little research exploring the relationship between honey bee viruses and queens. Deformed wing virus, a major honey bee virus, has a worldwide distribution, is extremely prevalent, and can infect all castes and life stages. Honey bee queens can be infected with the virus through multiple transmission routes …

Proceedings Of The 2019 American Bee Research Conference, Michael Simone-Finstrom, Elina L. Niño, Michelle L. Flenniken, Hanna Arrowsmith, Judy Wu-Smart

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The 2019 American Bee Research Conference (ABRC) was held January 10–12, 2019 in conjunction with the annual convention of the American Honey Producers Association in Tempe, AZ. Over the three-day conference, a total of 45 oral presentations and 13 poster presentations were given, representing work done from over 27 institutions and 34 different research groups from throughout the United States and Canada. This proceedings contains and overview of the conference and the submitted abstracts for presentations given at the 2018 American Bee Research Conference.

An Updated Genetic Marker For Detection Of Lake Sinai Virus And Metagenetic Applications, Deborah D. Iwanowicz, Judy Wu-Smart, Tugce Olgun, Autumn H. Smart, Clint R.V. Otto, Dawn Lopez, Jay D. Evans, Robert Cornman

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Background. Lake Sinai Viruses (LSV) are common RNA viruses of honey bees (Apis mellifera) that frequently reach high abundance but are not linked to overt disease. LSVs are genetically heterogeneous and collectively widespread, but despite frequent detection in surveys, the ecological and geographic factors structuring their distribution in A. mellifera are not understood. Even less is known about their distribution in other species. Better understanding of LSV prevalence and ecology have been hampered by high sequence diversity within the LSV clade.

Methods. Here we report a new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay that is compatible with currently known lineages with …

Proceedings Of The 2020 American Bee Research Conference, Bradley N. Metz, Judy Wu-Smart, Michael Simone-Finstrom

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The 2020 American Bee Research Conference (ABRC) was held on 9–10 January 2020 in conjunction with the annual convention of the American Beekeeping Federation Conference and Trade Show in Schaumburg, IL. Over the two-day conference, a total of 65 oral and poster presentations were given, representing work done from over 30 different research groups from throughout the United States and Canada. These proceedings contain the submitted abstracts for presentations given at the 2020 American Bee Research Conference.

Viral Prevalence Among Social Bees In Different Landscapes, Tugce Karacoban

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Honey bees and wild bees provide important pollination services to numerous crops and native plants. In recent years, declines in bee populations have highlighted the importance of the ecological services they provide and the need for more research into the reasons for their decline. Currently, many conservation efforts to mitigate bee losses include increasing forage and habitat, however, there is growing concern over the role interspecific pathogen transmission plays in bee decline. Viruses commonly found in honey bees may be transmitted and pose a threat to other bee species when bees come together at foraging sites. To elucidate the impact …

Wild, Native Bees And Managed Honey Bees Benefit From Similar Agricultural Land Uses, Elaine Evans, Matthew Smart, Dan Cariveau, Marla Spivak

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Although both managed and unmanaged bees are important pollinators of crops and wild plants, efforts to address questions about landscapes that best support pollinators often focus on either wild pollinators or honey bees. This study examined if there was concordance between the success of wild bee communities and managed honey bee colonies at sites varying in floral availability and disturbance level in a predominantly agricultural landscape. We also determined which agricultural land uses best supported wild bee communities. The study area in the state of North Dakota in Northern Great Plains in North America is home to understudied native bee …

Heterospecific Hymenoptera Found Inside The Nests Of Bombus Impatiens (Hymenoptera: Apidae)., Kelsey K. Graham

The Great Lakes Entomologist

The nests of social Hymenoptera are particularly attractive to species engaging in resource robbing due to their concentration of resources. Here, the identity of heterospecific intruders in Bombus impatiens nests are described, with a particular focus on intrusion by invasive species – Vespula germanica and Anthidium oblongatum. While V. germanica is well known as a resource robber, this is the first time Anthidium spp. have been documented entering the nest of a social heterospecific. Of 16 Bombus impatiens colonies placed in a field in Lansing, MI, eight had heterospecific intruders, including Apis mellifera, A. oblongatum, and V. …

Sequential Social Experiences Interact To Modulate Aggression But Not Brain Gene Expression In The Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera), Clare C. Rittschof

Entomology Faculty Publications

Background: In highly structured societies, individuals behave flexibly and cooperatively in order to achieve a particular group-level outcome. However, even in social species, environmental inputs can have long lasting effects on individual behavior, and variable experiences can even result in consistent individual differences and constrained behavioral flexibility. Despite the fact that such constraints on behavior could have implications for behavioral optimization at the social group level, few studies have explored how social experiences accumulate over time, and the mechanistic basis of these effects. In the current study, I evaluate how sequential social experiences affect individual and group level aggressive phenotypes, …

Sub-Lethal Effects Of Dietary Neonicotinoid Insecticide Exposure On Honey Bee Queen Fecundity And Colony Development, Judy Wu-Smart, Marla Spivak

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Many factors can negatively affect honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) health including the pervasive use of systemic neonicotinoid insecticides. Through direct consumption of contaminated nectar and pollen from treated plants, neonicotinoids can affect foraging, learning, and memory in worker bees. Less well studied are the potential effects of neonicotinoids on queen bees, which may be exposed indirectly through trophallaxis, or food-sharing. To assess effects on queen productivity, small colonies of different sizes (1500, 3000, and 7000 bees) were fed imidacloprid (0, 10, 20, 50, and 100 ppb) in syrup for three weeks. We found adverse effects of imidacloprid on queens …

Soil-Water Transport Of A Seed Coated Neonicotinoid Pesticide In Soybean/Maize Cultivation Systems, Geoffrey Nathaniel Duesterbeck

Masters Theses

The current decline of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) and other beneficial pollinator species is well documented. Several causes have been cited in this decline including: pathogens, pests, nutrition, and pesticide exposure. Since the advent of the neonicotinoid family of pesticides in the 1990’s an increase in honey bee colony loss has been observed. Neonicotinoid pesticides are commonly applied as a seed treatment to cotton, soybean and maize row crops. As the seed germinates, it absorbs the pesticide from the coating then spreads systemically throughout the entire plant. However, a large portion of the seed coating may stay …

Land-Use Change Reduces Habitat Suitability For Supporting Managed Honey Bee Colonies In The Northern Great Plains, Clint R. V. Otto, Cali L. Roth, Benjamin L. Carlson, Matthew D. Smart

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Human reliance on insect pollination services continues to increase even as pollinator populations exhibit global declines. Increased commodity crop prices and federal subsidies for biofuel crops, such as corn and soybeans, have contributed to rapid land-use change in the US Northern Great Plains (NGP), changes that may jeopardize habitat for honey bees in a part of the country that supports >40% of the US colony stock. We investigated changes in biofuel crop production and grassland land covers surrounding ~18,000 registered commercial apiaries in North and South Dakota from 2006 to 2014. We then developed habitat selection models to identify remotely …

Developing An In Vivo Toxicity Assay For Rnai Risk Assessment In Honey Bees, Apis Mellifera L, Ana María Vélez, Jessica Jurzenski, Natalie Matz, Xuguo Zhou, Haichuan Wang, Marion D. Ellis, Blair Siegfried

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Maize plants expressing dsRNA for the management of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera are likely to be commercially available by the end of this decade. Honey bees, Apis mellifera, can potentially be exposed to pollen from transformed maize expressing dsRNA. Consequently, evaluation of the biological impacts of RNAi in honey bees is a fundamental component for ecological risk assessment. The insecticidal activity of a known lethal dsRNA target for D. v. virgifera, the vATPase subunit A, was evaluated in larval and adult honey bees. Activity of both D. v. virgifera (Dvv)- and A. mellifera (Am)-specific dsRNA was tested by dietary …

Land Use In The Northern Great Plains Region Of The U.S. Influences The Survival And Productivity Of Honey Bee Colonies, Matthew D. Smart, Jeff S. Pettis, Ned Euliss, Marla S. Spivak

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The Northern Great Plains region of the US annually hosts a large portion of commercially managed U.S. honey bee colonies each summer. Changing land use patterns over the last several decades have contributed to declines in the availability of bee forage across the region, and the future sustainability of the region to support honey bee colonies is unclear. We examined the influence of varying land use on the survivorship and productivity of honey bee colonies located in six apiaries within the Northern Great Plains state of North Dakota, an area of intensive agriculture and high density of beekeeping operations. Land …

Mechanisms Of Differential Toxicity Between Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera L.) Castes With An Emphasis On Coumaphos, Lizette Dahlgren

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Acaricides are used to treat honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies to control the parasitic Varroa mite (Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman), a worldwide threat to honey bee health. As such, these compounds act as drugs to mitigate bee losses but may also stress the bees. This dissertation quantifies differences between queen and worker tolerance of five acaricides and clarifies the honey bee mechanism of tolerance for coumaphos. Selected acaricides were topically applied to adult queen and worker bees to generate dose-response curves and LD₅₀s. Twenty-four hours after treatment, queens were 3-times more tolerant of tau-fluvalinate …

Adaptive Strategies For Foraging And Their Implications For Flower Constancy, Or: Do Honey Bees Multitask?, Ashley E. Wagner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Classical experiments on honey bee time-memory showed that foragers trained to collect food at a fixed time of day return the following day with remarkable time-accuracy. Previous field experiments revealed that not all foragers return to a food source on unrewarded test days. Rather, there exist 2 subgroups: “persistent” foragers reconnoiter the source; “reticent” foragers wait in the hive for confirmation of source availability. To examine how these foragers contribute to a colony’s ability to reallocate foragers across sources with rapidly changing availabilities, foragers were trained to collect sucrose during a restricted window for several days and observed over 3 …

Evaluating Pollination Ecology Of The Endangered Pityopsis Ruthii (Small) Small (Asteraceae), Philip Anthony Moore

Masters Theses

Pityopsis ruthii (Small) Small, also known as Ruth’s golden aster, is a federally endangered herbaceous perennial, endemic to two river systems, the Hiwassee and the Ocoee, within the Cherokee National Forest, Polk County, Tennessee. There are approximately 13,000 individuals that may be at high risk of short-term extirpation (Thompson and Schwartz, 2006). Little is known of the basic reproduction and life history of P. ruthii. Clebesh and Sloan (1993), Cruzan (2001), Park (1998), and Wadl et al. (2014) found evidence that seed production and seed viability are highly variable. Clebesh and Sloan (1993) indicated that pollinator visitation was highly temporal …

Toxic And Repellent Effects Of Pyrethroids Used In Orchards On The Honey Bee, Apis Mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Erin M. Ingram

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Managed honey bee colonies provide valuable pollination services and are rented by fruit orchards to improve fruit quality and yield. The placement of colonies in this agricultural setting increases the possibility of exposure to pyrethroids used for broad-spectrum pest control in orchards. Although highly toxic to bees, pyrethroids are believed to pose a relatively low hazard due to their low application rates in the field as well as their contact repellent properties. Previous studies have noted a decrease in foraging visits following pyrethroid application possibly preventing bees from acquiring a lethal dose in the field.

This research quantified behaviors associated …

Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) As Vectors Of Bacillus Thuringiensis For Control Of Banded Sunflower Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), Jawahar L. Jyoti, Gary J. Brewer

Gary J. Brewer

A study was conducted in 1996 and 1997 to determine if honey bees, Apis mellifera L., could vector Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner variety kurstaki from hives equipped with a pathogen applicator to sunflower capitula and if the amount of B. thuringiensis deposited on the capitula would be sufficient to control the banded sunflower moth, Cochylis hospes Walsingham. The study demonstrated that honey bees became contaminated with B. thuringiensis as they exited hives equipped with filled pathogen applicators and deposited enough B. thuringiensis on the capitula to cause banded sunflower moth larval mortality. When 2 methods of applying B. thuringiensis were compared, …

Trapping And Control Of The Small Hive Beetle, Aethina Tumida, An Invasive Parasite Of Honey Bees, Apis Mellifera, Shannon Peterson

All Theses

The small hive beetle, Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), is one of the most recent honey bee pests of economic importance, especially in the southeastern United States. Various in-hive traps have been developed to attempt to control the populations of this invasive pest within honey bee colonies. The first year of my research focused on comparing the effectiveness of three commercially available traps for removing small hive beetles. Thirty-two colonies were established with 0.9-kg package bees with a queen in four apiaries. Eight colonies were placed in each apiary, each colony randomly receiving one of four treatments: the three-chambered Hood …

Comparative Toxicity Of Acaricides To Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Workers And Queens, Lizette Dahlgren, Reed M. Johnson, Blair D. Siegfried, Marion D. Ellis

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Acaricides are used to treat honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies to control the varroa mite (Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman), a worldwide threat to honey bee health. Although acaricides control a serious honey bee parasite and mitigate bee loss, they may cause harm to bees as well. We topically applied five acaricides, each with a different mode of action, to young adult queen and worker bees to generate dose-response curves and LD₅₀. Twenty-four hours after treatment, queens were found to be three times more tolerant of tau-fluvalinate and six times more tolerant of thymol than …

Lack Of Rhythmicity In The Honey Bee Queen: An Investigation Of Temporal Behavioral Patterns In Apis Mellifera Ligustica., Jennifer N. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about the behavioral patterns of honey bee queens. To determine if mated honey bee queens possess diel rhythmicity in behavior, we observed them in glass-sided observation hives using three types of observation regimes: focal studies consisting of 2-hour and 24-hour continuous observations as well as scan-sampling of multiple queens. All behaviors (active: walking, inspecting, egg-laying, begging for food, feeding, and grooming self; inactive: standing) occurred at all times of day and night, but no queen showed consistent diel rhythmicity in any of the individual behaviors. There were no consistent diel differences in active versus inactive behaviors or …

Varroa Mites And Honey Bee Health: Can Varroa Explain Part Of The Colony Losses?, Yves Le Conte, Marion D. Ellis, Wolfgang Ritter

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Since 2006, disastrous colony losses have been reported in Europe and North America. The causes of the losses were not readily apparent and have been attributed to overwintering mortalities and to a new phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder. Most scientists agree that there is no single explanation for the extensive colony losses but that interactions between different stresses are involved. As the presence of Varroa in each colony places an important pressure on bee health, we here address the question of how Varroa contributes to the recent surge in honey bee colony losses.