Evaluation of drone brood removal for management of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in colonies of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the northeastern United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Calderone, N W

2005-06-01

The efficacy of drone brood removal for the management of Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman in colonies of the honey bee, A. mellifera L., was evaluated. Colonies were treated with CheckMite+ in the fall of 2002. The following spring, quantities of bees and brood were equalized, but colonies were not retreated. The brood nest of each colony consisted of 18 full-depth worker combs and two full-depth drone combs. Each worker comb had drone cells. Standard management practices were used throughout the season. Colonies were randomly assigned to one of two groups. In the control group, drone combs remained in place throughout the season. In the treatment group, drone combs were removed on 16 June, 16 July, 16 August, and 16 September and replaced with empty drone combs (16 June) or with drone combs removed on the previous replacement date. In the early fall, the average mite-to-bee ratio in the control group was significantly greater than the corresponding ratio in the treatment group. Drone brood removal did not adversely affect colony health as measured by the size of the worker population or by honey production. Fall worker populations were similar in the two groups. Honey production in treatment colonies was greater than or similar to production in control colonies. These data demonstrate that drone brood removal can serve as a valuable component in an integrated pest management program for V. destructor and may reduce the need for other treatments on a colony-by-colony basis.

Host Status of Seven Weed Species and Their Effects on Ditylenchus destructor Infestation of Peanut.

Science.gov (United States)

De Waele, D; Jordaan, E M; Basson, S

1990-07-01

The host suitability to Ditylenchus destructor of seven common weed species in peanut (Arachis hypogaea) fields in South Africa was determined. Based on the number of nematodes per root unit, white goosefoot (Chenopodium album), feathertop chloris (Chloris virgata), purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus), jimson weed (Datura stramonium), goose grass (Eleusine indica), khaki weed (Tagetes minuta), and cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) were poor hosts. Ditylenchus destructor survived on all weed species; population densities increased in peanut hulls and caused severe damage to seeds of peanut grown after weeds. Roots of purple nutsedge left in the soil suppressed populations of D. destructor and root and pod development in peanut grown after the weed. However, nematode populations in peanut hulls and seeds were not suppressed. Some weed species, especially purple nutsedge which is common in peanut fields, can be used to indicate the presence of D. destructor in the absence of peanut.

Isolation of oxalotrophic bacteria associated with Varroa destructor mites.

Science.gov (United States)

Maddaloni, M; Pascual, D W

2015-11-01

Bacteria associated with varroa mites were cultivated and genotyped by 16S RNA. Under our experimental conditions, the cultivable bacteria were few in number, and most of them proved to be fastidious to grow. Cultivation with seven different media under O2 /CO2 conditions and selection for colony morphology yielded a panel of species belonging to 13 different genera grouped in two different phyla, proteobacteria and actinobacteria. This study identified one species of actinobacteria that is a known commensal of the honey bee. Some isolates are oxalotrophic, a finding that may carry ramifications into the use of oxalic acid to control the number of phoretic mites in the managed colonies of honey bees. Oxalic acid, legally or brevi manu, is widely used to control phoretic Varroa destructor mites, a major drive of current honey bees' colony losses. Unsubstantiated by sanctioned research are rumours that in certain instances oxalic acid is losing efficacy, forcing beekeepers to increase the frequency of treatments. This investigation fathoms the hypothesis that V. destructor associates with bacteria capable of degrading oxalic acid. The data show that indeed oxalotrophy, a rare trait among bacteria, is common in bacteria that we isolated from V. destructor mites. This finding may have ramifications in the use of oxalic acid as a control agent. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Biological control of Eotetranychus lewisi and Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) on strawberry by four phytoseiids (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Howell, Anna D; Daugovish, Oleg

2013-02-01

The spider mite, Eotetranychus lewisi (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae), is a new emerging pest in California commercial strawberries. The predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis (Athias-Henriot) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), typically used for biocontrol of Tetranychus urticae (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae), provided growers little to no control of E. lewisi. Four commonly used phytoseiid predatory mites: P. persimilis, Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor), N. fallacis (Garman), and Amblyseius andersoni (Chant), were used in lab studies to investigate which is best at managing E. lewisi populations. We als o investigated t he interactions between T. urticae and E. lewisi and in relation to phytoseiid efficiency given the potential for indirect effects of biocontrol. When E. lewisi and T. urticae are present on the same leaf, T. urticae populations increase and begin displacing E. lewisi. P. persimilis did not feed on E. lewisi, but the other three predatory mites consumed the spider mites and lowered their populations. When both E. lewisi and T. urticae are present on the same leaf, N. fallacis and A. andersoni fed on both types of mites equally and were capable of decreasing both populations. N. californicus fed on E. lewisi first and decreased its population, but allowed T. urticae populations to increase. P. persimilis may be insufficient at controlling E. lewisi and its use may instead enhance E. lewisi populations.

Viral epidemiology of the adult Apis Mellifera infested by the Varroa destructor mite

OpenAIRE

Bernardi, Sara; Venturino, Ezio

2016-01-01

The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor has become one of the major worldwide threats for apiculture. Varroa destructor attacks the honey bee Apis mellifera weakening its host by sucking hemolymph. However, the damage to bee colonies is not strictly related to the parasitic action of the mite but it derives, above all, from its action as vector increasing the transmission of many viral diseases such as acute paralysis (ABPV) and deformed wing viruses (DWV), that are considered among the main...

Índices de prevalencia del ácaro Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae en cuadros de cría nuevos o previamente utilizados por Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae Infestation levels of the mite Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae in new and old honeybee brood combs of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Jorge, A. Marcangeli

2007-07-01

Full Text Available El objetivo de esta investigación fue comparar los niveles de infestación de Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman en panales de cría nuevos y viejos, en colonias de la abeja criolla (híbrido de Apis mellifera mellifera (Linnaeus y Apis mellifera ligustica Spinola. El trabajo se llevó a cabo en un apiario ubicado en Coronel Vidal, provincia de Buenos Aires, durante la primavera del año 2005. Se trabajó sobre 20 colmenas tipo Langstroth, de un híbrido de Apis mellifera (Linnaeus infestadas naturalmente por el ácaro Varroa destructor, y seleccionadas al azar. En cada una de ellas se escogió un panal de 2 años (viejo que se colocó en el centro del nido de cría, junto con un panal recientemente labrado por las abejas (nuevo. Luego de que ambos cuadros fueran operculados, se los extrajo y se llevaron al laboratorio para su posterior análisis. Cada una de las celdas de cría se desoperculó e inspeccionó en busca de ácaros, registrándose el número de hembras de ácaros que habían ingresado para su reproducción, se calculó el nivel de infestación como el cociente entre el número de celdas infestadas por ácaros y el número total de celdas inspeccionadas. Los resultados mostraron que los panales viejos presentaron niveles de infestación significativamente superiores a los registrados en panales nuevos (13,52% ± 3,35 y 6,18% ± 2,12 respectivamente; t = 10,62; p = 1,9 E-9; g. l.= 19. El mismo patrón fue observado en el número promedio de ácaros por panal (443,3 ± 70,54 y 217,85 ± 51,76 para panales viejos y nuevos respectivamente; t = 23,87; p = 1,24 E-15; g. l.= 19. Los ácaros presentan una marcada preferencia por los panales viejos. Esta selección estaría guiada por olores propios de las celdas, que actuarían como atrayentes. Además, posiblemente enmascaran su presencia de esta manera y evitan así ser detectados y eliminados por las abejas nodrizas mediante los comportamientos higiénicos.The aim of this work was to

Brain metabolomic profiling of eastern honey bee (Apis cerana infested with the mite Varroa destructor.

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Jiang-Li Wu

Full Text Available The mite Varroa destructor is currently the greatest threat to apiculture as it is causing a global decrease in honey bee colonies. However, it rarely causes serious damage to its native hosts, the eastern honey bees Apis cerana. To better understand the mechanism of resistance of A. cerana against the V. destructor mite, we profiled the metabolic changes that occur in the honey bee brain during V. destructor infestation. Brain samples were collected from infested and control honey bees and then measured using an untargeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS-based global metabolomics method, in which 7918 and 7462 ions in ESI+ and ESI- mode, respectively, were successfully identified. Multivariate statistical analyses were applied, and 64 dysregulated metabolites, including fatty acids, amino acids, carboxylic acid, and phospholipids, amongst others, were identified. Pathway analysis further revealed that linoleic acid metabolism; propanoate metabolism; and glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism were acutely perturbed. The data obtained in this study offer insight into the defense mechanisms of A. cerana against V. destructor mites and provide a better method for understanding the synergistic effects of parasitism on honey bee colonies.

Winter Survival of Individual Honey Bees and Honey Bee Colonies Depends on Level of Varroa destructor Infestation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dooremalen, van C.; Gerritsen, L.J.M.; Cornelissen, B.; Steen, van der J.J.M.; Langevelde, van F.; Blacquiere, T.

2012-01-01

Background: Recent elevated winter loss of honey bee colonies is a major concern. The presence of the mite Varroa destructor in colonies places an important pressure on bee health. V. destructor shortens the lifespan of individual bees, while long lifespan during winter is a primary requirement to

Challenges for developing biopesticides against Varroa destructor (Mesostigamata: Varroidae)

Science.gov (United States)

Control of the major pest of apiculture, the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor, using biopesticides would resolve many of the problems experienced with other forms of control, such as chemical control, hive manipulation or selection of resistant strains. Several research groups have developed and...

Interaction between Varroa destructor and imidacloprid reduces flight capacity of honeybees

Science.gov (United States)

Blanken, Lisa J.; van Dooremalen, Coby

2015-01-01

Current high losses of honeybees seriously threaten crop pollination. Whereas parasite exposure is acknowledged as an important cause of these losses, the role of insecticides is controversial. Parasites and neonicotinoid insecticides reduce homing success of foragers (e.g. by reduced orientation), but it is unknown whether they negatively affect flight capacity. We investigated how exposing colonies to the parasitic mite Varroa destructor and the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid affect flight capacity of foragers. Flight distance, time and speed of foragers were measured in flight mills to assess the relative and interactive effects of high V. destructor load and a field-realistic, chronic sub-lethal dose of imidacloprid. Foragers from colonies exposed to high levels of V. destructor flew shorter distances, with a larger effect when also exposed to imidacloprid. Bee body mass partly explained our results as bees were heavier when exposed to these stressors, possibly due to an earlier onset of foraging. Our findings contribute to understanding of interacting stressors that can explain colony losses. Reduced flight capacity decreases the food-collecting ability of honeybees and may hamper the use of precocious foraging as a coping mechanism during colony (nutritional) stress. Ineffective coping mechanisms may lead to destructive cascading effects and subsequent colony collapse. PMID:26631559

Host Status of Seven Weed Species and Their Effects on Ditylenchus destructor Infestation of Peanut

OpenAIRE

De Waele, D.; Jordaan, Elizabeth M.; Basson, Selmaré

1990-01-01

The host suitability to Ditylenchus destructor of seven common weed species in peanut (Arachis hypogaea) fields in South Africa was determined. Based on the number of nematodes per root unit, white goosefoot (Chenopodium album), feathertop chloris (Chloris virgata), purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus), jimson weed (Datura stramonium), goose grass (Eleusine indica), khaki weed (Tagetes minuta), and cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) were poor hosts. Ditylenchus destructor survived on all weed spec...

Winter Survival of Individual Honey Bees and Honey Bee Colonies Depends on Level of Varroa destructor Infestation

Science.gov (United States)

van Dooremalen, Coby; Gerritsen, Lonne; Cornelissen, Bram; van der Steen, Jozef J. M.; van Langevelde, Frank; Blacquière, Tjeerd

2012-01-01

Background Recent elevated winter loss of honey bee colonies is a major concern. The presence of the mite Varroa destructor in colonies places an important pressure on bee health. V. destructor shortens the lifespan of individual bees, while long lifespan during winter is a primary requirement to survive until the next spring. We investigated in two subsequent years the effects of different levels of V. destructor infestation during the transition from short-lived summer bees to long-lived winter bees on the lifespan of individual bees and the survival of bee colonies during winter. Colonies treated earlier in the season to reduce V. destructor infestation during the development of winter bees were expected to have longer bee lifespan and higher colony survival after winter. Methodology/Principal Findings Mite infestation was reduced using acaricide treatments during different months (July, August, September, or not treated). We found that the number of capped brood cells decreased drastically between August and November, while at the same time, the lifespan of the bees (marked cohorts) increased indicating the transition to winter bees. Low V. destructor infestation levels before and during the transition to winter bees resulted in an increase in lifespan of bees and higher colony survival compared to colonies that were not treated and that had higher infestation levels. A variety of stress-related factors could have contributed to the variation in longevity and winter survival that we found between years. Conclusions/Significance This study contributes to theory about the multiple causes for the recent elevated colony losses in honey bees. Our study shows the correlation between long lifespan of winter bees and colony loss in spring. Moreover, we show that colonies treated earlier in the season had reduced V. destructor infestation during the development of winter bees resulting in longer bee lifespan and higher colony survival after winter. PMID:22558421

New species of Uropodina from Madagascar (Acari: Mesostigmata)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kontschán, J.; Starý, Josef

2014-01-01

Roč. 3895, č. 4 (2014), s. 547-569 ISSN 1175-5326 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Acari * Mesostigmata * Uropodina * new genus * new species * Madagascar Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 0.906, year: 2014

Honey bee Apis mellifera parasites in the absence of Nosema ceranae fungi and Varroa destructor mites.

Science.gov (United States)

Shutler, Dave; Head, Krista; Burgher-MacLellan, Karen L; Colwell, Megan J; Levitt, Abby L; Ostiguy, Nancy; Williams, Geoffrey R

2014-01-01

Few areas of the world have western honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies that are free of invasive parasites Nosema ceranae (fungi) and Varroa destructor (mites). Particularly detrimental is V. destructor; in addition to feeding on host haemolymph, these mites are important vectors of several viruses that are further implicated as contributors to honey bee mortality around the world. Thus, the biogeography and attendant consequences of viral communities in the absence of V. destructor are of significant interest. The island of Newfoundland, Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, is free of V. destructor; the absence of N. ceranae has not been confirmed. Of 55 Newfoundland colonies inspected visually for their strength and six signs of disease, only K-wing had prevalence above 5% (40/55 colonies = 72.7%). Similar to an earlier study, screenings again confirmed the absence of V. destructor, small hive beetles Aethina tumida (Murray), tracheal mites Acarapis woodi (Rennie), and Tropilaelaps spp. ectoparasitic mites. Of a subset of 23 colonies screened molecularly for viruses, none had Israeli acute paralysis virus, Kashmir bee virus, or sacbrood virus. Sixteen of 23 colonies (70.0%) were positive for black queen cell virus, and 21 (91.3%) had some evidence for deformed wing virus. No N. ceranae was detected in molecular screens of 55 colonies, although it is possible extremely low intensity infections exist; the more familiar N. apis was found in 53 colonies (96.4%). Under these conditions, K-wing was associated (positively) with colony strength; however, viruses and N. apis were not. Furthermore, black queen cell virus was positively and negatively associated with K-wing and deformed wing virus, respectively. Newfoundland honey bee colonies are thus free of several invasive parasites that plague operations in other parts of the world, and they provide a unique research arena to study independent pathology of the parasites that are present.

Two new Uropodina species from Ethiopia (Acari: Mesostigmata)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kontschán, J.; Starý, Josef

2013-01-01

Roč. 54, č. 1 (2013), s. 49-56 ISSN 1681-5556 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60660521 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Acari * Uropodina * Afrotropical * Ethiopia * new species * new synonymy Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 0.500, year: 2013

Varroa destructor virus 1: a new picorna-like virus in Varroa mites as well as honey bees

OpenAIRE

Ongus, J.R.

2006-01-01

Varroa destructor mite is an ectoparasite of the honey bee Apis mellifera. This species was recently differentiated from Varroa jacobsoni species which infests the Asian bee Apis cerana. Varroa mites feed entirely on the bee's haemolymph and have been associated with the spread of a number of viruses. Since the mites were first observed in Java, Indonesia in 1904, they have been reported in most regions of the world except Australia and the equatorial regions of Africa. V. destructor severely...

New Uropodina species and records from Malaysia (Acari: Mesostigmata)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kontschán, J.; Starý, Josef

2012-01-01

Roč. 58, č. 2 (2012), s. 177-192 ISSN 1217-8837 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60660521 Keywords : Acari * new records * new species * Malaysia Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 0.472, year: 2012

The Ditylenchus destructor genome provides new insights into the evolution of plant parasitic nematodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Jinshui; Peng, Donghai; Chen, Ling; Liu, Hualin; Chen, Feng; Xu, Mengci; Ju, Shouyong; Ruan, Lifang; Sun, Ming

2016-07-27

Plant-parasitic nematodes were found in 4 of the 12 clades of phylum Nematoda. These nematodes in different clades may have originated independently from their free-living fungivorous ancestors. However, the exact evolutionary process of these parasites is unclear. Here, we sequenced the genome sequence of a migratory plant nematode, Ditylenchus destructor We performed comparative genomics among the free-living nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans and all the plant nematodes with genome sequences available. We found that, compared with C. elegans, the core developmental control processes underwent heavy reduction, though most signal transduction pathways were conserved. We also found D. destructor contained more homologies of the key genes in the above processes than the other plant nematodes. We suggest that Ditylenchus spp. may be an intermediate evolutionary history stage from free-living nematodes that feed on fungi to obligate plant-parasitic nematodes. Based on the facts that D. destructor can feed on fungi and has a relatively short life cycle, and that it has similar features to both C. elegans and sedentary plant-parasitic nematodes from clade 12, we propose it as a new model to study the biology, biocontrol of plant nematodes and the interaction between nematodes and plants. © 2016 The Author(s).

Gene-knockdown in the honey bee mite Varroa destructor by a non-invasive approach: studies on a glutathione S-transferase

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Campbell Ewan M

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The parasitic mite Varroa destructor is considered the major pest of the European honey bee (Apis mellifera and responsible for declines in honey bee populations worldwide. Exploiting the full potential of gene sequences becoming available for V. destructor requires adaptation of modern molecular biology approaches to this non-model organism. Using a mu-class glutathione S-transferase (VdGST-mu1 as a candidate gene we investigated the feasibility of gene knockdown in V. destructor by double-stranded RNA-interference (dsRNAi. Results Intra-haemocoelic injection of dsRNA-VdGST-mu1 resulted in 97% reduction in VdGST-mu1 transcript levels 48 h post-injection compared to mites injected with a bolus of irrelevant dsRNA (LacZ. This gene suppression was maintained to, at least, 72 h. Total GST catalytic activity was reduced by 54% in VdGST-mu1 gene knockdown mites demonstrating the knockdown was effective at the translation step as well as the transcription steps. Although near total gene knockdown was achieved by intra-haemocoelic injection, only half of such treated mites survived this traumatic method of dsRNA administration and less invasive methods were assessed. V. destructor immersed overnight in 0.9% NaCl solution containing dsRNA exhibited excellent reduction in VdGST-mu1 transcript levels (87% compared to mites immersed in dsRNA-LacZ. Importantly, mites undergoing the immersion approach had greatly improved survival (75-80% over 72 h, approaching that of mites not undergoing any treatment. Conclusions Our findings on V. destructor are the first report of gene knockdown in any mite species and demonstrate that the small size of such organisms is not a major impediment to applying gene knockdown approaches to the study of such parasitic pests. The immersion in dsRNA solution method provides an easy, inexpensive, relatively high throughput method of gene silencing suitable for studies in V. destructor, other small mites and

Risk factors associated with the presence of Varroa destructor in honey bee colonies from east-central Argentina.

Science.gov (United States)

Giacobino, A; Bulacio Cagnolo, N; Merke, J; Orellano, E; Bertozzi, E; Masciangelo, G; Pietronave, H; Salto, C; Signorini, M

2014-08-01

Varroa destructor is considered one of the major threats for worldwide apiculture. Damage caused by varroa mite includes body weight loss, malformation and weakening of the bees. It was also suggested as the main cause associated with colony winter mortality and as an important vector for several honey bee viruses. Little is known about multiple factors and their interaction affecting V. destructor prevalence in apiaries from South America. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with V. destructor prevalence in east-central Argentina. Parasitic mite infestation level and colony strength measures were evaluated in 63 apiaries distributed in 4 different regions in east-central Argentina in a cross sectional study. Data regarding management practices in each apiary were collected by means of a questionnaire. A mixed-effects logistic regression model was constructed to associate management variables with the risk of achieving mite infestation higher than 3%. Colonies owned by beekeepers who indicated that they did not monitor colonies after mite treatment (OR=2.305; 95% CI: 0.944-5.629) nor disinfect hives woodenware material (OR=2.722; 95% CI: 1.380-5.565) were associated with an increased risk of presenting high intensity infestation with V. destructor (>3%). On the other hand, beekeepers who reported replacing more than 50% of the queens in their operation (OR=0.305; 95% CI: 0.107-0.872), feeding colonies protein substitute containing natural pollen (OR=0.348; 95% CI: 0.129-0.941) and feeding colonies High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) (OR=0.108; 95% CI: 0.032-0.364), had colonies that were less likely to have V. destructor infestations above 3%, than beekeepers who did not report using these management practices. Further research should be conducted considering that certain management practices were associated to mite infestation level in order to improve the sanitary condition in the colonies. Epidemiological studies provide key information to

Expression and Activity of Lysozyme in Apis Mellifera Carnica Brood Infested with Varroa Destructor

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Zaobidna Ewa A.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Varroa destructor is a parasitic mite that attacks the honey bee, and previous studies have suggested that parasitosis caused by this mite is accompanied by immunosuppresion in the host. In this study, the effect of mite infestation on the expression of the lysozyme-1 (lys-1 gene and lysozyme activity in Apis mellifera carnica was determined. The experiment was carried out on the five developmental stages of honey bee workers and drones. Developmental and gender-related differences in gene expression and lysozyme activity were observed in a Varroa destructor-infested brood. The relative expression of the lys-1 gene increased in a infested worker brood and decreased in a drone brood except for P3 pupae. In the final stage of development, the lys-1 gene expression was significantly lower in infested newly emerged workers and drones. Changes in the relative expression of the lys-1 gene in infested individuals was poorly manifested at the level of enzyme activity, whereas at the two final stages of development (P5 and I there was a positive correlation between relative lys-1 expression and lysozyme activity in infested bees of both genders (r=0.988, r=0.999, respectively. The results of this study indicate that V. destructor influences the lysozyme-linked immune response in bees.

Varroa destructor Mites Can Nimbly Climb from Flowers onto Foraging Honey Bees.

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David T Peck

Full Text Available Varroa destructor, the introduced parasite of European honey bees associated with massive colony deaths, spreads readily through populations of honey bee colonies, both managed colonies living crowded together in apiaries and wild colonies living widely dispersed in natural settings. Mites are hypothesized to spread between most managed colonies via phoretically riding forager bees when they engage in robbing colonies or they drift between hives. However, widely spaced wild colonies show Varroa infestation despite limited opportunities for robbing and little or no drifting of bees between colonies. Both wild and managed colonies may also exchange mites via another mechanism that has received remarkably little attention or study: floral transmission. The present study tested the ability of mites to infest foragers at feeders or flowers. We show that Varroa destructor mites are highly capable of phoretically infesting foraging honey bees, detail the mechanisms and maneuvers by which they do so, and describe mite behaviors post-infestation.

Varroa destructor Mites Can Nimbly Climb from Flowers onto Foraging Honey Bees

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Michael L.; Seeley, Thomas D.

2016-01-01

Varroa destructor, the introduced parasite of European honey bees associated with massive colony deaths, spreads readily through populations of honey bee colonies, both managed colonies living crowded together in apiaries and wild colonies living widely dispersed in natural settings. Mites are hypothesized to spread between most managed colonies via phoretically riding forager bees when they engage in robbing colonies or they drift between hives. However, widely spaced wild colonies show Varroa infestation despite limited opportunities for robbing and little or no drifting of bees between colonies. Both wild and managed colonies may also exchange mites via another mechanism that has received remarkably little attention or study: floral transmission. The present study tested the ability of mites to infest foragers at feeders or flowers. We show that Varroa destructor mites are highly capable of phoretically infesting foraging honey bees, detail the mechanisms and maneuvers by which they do so, and describe mite behaviors post-infestation. PMID:27942015

Varroa destructor Mites Can Nimbly Climb from Flowers onto Foraging Honey Bees.

Science.gov (United States)

Peck, David T; Smith, Michael L; Seeley, Thomas D

2016-01-01

Varroa destructor, the introduced parasite of European honey bees associated with massive colony deaths, spreads readily through populations of honey bee colonies, both managed colonies living crowded together in apiaries and wild colonies living widely dispersed in natural settings. Mites are hypothesized to spread between most managed colonies via phoretically riding forager bees when they engage in robbing colonies or they drift between hives. However, widely spaced wild colonies show Varroa infestation despite limited opportunities for robbing and little or no drifting of bees between colonies. Both wild and managed colonies may also exchange mites via another mechanism that has received remarkably little attention or study: floral transmission. The present study tested the ability of mites to infest foragers at feeders or flowers. We show that Varroa destructor mites are highly capable of phoretically infesting foraging honey bees, detail the mechanisms and maneuvers by which they do so, and describe mite behaviors post-infestation.

Taxa de Infestação da Varroa destructor em colônias de Apis mellifera L. no Agreste Meridional de Pernambuco

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Deygnon Cavalcanti Clementino

2016-08-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho teve como objetivo verificar a taxa de infestação da Varroa destructor em colônias de Apis mellifera L. proveniente de apiário no município de Lagoa do Ouro, Agreste Meridional de Pernambuco. A pesquisa foi realizada no mês de setembro de 2015. Participaram do estudo 15 colônias, em que foram coletadas em média 227 abelhas adultas de cada colmeia e acondicionadas em recipientes contendo álcool a 70%. Após as coletas a campo, as amostras foram transportadas para o laboratório de Biologia Animal da Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco/Unidade Acadêmica de Garanhuns, para a realização das análises e quantificação dos ácaros. Os resultados demonstraram que 100% das amostras estavam parasitadas com o ácaro, sendo que a média geral da taxa de infestação foi de 6,16%. O grau de infestação pela Varroa destructor observado nas colônias variou de 0,93% a 11,15%. Conclui-se que as colônias analisadas apresentam diferentes níveis de infestação pelo ácaro Varroa destructor.Infestation rate of Varroa destructor in Apis mellifera L. colonies in the South Agreste of PernambucoAbstract: This study aimed to verify the infestation rate of Varroa destructor in Apis mellifera L. colonies in the apiary from Lagoa do Ouro County, South Agreste of Pernambuco. The survey was conducted in September 2015. The study included 15 colonies, which were collected on average 227 adult bees in each hive and placed in vials containing 70% alcohol. After harvesting the field, the samples were transported to the Animal Biology Laboratory at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco/Academic Unit of Garanhuns, to perform the analysis and quantification of mites. The results showed that 100% of the samples were infested with mites, and the overall average infestation rate was 6.16%. The degree of infestation by Varroa destructor observed in colonies ranged from 0.93% to 11.15%. It is concluded that the analyzed colonies have

Immunogene and viral transcript dynamics during parasitic Varroa destructor mite infection of developing honey bee (Apis mellifera) pupae.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuster, Ryan D; Boncristiani, Humberto F; Rueppell, Olav

2014-05-15

The ectoparasitic Varroa destructor mite is a major contributor to the ongoing honey bee health crisis. Varroa interacts with honey bee viruses, exacerbating their pathogenicity. In addition to vectoring viruses, immunosuppression of the developing honey bee hosts by Varroa has been proposed to explain the synergy between viruses and mites. However, the evidence for honey bee immune suppression by V. destructor is contentious. We systematically studied the quantitative effects of experimentally introduced V. destructor mites on immune gene expression at five specific time points during the development of the honey bee hosts. Mites reproduced normally and were associated with increased titers of deformed wing virus in the developing bees. Our data on different immune genes show little evidence for immunosuppression of honey bees by V. destructor. Experimental wounding of developing bees increases relative immune gene expression and deformed wing virus titers. Combined, these results suggest that mite feeding activity itself and not immunosuppression may contribute to the synergy between viruses and mites. However, our results also suggest that increased expression of honey bee immune genes decreases mite reproductive success, which may be explored to enhance mite control strategies. Finally, our expression data for multiple immune genes across developmental time and different experimental treatments indicates co-regulation of several of these genes and thus improves our understanding of the understudied honey bee immune system. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

EFFICIENCY OF FORMING NUCLEUS COLONIES IN ORDER TO DECREASE POPULATION OF Varroa destructor (ANDRESON AND TRUEMAN, 2000 IN BEEHIVES

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Zlatko Puškadija

2003-12-01

Full Text Available Forming of nucleus colonies is efficient method in growth control of Varroa destructor population. Its goal is to decrease parasite’s pressure on bee colony. The advantage of this bio-technical measurement lays in its implement during vegetation season which delays use of the chemical resources for Varroa destructor control population in beehives for the post major honey harvest period. Nucleus colonies were formed from approx. half of sealed brood (35.5 ± 5.8 dm² and average of 5915 ± 912 bees. Results showed that there were 37.2 ± 5.6% mites removed from parental colonies. Minimum was 30.8%, and maximum was 45.5%. Due to such relatively small efficiency, this method cannot be recommended as unique, but it can be effective if it is applied in the post spring's honey harvest period as a part of growth reduction strategy of Varroa destructor population in beehive.

New records of water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Halacaroidea) from Patagonia (Chile)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pešić, V.; Smit, H.; Datry, T.

2010-01-01

New records of water mite species (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Halacaroidea) from Patagonia (Southern Chile) are reported. Four species, Anisitsiellides australis Smit, 2002, Peregrinacarus falklandensis Bartsch, 2001, Lobohalacarus weberi (Romijn & Viets, 1924) and Soldanellonyx monardi Walter, 1919 are

Inside Honeybee Hives: Impact of Natural Propolis on the Ectoparasitic Mite Varroa destructor and Viruses.

Science.gov (United States)

Drescher, Nora; Klein, Alexandra-Maria; Neumann, Peter; Yañez, Orlando; Leonhardt, Sara D

2017-02-06

Social immunity is a key factor for honeybee health, including behavioral defense strategies such as the collective use of antimicrobial plant resins (propolis). While laboratory data repeatedly show significant propolis effects, field data are scarce, especially at the colony level. Here, we investigated whether propolis, as naturally deposited in the nests, can protect honeybees against ectoparasitic mites Varroa destructor and associated viruses, which are currently considered the most serious biological threat to European honeybee subspecies, Apis mellifera , globally. Propolis intake of 10 field colonies was manipulated by either reducing or adding freshly collected propolis. Mite infestations, titers of deformed wing virus (DWV) and sacbrood virus (SBV), resin intake, as well as colony strength were recorded monthly from July to September 2013. We additionally examined the effect of raw propolis volatiles on mite survival in laboratory assays. Our results showed no significant effects of adding or removing propolis on mite survival and infestation levels. However, in relation to V. destructor , DWV titers increased significantly less in colonies with added propolis than in propolis-removed colonies, whereas SBV titers were similar. Colonies with added propolis were also significantly stronger than propolis-removed colonies. These findings indicate that propolis may interfere with the dynamics of V. destructor -transmitted viruses, thereby further emphasizing the importance of propolis for honeybee health.

Inside Honeybee Hives: Impact of Natural Propolis on the Ectoparasitic Mite Varroa destructor and Viruses

Science.gov (United States)

Drescher, Nora; Klein, Alexandra-Maria; Neumann, Peter; Yañez, Orlando; Leonhardt, Sara D.

2017-01-01

Social immunity is a key factor for honeybee health, including behavioral defense strategies such as the collective use of antimicrobial plant resins (propolis). While laboratory data repeatedly show significant propolis effects, field data are scarce, especially at the colony level. Here, we investigated whether propolis, as naturally deposited in the nests, can protect honeybees against ectoparasitic mites Varroa destructor and associated viruses, which are currently considered the most serious biological threat to European honeybee subspecies, Apis mellifera, globally. Propolis intake of 10 field colonies was manipulated by either reducing or adding freshly collected propolis. Mite infestations, titers of deformed wing virus (DWV) and sacbrood virus (SBV), resin intake, as well as colony strength were recorded monthly from July to September 2013. We additionally examined the effect of raw propolis volatiles on mite survival in laboratory assays. Our results showed no significant effects of adding or removing propolis on mite survival and infestation levels. However, in relation to V. destructor, DWV titers increased significantly less in colonies with added propolis than in propolis-removed colonies, whereas SBV titers were similar. Colonies with added propolis were also significantly stronger than propolis-removed colonies. These findings indicate that propolis may interfere with the dynamics of V. destructor-transmitted viruses, thereby further emphasizing the importance of propolis for honeybee health. PMID:28178181

The predatory mite Neoseiulus womersleyi (Acari: Phytoseiidae) follows extracts of trails left by the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Shinmen, Tsubasa; Yano, Shuichi; Osakabe, Mh

2010-10-01

As it walks, the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) spins a trail of silk threads, that is followed by the predatory mite, Neoseiulus womersleyi Schicha (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Starved adult female N. womersleyi followed T. urticae trails laid down by five T. urticae females but did not follow a trail of one T. urticae female, suggesting that the amount of spun threads and their chemical components should correlate positively with the number of T. urticae individuals. To examine whether chemical components of T. urticae trails are responsible for the predatory mite's trail following, we collected separate T. urticae threads from the exuviae and eggs, and then washed the threads with methanol to separate chemical components from physical attributes of the threads. Female N. womersleyi did not follow T. urticae trails that had been washed with methanol but contained physical residues, but they did follow the direction to which the methanol extracts of the T. urticae trails was applied. These results suggest that the predatory mite follows chemical, not physical, attributes of T. urticae trails.

Índices de prevalencia del ácaro Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae en cuadros de cría nuevos o previamente utilizados por Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Jorge, A. MARCANGELI

2007-01-01

Full Text Available El objetivo de esta investigación fue comparar los niveles de infestación de Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman en panales de cría nuevos y viejos, en colonias de la abeja criolla (híbrido de Apis mellifera mellifera (Linnaeus y Apis mellifera ligustica Spinola. El trabajo se llevó a cabo en un apiario ubicado en Coronel Vidal, provincia de Buenos Aires, durante la primavera del año 2005. Se trabajó sobre 20 colmenas tipo Langstroth, de un híbrido de Apis mellifera (Linnaeus infestadas naturalmente por el ácaro Varroa destructor, y seleccionadas al azar. En cada una de ellas se escogió un panal de 2 años (viejo que se colocó en el centro del nido de cría, junto con un panal recientemente labrado por las abejas (nuevo. Luego de que ambos cuadros fueran operculados, se los extrajo y se llevaron al laboratorio para su posterior análisis. Cada una de las celdas de cría se desoperculó e inspeccionó en busca de ácaros, registrándose el número de hembras de ácaros que habían ingresado para su reproducción, se calculó el nivel de infestación como el cociente entre el número de celdas infestadas por ácaros y el número total de celdas inspeccionadas. Los resultados mostraron que los panales viejos presentaron niveles de infestación significativamente superiores a los registrados en panales nuevos (13,52% ± 3,35 y 6,18% ± 2,12 respectivamente; t = 10,62; p = 1,9 E-9; g. l.= 19. El mismo patrón fue observado en el número promedio de ácaros por panal (443,3 ± 70,54 y 217,85 ± 51,76 para panales viejos y nuevos respectivamente; t = 23,87; p = 1,24 E-15; g. l.= 19. Los ácaros presentan una marcada preferencia por los panales viejos. Esta selección estaría guiada por olores propios de las celdas, que actuarían como atrayentes. Además, posiblemente enmascaran su presencia de esta manera y evitan así ser detectados y eliminados por las abejas nodrizas mediante los comportamientos higiénicos.

A new genus and species Mangalaus krishianusandhanus (Acari: Eriophyidae) from India

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Mangalaus ikrishianusandhanus n. gen., n. sp., (Acari: Prostigmata: Eriophyoidea), collected from erineum on the underside of leaves of Cordia dichotoma (Boraginaceae) is described and illustrated from specimens collected at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in New Delhi, India....

Particularité du traitement à l'acide formique de varroa destructor ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Varroa destructor est un acarien parasite de l'abeille responsable d'un affaiblissement de la colonie et suspecté d'être impliqué dans les processus de mortalités hivernales. Pour contrôler ce parasite, plusieurs scientifiques et apiculteurs ont eu recours aux produits chimiques. En dépit de leur efficacité, la répétition de ces ...

A large parasitengonid mite (Acari, Erythraeoidea from the Early Cretaceous Crato Formation of Brazil

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J. A. Dunlop

2007-08-01

Full Text Available A new large, fossil mite (Arachnida: Acari, Pararainbowia martilli n. gen. n. sp., is described from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian Crato Formation from Ceará State, Brazil. It is assigned to the Cohort Parasitengona and the superfamily Erythraeoidea, some extant members of which can reach up to seven millimetres in body length. Given that doubts have been raised about the identity of putative Crato feather mite eggs, this new fossil represents the first unequivocal record of Acari from the Crato Formation, the first non-amber record of an erythraeoid mite and the oldest named example of this superfamily. Fossil erythraeoids from Mesozoic and Tertiary ambers are briefly reviewed – including a widely overlooked Late Cretaceous species – with comments on Mesozoic mites in general. Thirteen Baltic amber erythraeoids have been formally described, but much unstudied material from various amber sources remains. Ein neues großes Milbenfossil (Arachnida: Acari, Pararainbowia martilli n. gen. n. sp., wird aus der Crato Formation (Unterkreide, Aptium des Ceará Gebietes in Brasilien beschrieben. Es wird der Kohorte Parasitengona und der Überfamilie Erythraeoidea zugeordnet; die modernen Vertreter erreichen eine Körperlänge bis zu sieben mm. Weil die Identität von Federmilbeneiern aus der Crato Formation in Frage gestellt wurde, ist dieser Neufund der erste klare Hinweis von Acari aus der Crato Formation. Es ist die erste erythraeoide Milbe, die nicht aus dem Bernstein stammt sowie das älteste genannte Beispiel dieser Überfamilie. Fossile erythraeoide Milben aus dem Bernstein des Mesozoikum und des Tertiärs werden kurz zusammengefasst – u. a. eine weitgehend übersehene Art aus der Oberkreide – mit allgemeinen Anmerkungen zu den mesozoischen Milben. Dreizehn erythraeoide Milbenarten sind aus dem baltischen Bernstein genannt und beschrieben worden, aber weiteres unbearbeitetes Material von verschiedenen Bernstein-Fundpunkten liegt noch vor

First report of Aculops lycopersici (Tryon, 1917 (Acari: Eriophyidae on Pepino in Turkey

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Rana Akyazi

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The tomato russet mite, Aculops lycopersici (Tryon, 1917 (Acari: Eriophyidae is reported for the first time on Pepino (Solanum muricatum Aiton in Ordu and Samsun provinces in Turkey.

Norwegian honey bees surviving Varroa destructor mite infestations by means of natural selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Oddie, Melissa A Y; Dahle, Bjørn; Neumann, Peter

2017-01-01

Managed, feral and wild populations of European honey bee subspecies, Apis mellifera , are currently facing severe colony losses globally. There is consensus that the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor , that switched hosts from the Eastern honey bee Apis cerana to the Western honey bee A. mellifera , is a key factor driving these losses. For >20 years, breeding efforts have not produced European honey bee colonies that can survive infestations without the need for mite control. However, at least three populations of European honey bees have developed this ability by means of natural selection and have been surviving for >10 years without mite treatments. Reduced mite reproductive success has been suggested as a key factor explaining this natural survival. Here, we report a managed A. mellifera population in Norway, that has been naturally surviving consistent V. destructor infestations for >17 years. Surviving colonies and local susceptible controls were evaluated for mite infestation levels, mite reproductive success and two potential mechanisms explaining colony survival: grooming of adult worker bees and Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH): adult workers specifically detecting and removing mite-infested brood. Mite infestation levels were significantly lower in surviving colonies and mite reproductive success was reduced by 30% when compared to the controls. No significant differences were found between surviving and control colonies for either grooming or VSH. Our data confirm that reduced mite reproductive success seems to be a key factor for natural survival of infested A. mellifera colonies. However, neither grooming nor VSH seem to explain colony survival. Instead, other behaviors of the adult bees seem to be sufficient to hinder mite reproductive success, because brood for this experiment was taken from susceptible donor colonies only. To mitigate the global impact of V. destructor , we suggest learning more from nature, i.e., identifying the obviously

Norwegian honey bees surviving Varroa destructor mite infestations by means of natural selection

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Melissa A.Y. Oddie

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background Managed, feral and wild populations of European honey bee subspecies, Apis mellifera, are currently facing severe colony losses globally. There is consensus that the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor, that switched hosts from the Eastern honey bee Apis cerana to the Western honey bee A. mellifera, is a key factor driving these losses. For >20 years, breeding efforts have not produced European honey bee colonies that can survive infestations without the need for mite control. However, at least three populations of European honey bees have developed this ability by means of natural selection and have been surviving for >10 years without mite treatments. Reduced mite reproductive success has been suggested as a key factor explaining this natural survival. Here, we report a managed A. mellifera population in Norway, that has been naturally surviving consistent V. destructor infestations for >17 years. Methods Surviving colonies and local susceptible controls were evaluated for mite infestation levels, mite reproductive success and two potential mechanisms explaining colony survival: grooming of adult worker bees and Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH: adult workers specifically detecting and removing mite-infested brood. Results Mite infestation levels were significantly lower in surviving colonies and mite reproductive success was reduced by 30% when compared to the controls. No significant differences were found between surviving and control colonies for either grooming or VSH. Discussion Our data confirm that reduced mite reproductive success seems to be a key factor for natural survival of infested A. mellifera colonies. However, neither grooming nor VSH seem to explain colony survival. Instead, other behaviors of the adult bees seem to be sufficient to hinder mite reproductive success, because brood for this experiment was taken from susceptible donor colonies only. To mitigate the global impact of V. destructor, we suggest learning

New records of Acari from the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Marshall, D.J.; Gremmen, N.J.M.; Coetzee, L.; Oconnor, B.M.; Pugh, P.J.A.; Theron, P.D.; Ueckermann, E.A.

1999-01-01

Sixty species of Acari are recorded from the sub-Antarctic Marion and Prince Edward Islands (the Prince Edward archipelago). Twenty of the 45 species collected on recent expeditions are new and currently undescribed. Other new taxa include a family of Mesostigmata, four new genera, and the first

Three new .i.Trachyuropoda./i. (Acari: Uropodina: Trachyuropodidae) species from the Neotropical region

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kontschán, J.; Starý, Josef

2013-01-01

Roč. 37, č. 1 (2013), s. 7-14 ISSN 1300-0179 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Acari * Uropodina * Trachyuropoda * Galápagos Islands Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 0.585, year: 2013

Varroa destructor induces changes in the expression of immunity-related genes during the development of Apis mellifera worker and drone broods.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaobidna, Ewa A; Żółtowska, Krystyna; Łopieńska-Biernat, Elżbieta

2017-12-20

The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor has emerged as the major pest of honeybees. Despite extensive research efforts, the pathogenesis of varroosis has not been fully explained. Earlier studies suggested that V. destructor infestation leads to the suppression of the host's immune system. The aim of this study was to analyze the immune responses of 14 genes in the Toll signal transduction pathways, including effector genes of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), in developing Apis mellifera workers and drones infested with V. destructor. Four developmental stages (L5 larvae, prepupae, and 2 pupal stages) and newly emerged imagines were analyzed. In workers, the most significant changes were observed in L5 larvae in the initial stages of infestation. A significant increase in the relative expression of 10 of the 14 analyzed genes, including defensin-1 and defensin-2, was observed in infested bees relative to non-infested individuals. The immune response in drones developed at a slower rate. The expression of genes regulating cytoplasmic signal transduction increased in prepupae, whereas the expression of defensin-1 and defensin-2 effector genes increased in P3 pupae with red eyes. The expression of many immunity-related genes was silenced in successive life stages and in imagines, and it was more profound in workers than in drones. The results indicate that V. destructor significantly influences immune responses regulated by the Toll signal transduction pathway in bees. In infested bees, the observed changes in Toll pathway genes varied between life stages and the sexes.

Frequency of Varroa destructor, Nosema spp and Acarapis woodi in commercial colonies of bees (Apis mellifera in Yucatan, Mexico

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Martínez-Puc Jesús Froylán

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Today it has been observed that diseases affecting bees (Apis mellifera have caused significant economic losses in the European continent and in parts of the United States due to high mortality in honey bee colonies without a cause apparent, which is known as the syndrome of depopulation of hives. It is noteworthy that this mortality is not yet presented in Yucatan. In order to determine the frequency and levels of infestation Acarapis woodi and Varroa destructor, and the frequency and levels of infection Nosema spp. commercial colonies of bees (A. mellifera in Yucatan, was collected from June to December 2006, a total of 165 samples distributed in 13 towns of Yucatan. V. destructor frequency was 63.6%, with an average level of infestation of 2.85 ± 0.79 (mites / 100 bees. The frequency of Nosema spp. was 81.8%, with an average infection level = 1'234000 ± 118000 (spores / bee, the presence of A. woodi in the samples analyzed was detected. The existence of an association between V. destructor and Nosema spp was observed. (X2 = 6.53, df = 1, p = 0.01.

Control del parásito Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae en colmenas de la abeja Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae mediante la aplicación de la técnica de entrampado Control of the parasite Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae in honeybee colonies of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae applying brood trap combs

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Natalia Damiani

2006-07-01

Full Text Available La parasitosis causada por el ácaro Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman es, actualmente considerada el mayor escollo para el desarrollo de la apicultura. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar la técnica del entrampamiento de ácaros en panales de cría, como posible método de control de la parasitosis. El trabajo se llevó a cabo en Coronel Vidal, provincia de Buenos Aires. Se trabajó sobre colmenas tipo Langstroth del híbrido regional de Apis mellifera (Linneaus. En cada colmena experimental se procedió a confinar a la reina en panales trampa específicos, con el fin de poder controlar la oviposición. Estos panales, luego de ser operculados por las obreras, fueron llevados al laboratorio donde se desoperculó cada una de las celdas de cría, y se contabilizó el número de ácaros presentes. Esta técnica se aplicó variando el número de panales trampa (1-3 colocados, tanto para los constituidos por celdas de cría de obreras como de zánganos. También, se evaluó el impacto de la aplicación de esta técnica sobre el desarrollo de las colonias, mediante la medición de su productividad. Los resultados indican, que la técnica empleada sólo es efectiva, cuando se aplican tres panales de cría de zánganos de manera consecutiva, alcanzando una efectividad máxima de 84%. Cuando se aplican tres panales de obreras, la técnica mostró niveles de efectividad muy inferiores (14%. En las colonias sobre las que se aplicó esta técnica, la productividad de miel se redujo significativamente, comparada con las colonias control. Esta técnica resulta ideal para ser combinada con otros mecanismos de control, disminuyendo la aplicación de sustancias químicas que puedan contaminar la miel, y la generación de resistencia por parte del ácaro frente a los principios activos utilizados para su control.At present, Varroosis is considered the major problem to beekeeping development. The aim of this work was to evaluate brood tramp combs

Primeiro registro de Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae em mudas de teca no Brasil

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Alexandre dos Santos

2014-07-01

Full Text Available O ácaro fitófago Tetranychus urticae (Kock, 1836 (Acari: Tetranychidae foi relatado e suas injúrias caracterizadas pela primeira vez em viveiro de produção mudas de teca (Tectona grandis no Brasil.

Temperature-dependent development and reproductive traits of Tetranychus macfarlanei (Acari: Tetranychidae)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ullah, Mohammad Shaef; Haque, Md. Ahsanul; Nachman, Gösta

2012-01-01

Development and reproductive traits of Tetranychus macfarlanei Baker & Pritchard (Acari: Tetranychidae) were investigated on kidney bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L., at eleven constant temperatures. Tetranychus macfarlanei was able to develop and complete its life cycle at temperatures ranging from 17...

Novel Mutations in the Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel of Pyrethroid-Resistant Varroa destructor Populations from the Southeastern USA

Science.gov (United States)

González-Cabrera, Joel; Rodríguez-Vargas, Sonia; Davies, T. G. Emyr; Field, Linda M.; Schmehl, Daniel; Ellis, James D.; Krieger, Klemens; Williamson, Martin S.

2016-01-01

The parasitic mite Varroa destructor has a significant worldwide impact on bee colony health. In the absence of control measures, parasitized colonies invariably collapse within 3 years. The synthetic pyrethroids tau-fluvalinate and flumethrin have proven very effective at managing this mite within apiaries, but intensive control programs based mainly on one active ingredient have led to many reports of pyrethroid resistance. In Europe, a modification of leucine to valine at position 925 (L925V) of the V. destructor voltage-gated sodium channel was correlated with resistance, the mutation being found at high frequency exclusively in hives with a recent history of pyrethroid treatment. Here, we identify two novel mutations, L925M and L925I, in tau-fluvalinate resistant V. destructor collected at seven sites across Florida and Georgia in the Southeastern region of the USA. Using a multiplexed TaqMan® allelic discrimination assay, these mutations were found to be present in 98% of the mites surviving tau-fluvalinate treatment. The mutations were also found in 45% of the non-treated mites, suggesting a high potential for resistance evolution if selection pressure is applied. The results from a more extensive monitoring programme, using the Taqman® assay described here, would clearly help beekeepers with their decision making as to when to include or exclude pyrethroid control products and thereby facilitate more effective mite management programmes. PMID:27191597

Identification and gene-silencing of a putative odorant receptor transcription factor in Varroa destructor: possible role in olfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, N K; Eliash, N; Stein, I; Kamer, Y; Ilia, Z; Rafaeli, A; Soroker, V

2016-04-01

The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor is one of the major threats to apiculture. Using a behavioural choice bioassay, we determined that phoretic mites were more successful in reaching a bee than reproductive mites, suggesting an energy trade-off between reproduction and host selection. We used both chemo-ecological and molecular strategies to identify the regulation of the olfactory machinery of Varroa and its association with reproduction. We focused on transcription regulation. Using primers designed to the conserved DNA binding region of transcription factors, we identified a gene transcript in V. destructor homologous to the pheromone receptor transcription factor (PRTF) gene of Pediculus humanus corporis. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) revealed that this PRTF-like gene transcript is expressed in the forelegs at higher levels than in the body devoid of forelegs. Subsequent comparative qPCR analysis showed that transcript expression was significantly higher in the phoretic as compared to the reproductive stage. Electrophysiological and behavioural studies revealed a reduction in the sensitivity of PRTF RNA interference-silenced mites to bee headspace, consistent with a reduction in the mites' ability to reach a host. In addition, vitellogenin expression was stimulated in PRTF-silenced mites to similar levels as found in reproductive mites. These data shed light upon the regulatory mechanism of host chemosensing in V. destructor. © 2016 The Royal Entomological Society.

Novel Mutations in the Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel of Pyrethroid-Resistant Varroa destructor Populations from the Southeastern USA.

Science.gov (United States)

González-Cabrera, Joel; Rodríguez-Vargas, Sonia; Davies, T G Emyr; Field, Linda M; Schmehl, Daniel; Ellis, James D; Krieger, Klemens; Williamson, Martin S

2016-01-01

The parasitic mite Varroa destructor has a significant worldwide impact on bee colony health. In the absence of control measures, parasitized colonies invariably collapse within 3 years. The synthetic pyrethroids tau-fluvalinate and flumethrin have proven very effective at managing this mite within apiaries, but intensive control programs based mainly on one active ingredient have led to many reports of pyrethroid resistance. In Europe, a modification of leucine to valine at position 925 (L925V) of the V. destructor voltage-gated sodium channel was correlated with resistance, the mutation being found at high frequency exclusively in hives with a recent history of pyrethroid treatment. Here, we identify two novel mutations, L925M and L925I, in tau-fluvalinate resistant V. destructor collected at seven sites across Florida and Georgia in the Southeastern region of the USA. Using a multiplexed TaqMan® allelic discrimination assay, these mutations were found to be present in 98% of the mites surviving tau-fluvalinate treatment. The mutations were also found in 45% of the non-treated mites, suggesting a high potential for resistance evolution if selection pressure is applied. The results from a more extensive monitoring programme, using the Taqman® assay described here, would clearly help beekeepers with their decision making as to when to include or exclude pyrethroid control products and thereby facilitate more effective mite management programmes.

Naturally selected honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies resistant to Varroa destructor do not groom more intensively

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruitwagen, Astrid; Langevelde, van Frank; Dooremalen, van Coby; Blacquière, Tjeerd

2017-01-01

The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor is an important cause of high colony losses of the honey bee Apis mellifera. In The Netherlands, two resistant A. mellifera populations developed naturally after ceasing varroa control. As a result, mite infestation levels of the colonies of these populations

Éster de sacarose no controle do Varroa destructor em abelhas africanizadas = Sucrose ester in the control of Varroa destructor in Africanized honeybees

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Guido Laércio Castagnino

2009-07-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho teve como objetivo verificar o efeito do éster de sacarose no controle da infestação do ácaro Varroa destructor em abelhas africanizadas. Nos testes “in vitro”, testou-se o produto em abelhas e ácaros com cinco concentrações diluídas em água (T0: 100% de água destilada; T1: 0,5%; T2: 1%; T3: 2,0%; T4: 5% e T5: 10% de éster de sacarose. Nos testes de campo, o delineamento experimental utilizado foi inteiramente casualizado, com quatro tratamentos e sete repetições, totalizando 28 colônias, sendo sete delas como controle, sete com 0,1% de éster de sacarose, sete com 0,2% de éster de sacarosee sete colmeias com 0,5% éster de sacarose, diluídas em água. Nos testes “in vitro” com concentração de 0,5%, o éster de sacarose promoveu a mortalidade dos ácaros e das abelhas. Os testes em campo demonstraram que o produto reduziu a infestação do Varroa destructorem abelhas na concentração de 0,2% e pode ser uma ferramenta no controle dessa praga. Nas concentrações de 0,1; 0,2 e 0,5%, não prejudicou o desenvolvimento de área de cria aberta, operculada e de alimento estocado na colmeia, sugerindo que não é tóxico para as abelhas.This study aimed to determine the effect of sucrose ester on the control of Varroa destructor mite infestation in Africanized honeybees. For the in vitro experiments, the product was tested in bees and mites at five concentrations obtained through dilution in water (T0: 100% distilled water; T1: 0.5%; T2: 1%; T3: 2%; T4: 5%; and T5: 10% sucrose ester. For the field studies, the experimental design was completely randomized, with four treatments and seven replicates, totaling 28 colonies, from which seven were the controls,seven were treated with 0.1% sucrose ester, seven with 0.2% sucrose ester, and seven hives with 0.5% sucrose ester diluted in water. In the in vitro study, the sucrose ester at 0.5% concentration caused mite and bee mortality. In the field tests, the

Novel Mutations in the Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel of Pyrethroid-Resistant Varroa destructor Populations from the Southeastern USA.

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Joel González-Cabrera

Full Text Available The parasitic mite Varroa destructor has a significant worldwide impact on bee colony health. In the absence of control measures, parasitized colonies invariably collapse within 3 years. The synthetic pyrethroids tau-fluvalinate and flumethrin have proven very effective at managing this mite within apiaries, but intensive control programs based mainly on one active ingredient have led to many reports of pyrethroid resistance. In Europe, a modification of leucine to valine at position 925 (L925V of the V. destructor voltage-gated sodium channel was correlated with resistance, the mutation being found at high frequency exclusively in hives with a recent history of pyrethroid treatment. Here, we identify two novel mutations, L925M and L925I, in tau-fluvalinate resistant V. destructor collected at seven sites across Florida and Georgia in the Southeastern region of the USA. Using a multiplexed TaqMan® allelic discrimination assay, these mutations were found to be present in 98% of the mites surviving tau-fluvalinate treatment. The mutations were also found in 45% of the non-treated mites, suggesting a high potential for resistance evolution if selection pressure is applied. The results from a more extensive monitoring programme, using the Taqman® assay described here, would clearly help beekeepers with their decision making as to when to include or exclude pyrethroid control products and thereby facilitate more effective mite management programmes.

Comparative testing of different methods for evaluation of Varroa destructor infestation of honey bee colonies

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Nikolay D. Dobrynin

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Different methods for evaluation of the degree of Varroa destructor infestation of honey bee colonies were tested. The methods using in vivo evaluation were the most sparing for the bees but less precise. The methods using evaluation with the killing of the bees or brood were the most precise but less sparing for bees.

Norwegian honey bees surviving Varroa destructor mite infestations by means of natural selection

OpenAIRE

Oddie, Melissa AY; Dahle, Bjørn Steinar; Neumann, Peter

2017-01-01

Background Managed, feral and wild populations of European honey bee subspecies, Apis mellifera, are currently facing severe colony losses globally. There is consensus that the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor, that switched hosts from the Eastern honey bee Apis cerana to the Western honey bee A. mellifera, is a key factor driving these losses. For >20 years, breeding efforts have not produced European honey bee colonies that can survive infestations without the need for mite control....

Varroa destructor virus 1: a new picorna-like virus in Varroa mites as well as honey bees

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ongus, J.R.

2006-01-01

Varroa destructor mite is an ectoparasite of the honey bee Apis mellifera. This species was recently differentiated from Varroa jacobsoni species which infests the Asian bee Apis cerana. Varroa mites feed entirely on the bee's haemolymph and have been associated with the spread of a number of

Impact of sulfur on density of Tetranychus pacificus (Acari: Tetranychidae) and Galendromus occidentalis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in a central California vineyard.

Science.gov (United States)

Costello, Michael J

2007-01-01

Sulfur is the oldest and most widely used fungicide in the vineyards of California, where it is used for control of powdery mildew (Uncinula necator [Schw.] Burr). For decades, sulfur use has been associated with outbreaks of Tetranychus pacificus McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae) on cultivated grapes in the San Joaquin Valley. I undertook large-scale field studies to test this association, to evaluate the impact of sulfur on Galendromus occidentalis (Nesbit) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), a major predator of T. pacificus, and to determine if timing of sulfur applications with respect to grape bloom has an impact on T. pacificus density. The studies took place in a 32 ha vineyard in Fresno County, and all fungicide applications were made with commercial-scale equipment. In 1998 a 'high sulfur' treatment, a combination of wettable sulfur and sulfur dust, was compared to 'low sulfur,' in which demethylation inhibitor (DMI) fungicides partially substituted for sulfur. In 1999 treatments were 'sulfur,' 'DMI,' 'sulfur pre-bloom' (here sulfur was applied prior to grape bloom, in late May, and then DMIs were applied until mid-season) and 'sulfur post-bloom' (the reverse of 'sulfur pre-bloom'). In each year, the T. pacificus population increase came after the end of fungicide applications, and results clearly show a relationship between sulfur use and T. pacificus density. In 1998, mean T. pacificus density was 2.7 times higher and mean G. occidentalis density 2.5 times higher in 'high sulfur' compared to 'low sulfur.' In 1999, the highest T. pacificus counts were in the 'sulfur' and 'sulfur pre-bloom' treatments, 4.8 times higher than 'sulfur post-bloom' and 2 times higher than 'DMIs.' Density of G. occidentalis was 2.3 times as high in 'sulfur' or 'sulfur pre-bloom' than 'DMIs.' The predator/prey ratio was not significantly different among treatments in 1998, but in 1999 it was highest in the 'sulfur pre-bloom' treatment. In 1999, density of Homeopronematus anconai (Baker) (Acari

Five New Records of Raphignathoid Mites (Acari: Raphignathoidea) from Poland/ Pięć Nowych Gatunków Roztoczy Z Nadrodziny Raphignathoidea (Acari) Stwierdzonych W Faunie Polski

OpenAIRE

Doðan Salih; Sevsay Sevgi; Mąkol Joanna; Zeytun Erhan; Buğa Evren

2014-01-01

Pięć nowych gatunków roztoczy (Acari: Raphignathoidea) zostało odnoto- wanych jako nowe dla fauny Polski: trzy z rodziny Stigmaeidae, Eustigmaeus rhodomela (Koch), Mediolata obtecta Dónel et Doóan, Stigmaeus glabrisetus Summers, jeden z rodziny Cryptognathidae, Favognathus cucurbita (Berlese), i jeden z rodziny Barbutiidae, Barbuda anguineus (Berlese). Ostatni z wymienio- nych jest jednocześnie pierwszym stwierdzeniem przedstawiciela rodziny Barbutiidae w Polsce.

Five New Records of Raphignathoid Mites (Acari: Raphignathoidea from Poland/ Pięć Nowych Gatunków Roztoczy Z Nadrodziny Raphignathoidea (Acari Stwierdzonych W Faunie Polski

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Doðan Salih

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Pięć nowych gatunków roztoczy (Acari: Raphignathoidea zostało odnoto- wanych jako nowe dla fauny Polski: trzy z rodziny Stigmaeidae, Eustigmaeus rhodomela (Koch, Mediolata obtecta Dónel et Doóan, Stigmaeus glabrisetus Summers, jeden z rodziny Cryptognathidae, Favognathus cucurbita (Berlese, i jeden z rodziny Barbutiidae, Barbuda anguineus (Berlese. Ostatni z wymienio- nych jest jednocześnie pierwszym stwierdzeniem przedstawiciela rodziny Barbutiidae w Polsce.

Evaluación de extractos de ocho especies vegetales en el control de mildeo velloso (Peronospora destructor Berk en cebolla de bulbo (Allium cepa L.

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Pedro Enrique Cubides-Hernández

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Extractos de ocho especies vegetales: eucalipto (Eucalytus globulus, cola de caballo (Equisetum bogotense, ortiga (Urtica urens, manzanilla (Matricaria chamomilla, caléndula (Calendula officinalis, yerbabuena (Menta viridis, ajo (Allium sativum y clavo (Syzygum aromaticum, preparados por el método de decocción (100 g/l, fueron evaluados en cuanto a su eficiencia en el control de P. destructor en cebolla de bulbo. Se utilizó el diseño experimental de bloques al azar con cuatro repeticiones y siete aplicaciones (52, 60, 68, 76,84, 92 y 100 días después del trasplante, incluyendo un testigo químico Ridomil (metalaxil + mancozeb (2 g/l y el testigo absoluto; se evaluaron la incidencia y severidad de P. destructor, y el número y el peso de bulbos cosechados. El ANOVA mostró que de las siete aplicaciones realizadas, la última presentó efectos estadísticos en el control de la incidencia y severidad de P. destructor. El extracto de manzanilla superó al Ridomil en el control de la incidencia y severidad de P. destructor sin diferencias estadísticas entre sí, y fue significativamente mejor al observado con los extractos de eucalipto, cola de caballo, caléndula y el testigo; el extracto de manzanilla superó al testigo químico en el número y peso de bulbos de cebolla sin presentar diferencias estadísticas, y fue significativamente mejor al obtenido con los extractos de eucalipto, cola de caballo, ortiga, caléndula, yerbabuena, clavo y el testigo absoluto. El extracto de manzanilla es una alternativa ecológica que se debe tener en cuenta en el manejo integrado de P. destructor en cebolla de bulbo.

The effect of antibiotics on associated bacterial community of stored product mites.

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Jan Kopecky

Full Text Available Bacteria are associated with the gut, fat bodies and reproductive organs of stored product mites (Acari: Astigmata. The mites are pests due to the production of allergens. Addition of antibiotics to diets can help to characterize the association between mites and bacteria.Ampicillin, neomycin and streptomycin were added to the diets of mites and the effects on mite population growth (Acarus siro, Lepidoglyphus destructor and Tyrophagus putrescentiae and associated bacterial community structure were assessed. Mites were treated by antibiotic supplementation (1 mg g(-1 of diet for 21 days and numbers of mites and bacterial communities were analyzed and compared to the untreated control. Bacterial quantities, determined by real-time PCR, significantly decreased in antibiotic treated specimens from 5 to 30 times in A. siro and T. putrescentiae, while no decline was observed in L. destructor. Streptomycin treatment eliminated Bartonella-like bacteria in the both A. siro and T. putrescentiae and Cardinium in T. putrescentiae. Solitalea-like bacteria proportion increased in the communities of neomycin and streptomycin treated A. siro specimens. Kocuria proportion increased in the bacterial communities of ampicillin and streptomycin treated A. siro and neomycin and streptomycin treated L. destructor.The work demonstrated the changes of mite associated bacterial community under antibiotic pressure in pests of medical importance. Pre-treatment of mites by 1 mg g(-1 antibiotic diets improved mite fitness as indicated accelerated population growth of A. siro pretreated streptomycin and neomycin and L. destructor pretreated by neomycin. All tested antibiotics supplemented to diets caused the decrease of mite growth rate in comparison to the control diet.

Produtos naturais para o controle do ácaro Varroa destructor em abelhas africanizadas

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Guido Laércio Bragança Castagnino

2012-06-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos do ácido oxálico e de óleos essenciais de plantas no controle da infestação pelo ácaro Varroa destructor em colônias de Apis mellifera africanizadas. O experimento foi realizado em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em 30 colônias, com seis tratamentos e cinco repetições. As colmeias foram tratadas com óleos essenciais de arruda (Ruta graveolens, eucalipto (Eucalyptus spp. e hortelã (Mentha piperita, além de timol, ácido oxálico e do tratamento controle sem aplicação de produtos. Foram avaliadas a mortalidade de varroas e as taxas de mortalidade de crias e de infestação de varroas em crias e em abelhas adultas, antes e depois da aplicação de cada produto. O ácido oxálico e os óleos de arruda, timol, eucalipto e de hortelã reduziram a mortalidade de crias parasitadas pelo ácaro em 92,1, 83,3, 81,7, 86,4 e 81,3%, respectivamente. O tratamento com ácido oxálico reduziu em 87,4% a infestação de varroas em abelhas adultas. O uso desses produtos é eficiente na redução da mortalidade de crias de A. mellifera parasitadas por V. destructor.

Varroa destructor resistance of honey bees in Hawaii, USA, that express various levels of Varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH)

Science.gov (United States)

The Big Island of Hawaii, USA, supports an important honey bee (Apis mellifera) queen rearing industry that has been threatened by Varroa destructor since 2008. Miticides widely used to manage mites are known to interfere with queen rearing and sperm production. We investigated whether bees bred for...

TAMBO VIEJO: UN ASENTAMIENTO FORTIFICADO EN EL VALLE DE ACARÍ, PERÚ (Tambo Viejo: A Fortified Settlement in the Acari Valley, Peru

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Lidio M. Valdez

2013-10-01

Full Text Available La aparición de los asentamientos fortificados y el origen del conflicto violento son temas poco discutidos en el contexto de la arqueología peruana. Considero que es oportuno investigar y determinar cuándo y por qué surgieron los primeros asentamientos fortificados. El propósito central de este artículo está precisamente orientado a responder tales interrogantes y discutir el tema del conflicto violento en el valle de Acarí y, por extensión, en la costa sur del Perú. Las evidencias arqueológicas disponibles señalan que, durante el periodo Intermedio Temprano, Tambo Viejo fue un asentamiento defendido por varias estructuras perimétricas. Otros sitios contemporáneos de Tambo Viejo en Acarí también fueron fortificados. Además, existe en el mismo valle evidencia tangible de violencia en la forma de prisioneros que posteriormente fueron decapitados. En contraste a la evidencia proveniente de Acarí, no existen asentamientos del periodo Intermedio Temprano identificables como fortificaciones, lo que hace de los sitios de Acarí los primeros asentamientos fortificados de toda la costa sur. ENGLISH: The emergence of violent conflict and of fortified settlements is a subject little studied within Peruvian archaeology. However, I consider it vital to investigate and determine the time and the reasons under which fortified settlements were first established. The central aim of this paper is to discuss when and why fortified settlements emerged first in the Acari Valley and, by extension, in the south coast of Peru. Available archaeological evidence indicates that during the Early Intermediate Period, Tambo Viejo was a fortified settlement protected by several massive walls. Other neighbouring sites in Acari were also fortified. Furthermore, in Acari there is conclusive evidence for violence in the form of decapitated individuals. In contrast to evidence coming from Acari, not a single Early Intermediate Period settlement from other

An amino acid substitution (L925V associated with resistance to pyrethroids in Varroa destructor.

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Joel González-Cabrera

Full Text Available The Varroa mite, Varroa destructor, is an important pest of honeybees and has played a prominent role in the decline in bee colony numbers over recent years. Although pyrethroids such as tau-fluvalinate and flumethrin can be highly effective in removing the mites from hives, their intensive use has led to many reports of resistance. To investigate the mechanism of resistance in UK Varroa samples, the transmembrane domain regions of the V. destructor voltage-gated sodium channel (the main target site for pyrethroids were PCR amplified and sequenced from pyrethroid treated/untreated mites collected at several locations in Central/Southern England. A novel amino acid substitution, L925V, was identified that maps to a known hot spot for resistance within the domain IIS5 helix of the channel protein; a region that has also been proposed to form part of the pyrethroid binding site. Using a high throughput diagnostic assay capable of detecting the mutation in individual mites, the L925V substitution was found to correlate well with resistance, being present in all mites that had survived tau-fluvalinate treatment but in only 8 % of control, untreated samples. The potential for using this assay to detect and manage resistance in Varroa-infected hives is discussed.

Behavioral Modulation of Infestation by Varroa destructor in Bee Colonies. Implications for Colony Stability.

Science.gov (United States)

de Figueiró Santos, Joyce; Coelho, Flávio Codeço; Bliman, Pierre-Alexandre

2016-01-01

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) has become a global problem for beekeepers and for the crops that depend on bee pollination. While many factors are known to increase the risk of colony collapse, the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor is considered to be the most serious one. Although this mite is unlikely to cause the collapse of hives itself, it is the vector for many viral diseases which are among the likely causes for Colony Collapse Disorder. The effects of V. destructor infestation differ from one part of the world to another, with greater morbidity and higher colony losses in European honey bees (EHB) in Europe, Asia and North America. Although this mite has been present in Brazil for many years, there have been no reports of colony losses amongst Africanized Honey Bees (AHB). Studies carried out in Mexico have highlighted different behavioral responses by the AHB to the presence of the mite, notably as far as grooming and hygienic behavior are concerned. Could these explain why the AHB are less susceptible to Colony Collapse Disorder? In order to answer this question, we have developed a mathematical model of the infestation dynamics to analyze the role of resistance behavior by bees in the overall health of the colony, and as a consequence, its ability to face epidemiological challenges.

Behavioral Modulation of Infestation by Varroa destructor in Bee Colonies. Implications for Colony Stability.

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Joyce de Figueiró Santos

Full Text Available Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD has become a global problem for beekeepers and for the crops that depend on bee pollination. While many factors are known to increase the risk of colony collapse, the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor is considered to be the most serious one. Although this mite is unlikely to cause the collapse of hives itself, it is the vector for many viral diseases which are among the likely causes for Colony Collapse Disorder. The effects of V. destructor infestation differ from one part of the world to another, with greater morbidity and higher colony losses in European honey bees (EHB in Europe, Asia and North America. Although this mite has been present in Brazil for many years, there have been no reports of colony losses amongst Africanized Honey Bees (AHB. Studies carried out in Mexico have highlighted different behavioral responses by the AHB to the presence of the mite, notably as far as grooming and hygienic behavior are concerned. Could these explain why the AHB are less susceptible to Colony Collapse Disorder? In order to answer this question, we have developed a mathematical model of the infestation dynamics to analyze the role of resistance behavior by bees in the overall health of the colony, and as a consequence, its ability to face epidemiological challenges.

Phytoseiid mites of the Canary Islands (Acari, Phytoseiidae. II. Tenerife and La Gomera Islands

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Ferragut, F.

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Phytoseiid mites (Acari, Phytoseiidae inhabiting plants in natural ecosystems from Tenerife and La Gomera islands (Canary Islands have been studied. Surveys were conducted from 1997 to 2002. Eleven species were collected, one of them being reported for the first time from the Canary Islands and six of them reported for the first time from Tenerife and La Gomera islands. Euseius machadoi n. sp. collected from woody plants in the Canarian laurisilva is proposed as a new species.

En muestreos realizados desde 1997 hasta 2002 se ha estudiado la fauna de ácaros fitoseidos (Acari, Phytoseiidae asociada a plantas de ecosistemas naturales de las islas de Tenerife y La Gomera (Islas Canarias. Se han recolectado un total de 11 especies, siendo una de ellas citada por vez primera en las islas Canarias y seis de ellas citadas por primera vez en las islas de Tenerife y La Gomera. Euseius machadoi n. sp., recolectado en plantas leñosas de la laurisilva canaria, se propone como una nueva especie.

Expression and Activity of Lysozyme in Apis Mellifera Carnica Brood Infested with Varroa Destructor

OpenAIRE

Zaobidna Ewa A.; Żółtowska Krystyna; Łopieńska-Biernat Elżbieta

2017-01-01

Varroa destructor is a parasitic mite that attacks the honey bee, and previous studies have suggested that parasitosis caused by this mite is accompanied by immunosuppresion in the host. In this study, the effect of mite infestation on the expression of the lysozyme-1 (lys-1) gene and lysozyme activity in Apis mellifera carnica was determined. The experiment was carried out on the five developmental stages of honey bee workers and drones. Developmental and gender-related differences in gene e...

Primary structure of Lep d I, the main Lepidoglyphus destructor allergen.

Science.gov (United States)

Varela, J; Ventas, P; Carreira, J; Barbas, J A; Gimenez-Gallego, G; Polo, F

1994-10-01

The most relevant allergen of the storage mite Lepidoglyphus destructor (Lep d I) has been characterized. Lep d I is a monomer protein of 13273 Da. The primary structure of Lep d I was determined by N-terminal Edman degradation and partially confirmed by cDNA sequencing. Sequence polymorphism was observed at six positions, with non-conservative substitutions in three of them. No potential N-glycosylation site was revealed by peptide sequencing. The 125-residue sequence of Lep d I shows approximately 40% identity (including the six cysteines) with the overlapping regions of group II allergens from the genus Dermatophagoides, which, however, do not share common allergenic epitopes with Lep d I.

Interactive effect of reduced pollen availability and Varroa destructor infestation limits growth and protein content of young honey bees

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dooremalen, van C.; Stam, E.; Gerritsen, L.J.M.; Cornelissen, B.; Steen, van der J.J.M.; Langevelde, van F.; Blacquiere, T.

2013-01-01

Varroa destructor in combination with one or more stressors, such as low food availability or chemical exposure, is considered to be one of the main causes for honey bee colony losses. We examined the inter-active effect of pollen availability on the protein content and body weight of young bees

Effect of coconut palm proximities and Musa spp. germplasm resistance to colonization by Raoiella indica (Acari: Tenuipalpidae)

Science.gov (United States)

Although coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) is the predominant host for Raoiella indica Hirst (Acari: Tenuipalpidae), false spider mite infestations do occur on bananas and plantains (Musa spp. Colla). Since its introduction, the banana and plantain industries have been negatively impacted to different deg...

Further studies on South African plants: Acaricidal activity of organic plant extracts against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae)

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Wellington, Kevin W

2017-01-01

Full Text Available -1 Veterinary Parasitology, vol. 234: 10-12 Further studies on South African plants: Acaricidal activity of organic plant extracts against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) Wellington, KW Leboho, T Sakong, BM Adenubi, OT Eloff, JN...

LD50 and repellent effects of essential oils from Argentinian wild plant species on Varroa destructor.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruffinengo, Sergio; Eguaras, Martin; Floris, Ignazio; Faverin, Claudia; Bailac, Pedro; Ponzi, Marta

2005-06-01

The repellent and acaricidal effects of some essential oils from the most typical wild plant species of northern Patagonia, Argentina, on Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman were evaluated using a complete exposure test. Honey bees, Apis mellifera L., and mites (five specimens of each per dish) were introduced in petri dishes having different oil concentrations (from 0.1 to 25 micro per cage). Survival of bees and mites was registered after 24, 48, and 72 h. An attraction/repellence test was performed using a wax tube impregnated with essential oil and another tube containing wax only. The lowest LD50 values for mites were registered for Acantholippia seriphioides (A. Gray) Mold. (1.27 microl per cage) and Schinus molle L. (2.65 microl per cage) after 24 h, and for Wedelia glauca (Ortega) O. Hoffm. ex Hicken (0.59 microl per cage) and A. seriphioides (1.09 microl per cage) after 72 h of treatment. The oil with the highest selectivity ratio (A. mellifera LD50/V. destructor LD50) was the one extracted from S. molle (>16). Oils of Lippia junelliana (Mold.) Troncoso, Minthostachys mollis (HBK) Grieseb., and Lippia turbinata Grieseb. mixed with wax had repellent properties. None of the oils tested had attractive effects on Varroa mites.

Infestação do ácaro Varroa destructor em colônias de abelhas africanizadas (Apis mellifera L. no Semiárido potiguar, Nordeste do Brasil

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Stephano Bismark Lopes Cavalcante Moreira

2017-02-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho teve como objetivo analisar os índices de infestação pelo ácaro Varroa. destructor em colônias de abelhas africanizadas (Apis mellifera de apiários dos municípios de Encanto e de Marcelino Vieira, estado do Rio Grande do Norte. A pesquisa foi conduzida no período de setembro a dezembro de 2014, sendo coletadas em média de 100 a 200 abelhas adultas (nutrizes retiradas dos quadros centrais do ninho com crias de cada colmeia, aprisionadas em recipientes contendo 100 mL de álcool a 70% e encaminhadas para laboratório do Instituto Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN, para a contagem das abelhas e dos ácaros. Os resultados apresentaram ocorrência do ácaro V. destructor em todos apiários e em todas colmeias analisados, obtendo uma infestação média de 7,24% em Encanto e de 5,25% em Marcelino Vieira, níveis de infestação baixos (<15%, portanto, não acarretando risco às colônias.Varroa destructor mite infestation in colonies of Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera L. in the potiguar Semi-arid region, Northeastern BrazilAbstract: The goal of the present work was to analyze the rates of infestation by Varroa. destructor mite in Africanized honeybees (Apis mellifera colonies from apiaries in Encanto and Marcelino Vieira cities, state of Rio Grande do Norte. The research was conducted during the period from September to December 2014. In average 100 to 200 adult bees (nursing honey bee workers were collected from the brood chamber over center frames of with brood of each hive surveyed, trapped in containers containing 100 mL of 70% alcohol and sent to the laboratory of the Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Norte (IFRN for the counting of bees and mites. The results showed an occurrence of the Varroa destructor mite in all apiaries and in all hives analyzed, obtaining an average infestation of 7.24% in Encanto city and 5.25% in Marcelino Vieira city, low infestation levels (<15%, without risk to the colonies.

Immunotherapy with the storage mite lepidoglyphus destructor.

Science.gov (United States)

Armentia-Medina, A; Tapias, J A; Martín, J F; Ventas, P; Fernández, A

1995-01-01

We carried out a double-blind clinical trial of immunotherapy on 35 patients sensitized to the storage mite Lepidoglyphus destructor (Ld). Before and after 12 months of specific hyposensitization (Abelló Lab., Spain) we performed in vivo (skin tests with Ld, methacholine and challenge tests), and in vitro tests (specific IgE, IgG, IgG1 and IgG4 to Ld and specific IgE, IgG, IgG1 and IgG4 to their major allergen Lep dI). We also monitored the efficacy and safety of the immunotherapy with clinical and analytical controls (symptoms and medication score, detection of immune complexes). After therapy we found a significant decrease in specific skin reactivity, dose of positive challenge tests, and hyperresponsiveness to methacholine. Sputum eosinophilia decreased. Specific IgE to Ld was increased and we also observed an increase in specific IgG1 and IgG4 to Ld and Lep DI. The placebo group showed no changes in these variables. There were no severe secondary reactions after treatment with the extract. Patients-self-evaluation was favourable and their labour absence decreased. No development of circulating immune complexes was associated with this immunotherapy.

Sélection d'abeilles résistantes à Varroa destructor en Amérique du Nord.

OpenAIRE

Rinderer , Thomas E.; Harris , Jeffrey W.; Hunt , Gregory J.; De Guzman , Lilia I.

2010-01-01

International audience; Breeding for resistance to Varroa destructor in North America provides the long-term solution to the economic troubles the mite brings. This review reports the development of two breeding successes that have produced honey bees of commercial quality that do not require pesticide treatment to control Varroa, highlights other traits that could be combined to increase resistance and examines the potential uses of marker-assisted selection (MAS) for breeding for Varroa res...

Modulation of nonessential amino acid biosynthetic pathways in virulent Hessian fly larvae (Mayetiola destructor), feeding on susceptible host wheat (Triticum aestivum)

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Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor), an obligate plant-parasitic gall midge, is an important dipteran pest of wheat (Triticum aestivum). The insect employs an effector-based feeding strategy to reprogram the host plant to be nutritionally beneficial for the developing larva by inducing formation of p...

Population Growth of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in Colonies of Russian and Unselected Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Stocks as Related to Numbers of Foragers With Mites.

Science.gov (United States)

DeGrandi-Hoffman, Gloria; Ahumada, Fabiana; Danka, Robert; Chambers, Mona; DeJong, Emily Watkins; Hidalgo, Geoff

2017-06-01

Varroa (Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman) is an external parasite of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) and a leading cause of colony losses worldwide. Varroa populations can be controlled with miticides, but mite-resistant stocks such as the Russian honey bee (RHB) also are available. Russian honey bee and other mite-resistant stocks limit Varroa population growth by affecting factors that contribute to mite reproduction. However, mite population growth is not entirely due to reproduction. Numbers of foragers with mites (FWM) entering and leaving hives also affect the growth of mite populations. If FWM significantly contribute to Varroa population growth, mite numbers in RHB colonies might not differ from unselected lines (USL). Foragers with mites were monitored at the entrances of RHB and USL hives from August to November, 2015, at two apiary sites. At site 1, RHB colonies had fewer FWM than USL and smaller phoretic mite populations. Russian honey bee also had fewer infested brood cells and lower percentages with Varroa offspring than USL. At site 2, FWM did not differ between RHB and USL, and phoretic mite populations were not significantly different. At both sites, there were sharp increases in phoretic mite populations from September to November that corresponded with increasing numbers of FWM. Under conditions where FWM populations are similar between RHB and USL, attributes that contribute to mite resistance in RHB may not keep Varroa population levels below that of USL. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2017. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Queen survival and oxalic acid residues in sugar stores after summer application against Varroa destructor in honey bees (Apis mellifera)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cornelissen, B.; Donders, J.N.L.C.; Stratum, van P.; Blacquière, T.; Dooremalen, van C.

2012-01-01

Methods using oxalic acid (OA) to control Varroa destructor in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies are widely applied. In this study, the effects of an OA spray application in early summer on the survival of young and old queens, and on OA residues in sugar stores were investigated. A questionnaire

Characterization of the Copy Number and Variants of Deformed Wing Virus (DWV in the Pairs of Honey Bee Pupa and Infesting Varroa destructor or Tropilaelaps mercedesae

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Yunfei Wu

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Recent honey bee colony losses, particularly during the winter, have been shown to be associated with the presence of both ectoparasitic mites and Deformed Wing Virus (DWV. Whilst the role of Varroa destructor mites as a viral vector is well established, the role of Tropilaelaps mercedesae mites in viral transmission has not been fully investigated. In this study, we tested the effects that V. destructor and T. mercedesae infestation have on fluctuation of the DWV copy number and alteration of the virus variants in honey bees by characterizing individual pupae and their infesting mites. We observed that both mite species were associated with increased viral copy number in honey bee pupae. We found a positive correlation between DWV copy number in pupae and copy number in infesting mites, and the same DWV type A variant was present in either low or high copy number in both honey bee pupae and infesting V. destructor. These data also suggest that variant diversity is similar between honey bee pupae and the mites that infest them. These results support a previously proposed hypothesis that DWV suppresses the honey bee immune system when virus copy number reaches a specific threshold, promoting greater replication.

Regular dorsal dimples and damaged mites of Varroa destructor in some Iranian honey bees (Apis mellifera)

OpenAIRE

Ardestani, Masoud M.; Ebadi, Rahim; Tahmasbi, Gholamhossein

2011-01-01

The frequency of damaged Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) found on the bottom board of hives of the honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) has been used as an indicator of the degree of tolerance or resistance of honey bee colonies against mites. However, it is not clear that this measure is adequate. These injuries should be separated from regular dorsal dimples that have a developmental origin. To investigate damage to Varroa mites and regular dor...

Viral epidemiology of the adult Apis Mellifera infested by the Varroa destructor mite.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernardi, Sara; Venturino, Ezio

2016-05-01

The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor has become one of the major worldwide threats for apiculture. Varroa destructor attacks the honey bee Apis mellifera weakening its host by sucking hemolymph. However, the damage to bee colonies is not strictly related to the parasitic action of the mite but it derives, above all, from its action as vector increasing the transmission of many viral diseases such as acute paralysis (ABPV) and deformed wing viruses (DWV), that are considered among the main causes of CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder). In this work we discuss an [Formula: see text] model that describes how the presence of the mite affects the epidemiology of these viruses on adult bees. The acronym [Formula: see text] means that the disease affects both populations. In fact it accounts for the bee and mite populations, that are each divided among the S (susceptible) and I (infected) states. We characterize the system behavior, establishing that ultimately either only healthy bees survive, or the disease becomes endemic and mites are wiped out. Another dangerous alternative is the Varroa invasion scenario with the extinction of healthy bees. The final possible configuration is the coexistence equilibrium in which honey bees share their infected hive with mites. The analysis is in line with some observed facts in natural honey bee colonies. Namely, these diseases are endemic. Further, if the mite population is present, necessarily the viral infection occurs. The findings of this study indicate that a low horizontal transmission rate of the virus among honey bees in beehives will help in protecting bee colonies from Varroa infestation and viral epidemics.

Using an in vitro system for maintaining Varroa destructor mites on Apis mellifera hosts: Studies of mite longevity and feeding behavior

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Varroa destructor mites (Vd) are ectoparasites of Apis mellifera honey bees, and the damage they inflict on hosts is a likely causative factor of recent poor honey bee colony performance. Much research has produced an arsenal of control agents against Vd, which have become resistant to many chemical...

Primeiro registro de Oligonychus yothersi (McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae em Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden no Brasil First record of Oligonychus yothersi (McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae on Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden in Brazil

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Fabrício Fagundes Pereira

2005-08-01

Full Text Available Relata-se a infestação de um ácaro-vermelho em mudas clonais de Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden, mantidas em casa de vegetação no município de Martinho Campos, Minas Gerais. O ácaro foi observado na parte superior das folhas que exibiam sinais de sucção de seiva e bronzeamento. Essas injúrias causaram desenvolvimento anormal e morte de plantas. O ácaro foi identificado como Oligonychus yothersi (McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae, e isso representa o primeiro registro dessa espécie em mudas clonais de E. grandis no Brasil.An infestation of the red spider mite was reported in clone seedlings of Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden under greenhouse conditions, in the municipality of Martinho Campos, Minas Gerais State. The spider mite was found on the leaf upper faces with signs of sap suction and bronzing. Such injuries caused abnormal development and plant death. The spider mite was identified as Oligonychus yothersi (McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae. This is the first record of O. yothersi on E. grandis seedlings in Brazil.

The Genus Ixodes (Acari: Ixodidae) in Mexico: Adult Identification Keys, Diagnoses, Hosts, and Distribution (El genero Ixodes (Acari: Ixodidae) en Mexico: claves de identificacion para adultos, diagnosis, huespedes y distribucion)

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

also from Estado de México (Hoffmann, 1969). Hosts in Mexico. Cricetidae and Hominidae ( Homo sapiens Linnaeus, 1758) (Mammalia) (Hoffmann, 1969...distribution El género Ixodes (Acari: Ixodidae) en México: claves de identifi cación para adultos, diagnosis, huéspedes y distribución Carmen Guzmán...postdoctoral scholarship under the Programa de Formación e Incorporación de Profesores de Carrera en Facultades y Escuelas para el Fortalecimiento de la

The residual and direct effects of reduced-risk and conventional miticides on twospotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and predatory mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liburd, O.E.; White, J.C.; Rhodes, E.M.; Browdy, A.A.

2007-01-01

The residual effects of several reduced-risk and conventional miticides were evaluated in strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne) on the twospotted spider mite (TSSM), Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) and on 2 predatory mites, Neoseiulus californicus McGregor and Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Experiments were conducted in the laboratory and greenhouse. The greenhouse experiments also tested the direct effects of the miticides on TSSM. The efficacy of conventional and reduced-risk miticides was evaluated on strawberry leaf discs and on whole plants for control of TSSM. Furthermore, the residual effects of these miticides were evaluated on whole strawberry plants against selective predatory mites. For TSSM, 5 treatments were evaluated: a conventional miticide; fenbutatin-oxide (Vendex[reg]) and 3 reduced-risk miticides; binfenazate (Acramite 50WP[reg]), activated garlic extract (Repel[reg]), sesame seed and castor oil (Wipeout[reg]), and a water-treated control. For predatory mites, the residual effects of only Acramite[reg] and Vendex[reg] were evaluated. Acramite[reg] was the most effective acaricide in reducing TSSM populations in both the laboratory and greenhouse experiments. Vendex[reg] and Wipeout[reg] were also effective in the laboratory, but did not cause significant reduction of TSSM in the greenhouse. Repel[reg] was the least effective of the 4 pesticides evaluated. Neither Acramite[reg] nor Vendex[reg] had a significant effect on either predatory mite species. However, there appeared to be more predatory mites on the Vendex[reg]-treated plants than on the Acramite[reg]-treated plants. There were significantly more predatory mites of both species on the cue plants, which were inoculated with TSSM versus the non-cue plants, which were not inoculated. (author) [es

Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae in Costa Rica: population dynamics and its influence on the colony condition of Africanized honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Rafael A Calderón

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The development of Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Mesostigmata: Varroidae population dynamics in Africanized honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae colonies was monitored from February to July 2004 in Atenas, Costa Rica. A correlation between the mite infestation level and the colony condition was evaluated. For each colony, infestation of varroa in adult bees was measured twice a month. Sticky boards were placed on the bottom boards of each colony to collect fallen mites. The condition of the colonies was evaluated by measuring the amount of brood and adult bees. Our results consistently showed that mite infestation on adult bees increased significantly in the experimental colonies, rising to 10.0% by the end of the experiment. In addition, the mean mite fall increased significantly over the course of the study in the treated (R= 0.72, PLa dinámica poblacional del ácaro Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Mesostigmata: Varroidae en abejas africanizadas, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae fue monitoreada de febrero a julio 2004, en Atenas, Costa Rica. Asimismo, se analizó la relación entre el nivel de infestación de varroa y la condición de la colmena. La infestación del ácaro V. destructor fue evaluada en abejas adultas dos veces al mes. Además, se colocaron trampas adhesivas en el fondo de la colmena para recoger los ácaros que caen naturalmente. La condición de la colmena fue determinada midiendo la cantidad de cría y la población de abejas adultas. La infestación del ácaro V. destructor en abejas adultas aumentó significativamente durante el estudio hasta alcanzar un 10.0%. Igualmente, la caída natural de ácaros se incrementó, tanto en colmenas que fueron tratadas previa-mente con un acaricida químico (R= 0.72, P<0.05 como en colmenas sin tratamiento (R= 0.74, P<0.05, hasta llegar a 63.8 y 73.5 ácaros por día, respectivamente. El aumento de la infestación en las colmenas coincidió con una

Biological Activity of the Salvia officinalis L. (Lamiaceae Essential Oil on Varroa destructor Infested Honeybees

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Leila Bendifallah

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The present work is conducted as part of the development and the valorization of bioactive natural substances from Algerian medicinal and aromatic spontaneous plants, a clean alternative method in biological control. For this purpose, the bio-acaricidal activity of Salvia officinalis (sageessential oil (EOwas evaluated against the Varroa destructor, a major threat to the honey bee Apis mellifera ssp. intermissa. The aerial parts of S. officinalis L., 1753 were collected from the Chrea mountainous area in Northern Algeria. They were subjected to hydro distillation by a Clevenger apparatus type to obtain the EO, and screened for bio-acaricidal activity against Varroa destructor by the method of strips impregnated with the mixture EO and twin according to three doses. Pre-treatment results revealed infestation rates in the experimental site ranging from 3.76% to 21.22%. This showed the heterogeneity of infestations in hives according to the density of bees. This constituted a difficulty in monitoring the population dynamics of this parasite. After treatment, a difference in the acaricidal effect of Sage essential oil is noticed. It gives a mortality rate of 6.09% by the dose D1: 5%, 2.32% by the dose D2: 15%, and a low mortality rate of 0.9% by the dose D3: 20%. The chemical treatment carried out by Bayvarol gives a result close to that of the essential oil of Sage (9.97%.These results point to the fact that Sage essential oil treatments have a significant effect and good biological activity with regard to harmful species.

Effects of Bacillus thuringiensis strains virulent to Varroa destructor on larvae and adults of Apis mellifera.

Science.gov (United States)

Alquisira-Ramírez, Eva Vianey; Peña-Chora, Guadalupe; Hernández-Velázquez, Víctor Manuel; Alvear-García, Andrés; Arenas-Sosa, Iván; Suarez-Rodríguez, Ramón

2017-08-01

The sublethal effects of two strains of Bacillus thuringiensis, which were virulent in vitro to Varroa destructor, were measured on Apis mellifera. The effects of five concentrations of total protein (1, 5, 25, 50 and 100μg/mL) from the EA3 and EA26.1 strains on larval and adult honey bees were evaluated for two and seven days under laboratory conditions. Based on the concentrations evaluated, total protein from the two strains did not affect the development of larvae, the syrup consumption, locomotor activity or proboscis extension response of adults. These same parameters were also tested for the effects of three concentrations (1, 10 and 15μg/kg) of cypermethrin as a positive control. Although no significant differences were observed after two days of treatment with cypermethrin, a dose-response relationship in syrup consumption and locomotor activity was observed. A significant reduction in the proboscis extension response of the bees treated with cypermethrin was also observed. Therefore, in contrast to cypermethrin, our results indicate that the EA3 and EA26.1 strains of B. thuringiensis can be used in beehives to control V. destructor and reduce the negative effects of this mite on colonies without adverse effects on the larvae and adults of A. mellifera. Additionally, the overuse of synthetic miticides, which produce both lethal and sublethal effects on bees, can be reduced. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Differential responses of Africanized and European honey bees (Apis mellifera) to viral replication following mechanical transmission or Varroa destructor parasitism.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamiduzzaman, Mollah Md; Guzman-Novoa, Ernesto; Goodwin, Paul H; Reyes-Quintana, Mariana; Koleoglu, Gun; Correa-Benítez, Adriana; Petukhova, Tatiana

2015-03-01

For the first time, adults and brood of Africanized and European honey bees (Apis mellifera) were compared for relative virus levels over 48 h following Varroa destructor parasitism or injection of V. destructor homogenate. Rates of increase of deformed wing virus (DWV) for Africanized versus European bees were temporarily lowered for 12h with parasitism and sustainably lowered over the entire experiment (48 h) with homogenate injection in adults. The rates were also temporarily lowered for 24h with parasitism but were not affected by homogenate injection in brood. Rates of increase of black queen cell virus (BQCV) for Africanized versus European bees were similar with parasitism but sustainably lowered over the entire experiment with homogenate injection in adults and were similar for parasitism and homogenate injection in brood. Analyses of sac brood bee virus and Israeli acute paralysis virus were limited as detection did not occur after both homogenate injection and parasitism treatment, or levels were not significantly higher than those following control buffer injection. Lower rates of replication of DWV and BQCV in Africanized bees shows that they may have greater viral resistance, at least early after treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Marine water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Pontarachnidae) from Taiwan, Korea and India, with the first description of the male of Pontarachna australis Smit, 2003

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Pesic, V.; Chatterjee, T.; Chan, B.K.K.; Ingole, B.S.

he hitherto unknown male of the marine water mite Pontarachna australis Smit, 2003 (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Pontarachnidae) is described and recorded from Taiwan for the first time. Another marine water mite, Litarachna denhami (Lohmann, 1909...

Response of forest soil Acari to prescribed fire following stand structure manipulation in the southern Cascade Range.Can

Science.gov (United States)

Michael A. Camann; Nancy E. Gillette; Karen L. Lamoncha; Sylvia R. Mori

2008-01-01

We studied responses of Acari, especially oribatid mites, to prescribed low-intensity fire in an east side pine site in the southern Cascade Range in California. We compared oribatid population and assemblage responses to prescribed fire in stands that had been selectively logged to enhance old growth characteristics, in logged stands to minimize old growth...

Development, oviposition, and mortality of Neoseiulus fallacis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) in response to reduced-risk insecticides.

Science.gov (United States)

Villanueva, Raul T; Walgenbach, James F

2005-12-01

Eight reduced-risk insecticides (acetamiprid, thiamethoxam, imidacloprid, thiacloprid, methoxyfenozide, pyriproxyfen, indoxacarb, and spinosad) and three conventional insecticides (azinphosmethyl, fenpropathrin, and esfenvalerate) were tested against Neoseiulus fallacis (Garman) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), the most abundant predacious mite in North Carolina apple (Malus spp.) orchards. To assess the effect of insecticides on development and mortality of N. fallacis immatures, 12-h-old eggs were individually placed on bean leaf disks previously dipped in insecticide solutions. Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) females were added as a food source. None of the reduced-risk insecticides significantly affected immature N. fallacis compared with the control; however, the pyrethroids esfenvalerate and fenpropathrin were highly toxic to immatures. To evaluate the effect of insecticides on mortality and oviposition of adult N. fallacis, 7- to 8-d-old females were confined on insecticide-treated bean leaves with Malephora crocea (Aizoaceae) pollen added as a food source. Spinosad resulted in the highest mortality, whereas azinphosmethyl, acetamiprid, fenpropathrin, and imidacloprid were moderately toxic, and mortality from esfenvalerate, indoxacarb, thiacloprid, methoxyfenozide, pyriproxyfen, and thiamethoxam did not differ significantly from the control. Oviposition was affected in a similar manner, with the exception of acetamiprid that did not affect oviposition, and thiamethoxam that reduced oviposition.

Acaricidal and repellent activities of essential oil of Eucalyptus globulus against Dermanyssus gallinae (Acari: Mesostigmata)

OpenAIRE

Dehghani-Samani Amir; Madreseh-Ghahfarokhi Samin; Dehghani-Samani Azam; Pirali-Kheirabadi Khodadad

2015-01-01

Introduction: By considering an increase in drug resistance against red mites, finding the nonchemical herbal acaricide against Dermanyssus gallinae (De Geer) (Acari: Mesostigmata) is necessary to kill them and to reduce the chemical resistance against chemical acaricides in this specie. Dermanyssus gallinae is a potential vector of the causal agent of several viral diseases such as Equine encephalitis and St. Louis encephalitis. It can be a vector of bacteria such as Salmonella spp., Mycobac...

Changes in infestation, cell cap condition, and reproductive status of Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varrroidae) in brood exposed to honey bees with Varroa sensitive hygiene

Science.gov (United States)

Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) bred for Varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH) selectively remove pupae infested with Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman from capped brood that is inserted into the nest. After one week, remaining brood cells tend to have been uncapped and recapped, and remaining mites are...

The Genus Ixodes (Acari: Ixodidae) in Mexico: Adult Identification Keys, Diagnoses, Hosts, and Distribution

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Cricetidae and Hominidae ( Homo sapiens Linnaeus, 1758) (Mammalia) (Hoffmann, 1969). Note. The tick from Valle de Bravo, Estado de México, was...distribution El género Ixodes (Acari: Ixodidae) en México: claves de identifi cación para adultos, diagnosis, huéspedes y distribución Carmen Guzmán...Incorporación de Profesores de Carrera en Facultades y Escuelas para el Fortalecimiento de la Investigación (PROFIP). Tila María Pérez, Curator of CNAC

Correlation of proteome-wide changes with social immunity behaviors provides insight into resistance to the parasitic mite, Varroa destructor, in the honey bee (Apis mellifera).

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Robert; Guarna, M Marta; Melathopoulos, Andony P; Moon, Kyung-Mee; White, Rick; Huxter, Elizabeth; Pernal, Stephen F; Foster, Leonard J

2012-06-29

Disease is a major factor driving the evolution of many organisms. In honey bees, selection for social behavioral responses is the primary adaptive process facilitating disease resistance. One such process, hygienic behavior, enables bees to resist multiple diseases, including the damaging parasitic mite Varroa destructor. The genetic elements and biochemical factors that drive the expression of these adaptations are currently unknown. Proteomics provides a tool to identify proteins that control behavioral processes, and these proteins can be used as biomarkers to aid identification of disease tolerant colonies. We sampled a large cohort of commercial queen lineages, recording overall mite infestation, hygiene, and the specific hygienic response to V. destructor. We performed proteome-wide correlation analyses in larval integument and adult antennae, identifying several proteins highly predictive of behavior and reduced hive infestation. In the larva, response to wounding was identified as a key adaptive process leading to reduced infestation, and chitin biosynthesis and immune responses appear to represent important disease resistant adaptations. The speed of hygienic behavior may be underpinned by changes in the antenna proteome, and chemosensory and neurological processes could also provide specificity for detection of V. destructor in antennae. Our results provide, for the first time, some insight into how complex behavioural adaptations manifest in the proteome of honey bees. The most important biochemical correlations provide clues as to the underlying molecular mechanisms of social and innate immunity of honey bees. Such changes are indicative of potential divergence in processes controlling the hive-worker maturation.

Comparison of thermal activity thresholds of the spider mite predators Phytoseiulus macropilis and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Coombs, Megan R; Bale, Jeffrey S

2013-04-01

The lower and upper thermal activity thresholds of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus macropilis Banks (Acari: Phytoseiidae) were compared with those of its prey Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) and one of the alternative commercially available control agents for T. urticae, Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot. Adult female P. macropilis retained ambulatory function (CTmin) and movement of appendages (chill coma) at significantly lower temperatures (8.2 and 0.4 °C, respectively) than that of P. persimilis (11.1 and 3.3 °C) and T. urticae (10.6 and 10.3 °C). As the temperature was raised, P. macropilis ceased walking (CTmax) and entered heat coma (42.7 and 43.6 °C), beyond the upper locomotory limits of P. persimilis (40.0 and 41.1 °C), but before T. urticae (47.3 and 48.7 °C). Walking speeds were investigated and P. persimilis was found to have significantly faster ambulation than P. macropilis and T. urticae across a range of temperatures. The lower thermal activity threshold data indicate that P. macropilis will make an effective biological control agent in temperate climates.

New feather mites of the subfamily Pterodectinae (Acari: Astigmata: Proctophyllodidae) from passerines (Aves: Passeriformes) in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mironov, S. V.; Literák, I.; Čapek, Miroslav

2008-01-01

Roč. 1947, - (2008), s. 1-38 ISSN 1175-5326 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60930519 Keywords : Acari * Astigmata * feather mites * systematics * Brazil * Proctophyllodidae * Aves * Passeriformes Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 0.740, year: 2008 http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2008/f/zt01947p038.pdf

Effect of Pollen from Different Plant Species on Development of Typhlodromus pyri (Sheuten (Acari: Phytoseiidae Efecto del Polen de Diferentes Especies Vegetales sobre el Desarrollo de Typhlodromus pyri (Sheuten (Acari: Phytoseiidae

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Paulina Bermúdez

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Typhlodromus pyri (Sheuten (Acari: Phytoseiidae is a phytoseiid mite with a high potential in controlling the false Chilean mite (Brevipalpus chilensis Baker; Acari: Tenuipalpidae. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of different plant species pollen as a complementary food in the development of T. pyri when its prey is in low levels of availability. Mites were individually placed on black plastic boxes with pollen and maintained at a temperature of 26 ± 2 °C, 70 ± 5% relative humidity (RH, and a photoperiod of 16:8 h (L:D. Postembryonic development of T. pyri was studied in 11 pollen species, as well as in a mixed diet of Hirschfeldia incana (L. and B. chilensis. Results show that H. incana was the only pollen in which there was no mortality (P > 0.05 along with the control (Oxalis pes-caprae L.. Mean duration from egg to adult with H. incana was 8.70 ± 1.66 d, protonymph 3.27 ± 0.21 d, and deutonymph 2.90 ± 1.45 d (P > 0.05. The mix feeding of T. pyri did not show any significant differences neither in the mean time from egg to adult, nor in mortality by feeding only with B. chilensis. Survival curves of T. pyri fed only with H. incana pollen, combined with B. chilensis, and only with B. chilensis are higher in the first 14 d of life. The sex ratio was not significantly affected by being fed only with H. incana pollen, B. chilensis, or by a combination of both.Typhlodromus pyri (Sheuten (Acari: Phytoseiidae es un ácaro que presenta un alto potencial de uso para el control de la falsa arañita roja de la vid (Brevipalpus chilensis Baker; Acari: Tenuipalpidae. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar el efecto del polen de diferentes especies vegetales como alimento complementario para T. pyri cuando escasea su presa. Los parámetros post-embrionarios de T. pyri se estudiaron en 11 especies de polen, en una dieta mixta de polen de Hirschfeldia incana (L. y B. chilensis. Los ácaros se colocaron individualmente sobre

Reproductive parameters of Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks fed with Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Phytoseiidae, Tetranychidae in laboratory

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G. C. Souza-Pimentel

Full Text Available Abstract Predatory mites that belong to the Phytoseiidae family are one of the main natural enemies of phytophagous mites, thus allowing for their use as a biological control. Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks, 1904 (Acari: Phytoseiidae is among the main species of predatory mites used for this purpose. Tetranychus urticae Koch, 1836 (Acari: Tetranychidae is considered to be one of the most important species of mite pests and has been described as attacking over 1,100 species of plants in 140 families with economic value. The objective of the present study was to investigate, in the laboratory, the reproductive parameters of the predatory mite P. macropilis when fed T. urticae. Experiments were conducted under laboratory conditions at 25 ± 2 °C of temperature, 70 ± 10% RH and 14 hours of photophase. In addition, biological aspects were evaluated and a fertility life table was established. The results of these experiments demonstrated that the longevity of adult female was 27.5 days and adult male was 29.0 days. The population was estimated to increase approximately 27 times (Ro in mean generation time (T, which was 17.7 days. Lastly, the mite population grew 1.2 times/day (λ and doubled every 3.7 days (TD.

Expression of the Prophenoloxidase Gene and Phenoloxidase Activity, During the Development of Apis Mellifera Brood Infected with Varroa Destructor

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Zaobidna Ewa A.; Żółtowska Krystyna; Łopieńska-Biernat Elżbieta

2015-01-01

The pathogenesis of varroasis has not been fully explained despite intensive research. Earlier studies suggested that parasitic infections caused by Varroa destructor mites were accompanied by immunosuppression in the host organism. The objective of this study was to analyse the influence of varroasis on one of the immune pathway in Apis mellifera measured by the expression of the prophenoloxidase (proPO) gene and the enzymatic activity of this gene’s product, phenoloxidase (EC 1.14.18.1). An...

Expression of the Prophenoloxidase Gene and Phenoloxidase Activity, During the Development of Apis Mellifera Brood Infected with Varroa Destructor

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Zaobidna Ewa A.

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The pathogenesis of varroasis has not been fully explained despite intensive research. Earlier studies suggested that parasitic infections caused by Varroa destructor mites were accompanied by immunosuppression in the host organism. The objective of this study was to analyse the influence of varroasis on one of the immune pathway in Apis mellifera measured by the expression of the prophenoloxidase (proPO gene and the enzymatic activity of this gene’s product, phenoloxidase (EC 1.14.18.1. An evaluation was done of five developmental stages of honey bee workers and drones. The relative expression of proPO decreased in infected individuals. The only exceptions were worker prepupae (PP and drone pupae with brown eyes and dark brown thorax (P5 where propo gene expression was 1.8-fold and 1.5-fold higher, respectively, than in the control. Phenoloxidase (PO activity was 2.8-fold higher in infected pp workers and 2-fold higher in p5 drones in comparison with uninfected bees. Phenoloxidase activity was reduced in the remaining developmental stages of infected workers and drones. The relative expression of proPO was positively correlated with the relative PO activity in both workers (r = 0.988 and drones (r = 0.996. The results of the study indicate that V. destructor significantly influences the phenoloxidase-dependent immune pathway in honey bees.

SELETIVIDADE DE INSETICIDAS A Neoseiulus californicus MCGREGOR (ACARI: PHYTOSEIIDAE EM MACIEIRA, NO RIO GRANDE DO SUL AGROCHEMICAL SELECTIVITY TO Neoseiulus californicus MCGREGOR (ACARI: PHYTOSEIIDAE ON APPLE IN RIO GRANDE DO SUL

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LINO BITTENCOURT MONTEIRO

2001-12-01

Full Text Available Testes para determinar os efeitos de agroquímicos homologados para macieira foram realizados em laboratório sobre Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae. Os indivíduos testados foram coletados de um pomar comercial da Agriflor Ltda, em Vacaria, Rio Grande do Sul, após várias liberações inoculativas. Os inseticidas utilizados foram os tradicionalmente recomendados para o controle de pragas, principalmente mosca-das-frutas Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae. A oviposição e a mortalidade dos ácaros foram avaliadas 12; 24; 48 e 96 horas após a pulverização, cujos produtos foram classificados em quatro classes de toxicidade (IOBC/WPRS. Azinphos ethyl, deltametrina e fenthion provocaram 100% de mortalidade, sendo que dimethoate, fenitrotion, paration, phosmet e triclorfon foram levemente nocivos (classe 2. Malation foi considerado neutro para esta população.The side-effects of agrochemical to Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae were studied in laboratory. The mites were collected in commercial apple orchard of Agropastoril Rincão das Flores, in Vacaria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, after successive inoculative releases. The insecticids used were recommended to control of same pest, as Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae. The reproduction effect and mortality were evalued 12, 24, 48 and 96 hours after pulverization, while the agrochemical were ranked in toxicity classes, according to IOBC/WPRS. Azinphos ethyl, deltametrina e fenthion were harmful with ca. 100% of mortality in 24 hours, dimethoate, fenitrotion, paration, phosmet e triclorfon were slightly harmful (class 2. Malation was harmless.

Search and studying of salt resisting bacteria -destructors of organochlorine pesticides with help of tritium labeled PCBs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, A.A.; Djuraeva, G.T.; Dadakhanov, J.A.; Djumaniyazova, G.I.; Yadgarov, Kh.T.; Zinovev, P.V.; Norbaeva, Kh.

2006-01-01

Full text: Salinization of soils is one of serious problems of agriculture of Uzbekistan. The problem is also aggravated as the salted soils are strongly contaminated with pesticides. We isolated aboriginal active strains of bacteria- destructors of organochlorine compounds from soils contaminated by pesticides (HCCH, DDT, PCBs). We investigated their cultural-morphological and physiological -biochemical properties and determined their taxonomic position. In laboratory experiments the effect of various concentrations of NaCl - 3%-5-7-10-20-30-40-50 % and reproduction of the active strains-destructors was investigated. It was found that the culture number 20 stands the NaCl concentration - up to 3 %, culture number 505 - up to 7 % salt in medium that specifies ability of this culture to survive in the middle salinated soils, cultures number 28 and 33 stand the NaCl concentration up to 30-40 % that characterize their survival rate in strongly salinated soils; the culture number 26 stood the NaCl concentration up to 50 % that characterizes its ability to survive and propagate in brackish soils. With the help of designed radiochemical methods we had been explored ability of the active salt resisting strains of bacteria to utilize and destroy the tritium labeled PCBs. The precise quantity and quality characteristics of the PCB-destructive activity of each investigated strain were received. The salt resisting strains of bacteria having high PCB-destructive activity were determined. At present, investigation on development of the new biological preparation designed for destruction of persistent organochlorine compounds in salted soils are carried out. (author)

Plant architecture and prey distribution influence foraging behavior of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

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Gontijo, Lessando M; Nechols, James R; Margolies, David C; Cloyd, Raymond A

2012-01-01

The arrangement, number, and size of plant parts may influence predator foraging behavior, either directly, by altering the rate or pattern of predator movement, or, indirectly, by affecting the distribution and abundance of prey. We report on the effects of both plant architecture and prey distribution on foraging by the predatory mite, Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae), on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Plants differed in leaf number (2- or 6-leafed), and there were associated differences in leaf size, plant height, and relative proportions of plant parts; but all had the same total surface area. The prey, the twospotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), were distributed either on the basal leaf or on all leaves. The effect of plant architecture on predator foraging behavior varied depending on prey distribution. The dimensions of individual plant parts affected time allocated to moving and feeding, but they did not appear to influence the frequency with which predators moved among different plant parts. Overall, P. persimilis moved less, and fed upon prey longer, on 6-leafed plants with prey on all leaves than on plants representing other treatment combinations. Our findings suggest that both plant architecture and pattern of prey distribution should be considered, along with other factors such as herbivore-induced plant volatiles, in augmentative biological control programs.

Efecto del Fosfito de Potasio en Combinación con el Fungicida Metalaxyl + Mancozeb en el Control de Mildeo Velloso (Peronospora destructor Berk en Cebolla de Bulbo (Allium cepa L. Effect of the Potasium Phosphite in Combination with the Fungicide Metalaxyl plus Mancozeb on the Control of Downy Mildew (Peronospora destructor Berk in Onion Bulb (Allium cepa L.

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Jorge Velandia Monsalve

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Resumen. El hongo Peronospora destructor causa considerables pérdidas en la producción de cebolla de bulbo en el mundo. Fosfito de potasio en combinación con el fungicida Metalaxyl + Mancozeb, fue evaluado por su eficiencia en el control de este patógeno en el híbrido de cebolla de bulbo Yellow Granex. Los tratamientos consistieron en una aplicación de fosfito (5 mL L-1 alternada con una de fungicida (2 g L-1; dos y tres aplicaciones consecutivas de fosfito alternadas con una de fungicida; una aplicación de fungicida alternada con una de fosfito; dos y tres aplicaciones consecutivas de fungicida alternadas con una de fosfito; aplicaciones de sólo fosfito y sólo fungicida y un testigo. Se utilizó el diseño experimental de bloques completos al azar con tres repeticiones. Se evaluó la incidencia y severidad de la enfermedad, el número, tamaño y peso de bulbos de primera, segunda, tercera y peso total de bulbos. Los resultados mostraron que las aplicaciones de fosfito de potasio durante dos semanas consecutivas alternadas en la tercera semana con una de fungicida y las aplicaciones semanales de sólo fosfito, tuvieron efectos altamente significativos en el control de la incidencia y severidad de P. destructor y diferencias significativas en el peso de los bulbos de primera (28,1 y 27,9 t ha-1 y peso total de bulbos (55,5 y 52,1 t ha-1, representando en relación al testigo, un incremento de 200 y 196% en el peso de los bulbos de primera y de 55 y 45,7% en el peso total de bulbos, respectivamente. Se concluye que con el fosfito de potasio se reduce la aplicación de fungicidas y ello es una alternativa viable para el manejo ecológico de P. destructor en la producción de cebolla de bulbo.Abstract. Peronospora destructor fungi causes considerable loses in the production of onion bulb in the world. Potassium phosphite in combination with the fungicide Metalaxyl + Mancozeb was evaluated for its efficiency in the control of this pathogen

Biology and control of Varroa destructor.

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Rosenkranz, Peter; Aumeier, Pia; Ziegelmann, Bettina

2010-01-01

The ectoparasitic honey bee mite Varroa destructor was originally confined to the Eastern honey bee Apis cerana. After a shift to the new host Apis mellifera during the first half of the last century, the parasite dispersed world wide and is currently considered the major threat for apiculture. The damage caused by Varroosis is thought to be a crucial driver for the periodical colony losses in Europe and the USA and regular Varroa treatments are essential in these countries. Therefore, Varroa research not only deals with a fascinating host-parasite relationship but also has a responsibility to find sustainable solutions for the beekeeping. This review provides a survey of the current knowledge in the main fields of Varroa research including the biology of the mite, damage to the host, host tolerance, tolerance breeding and Varroa treatment. We first present a general view on the functional morphology and on the biology of the Varroa mite with special emphasis on host-parasite interactions during reproduction of the female mite. The pathology section describes host damage at the individual and colony level including the problem of transmission of secondary infections by the mite. Knowledge of both the biology and the pathology of Varroa mites is essential for understanding possible tolerance mechanisms in the honey bee host. We comment on the few examples of natural tolerance in A. mellifera and evaluate recent approaches to the selection of Varroa tolerant honey bees. Finally, an extensive listing and critical evaluation of chemical and biological methods of Varroa treatments is given. This compilation of present-day knowledge on Varroa honey bee interactions emphasizes that we are still far from a solution for Varroa infestation and that, therefore, further research on mite biology, tolerance breeding, and Varroa treatment is urgently needed. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vergleichende Untersuchungen zur Widerstandsfähigkeit von \\(\\textit {Apis mellifera}\\) gegenüber \\(\\textit {Varroa destructor}\\) in Deutschland und Südafrika

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Bosch, Christoph (M. Sc.)

2016-01-01

Die Milbe \\(\\textit {Varroa destructor}\\) ist einer der bedeutendsten Parasiten der Westlichen Honigbiene \\(\\textit {Apis mellifera}\\). Mit der Ausbreitung entwickelten sich \\(\\it Varroa\\)-resistenzen bei Unterarten von \\(\\textit {A. mellifera}\\). In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden ausgewählte Faktoren, die zur Widerstandsfähigkeit beitragen können, bei der anfälligen \\(\\textit {A. m. carnica}\\) in Deutschland und der resistenten \\(\\textit {A. m. scutellata}\\) in Südafrika untersucht. Dabei wu...

Infestação de Amblyomma rotundatum (Koch (Acari, Ixodidae em sapos Bufo ictericus (Spix (Amphibia, Bufonidae: novo registro de hospedeiro Infestation of Amblyomma rotundatum (Koch (Acari, Ixodidae ticks on Bufo ictericus (Spix (Amphibia, Bufonidae: new host record

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Germano Woehl Jr.

2002-06-01

Full Text Available Bufo ictericus Spix, 1824 toad population (N = 125 foraging in lighted areas in the Corupá Municipality, Santa Catarina State, was surveyed to evaluate the prevalence (percentage of infestation and the mean infestation intensity of Amblyomma rotundatum Koch, 1844 (Acari, Ixodidae ticks. The prevalence was of 19.2% and the mean infestation intensity was 7.4 ticks per infested toad. For the first time B. ictericus as host of A. rotundatum is reported.

Mites (Acari Associated with the Desert Seed Harvester Ant, Messor pergandei (Mayr

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Kaitlin A. Uppstrom

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Mites (Acari associated with the seed harvester ant Messor pergandei were investigated in the Sonoran desert of Arizona. At least seven representatives of the mite genera Armacarus, Lemanniella, Petalomium, Forcellinia, Histiostoma, Unguidispus, and Cosmoglyphus are phoretically associated with M. pergandei. Most of these morphospecies show preference for specific phoretic attachment sites and primarily use female alates rather than male alates for dispersal. Five mite morphospecies were found in low numbers inhabiting the chaff piles: Tydeidae sp., Procaeculus sp., Anystidae sp., Bakerdania sp., and Tetranychidae sp. The phoretic Petalomium sp. was observed consuming fungus growing on a dead queen, but the roles of the other mite species remain mostly unresolved.

Reproduction of Varroa destructor and offspring mortality in worker and drone brood cells of Africanized honey bees.

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Calderón, R A; Ureña, S; van Veen, J W

2012-04-01

Varroa destructor is known to be the most serious parasite of Apis mellifera worldwide. In order to reproduce varroa females enter worker or drone brood shortly before the cell is sealed. From March to December 2008, the reproductive rate and offspring mortality (mature and immature stages), focusing on male absence and male mortality of V. destructor, was investigated in naturally infested worker and drone brood of Africanized honey bees (AHB) in Costa Rica. Data were obtained from 388 to 403 single infested worker and drone brood cells, respectively. Mite fertility in worker and drone brood cells was 88.9 and 93.1%, respectively. There was no difference between the groups (X(2) = 3.6, P = 0.06). However, one of the most significant differences in mite reproduction was the higher percentage of mites producing viable offspring in drone cells (64.8%) compared to worker cells (37.6%) (X(2) = 57.2, P drone cells was high in the protonymph stage (mobile and immobile). A significant finding was the high rate of male mortality. The worker and drone brood revealed that 23.9 and 6.9%, respectively, of the adult male offspring was found dead. If the absence (missing) of the male and adult male mortality are taken together the percentage of cells increased to 40.0 and 21.3% in worker and drone cells, respectively (X(2) = 28.8, P < 0.05). The absence of the male or male mortality in a considerable number of worker cells naturally infested with varroa is the major factor in our study which reduces the production of viable daughters in AHB colonies in Costa Rica.

Infestation and distribution of the mite Varroa destructor in colonies of africanized bees

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G. Moretto

Full Text Available Whereas in several parts of the world varroa is the major pest affecting apiculture, in others the parasite is unknown to many beekeepers because its damage to bees is minor. The impact of the mite Varroa destructor is related to the climatic conditions and the races of Apis mellifera bees in each region where the pest exists. In the present study, the current level of infestation by the mite was assessed to determine the evolution of the pest in Africanized bee colonies in Southern Brazil. This level of infestation was considered low: approximately two mites per one hundred adult bees. This result is similar to that obtained for the same apiary almost five years ago and for others distributed in various regions of Brazil. In the present study, we also estimated the total varroa population and its distribution among brood and adults in each bee colony.

First record of larvae of the water mite Hydrachna processifera Piersig, 1895 from Turkey (Acari, Hydrachnidia, Hydrachnidae

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Medeni Aykut

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Larvae of water mite Hydrachna processifera Piersig, 1895 (Acari, Hydrachnidiae were reported on diving beetles Dytiscus marginalis Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae from Turkey. The redescription of the larva was made. Earlier, the larva H. processifera was described as H. inermis, but it was subsequently synonymized with H. processifera. The larva of H. processifera is a new record for the Turkish fauna. All larvae of H. processifera were found on the mesosternum of the one specimens (prevalence = 16.7%.

Ricoseius loxocheles (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is not a predator of false spider mite on coffee crops: What does it eat?

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Vacacela Ajila, Henry E; Ferreira, João A M; Colares, Felipe; Oliveira, Cleber M; Bernardo, Ana Maria G; Venzon, Madelaine; Pallini, Angelo

2018-01-01

Ricoseius loxocheles (De Leon) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is often found in coffee crops and is known to feed on coffee leaf rust, Hemileia vastatrix Berkeley and Broome (Uredinales). As the occurrence of coffee leaf rust is limited primarily to the rainy season, the mite may use other food sources to survive during the periods of low pathogen prevalence. It is well known that phytoseiid mites can survive on a variety of food sources, such as herbivorous mites, fungi and pollen. We evaluated the ability of R. loxocheles to survive and reproduce on a diet of Brevipalpus phoenicis Geijskes (Acari: Tenuipalpidae), cattail pollen (Typha spp.), clover rust (Puccinia oxalidis), bee pollen (Santa Bárbara ® dehydrated pollen, Santa Bárbara, MG, Brazil) and coffee leaf rust. Ricoseius loxocheles did not survive or reproduce on any B. phoenicis stages tested (egg, larva, adult). The survival and oviposition of R. loxocheles were directly affected by the presence of coffee rust urediniospores, but not by the presence of the prey. Survival and oviposition of the phytoseiid were similar when fed cattail pollen, clover rust and coffee leaf rust but was lower when fed bee pollen. Our results show that R. loxocheles is not a predator of B. phoenicis but it is able to utilize other resources besides coffee leaf rust.

New species and new records of mites of the genus Stigmaeus(Acari: Prostigmata: Stigmaeidae) from Crimea.

Science.gov (United States)

Khaustov, Alexander A

2014-05-06

Three new species of the genus Stigmaeus Koch, 1836 (Acari: Stigmaeidae) are described from various habitats in Crimea: Stigmaeus kuznetsovi sp. nov. from nests of Microtus socialis (Rodentia: Cricetidae); S. mitrofanovi sp. nov. from galleries of Pityogenes bistridentatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) under the bark of Pinus pallasiana, and S. silvestris sp. nov. from rotten log of Pinus pallasiana. Stigmaeus corticeus Kuznetsov and Wainstein, 1977 and S. maraghehiensis Bagheri and Ueckermann, 2012 are recorded for the first time in Crimea. A key to species of the genus Stigmaeus of Crimea is provided.

The impact of cucumber nitrogen nutrition on life history traits of Tetranychus urticae (Koch) (Acari: Tetranychidae)

OpenAIRE

Motahari , M.; Kheradmand , K.; Roustaee , A.M.; Talebi , A.A.

2014-01-01

International audience; The nutritional quality of the host plant is one of the most important factors of growth and reproduction for crop pests. In order to investigate the impact of nitrogen on the biology and demography of Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), cucumber plants were nourished by four levels of nitrogen: N1 (10 meq /L NO3-), N2 (12 meq/L NO3-), N3 (15 meq/L NO3-) and N4 (20 meq /L NO3-). The experiments were performed under laboratory conditions at 25+/-1 °C, 60+/-...

Harşit Vadisi’nin (Türkiye) Caligonellid Akarları (Acari: Raphignathoidea: Caligonellidae)

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DOĞAN, Sibel; DOĞAN, Salih; ERMAN, Orhan

2018-01-01

Bu çalışmada, Harşit Vadisi’nden (Türkiye) toplanancaligonellid akarların (Acari: Caligonellidae) iki cinsine ait toplam dört türtespit edildi. Türlerden üçü, Caligonellahumilis (Koch), Neognathusspectabilis (Summers ve Schlinger) ve N.terrestris (Summers ve Schlinger), çalışma alanından ilk defa kaydedildi.Bu türlerin, çeşitli organlarının şekilleri çizildi, ölçümleri alındı vetanımları yapıldı. Ayrıca Türkiye’de ve dünyada yayılışları üzerinde duruldu....

Mites (acari) infesting commensal rats in Suez Canal zone, Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

el Kady, G A; Shoukry, A; Ragheb, D A; el Said, A M; Habib, K S; Morsy, T A

1995-08-01

Mites are arthropods distinguished from ticks by usually being microscopical in size and have a hypostome unarmed with tooth-like anchoring processes. They are group in a number of suborders, each with super-families and families including many genera of medical and economic importance. In this paper, commensal rodents (Rattus norvegicus, R. r. alexandrinus and R. r. frugivorous) were surveyed in the Suez Canal Zone for their acari ectoparasites. Four species of mites were recovered. In a descending order of mite indices, they were Eulaelaps stabularis (4.83 on 6 rats), Laelaps nuttalli (3.11 on 27 rats), Ornithonyssus bacoti (1.66 on 9 rats) and Dermanyssus gallinae (0.66 on 24 rats). The overall mite indices in the three governorates were 3.66 in Suez, 2.82 in Ismailia and zero in Port Said. The medical and economic importance of the mites were discussed.

Evaluación de la resistencia del ácaro Varroa destructor al fluvalinato en colonias de abejas (Apis mellifera en Yucatán, México

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Jesús Froylán Martínez Puc

2011-01-01

Full Text Available La constante aplicación de piretroides para el control del ácaro Varroa destructor ha ocasionado la aparición de poblaciones de ácaros resistentes a este producto en diversas partes del mundo. Con la finalidad de detectar la posible existencia de poblaciones de ácaros resistentes al fluvalinato en el estado de Yucatán, uno de los principales estados productores de miel en México, se colectó un total de 12 muestras por cada apiario, seleccionando cuatro apiarios donde se ha utilizado de manera constante el fluvalinato para el control de V. destructor por un periodo de cinco años, y una cantidad de muestras similar provenientes de apiarios donde se han utilizado métodos de control alternativo durante un tiempo similar. Para determinar el porcentaje de mortalidad de los ácaros al fluvalinato, estos fueron expuestos a una pieza de 2.5 x 1.0 cm de Apistan® al 10%, por un periodo de 24 h. El porcentaje de mortalidad de varroas provenientes de apiarios tratados de manera constante con fluvalinato fue de 83.6 ± 0.51 %, inferior al porcentaje de mortalidad obtenido en los apiarios que sólo han recibido tratamiento alternativo el cual fue de 93.9 ± 1.98 %, existiendo diferencias entre ambos grupos (t=-3.93, P=0.01, gl= 46, lo cual indica una reducción en el porcentaje de mortalidad obtenido con el fluvalinato, sin embargo, esta reducción, aun no alcanza los niveles necesarios para reportar la presencia de ácaros resistentes, siendo importante cambiar las prácticas de manejo encaminadas a reducir los niveles de infestación de V. destructor, por lo que es recomendable la aplicación de métodos de control alternativo los cuales no ocasionan el desarrollo de resistencia en las poblaciones de ácaros.

New records of water mites of the genus Atractides Koch, 1837 (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Hygrobatidae) from Thailand, Malaysia and Sulawesi (Indonesia), with the description of four new species

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pesic, V.; Smit, H.

2009-01-01

New records of water mites of the genus Atractides Koch, 1837 (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Hygrobatidae) from Thailand, Malaysia and Sulawesi are presented. Four species new to science, Atractides siamis, A. malayensis, A. tahanensis and A. sulawesiensis, are described; a first description of the male is

First record of the genus .i.Bloszykiella./i. in Kenya with the description of .i.Bloszykiella tertia./i. sp n. (Acari: Uropodidae) from a .i.Pinus radiata./i. D. Don plantation

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kontschán, J.; Starý, Josef

2015-01-01

Roč. 56, č. 3 (2015), s. 629-635 ISSN 1681-5556 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Acari * new species * Pinus radiata plantation * Kenya Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 0.708, year: 2015

Proteomic analysis of chemosensory organs in the honey bee parasite Varroa destructor: A comprehensive examination of the potential carriers for semiochemicals.

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Iovinella, Immacolata; McAfee, Alison; Mastrobuoni, Guido; Kempa, Stefan; Foster, Leonard J; Pelosi, Paolo; Dani, Francesca Romana

2018-06-15

We have performed a proteomic analysis on chemosensory organs of Varroa destructor, the honey bee mite, in order to identify putative soluble carriers for pheromones and other olfactory cues emitted by the host. In particular, we have analysed forelegs, mouthparts (palps, chelicera and hypostome) and the second pair of legs (as control tissue) in reproductive and phoretic stages of the Varroa life cycle. We identified 958 Varroa proteins, most of them common to the different organs and stages. Sequence analysis shows that four proteins can be assigned to the odorant-binding protein (OBP)-like class, which bear some similarity to insect OBPs, but so far have only been reported in some Chelicerata. In addition, we have detected the presence of two proteins belonging to the Niemann-Pick family, type C2 (NPC2), which have also been suggested as semiochemical carriers. Biological significance: The mite Varroa destructor is the major parasite of the honey bee and is responsible for great economical losses. The biochemical tools used by Varroa to detect semiochemicals produced by the host are still largely unknown. This work contributes to understand the molecular basis of olfaction in Varroa and, more generally, how detection of semiochemicals has evolved in terrestrial non-hexapod Arthropoda. Moreover, the identification of molecular carriers involved in olfaction can contribute to the development of control strategies for this important parasite. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Community structure variability of Uropodina mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) in nests of the common mole, Talpa europaea, in Central Europe

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Napiera?a, Agnieszka; M?dra, Anna; Leszczy?ska-Deja, Kornelia; Gwiazdowicz, Dariusz J.; Go?dyn, Bart?omiej; B?oszyk, Jerzy

2016-01-01

Underground nests of Talpa europaea, known as the common mole, are very specific microhabitats, which are also quite often inhabited by various groups of arthropods. Mites from the suborder Uropodina (Acari: Mesostigmata) are only one of them. One could expect that mole nests that are closely located are inhabited by communities of arthropods with similar species composition and structure. However, results of empirical studies clearly show that even nests which are close to each other can be ...

Laboratory evaluation of the effect of Beauveria bassiana on the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

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Ullah, Mohammad Shaef; Lim, Un Taek

2017-09-01

Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), a major pest of many agricultural crops, is mainly controlled with chemical acaricides. However, predatory mites and entomopathogens have been proposed as alternative control agents. In this study, the effect of the BotaniGard ® GHA strain of Beauveria bassiana on the survival, longevity, fecundity, and egg hatch rate of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) were studied under laboratory conditions. When B. bassiana was applied directly to P. persimilis eggs at a concentration of 1×10 8 conidia/ml, corrected hatchability was less than 5%, and the corrected mortality of nymphs and adults was not significantly different from control 10days after treatment. Phytoseiulus persimilis nymphs that hatched from treated eggs showed no significant change in their development time, adult female longevity, hatch rate, survival rates over time, or offspring sex ratio. However, significant negative effects on fecundity and life table parameters (net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of natural increase, mean generation time, finite rate of increase, and doubling time) were found when B. bassiana was applied to the adult stage. Spraying B. bassiana at 1×10 8 conidia/ml on newly emerged adults of P. persimilis caused 44% reduction in the oviposition period, 26% in adult longevity, and 63% in fecundity. Due to these negative effects, B. bassiana should be used with careful adjustment of application timing (first spray B. bassiana and then release P. persimilis) to supplement biological mite control systems using P. persimilis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Virulence and site of infection of the fungus, Hirsutella thompsonii, to the honey bee ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor.

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Peng, Christine Y S; Zhou, Xinsheng; Kaya, Harry K

2002-11-01

The Varroa mite, Varroa destructor, is recognized as the most serious pest of both managed and feral Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) in the world. The mite has developed resistance to fluvalinate, an acaricide used to control it in beehives, and fluvalinate residues have been found in the beeswax, necessitating an urgent need to find alternative control measures to suppress this pest. Accordingly, we investigated the possibility of using the fungus, Hirsutella thompsonii, as a biocontrol agent of the Varroa mite. Among the 9 isolates of H. thompsonii obtained from the University of Florida and the USDA, only the 3 USDA isolates (ARSEF 257, 1947 and 3323) were infectious to the Varroa mite in laboratory tests. The mite became infected when it was allowed to walk on a sporulating H. thompsonii culture for 5 min. Scanning electron micrographs revealed that the membranous arolium of the mite leg sucker is the focus of infection where the fungal conidia adhered and germinated. The infected mites died from mycosis, with the lethal times to kill 50% (LT(50)s) dependent on the fungal isolates. Thus, the LT(50)s were 52.7, 77.2, and 96.7h for isolates 3323, 257, and 1947, respectively. Passage of H. thompsonii through Varroa mite three times significantly reduced the LT(50)s of isolates 257 and 1947 (P<0.05) but not the LT(50) of isolate 3323. The fungus did not infect the honey bee in larval, prepupal, pupal, and adult stages under our laboratory rearing conditions. Our encouraging results suggest that some isolates of H. thompsonii have the potential to be developed as a biocontrol agent for V. destructor. However, fungal infectivity against the mites under beehive conditions needs to be studied before any conclusion can be made.

Control of Varroa Mite (Varroa destructor on Honeybees by Aromatic Oils and Plant Materials

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I.K. Nazer

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of several volatile plant oils, plant materials and fluvalinate (Apistan® strips on the control of the mite Varroa destructor on honeybee (Apis mellifera L. colonies was studied. The volatile oils were: clove, lavender, peppermint, sage, and thyme. The plant materials were: cumin fruits, eucalyptus leaves, and worm wood flowers. For each tested material, three treatment periods were carried out. Each period lasted for 24 days followed by eight days no-treatment. Within each treatment period, an average of three to six treatments were applied. Dead mites were counted one hour before and after each treatment. An increase in dead mites was recorded for the three treatment periods. It indicated that worm wood flowers, peppermint oil and clove oil treatments gave the best results in the control of Varroa mites but not significantly different than the control. The overall increase in the dead mites was 3.92, 3.62 and 3.34 fold, respectively.

Infection of the Gulf Coast Tick, Amblyomma Maculatum (Acari: Ixodidae), with Rickettsia Parkeri: First Report from the State of Delaware

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-31

0279276E-D761-4A27-BFF7-7329E05E0F66 Infection of the Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum (Acari: Ixodidae), with Rickettsia parkeri: first report from...Spring, MD 20910-1230, U.S.A. Abstract The molecular detection of Rickettsia parkeri in a Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum, collected in Delaware...near Smyrna, Delaware. All specimens were tested for the presence of Rickettsia with a genus-specific quantitative real-time polymerase chain

Obtención de líneas de trigo resistentes a Mayetiola destructor Say en la Campiña Sur de Extremadura

OpenAIRE

Del Moral, J.; Delibes de Castro, Ángeles; Martín Sánchez, Juan Antonio; Mejías, A.; López-Braña, Isidoro; Sin Casas, Esther; Montes, Mª J.; Pérez-Rojas, F.; Espinal, F. J.; Senero, M.

2002-01-01

La línea H-93-33, homocigota para el gen H27, que confiere resistencia a Mayetiola destructor Say, ha sido cruzada con variedades comerciales de trigo seleccionadas por su calidad harinera y sus características agronómicas. Esos cruzamientos han producido numerosas líneas avanzadas. La línea Ma8, que contiene el gen H27, ha demostrado su resistencia al parásito en condiciones controladas de cámara y campo, y muestra mejores características agronómicas que las variedades comerciales con las...

Use of costic acid, a natural extract from Dittrichia viscosa, for the control of Varroa destructor, a parasite of the European honey bee

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Kalliopi Sofou

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Costic acid has been isolated from the plant Dittrichia viscosa and its efficacy against Varroa destructor, a parasite of Apis mellifera, the European honey bee, has been studied. Costic acid exhibited potent in vivo acaricidal activity against the parasite. Initial experiments showed that the compound is not toxic for human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC at concentrations of up to 230 micromolar (μM, indicating that costic acid could be used as a safe, low-cost and efficient agent for controlling varroosis in honey bee colonies.

Catalogue of ptyctimous mites (Acari, Oribatida) of the world.

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NiedbaŁa, Wojciech; Liu, Dong

2018-03-11

As important representatives of Oribatida (Acari), ptyctimous mites comprise more than 1400 described species in 40 genera and subgenera, with nearly cosmopolitan distribution except for the Arctic and Antarctic Regions. They are capable of folding the aspidosoma under the opisthosoma to protect their appendages, and are primarily soil and litter inhabitants, feeding on fungi and decaying plant remains with various levels of specificity. Our purpose was to provide a detailed catalogue of all known ptyctimous mite species in the world with information of distribution, taxonomic issues and some remarks. Data of known juvenile  instars of ptyctimous mites which were not included in Norton Ermilov (2014) were added. We hope that our catalogue with bibliography will be helpful in taxonomic and ecological studies.        The catalogue presents taxonomic information and geographic distribution of 1431 known species of the world belonging to 42 genera and eight families (not including data of genus and species inquirenda, nomina nuda and species without author name). Among them, 261 species are listed as synonyms, 43 species inquirenda, nine homonyms, 17 new synonyms, one new subgenus Mahuntritia subgenus nov. and three new names are included in the catalogue.

Effect of pollen extract supplementation on the varroatosis tolerance of honey bee (Apis mellifera) larvae reared in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Piou, Vincent; Tabart, Jérémy; Hemptinne, Jean-Louis; Vétillard, Angélique

2018-01-01

As the main source of lipids and proteins in honey bees, pollen is a major nutrient provider involved in development and health and has been studied for tolerance stimulation against pathogens and parasites. In the case of Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Acari, Mesostigmata: Varroidae) parasitization, the lack of a complete laboratory system to rear both the bee larva and the acarian parasite limited the studies concerning larval nutrition effects on the bee tolerance and resistance against varroatosis. Due to the development of this complete rearing protocol, we managed to feed young honey bee larvae with pollen supplemented solutions and to study the effect on their later development under parasitism conditions. In our experimental conditions, pollen influences neither the deformity rate, nor the survival of bees both parasitized and unparasitized. However, pollen extract supplementation seems to significantly impact the weight of the spinning bee larvae without having an effect on the physiological weight loss during pupation, so the differences found at the larval stage remain the same as at emergence. Varroa has a deleterious effect on bee pupae and led to a steady increase of the physiological weight loss experienced during metamorphosis. Interestingly, this ponderal loss associated with Varroa parasitization seems to be reduced in the polyfloral pollen supplementation condition. Altogether, this work is to our knowledge the first to study in laboratory conditions the impact of larval nutrition on the tolerance to parasitism. A diverse pollen diet may be beneficial to the bees' tolerance against V. destructor parasitism.

Toxicity of Anethole and the Essential Oils of Lemongrass and Sweet Marigold to the Parasitic Mite Varroa destructor and Their Selectivity for Honey Bee (Apis mellifera Workers and Larvae

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Qodratollah Sabahi

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This study examined the toxicity of anethole and that of the essential oils of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus and sweet marigold (Tagetes lucida to the mite Varroa destructor and to honey bee workers and larvae. Anethole was the most toxic compound to V. destructor (LC50: 304.9 μg/ml, whereas Tagetes oil was the least toxic (LC50: 1256.27 μg/ml. The most and least toxic compounds to worker bees were anethole and Tagetes oil with LD50s of 35942 and 85381 μg/ml, respectively. For larvae, Tagetes oil was the most toxic compound (LD50: 9580.7 μg/ml and anethole the least toxic (LD50: 14518.0 μg/ml. Anethole and Cymbopogon oil had the highest selectivity ratios. The expression of AChE, a gene that regulates the production of acetyl cholinesterase, a detoxifying enzyme, was not altered in bees treated with the plant compounds at 48 h post-treatment. This study showed that anethole and Cymbopogon oil have potential for controlling Varroa mites and seem to be relatively safe for larvae and adult honey bees.

Control del parásito Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae en colmenas de la abeja Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae mediante la aplicación de la técnica de entrampado

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Natalia DAMIANI

2006-01-01

Full Text Available La parasitosis causada por el ácaro Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman es, actualmente considerada el mayor escollo para el desarrollo de la apicultura. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar la técnica del entrampamiento de ácaros en panales de cría, como posible método de control de la parasitosis. El trabajo se llevó a cabo en Coronel Vidal, provincia de Buenos Aires. Se trabajó sobre colmenas tipo Langstroth del híbrido regional de Apis mellifera (Linneaus. En cada colmena experimental se procedió a confinar a la reina en panales trampa específicos, con el fin de poder controlar la oviposición. Estos panales, luego de ser operculados por las obreras, fueron llevados al laboratorio donde se desoperculó cada una de las celdas de cría, y se contabilizó el número de ácaros presentes. Esta técnica se aplicó variando el número de panales trampa (1-3 colocados, tanto para los constituidos por celdas de cría de obreras como de zánganos. También, se evaluó el impacto de la aplicación de esta técnica sobre el desarrollo de las colonias, mediante la medición de su productividad. Los resultados indican, que la técnica empleada sólo es efectiva, cuando se aplican tres panales de cría de zánganos de manera consecutiva alcanzando una efectividad máxima de 84%. Cuando se aplican tres panales de obreras, la técnica mostró niveles de efectividad muy inferiores (14%. En las colonias sobre las que se aplicó esta técnica, la productividad de miel se redujo significativamente, comparada con las colonias control. Esta técnica resulta ideal para ser combinada con otros mecanismos de control, disminuyendo la aplicación de sustancias químicas que puedan contaminar la miel, y la generación de resistencia por parte del ácaro frente a los principios activos utilizados para su control.

Varroa destructor mite in Africanized honeybee colonies Apis mellifera L. under royal jelly or honey production

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Pedro da Rosa Santos

2015-08-01

Full Text Available This study evaluated the level of invasion of Varroa mite into worker brood cells, the infestation rate on adult worker honeybees, total and effective reproduction rates of the mite in Africanized honeybee colonies under royal jelly or honey production. Invasion and infestation rates were not statistically different between honeybee colonies producing honey or royal jelly and the averages for these parameters were 5.79 and 8.54%, respectively. Colonies producing honey presented a higher (p < 0.05 total and effective reproduction of Varroa than colonies producing royal jelly. There was a negative correlation between levels of invasion and infestation with minimum external temperature, relative humidity and rainfall. The variables month and season influenced the development of the mite, but rates were low and within the range normally found in Brazil for Africanized honeybee colonies, which confirm the greater resistance of these honeybees to Varroa destructor than European honeybees.

Composition of fatty acids in the Varroa destructor mites and their hosts, Apis mellifera drone-prepupae.

Science.gov (United States)

Dmitryjuk, Małgorzata; Zalewski, Kazimierz; Raczkowski, Marek; Żółtowska, Krystyna

2015-01-01

The fatty acid (FA) profile of lipids extracted from the Varroa destructor parasitic mite and its host, drone-prepupae of Apis mellifera, was determined by gas chromatography (GC). The percentages of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were generally similar in parasites and their hosts. Fatty acids were arranged in the following descending order based on their content: MUFAs (ca. 52-55%), SFAs (ca. 41%) and PUFAs (ca. 3%). The predominant fatty acids were oleic acid (46% in mites, 44% in prepupae) and palmitic acid (23% and 30%, respectively). Varroa parasites differed from their hosts in the quantity of individual FAs and in their FA profiles. Three PUFAs noted in the host were not observed in parasitic mites, whereas the presence of C21:0, C24:0 and C22:1 FAs was reported in mites, but not in drones.

Comparación de la eficacia del ácido fórmico y del fluvalinato, como métodos de control de Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae en colmenas de Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae, en Ñuble, centro sur de Chile

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Daniel GONZÁLEZ-ACUÑA

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Durante la primavera de 2000, se comparó la eficacia del ácido fórmico al 85 % y del fluvalinato como acaricidas contra Varroa destructor Anderson y Trueman en colmenas de Apis mellifera L., ubicadas en el Campus Chillán de la Universidad de Concepción (36o36‘S 72o0,6 ́W. Se formaron tres grupos de diez colmenas. El grupo 1 fue tratado con ácido fórmico al 85% aplicado en Vaporizadores Universales MHT ®; el grupo 2 se utilizó como con- trol, sin recibir ningún tipo de tratamiento; el grupo 3, se trató con tablillas de pino (Pinus radiata impregnadas en fluvalinato al 3 %. Al finalizar la aplicación de los acaricidas en estudio, las colmenas de los tres grupos fueron sometidas a un tratamiento testigo con Bayvarol® (flumetrín. La mayor eficacia se reportó en el grupo tratado con fluvalinato arrojando un promedio de 98,05 ± 2,13 %. De la misma manera con ácido fórmico se obtuvo una eficacia promedio de 88,26 ± 9,12 %, mientras que en el grupo control la mortalidad natural en promedio fue de 41,11 ± 11,52 %.

Life history of Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor, 1954 (Acari: Phytoseiidae fed with castor bean (Ricinus communisL. pollen in laboratory conditions

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PP Marafeli

Full Text Available The predatory mite, Neoseiulus californicus(McGregor, 1954 (Acari: Phytoseiidae is one of the principal natural enemies of tetranychid mites in several countries, promoting efficient control of those mites in several food and ornamental crops. Pest attacks such as that of the spider mite, Tetranychus urticaeKoch, 1836 (Acari: Tetranychidae, is one of the problems faced by farmers, especially in the greenhouse, due to the difficulty of its control with the use of chemicals because of the development of fast resistance making it hard to control it. The objective of this work was to study the life history of the predatory mite N. californicus as a contribution to its mass laboratory rearing, having castor bean plant [Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae] pollen as food, for its subsequent use as a natural enemy of T. urticae on a cultivation of greenhouse rosebushes. The studies were carried out in the laboratory, at 25 ± 2°C of temperature, 70 ± 10% RH and a 14 hour photophase. The biological aspects and the fertility life table were appraised. Longevity of 32.9 days was verified for adult females and 40.4 days for males. The intrinsic rate of increase (rm was 0.2 and the mean generation time (T was 17.2 days. The population doubled every 4.1 days. The results obtained were similar to those in which the predatory mite N. californicus fed on T. urticae.

Immune related gene expression in worker honey bee (Apis mellifera carnica) pupae exposed to neonicotinoid thiamethoxam and Varroa mites (Varroa destructor).

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Tesovnik, Tanja; Cizelj, Ivanka; Zorc, Minja; Čitar, Manuela; Božič, Janko; Glavan, Gordana; Narat, Mojca

2017-01-01

Varroa destructor is one of the most common parasites of honey bee colonies and is considered as a possible co-factor for honey bee decline. At the same time, the use of pesticides in intensive agriculture is still the most effective method of pest control. There is limited information about the effects of pesticide exposure on parasitized honey bees. Larval ingestion of certain pesticides could have effects on honey bee immune defense mechanisms, development and metabolic pathways. Europe and America face the disturbing phenomenon of the disappearance of honey bee colonies, termed Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). One reason discussed is the possible suppression of honey bee immune system as a consequence of prolonged exposure to chemicals. In this study, the effects of the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam on honey bee, Apis mellifera carnica, pupae infested with Varroa destructor mites were analyzed at the molecular level. Varroa-infested and non-infested honey bee colonies received protein cakes with or without thiamethoxam. Nurse bees used these cakes as a feed for developing larvae. Samples of white-eyed and brown-eyed pupae were collected. Expression of 17 immune-related genes was analyzed by real-time PCR. Relative gene expression in samples exposed only to Varroa or to thiamethoxam or simultaneously to both Varroa and thiamethoxam was compared. The impact from the consumption of thiamethoxam during the larval stage on honey bee immune related gene expression in Varroa-infested white-eyed pupae was reflected as down-regulation of spaetzle, AMPs abaecin and defensin-1 and up-regulation of lysozyme-2. In brown-eyed pupae up-regulation of PPOact, spaetzle, hopscotch and basket genes was detected. Moreover, we observed a major difference in immune response to Varroa infestation between white-eyed pupae and brown-eyed pupae. The majority of tested immune-related genes were upregulated only in brown-eyed pupae, while in white-eyed pupae they were downregulated.

Oviposition behaviour of the soil mite Pergamasus brevicornis (Acari: Parasitidae).

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Marquardt, Tomasz; Faleńczyk-Koziróg, Katarzyna; Kaczmarek, Sławomir

2013-07-01

We observed the oviposition behaviour of the soil mite Pergamasus brevicornis Berlese (Acari: Parasitidae) using continuous video-monitoring. Oviposition consisted of six sequential phases. The first phase (I) involved inspection of the substrate. In the second phase (II) there were rhythmic movements of the first pair of legs and slight reciprocating movements of the body. The third (III) was a resting phase. In the fourth phase (IV) the gnathosoma was lowered and the body was raised. In the next phase (V) there were two sub-phases. During the first (Va), the female held the egg below the gnathosoma. In the second sub-phase (Vb), the gnathosoma moved up holding the egg, which was then placed on the substrate. The last phase (VI) involved intense 'cleaning' movements of the chelicerae and palps. During Va a protective external eggshell structure is gradually formed, involving a phase where the egg shell is sticky. After moving the egg to the substrate, the female freed her palps and chelicerae from the sticky egg shell and cleaned her gnathosomal appendages. Phases II-V took on average 207 ± 69 s.

Identification of IgE-binding proteins from Lepidoglyphus destructor and production of monoclonal antibodies to a major allergen.

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Ventas, P; Carreira, J; Polo, F

1991-08-01

The allergen composition of one of the most important storage mites, Lepidoglyphus destructor, has been studied by immunodetection after SDS-PAGE with individual patient sera. An allergenic polypeptide of 14 kDa was identified with 95% of the sera. This major allergen was isolated in the supernatant of 60% ammonium sulfate salt precipitation of the whole extract, which was subsequently used to immunize BALB/c mice so as to produce monoclonal antibodies. Four mAbs recognizing molecules with IgE-binding ability were obtained. The specificity of the mAbs was assayed against different allergenic extracts, and the molecules recognized by them were characterized by immunoblotting. Two mAbs (Le5B5 and Le9E4) were directed to the 14-kDa allergen; the other two to several proteins of lesser allergenic significance.

Experimental infestation with the immatures of Amblyomma dissimile Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae on Tropidurus torquatus (Lacertilia: Iguanidae and Oryctolagus cuniculus Infestação experimental com as fases imaturas de Amblyomma dissimile Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae em Tropidurus torquatus (Lacertilia: Iguanidae e Oryctolagus cuniculus

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L.H.T. Freitas

2004-02-01

Full Text Available Larvas provenientes de duas fêmeas de Amblyomma dissimile Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae, naturalmente ingurgitadas em uma iguana (Iguana iguana e provenientes do Estado do Mato Grosso, foram utilizadas na infestação experimental de lagartos da espécie Tropidurus torquatus e coelhos domésticos. As larvas alimentadas em ambos os hospedeiros realizaram ecdise para ninfas. As ninfas apenas ingurgitaram no lagarto e mudaram para machos e fêmeas. Este é o primeiro registro do parasitismo de larvas e ninfas de A. dissimile em T. torquatus e de larvas em coelhos.

Comparing chemical and biological control strategies for twospotted spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) in commercial greenhouse production of bedding plants.

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Opit, George P; Perret, Jamis; Holt, Kiffnie; Nechols, James R; Margolies, David C; Williams, Kimberly A

2009-02-01

Efficacy, costs, and impact on crop salability of various biological and chemical control strategies for Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) were evaluated on mixed plantings of impatiens, Impatiens wallerana Hook.f (Ericales: Balsaminaceae), and ivy geranium, Pelargonium peltatum (1.) L'Hér. Ex Aiton (Geraniales: Geraniaceae), cultivars in commercial greenhouses. Chemical control consisting of the miticide bifenazate (Floramite) was compared with two biological control strategies using the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Treatments were 1) a single, early application of bifenazate; 2) a single, early release of predatory mites at a 1:4 predator:pest ratio based on leaf samples to estimate pest density; 3) a weekly release of predatory mites at numbers based on the area covered by the crop; and 4) an untreated control. T. urticae populations were monitored for 3 wk after the earliest treatment. When plants were ready for market, their salability was estimated. Bifenazate and density-based P. persimilis treatments effectively reduced T. urticae numbers starting 1 wk after plants had been treated, whereas the scheduled, area-based P. persimilis treatment had little or no effect. The percentage of flats that could be sold at the highest market wholesale price ranged from 15 to 33%, 44 to 86%, 84 to 95%, and 92 to 100%, in the control, weekly area-based P. persimilis, bifenazate, and single density-based P. persimilis treatments, respectively. We have shown that in commercial greenhouse production of herbaceous ornamental bedding plants, estimating pest density to determine the appropriate number of predators to release is as effective and offers nearly the same economic benefit as prophylactic use of pesticides.

Control del Ácaro Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae en Colmenas de Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae mediante la Aplicación de distintos Principios Activos Control of Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae in honeybee colonies of Apis mellifera Hymenoptera: Apidae by means of different active agents

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Jorge Augusto Marcangeli

2003-12-01

Full Text Available El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la eficacia acaricida de cuatro productos utilizados para el control del ácaro Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman en colmenas de Apis mellifera (L.. Se seleccionaron 25 colmenas dividivas en cinco lotes iguales a las que se les suministró Apistan®, Bayvarol®, Apitol® y Folbex®. El último lote representó el control. Los ácaros muertos se recolectaron en pisos especiales que se controlaron semanalmente. Finalizada la experiencia cada lote fue sometido a un cruzamiento con otros productos con el fin de eliminar los ácaros remanentes y poder calcular las eficacias. El producto Apistan® fue el más efectivo con un valor promedio de 85,38% seguido por el Bayvarol® (83,83%, Apitol® (71,77% y Folbex® (62,78%. En todos los casos, los valores obtenidos resultaron inferiores a los estipulados por los laboratorios productores. Estos resultados alertan sobre la posible generación de resistencias por parte de las poblaciones del ácaro y la necesidad de buscar nuevos agentes de control eficaces para esta enfermedad.The aim of this work was to evaluate the acaricide efficacy of four commercial products against the mite Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman in honeybee colonies of Apis mellifera (L.. Twenty five honeybee colonies divided in five equal groups were selected. Groups received Apistan®, Bayvarol®, Apitol® and Folbex®. Final group was the control. Dead mites were collected weekly in special floors. After treatment, each colony received a shock treatment with the other three products to kill remnant mites and to obtain acaricide efficacy. Average values of efficacy were Apistan® 85,38%, Bayvarol® 83,83%, Apitol® 71,77% and Folbex® 62,78%. In all cases these values were lower than those reported by the laboratories that produce them. These results alert about the possible generation of resistant mite populations and justify research directed to search for alternative products for the

Importance of brood maintenance terms in simple models of the honeybee - Varroa destructor - acute bee paralysis virus complex

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Hermann J. Eberl

2010-09-01

Full Text Available We present a simple mathematical model of the infestation of a honeybee colony by the Acute Paralysis Virus, which is carried by parasitic varroa mites (Varroa destructor. This is a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations for the dependent variables: number of mites that carry the virus, number of healthy bees and number of sick bees. We study this model with a mix of analytical and computational techniques. Our results indicate that, depending on model parameters and initial data, bee colonies in which the virus is present can, over years, function seemingly like healthy colonies before they decline and disappear rapidly (e.g. Colony Collapse Disorder, wintering losses. This is a consequence of the fact that a certain number of worker bees is required in a colony to maintain and care for the brood, in order to ensure continued production of new bees.

Selection of Apis mellifera workers by the parasitic mite Varroa destructor using host cuticular hydrocarbons.

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Del Piccolo, F; Nazzi, F; Della Vedova, G; Milani, N

2010-05-01

The parasitic mite, Varroa destructor, is the most important threat for apiculture in most bee-keeping areas of the world. The mite is carried to the bee brood cell, where it reproduces, by a nurse bee; therefore the selection of the bee stage by the parasite could influence its reproductive success. This study investigates the role of the cuticular hydrocarbons of the European honeybee (Apis mellifera) in host-selection by the mite. Preliminary laboratory bioassays confirmed the preference of the varroa mite for nurse bees over pollen foragers. GC-MS analysis of nurse and pollen bees revealed differences in the cuticular hydrocarbons of the two stages; in particular, it appeared that pollen bees have more (Z)-8-heptadecene than nurse bees. Laboratory experiments showed that treatment of nurse bees with 100 ng of the pure compound makes them repellent to the varroa mite. These results suggest that the mite can exploit the differences in the cuticular composition of its host for a refined selection that allows it to reach a brood cell and start reproduction. The biological activity of the alkene encourages further investigations for the development of novel control techniques based on this compound.

Differential expression of candidate salivary effector proteins in field collections of Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor

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Johnson, A J; Shukle, R H; Chen, M-S; Srivastava, S; Subramanyam, S; Schemerhorn, B J; Weintraub, P G; Abdel Moniem, H E M; Flanders, K L; Buntin, G D; Williams, C E

2015-01-01

Evidence is emerging that some proteins secreted by gall-forming parasites of plants act as effectors responsible for systemic changes in the host plant, such as galling and nutrient tissue formation. A large number of secreted salivary gland proteins (SSGPs) that are the putative effectors responsible for the physiological changes elicited in susceptible seedling wheat by Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say), larvae have been documented. However, how the genes encoding these candidate effectors might respond under field conditions is unknown. The goal of this study was to use microarray analysis to investigate variation in SSGP transcript abundance amongst field collections from different geographical regions (southeastern USA, central USA, and the Middle East). Results revealed significant variation in SSGP transcript abundance amongst the field collections studied. The field collections separated into three distinct groups that corresponded to the wheat classes grown in the different geographical regions as well as to recently described Hessian fly populations. These data support previous reports correlating Hessian fly population structure with micropopulation differences owing to agro-ecosystem parameters such as cultivation of regionally adapted wheat varieties, deployment of resistance genes and variation in climatic conditions. PMID:25528896

Immune related gene expression in worker honey bee (Apis mellifera carnica pupae exposed to neonicotinoid thiamethoxam and Varroa mites (Varroa destructor.

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Tanja Tesovnik

Full Text Available Varroa destructor is one of the most common parasites of honey bee colonies and is considered as a possible co-factor for honey bee decline. At the same time, the use of pesticides in intensive agriculture is still the most effective method of pest control. There is limited information about the effects of pesticide exposure on parasitized honey bees. Larval ingestion of certain pesticides could have effects on honey bee immune defense mechanisms, development and metabolic pathways. Europe and America face the disturbing phenomenon of the disappearance of honey bee colonies, termed Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD. One reason discussed is the possible suppression of honey bee immune system as a consequence of prolonged exposure to chemicals. In this study, the effects of the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam on honey bee, Apis mellifera carnica, pupae infested with Varroa destructor mites were analyzed at the molecular level. Varroa-infested and non-infested honey bee colonies received protein cakes with or without thiamethoxam. Nurse bees used these cakes as a feed for developing larvae. Samples of white-eyed and brown-eyed pupae were collected. Expression of 17 immune-related genes was analyzed by real-time PCR. Relative gene expression in samples exposed only to Varroa or to thiamethoxam or simultaneously to both Varroa and thiamethoxam was compared. The impact from the consumption of thiamethoxam during the larval stage on honey bee immune related gene expression in Varroa-infested white-eyed pupae was reflected as down-regulation of spaetzle, AMPs abaecin and defensin-1 and up-regulation of lysozyme-2. In brown-eyed pupae up-regulation of PPOact, spaetzle, hopscotch and basket genes was detected. Moreover, we observed a major difference in immune response to Varroa infestation between white-eyed pupae and brown-eyed pupae. The majority of tested immune-related genes were upregulated only in brown-eyed pupae, while in white-eyed pupae they were

Emissions from the burning of vegetative debris in air curtain destructors.

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Miller, C Andrew; Lemieux, Paul M

2007-08-01

Although air curtain destructors (ACDs) have been used for quite some time to dispose of vegetative debris, relatively little in-depth testing has been conducted to quantify emissions of pollutants other than CO and particulate matter. As part of an effort to prepare for possible use of ACDs to dispose of the enormous volumes of debris generated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the literature on ACD emissions was reviewed to identify potential environmental issues associated with ACD disposal of construction and demolition (C&D) debris. Although no data have been published on emissions from C&D debris combustion in an ACD, a few studies provided information on emissions from the combustion of vegetative debris. These studies are reviewed, and the results compared with studies of open burning of biomass. Combustion of vegetative debris in ACD units results in significantly lower emissions of particulate matter and CO per unit of mass of debris compared with open pile burning. The available data are not sufficient to make general estimates regarding emissions of organic or metal compounds. The highly transient nature of the ACD combustion process, a minimal degree of operational control, and significant variability in debris properties make accurate prediction of ACD emissions impossible in general. Results of scoping tests conducted in preparation for possible in-depth emissions tests demonstrate the challenges associated with sampling ACD emissions and highlight the transient nature of the process. The environmental impacts of widespread use of ACDs for disposal of vegetative debris and their potential use to reduce the volume of C&D debris in future disaster response scenarios remain a considerable gap in understanding the risks associated with debris disposal options.

Efecto del nivel de infestación de Varroa destructor sobre la producción de miel de colonias de Apis mellifera en el altiplano semiárido de México

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Carlos Aurelio Medina-Flores

2011-01-01

Full Text Available El propósito del presente trabajo fue determinar sí el ácaro Varroa destructor afecta la producción de miel en colonias de abejas melíferas (Apis mellifera del altiplano semiárido de México. Se utilizaron 32 colonias que variaban en sus niveles de infestación del ácaro y que no habían recibido ningún acaricida durante dos años. Se determinó la producción de miel y el nivel de parasitosis en abejas adultas de estas colonias y los datos se sometieron a un análisis de correlación. Se encontró una correlación negativa y significativa entre el nivel de infestación por Varroa y la producción de miel (r= -0.44, P=0.01. Los valores medios de infestación y producción de miel (±DE fueron 15.21 ± 8.44 % y 36.26 ± 29.24 kg, respectivamente. Los resultados indican que al incrementarse el nivel de varroosis, la producción de miel se reduce de manera significativa. Se recomienda que las colonias de abejas infestadas por Varroa destructor sean sometidas a métodos de control que reduzcan la población del ácaro para contribuir a incrementar la producción de miel.

Evidence for host plant preference by Iphiseiodes quadripilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on Citrus.

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Villanueva, Raul T; Childers, Carl C

2006-01-01

In this study, we present field and laboratory evidence on the preference of Iphiseiodes quadripilis (Banks) for grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macfadyen) leaves compared with sweet orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) leaves. This preference was confirmed in four orchards whether leaf samples were taken from either border trees of contiguous grapefruit or sweet orange or interior row trees with both citrus species in adjacent rows. Iphiseiodes quadripilis was most abundant in grapefruit trees in spite of the greater abundance of the Texas citrus mite, Eutetranychus banksi (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae) in sweet orange trees. Similar preference responses were observed in laboratory tests using a Y-tube olfactometer whether I. quadripilis were collected from sweet orange or grapefruit. Iphiseiodes quadripilis collected from grapefruit trees showed significant preference for grapefruit over sweet orange leaves in contact choice tests using an arena of alternating leaf strips (12 mm long x 2 mm wide) of sweet orange and grapefruit. However, I. quadripilis collected from sweet orange trees did not show preference for either grapefruit or sweet orange leaves. Based on these results, grapefruit leaves foster some unknown factor or factors that retain I. quadripilis in greater numbers compared with sweet orange leaves.

Eficacia del Oxavar® para el Control del Ácaro Varroa destructor (Varroidae en Colmenas de Apis mellifera (Apidae Efficacy of Oxavar® to control the mite Varroa destructor (Varroidae in honeybee colonies of Apis mellifera (Apidae

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Jorge Augusto Marcangeli

2003-12-01

Full Text Available El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar la eficacia del producto Oxavar® para el control del ácaro Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman en colmenas de abejas Apis mellifera durante la primavera de 2002 y otoño de 2003. El trabajo se llevó a cabo en el apiario experimental del Centro de Extensión Apícola ubicado en Coronel Vidal, provincia de Buenos Aires. Se trabajó sobre un total de 20 colmenas tipo Langstroth que se dividieron en dos grupos iguales. El primer grupo recibió 5 ml de Oxavar® (323 g en 5000 ml de agua destilada por cuadro cubierto por abejas. El segundo grupo, el testigo, recibió 5 ml de agua destilada por cuadro cubierto por abejas. Ambos grupos recibieron tres dosis a intervalos de siete días. Semanalmente, se recolectaron los ácaros muertos caídos en pisos especiales que evitaban que las abejas los eliminen. Posteriormente, en los dos grupos se colocaron tiras del producto Apistan® para eliminar los ácaros remanentes en las colonias y poder así calcular la eficacia del tratamiento. El producto Oxavar® presentó una eficacia promedio de 85,5 % ± 2,8 durante la primavera y 86,1% ± 2,6 durante el otoño, no mostrando diferencias significativas entre las estaciones (p> 0,05. En ambos casos se registraron diferencias significativas frente al grupo control (pThe aim of this work was to evaluate the acaricide efficacy of Oxavar® to control Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman in Apis mellifera (L colonies during the spring 2002 and the autumn 2003. Work was done at “Centro de Extensión Apícola” experimental apiary located in Coronel Vidal, province of Buenos Aires. Twenty Langstroth hives were used divided in two equal groups. The first group received 5 ml of Oxavar® (323 g in 5000 ml of destiled water per comb covered by honeybees and the second one received 5 ml of destiled water. Both groups received three dosages at seven day periods. Dead mites were collected weekly from special floors in order to avoid

Lower virus infections in Varroa destructor-infested and uninfested brood and adult honey bees (Apis mellifera) of a low mite population growth colony compared to a high mite population growth colony.

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Emsen, Berna; Hamiduzzaman, Mollah Md; Goodwin, Paul H; Guzman-Novoa, Ernesto

2015-01-01

A comparison was made of the prevalence and relative quantification of deformed wing virus (DWV), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), Kashmir bee virus (KBV), acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV) and sac brood virus (SBV) in brood and adult honey bees (Apis mellifera) from colonies selected for high (HMP) and low (LMP) Varroa destructor mite population growth. Two viruses, ABPV and SBV, were never detected. For adults without mite infestation, DWV, IAPV, BQCV and KBV were detected in the HMP colony; however, only BQCV was detected in the LMP colony but at similar levels as in the HMP colony. With mite infestation, the four viruses were detected in adults of the HMP colony but all at higher amounts than in the LMP colony. For brood without mite infestation, DWV and IAPV were detected in the HMP colony, but no viruses were detected in the LMP colony. With mite infestation of brood, the four viruses were detected in the HMP colony, but only DWV and IAPV were detected and at lower amounts in the LMP colony. An epidemiological explanation for these results is that pre-experiment differences in virus presence and levels existed between the HMP and LMP colonies. It is also possible that low V. destructor population growth in the LMP colony resulted in the bees being less exposed to the mite and thus less likely to have virus infections. LMP and HMP bees may have also differed in susceptibility to virus infection.

Estudio sobre la Eficacia a Campo del Amivar® contra Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae en Colmenas de Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae Research on Amivar® efficacy against Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae in honey bee colonies of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Jorge Marcangeli

2005-07-01

Full Text Available El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar la eficacia del producto Amivar® para el control del ácaro Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman, en colmenas de abejas durante el otoño de 2003. El trabajo se llevó a cabo en el apiario experimental del Centro de Extensión Apícola ubicado en Coronel Vidal, provincia de Buenos Aires. Se trabajó sobre un total de 20 colmenas tipo Langstroth que se dividieron en dos grupos iguales. En el primer grupo se introdujo una tira de Amivar® (amitraz, 1gr, Apilab, Argentina en el centro del nido de cría de las colmenas. El segundo grupo, sólo recibió el tratamiento de Oxavar® para determinar el número total de ácaros presentes en las colmenas. Semanalmente, se recolectaron los ácaros muertos caídos en pisos especiales que evitaban que las abejas los eliminen. Posteriormente, los dos grupos recibieron tres dosis en total a intervalos de siete días de 5 ml del producto Oxavar® (Apilab-INTA, Argentina; 64,6 g/l; ácido oxálico en agua destilada por cuadro cubierto por abejas para eliminar los ácaros remanentes en las colonias y poder así calcular la eficacia del tratamiento. El producto Amivar® presentó una eficacia promedio de 85,05%±3,39 (rango=79,5 91,6, registrándose diferencias significativas frente al grupo control (pThe aim of this work was to evaluate the acaricide efficacy of Amivar® (amitraz, Apilab, Argentina to control Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman, in Apis mellifera colonies during the autumn 2003. Work was done at "Centro de Extensión Apícola" experimental apiary located in Coronel Vidal, province of Buenos Aires. Twenty Langstroth hives were used divided in two equal groups. The first group received one strip of Amivar® (amitraz, 1 gr in the center of brood area. The second one represented the control group. Dead mites were collected weekly from special floors designed to avoid mite removal by adult honeybees. Then, a total of three doses of 5 ml of Oxavar® at seven days

Study of Acari and Collembola Populations in Four Cultivation Systems in Dourados - MS

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Rosilda Mara Mussury

2002-09-01

Full Text Available The impact four cultivation systems on the soil fauna was studied, using Oribatida and Gamasida acarids as bioindicators and collembolan. The research was carried out in experimental fields, located in EMBRAPA - CPAO in Dourados, Centerwest of Brazil from July 1997 to December 1999. The constant pasture system presented smaller impact on the soil fauna followed by agricultural cattle rotation and a direct plantation system. In the conventional plantation series, the populational density of the mesofauna organisms was low, especially collembolan families.O impacto de quatro sistemas de cultivo sobre a fauna de solo foram estudados, utilizando-se como bioindicadores os acari Oribatida e Gamasida e os Collembola. A pesquisa foi conduzida em campos experimentais, localizados na EMBRAPA - CPAO no município de Dourados, MS, no período de julho de 1997 à dezembro de 1999. O sistema de pastagem contínua apresentou menor impacto sobre a fauna de solo seguido da rotação agricultura pecuária e do sistema de plantio direto. Nas sucessões do plantio convencional, a densidade populacional dos organismos da mesofauna foi baixa, em especial as famílias de colembolos.

Expression analysis of Drosophila doublesex, transformer-2, intersex, fruitless-like, and vitellogenin homologs in the parahaploid predator Metaseiulus occidentalis (Chelicerata: Acari: Phytoseiidae).

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Pomerantz, Aaron F; Hoy, Marjorie A

2015-01-01

Characterization and expression analyses are essential to gain insight into sex-determination pathways in members of the Acari. Little is known about sex determination at the molecular level in the western orchard predatory mite Metaseiulus occidentalis (Arthropoda: Chelicerata: Arachnida: Acari: Phytoseiidae), a parahaploid species. In this study, eight genes previously identified as putative homologs to genes involved in the sex-determination pathway in Drosophila melanogaster were evaluated for sex-specific alternative splicing and sex-biased expression using reverse-transcriptase PCR and quantitative real-time PCR techniques, respectively. The homologs evaluated in M. occidentalis included two doublesex-like genes (Moccdsx1 and Moccdsx2), transformer-2 (Mocctra-2), intersex (Moccix), two fruitless-like genes (MoccBTB1 and MoccBTB2), as well as two vitellogenin-like genes (Moccvg1 and Moccvg2). Single transcripts of equal size were detected in males and females for Moccdsx1, Moccdsx2, Mocctra-2, Moccix, and MoccBTB2, suggesting that their pre-mRNAs do not undergo alternative splicing in a sex-specific manner. Three genes, Moccdsx1, Moccdsx2 and MoccBTB2, displayed male-biased expression relative to females. One gene, Moccix, displayed female-biased expression relative to males. Two genes, Mocctra-2 and MoccBTB1, did not display detectable differences in transcript abundance in males and females. Expression of Moccvg1 and Moccvg2 were detected in females only, and transcript levels were up-regulated in mated females relative to unmated females. To our knowledge, this represents the first attempt to elucidate expression patterns of putative sex-determination genes in an acarine. This study is an initial step towards understanding the sex-determination pathway in the parahaploid M. occidentalis.

Ocorrência de Ornithonyssus bursa (Berlese, 1888 (Acari: Macronyssidae em filhotes de Megascops choliba (corujinha-do-mato e Pitangus sulphuratus (bem-te-vi, no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil Ocurrence of Ornithonyssus bursa (Berlese, 1888 (Acari: Macronyssidae on Megascops choliba (tropical screech-owl and Pitangus sulphuratus (great kiskadee nestlings in the Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil

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Carolina S. Mascarenhas

2009-12-01

Full Text Available O Núcleo de Reabilitação da Fauna Silvestre e Centro de Triagem de Animais Silvestres da Universidade Federal de Pelotas - RS atendeu dois filhotes de Megascops choliba (corujinha-do-mato (Strigiformes - Strigidae e dois de Pitangus sulphuratus (bem-te-vi (Passeriformes - Tyrannidae intensamente parasitados por ácaros, em maio de 2005 e dezembro de 2006, respectivamente. Os filhotes e o ninho de P. sulphuratus foram recolhidos na zona urbana da cidade de Pelotas - RS após forte temporal. Os ácaros foram removidos, colocados em álcool 70% e levados ao laboratório de parasitologia para identificação. Os espécimes foram clarificados em lactofenol, montados em meio de Hoyer e identificados como Ornithonyssus bursa (Acari - Macronyssidae. Registra-se Megascops choliba e Pitangus sulphuratus como hospedeiros de Ornithonyssus bursa, no Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.The Center for Rehabilitation of Wildlife and Center for Selection of Wild Animal of the Federal University of Pelotas has attended two nestlings of Megascops choliba (tropical screech-owl (Strigiformes - Strigidae and two of Pitangus sulphuratus (great kiskadee (Passeriformes - Tyrannidae heavily parasitized by mites, in May 2005 and December 2006, respectively. The nestlings and the nest of P. sulphuratus were collected in the Pelotas urban area after severe storms. The mites were removed, clarified in lactofenol, permanently mounted in Hoyer's medium and identified as Ornithonyssus bursa (Acari - Macronyssidae. Megascops choliba and Pitangus sulphuratus are reported as host of Ornithonyssus bursa in Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil.

Frecuencia de Varroa destructor, Nosema apis y Acarapis woodi en colonias manejadas y enjambres silvestres de abejas (Apis mellifera en Mérida, Yucatán, México

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Jesús Froylán Martínez Puc

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Las enfermedades y parasitosis que afectan a las abejas melíferas causan importantes pérdidas económicas a la actividad apícola. Sin embargo, los daños provocados por dichas parasitosis se presentan de manera heterogénea en colonias manejadas y en enjambres silvestres. Con la finalidad de determinar la frecuencia y niveles de infestación de V. destructor, N. apis y A. woodi en abejas melíferas en Yucatán, se colectaron un total de 76 muestras de abejas melíferas, durante junio a septiembre de 2006, siendo 27 de colonias manejadas y 49 de enjambres silvestres. La frecuencia de V. destructor en colonias manejadas fue de 62.9 %, con un nivel de infestación de 1.70 ± 0.26 (ácaros/100 abejas, y en los enjambres silvestres fue de 55.1 %, con un nivel de infestación de 1.96 ± 0.44. No se observaron diferencias en la frecuencia (X2 = 0.44, gl = 1, P =0.51, y niveles de infestación (t=0.14, P=0.89. La frecuencia de N. apis en las colonias manejadas fue de 74.0 %, con una media de infestación de 1´480 x 103 ± 232 x 103 (esporas/ abeja, y en los enjambres silvestres de 53.0 %, con una media de infestación de 1´416 x 103 ± 264 x 103, no se observaron diferencias en la frecuencia (X2 = 3.22, gl = 1, P= 0.07 y niveles de infestación (t=0.18, P=0.86. No se detectó la presencia de A. woodi en las muestras analizadas. Los resultados demuestran un aumento en la frecuencia de N. apis en Yucatán.

Seletividade de produtos fitossanitários sobre o ácaro predador Agistemus brasiliensis Matioli, Ueckermann & Oliveira (Acari: Stigmaeidae Selectivity ofthe pesticides tothe predaceous mite Agistemus brasiliensis Matioli,, Ueckermann & Oliveira (Acari: Stigmaeidae

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Marcos Zatti da Silva

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Os ácaros predadores das famílias Phytoseiidae e Stigmaeidae constituem-se nos principais inimigos naturais de Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes em citros. Este ácaro-praga causa sérios prejuízos na produção, devido à transmissão do vírus da leprose dos citros (CiLV. Apesar do grande volume de informações sobre a sensibilidade de ácaros Phytoseiidae a agrotóxicos, praticamente não existem informações sobre o efeito desses compostos em ácaros Stigmaeidae no Brasil. Sendo assim, o trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar o efeito dos principais agrotóxicos utilizados em citros sobre o ácaro predador Agistemus brasiliensis Matioli, Ueckermann & Oliveira (Acari: Stigmaeidae, em condições de laboratório. Arenas de folhas de citros da variedade Pera, contendo 25 fêmeas adultas de A. brasiliensis, foram pulverizadas em torre de Potter. Avaliaram-se as mortalidades dos ácaros 72 horas após a aplicação. O efeito dos produtos na reprodução do acarino e a viabilidade dos ovos também foram avaliados. Quanto à seletividade, conforme proposta da "Organização Internacional para o Controle Biológico" (IOBC, os produtos foram classificados como: classe 1 - inócuo (E99%, calda sulfocálcica, cyhexatin, flufenoxuron, hexythiazox, óxido de fenbutatin, propargite, pyridaben e spirodiclofen. Estudos conduzidos em condições de campo ainda são necessários para se compreender melhor o efeito desses agrotóxicos sobre o ácaro predador.The predaceous mites of the families Phytoseiidae and Stigmaeidae are the most important natural enemies of Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes on citrus. This mite causes serious damages to the yield due to the transmission of Citrus leprosis virus (CiLV. Despite the considerable amount of information on susceptibility of phytoseiids to pesticides, the effect of these compounds is not very known for stigmaeid mites in Brazil. This work was carried out to evaluate the effect of the main pesticides used in

Ensayo a campo sobre la eficacia del Colmesan® contra el ácaro Varroa destructor (Varroidae en colmenas de Apis mellifera (Apidae Field assay of Colmesan® efficacy against the mite Varroa destructor (Varroidae in honey bee colonies of Apis mellifera (Apidae

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Jorge Marcangeli

2004-12-01

Full Text Available El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar la eficacia del producto Colmesan® para el control del ácaro Varroa destructor (Anderson &Trueman en colmenas de abejas durante el otoño de 2003. El trabajo se llevó a cabo en el apiario experimental ubicado en la ciudad de La Plata, provincia de Buenos Aires. Se trabajó sobre un total de 10 colmenas tipo "Langstroth" que se dividieron en dos grupos iguales. El primer grupo recibió dos dosis de Colmesan® (amitraz, 2,05 g, aplicadas a intervalos de 10 días. El segundo grupo, no recibió ningún tipo de tratamiento. Semanalmente, se recolectaron los ácaros muertos caídos en pisos especiales que evitaban que las abejas los eliminen. Posteriormente, los dos grupos recibieron tres dosis semanales de 5 ml del producto Oxavar® (64,6g/l ácido oxálico en agua destilada por cuadro cubierto por abejas para eliminar los ácaros remanentes en las colonias y poder así calcular la eficacia del tratamiento. El producto Colmesan® presentó una eficacia promedio de 70,92% ± 11,93 (rango = 57,92 - 85,42, registrándose diferencias significativas frente al grupo control (pThe aim of this work was to evaluate the acaricide efficacy of Colmesan® to control Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman in Apis mellifera (L. colonies during the autumn 2003. Work was done at an experimental apiary located in La Plata city, province of Buenos Aires. Ten Langstroth hives were used divided in two equal groups. The first group received Colmesan® (amitraz, 2,05 g in 2 doses at 10 days period. The second one represented the control group. Dead mites were collected weekly from special floors designed to avoid mite removal by adult honeybees. Then, 3 weekly doses of 5 ml of Oxavar® (64.6 g/l oxalic acid in destilled water were placed in each colony to kill remanent mites and the acaricide efficacy was calculated. Colmesan® showed an average acaricide efficacy of 70.92% ± 11.93 (range = 57.92 -85.42, showing significant

Lower Virus Infections in Varroa destructor-Infested and Uninfested Brood and Adult Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) of a Low Mite Population Growth Colony Compared to a High Mite Population Growth Colony

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Emsen, Berna; Hamiduzzaman, Mollah Md.; Goodwin, Paul H.; Guzman-Novoa, Ernesto

2015-01-01

A comparison was made of the prevalence and relative quantification of deformed wing virus (DWV), Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), Kashmir bee virus (KBV), acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV) and sac brood virus (SBV) in brood and adult honey bees (Apis mellifera) from colonies selected for high (HMP) and low (LMP) Varroa destructor mite population growth. Two viruses, ABPV and SBV, were never detected. For adults without mite infestation, DWV, IAPV, BQCV and KBV were detected in the HMP colony; however, only BQCV was detected in the LMP colony but at similar levels as in the HMP colony. With mite infestation, the four viruses were detected in adults of the HMP colony but all at higher amounts than in the LMP colony. For brood without mite infestation, DWV and IAPV were detected in the HMP colony, but no viruses were detected in the LMP colony. With mite infestation of brood, the four viruses were detected in the HMP colony, but only DWV and IAPV were detected and at lower amounts in the LMP colony. An epidemiological explanation for these results is that pre-experiment differences in virus presence and levels existed between the HMP and LMP colonies. It is also possible that low V. destructor population growth in the LMP colony resulted in the bees being less exposed to the mite and thus less likely to have virus infections. LMP and HMP bees may have also differed in susceptibility to virus infection. PMID:25723540

A selective sweep in a Varroa destructor resistant honeybee (Apis mellifera) population.

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Lattorff, H Michael G; Buchholz, Josephine; Fries, Ingemar; Moritz, Robin F A

2015-04-01

The mite Varroa destructor is one of the most dangerous parasites of the Western honeybee (Apis mellifera) causing enormous colony losses worldwide. Various chemical treatments for the control of the Varroa mite are currently in use, which, however, lead to residues in bee products and often to resistance in mites. This facilitated the exploration of alternative treatment methods and breeding for mite resistant honeybees has been in focus for breeders in many parts of the world with variable results. Another approach has been applied to a honeybee population on Gotland (Sweden) that was exposed to natural selection and survived Varroa-infestation for more than 10years without treatment. Eventually this population became resistant to the parasite by suppressing the reproduction of the mite. A previous QTL mapping study had identified a region on chromosome 7 with major loci contributing to the mite resistance. Here, a microsatellite scan of the significant candidate QTL regions was used to investigate potential footprints of selection in the original population by comparing the study population on Gotland before (2000) and after selection (2007). Genetic drift had caused an extreme loss of genetic diversity in the 2007 population for all genetic markers tested. In addition to this overall reduction of heterozygosity, two loci on chromosome 7 showed an even stronger and significant reduction in diversity than expected from genetic drift alone. Within the selective sweep eleven genes are annotated, one of them being a putative candidate to interfere with reduced mite reproduction. A glucose-methanol-choline oxidoreductase (GMCOX18) might be involved in changing volatiles emitted by bee larvae that might be essential to trigger oogenesis in Varroa. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

New records of water mites of the family Torrenticolidae (Acari, Hydrachnidia) with descriptions of two new species from Nanshih River system in Taiwan and redescription of Torrenticola ussuriensis (Sokolow, 1940) from the Russian Far East

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Pešić, Vladimir; Semenchenko, Ksenia A.; Chatterjee, Tapas; Yam, Rita S.W.; Chan, Benny K.K.

2011-01-01

Abstract New records of torrenticolid water mites (Acari: Hydrachnidia, Torrenticolidae) from Nanshih River, Taiwan, are presented. Two new species are described: Torrenticola nanshihensis and Torrenticola taiwanicus; the latter species is compared with Torrenticola ussuriensis (Sokolow, 1940), a poorly known species which is re-described based on a new material from the Russian Far East; Monatractides cf. circuloides (Halík, 1930)is reported for the first time for Taiwan. PMID:21998497

Biology, ecology and control of the Penthaleus species complex (Acari: Penthaleidae).

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Umina, Paul A; Hoffmann, Ary A; Weeks, Andrew R

2004-01-01

Blue oat mites, Penthaleus spp. (Acari: Penthaleidae), are major agricultural pests in southern Australia and other parts of the world, attacking various pasture, vegetable and crop plants. Management of these mites has been complicated by the recent discovery of three cryptic pest species of Penthaleus, whereas prior research had assumed a single species. The taxonomy, population genetics, ecology, biology and control of the Penthaleus spp. complex are reviewed. Adult Penthaleus have a dark blue-black body approximately 1 mm in length, and eight red-orange legs. Within Australia, they are winter pests completing two or three generations a season, depending on conditions. The summer is passed as diapausing eggs, when long-distance dispersal is thought to occur. The Penthaleus spp. reproduce by thelytokous parthenogenesis, with populations comprising clones that differ ecologically. The three pest Penthaleus spp. differ markedly in their distributions, plant hosts, timing of diapause egg production and response to pesticides, highlighting the need to develop control strategies that consider each species separately. Chemicals are the main weapons used in current control programs, however research continues into alternative more sustainable management options. Host plant resistance, crop rotations, conservation of natural enemies, and improved timing of pesticide application would improve the management of these pests. The most cost-effective and environmentally acceptable means of control will result from the integration of these practices combined with the development of a simple field-based kit to distinguish the different mite species.

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae of livestock and their seasonal activities, northwest of Iran

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Zahra Ramezani

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: To identify the ticks (Acari: Ixodidae of livestock and their seasonal activities, in northwest of Iran, including the combination of two of the geographical regions of Iran (Caspian and mountain plateau where the majority of the domestic ruminants in Iran exist. Methods: Fifteen villages of Meshkin-Shahr County were selected randomly from different areas of the county. The animal dwellings were visited and the whole body of sheep, cows, goats and dogs were examined for their probable infestation. Samples were identified at the level of species according to the standard morphological key. Results: In this study 1 208 specimen were collected and totally nine species (Dermacentor marginatus, Dermacentor niveus, Haemaphysalis erinacei, Haemaphysalis punctata, Hyalomma anatolicum, Hyalomma asiaticum, Hyalomma marginatum, Rhipicephalus bursa and Rhipicephalus sanguineus were identified in this study. Also 569 host including 40 cows, 450 sheep, 70 goats and 9 dogs were examined for infestation and among them 255 were infested which showed a 44% of infestation among examined livestock. The infestation rate among sheep (46% was higher than other hosts. The infestation rates among the rest of hosts were as: cows (40%, goat (37% and dogs (33%. Conclusions: The results of this study and other studies of the region showed the probability of the establishment and development of the burden of several tick-borne diseases.

Can We Disrupt the Sensing of Honey Bees by the Bee Parasite Varroa destructor?

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Eliash, Nurit; Singh, Nitin Kumar; Kamer, Yosef; Pinnelli, Govardhana Reddy; Plettner, Erika; Soroker, Victoria

2014-01-01

Background The ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor, is considered to be one of the most significant threats to apiculture around the world. Chemical cues are known to play a significant role in the host-finding behavior of Varroa. The mites distinguish between bees from different task groups, and prefer nurses over foragers. We examined the possibility of disrupting the Varroa – honey bee interaction by targeting the mite's olfactory system. In particular, we examined the effect of volatile compounds, ethers of cis 5-(2′-hydroxyethyl) cyclopent-2-en-1-ol or of dihydroquinone, resorcinol or catechol. We tested the effect of these compounds on the Varroa chemosensory organ by electrophysiology and on behavior in a choice bioassay. The electrophysiological studies were conducted on the isolated foreleg. In the behavioral bioassay, the mite's preference between a nurse and a forager bee was evaluated. Principal findings We found that in the presence of some compounds, the response of the Varroa chemosensory organ to honey bee headspace volatiles significantly decreased. This effect was dose dependent and, for some of the compounds, long lasting (>1 min). Furthermore, disruption of the Varroa volatile detection was accompanied by a reversal of the mite's preference from a nurse to a forager bee. Long-term inhibition of the electrophysiological responses of mites to the tested compounds was a good predictor for an alteration in the mite's host preference. Conclusions These data indicate the potential of the selected compounds to disrupt the Varroa - honey bee associations, thus opening new avenues for Varroa control. PMID:25226388

Can we disrupt the sensing of honey bees by the bee parasite Varroa destructor?

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Nurit Eliash

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor, is considered to be one of the most significant threats to apiculture around the world. Chemical cues are known to play a significant role in the host-finding behavior of Varroa. The mites distinguish between bees from different task groups, and prefer nurses over foragers. We examined the possibility of disrupting the Varroa--honey bee interaction by targeting the mite's olfactory system. In particular, we examined the effect of volatile compounds, ethers of cis 5-(2'-hydroxyethyl cyclopent-2-en-1-ol or of dihydroquinone, resorcinol or catechol. We tested the effect of these compounds on the Varroa chemosensory organ by electrophysiology and on behavior in a choice bioassay. The electrophysiological studies were conducted on the isolated foreleg. In the behavioral bioassay, the mite's preference between a nurse and a forager bee was evaluated. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We found that in the presence of some compounds, the response of the Varroa chemosensory organ to honey bee headspace volatiles significantly decreased. This effect was dose dependent and, for some of the compounds, long lasting (>1 min. Furthermore, disruption of the Varroa volatile detection was accompanied by a reversal of the mite's preference from a nurse to a forager bee. Long-term inhibition of the electrophysiological responses of mites to the tested compounds was a good predictor for an alteration in the mite's host preference. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate the potential of the selected compounds to disrupt the Varroa--honey bee associations, thus opening new avenues for Varroa control.

Can we disrupt the sensing of honey bees by the bee parasite Varroa destructor?

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Eliash, Nurit; Singh, Nitin Kumar; Kamer, Yosef; Pinnelli, Govardhana Reddy; Plettner, Erika; Soroker, Victoria

2014-01-01

The ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor, is considered to be one of the most significant threats to apiculture around the world. Chemical cues are known to play a significant role in the host-finding behavior of Varroa. The mites distinguish between bees from different task groups, and prefer nurses over foragers. We examined the possibility of disrupting the Varroa--honey bee interaction by targeting the mite's olfactory system. In particular, we examined the effect of volatile compounds, ethers of cis 5-(2'-hydroxyethyl) cyclopent-2-en-1-ol or of dihydroquinone, resorcinol or catechol. We tested the effect of these compounds on the Varroa chemosensory organ by electrophysiology and on behavior in a choice bioassay. The electrophysiological studies were conducted on the isolated foreleg. In the behavioral bioassay, the mite's preference between a nurse and a forager bee was evaluated. We found that in the presence of some compounds, the response of the Varroa chemosensory organ to honey bee headspace volatiles significantly decreased. This effect was dose dependent and, for some of the compounds, long lasting (>1 min). Furthermore, disruption of the Varroa volatile detection was accompanied by a reversal of the mite's preference from a nurse to a forager bee. Long-term inhibition of the electrophysiological responses of mites to the tested compounds was a good predictor for an alteration in the mite's host preference. These data indicate the potential of the selected compounds to disrupt the Varroa--honey bee associations, thus opening new avenues for Varroa control.

Development and reproductive potential of Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Acari: Acaridae) on plant-parasitic nematodes and artificial diets.

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Abou El-Atta, Doaa Abd El-Maksoud; Osman, Mohamed Ali

2016-04-01

This study investigated development, reproduction and life table parameters of the astigmatid mold mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Acari: Acaridae) feeding on egg-masses or adult females of the nematode Meloidogyne incognita, egg-masses of the nematode Rotylenchulus reniformis, ras cheese or yeast at 25 ± 1 °C, 70 ± 10 % RH in the dark. Immature developmental times were shorter when the mite was fed females of M. incognita followed by yeast. Different prey/diet types had no significant effect on longevity and lifespan of both males and females. Daily oviposition rate (eggs/female/day) was highest for mites fed yeast (20.8 ± 1.8 eggs) and lowest for mites fed females of M. incognita (6.6 ± 0.5). Intrinsic rate of natural increase (r m) was highest for mites fed yeast compared to other prey/diet; no significant differences in r m were observed among mites fed on non-yeast diets. This result may suggest a role of T. putrescentiae as biocontrol agent of plant-parasitic nematodes and the yeast may be used for mite mass-production purposes.

Varroa destructor mite mortality rate according to the amount of worker broods in africanized honey bee (Apis mellifera L. colonies = Taxa de mortalidade do ácaro Varroa destructor de acordo com a quantidade de crias em colônias de abelhas africanizadas (Apis mellifera L.

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Geraldo Moretto

2007-07-01

Full Text Available The Varroa destructor mite has caused the death of hundreds of thousands of Apis mellifera colonies in several countries worldwide. However, the effects determined by the Varroa mite change according to the A. mellifera subspecies. In Africanized bee colonies from South and Central America, the parasite causes little damage, as the infestation levels are relatively stable and low, thus treatments against the pest are not required. Among several factors, the grooming behavior of Africanized worker bees plays an important role in the maintenance of the low infestation levels. This study determined the daily rate of live and dead mites found at the bottom of the hive in five Africanized honey bee colonies. During fifteen days of observations, a significant increase was verified in the number of live and dead mites at the bottom of the hive as the amount of worker broods from each honey bee colony decreased. This suggests a more intense grooming activity as the Varroa concentration in the adult honey bee population increases.O ácaro Varroa destructor tem causado a mortalidade de centenas de milhares de colônias de abelhas Apis mellifera em várias partes do mundo. Os efeitos determinados pelo ácaro Varroa variam com a subespécie de Apis mellifera. Nas Américas do Sul e Central, o parasita causa poucos danos às colônias de abelhas africanizadas, a taxa de infestação é estável e baixa, não sendo necessário o tratamento químico contra a praga. Entre vários fatores que são responsáveis pela tolerância das abelhas africanizadas a esse parasita, o comportamento de grooming executado pelas operárias deve exercer importante papel na manutenção dos baixos níveis deinfestação. Neste estudo, foram avaliadas as taxas diárias de ácaros vivos e mortos encontrados no fundo das colméias de cinco colônias de abelhas africanizadas. Durante 15 dias de observações, foi verificado significativo aumento de ácaros no fundo da colméia �

A Mathematical Model of Forager Loss in Honeybee Colonies Infested with Varroa destructor and the Acute Bee Paralysis Virus.

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Ratti, Vardayani; Kevan, Peter G; Eberl, Hermann J

2017-06-01

We incorporate a mathematical model of Varroa destructor and the Acute Bee Paralysis Virus with an existing model for a honeybee colony, in which the bee population is divided into hive bees and forager bees based on tasks performed in the colony. The model is a system of five ordinary differential equations with dependent variables: uninfected hive bees, uninfected forager bees, infected hive bees, virus-free mites and virus-carrying mites. The interplay between forager loss and disease infestation is studied. We study the stability of the disease-free equilibrium of the bee-mite-virus model and observe that the disease cannot be fought off in the absence of varroacide treatment. However, the disease-free equilibrium can be stable if the treatment is strong enough and also if the virus-carrying mites become virus-free at a rate faster than the mite birth rate. The critical forager loss due to homing failure, above which the colony fails, is calculated using simulation experiments for disease-free, treated and untreated mite-infested, and treated virus-infested colonies. A virus-infested colony without varroacide treatment fails regardless of the forager mortality rate.

Aggregation in the tick Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae): use and reuse of questing vantage points.

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Healy, John A E; Bourke, Patrick

2008-03-01

Ongoing work in oak woods in Killarney National Park in southwestern Ireland is focusing on the factors influencing the fine-scale aggregated distribution of Ixodes ricinus L. (Acari: Ixodidae) on the ground. The extent of reuse of stems of vegetation as questing points by adult ticks was determined by paint-marking stems on which ticks were found, counting and removing these ticks, and subsequently reexamining the same stems for ticks on two further occasions. Overall, an estimated 2,967 stems in 123 separate rush plants (Juncus effusus L.) were examined. Statistical analysis of the data demonstrated a highly significant reoccupancy by ticks of stems previously and recently used. Furthermore, it is shown that the extent of stem reuse by ticks is significantly and positively correlated with the numbers of ticks originally observed on those stems. Although other factors may be involved in generating clumping of ticks, the results are compatible with the proposition that aggregation of I. ricinus on the ground is pheromone-mediated. The findings are discussed in relation to what is known about the powers of lateral movement of I. ricinus on the ground and the possible implications for the performance of tick traps.

Rickettsia parkeri and "Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae" in Questing Amblyomma maculatum (Acari: Ixodidae) From Mississippi.

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Lee, J K; Moraru, G M; Stokes, J V; Wills, R W; Mitchell, E; Unz, E; Moore-Henderson, B; Harper, A B; Varela-Stokes, A S

2017-03-01

Amblyomma maculatum Koch (Acari: Ixodidae), the primary vector for Rickettsia parkeri, may also be infected with a rickettsia of unknown pathogenicity, "Candidatus Rickettsia andeanae." Infection rates with these rickettsiae vary geographically, and coinfected ticks have been reported. In this study, infection rates of R. parkeri and "Ca. R. andeanae" were evaluated, and rickettsial DNA levels quantified, in 335 questing adult A. maculatum collected in 2013 (n = 95), 2014 (n = 139), and 2015 (n = 101) from Oktibbeha County, MS. Overall infection rates of R. parkeri and "Ca. R. andeanae" were 28.7% and 9.3%, respectively, with three additional A. maculatum (0.9%) coinfected. While R. parkeri-infected ticks were detected all three years (34.7% in 2013; 13.7% in 2014; 43.6% in 2015), "Ca. R. andeanae" was not detected in 2013, and was detected at rates of 10.8% in 2014, and 15.8% in 2015. Interestingly, rickettsial DNA levels in singly-infected ticks were significantly lower in "Ca. R. andeanae"-infected ticks compared to R. parkeri-infected ticks (P Rickettsia species in A. maculatum at the population level. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Efficacy of plant-derived and synthetic compounds on clothing as repellents against Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae).

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Jordan, Robert A; Schulze, Terry L; Dolan, Marc C

2012-01-01

We conducted field trials to compare the relative repellent activity of two natural product compounds (nootkatone and carvacrol) with commercially available plant-derived (EcoSMART organic insect repellent) and permethrin-based (Repel Permanone) repellents against adult Ixodes scapularis Say and Amblyomma americanum (L.) (Acari: Ixodidae) by using treated coveralls. One day after treatment, nootkatone and carvacrol provided 100% repellency of I. scapularis adults, with nootkatone maintaining complete protection through 3 d, whereas carvacrol showed steadily declining repellency against I. scapularis during the 7-d course of the trials. Nootkatone was at least as effective against host-seeking A. americanum as against I. scapularis through 3 d. Carvacrol provided little protection against A. americanum adults. Both natural compounds performed well initially in comparison with the commercial products. After 7 d, nootkatone was the most effective against both species followed in order of activity by Permanone, EcoSMART, and carvacrol. Nootkatone seems to have offer considerable potential as a clothing repellent against both I. scapularis and A. americanum.

Development of the system nematode, Ditylenchus Dipsaci (Kuehn) Filipjev, and the potato tuber nematode, D. Destructor thore, after gamma irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ignatowicz, S.; Karnkowski, W.

1996-01-01

Juvenile and adult nematodes emerged from onion and garlic samples on the 3 rd week after irradiation with doses up to 0.5 kGy and from potato treated with doses up to 2.0 kGy. However, irradiation of onion infected with Ditylenchus dipsaci caused the inhibition of the development and growth of juvenile nematodes to mature forms. Doses of gamma radiation ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 kGy had only a slight effect, if any, on the development and growth of D. dipsaci nematodes infecting garlic, but they increased juvenile mortality. Gamma radiation at doses up to 2.0 kGy induced increased mortality of nematode juveniles of the potato tuber nematode, D. destructor but less so inhibited their development to mature forms. Nematodes were found to be resistant to irradiation treatment. Therefore the use of gamma irradiation for nematode disinfestation of agricultural products seems to be impractical, if the aim of the treatment is to kill these pests within a few weeks. The level of radiation required to kill nematodes in infected plants would damage plant tissues so that the further storage of vegetables will be impossible. (author). 22 refs, 3 figs, 2 tabs

Compatibility of reduced-risk insecticides with the non-target predatory mite Iphiseius degenerans (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

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Döker, İsmail; Pappas, Maria L; Samaras, Konstantinos; Triantafyllou, Anneta; Kazak, Cengiz; Broufas, George D

2015-09-01

Iphiseius degenerans (Berlese) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is a common predatory mite in citrus orchards in some areas of the Mediterranean basin and an important biological control agent of the thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programmes in greenhouse crops. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the 'reduced-risk' insecticides acetamiprid, chlorantraniliprole, flubendiamide, metaflumizone, methoxyfenozide, spinetoram and thiamethoxam on I. degenerans, as a means of testing their compatibility in IPM programmes. Although all pesticides decreased immature survival, high mortality was only recorded for young larvae when exposed to acetamiprid, while metaflumizone, thiamethoxam and spinetoram resulted in intermediate lethal effects. The estimated LC50 values of acetamiprid, spinetoram and thiamethoxam for I. degenerans females were 0.52, 0.84 and 0.16-fold lower than the respective maximum recommended doses of the pesticides for field application. Although all pesticides tested significantly decreased fecundity, highest rates corresponded to the three pesticides already mentioned. Chlorantraniliprole, flubendiamide and methoxyfenozide may preliminarily be included in IPM programmes, whereas the effects of acetamiprid, metaflumizone, spinetoram and thiamethoxam on I. degenerans should be clarified in further field toxicological tests. This information could be useful for rationally planning and implementing pest management on a sustainable basis. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Hygienic and grooming behaviors in African and European honeybees-New damage categories in Varroa destructor.

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Nganso, Beatrice T; Fombong, Ayuka T; Yusuf, Abdullahi A; Pirk, Christian W W; Stuhl, Charles; Torto, Baldwyn

2017-01-01

Varroa destructor is an ectoparasitic pest of honeybees, and a threat to the survival of the apiculture industry. Several studies have shown that unlike European honeybees, African honeybee populations appear to be minimally affected when attacked by this mite. However, little is known about the underlying drivers contributing to survival of African honeybee populations against the mite. We hypothesized that resistant behavioral defenses are responsible for the survival of African honeybees against the ectoparasite. We tested this hypothesis by comparing grooming and hygienic behaviors in the African savannah honeybee Apis mellifera scutellata in Kenya and A. mellifera hybrids of European origin in Florida, USA against the mite. Grooming behavior was assessed by determining adult mite infestation levels, daily mite fall per colony and percentage mite damage (as an indicator of adult grooming rate), while hygienic behavior was assessed by determining the brood removal rate after freeze killing a section of the brood. Our results identified two additional undescribed damaged mite categories along with the six previously known damage categories associated with the grooming behavior of both honeybee subspecies. Adult mite infestation level was approximately three-fold higher in A. mellifera hybrids of European origin than in A. m. scutellata, however, brood removal rate, adult grooming rate and daily natural mite fall were similar in both honeybee subspecies. Unlike A. mellifera hybrids of European origin, adult grooming rate and brood removal rate did not correlate with mite infestation levels on adult worker honeybee of A. m. scutellata though they were more aggressive towards the mites than their European counterparts. Our results provide valuable insights into the tolerance mechanisms that contribute to the survival of A. m. scutellata against the mite.

Morphometric variations of laelapine mite (Acari: Mesostigmata populations infesting small mammals (Mammalia in Brazil

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F. Martins-Hatano

Full Text Available The goal of this study was to evaluate the morphometric variation of laelapine populations (Acari, Mesostigmata associated with neotropical oryzomyine rodents at different geographic localities in Brazil. Three nominal mite species were selected for study, all infesting the pelage of small mammals at different localities in Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Bahia, and the Federal District, Brazil. To analyse morphometric characteristics, thirty-seven morphological characters distributed across the whole body of each specimen were measured. We use the Analysis of Principal Components, extracting the three first axes and projecting each mite in these axes. Major species level changes in the taxonomy of the host mammals allows an independent examination of morphometric variation of mites infesting a set of distinctly different host species at different geographic localities. Gigantolaelaps vitzthumi and Laelaps differens are associated with oryzomyine rodents of the genus Cerradomys, and consistently showed a tendency to cluster by host phylogeny. Laelaps manguinhosi associated with Nectomys rattus in central Brazil is morphometrically distinct from mites infesting N. squamipes in the coastal restingas of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo. The results obtained here indicate that laelapine mite populations can vary among geographic areas and among phylogenetically related host species. Clearly, the study of these mites at the population level can be an important tool for clarifying the taxonomy of both mites and hosts.

Morphometric variations of laelapine mite (Acari: Mesostigmata) populations infesting small mammals (Mammalia) in Brazil.

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Martins-Hatano, F; Gettinger, D; Manhães, M L; Bergallo, H G

2012-08-01

The goal of this study was to evaluate the morphometric variation of laelapine populations (Acari, Mesostigmata) associated with neotropical oryzomyine rodents at different geographic localities in Brazil. Three nominal mite species were selected for study, all infesting the pelage of small mammals at different localities in Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, Bahia, and the Federal District, Brazil. To analyse morphometric characteristics, thirty-seven morphological characters distributed across the whole body of each specimen were measured. We use the Analysis of Principal Components, extracting the three first axes and projecting each mite in these axes. Major species level changes in the taxonomy of the host mammals allows an independent examination of morphometric variation of mites infesting a set of distinctly different host species at different geographic localities. Gigantolaelaps vitzthumi and Laelaps differens are associated with oryzomyine rodents of the genus Cerradomys, and consistently showed a tendency to cluster by host phylogeny. Laelaps manguinhosi associated with Nectomys rattus in central Brazil is morphometrically distinct from mites infesting N. squamipes in the coastal restingas of Rio de Janeiro and Espírito Santo. The results obtained here indicate that laelapine mite populations can vary among geographic areas and among phylogenetically related host species. Clearly, the study of these mites at the population level can be an important tool for clarifying the taxonomy of both mites and hosts.

Ticks (Acari: Ixodida) on wild carnivores in Brazil.

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Labruna, Marcelo B; Jorge, Rodrigo S P; Sana, Dênis A; Jácomo, Anah Tereza A; Kashivakura, Cyntia K; Furtado, Mariana M; Ferro, Claudia; Perez, Samuel A; Silveira, Leandro; Santos, Tarcísio S; Marques, Samuel R; Morato, Ronaldo G; Nava, Alessandra; Adania, Cristina H; Teixeira, Rodrigo H F; Gomes, Albério A B; Conforti, Valéria A; Azevedo, Fernando C C; Prada, Cristiana S; Silva, Jean C R; Batista, Adriana F; Marvulo, Maria Fernanda V; Morato, Rose L G; Alho, Cleber J R; Pinter, Adriano; Ferreira, Patrícia M; Ferreira, Fernado; Barros-Battesti, Darci M

2005-01-01

The present study reports field data of ticks infesting wild carnivores captured from July 1998 to September 2004 in Brazil. Additional data were obtained from one tick collection and from previous published data of ticks on carnivores in Brazil. During field work, a total of 3437 ticks were collected from 89 Cerdocyon thous (crab-eating fox), 58 Chrysocyon brachyurus (maned wolf), 30 Puma concolor (puma), 26 Panthera onca (jaguar), 12 Procyon cancrivorus (crab-eating raccoon), 4 Speothos venaticus (bush dog), 6 Pseudalopex vetulus (hoary fox), 6 Nasua nasua (coati), 6 Leopardus pardalis (ocelot), 2 Leopardus tigrinus (oncilla), 1 Leopardus wiedii (margay), 1 Herpailurus yagouaroundi (jaguarundi), 1 Oncifelis colocolo (pampas cat), 1 Eira barbara (tayara), 1 Galictis vittata (grison), 1 Lontra longicaudis (neotropical otter), and 1 Potus flavus (kinkajou). Data obtained from the Acari Collection IBSP included a total of 381 tick specimens collected on 13 C. thous, 8 C. brachyurus, 3 P. concolor, 10 P. onca, 3 P. cancrivorus, 4 N. nasua, 1 L. pardalis, 1 L. wiedii, 4 H. yagouaroundi, 1 Galictis cuja (lesser grison), and 1 L. longicaudis. The only tick-infested carnivore species previously reported in Brazil, for which we do not present any field data are Pseudalopex gymnocercus (pampas fox), Conepatus chinga (Molina's hog-nosed skunk), and Conepatus semistriatus (striped hog-nosed skunk). We report the first tick records in Brazil on two Felidae species (O. colocolo, H. yagouaroundi), two Canidae species (P. vetulus, S. venaticus), one Procyonidae species (P. flavus) and one Mustelidae (E. barbara). Tick infestation remains unreported for 5 of the 26 Carnivora species native in Brazil: Oncifelis geoffroyi (Geoffroy's cat), Atelocynus microtis (short-eared dog), Pteronura brasiliensis (giant otter), Mustela africana (Amazon weasel), and Bassaricyon gabbii (olingo). Our field data comprise 16 tick species represented by the genera Amblyomma (12 species), Ixodes (1

Effects of Imidacloprid and Varroa destructor on survival and health of European honey bees, Apis mellifera.

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Abbo, Pendo M; Kawasaki, Joshua K; Hamilton, Michele; Cook, Steven C; DeGrandi-Hoffman, Gloria; Li, Wen Feng; Liu, Jie; Chen, Yan Ping

2017-06-01

There has been growing concern over declines in populations of honey bees and other pollinators which are a vital part to our food security. It is imperative to identify factors responsible for accelerated declines in bee populations and develop solutions for reversing bee losses. While exact causes of colony losses remain elusive, risk factors thought to play key roles are ectoparasitic mites Varroa destructor and neonicotinoid pesticides. The present study aims to investigate effects of a neonicotinoid pesticide Imidacloprid and Varroa mites individually on survivorship, growth, physiology, virus dynamics and immunity of honey bee workers. Our study provides clear evidence that the exposure to sublethal doses of Imidacloprid could exert a significantly negative effect on health and survival of honey bees. We observed a significant reduction in the titer of vitellogenin (Vg), an egg yolk precursor that regulates the honey bees development and behavior and often are linked to energy homeostasis, in bees exposed to Imidacloprid. This result indicates that sublethal exposure to neonicotinoid could lead to increased energy usage in honey bees as detoxification is a energy-consuming metabolic process and suggests that Vg could be a useful biomarker for measuring levels of energy stress and sublethal effects of pesticides on honey bees. Measurement of the quantitative effects of different levels of Varroa mite infestation on the replication dynamic of Deformed wing virus (DWV), an RNA virus associated with Varroa infestation, and expression level of immune genes yields unique insights into how honey bees respond to stressors under laboratory conditions. © 2016 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Effects of Imidacloprid and Varroa destructor on survival and health of European honey bees, Apis mellifera

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Pendo M.Abbo; Joshua K.Kawasaki; Michele Hamilton; Steven C.Cook; Gloria DeGrandi-Hoffman; Wen Feng Li; Jie Liu; Yan Ping Chen

2017-01-01

There has been growing concern over declines in populations of honey bees and other pollinators which are a vital part to our food security.It is imperative to identify factors responsible for accelerated declines in bee populations and develop solutions for reversing bee losses.While exact causes of colony losses remain elusive,risk factors thought to play key roles are ectoparasitic mites Varroa destructor and neonicotinoid pesticides.The present study aims to investigate effects of a neonicotinoid pesticide Imidacloprid and Varroa mites individually on survivorship,growth,physiology,virus dynamics and immunity of honey bee workers.Our study provides clear evidence that the exposure to sublethal doses of Imidacloprid could exert a significantly negative effect on health and survival of honey bees.We observed a significant reduction in the titer ofvitellogenin (Vg),an egg yolk precursor that regulates the honey bees development and behavior and often are linked to energy homeostasis,in bees exposed to Imidacloprid.This result indicates that sublethal exposure to neonicotinoid could lead to increased energy usage in honey bees as detoxification is a energy-consuming metabolic process and suggests that Vg could be a useful biomarker for measuring levels of energy stress and sublethal effects of pesticideson honey bees.Measurement of the quantitative effects of different levels of Varroa mite infestation on the replication dynamic of Deformed wing virus (DWV),an RNA virus associated with Varroa infestation,and expression level of immune genes yields unique insights into how honey bees respond to stressors under laboratory conditions.

Producción de miel e infestación con Varroa destructor de abejas africanizadas (Apis mellifera con alto y bajo comportamiento higiénico

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Carlos Aurelio Medina-Flores

2014-01-01

Full Text Available El objetivo del estudio fue comparar la producción de miel y los niveles de Varroa destructor entre colonias de abejas africanizadas (AA ( Apis mellifera con alto y bajo comportamiento higiénico (CH en el altiplano semiárido de México. Se midió el nivel de CH a 57 colonias por congelamiento de la cría con nitrógeno líquido (N 2 . Las colonias se clasificaron en dos grupos: alto CH (> 95 % y bajo CH (0.05. Estos resultados sugieren que aparentemente el comportamiento higiénico no tiene un efecto mayor en la resistencia de las AA al crecimiento poblaci onal del ácaro. También sugieren que el comportamiento higiénico alto podría contribuir a incrementar la producción de miel en épocas del año con flujo reducido de néctar.

Influence of the webbing produced by Oligonychus ilicis (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae) on associated predatory phytoseiids; Influencia da teia de Oligonychus ilicis (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae) sobre os fitoseideos predadores associados

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Franco, Renato A. [Bioagri Laboratorios Ltda., Piracicaba, SP (Brazil)], e-mail: r.franco@bioagri.com.br; Reis, Paulo R. [Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuaria de Minas Gerais (EPAMIG), Belo Horizonte, MG (Brazil). Ecocentro], e-mail: paulo.rebelles@epamig.ufla.br; Zacarias, Mauricio S. [EMBRAPA Cafe, Lavras, MG (Brazil)], e-mail: zacarias@epamig.ufla.br; Oliveira, Daniel C. [Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), MG (Brazil)

2010-01-15

Oligonychus ilicis (McGregor) is among those mite species that can cause damage to coffee plants (Coffea spp.). Species of Phytoseiidae acari are considered the most important and studied predatory mites. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the webbing produced by O. ilicis on its predation by females of the phytoseiids Iphiseiodes zuluagai Denmark and Muma, Euseius citrifolius Denmark and Muma and Amblyseius herbicolus (Chant). Four bioassays were conducted, with three treatments and ten replicates. Each replicate consisted of 25 O. ilicis per experimental unit (a leaf disc of Coffea arabica) according to the tested developmental stage, in independent experiments. To spin the web, 15 adult females were put on each experimental unit for 24h; females were then removed, leaving only the web, and predators and prey to be tested were introduced. Predation was assessed after 24h. In the presence of webbing, the consumption of eggs, larvae and nymphs by I. zuluagai and eggs and larvae by E. citrifolius was lower. For A. herbicolus, egg predation was lower, but larval predation did not vary significantly and predation of nymphs and adults was higher in the presence of webbing. Predators as a whole were more efficient consuming larvae regardless of the presence of webbing. Considering the stages of O. ilicis altogether, webbing reduced the predation potential of I. zuluagai and E. citrifolius, but not of A. herbicolus. (author)

Fertility and reproductive rate of Varroa mite, Varroa destructor, in native and exotic honeybee, Apis mellifera L., colonies under Saudi Arabia conditions

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Yehya Alattal

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Varroa mite is the most destructive pest to bee colonies worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, preliminary data indicated high infestation levels in the exotic honeybee colonies; such as Apis mellifera carnica and Apis mellifera ligustica, compared to native honeybee subspecies Apis mellifera jemenitica, which may imply higher tolerance to Varroasis. In this study, fertility and reproductive rate of Varroa mite, Varroa destructor, in capped brood cells of the native honeybee subspecies were investigated and compared with an exotic honeybee subspecies, A. m. carnica. Mite fertility was almost alike (87.5% and 89.4% in the native and craniolan colonies respectively. Similarly, results did not show significant differences in reproduction rate between both subspecies (F = 0.66, Pr > F = 0.42. Number of adult Varroa daughters per fertile mother mite was 2.0 and 2.1 for native and craniolan honeybee subspecies respectively. This may indicate that mechanisms of keeping low infestation rates in the native honeybee colonies are not associated with Varroa reproduction. Therefore, potential factors of keeping lower Varroa infestation rates in native honey bee subspecies should be further investigated.

Essential oils of aromatic Egyptian plants repel nymphs of the tick Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae).

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El-Seedi, Hesham R; Azeem, Muhammad; Khalil, Nasr S; Sakr, Hanem H; Khalifa, Shaden A M; Awang, Khalijah; Saeed, Aamer; Farag, Mohamed A; AlAjmi, Mohamed F; Pålsson, Katinka; Borg-Karlson, Anna-Karin

2017-09-01

Due to the role of Ixodes ricinus (L.) (Acari: Ixodidae) in the transmission of many serious pathogens, personal protection against bites of this tick is essential. In the present study the essential oils from 11 aromatic Egyptian plants were isolated and their repellent activity against I. ricinus nymphs was evaluated Three oils (i.e. Conyza dioscoridis L., Artemisia herba-alba Asso and Calendula officinalis L.) elicited high repellent activity in vitro of 94, 84.2 and 82%, respectively. The most active essential oil (C. dioscoridis) was applied in the field at a concentration of 6.5 µg/cm 2 and elicited a significant repellent activity against I. ricinus nymphs by 61.1%. The most repellent plants C. dioscoridis, C. officinalis and A. herba-alba yielded essential oils by 0.17, 0.11 and 0.14%, respectively. These oils were further investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. α-Cadinol (10.7%) and hexadecanoic acid (10.5%) were the major components of C. dioscoridis whereas in C. officinalis, α-cadinol (21.2%) and carvone (18.2%) were major components. Artemisia herba-alba contained piperitone (26.5%), ethyl cinnamate (9.5%), camphor (7.7%) and hexadecanoic acid (6.9%). Essential oils of these three plants have a potential to be used for personal protection against tick bites.

Quantitative proteomics reveals divergent responses in Apis mellifera worker and drone pupae to parasitization by Varroa destructor.

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Surlis, Carla; Carolan, James C; Coffey, Mary; Kavanagh, Kevin

Varroa destructor is a haemophagous ectoparasite of honeybees and is considered a major causal agent of colony losses in Europe and North America. Although originating in Eastern Asia where it parasitizes Apis cerana, it has shifted hosts to the western honeybee Apis mellifera on which it has a greater deleterious effect on the individual and colony level. To investigate this important host-parasite interaction and to determine whether Varroa causes different effects on different castes we conducted a label free quantitative proteomic analysis of Varroa-parasitized and non-parasitized drone and worker Apis mellifera pupae. 1195 proteins were identified in total, of which 202 and 250 were differentially abundant in parasitized drone and worker pupae, respectively. Both parasitized drone and worker pupae displayed reduced abundance in proteins associated with the cuticle, lipid transport and innate immunity. Proteins involved in metabolic processes were more abundant in both parasitized castes although the response in workers was more pronounced. A number of caste specific responses were observed including differential abundance of numerous cytoskeletal and muscle proteins, which were of higher abundance in parasitized drones in comparison to parasitized workers. Proteins involved in fatty acid and carbohydrate metabolism were more abundant in parasitized workers as were a large number of ribosomal proteins highlighting either potentially divergent responses to Varroa or a different strategy by the mite when parasitizing the different castes. This data improves our understanding of this interaction and may provide a basis for future studies into improvements to therapy and control of Varroasis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of the storage mite pest Tyrophagus longior (Gervais) (Acari: Acaridae) and comparative mitogenomic analysis of four acarid mites.

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Yang, Banghe; Li, Chaopin

2016-02-01

Mites of the genus Tyrophagus are economically important polyphagous pest commonly living on stored products and also responsible for allergic reactions to humans. Complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) and the gene features therein are widely used as molecular markers in the study of population genetics, phylogenetics as well as molecular evolution. However, scarcity on the sequence data has greatly impeded the studies in these areas pertaining to the Acari (mites and ticks). Information on the Tyrophagus mitogenomes is quite critical for phylogenetic evaluation and molecular evolution of the mitogenomes within Acariformes. Herein, we reported the complete mitogenome of the allergenic acarid storage mite Tyrophagus longior (Astigmata: Acaridae), an important member of stored food pests, and compared with those of other three acarid mites. The complete mitogenome of T. longior was a circular molecule of 13,271 bp. Unexpectedly, only 19 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs) were present, lacking trnF, trnS1 and trnQ. Furthermore, it also contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs) and 2 genes for rRNA (rrnS and rrnL) commonly detected in metazoans. The four mitogenomes displayed similar characteristics with respect to the gene content, nucleotide comparison, and codon usages. Yet, the gene order of T. longior was different from that in other Acari. The J-strands of the four mitogenomes possessed high A+T content (67.4-70.0%), and exhibited positive GC-skews and negative AT-skews. Most inferred tRNAs of T. longior were extremely truncated, lacking either a D- or T-arm, as found in other acarid mites. In T. longior mitogenome the A+T-rich region was just 50 bp in length and can be folded as a stable stem-loop structure, whereas in the region some structures of microsatellite-like (AT)n and palindromic sequences was not present. Besides, reconstructing of the phylogenetic relationship based on concatenated amino acid sequences of 13 PCGs supported that monophyly of the family

Efecto de la cantidad de cría de abeja Apis mellifera (Apidae sobre la eficacia del Oxavar® para el control del ácaro Varroa destructor (Varroidae Effect of Apis mellifera (Apidae honeybee brood amount on Oxavar® acaricide efficacy against the mite Varroa destructor (Varroidae

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Jorge Marcangeli

2004-12-01

Full Text Available El objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar la eficacia acaricida del Oxavar® en el control del ácaro ectoparásito Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman. El trabajo fue realizado en el apiario experimental del Centro de Extensión Apícola ubicado en Coronel Vidal, provincia de Buenos Aires. Se seleccionaron diez colmenas tipo Langstroth que fueron divididas en dos grupos: a cinco colmenas con tres cuadros cubiertos completamente de cría en desarrollo y b cinco colmenas con seis cuadros cubiertos por cría. Ambos grupos recibieron cinco ml of Oxavar® (Apilab, Argentina; 64,6 g/l de ácido oxálico en agua destilada por cuadro cubierto por abejas adultas en tres dosis a intervalos de siete días. Semanalmente, se colectaron los ácaros muertos de los pisos especiales provistos a las colmenas de estudio con el objeto de evitar su remoción por parte de las abejas. Una vez concluido el tratamiento, en cada colmena se introdujeron dos tiras plásticas de Apistan® (Roteh, Argentina para eliminar los ácaros remanentes y poder así calcular la eficacia acaricida del Oxavar®. Los resultados mostraron que la eficacia del Oxavar® en el primer grupo (85,6% ± 1,4 resultó significativamente superior a la registrada en el segundo grupo (75,7 ± 1,7. Estas diferencias fueron testeadas a partir del número total de ácaros eliminados por el Oxavar® y Apistan® en ambos grupos de colmenas (pThe aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of honeybee brood on acaricide efficacy of Oxavar® to control the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman. Work was done at Centro de Extensión Apícola experimental apiary located at Coronel Vidal, province of Buenos Aires. Ten Langstroth hives were selected and divided in two groups: a hives containing three honeybee combs full of brood and b hives containing six honeybee brood combs. Both groups received five ml of Oxavar® (Laboratorio Apilab, Argentina; 64.6 g/l oxalic acid in destilled water

Complexity, adaptations and variations in the secondary insemination system of female Dermanyssina mites (Acari: Anactinothrichida: Gamasida): the case of Afrocypholaelaps africana.

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Di Palma, A; Seeman, O D; Alberti, G

2017-07-01

Gamasine mites, mainly of the taxon Dermanyssina, possess a secondarily evolved insemination system (sperm access system), of which there are two, generally recognized, structurally different types, the laelapid- and the phytoseiid-type. The ultrastructure of the female sperm access system in Afrocypholaelaps africana is described. It consists of paired insemination pores, opening between the bases of legs three and four, and paired cuticle-lined tubules that converge into a large, sack-like spermatheca, remarkably cuticle-lined as well. The entire spermatheca and part of the tubules are embedded in a peculiar syncytial tissue where numerous sperm cells are present. The general organization of this insemination system is of the laelapid-type. However, it presents striking structural differences, compared with the systems described in Varroa destructor and Hattena cometis, the other gamasine mites having a laelapid-type system studied ultrastructurally until now. The functional morphology, complexity and variations of the sperm access system in Dermanyssina are discussed and correlated with the evolutionary biology of the group.

Detection of Babesia spp. in Dogs and Their Ticks From Peninsular Malaysia: Emphasis on Babesia gibsoni and Babesia vogeli Infections in Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (Acari: Ixodidae).

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Prakash, Batah Kunalan; Low, Van Lun; Vinnie-Siow, Wei Yin; Tan, Tiong Kai; Lim, Yvonne Ai-Lian; Morvarid, Akhavan Rezaei; AbuBakar, Sazaly; Sofian-Azirun, Mohd

2018-05-12

Canine babesiosis is an emerging tick-borne disease with a worldwide distribution, including Malaysia. While the prevalence of Babesia has been documented from dogs in Malaysia, occurrence of Babesia has been relatively little studied in their tick vectors. Accordingly, a total of 240 dogs and 140 Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks from Malaysia were molecularly screened for the presence of Babesia protozoa in the present study. Babesia gibsoni was only detected in ticks (1.4%), whereas Babesia vogeli was detected in both ticks (1.4%) and dogs (2.1%). This study highlights the detection of B. gibsoni and B. vogeli for the first time, in both adult and nymphal stages of R. sanguineus s.l. in Malaysia, suggesting the potential role of this tick species in transmitting canine babesiosis.

Infestação pelo Ácaro Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman (Mesostigmata: Varroidae em Operárias Adultas e em Células de Cria de Abelhas Africanizadas Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae na Região de Franca-SP

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Aline Turcatto

2012-12-01

Abstract. The mite Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman, has been, until now, one of the pest that causes more damage to the beekeeping worldwide, alone or associated with another bee diseases. Several factors affects the variation of the indexes of infestation and reproduction, such as climate, bee breed, development time, hygienic behavior; being that temperature is a environmental variable that acts on the variation of these indexes: the infestation increases in the colder months and decrease in warmer months, so in the months of autumn and winter occurs the biggest infestation by varroa in the beehives. Were evaluated the indexes of infestation by V. destructor on adult worker and brood cells to ascertain how these indexes rates, in months of autumn, in an africanized bees apiary located in region of Cerrado, surrounded by plantations of sugar cane, with a tropical climate and food in nature. The sample was collected in two years, in the months of May and June 2005 and April and June 2007 in the Experimental Apiary of Franca University-UNIFRAN, located in the municipality of Restiga-SP. The medium indexes of infestation in broods were higher in May/2005 (12.44% than June/2005 (7.78%, were also higher in April/2007 (3% than in June/2007 (0%; all the differences weren’t statistically significant. The medium indexes of infestation in adult workers were lesser in May/2005 (0.95% than June/2005 (1.90% and lesser in April/2007 (0.90% than in June/2007 (4.43%; the difference observed in 2005 was not statistically significant, unlike that observed in 2007 (P=0.031.

A comparison of the reproductive ability of Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata:Varroidae) in worker and drone brood of Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera).

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Calderón, Rafael A; Zamora, Luis G; Van Veen, Johan W; Quesada, Mariela V

2007-01-01

Colony infestation by the parasitic mite, Varroa destructor is one of the most serious problems for beekeeping worldwide. In order to reproduce varroa females, enter worker or drone brood shortly before the cell is sealed. To test the hypothesis that, due to the preference of mites to invade drone brood to reproduce, a high proportion of the mite reproduction should occur in drone cells, a comparative study of mite reproductive rate in worker and drone brood of Africanized honey bees (AHB) was done for 370 mites. After determining the number, developmental stage and sex of the offspring in worker cells, the foundress female mite was immediately transferred into an uninfested drone cell. Mite fertility in single infested worker and drone brood cells was 76.5 and 79.3%, respectively. There was no difference between the groups (X(2)= 0.78, P = 0.37). However, one of the most significant differences in mite reproduction was the higher percentage of mites producing viable offspring (cells that contain one live adult male and at least one adult female mite) in drone cells (38.1%) compared to worker cells (13.8%) (X(2)= 55.4, P drone cells (X(2)= 69, P drone brood.

Acaricidal and repellent activities of essential oil of Eucalyptus globulus against Dermanyssus gallinae (Acari: Mesostigmata

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Dehghani-Samani Amir

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: By considering an increase in drug resistance against red mites, finding the nonchemical herbal acaricide against Dermanyssus gallinae (De Geer (Acari: Mesostigmata is necessary to kill them and to reduce the chemical resistance against chemical acaricides in this specie. Dermanyssus gallinae is a potential vector of the causal agent of several viral diseases such as Equine encephalitis and St. Louis encephalitis. It can be a vector of bacteria such as Salmonella spp., Mycobacterium spp. and Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae. It is also known to cause itching dermatosis in humans. In this study acaricidal and repellent activities of essential oil of Eucalyptus globulus against Dermanyssus gallinae were studied. Methods: After extracting the essential oil, different concentrations of the plant extract were prepared. Then, acaricidal effect of different concentrations was tested on poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae, by dropping 3-4 drops of essential oil on mites. Repellent activity of essential oil was tested by Y-tube olfactometer bioassay. After the test, total number of killed and repellent mites reported. Results: Concentration of 1:2 or 50% had more acaricidal effect on mites. Also essential oil of Eucalyptus globulus had repellent activity against red mites. Conclusion: This study showed that essential oil of Eucalyptus globulus had acaricidal and repellent activities against red mites. Hence it might be used as a herbal acaricide against it to kill and to reduce the chemical resistance in this specie.

Elenco y biogeografía de los ácaros acuáticos (Acari, Parasitengona, Hydrachnidia de Sudamérica

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Rosso de Ferradás, B.

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Checklist and catalog publications demonstrate a clear connection between basic taxonomy and biodiversity issues. According to some estimates, only 10-30% of all global species have been named. As in other fields, catalogs provide an important source of information concerning species diversity in freshwater ecology.

South America is a continent dominated by freshwater ecosystems. The tremendous habitat diversity created by this landscape supports a high number of arthropods, including water mites, which belong to the hyperdiverse group Acari. South America has a substantial task ahead in cataloging its biodiversity.

Much has been published on water mites in South America. In fact, according to Besch, water mites were the most studied with the exception of Europe up until the 1960’s. Most of the collections were conducted by two acarologists (Lundblad and Karl Viets during the 1940’s. Today, the collection, identification and description process of water mites is slower. In the 1980’s, the north-american acarologist D. R. Cook produced two lengthy papers about neotropical water mites in four regions of South America. Recently, several Argentine acarologists have published papers on water mites from diverse habitats and regions in South America.

The catalog presented here includes information regarding 6 superfamilies, including 23 families in 118 genera of true water mites (Hydrachnidia, Parasitengona, Acari. It also includes the references concerning the species, distribution in various regions of South America and –as far as known– habitat.

At present, there are 916 species from several authors cataloged in 11 countries in South America. The degree of knowledge varies greatly from country to country, with numerous entries for Brazil and none for French Guiana.

Las publicaciones de catálogos y listados de especies determinan una clara conexión entre taxonomía básica y temas

Primera aproximacion a la Paleoentomología de los yacimientos de la Sierra de Atapuerca (Burgos, España: la fauna subfósil de Oribátidos (Acari, Oribatida

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Arroyo, J.

2007-06-01

Full Text Available The Atapuerca Quaternarian sites are of worldwide interest due to the presence of human remains belonging to the last million years. The oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida found in several archaeological samples extracted from the Atapuerca Quaternarian deposits, have been analyzed during the 2003 excavation campaign to study the Palaeoentomology of the site. The oribatid mite fauna consists of 7 individuals, 6 of which were obtained from Gran Dolina site (about 300.000 years old and belong to families Cosmochthoniidae, Scheloribatidae, Oribatulidae and Hemileiidae. Most of the taxa were identified to species level. The results obtained were used as a basis to reconstruct the paleo-environments of the site in correspondence with the biological and ecological preferences of the taxa.

Los yacimientos cuaternarios de la Sierra de Atapuerca ofrecen interés mundial por haber hospedado varias especies de homínidos que vivieron en el último millón de años. En este contexto, durante la campaña de excavaciones de 2003 se realizó un muestreo puntual en algunos de sus yacimientos para obtener los primeros datos de restos de artrópodos que pudieran conservarse en los mismos. En este trabajo se presentan los resultados obtenidos de ácaros subfósiles pertenecientes al suborden de los oribátidos (Acari, Oribatida. Después de procesar los sedimentos, se obtuvieron un total de 7 individuos en el conjunto de los yacimientos muestreados, de los cuales 6 aparecieron en Gran Dolina en un nivel con datación en torno a los 300.000 años. Los ejemplares, identificados en su mayoría a nivel taxonómico de especie, pertenecen a las familias Cosmochthoniidae, Scheloribatidae, Oribatulidae y Hemileiidae. Dado el conocimiento que se dispone de la biología de los taxones encontrados, que pertenecen a géneros y especies presentes en la actualidad, se han realizado inferencias sobre los ambientes pretéritos en que los animales vivieron.

A sex pheromone receptor in the Hessian fly Mayetiola destructor (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae

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Martin N. Andersson

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor Say (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae, is a pest of wheat and belongs to a group of gall-inducing herbivores. This species has a unique life history and several ecological features that differentiate it from other Diptera such as Drosophila melanogaster and blood-feeding mosquitoes. These features include a short, non-feeding adult life stage (1-2 days and the use of a long-range sex pheromone produced and released by adult females. Sex pheromones are detected by members of the odorant receptor (OR family within the Lepidoptera, but no receptors for similar long-range sex pheromones have been characterized from the Diptera. Previously, 122 OR genes have been annotated from the Hessian fly genome, with many of them showing sex-biased expression in the antennae. Here we have expressed, in HEK293 cells, five MdesORs that display male-biased expression in antennae, and we have identified MdesOR115 as a Hessian fly sex pheromone receptor. MdesOR115 responds primarily to the sex pheromone component (2S,8E,10E-8,10-tridecadien-2-yl acetate, and secondarily to the corresponding Z,E-isomer. Certain sensory neuron membrane proteins (i.e., SNMP1 are important for responses of pheromone receptors in flies and moths. The Hessian fly genome is unusual in that it encodes six SNMP1 paralogues, of which five are expressed in antennae. We co-expressed each of the five antennal SNMP1 paralogues together with each of the five candidate sex pheromone receptors from the Hessian fly and found that they do not influence the response of MdesOR115, nor do they confer responsiveness in any of the non-responsive ORs to any of the sex pheromone components identified to date in the Hessian fly. Using Western blots, we detected protein expression of MdesOrco, all MdesSNMPs, and all MdesORs except for MdesOR113, potentially explaining the lack of response from this OR. In conclusion, we report the first functional characterization of an OR from the

Exploring the host parasitism of the migratory plant-parasitic nematode Ditylenchus destuctor by expressed sequence tags analysis.

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Huan Peng

Full Text Available The potato rot nematode, Ditylenchus destructor, is a very destructive nematode pest on many agriculturally important crops worldwide, but the molecular characterization of its parasitism of plant has been limited. The effectors involved in nematode parasitism of plant for several sedentary endo-parasitic nematodes such as Heterodera glycines, Globodera rostochiensis and Meloidogyne incognita have been identified and extensively studied over the past two decades. Ditylenchus destructor, as a migratory plant parasitic nematode, has different feeding behavior, life cycle and host response. Comparing the transcriptome and parasitome among different types of plant-parasitic nematodes is the way to understand more fully the parasitic mechanism of plant nematodes. We undertook the approach of sequencing expressed sequence tags (ESTs derived from a mixed stage cDNA library of D. destructor. This is the first study of D. destructor ESTs. A total of 9800 ESTs were grouped into 5008 clusters including 3606 singletons and 1402 multi-member contigs, representing a catalog of D. destructor genes. Implementing a bioinformatics' workflow, we found 1391 clusters have no match in the available gene database; 31 clusters only have similarities to genes identified from D. africanus, the most closely related species to D. destructor; 1991 clusters were annotated using Gene Ontology (GO; 1550 clusters were assigned enzyme commission (EC numbers; and 1211 clusters were mapped to 181 KEGG biochemical pathways. 22 ESTs had similarities to reported nematode effectors. Interestedly, most of the effectors identified in this study are involved in host cell wall degradation or modification, such as 1,4-beta-glucanse, 1,3-beta-glucanse, pectate lyase, chitinases and expansin, or host defense suppression such as calreticulin, annexin and venom allergen-like protein. This result implies that the migratory plant-parasitic nematode D. destructor secrets similar effectors to

Influence of the webbing produced by Oligonychus ilicis (McGregor) (Acari: Tetranychidae) on associated predatory phytoseiids

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Franco, Renato A.; Reis, Paulo R.; Oliveira, Daniel C.

2010-01-01

Oligonychus ilicis (McGregor) is among those mite species that can cause damage to coffee plants (Coffea spp.). Species of Phytoseiidae acari are considered the most important and studied predatory mites. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the webbing produced by O. ilicis on its predation by females of the phytoseiids Iphiseiodes zuluagai Denmark and Muma, Euseius citrifolius Denmark and Muma and Amblyseius herbicolus (Chant). Four bioassays were conducted, with three treatments and ten replicates. Each replicate consisted of 25 O. ilicis per experimental unit (a leaf disc of Coffea arabica) according to the tested developmental stage, in independent experiments. To spin the web, 15 adult females were put on each experimental unit for 24h; females were then removed, leaving only the web, and predators and prey to be tested were introduced. Predation was assessed after 24h. In the presence of webbing, the consumption of eggs, larvae and nymphs by I. zuluagai and eggs and larvae by E. citrifolius was lower. For A. herbicolus, egg predation was lower, but larval predation did not vary significantly and predation of nymphs and adults was higher in the presence of webbing. Predators as a whole were more efficient consuming larvae regardless of the presence of webbing. Considering the stages of O. ilicis altogether, webbing reduced the predation potential of I. zuluagai and E. citrifolius, but not of A. herbicolus. (author)

Cuticle expansion during feeding in the tick Amblyomma hebraeum (Acari: Ixodidae): The role of hydrostatic pressure.

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Kaufman, W Reuben; Kaufman, S; Flynn, Peter C

2016-05-01

Female Amblyomma hebraeum ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) increase their weight ∼10-fold during a 'slow phase of engorgement' (7-9 days), and a further 10-fold during the 'rapid phase' (12-24h). During the rapid phase, the cuticle thins by half, with a plastic (permanent) deformation of greater than 40% in two orthogonal directions. A stress of 2.5 MPa or higher is required to achieve this degree of deformation (Flynn and Kaufman, 2015). Using a dimensional analysis of the tick body and applying the Laplace equation, we calculated that the tick must achieve high internal hydrostatic pressures in order to engorge fully: greater than 55 kPa at a fed:unfed mass ratio of ∼20:1, when cuticle thinning commences (Flynn and Kaufman, 2011). In this study we used a telemetric pressure transducer system to measure the internal hydrostatic pressure of ticks during feeding. Sustained periods of irregular high frequency (>20 Hz) pulsatile bursts of high pressure (>55 kPa) were observed in two ticks: they had been cannulated just prior to the rapid phase of engorgement, and given access to a host rabbit for completion of the feeding cycle. The pattern of periods of high pressure generation varied over the feeding cycle and between the two specimens. We believe that these pressures exceed those reported so far for any other animal. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Increased tolerance and resistance to virus infections: a possible factor in the survival of Varroa destructor-resistant honey bees (Apis mellifera.

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Barbara Locke

Full Text Available The honey bee ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor, has a world-wide distribution and inflicts more damage than all other known apicultural diseases. However, Varroa-induced colony mortality is more accurately a result of secondary virus infections vectored by the mite. This means that honey bee resistance to Varroa may include resistance or tolerance to virus infections. The aim of this study was to see if this is the case for a unique population of mite-resistant (MR European honey bees on the island of Gotland, Sweden. This population has survived uncontrolled mite infestation for over a decade, developing specific mite-related resistance traits to do so. Using RT-qPCR techniques, we monitored late season virus infections, Varroa mite infestation and honey bee colony population dynamics in the Gotland MR population and compared this to mite-susceptible (MS colonies in a close by apiary. From summer to autumn the deformed wing virus (DWV titres increased similarly between the MR and MS populations, while the black queen cell virus (BQCV and sacbrood virus (SBV titres decreased substantially in the MR population compared to the MS population by several orders of magnitude. The MR colonies all survived the following winter with high mite infestation, high DWV infection, small colony size and low proportions of autumn brood, while the MS colonies all perished. Possible explanations for these changes in virus titres and their relevance to Varroa resistance and colony winter survival are discussed.

The international trade in reptiles (Reptilia)--the cause of the transfer of exotic ticks (Acari: Ixodida) to Poland.

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Nowak, Magdalena

2010-05-11

The problem of the unnatural transfer of exotic ticks (Acari: Ixodida) on reptiles (Reptilia) imported to Poland is presented. In the period from 2003 to 2007, 382 specimens of reptiles belonging to the following genera were investigated: Testudo, Iguana, Varanus, Gongylophis, Python, Spalerosophis, Psammophis. The reptiles most infested with ticks are imported to Poland from Ghana in Africa, and are the commonly bred terrarium reptiles: Varanus exanthematicus and Python regius. As a result of the investigations, the transfer of exotic ticks on reptiles to Poland was confirmed. There were 2104 specimens of the genera Amblyomma and Hyalomma. The following species were found: Amblyomma exornatum Koch, 1844, Amblyomma flavomaculatum (Lucas, 1846), Amblyomma latum Koch, 1844, Amblyomma nuttalli Donitz, 1909, Amblyomma quadricavum (Schulze, 1941), Amblyomma transversale (Lucas, 1844), Amblyomma varanense (Supino, 1897), Amblyomma sp. Koch, 1844, Hyalomma aegyptium (Linnaeus, 1758). All the species of ticks of genus Amblyomma revealed have been discovered in Poland for the first time. During the research, 13 cases of anomalies of morphological structure were confirmed in the ticks A. flavomaculatum, A. latum and H. aegyptium. The expanding phenomenon of the import of exotic reptiles in Poland and Central Europe is important for parasitological and epidemiological considerations, and therefore requires monitoring and wide-ranging prophylactic activities to prevent the inflow of exotic parasites to Poland. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intra-seasonal Strategies Based on Energy Budgets in a Dynamic Predator-Prey Game

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Staňková, K.; Abate, A.; Sabelis, M.W.; Křivan, V.; Zaccour, G.

2013-01-01

We propose a game-theoretical model to describe intra-seasonal predator-prey interactions between predatory mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) and prey mites (also called fruit-tree red spider mites) (Acari: Tetranychidae) that feed on leaves of apple trees. Its parameters have been instantiated based on

Reproductive ability and level of infestation of the Varroa destructor mite in Apis mellifera apiaries in Blumenau, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil - doi: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v36i1.20366

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Francisco Estevão Carneiro

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Varroa destructor mite causes mortality of Apis mellifera bees throughout the world. Its greatest damage to these colonies has been reported in European countries and North America. The impact of the mite is related to the climate and the bee race on each region in which the plague has been established. Varroa causes little damage to the colonies of africanized honeybees in Brazil and the levels of infestation are relatively small and stable. The reproductive ability of Varroa females was evaluated in pupae of workers of 17-18 days of age, obtained from eight beehives of africanized bees for twelve months. The average number of offspring (deutonymphs, protonymphs and eggs each Varroa produced was 3.18 ± 0.19. The average total number of deutonymph and protonymph was, respectively, 1.57 ± 0.15 and 1.61 ± 0.14. The levels of infestation demonstrated that the plague continue reaching low levels, the average was 4.11 ± 3.42.

Hessian Fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say, Populations in the North of Tunisia: Virulence, Yield Loss Assessment and Phenological Data Poblaciones de Mosca de Hess, Mayetiola destructor (Say, en el Norte de Túnez: Virulencia, Evaluación de Pérdida de Producción y Datos Fenológicos

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Hanem Makni

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say, is a destructive pest of wheat worldwide and an endemic pest in Tunisia. Two natural populations of this insect from the North of Tunisia were evaluated, in the field, for their virulence, based on response developed by bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cultivars carrying H3, H5, H6, H7H8, H11, H13 and H16 resistance genes. H11, H13 and H16 showed a high effectiveness against both populations; therefore, their implication in Hessian fly breeding programs would be of interest. The level of infestation, as well as the yield loss, was assessed, based on the percentage of infested plants and variation in growth parameters due to infestation. The percentage of infested plants, over a 2-yr period in Mateur, averaged 18.82% for durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. subsp. durum (Desf. Husn. and 32.50% for bread wheat. For the improved durum wheat cv. Karim used as reference, the plant height, number of internodes, number of productive tillers per plant, and 100-seed weight were negatively affected by infestation, while the number of tillers per plant was positively affected. Aiming to update information about the annual number of the fly generations occurring on wheat, we surveyed infestation in Jédéida. At least three Hessian fly generations were detected on bread wheat and durum wheat. Continued regular surveying of Hessian fly populations in terms of virulence, impact on yield and annual generations is required for optimal deployment of resistance genes and integrated management of Hessian fly across all wheat production areas.La mosca de Hess, Mayetiola destructor (Say, es una plaga mundial destructiva del trigo y endémica en Túnez. Se evaluaron dos poblaciones naturales de este insecto desde el Norte de Túnez, en el campo, por su virulencia, basado en la respuesta desarrollada por cultivares de trigo panadero (Triticum aestivum L. portando los genes de resistencia H3, H5, H6, H7H8, H11, H13 y H16. H11, H13

Intercropping Allium tuberosum Rottler ex Sprengel (Amaryllidaceae reduces Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae populations in strawberry

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Fernando Hata

2017-12-01

Efeito do cultivo consorciado de Allium tuberosum Rottlerex Sprengel(Amaryllidaceae em populações de Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae em morangueiro Resumo. O ácaro-rajado, Tetranychus urticae Koch, é uma das mais importantes pragas em casas de vegetação no mundo. Foi avaliado o efeito do consórcio de cebolinha chinesa, cultivada sob as estruturas de madeira que suportam as sacolas para o cultivo de morangueiro (sistema suspenso, em duas casas de vegetação, entre novembro de 2016 e janeiro de 2017. Formas móveis e ovos de ácaros foram contabilizados em folhas de morangueiro. Para as avaliações, cinco plantas foram aleatoriamente selecionadas em cada parcela. Populações de ácaro-rajado em folhas de morangueiro foram avaliadas com lupa de bolso, com 10 x de aumento. Reduções foram observadas em três de oito avaliações de formas móveis de ácaro-rajado. Foram observadas reduções no número de ovos em uma avaliação. Tomando em consideração os dados de ácaros acumulados por dia, foi observado que o consórcio reduziu em 54% a população de ácaros. Por outro lado, o número de ovos não foi alterado.

Repellent activities of dichloromethane extract of Allium sativum (garlic) (Liliaceae) against Hyalomma rufipes (Acari).

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Nchu, Felix; Magano, Solomon R; Eloff, Jacobus N

2016-12-02

Dichloromethane (DCM) extract of garlic (Allium sativum Linn.) bulbs was assessed for its repellent effect against the hard tick, Hyalomma rufipes (Acari: Ixodidae) using two tick behavioural bioassays; Type A and Type B repellency bioassays, under laboratory conditions. These bioassays exploit the questing behaviour of H. rufipes, a tick that in nature displays ambush strategy, seeking its host by climbing up on vegetation and attaching to a passing host. One hundred microlitres (100 µL) of the test solution containing DCM extract of garlic bulbs and DCM at concentrations of 0.35%, 0.7% or 1.4% w/v were evaluated. DCM only was used for control. Tick repellency increased significantly (R2 = 0.98) with increasing concentration (40.03% - 86.96%) yielding an EC50 of 0.45% w/v in Type B repellency bioassay. At concentration of 1.4% w/v, the DCM extract of garlic bulbs produced high repellency index of 87% (male ticks) and 87.5% (female ticks) in the Type A repellency bioassay. Only 4% avoidance of male ticks or female ticks was recorded in the Type B repellency bioassay. In the corresponding controls, the mean numbers of non-repelled male or female ticks were 80% and 41 males or 38 females of 50 ticks in the Type A and Type B repellency bioassays, respectively. The variations in the results could be attributed to the difference in tick repellent behaviours that were assessed by the two repellency bioassays; the Type A repellency bioassay assessed repellent effect of garlic extracts without discriminating between deterrence and avoidance whereas the Type B repellency bioassay only assessed avoidance response. Generally, DCM extract of garlic was repellent against H. rufipes, albeit weak tick repellency was obtained in the Type B repellency bioassay. Furthermore, this study established that the tick repellent activity of garlic extracts is predominantly by deterrence.

Relative abundance of deformed wing virus, Varroa destructor virus 1, and their recombinants in honey bees (Apis mellifera) assessed by kmer analysis of public RNA-Seq data

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Cornman, Robert S.

2017-01-01

Deformed wing virus (DWV) is a major pathogen of concern to apiculture, and recent reports have indicated the local predominance and potential virulence of recombinants between DWV and a related virus, Varroa destructor virus 1 (VDV). However, little is known about the frequency and titer of VDV and recombinants relative to DWV generally. In this study, I assessed the relative occurrence and titer of DWV and VDV in public RNA-seq accessions of honey bee using a rapid, kmer-based approach. Three recombinant types were detectable graphically and corroborated by de novo assembly. Recombination breakpoints did not disrupt the capsid-encoding region, consistent with previous reports, and both VDV- and DWV-derived capsids were observed in recombinant backgrounds. High abundance of VDV kmers was largely restricted to recombinant forms. Non-metric multidimensional scaling identified genotypic clusters among DWV isolates, which was corroborated by read mapping and consensus generation. The recently described DWV-C lineage was not detected in the searched accessions. The data further highlight the utility of high-throughput sequencing to monitor viral polymorphisms and statistically test biological predictors of titer, and point to the need for consistent methodologies and sampling schemes.

Air temperature optimisation for humidity-controlled cold storage of the predatory mites Neoseiulus californicus and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

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Ghazy, Noureldin Abuelfadl; Suzuki, Takeshi; Amano, Hiroshi; Ohyama, Katsumi

2014-03-01

Humidity-controlled cold storage, in which the water vapour pressure is saturated, can prolong the survival of the predatory mites Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) and Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae). However, information on the optimum air temperature for long-term storage by this method is limited. The authors evaluated the survival of mated adult females of N. californicus and P. persimilis at 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 °C under saturated water vapour condition (vapour pressure deficit 0.0 kPa). N. californicus showed a longer survival time than P. persimilis at all the air temperatures. The longest mean survival time of N. californicus was 11 weeks at 7.5 °C, whereas that of P. persimilis was 8 weeks at 5.0 °C. After storage at 7.5 °C for 8 weeks, no negative effect on post-storage oviposition was observed in N. californicus, whereas the oviposition of P. persimilis stored at 5.0 °C for 8 weeks was significantly reduced. The interspecific variation in the response of these predators to low air temperature might be attributed to their natural habitat and energy requirements. These results may be useful for the long-term storage of these predators, which is required for cost-effective biological control. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

Transcriptome Analysis of the Carmine Spider Mite, Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisduval, 1867 (Acari: Tetranychidae, and Its Response to β-Sitosterol

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Chunya Bu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Acari: Tetranychidae is a worldwide polyphagous agricultural pest that has the title of resistance champion among arthropods. We reported previously the identification of the acaricidal compound β-sitosterol from Mentha piperita and Inula japonica. However, the acaricidal mechanism of β-sitosterol is unclear. Due to the limited genetic research carried out, we de novo assembled the transcriptome of T. cinnabarinus using Illumina sequencing and conducted a differential expression analysis of control and β-sitosterol-treated mites. In total, we obtained >5.4 G high-quality bases for each sample with unprecedented sequencing depth and assembled them into 22,941 unigenes. We identified 617 xenobiotic metabolism-related genes involved in detoxification, binding, and transporting of xenobiotics. A highly expanded xenobiotic metabolic system was found in mites. T. cinnabarinus detoxification genes—including carboxyl/cholinesterase and ABC transporter class C—were upregulated after β-sitosterol treatment. Defense-related proteins, such as Toll-like receptor, legumain, and serine proteases, were also activated. Furthermore, other important genes—such as the chloride channel protein, cytochrome b, carboxypeptidase, peritrophic membrane chitin binding protein, and calphostin—may also play important roles in mites’ response to β-sitosterol. Our results demonstrate that high-throughput-omics tool facilitates identification of xenobiotic metabolism-related genes and illustration of the acaricidal mechanisms of β-sitosterol.

Community structure variability of Uropodina mites (Acari: Mesostigmata) in nests of the common mole, Talpa europaea, in Central Europe.

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Napierała, Agnieszka; Mądra, Anna; Leszczyńska-Deja, Kornelia; Gwiazdowicz, Dariusz J; Gołdyn, Bartłomiej; Błoszyk, Jerzy

2016-04-01

Underground nests of Talpa europaea, known as the common mole, are very specific microhabitats, which are also quite often inhabited by various groups of arthropods. Mites from the suborder Uropodina (Acari: Mesostigmata) are only one of them. One could expect that mole nests that are closely located are inhabited by communities of arthropods with similar species composition and structure. However, results of empirical studies clearly show that even nests which are close to each other can be different both in terms of the species composition and abundance of Uropodina communities. So far, little is known about the factors that can cause these differences. The major aim of this study was to identify factors determining species composition, abundance, and community structure of Uropodina communities in mole nests. The study is based on material collected during a long-term investigation conducted in western parts of Poland. The results indicate that the two most important factors influencing species composition and abundance of Uropodina communities in mole nests are nest-building material and depth at which nests are located. Composition of Uropodina communities in nests of moles was also compared with that of other microhabitats (e.g. rotten wood, forest litter, soil) based on data from 4421 samples collected in Poland. Communities of this habitat prove most similar to these of open areas, especially meadows, as well as some forest types.

Laboratory evaluation of a native strain of Beauveria bassiana for controlling Dermanyssus gallinae (De Geer, 1778) (Acari: Dermanyssidae).

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Immediato, Davide; Camarda, Antonio; Iatta, Roberta; Puttilli, Maria Rita; Ramos, Rafael Antonio Nascimento; Di Paola, Giancarlo; Giangaspero, Annunziata; Otranto, Domenico; Cafarchia, Claudia

2015-09-15

The poultry red mite, Dermanyssus gallinae (De Geer, 1778) (Acari: Dermanyssidae) is one of the most economically important ectoparasites of laying hens worldwide. Chemical control of this mite may result in environmental and food contamination, as well as the development of drug resistance. High virulence of Beauveria bassiana sensu lato strains isolated from naturally infected hosts or from their environment has been demonstrated toward many arthropod species, including ticks. However, a limited number of studies have assessed the use of B. bassiana for the control of D. gallinae s.l. and none of them have employed native strains. This study reports the pathogenicity of a native strain of B. bassiana (CD1123) against nymphs and adults of D. gallinae. Batches of nymph and adult mites (i.e., n=720 for each stage) for treated groups (TGs) were placed on paper soaked with a 0.1% tween 80 suspension of B. bassiana (CIS, 10(5), 10(7) and 10(9) conidia/ml), whilst 240 untreated control mites for each stage (CG) were exposed only to 0.1% tween 80. The mites in TG showed a higher mortality at all stages (pbassiana suspension containing 10(9) conidia/ml was highly virulent towards nymph and adult stages of D. gallinae, therefore representing a possible promising natural product to be used in alternative or in combination to other acaricidal compounds currently used for controlling the red mite. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Regional factors rather than forest type drive the community structure of soil living oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida).

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Erdmann, Georgia; Scheu, Stefan; Maraun, Mark

2012-06-01

Most European forests are managed by humans. However, the manner and intensity of management vary. While the effect of forest management on above-ground communities has been investigated in detail, effects on the below-ground fauna remain poorly understood. Oribatid mites are abundant microarthropods in forest soil and important decomposers in terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we investigated the effect of four forest types (i.e., managed coniferous forests; 30 and 70 years old managed beech forests; natural beech forests) on the density, diversity and community structure of oribatid mites (Acari). The study was replicated at three regions in Germany: the Swabian Alb, the Hainich and the Schorfheide. To relate changes in oribatid mite community structure to environmental factors, litter mass, pH, C and N content of litter, fine roots and C content of soil were measured. Density of oribatid mites was highest in the coniferous forests and decreased in the order 30 years old, 70 years old, and natural beech forests. Mass of the litter layer and density of oribatid mites were strongly correlated indicating that the litter layer is an important factor regulating oribatid mite densities. Diversity of oribatid mites was little affected by forest type indicating that they harbor similar numbers of niches. Species composition differed between the forest types, suggesting different types of niches. The community structure of oribatid mites differed more strongly between the three regions than between the forest types indicating that regional factors are more important than effects associated with forest type.

Effects of Insecticides and Fungicides Commonly Used in Tomato Production on Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phtyoseiidae).

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Ditillo, J L; Kennedy, G G; Walgenbach, J F

2016-12-01

The twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), is an important pest of tomatoes in North Carolina. Resident populations of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis have recently been detected on field-grown tomatoes in central North Carolina, and potentially can be a useful biological control agent against T. urticae Laboratory bioassays were used to assess lethal and reproductive effects of 10 insecticides and five fungicides commonly used in commercial tomato production (chlorantraniliprole, spinetoram, permethrin, imidacloprid, dimethoate, dinotefuran, thiamethoxam, bifenthrin, fenpropathrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, azoxystrobin, chlorothalonil, boscalid, cyazofamid, and mancozeb) on P. persimilis adult females and eggs. Insecticides were tested using concentrations equivalent to 1×, 0.5×, and 0.1× of the recommended field rates. Fungicides were tested at the 1× rate only. Dimethoate strongly impacted P. persimilis with high adult mortality, reduced fecundity, and reduced hatch of eggs laid by treated adults, particularly at high concentrations. The pyrethroids lambda-cyhalothrin, bifenthrin, and fenpropathrin were associated with repellency and reproductive effects at high concentrations. Bifenthrin additionally caused increased mortality at high concentrations. Chlorantraniliprole, dinotefuran, and permethrin did not significantly affect mortality or reproduction. Imidacloprid significantly reduced fecundity and egg viability, but was not lethal to adult P. persimilis Thiamethoxam negatively impacted fecundity at the 1× rate. There were no negative effects associated with fungicide exposure with the exception of mancozeb, which impacted fecundity. Field trials were conducted to explore the in vivo impacts of screened insecticides on P. persimilis populations in the field. Field trials supported the incompatibility of dimethoate with P. persimilis populations. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf

Toxicological evaluation of genetically modified cotton (Bollgard) and Dipel WP on the non-target soil mite Scheloribates praeincisus (Acari: Oribatida).

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Oliveira, Anibal R; Castro, Thiago R; Capalbo, Deise M F; Delalibera, Italo

2007-01-01

Insecticides derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) and plants genetically modified (GM) to express B. thuringiensis toxins are important alternatives for insect pest control worldwide. Risk assessment of B. thuringiensis toxins to non-target organisms has been extensively studied but few toxicological tests have considered soil invertebrates. Oribatid mites are one of the most diverse and abundant arthropod groups in the upper layers of soil and litter in natural and agricultural systems. These mites are exposed to the toxic compounds of GM crops or pesticides mainly when they feed on vegetal products incorporated in the soil. Although some effects of B. thuringiensis products on Acari have been reported, effects on oribatid mites are still unknown. This study investigated the effects of the ingestion of Bt cotton Bollgard and of the B. thuringiensis commercial product Dipel WP on the pantropical species Scheloribates praeincisus (Scheloribatidae). Ingestion of Bollgard and Dipel did not affect adult and immature survivorship and food consumption (estimated by number of fecal pellets produced daily) or developmental time of immature stages of S. praeincisus. These results indicate the safety of Bollgard and Dipel to S. praeincisus under field conditions where exposition is lower and other food sources besides leaves of Bt plants are available. The method for toxicological tests described here can be adapted to other species of Oribatida, consisting on a new option to risk assessment studies.

Impact of ectohumus application in birch and pine nurseries on the presence of soil mites (Acari, Oribatida in particular

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Klimek Andrzej

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Intensively used forest nurseries are characterised by degradation processes that lead to a drop in the quality of seedlings. The main reason of this problem is a decrease in biological soil diversity. Therefore, an attempt of nursery soil enrichment by introducing ectohumus – as compost and fresh litter – from the pine forest was carried out. The research was carried out in 2009–2011 in the Bielawy forest nursery near the city of Toruń, Poland. The objective of the study was to determine the impact of organic fertilisation (compost made up of forest humus and mulching using fresh ectohumus on the density and community composition of Acari mites and on species composition of oribatid mites (Oribatida in the nurseries of silver birch and Scots pine. Mites, especially oribatid mites, were treated as bioindicators of soil biological activity. Research has shown that mulching using fresh ectohumus caused a multiple increase in the density of mites, especially in saprophagous mites Oribatida. Oribatid mites were clearly more numerous in birch cultivation than in that of pine. Overall, 27 species of oribatid mites were found. Mulching resulted in a significant growth in species diversity in both cultivations. The most numerous oribatid mite in the area under the study was Oribatula tibialis. This species was present in all plots and showed clear preference for birch cultivation. Tectocepheus velatus and Oppiella nova, common and known to be present in a variety of environments, were slightly less numerous.

Estudio sobre la Eficacia a Campo del Amivar® contra Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae en Colmenas de Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae

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Jorge MARCANGELI

2005-01-01

Full Text Available El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar la eficacia del producto Amivar® para el control del ácaro Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman, en colmenas de abejas durante el otoño de 2003. El trabajo se llevó a cabo en el apiario experimental del Centro de Extensión Apícola ubicado en Coronel Vidal, provincia de Buenos Aires. Se trabajó sobre un total de 20 colmenas tipo Langstroth que se dividieron en dos grupos iguales. En el primer grupo se introdujo una tira de Amivar® (amitraz, 1gr, Apilab, Argentina en el centro del nido de cría de las colmenas. El segundo grupo, sólo recibió el tratamiento de Oxavar® para determinar el número total de ácaros presentes en las colmenas. Semanalmente, se recolectaron los ácaros muertos caídos en pisos especiales que evitaban que las abejas los eliminen. Posteriormente, los dos grupos recibieron tres dosis en total a intervalos de siete días de 5 ml del producto Oxavar® (Apilab-INTA, Argentina; 64,6 g/l; ácido oxálico en agua destilada por cuadro cubierto por abejas para eliminar los ácaros remanentes en las colonias y poder así calcular la eficacia del tratamiento. El producto Amivar® presentó una eficacia promedio de 85,05% ± 3,39 (rango = 79,5 – 91,6, registrándose diferencias significativas frente al grupo control (p< 0,05. No seobservaron efectos negativos del producto sobre la cría de abejas en desarrollo. Estos resultados demuestran que este producto es efectivo para el control de la parasitosis.

An Observational Study of Honey Bee Colony Winter Losses and Their Association with Varroa destructor, Neonicotinoids and Other Risk Factors

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van der Zee, Romée; Gray, Alison; Pisa, Lennard; de Rijk, Theo

2015-01-01

This article presents results of an analysis of honey bee losses over the winter of 2011-2012 in the Netherlands, from a sample of 86 colonies, located at 43 apiaries. The apiaries were selected using spatially stratified random sampling. Colony winter loss data were collected and related to various measures of colony strength recorded in summer, as well as data from laboratory analysis of sample material taken from two selected colonies in each of the 43 apiaries. The logistic regression model which best explained the risk of winter loss included, in order of statistical importance, the variables (1) Varroa destructor mite infestation rate in October 2011, (2) presence of the cyano-substituted neonicotinoids acetamiprid or thiacloprid in the first 2 weeks of August 2011 in at least one of the honey bee matrices honey, bees or bee bread (pollen), (3) presence of Brassica napus (oilseed rape) or Sinapis arvensis (wild mustard) pollen in bee bread in early August 2011, and (4) a measure of the unexplained winter losses for the postal code area where the colonies were located, obtained from a different dataset. We consider in the discussion that reduced opportunities for foraging in July and August because of bad weather may have added substantially to the adverse effects of acetamiprid and thiacloprid. A novel feature of this work is its use of postal code random effects from two other independent datasets collected in the annual national monitoring by questionnaires of winter losses of honey bees in the Netherlands. These were used to plan the sample selection and also in the model fitting of the data in this study. It should however be noted that the results of the present pilot study are based on limited data, which may consequently reveal strong factors but fail to demonstrate possible interaction effects. PMID:26154346

An Observational Study of Honey Bee Colony Winter Losses and Their Association with Varroa destructor, Neonicotinoids and Other Risk Factors.

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Romée van der Zee

Full Text Available This article presents results of an analysis of honey bee losses over the winter of 2011-2012 in the Netherlands, from a sample of 86 colonies, located at 43 apiaries. The apiaries were selected using spatially stratified random sampling. Colony winter loss data were collected and related to various measures of colony strength recorded in summer, as well as data from laboratory analysis of sample material taken from two selected colonies in each of the 43 apiaries. The logistic regression model which best explained the risk of winter loss included, in order of statistical importance, the variables (1 Varroa destructor mite infestation rate in October 2011, (2 presence of the cyano-substituted neonicotinoids acetamiprid or thiacloprid in the first 2 weeks of August 2011 in at least one of the honey bee matrices honey, bees or bee bread (pollen, (3 presence of Brassica napus (oilseed rape or Sinapis arvensis (wild mustard pollen in bee bread in early August 2011, and (4 a measure of the unexplained winter losses for the postal code area where the colonies were located, obtained from a different dataset. We consider in the discussion that reduced opportunities for foraging in July and August because of bad weather may have added substantially to the adverse effects of acetamiprid and thiacloprid. A novel feature of this work is its use of postal code random effects from two other independent datasets collected in the annual national monitoring by questionnaires of winter losses of honey bees in the Netherlands. These were used to plan the sample selection and also in the model fitting of the data in this study. It should however be noted that the results of the present pilot study are based on limited data, which may consequently reveal strong factors but fail to demonstrate possible interaction effects.

An Observational Study of Honey Bee Colony Winter Losses and Their Association with Varroa destructor, Neonicotinoids and Other Risk Factors.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Zee, Romée; Gray, Alison; Pisa, Lennard; de Rijk, Theo

2015-01-01

This article presents results of an analysis of honey bee losses over the winter of 2011-2012 in the Netherlands, from a sample of 86 colonies, located at 43 apiaries. The apiaries were selected using spatially stratified random sampling. Colony winter loss data were collected and related to various measures of colony strength recorded in summer, as well as data from laboratory analysis of sample material taken from two selected colonies in each of the 43 apiaries. The logistic regression model which best explained the risk of winter loss included, in order of statistical importance, the variables (1) Varroa destructor mite infestation rate in October 2011, (2) presence of the cyano-substituted neonicotinoids acetamiprid or thiacloprid in the first 2 weeks of August 2011 in at least one of the honey bee matrices honey, bees or bee bread (pollen), (3) presence of Brassica napus (oilseed rape) or Sinapis arvensis (wild mustard) pollen in bee bread in early August 2011, and (4) a measure of the unexplained winter losses for the postal code area where the colonies were located, obtained from a different dataset. We consider in the discussion that reduced opportunities for foraging in July and August because of bad weather may have added substantially to the adverse effects of acetamiprid and thiacloprid. A novel feature of this work is its use of postal code random effects from two other independent datasets collected in the annual national monitoring by questionnaires of winter losses of honey bees in the Netherlands. These were used to plan the sample selection and also in the model fitting of the data in this study. It should however be noted that the results of the present pilot study are based on limited data, which may consequently reveal strong factors but fail to demonstrate possible interaction effects.

Phylogeny and species delineation in European species of the genus Steganacarus (Acari, Oribatida) using mitochondrial and nuclear markers.

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Kreipe, Victoria; Corral-Hernández, Elena; Scheu, Stefan; Schaefer, Ina; Maraun, Mark

2015-06-01

Species of the genus Steganacarus are soil-living oribatid mites (Acari, Phthiracaridae) with a ptychoid body. The phylogeny and species status of the species of Steganacarus are not resolved, some authors group all ten German species of Steganacarus within the genus Steganacarus whereas others split them into three subgenera, Steganacarus, Tropacarus and Atropacarus. Additionally, two species, S. magnus and T. carinatus, comprise morphotypes of questionable species status. We investigated the phylogeny and species status of ten European Steganacarus species, i.e. S. applicatus, S. herculeanus, S. magnus forma magna, S. magnus forma anomala, S. spinosus, Tropacarus brevipilus, T. carinatus forma carinata, T. carinatus forma pulcherrima, Atropacarus striculus and Rhacaplacarus ortizi. We used two molecular markers, a 251 bp fragment of the nuclear gene 28S rDNA (D3) and a 477 bp fragment of the mitochondrial COI region. The phylogeny based on a combined analysis of D3 and COI separated four subgenera (Steganacarus, Tropacarus and Atropacarus, Rhacaplacarus) indicating that they form monophyletic groups. The COI region separated all ten species of the genus Steganacarus and showed variation within some species often correlating with the geographic origin of the species. Resolution of the more conserved D3 region was limited, indicating that radiation events are rather recent. Overall, our results indicate that both genes alone cannot be used for phylogeny and barcoding since variation is too low in D3 and too high in COI. However, when used in combination these genes provide reliable insight into the phylogeny, radiation and species status of taxa of the genus Steganacarus.

A novel spotted fever group Rickettsia infecting Amblyomma parvitarsum (Acari: Ixodidae) in highlands of Argentina and Chile.

Science.gov (United States)

Ogrzewalska, Maria; Nieri-Bastos, Fernanda A; Marcili, Arlei; Nava, Santiago; González-Acuña, Daniel; Muñoz-Leal, Sebastián; Ruiz-Arrondo, Ignacio; Venzal, José M; Mangold, Atilio; Labruna, Marcelo B

2016-04-01

The tick Amblyomma parvitarsum (Acari: Ixodidae) has established populations in Andean and Patagonic environments of South America. For the present study, adults of A. parvitarsum were collected in highland areas (elevation >3500 m) of Argentina and Chile during 2009-2013, and tested by PCR for rickettsial infection in the laboratory, and isolation of rickettsiae in Vero cell culture by the shell vial technique. Overall, 51 (62.2%) out of 82 A. parvitarsum adult ticks were infected by spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae, which generated DNA sequences 100% identical to each other, and when submitted to BLAST analysis, they were 99.3% identical to corresponding sequence of the ompA gene of Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest. Rickettsiae were successfully isolated in Vero cell culture from two ticks, one from Argentina and one from Chile. DNA extracted from the third passage of the isolates of Argentina and Chile were processed by PCR, resulting in partial sequences for three rickettsial genes (gltA, ompB, ompA). These sequences were concatenated and aligned with rickettsial corresponding sequences available in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the A. pavitarsum rickettsial agent grouped under high bootstrap support in a clade composed by the SFG pathogens R. sibirica, R. africae, R. parkeri, Rickettsia sp. strain Atlantic rainforest, and two unnamed SFG agents of unknown pathogenicty, Rickettsia sp. strain NOD, and Rickettsia sp. strain ApPR. The pathogenic role of this A. parvitarsum rickettsia cannot be discarded, since several species of tick-borne rickettsiae that were considered nonpathogenic for decades are now associated with human infections. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

75 FR 5698 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Albuquerque-Bernalillo County, NM; Excess...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-04

... adverse comments by March 8, 2010. If adverse comments are received, EPA will publish a timely withdrawal... also included proposed revisions to NMAC 20.11.69--Pathological Waste Destructors. NMAC 20.11.69-- Pathological Waste Destructors is not currently in the EPA-approved SIP for Albuquerque-Bernalillo County. We...

Wheat Mds-1 encodes a heat-shock protein and governs susceptibility towards the Hessian fly gall midge

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Plant pests including insects must manipulate plants in order to utilize the nutrition and environment of the host. Here, we show that the heat-shock protein gene Mayetiola destructor susceptibility gene-1 (Mds-1) is a major susceptibility gene in wheat that allows the gall midge M. destructor, com...

Toxicity of Selected Acaricides to Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) and Varroa (Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman) and Their Use in Controlling Varroa within Honey Bee Colonies.

Science.gov (United States)

Gregorc, Aleš; Alburaki, Mohamed; Sampson, Blair; Knight, Patricia R; Adamczyk, John

2018-05-10

The efficacies of various acaricides in order to control a parasitic mite, the Varroa mite, Varroa destructor , of honey bees, were measured in two different settings, namely, in laboratory caged honey bees and in queen-right honey bee colonies. The Varroa infestation levels before, during, and after the acaricide treatments were determined in two ways, namely: (1) using the sugar shake protocol to count mites on bees and (2) directly counting the dead mites on the hive bottom inserts. The acaricides that were evaluated were coumaphos, tau-fluvalinate, amitraz, thymol, and natural plant compounds (hop acids), which were the active ingredients. The acaricide efficacies in the colonies were evaluated in conjunction with the final coumaphos applications. All of the tested acaricides significantly increased the overall Varroa mortality in the laboratory experiment. Their highest efficiencies were recorded at 6 h post-treatment, except for coumaphos and thymol, which exhibited longer and more consistent activity. In the honey bee colonies, a higher Varroa mortality was recorded in all of the treatments, compared with the natural Varroa mortality during the pretreatment period. The acaricide toxicity to the Varroa mites was consistent in both the caged adult honey bees and workers in the queen-right colonies, although, two of these acaricides, coumaphos at the highest doses and hop acids, were comparatively more toxic to the worker bees.

A virulent strain of deformed wing virus (DWV of honeybees (Apis mellifera prevails after Varroa destructor-mediated, or in vitro, transmission.

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Eugene V Ryabov

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The globally distributed ectoparasite Varroa destructor is a vector for viral pathogens of the Western honeybee (Apis mellifera, in particular the Iflavirus Deformed Wing Virus (DWV. In the absence of Varroa low levels DWV occur, generally causing asymptomatic infections. Conversely, Varroa-infested colonies show markedly elevated virus levels, increased overwintering colony losses, with impairment of pupal development and symptomatic workers. To determine whether changes in the virus population were due Varroa amplifying and introducing virulent virus strains and/or suppressing the host immune responses, we exposed Varroa-naïve larvae to oral and Varroa-transmitted DWV. We monitored virus levels and diversity in developing pupae and associated Varroa, the resulting RNAi response and transcriptome changes in the host. Exposed pupae were stratified by Varroa association (presence/absence and virus levels (low/high into three groups. Varroa-free pupae all exhibited low levels of a highly diverse DWV population, with those exposed per os (group NV exhibiting changes in the population composition. Varroa-associated pupae exhibited either low levels of a diverse DWV population (group VL or high levels of a near-clonal virulent variant of DWV (group VH. These groups and unexposed controls (C could be also discriminated by principal component analysis of the transcriptome changes observed, which included several genes involved in development and the immune response. All Varroa tested contained a diverse replicating DWV population implying the virulent variant present in group VH, and predominating in RNA-seq analysis of temporally and geographically separate Varroa-infested colonies, was selected upon transmission from Varroa, a conclusion supported by direct injection of pupae in vitro with mixed virus populations. Identification of a virulent variant of DWV, the role of Varroa in its transmission and the resulting host transcriptome changes furthers

Comparative molecular analyses of select pH- and osmoregulatory genes in three freshwater crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus, C. destructor and C. cainii.

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Ali, Muhammad Y; Pavasovic, Ana; Dammannagoda, Lalith K; Mather, Peter B; Prentis, Peter J

2017-01-01

Systemic acid-base balance and osmotic/ionic regulation in decapod crustaceans are in part maintained by a set of transport-related enzymes such as carbonic anhydrase (CA), Na + /K + -ATPase (NKA), H + -ATPase (HAT), Na + /K + /2Cl - cotransporter (NKCC), Na + /Cl - /HCO[Formula: see text] cotransporter (NBC), Na + /H + exchanger (NHE), Arginine kinase (AK), Sarcoplasmic Ca +2 -ATPase (SERCA) and Calreticulin (CRT). We carried out a comparative molecular analysis of these genes in three commercially important yet eco-physiologically distinct freshwater crayfish , Cherax quadricarinatus, C. destructor and C. cainii , with the aim to identify mutations in these genes and determine if observed patterns of mutations were consistent with the action of natural selection. We also conducted a tissue-specific expression analysis of these genes across seven different organs, including gills, hepatopancreas, heart, kidney, liver, nerve and testes using NGS transcriptome data. The molecular analysis of the candidate genes revealed a high level of sequence conservation across the three Cherax sp. Hyphy analysis revealed that all candidate genes showed patterns of molecular variation consistent with neutral evolution. The tissue-specific expression analysis showed that 46% of candidate genes were expressed in all tissue types examined, while approximately 10% of candidate genes were only expressed in a single tissue type. The largest number of genes was observed in nerve (84%) and gills (78%) and the lowest in testes (66%). The tissue-specific expression analysis also revealed that most of the master genes regulating pH and osmoregulation (CA, NKA, HAT, NKCC, NBC, NHE) were expressed in all tissue types indicating an important physiological role for these genes outside of osmoregulation in other tissue types. The high level of sequence conservation observed in the candidate genes may be explained by the important role of these genes as well as potentially having a number of

Prey Preference of the Predatory Mite, Amblyseius swirskii between First Instar Western Flower Thrips Frankliniella occidentalis and Nymphs of the Twospotted Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae

OpenAIRE

Xu, Xuenong; Enkegaard, Annie

2010-01-01

The prey preference of polyphagous predators plays an important role in suppressing different species of pest insects. In this study the prey preference of the predatory mite, Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) was examined between nymphs of the twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) and first instar larvae of the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), as well as between active and chrysa...

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae as ectoparasites of Brazilian wild birds and their association with rickettsial diseases

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Maria Ogrzewalska

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Os carrapatos (Acari: Ixodoidea são ectoparasitas obrigatórias de uma variedade de hospedeiros vertebrados e têm um papel importante na ecologia e transmissão de diversos patógenos causadores de doenças em humanos e animais no mundo todo. No Brasil existem 68 espécies de carrapatos e pelo menos 23 espécies são encontradas parasitando aves silvestres. Esse número tem crescido com o advento de novos estudos ressaltando o papel das aves nos ciclos de vida desses artrópodes. Na América do Sul alguns desses carrapatos estão envolvidos na epidemiologia de doenças graves para o ser humano, como a febre maculosa, causada por bactérias do gênero Rickettsia (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae. O alvo desse artigo é apresentar o estado atual de conhecimento sobre a fauna de carrapatos encontrados em aves no Brasil e as associações estabelecidas com as riquetsioses. A literatura disponível sobre carrapatos em aves e ocorrência de riquétsias foi revisada e pôde ser concluído que aves têm um papel importante nos ciclos de vida de várias espécies de carrapatos, sendo especialmente importantes para os estágios imaturos (larvas e ninfas. A maior parte do conhecimento sabrecai na fauna de carrapatos de aves dos biomas Mata Atlântica e Cerrado no sudeste e centro-oeste do Brasil. Já o conhecimento sobre o parasitismo por carrapatos em aves dos outros biomas: Amazônia, Caatinga, Pantanal e Pampas é muito limitado. Além disso, não há estudos sobre o papel de aves como disseminadores de carrapatos entre áreas e também o papel de aves no ciclo de Rickettsia não está totalmente esclarecido.

Diversity of Quill Mites of the Family Syringophilidae (Acari: Prostigmata) Parasitizing Owls (Aves: Strigiformes) With Remarks on the Host-Parasite Relationships.

Science.gov (United States)

Skoracki, Maciej; Unsoeld, Markus; Marciniak, Natalia; Sikora, Bozena

2016-07-01

The quill mite fauna of the family Syringophilidae (Acari: Prostigmata: Cheyletoidea) associated with owls (Aves: Strigiformes) is reviewed. A new genus is proposed, Neobubophilus Skoracki & Unsoeld gen. nov. It differs from closely related Bubophilus (Bubophilus Philips and Norton, 1978) by the absence of leg setae vsII in the both sexes. In addition, four new species are described: (1) Neobubophilus cunicularius Skoracki & Unsoeld sp. nov. from Athene cunicularia (Molina, 1782) (Strigidae) from Paraguay; (2) Neobubophilus atheneus Skoracki & Unsoeld sp. nov. from Athene noctua (Scopoli, 1769) and Athene brama (Temminck, 1821) (Strigidae), both from India; (3) Bubophilus tytonus Skoracki & Unsoeld sp. nov. from Tyto alba affinis (Blyth, 1862) (Tytonidae) from Cameroon, and (4) Megasyringophilus dalmas Skoracki & Unsoeld sp. nov. from Megascops choliba (Vieillot, 1817) (Strigidae) from Venezuela. The following new host species are given: Bubo bubo (Linnaeus, 1758) (Strigidae) from Nepal for Bubophilus ascalaphus (Philips and Norton 1978) and Strix woodfordii (Smith, 1834) (Strigidae) from Tanzania for Bubophilus aluconis (aluconis Nattress and Skoracki 2009). A key for syringophilid genera and species associated with owls is constructed. The host-parasite relationships of syringophilid mites and owls are discussed. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com Version of Record, first published online May 24, 2016 with fixed content and layout in compliance with Art. 8.1.3.2 ICZN.

Voluntary Falling in Spider Mites in Response to Different Ecological Conditions at Landing Points

OpenAIRE

Ohzora, Yousuke; Yano, Shuichi

2011-01-01

We examined voluntary-falling behaviour by adult females of the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) and one of its major predators Neoseiulus californicus McGregor (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Experiments were conducted using a setup in which mites could only move onto one of two landing points by falling. Significantly more T. urticae females fell onto available food leaves compared to non-food or heavily infested leaves, whereas significantly fewer females fell...

Ratios of colony mass to thermal conductance of tree and man-made nest enclosures of Apis mellifera: implications for survival, clustering, humidity regulation and Varroa destructor

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Derek

2016-05-01

In the absence of human intervention, the honeybee ( Apis mellifera L.) usually constructs its nest in a tree within a tall, narrow, thick-walled cavity high above the ground (the enclosure); however, most research and apiculture is conducted in the thin-walled, squat wooden enclosures we know as hives. This experimental research, using various hives and thermal models of trees, has found that the heat transfer rate is approximately four to seven times greater in the hives in common use, compared to a typical tree enclosure in winter configuration. This gives a ratio of colony mass to lumped enclosure thermal conductance (MCR) of less than 0.8 kgW-1 K for wooden hives and greater than 5 kgW-1 K for tree enclosures. This result for tree enclosures implies higher levels of humidity in the nest, increased survival of smaller colonies and lower Varroa destructor breeding success. Many honeybee behaviours previously thought to be intrinsic may only be a coping mechanism for human intervention; for example, at an MCR of above 2 kgW-1 K, clustering in a tree enclosure may be an optional, rare, heat conservation behaviour for established colonies, rather than the compulsory, frequent, life-saving behaviour that is in the hives in common use. The implied improved survival in hives with thermal properties of tree nests may help to solve some of the problems honeybees are currently facing in apiculture.

Distribution and Seasonal Activity of Hard Ticks (Acari: Ixododae Infesting Domestic Ruminants in Famenin County, Hamadan Province, Iran

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F. Fayazkhoo

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Background and Objective: Hard ticks (Acari: Ixodidae are one of the most important obligate ectoparasites of vertebrates, belonging to class Arachnida, which transmit a wide range of pathological agents such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites to humans and animals in Iran and around the world. Identifying the distribution of hard ticks in a region is important to monitor their control program, and thereby prevent disease transmission. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, sampling was carried out from different parts of the livestock body during four seasons in four geographical directions and five villages of Famenin County, Hamadan Province, Iran, during 2015-2016. The ticks were initially stimulated by using chloroform solution and then separated from domestic ruminants by forceps. The collected ticks were sent to a laboratory, and then their sex and species were identified by using valid diagnostic keys. Results: We studied 800 domestic ruminants, including cattle, sheep, and goats, and found 150 (18.7% cases of infestation. A total of 274 ticks were collected, 259 of which were hard ticks including four genera of Hyalomma, Dermacentor, Repicephlus, and Haemaphysalis. The greatest diversity of species, including Hyalomma scopens (Hy. deteritum, Hyalomma asiaticum, Hyalomma marginatum, and Hyalomma anatolicum belonged to the genus Hyalomma. The frequency rates of Hyalomma, Dermacentor, Rhipicephalus, and Hemaphysalis genera were 73.74%, 15.05%, 10.03%, and 1.15 %, respectively. The highest abundance of ticks was observed in spring (152. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate the diversity of hard ticks in the region and the highest abundance of ticks in spring. Considering the importance of ticks in disease transmission among humans and domestic ruminants, health authorities and respective organizations should take appropriate health measures to control and combat these external parasites.

A novel disease affecting the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari, Phytoseiidae): 1. Symptoms in adult females.

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Schütte, Conny; Kleijn, Prisca W; Dicke, Marcel

2006-01-01

Adult female Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari, Phytoseiidae) of one of our laboratory populations showed a lower degree of attraction to herbivore-induced plant volatiles than other laboratory populations. We hypothesized earlier that this consistent change in foraging behavior is a symptom of a disease, as it is a contagious phenomenon. Here we describe more symptoms by comparing mated females of this population (non-responding (NR) population) with mated females of other populations that are strongly attracted to herbivore-induced plant volatiles (responding populations). The most apparent characteristic of the NR population was the presence of numerous dorso-ventrally flattened females (76% of all females). These females had a normal size after mating but shrank during adulthood. Independent of their age, shrunken females did not reproduce and died a few days after shrinking. In addition to these profound differences in short term performance, females from the NR-population showed behavioral changes, including a lower degree of attraction to herbivore-induced plant volatiles, a higher tendency to leave a prey-patch and a lower predation rate. Moreover, about half of the live females of the NR-population carried birefringent dumbbell-shaped crystals in the legs whereas live females of a responding population carried crystals only in the lumen of the Malpighian tubules and the rectum. The symptom 'crystals in the legs' was correlated with low reproduction. Energy dispersive X-ray diffraction of these crystals revealed that they contain calcium and phosphorus along with carbon and oxygen. Crystals with comparable elemental compositions and the same characteristic concentric layering are well known in insects, where they are thought to play a major role in detoxification of calcium and heavy metals, and in storage of phosphorus. The fraction of predators carrying a white spot in the distal part of the opisthosoma, due to accumulation of excretory

Are Dispersal Mechanisms Changing the Host-Parasite Relationship and Increasing the Virulence of Varroa destructor (Mesostigmata: Varroidae) in Managed Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies?

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DeGrandi-Hoffman, Gloria; Ahumada, Fabiana; Graham, Henry

2017-08-01

Varroa (Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman) are a serious pest of European honey bees (Apis mellifera L.), and difficult to control in managed colonies. In our 11-mo longitudinal study, we applied multiple miticide treatments, yet mite numbers remained high and colony losses exceeded 55%. High mortality from varroa in managed apiaries is a departure from the effects of the mite in feral colonies where bees and varroa can coexist. Differences in mite survival strategies and dispersal mechanisms may be contributing factors. In feral colonies, mites can disperse through swarming. In managed apiaries, where swarming is reduced, mites disperse on foragers robbing or drifting from infested hives. Using a honey bee-varroa population model, we show that yearly swarming curtails varroa population growth, enabling colony survival for >5 yr. Without swarming, colonies collapsed by the third year. To disperse, varroa must attach to foragers that then enter other hives. We hypothesize that stress from parasitism and virus infection combined with effects that viruses have on cognitive function may contribute to forager drift and mite and virus dispersal. We also hypothesize that drifting foragers with mites can measurably increase mite populations. Simulations initialized with field data indicate that low levels of drifting foragers with mites can create sharp increases in mite populations in the fall and heavily infested colonies in the spring. We suggest new research directions to investigate factors leading to mite dispersal on foragers, and mite management strategies with consideration of varroa as a migratory pest. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2017. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Varroa destructor Macula-like virus, Lake Sinai virus and other new RNA viruses in wild bumblebee hosts (Bombus pascuorum, Bombus lapidarius and Bombus pratorum).

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Parmentier, Laurian; Smagghe, Guy; de Graaf, Dirk C; Meeus, Ivan

2016-02-01

Pollinators such as bumblebees (Bombus spp.) are in decline worldwide which poses a threat not only for ecosystem biodiversity but also to human crop production services. One main cause of pollinator decline may be the infection and transmission of diseases including RNA viruses. Recently, new viruses have been discovered in honeybees, but information on the presence of these in wild bumblebees is largely not available. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of new RNA viruses in Bombus species, and can report for the first time Varroa destructor Macula-like virus (VdMLV) and Lake Sinai virus (LSV) infection in multiple wild bumblebee hosts of Bombus pascuorum, Bombus lapidarius and Bombus pratorum. We sampled in 4 locations in Flanders, Belgium. Besides, we confirmed Slow bee paralysis virus (SBPV) in wild bumblebees, but no positive samples were obtained for Big Sioux river virus (BSRV). Secondly, we screened for the influence of apiaries on the prevalence of these viruses. Our results indicated a location effect for the prevalence of VdMLV in Bombus species, with a higher prevalence in the proximity of honeybee apiaries mainly observed in one location. For LSV, the prevalence was not different in the proximity or at a 1.5 km-distance of apiaries, but we reported a different isolate with similarities to LSV-2 and "LSV-clade A" as described by Ravoet et al. (2015), which was detected both in Apis mellifera and Bombus species. In general, our results indicate the existence of a disease pool of new viruses that seems to be associated to a broad range of Apoidae hosts, including multiple Bombus species. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Toolbox for Quantitative Gene Expression in Varroa destructor: RNA Degradation in Field Samples and Systematic Analysis of Reference Gene Stability.

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Ewan M Campbell

Full Text Available Varroa destructor is the major pest of Apis mellifera and contributes to the global honey bee health crisis threatening food security. Developing new control strategies to combat Varroa will require the application of molecular biology, including gene expression studies by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR. Both high quality RNA samples and suitable stable internal reference genes are required for accurate gene expression studies. In this study, ten candidate genes (succinate dehydrogenase (SDHA, NADH dehydrogenase (NADH, large ribsosmal subunit, TATA-binding protein, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, 18S rRNA (18S, heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90, cyclophilin, α-tubulin, actin, were evaluated for their suitability as normalization genes using the geNorm, Normfinder, BestKeeper, and comparative ΔCq algorithims. Our study proposes the use of no more than two of the four most stable reference genes (NADH, 18S, SDHA and HSP90 in Varroa gene expression studies. These four genes remain stable in phoretic and reproductive stage Varroa and are unaffected by Deformed wing virus load. When used for determining changes in vitellogenin gene expression, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR for the relatively unstable genes actin and α-tubulin was much lower than for the stable gene combinations (NADH + HSP90 +18S; NADH + HSP90; or NADH. Using both electropherograms and RT-qPCR for short and long amplicons as quality controls, we demonstrate that high quality RNA can be recovered from Varroa up to 10 days later stored at ambient temperature if collected into RNAlater and provided the body is pierced. This protocol allows the exchange of Varroa samples between international collaborators and field sample collectors without requiring frozen collection or shipping. Our results make important contributions to gene expression studies in Varroa by proposing a validated sampling protocol to obtain high quality Varroa

Comparative molecular analyses of select pH- and osmoregulatory genes in three freshwater crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus, C. destructor and C. cainii

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Muhammad Y. Ali

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Systemic acid-base balance and osmotic/ionic regulation in decapod crustaceans are in part maintained by a set of transport-related enzymes such as carbonic anhydrase (CA, Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA, H+-ATPase (HAT, Na+/K+/2Cl− cotransporter (NKCC, Na+/Cl−/HCO ${}_{3}^{-}$ 3 − cotransporter (NBC, Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE, Arginine kinase (AK, Sarcoplasmic Ca+2-ATPase (SERCA and Calreticulin (CRT. We carried out a comparative molecular analysis of these genes in three commercially important yet eco-physiologically distinct freshwater crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus, C. destructor and C. cainii, with the aim to identify mutations in these genes and determine if observed patterns of mutations were consistent with the action of natural selection. We also conducted a tissue-specific expression analysis of these genes across seven different organs, including gills, hepatopancreas, heart, kidney, liver, nerve and testes using NGS transcriptome data. The molecular analysis of the candidate genes revealed a high level of sequence conservation across the three Cherax sp. Hyphy analysis revealed that all candidate genes showed patterns of molecular variation consistent with neutral evolution. The tissue-specific expression analysis showed that 46% of candidate genes were expressed in all tissue types examined, while approximately 10% of candidate genes were only expressed in a single tissue type. The largest number of genes was observed in nerve (84% and gills (78% and the lowest in testes (66%. The tissue-specific expression analysis also revealed that most of the master genes regulating pH and osmoregulation (CA, NKA, HAT, NKCC, NBC, NHE were expressed in all tissue types indicating an important physiological role for these genes outside of osmoregulation in other tissue types. The high level of sequence conservation observed in the candidate genes may be explained by the important role of these genes as well as potentially having a number of other basic

Impact of the Phoretic Phase on Reproduction and Damage Caused by Varroa destructor (Anderson and Trueman to Its Host, the European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L..

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Vincent Piou

Full Text Available Varroa destructor is a parasitic mite of the honeybee that causes thousands of colony losses worldwide. The parasite cycle is composed of a phoretic and a reproductive phase. During the former, mites stay on adult bees, mostly on nurses, to feed on hemolymph. During the latter, the parasites enter brood cells and reproduce. We investigated if the type of bees on which Varroa stays during the phoretic phase and if the duration of this stay influenced the reproductive success of the parasite and the damage caused to bees. For that purpose, we used an in vitro rearing method developed in our laboratory to assess egg laying rate and the presence and number of fully molted daughters. The expression level of two Varroa vitellogenin genes (VdVg1 and VdVg2, known to vary throughout reproduction, was also quantified. Results showed that the status of the bees or time spent during the phoretic phase impacts neither reproduction parameters nor the Varroa vitellogenin genes levels of expression. However, we correlated these parameters to the gene expression and demonstrated that daughters expressed the vitellogenin genes at lower levels than their mother. Regarding the damage to bees, the data indicated that a longer stay on adult bees during the phoretic phase resulted in more frequent physical deformity in newborn bees. We showed that those mites carry more viral loads of the Deformed Wing Virus and hence trigger more frequently overt infections. This study provides new perspectives towards a better understanding of the Varroa-honeybee interactions.

Dinâmica populacional de Calepitrimerus vitis (Nalepa (Acari: eriophyidae em cultivares de videira na região da campanha do Rio Grande do Sul

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Paulo Ricardo Ebert Siqueira

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Na Região da Campanha do Rio Grande do Sul, o ácaro-da-ferrugem-da-videira, Calepitrimerus vitis (Nalepa (Acari: Eriophyidae, é encontrado com frequência em vinhedos de cultivares europeias, desde a safra de 2004/2005, causando bronzeamento nas folhas. A dinâmica populacional de C. vitis nas cultivares Chardonnay e Merlot foi avaliada em vinhedo comercial localizado no município de Dom Pedrito, na região da Campanha, durante os anos agrícolas de 2005/2006 e 2006/2007, por meio de amostragem realizada em folhas das posições basal, intermediária e apical de ramos de produção. O pico populacional de C. vitis ocorre entre o final de fevereiro e o início de março, sendo seguido de forte declínio populacional. A infestação variou de intensidade entre as cultivares de acordo com o ano, sendo a cultivar Chardonnay mais infestada no primeiro ano, e Merlot, no segundo. Folhas na posição basal, mediana e apical apresentam níveis similares de infestação. Uma correlação positiva foi encontrada entre o número de C. vitis na face abaxial das folhas e o percentual de folhas com infestação.

Suppression of host-seeking Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) nymphs after dual applications of plant-derived acaricides in New Jersey.

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Jordan, Robert A; Dolan, Marc C; Piesman, Joseph; Schulze, Terry L

2011-04-01

We evaluated the ability of dual applications of natural, plant-derived acaricides to suppress nymphal Ixodes scapularis Say and Amblyomma americanum (L.) (Acari: Ixodidae) in a Lyme disease endemic area of New Jersey. An aqueous formulation of 2% nootkatone provided >90% control of I. scapularis through 7 d. Control declined to 80.9% at 14 d, and a second application was made that provided >95% control through the remaining 4 wk of the nymphal season. Nootkatone provided >90% control of A. americanum through 35 d postapplication. Applications of 2% carvacrol and EcoTrol T&O resulted in rapid knockdown of both tick species, but control declined significantly to 76.7 and 73.7%, respectively, after 14 d when a second application was made that extended control of both tick species to between 86.2 and 94.8% at 21 d. Subsequently, control declined steadily in all plots by 42 d postapplication except for I. scapularis in carvacrol-treated plots, where levels of control >90% were observed through 35 d. Of the three compounds tested, 2% nootkatone provided the most consistent results, with 96.5 and 91.9% control of I. scapularis and A. americanum through 42 and 35 d, respectively. The ability of plant-derived natural products to quickly suppress and maintain significant control of populations of these medically important ticks may represent a future alternative to the use of conventional synthetic acaricides. In addition, the demonstrated efficacy of properly-timed backpack sprayer application may enable homeowner access to these minimal-risk acaricides.

Presence of Apis Rhabdovirus-1 in Populations of Pollinators and Their Parasites from Two Continents.

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Levin, Sofia; Galbraith, David; Sela, Noa; Erez, Tal; Grozinger, Christina M; Chejanovsky, Nor

2017-01-01

The viral ecology of bee communities is complex, where viruses are readily shared among co-foraging bee species. Additionally, in honey bees ( Apis mellifera ), many viruses are transmitted - and their impacts exacerbated - by the parasitic Varroa destructor mite. Thus far, the viruses found to be shared across bee species and transmitted by V. destructor mites are positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses. Recently, a negative-sense RNA enveloped virus, Apis rhabdovirus-1 (ARV-1), was found in A. mellifera honey bees in Africa, Europe, and islands in the Pacific. Here, we describe the identification - using a metagenomics approach - of ARV-1 in two bee species ( A. mellifera and Bombus impatiens ) and in V. destructor mites from populations collected in the United States and Israel. We confirmed the presence of ARV-1 in pools of A. mellifera , B. impatiens , and V. destructor from Israeli and U.S. populations by RT-PCR and found that it can reach high titers in individual honey bees and mites (10 7 -10 8 viral genomic copies per individual). To estimate the prevalence of ARV-1 in honey bee populations, we screened 104 honey bee colonies across Israel, with 21 testing ARV-1-positive. Tagged-primer-mediated RT-PCR analysis detected the presence of the positive-sense ARV-1 RNA in A. mellifera and V. destructor , indicating that ARV-1 replicates in both hosts. This is the first report of the presence of ARV-1 in B. impatiens and of the replication of a rhabdovirus in A. mellifera and V. destructor . Our data suggest that Varroa mites could act as an ARV-1 vector; however, the presence of ARV-1 in B. impatiens (which are not parasitized by Varroa ) suggests that it may not require the mite for transmission and ARV-1 may be shared among co-foraging bee species. Given that ARV-1 is found in non-Apis bee species, and because "ARV" is used for the Adelaide River virus, we propose that this virus should be called bee rhabdovirus 1 and abbreviated BRV-1. These results

Genotypic variability and relationships between mite infestation levels, mite damage, grooming intensity, and removal of Varroa destructor mites in selected strains of worker honey bees (Apis mellifera L.).

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Guzman-Novoa, Ernesto; Emsen, Berna; Unger, Peter; Espinosa-Montaño, Laura G; Petukhova, Tatiana

2012-07-01

The objective of this study was to demonstrate genotypic variability and analyze the relationships between the infestation levels of the parasitic mite Varroa destructor in honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies, the rate of damage of fallen mites, and the intensity with which bees of different genotypes groom themselves to remove mites from their bodies. Sets of paired genotypes that are presumably susceptible and resistant to the varroa mite were compared at the colony level for number of mites falling on sticky papers and for proportion of damaged mites. They were also compared at the individual level for intensity of grooming and mite removal success. Bees from the "resistant" colonies had lower mite population rates (up to 15 fold) and higher percentages of damaged mites (up to 9 fold) than bees from the "susceptible" genotypes. At the individual level, bees from the "resistant" genotypes performed significantly more instances of intense grooming (up to 4 fold), and a significantly higher number of mites were dislodged from the bees' bodies by intense grooming than by light grooming (up to 7 fold) in all genotypes. The odds of mite removal were high and significant for all "resistant" genotypes when compared with the "susceptible" genotypes. The results of this study strongly suggest that grooming behavior and the intensity with which bees perform it, is an important component in the resistance of some honey bee genotypes to the growth of varroa mite populations. The implications of these results are discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Diversity of soil fauna in corn fields in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China under effects of conservation tillage].

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Zhu, Qiang-Gen; Zhu, An-Ning; Zhang, Jia-Bao; Zhang, Huan-Chao; Huang, Ping; Zhang, Cong-Zhi

2009-10-01

An investigation was made on the abundance and diversity of soil fauna in the corn fields under conventional and conservation tillage in Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China. The abundance and diversity of soil fauna were higher at corn maturing (September) than at its jointing stage (July), and higher at jointing stage under conservation tillage than under conventional tillage. Soil fauna mainly distributed in surface soil layer (0-10 cm), but still had a larger number in 10-20 cm layer under conservation tillage. The individuals of acari, diptera, diplura, and microdrile oligochaetes, especially those of acari, were higher under conservation tillage than under conventional tillage. At maturing stage, an obvious effect of straw-returning under conservation tillage was observed, i. e., the more the straw returned, the higher the abundance of soil fauna, among which, the individuals of collembola, acari, coleopteran, and psocoptera, especially those of collembolan, increased significantly. The abundance of collembola at both jointing and maturing stages was significantly positively correlated with the quantity of straw returned, suggesting that collembola played an important role in straw decomposition and nutrient cycling.

Synergism of thymol, carvacrol and eugenol in larvae of the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus, and brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus.

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Araújo, L X; Novato, T P L; Zeringota, V; Maturano, R; Melo, D; DA Silva, B C; Daemon, E; DE Carvalho, M G; Monteiro, C M O

2016-12-01

The effects of combinations of the monoterpenes thymol and carvacrol and the phenylpropanoid eugenol in larvae of Rhipicephalus microplus (Canestrini, 1888) (Acari: Ixodidae) and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) (Acari: Ixodidae) were assessed by the larval packet test. The CompuSyn program was used to make qualitative assessments of the effects (synergistic, additive and antagonistic) of the associations. The effects of all combinations tested against R. microplus larvae were synergistic, with combination indices (CIs) eugenol and thymol + eugenol have synergistic effects in R. microplus and R. sanguineus s.l. larvae. © 2016 The Royal Entomological Society.

Aeroallergens in dairy barns near Cooperstown, New York and Rochester, Minnesota

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, A.R.; Swanson, M.C.; Fernandez-Caldas, E.; Reed, C.E.; May, J.J.; Pratt, D.S.

1989-01-01

We sampled atmospheric barn air using a volumetric air sampler in ten barns near Cooperstown, NY and six barns near Rochester, MN, and, with radioimmunoassays, measured allergens of Aspergillus fumigatus, Thermoactinomyces vulgaris, Micropolyspori faeni, short ragweed, rye grass group I pollen, Alternaria (Alt-1), Dermatophagoides sp. Lepidoglyphus destructor, common insect allergen, mouse urine, rat urine, and cattle epithelium. The most abundant allergen present was A. fumigatus followed by L. destructor. This study provides initial data on barn aerobiology and demonstrates for the first time the abundance of L. destructor allergens in North American dairy barns. More comprehensive study of barns, poultry houses, confinement houses for swine, and other agricultural environments from various geographic locations is needed to define the allergen levels to which millions of farm workers are exposed each day. While most of the allergens were expected, the presence of airborne allergens reactive with antisera to Dermatophagoides suggests indirectly that substantial amounts of pyroglyphid mites are present in some barns

Presence of Apis Rhabdovirus-1 in Populations of Pollinators and Their Parasites from Two Continents

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Sofia Levin

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The viral ecology of bee communities is complex, where viruses are readily shared among co-foraging bee species. Additionally, in honey bees (Apis mellifera, many viruses are transmitted – and their impacts exacerbated – by the parasitic Varroa destructor mite. Thus far, the viruses found to be shared across bee species and transmitted by V. destructor mites are positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses. Recently, a negative-sense RNA enveloped virus, Apis rhabdovirus-1 (ARV-1, was found in A. mellifera honey bees in Africa, Europe, and islands in the Pacific. Here, we describe the identification – using a metagenomics approach – of ARV-1 in two bee species (A. mellifera and Bombus impatiens and in V. destructor mites from populations collected in the United States and Israel. We confirmed the presence of ARV-1 in pools of A. mellifera, B. impatiens, and V. destructor from Israeli and U.S. populations by RT-PCR and found that it can reach high titers in individual honey bees and mites (107–108 viral genomic copies per individual. To estimate the prevalence of ARV-1 in honey bee populations, we screened 104 honey bee colonies across Israel, with 21 testing ARV-1-positive. Tagged-primer-mediated RT-PCR analysis detected the presence of the positive-sense ARV-1 RNA in A. mellifera and V. destructor, indicating that ARV-1 replicates in both hosts. This is the first report of the presence of ARV-1 in B. impatiens and of the replication of a rhabdovirus in A. mellifera and V. destructor. Our data suggest that Varroa mites could act as an ARV-1 vector; however, the presence of ARV-1 in B. impatiens (which are not parasitized by Varroa suggests that it may not require the mite for transmission and ARV-1 may be shared among co-foraging bee species. Given that ARV-1 is found in non-Apis bee species, and because “ARV” is used for the Adelaide River virus, we propose that this virus should be called bee rhabdovirus 1 and abbreviated BRV-1

Impact of Grassland Reseeding, Herbicide Spraying and Ploughing on Diversity and Abundance of Soil Arthropods.

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Liu, Wei; Zhang, Junling; Norris, Stuart L; Murray, Philip J

2016-01-01

In order to determine the interactive effect of reseeding, herbicide spraying and ploughing on soil fauna communities, we conducted a grassland reseeding experiment combined with pre-reseed management to examine how with the whole reseeding process affects soil faunal composition. Sampling occasions and exact treatments were as follows: (1) before chemical herbicide spray; (2) after spray but before ploughing; (3) after ploughing but before reseeding; and (4) after 1 year of recovery. Our results demonstrate that, Acari and Collembola were the two soil fauna taxa with the highest abundance and accounted for around 96% of the relative total abundance among the various managements. Herbicide application tended to increase soil invertebrate abundance. Conversely, subsequent ploughing significantly reduced soil invertebrate abundance and had an obvious negative effect on soil primary and secondary decomposers, which were mainly due to the variations of Acari (especially Oribatida) and Coleoptera group abundance. Moreover, reseeding also reduced the individual number of the groups mentioned above, and favored those predators with a larger body size and individual weight. After 1 year recovery, Collembola abundance recovered to the pre-treatment levels, while with Arthropod and Acari groups were still fluctuating.

Impact of Grassland Reseeding, Herbicide spraying and Ploughing on Diversity and Abundance of Soil Arthropods.

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Wei Liu

2016-08-01

Full Text Available In order to determine the interactive effect of reseeding, herbicide spraying and ploughing on soil fauna communities, we conducted a grassland reseeding experiment combined with pre-reseed management to examine how with the whole reseeding process affects soil faunal composition. Sampling occasions and exact treatments were as follows: 1 before chemical herbicide spray; 2 after spray but before ploughing; 3 after ploughing but before reseeding; and 4 after one year of recovery. Our results demonstrate that, Acari and Collembola were the two soil fauna taxa with the highest abundance and accounted for around 96% of the relative total abundance among the various managements. Herbicide application tended to increase soil invertebrate abundance. Conversely, subsequent ploughing significantly reduced soil invertebrate abundance and had an obvious negative effect on soil primary and secondary decomposers, which were mainly due to the variations of Acari (especially Oribatida and Coleoptera group abundance. Moreover, reseeding also reduced the individual number of the groups mentioned above, and favoured those predators with a larger body size and individual weight. After one year recovery, Collembola abundance recovered to the pre-treatment levels, while with Arthropod and Acari groups were still fluctuating.

Impact of Grassland Reseeding, Herbicide Spraying and Ploughing on Diversity and Abundance of Soil Arthropods

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Liu, Wei; Zhang, Junling; Norris, Stuart L.; Murray, Philip J.

2016-01-01

In order to determine the interactive effect of reseeding, herbicide spraying and ploughing on soil fauna communities, we conducted a grassland reseeding experiment combined with pre-reseed management to examine how with the whole reseeding process affects soil faunal composition. Sampling occasions and exact treatments were as follows: (1) before chemical herbicide spray; (2) after spray but before ploughing; (3) after ploughing but before reseeding; and (4) after 1 year of recovery. Our results demonstrate that, Acari and Collembola were the two soil fauna taxa with the highest abundance and accounted for around 96% of the relative total abundance among the various managements. Herbicide application tended to increase soil invertebrate abundance. Conversely, subsequent ploughing significantly reduced soil invertebrate abundance and had an obvious negative effect on soil primary and secondary decomposers, which were mainly due to the variations of Acari (especially Oribatida) and Coleoptera group abundance. Moreover, reseeding also reduced the individual number of the groups mentioned above, and favored those predators with a larger body size and individual weight. After 1 year recovery, Collembola abundance recovered to the pre-treatment levels, while with Arthropod and Acari groups were still fluctuating. PMID:27555863

Plant-Derived Tick Repellents Activate the Honey Bee Ectoparasitic Mite TRPA1

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Guangda Peng

2015-07-01

Full Text Available We have identified and characterized the TRPA1 channel of Varroa destructor (VdTRPA1, a major ectoparasitic mite of honey bee. One of the two VdTRPA1 isoforms, VdTRPA1L, was activated by a variety of plant-derived compounds, including electrophilic compounds, suggesting that chemical activation profiles are mostly shared between arthropod TRPA1 channels. Nevertheless, carvacrol and α-terpineol activated VdTRPA1L but not a honey bee noxious-stimuli-sensitive TRPA, AmHsTRPA, and Drosophila melanogaster TRPA1. Activation of VdTRPA1L in D. melanogaster taste neurons by the above compounds was sufficient to modify the gustatory behaviors. Carvacrol and α-terpineol repelled V. destructor in a laboratory assay, and α-terpineol repressed V. destructor entry for reproduction into the brood cells in hives. Understanding the functions of parasite TRP channels not only gives clues about the evolving molecular and cellular mechanisms of parasitism but also helps in the development of control methods.

Emerging and re-emerging viruses of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.).

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Genersch, Elke; Aubert, Michel

2010-01-01

Until the late 1980s, specific viral infections of the honey bee were generally considered harmless in all countries. Then, with the worldwide introduction of the ectoparasite mite Varroa destructor, beekeepers encountered increasing difficulties in maintaining their colonies. Epidemiological surveys and laboratory experiments have demonstrated that the newly acquired virulence of several viruses belonging to the family Dicistroviridae (acute bee paralysis virus, Kashmir bee virus and Israeli acute paralysis virus) in Europe and the USA had been observed in relation with V. destructor acting as a disseminator of these viruses between and within bee colonies and as an activator of virus multiplication in the infected individuals: bee larvae and adults. Equal emphasis is given to deformed wing virus (DWV) belonging to the Iflaviridae. Overt outbreaks of DWV infections have been shown to be linked to the ability of V. destructor to act not only as a mechanical vector of DWV but also as a biological vector. Its replication in mites prior to its vectoring into pupae seemed to be necessary and sufficient for the induction of a overt infection in pupae developing in non-viable bees with deformed wings. DWV in V. destructor infested colonies is now considered as one of the key players of the final collapse. Various approaches for combating bee viral diseases are described: they include selection of tolerant bees, RNA interference and prevention of new pathogen introduction. None of these approaches are expected to lead to enhanced bee-health in the short term. © INRA, EDP Sciences, 2010.

Are dispersal mechanisms changing the host-parasite relationship and increasing the virulence of Varroa destructor [Acari:Varroidae] in managed honey bee [Hymenoptera: Apidae] colonies?

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Varroa mites are the most serious pest of honey bees worldwide, and difficult to control in managed colonies. We show in a longitudinal study that even with multiple miticide treatments in the summer and fall, mite numbers remained high and colony losses exceeded 55%. Furthermore, large heavily infe...

A novel disease affecting the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari, Phytoseiidae): 2. Disease transmission by adult females.

Science.gov (United States)

Schütte, Conny; Poitevin, Olivier; Negash, Tesfaye; Dicke, Marcel

2006-01-01

Adult female Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari, Phytoseiidae) of one of our laboratory populations (=NR-population), show the following set of symptoms: predators shrink several days after mating, cease egg production and die several days after shrinking, show a lower degree of attraction to herbivore-induced plant volatiles and a shorter choice time in olfactometer tests, have the tendency to leave a prey patch with ample food, may carry excretory crystals in the legs, may cease prey consumption, and have a lower excretion rate. We hypothesized earlier that this characteristic syndrome, called non-responding (=NR-) syndrome, is caused by a pathogen infecting P. persimilis. To further support this hypothesis we here study several transmission modes of the factor causing the NR-syndrome. In all tests we measured size, short-term fecundity, mortality, predator position, response to plant odors and crystal location, thus including 6 of the 9 symptoms known yet. No evidence was found for vertical transmission from parent to offspring. Eggs from symptomatic females of the NR-population mated by males of the NR-population gave rise to normal-sized, well performing predators, when they had been surface sterilized or transferred to a new leaf. However, such eggs gave rise to shrunken females (17%) when left on the leaf where they had been laid. In the latter case transmission via products deposited on the leaf by the mothers was possible. We therefore tested several modes of horizontal transmission by exposing females of a commercial population that never showed the NR-syndrome (=R1-population) to products related to the symptomatic NR-population. No evidence was found for transmission via food or via squashed adult females. However, symptoms were induced in adult females of the R1-population after a 3-day exposure to a live adult female of the NR-population (incubation period=3-7 days, fraction shrunken females=53%) and after a 1-day exposure to feces and

Flutuação populacional de esporângios de Peronospora destructor no ar e sua relação com a severidade do míldio da cebola

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Leandro Luiz Marcuzzo

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Em experimento de campo nos anos de 2011, 2012 e 2013 quantificou-se a flutuação de esporângios de Peronospora destructor e sua relação com a severidade de míldio em cebola. Mudas de cebola do cultivar Bola Precoce foram transplantadas em quatro repetições de 60 plantas. Os esporângios foram coletados através de um coletor de esporos tipo "cata-vento", contendo uma lâmina de microscópio untada com vaselina, a qual era quantificada semanalmente com auxílio de microscópio. A severidade da doença foi analisada através da porcentagem de área foliar afetada pela doença. O número de esporângios e a severidade do míldio da cebola foram submetidos ao cálculo do coeficiente de correlação linear de Pearson (r. Nos anos de 2011 e 2012 a coleta de esporângios ocorreu posteriormente à constatação da doença, provavelmente devido haver baixo inóculo no ar. Já no ano de 2013 a coleta de esporângios ocorreu anteriormente à ocorrência da doença, porém de forma esporádica e em pequena quantidade, presupondo que esses estavam no ar e foram capturados pelo coletor. A correlação entre as variáveis flutuações de esporângios e a severidade da doença foi significativa, r=0,90, r=0,94 e r=0,80; para os anos de 2011, 2012 e 2013 respectivamente. A severidade da doença em cebola é influenciada pela presença dos esporângios coletadas do ar.

Long-Term Effects of Berberis thunbergii (Ranunculales: Berberidaceae) Management on Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) Abundance and Borrelia burgdorferi (Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae) Prevalence in Connecticut, USA.

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Williams, Scott C; Linske, Megan A; Ward, Jeffrey S

2017-12-08

Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii de Candolle; Ranunculales: Berberidaceae) is an exotic invasive shrub that escaped cultivation in the United States and is now permanently established in many eastern and midwestern states. This study examined the long-term impacts of Japanese barberry management on blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis Say; Acari: Ixodidae) abundances and associated prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi (Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt, and Brenner; Spirochaetales: Spirochaetaceae), the etiologic agent of Lyme disease. At six locations across Connecticut, adult I. scapularis were sampled for up to 10 yr. At each location, we sampled an area where barberry infestations were unmanipulated, adjacent areas where barberry was virtually nonexistent, and areas where barberry was managed utilizing a variety of techniques. Barberry management reduced B. burgdorferi-infected adult I. scapularis (BBIAIS) abundances (191/ha ± 64 SE) over 6 yr to statistically indifferent from that of no barberry areas (140/ha ± 47 SE; P = 0.080) and significantly less than intact barberry stands (458/ha ± 80 SE; P = 0.026). Over 9 yr, BBIAIS abundances in managed barberry remained lower than intact barberry stands (P = 0.037), but increased to be significantly greater than no barberry areas (P = 0.007) as cover increased over time. Longer-term data further document that Japanese barberry infestations are favorable habitat for I. scapularis. Control of Japanese barberry and other invasives should be at least on a 5-yr rotation to maintain low levels of invasive cover and eliminate humidity refugia to expose juvenile I. scapularis to more hostile environmental conditions in the interest of public health. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A review of the ticks (Acari, Ixodida of Brazil, their hosts and geographic distribution - 1. The State of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil

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Evans DE

2000-01-01

Full Text Available A review of the ticks (Acari, Ixodida of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, was completed as a step towards a definitive list (currently indicated as 12 of such species, their hosts and distribution. The ticks: Argas miniatus (poultry, Ixodes loricatus (opossums, Amblyomma aureolatum (dogs, A. calcaratum (anteaters, A. cooperi (capybaras, A. nodosum (anteaters, A. tigrinum (dogs (Neotropical and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (dogs (introduced, cosmopolitan, Afrotropical were confirmed as present, in addition to the predominant, Boophilus microplus (cattle (introduced, pan-tropical, Oriental. Of the further 18 species thus far reported in the literature as present in the state, but unavailable for examination: only Ornithodoros brasiliensis (humans and their habitations (Neotropical, Ixodes affinis (deer (Nearctic/Neotropical and I. auritulus (birds (Nearctic/Neotropical/Afrotropical/ Australasian are considered likely; 13 species would benefit from corroborative local data but the majority appear unlikely; reports of A. maculatum (Nearctic/Neotropical, but circum-Caribbean are considered erroneous; the validity of A. fuscum is in doubt. The very recent, first known report of the tropical Anocentor nitens (horses(Nearctic/Neotropical, but still apparent absence of the tropical A. cajennense (catholic (Nearctic/Neotropical and the sub-tropical/temperate Ixodes pararicinus (cattle (Neotropical in Rio Grande do Sul are important for considerations on their current biogeographical distribution and its dynamics in South America. The state has relatively long established, introduced ("exotic", Old World tick species (B. microplus, R. sanguineus that continue to represent significant pests and disease vectors to their traditional, introduced domestic animal hosts, cattle and urban dogs. There are also indigenous, New World ticks (A. miniatus, O. brasiliensis, A. aureolatum, A. nitens, as both long established and possibly newly locally

Interactions between phoretic mites and the Arabian rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes agamemnon arabicus.

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Al-Deeb, Mohammad Ali; Muzaffar, Sabir Bin; Sharif, Eyas Mohammad

2012-01-01

Oryctes agamemnon arabicus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is one of the main pests on date palm trees in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Two mite species were found associated with this beetle: Sancassania sp. (Acari: Astigmata: Acaridae) and Hypoaspis rhinocerotis Oudemans (Acari: Mesostigmata: Laelapidae). Sancassania deutonymphs (hypopi) were phoretic on O. a. arabicus adults and larvae. However, they were also necromenic, because once the host dies they feed on its carcass. The highest deutonymph load was found in the subelytral space of O. a. arabicus adult. The phoretic and necromenic interactions between Sancassania sp. and O. a. arabicus need to be investigated in more detail. H. rhinocerotis was recorded for the first time in UAE. Its role has not yet been studied in the date palm agricultural ecosystem.

Novel bacterial pathogen Acaricomes phytoseiuli causes severe disease symptoms and histopathological changes in the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari, Phytoseiidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Schütte, Conny; Gols, Rieta; Kleespies, Regina G; Poitevin, Olivier; Dicke, Marcel

2008-06-01

Adult female Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari, Phytoseiidae) of a laboratory population show a set of characteristic symptoms, designated as non-responding (NR) syndrome. Mature predators shrink, cease oviposition and die. They show a lower degree of attraction to herbivore-induced plant volatiles and a greater tendency to leave prey patches carrying ample prey. Moreover, predators may carry excretory crystals in the legs, may cease prey consumption and have a low excretion rate. Here, we satisfy Koch's postulates for a strain of Acaricomes phytoseiuli (DSM 14247) that was isolated from symptomatic female P. persimilis of the NR-population. Adult female P. persimilis were either exposed to a bacterial inoculum suspension (treatment) or to sterile distilled water (control) for a period of 3 days. Control and treated predators were examined for the occurrence of six symptoms characteristic for the NR-syndrome and the presence of A. phytoseiuli after inoculation. The latter was done by re-isolation of A. phytoseiuli from individual predators and predator feces placed on nutrient agar, by PCR-based identification and by histopathological studies of individual predators. The NR-syndrome was clearly induced in those predators that had been exposed to the bacterial inoculum (incubation time=2-5 days, fraction shrunken females=80%), whereas predators exposed to water did not show the NR-syndrome. A. phytoseiuli was never isolated from control predators whereas it could be re-isolated from 60% of the treated predators (N=37) and from feces of 41% of treated predators (N=17). Only one day after exposure A. phytoseiuli could not be re-isolated from treated predators and their feces. Light and electron microscope studies of predators exposed to A. phytoseiuli revealed striking bacterial accumulations in the lumen of the alimentary tract together with extreme degeneration of its epithelium. In addition, bacterial foci also occurred in the fat body. These phenomena

Biological cycle of Tenuipalpus heveae Baker (Acari, Tenuipalpidae on leaflets of three rubber tree clones Ciclo de vida de Tenuipalpus heveae Baker (Acari, Tenuipalpidae em folíolos de três clones de seringueira

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Reinaldo José Fazzio Feres

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Life cycle of Tenuipalpus heveae Baker (Acari, Tenuipalpidae on leaflets from three rubber tree clones. The biological cycle of Tenuipalpus heveae Baker, 1945 (Tenuipalpidae, a potential rubber tree pest mite, was studied by the observation of individuals reared on leaflets of the clones GT 1, PB 235 and RRIM 600, in controlled environmental conditions. Three daily observations were done of 60 eggs on leaflets from each clone in order to verify the development of immature stages and the female oviposition. The fertility life table was constructed based in the collected data. Mites reared on PB 235 had faster rate of development, requiring less time in days, to double its population in number (TD, and had the highest values for egg production, female longevity, net reproductive rate (Ro, intrinsic rate of natural increase (r m and finite rate of increase (λ. Lower reproductive values and the longest time necessary to reach adult stage were recorded for the mites on GT 1. In all studied clones, the deutonymphal phase had the highest viability, while the larval phase had the lowest, highlighted by the survivorship curve that indicated high mortality during this life stage. The clone PB 235 allowed the most suitable conditions for the development of T. heveae, followed by RRIM 600, while GT 1 was the less suitable substratum to rear this mite species.O ciclo de vida de Tenuipalpus heveae Baker, 1945 (Tenuipalpidae, um potencial ácaro-praga da seringueira, foi estudado a partir de indivíduos criados sobre folíolos destacados dos clones GT 1, PB 235 e RRIM 600, em condições controladas. Três observações diárias foram realizadas, acompanhando-se o desenvolvimento de 60 ovos e de sua prole em folíolos de cada um dos clones, para verificação da oviposição das fêmeas e dos estágios de desenvolvimento. A partir dos dados obtidos, foi elaborada uma tabela de vida de fertilidade. Os ácaros criados sobre folíolos de PB 235 apresentaram r

Radiation 2006. In association with the Polymer Division, Royal Australian Chemical Institute. Incorporating the 21st AINSE Radiation Chemistry Conference and the 18th Radiation Biology Conference, conference handbook

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nugegoda, D.; Blackney, R.; Fuchs, A.; Smith, Suzanne

2006-01-01

Full text: The Australian yabby Cherax destructor is tolerant of exposure to many trace metals including Zn and Cd. However it is not known if this tolerance is a result of a low rate of uptake of heavy metals by the yabby, increased excretion, or a combination of both. We now report on the use of radioisotopes of two environmental trace metals 65 Zn and 109 Cd to monitor the uptake by C. destructor of the essential metal Zn and the non-essential metal Cd, at low metal concentrations exposures. Juvenile C. destructor were exposed to three concentrations of Zn with 65 Zn as a tracer for up to 48 hours. Yabbies were sampled at specific time intervals and counted live in tubes with freshwater using a gamma scintillation counter. Water was also sampled and counted at the same time intervals. At the end of the uptake phase, yabbies were dissected into the hepatopancreas, exoskeleton, tail muscle and 'the rest' and each body compartment counted individually. The associated radioactivity was used to calculate the proportional compartmentalization of the trace metals within the body tissues. A similar experiment was repeated with various concentrations of Cd and 109 Cd used to monitor its uptake at various time intervals. Unlike Zn, where its accumulation only plateaued at 72 hour the rate of uptake of Cd reached a plateau after 24 hours. A competitive study was also conducted with the yabbies. Here the yabbies were exposed to similar concentrations of Cd and Zn simultaneously and yabbies were counted to determine Zn and Cd at various intervals. The estimated rates for C. destructor are compared to those of other freshwater crustaceans in order to deduce whether its tolerance to trace metal toxicants is based on reduced rates of uptake

Perdas de colônias de Apis mellifera L. no inverno suplementadas com alimentação artificial com pólen e favos de mel

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Adhemar Pegoraro

2012-11-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do tipo de suplementação, nas áreas de cria, alimento e infestação por Varroa destructor nas colônias perdidas. Foram analisadas18 colônias de Apis mellifera L. alojadas em colméias modelo Langstroth e submetidas a dois tipos de suplementação alimentar: 1- cremosa (açúcar cristal moído, mel e pólen; 2- favos de mel. As áreas de ovo-larva e pupa, néctar, mel e pólen das 18 colônias foram fotografadas e analisadas com o auxílio do software AutoCAD. As colônias perdidas suplementadas com alimento artificial e pólen possuíam áreas de: ovo-larva (87,79 ± 70,38cm2, pupa (228,46 ± 192,94cm2, néctar (1.219 ± 149,58cm2, mel (563,47 ± 807,93cm2, pólen (139,09 ± 80,30cm2 e percentagem de infestação por V. destructor (10,50 ± 4,30%. As colônias perdidas suplementadas com favos de mel possuíam áreas de ovo-larva (7,92 ± 9,35cm2, pupas (60,71 ± 63,94 cm2, néctar (658,22 ± 1.040,94cm2, mel (122,62 ± 49,45cm2, pólen (53,58 ± 72,39cm2 e percentagem de infestação por V. destructor (14,40 ± 1,56%. As causas das perdas em parte podem ser atribuídas à infestação por V. destructor.

New records of Thecacineta cothurnioides and Trematosoma rotunda (Ciliophora, Suctorea) as epibionts on nematodes from the Indian Ocean

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Dovgal, I.; Chatterjee, T.; Ingole, B.S.

. 2008. An overview of suctorian ciliates (Ciliophora, Suctorea) as epibionts of halacarid mites (Acari, Halacaridae). Zootaxa. 1810, 60-68. Fisher R. 2003. Ciliate hitch-hikers-nematode ecto-commensals from tropical Australian sea-grass meadows...

Ability of two natural products, nootkatone and carvacrol, to suppress Ixodes scapularis and Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae) in a Lyme disease endemic area of New Jersey.

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Dolan, Marc C; Jordan, Robert A; Schulze, Terry L; Schulze, Christopher J; Manning, Mark Cornell; Ruffolo, Daniel; Schmidt, Jason P; Piesman, Joseph; Karchesy, Joseph J

2009-12-01

We evaluated the ability of the natural, plant-derived acaricides nootkatone and carvacrol to suppress Ixodes scapularis Say and Amblyomma americanum (L.) (Acari: Ixodidae). Aqueous formulations of 1 and 5% nootkatone applied by backpack sprayer to the forest litter layer completely suppressed I. scapularis nymphs through 2 d. Thereafter, the level of reduction gradually declined to nootkatone was less effective, but at a 5% concentration, the level of control was similar or greater to that observed with I. scapularis through 21 d postapplication. Initial applications of 0.05% carvacrol were ineffective, but a 5% carvacrol formulation completely suppressed nymphs of both species through 2 d and resulted in significant reduction in I. scapularis and A. americanum nymphs through 28 and 14 d postapplication, respectively. Backpack sprayer applications of 5% nootkatone to the shrub and litter layers resulted in 100% control of I. scapularis adults through 6 d, but the level of reduction declined to 71.5% at 28 d postapplication. By contrast, high-pressure applications of 2% nootkatone to the litter layer resulted in 96.2-100% suppression of both I. scapularis and A. americanum nymphs through 42 d, whereas much lower control was obtained from the same formulation applied by backpack sprayer. Backpack sprayer application of a 3.1% nootkatone nanoemulsion resulted in 97.5-98.9 and 99.3-100% reduction in I. scapularis and A. americanum nymphs, respectively, at 1 d postapplication. Between 7 d and 35 d postapplication, the level of control varied between 57.1% and 92.5% for I. scapularis and between 78.5 and 97.1% for A. americanum nymphs. The ability of natural products to quickly suppress and maintain significant control of populations of these medically important ticks at relatively low concentrations may represent a future alternative to the use of conventional synthetic acaricides.

Impulso destructor: (SExperiencia perversa

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José Miguel Viña Hernández

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Desde la Ilustración, la sexualidad ha quedado sometida a un discurso normativo. Aspectos como la pasión y el impulso se ven rígidamente constreñidos por esquemas morales y prejuicios heredados de una idiosincrasia aburguesada. Los intentos por esquivar y transgredir estos modelos han sido llevados a la pantalla, casi siempre bajo la tónica común del fracaso y la fatalidad. Desde Hitchcock a Pasolini, pasando por Truffaut o Kubrick, se trazará un recorrido cronológico, que estudia los ejemplos más paradigmáticos de la subversión erótica.

African Journal of Biotechnology - Vol 10, No 6 (2011)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The use of reproductive vigor descriptors in studying genetic variability in nine ... to Varroa mite (Acari: Varroidae) in Iranian honey bee (Apis. mellifera meda) ... Association between milk protein polymorphism and milk production traits in Black ...

Chemical composition and acaricidal activity of the essential oil of Baccharis dracunculifolia De Candole (1836) and its constituents nerolidol and limonene on larvae and engorged females of Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae).

Science.gov (United States)

de Assis Lage, Tiago Coelho; Montanari, Ricardo Marques; Fernandes, Sergio Antonio; de Oliveira Monteiro, Caio Márcio; de Oliveira Souza Senra, Tatiane; Zeringota, Viviane; da Silva Matos, Renata; Daemon, Erik

2015-01-01

Baccharis dracunculifolia DC (common name "alecrim-do-campo" in Brazil) is a plant with widespread distribution in South America that is the botanical origin of green propolis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition and acaricidal activity of the essential oil of B. dracunculifolia and its constituents nerolidol and limonene on unengorged larvae and engorged females of Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae). The essential oil yield was 0.8% of dry mass and the major constituents were nerolidol (22.3%), germacrene D (7.2%), limonene (6.9%), β-pinene (6.7) and bicyclogermacrene (6.5%). The acaricidal activity of the essential oil and the pure compounds nerolidol and (R)-(+)-limonene were assessed in the laboratory through the modified larval packet test (LPT) and the female immersion test (FIT). In the LPT, the essential oil and nerolidol were both active, causing more than 90% mortality at concentrations from 15.0 and 10.0 mg mL(-1), respectively, whereas (R)-(+)-limonene was not active. In the FIT, the oil and nerolidol caused reduction in the quantity and quality of eggs produced, with control percentages of 96.3% and 90.3% at concentrations of 60.0 and 50.0 mg mL(-1), respectively. It can be concluded that the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts of B. dracunculifolia and its major component nerolidol have high activity on R. microplus larvae and engorged females. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Population growth of Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) in colonies of Russian and unselected honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) stock as related to numbers of foragers with mites

Science.gov (United States)

Varroa mites are an external parasite of honey bees and a leading cause of colony losses worldwide. Varroa populations can be controlled with miticides, but mite resistant stocks such as the Russian honey bee (RHB) also are available. RHB and other mite resistant stock limit Varroa population growth...

Functional responses and prey-stage preferences of a predatory gall midge and two predacious mites wtih twospotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae as host

Science.gov (United States)

The twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae), is an important pest of vegetables and other crops. This study was conducted to evaluate and compare the potential role of three commercially available predators, predatory gall midge, Feltiella acarisuga (Vallot) (Diptera: Ceci...

Resistance to Wheat Curl Mite in Arthropod-Resistant Rye-Wheat Translocation Lines

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Lina Maria Aguirre-Rojas

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The wheat curl mite, Aceria toschiella (Keifer, and a complex of viruses vectored by A. toschiella substantially reduce wheat yields in every wheat-producing continent in the world. The development of A. toschiella-resistant wheat cultivars is a proven economically and ecologically viable method of controlling this pest. This study assessed A. toschiella resistance in wheat genotypes containing the H13, H21, H25, H26, H18 and Hdic genes for resistance to the Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say and in 94M370 wheat, which contains the Dn7 gene for resistance to the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Kurdjumov. A. toschiella populations produced on plants containing Dn7 and H21 were significantly lower than those on plants of the susceptible control and no different than those on the resistant control. Dn7 resistance to D. noxia and H21 resistance to M. destructor resulted from translocations of chromatin from rye into wheat (H21—2BS/2RL, Dn7—1BL/1RS. These results provide new wheat pest management information, indicating that Dn7 and H21 constitute resources that can be used to reduce yield losses caused by A. toschiella, M. destructor, D. noxia, and wheat streak mosaic virus infection by transferring multi-pest resistance to single sources of germplasm.

Assessing hygienic behavior of Apis mellifera unicolor (Hymenoptera: Apidae), the endemic honey bee from Madagascar.

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Rasolofoarivao, H; Delatte, H; Raveloson Ravaomanarivo, L H; Reynaud, B; Clémencet, J

2015-06-01

Hygienic behavior (HB) is one of the natural mechanisms of honey bee for limiting the spread of brood diseases and Varroa destructor parasitic mite. Objective of our study was to measure HB of Apis mellifera unicolor colonies (N = 403) from three geographic regions (one infested and two free of V. destructor) in Madagascar. The pin-killing method was used for evaluation of the HB. Responses were measured from 3 h 30 min to 7 h after perforation of the cells. Colonies were very effective in detecting perforated cells. In the first 4 h, on average, they detected at least 50% of the pin-killed brood. Six hours after cell perforation, colonies tested (N = 91) showed a wide range of uncapped (0 to 100%) and cleaned cells (0 to 82%). Global distribution of the rate of cleaned cells at 6 h was multimodal and hygienic responses could be split in three classes. Colonies from the three regions showed a significant difference in HB responses. Three hypotheses (geographic, genetic traits, presence of V. destructor) are further discussed to explain variability of HB responses among the regions. Levels of HB efficiency of A. mellifera unicolor colonies are among the greatest levels reported for A. mellifera subspecies. Presence of highly hygienic colonies is a great opportunity for future breeding program in selection for HB.

Two new species of the feather mite family Gabuciniidae (Acariformes: Pterolichoidea) from wrens (Passeriformes: Troglodytidae)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mironov, S. V.; Literák, I.; Sychra, O.; Čapek, Miroslav

2014-01-01

Roč. 59, č. 4 (2014), s. 568-579 ISSN 1230-2821 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA601690901 Institutional support: RVO:68081766 Keywords : Acari * Gabuciniidae * Piciformobia * systematics * Troglodytidae * Central America Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 0.905, year: 2014

Food sources of selected terrestrial cave arthropods

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Smrž, J.; Kováč, L.; Mikeš, J.; Šustr, Vladimír; Lukešová, Alena; Tajovský, Karel; Nováková, Alena; Režňáková, P.

2015-01-01

Roč. 16, č. 1 (2015), s. 37-46 ISSN 1768-1448 Grant - others:Vega(SK) 1/0139/09 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60660521 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Acari * caves * Collembola * Diplopoda * feeding habits * Isopoda Subject RIV: EG - Zoology

The external morphology of the mouthparts, and observations on feeding and behavior of Tuckerella japonica on Camellia sinensis in the continental United States

Science.gov (United States)

Tuckerella japonica Ehara (Acari: Tetranychoidea: Tuckerellidae) is found where longitudinal splitting occurs on exposed green periderm tissue of shoots on certain varieties or seedling plants of Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze (Theales: Theaceae) in the continental United States. The mite is able ...

Size of predatory mites and refuge entrance determine success of biological control of the coconut mite

NARCIS (Netherlands)

da Silva, F.R.; de Moraes, G.J.; Lesna, I.; Sato, Y.; Vasquez, C.; Hanna, R.; Sabelis, M.W.; Janssen, A.

2016-01-01

Predators face the challenge of accessing prey that live in sheltered habitats. The coconut mite Aceriaguerreronis Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae) lives hidden beneath the perianth, which is appressed to the coconut fruit surface, where they feed on the meristematic tissue. Its natural enemy, the

African Journal of Biotechnology - Vol 10, No 11 (2011)

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Estimation of phenotypic divergence and powdery mildew resistance in a collection of ... Assessment of irrigation schemes in Turkey based on management types ... Effect of different seeding methods on green manure biomass, soil properties and ... Mite (Acari) fauna of some cultivated plants from Kahramanmaras, Turkey ...

Spectral response of spider mite infested cotton: Mite density and miticide rate study

Science.gov (United States)

Two-spotted spider mites are important pests in many agricultural systems. Spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) have been found to cause economic damage in corn, cotton, and sorghum. Adult glass vial bioassays indicate that Temprano™ (abamectin) is the most toxic technical miticide for adult two-spot...

Molecular detection of spotted fever group Rickettsia in Dermacentor silvarum from a forest area of northeastern China

NARCIS (Netherlands)

W.-C. Cao (Wu-Chun); L. Zhan (Lin); S.J. de Vlas (Sake); B.-H. Wen (Bo-Hai); H. Yang (Honghui); J.H. Richardus (Jan Hendrik); J.D.F. Habbema (Dik)

2008-01-01

textabstractIn total, 676 Dermacentor silvarum Olenev (Acari: Ixodidae) from a forest area of Jilin Province in northeastern China were examined by polymerase chain reaction for the presence of spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia. The overall positive rate was 10.7%, with a 95% confidence interval

Climate change effects on soil arthropod communities from the Falkland Islands and the maritime Antartic.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bokhorst, S.F.; Huiskes, A.; Convey, P.; van Bodegom, P.M.; Aerts, R.

2008-01-01

Over a 2-year study, we investigated the effect of environmental change on the diversity and abundance of soil arthropod communities (Acari and Collembola) in the Maritime Antarctic and the Falkland Islands. Open Top Chambers (OTCs), as used extensively in the framework of the northern boreal

Intercropping With Fruit Trees Increases Population Abundance and Alters Species Composition of Spider Mites on Cotton.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Haiqiang; Pan, Hongsheng; Wang, Dongmei; Liu, Bing; Liu, Jian; Zhang, Jianping; Lu, Yanhui

2018-05-05

With the recent increase in planting of fruit trees in southern Xinjiang, the intercropping of fruit trees and cotton has been widely adopted. From 2014 to 2016, a large-scale study was conducted in Aksu, an important agricultural area in southern Xinjiang, to compare the abundance and species composition of spider mites in cotton fields under jujube-cotton, apple-cotton, and cotton monocrop systems. The abundance of spider mites in cotton fields under both intercropping systems was generally higher than in the cotton monocrop. The species composition of spider mites also differed greatly between cotton intercropped with apple or jujube compared to the cotton monocrop. The relative proportion of Tetranychus truncates Ehara (Acari: Tetranychidae) in the species complex generally increased while that of another spider mite, Tetranychus dunhuangensis Wang (Acari: Tetranychidae), decreased under fruit tree-cotton systems. More attention should be paid to the monitoring and management of spider mites, especially T. truncates in this important region of China.

INCIDENCIA Y NIVEL DE INFESTACIÓN POR VARROASIS EN ABEJAS (Apis mellifera EN EL LABORATORIO DE IDENTIFICACIÓN Y DIAGNÓSTICO APÍCOLA DE 2002 A 2006

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Agustín Ruíz-Flores

2012-01-01

Full Text Available El objetivo fue estudiar las tendencias anuales y mensuales para el número de muestras positivas (NMP y el nivel de infestación (NI por Varroa destructor en abejas (Apis mellifera. El estudio se realizó de 2002 a 2006 en el Laboratorio de Identificación y Diagnóstico Apícola de la SAGARPA. La detección del ácaro se realizó con la técnica de De Jong para V. destructor. Los estimadores de las tendencias anuales y mensuales para NMP y NI se obtuvieron mediante regresión. El promedio mensual para NMP fue 47.6 ± 49.3 (0 a 248 muestras. La tendencia anual para el incremento del NMP fue -5.69 ± 4.48 (P = 0.2087. La tendencia mensual de enero a diciembre fue 0.91 ± 1.7 (P = 0.6024. El NI promedio fue 3.27 ± 2.6 %, el promedio mensual varió de 0 a 10.06 %. La tasa media de incremento anual en el NI fue 0.34 ± 0.23 % (P = 0.2494. La tasa media de incremento mensual de enero a diciembre fue -0.17 ± 0.1 % (P = 0.1194. Los NMP con V. destructor y los NI, no mostraron incrementos significativos para el periodo estudiado. No se detectó el efecto de la estacionalidad sobre el NMP y NI.

Tropilaelaps mite: an emerging threat to European honey bee.

Science.gov (United States)

Chantawannakul, Panuwan; Ramsey, Samuel; vanEngelsdorp, Dennis; Khongphinitbunjong, Kitiphong; Phokasem, Patcharin

2018-04-01

The risk of transmission of honey bee parasites has increased substantially as a result of trade globalization and technical developments in transportation efficacy. Great concern over honey bee decline has accelerated research on newly emerging bee pests and parasites. These organisms are likely to emerge from Asia as it is the only region where all 10 honey bee species co-occur. Varroa destructor, an ectoparasitic mite, is a classic example of a pest that has shifted from A. cerana, a cavity nesting Asian honey bee to A. mellifera, the European honey bee. In this review, we will describe the potential risks to global apiculture of the global expansion of Tropilaelaps mercedesae, originally a parasite of the open-air nesting Asian giant honey bee, compared to the impact of V. destructor. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Time-course mortality and radiosensitivity indices in Tribolium spp. developing from irradiated pupae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasan, Md Mahbub

1999-01-01

Effects of gamma irradiation (1-5 Krad) on the time-course mortality and radiosensitivity indices in adults of Tribolium anaphe, T. brevicornis, T. castaneum, T. destructor, T. freemani developing from irradiated 1 day old and pre-emergence (4-5 day old) pupae were studied. Adult longevity was significantly (P<0.001) affected by irradiation and was linearly dose dependent. T. destructor was markedly more radioresistant than the other species at all dose levels and had a longer life expectancy. The mean survival times of adults developing from irradiated early and late pupae were shorter in females than in males for all the species. The radiosensitivity indices did not vary widely among the species and these values decreased as the dose increased in all the species which clearly indicate that the resistance of the species was dose-dependent. (author)

A revision of the family Ameroseiidae (Acari, Mesostigmata), with some data on Slovak fauna

Science.gov (United States)

Mašán, Peter

2017-01-01

Abstract The family Ameroseiidae Evans, 1961 (Acari: Mesostigmata) includes a total of 12 valid and adequately described genera, namely Afrocypholaelaps Elsen, 1972, Ameroseiella Bregetova, 1977, Ameroseius Berlese, 1904, Asperolaelaps Womersley, 1956, Brontispalaelaps Womersley, 1956, Epicriopsis Berlese, 1916, Hattena Domrow, 1963, Kleemannia Oudemans, 1930, Neocypholaelaps Vitzthum, 1942, Pseudoameroseius gen. n., Sertitympanum Elsen & Whitaker, 1985 and Sinoseius Bai & Gu, 1995. One of these genera includes subgenera, namely Kleemannia (Primoseius) Womersley, 1956. All genera are reviewed and re-diagnosed, and a dichotomous key is provided for their identification. Ameroseius (50 species), Kleemannia (28 species) and Neocypholaelaps (22 species) are the largest genera in the family. Ameroseiella, Kleemannia, Kleemannia (Primoseius) and Sinoseius are considered to be valid taxa and, in presented systematic classification, they are removed from synonymy with Ameroseius. The genus Pseudoameroseius gen. n., with type species Ameroseius michaelangeli Moraza, 2006 (from Canary Islands), is newly erected to further refine broad primary concept of Ameroseius as understood by some former authors (Karg, Bregetova). Asperolaelaps is removed from synonymy with Neocypholaelaps. Three new species are here described, namely Ameroseius renatae sp. n. (based on specimens from Slovakia), Kleemannia dolichochaeta sp. n. (from Spain) and Kleemannia miranda sp. n. (from U.S.A.). The following new junior synonymies are proposed: Ameroseius apodius Karg, 1971 = Ameroseiella macrochelae (Westerboer, 1963); Ameroseius bregetovae Livshits & Mitrofanov, 1975 = Neocypholaelaps favus Ishikawa, 1968; Ameroseius chinensis Khalili-Moghadam & Saboori, 2016 = Ameroseius guyimingi Ma, 1997; Ameroseius crassisetosus Ye & Ma, 1993, Ameroseius qinghaiensis Li & Yang, 2000 and Ameroseius norvegicus Narita, Abduch & Moraes, 2015 = Ameroseius corbiculus (Sowerby, 1806); Ameroseius dubitatus Berlese

A revision of the family Ameroseiidae (Acari, Mesostigmata, with some data on Slovak fauna

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Mašán

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The family Ameroseiidae Evans, 1961 (Acari: Mesostigmata includes a total of 12 valid and adequately described genera, namely Afrocypholaelaps Elsen, 1972, Ameroseiella Bregetova, 1977, Ameroseius Berlese, 1904, Asperolaelaps Womersley, 1956, Brontispalaelaps Womersley, 1956, Epicriopsis Berlese, 1916, Hattena Domrow, 1963, Kleemannia Oudemans, 1930, Neocypholaelaps Vitzthum, 1942, Pseudoameroseius gen. n., Sertitympanum Elsen & Whitaker, 1985 and Sinoseius Bai & Gu, 1995. One of these genera includes subgenera, namely Kleemannia (Primoseius Womersley, 1956. All genera are reviewed and re-diagnosed, and a dichotomous key is provided for their identification. Ameroseius (50 species, Kleemannia (28 species and Neocypholaelaps (22 species are the largest genera in the family. Ameroseiella, Kleemannia, Kleemannia (Primoseius and Sinoseius are considered to be valid taxa and, in presented systematic classification, they are removed from synonymy with Ameroseius. The genus Pseudoameroseius gen. n., with type species Ameroseius michaelangeli Moraza, 2006 (from Canary Islands, is newly erected to further refine broad primary concept of Ameroseius as understood by some former authors (Karg, Bregetova. Asperolaelaps is removed from synonymy with Neocypholaelaps. Three new species are here described, namely Ameroseius renatae sp. n. (based on specimens from Slovakia, Kleemannia dolichochaeta sp. n. (from Spain and Kleemannia miranda sp. n. (from U.S.A.. The following new junior synonymies are proposed: Ameroseius apodius Karg, 1971 = Ameroseiella macrochelae (Westerboer, 1963; Ameroseius bregetovae Livshits & Mitrofanov, 1975 = Neocypholaelaps favus Ishikawa, 1968; Ameroseius chinensis Khalili-Moghadam & Saboori, 2016 = Ameroseius guyimingi Ma, 1997; Ameroseius crassisetosus Ye & Ma, 1993, Ameroseius qinghaiensis Li & Yang, 2000 and Ameroseius norvegicus Narita, Abduch & Moraes, 2015 = Ameroseius corbiculus (Sowerby, 1806; Ameroseius dubitatus Berlese

The Rare ospC Allele L of Borrelia burgdorferi Sensu Stricto, Commonly Found among Samples Collected in a Coastal Plain Area of the Southeastern United States, Is Associated with Ixodes affinis Ticks and Local Rodent Hosts Peromyscus gossypinus and Sigmodon hispidus

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Rudenko, Natalia; Golovchenko, Maryna; Grubhoffer, Libor; Oliver, J. H., Jr.

2013-01-01

Roč. 79, č. 4 (2013), s. 1403-1406 ISSN 0099-2240 Grant - others:NIH(US) R37AI-24899 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : lyme disease * genetic diversity * scapularis tick * Acari * North Carolina * heterogenity * polymorphism * cultivation Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 3.952, year: 2013

Response of Soil Mesofauna to Long-Term Application of Feedlot Manure on Irrigated Cropland.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Jim J; Battigelli, Jeff P; Beasley, Bruce W; Drury, Craig F

2017-01-01

Long-term application of feedlot manure to cropland may influence soil mesofauna. These organisms affect the health, structure, and fertility of soils, organic matter decomposition, and crop growth. The objective was to study the long-term (16-17 yr) influence of feedlot manure type and bedding on soil mesofauna over 2 yr (2014-2015). Stockpiled or composted feedlot manure with straw (ST) or wood-chip (WD) bedding (plus unamended control) was annually applied (13 Mg ha dry wt.) to an irrigated clay loam soil with continuous barley (). Intact cores were taken from surface (0-5 cm) soil in the fall, and the densities of Acari (mites) suborders and Collembola (springtails) families were determined. Manure type had no significant ( > 0.05) effect on soil mesofauna density. In contrast, there was a significant two- to sixfold increase in density with WD- compared with ST-amended soils of total Acari in 2014 and 2015, as well as total Collembola, total Acari and Collembola, oribatid mites, and entomobryid springtails in 2014. The bedding effect was attributed to significantly greater soil water content and lower bulk density for WD than ST. Density of soil mesofauna was not significantly greater in amended soils than in unamended soils. A shift by feedlot producers from stockpiled to composted feedlot manure application should have no effect on soil mesofauna density, whereas a shift from ST to WD bedding may increase the density of certain soil mesofauna, which may have a beneficial effect on soil. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Differential gene expression associated with honey bee grooming behavior in response to varroa mites

Science.gov (United States)

Honey bee (Apis mellifera) grooming behavior is an important mechanism of resistance against the parasitic mite Varroa destructor. This research was conducted to study associations between grooming behavior and the expression of selected immune, neural, detoxification, developmental and health-relat...

Migration effects on population dynamics of the honeybee-mite interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Honeybees are amazing and highly beneficial insect species that play important roles in undisturbed and agricultural ecosystems. Unfortunately, honeybees are increasingly threatened by numerous factors, most notably the parasitic Varroa mite (Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman). A recent field s...

Leven met de varroamijt in de 21ste eeuw

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blacquiere, T.; Cornelissen, B.; Smeekens, C.C.; Steen, van der J.J.M.

2002-01-01

Overzicht van voorhanden bestrijdingsmethoden tegen Varroa destructor op de korte termijn en vooruitzichten voor de bestrijding op langere termijn. In de nabije toekomst gaat het om bestrijding met diergeneesmiddelen van natuurlijke oorsprong (mierenzuur, oxaalzuur, thymol) in het kader van een

Effects of powdery mildew fungicide programs on twospotted spider mite (Acari: Tetranychidae), hop aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae), and their natural enemies in hop yards.

Science.gov (United States)

Gent, D H; James, D G; Wright, L C; Brooks, D J; Barbour, J D; Dreves, A J; Fisher, G C; Walton, V M

2009-02-01

Twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), and hop aphid, Phorodon humuli (Schrank) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), are the most important arthropod pests of hop (Humulus lupulus L.) in the Northern Hemisphere. A potential barrier for greater adoption of conservation biological control strategies for spider mites and hop aphid is the extensive use of fungicides for management of hop powdery mildew, Podosphaera macularis (Wallr.:Fr.) U. Braun & S. Takamatsu. Field studies conducted in experimental plots in Oregon and Washington in 2005 and 2006 quantified the effects of powdery mildew fungicide programs (i.e., sulfur, paraffinic oil, and synthetic fungicides) on arthropod pests and natural enemies on hop. Fungicide treatment significantly affected spider mite populations in all four studies. Multiple applications of sulfur fungicides applied before burr development resulted in 1.4-3.3-fold greater spider mite populations during summer. Near the cessation of the sulfur applications, or after a lag of 20-30 d, spider mite populations increased significantly faster on sulfur treated plants compared with water-treated plants in three of four experiments. The effect of paraffinic oil on spider mites was varied, leading to exacerbation of spider mites in Oregon and Washington in 2005, suppression of mites in Oregon in 2006, and no significant effect compared with water in Washington in 2006. Significant relative treatment effects for cone damage due to spider mite feeding were detected in Oregon in 2005 in plots treated with sulfur and paraffinic oil compared with water and synthetic fungicides. Mean populations of hop aphids were similar among treatments in Oregon, although sulfur treatment suppressed hop aphid populations in Washington in 2005 and 2006. Populations of individual predacious insect species and cumulative abundance of macropredators were not consistently suppressed or stimulated by treatments in all trials. However, predatory mite

A new mite species of the genus Lasioseius (Acarina: Gamasina,Blattisociidae) associated with the flowers of Englerina lecardii and Chalcomitra senegalensis (Aves: Nectariniidae) in Senegal

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kalúz, S.; Literák, I.; Čapek, Miroslav; Konečný, Adam; Koubek, Petr

2011-01-01

Roč. 37, č. 6 (2011), s. 511-524 ISSN 0164-7954 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA6093404; GA AV ČR IAA601690901 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60930519 Keywords : Acari * Gamasina * Lasioseius * Senegal * sunbird Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 0.568, year: 2011

Current status of Colletotrichum capsici strains, causal agents of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Gil

ASIC, 15e Colloque,. Montpellier 7 p. Dabert M (2006). DNA markers in the phylogenetic of the. Acari. Biol. Lett. 43(2):97-107. Damm U, Woudenberg JHC, Cannon PF, Crous PW (2009). Colletotrichum species with curved conidia from herbaceous hosts. Fungal Divers 39:45-87. Emechebe AM (1986). Cowpea pathology.

Computer-assisted estimation of leaf damage caused by spider mites

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Škaloudová, B.; Křivan, Vlastimil; Zemek, Rostislav

2006-01-01

Roč. 53, č. 2, (2006), s. 81-91 ISSN 0168-1699 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR(CZ) IAA6007303 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50070508 Keywords : Tetranychus urticae * Acari * Tetranychidae Subject RIV: GF - Plant Pathology, Vermin, Weed, Plant Protection Impact factor: 0.851, year: 2006

Reproductive biology of varroa mites in colonies of Africanized honey bees

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Calderon Fallas, R.A.

2009-01-01

We investigated the reproductive biology of V. destructor in Africanized honeybees (AHB) in Central American conditions, specifically in Costa Rica. Attention was paid to mite fertility and production of viable female mites in worker and drone brood cells. Other reproduction parameters, like

Acari; Tetranychidae

African Journals Online (AJOL)

*Corresponding author; E-mail: eziahvin@yahoo.com ... on the Karate®-resistant population showed that the application of these products 1 h before treatment with. Karate® reduce ... tissue, as well as a reduced photosynthetic rate ... Piraneo (2013) was employed to determine ..... toxicity in Norwegian populations of T.

Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto in Amblyomma americanum ticks in the southeastern United States: the case of selective compatibility

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Rudenko, Natalia; Golovchenko, Maryna; Clark, K.; Oliver, J.; Grubhoffer, Libor

2016-01-01

Roč. 5, MAY 25 (2016), č. článku e48. ISSN 2222-1751 EU Projects: European Commission(XE) 278976 - ANTIGONE Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : lyme disease spirochete * Dermacentor variabilis * Ixodes scapularis * Ixodidae * Acari * strain Subject RIV: GJ - Animal Vermins ; Diseases, Veterinary Medicine Impact factor: 5.605, year: 2016

aboagye et al.2

African Journals Online (AJOL)

PUBLICATIONS1

14 Aboagye et al. wide variety of birds, including chickens, by piercing the quills of feathers and gnawing the epidermis. In doing so, they can spread disease and lower .... evolution. Oikos, 97: 223-228. Nordenfors, H. and Chirico, J. (2001). Evalua- tion of a sampling trap for Dermanyssus gal- linae (Acari: Dermanyssidae).

Nouvelle technique d'élevage de l'acarien phyllophage Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari : Tetranychidae et son application à l'étude de l'efficacité de quelques acaricides sur pomme de terre (Solarium tuberosum L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Badegana, AM.

2000-01-01

Full Text Available A New Rearing Technique of Phytophagous Mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari : Tetranychida and its Application in the Study of the Efficacy of some Acaricides on Potato [Solanum tuberosum L.. A 5 cm diameter leaf disc of potato or another host plant (or four on 2.5 cm diameter was used in a Petri dish of 9 cm diameter for the rearing technique. This leaf disc, pierced in its centre, slides along a rustproof pin and floats on a 1 mm thick lamina of demineralized fresh water. Water is a "strong barrier" which confines the tetranychid mites on the leaf disc, even if this one does not corne from a host plant (tetranychid mites deprived of food. This rearing technique was used as a bioassay to test the effectiveness of acaricides (pyrimiphos-methyl, bromopropylate, fenpropathrin, dienochlor on the developmental stages of Tetranychus urticae. The ovicidal activity against the eggs of one, three, seven days old (the eggs incubation duration being 8.1 ±0.15 days was also studied. The results obtained show that bromopropylate, fenpropathrin and dienochlor have an ovicidal activity against the eggs of the different ages, but dienochlor has the highest efficiency (90 % mortality. Pyrimiphos-methyl is only active against the seven-day old eggs and bromopropylate has a high efficiency only on the one-day old eggs. Concerning the other developmental stages such as chrysalis (protochrysalis, deu-tochrysalis, teleiochrysalis and mobile stages (larva, protonymph, deutonymph and adult female, pyrimiphos-methyl has de highest efficiency (90 % mortality ; dienochlor also, except mobile stages. Bromopropylate has no activity against the chrysalis and mobile stages and fenpropathrin has a remarkable repulsive effect.

Potential impacts of alien freshwater crayfish in South Africa | de ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The habitat preferences and life history characteristics of four alien species of freshwater crayfish (Cherax tenuimanus, C. destructor, C. quadricarinatus and Procambarus clarkii) are reviewed. The potential impact of these species on South African freshwater ecosystems is assessed and the desirability of allowing their ...

Successful reproduction of unmated Tropilaelaps mercedesae and its implication on mite population growth in Apis mellifera colonies

Science.gov (United States)

Highly hygienic colonies are known to reduce the reproductive potential of Varroa destructor. For Tropilaelaps mercedesae, information on how bee behavior may influence the mite’s reproductive potential is currently unknown. In this study, we assessed the influence of recapping on the reproduction o...

Ecology, life history and management of tropilaelaps mites

Science.gov (United States)

Parasitic mites are the major threat of the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera. For much of the world, Varroa destructor single-handedly inflicts unsurmountable problems to A. mellifera beekeeping. However, A. mellifera in Asia is also faced with another genus of destructive parasitic mite, Tropilae...

Parasite-host interactions between the Varroa mite and the honey bee : a contribution to sustainable Varroa control

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Calis, J.N.M.

2001-01-01

Introduction

Varroa mites as parasites of honey bees

Varroa destructor (Anderson & Trueman, 2000), is the most important pest of European races of the Western honey bee, Apis mellifera L., weakening bees

Effectieve bestrijding van varroa (Tweede, licht gewijzigde druk)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cornelissen, B.; Blacquière, T.; Steen, van der J.J.M.

2013-01-01

De varroa mijtziekte (Varroa destructor) is de belangrijkste bedreiging van de Europese honingbij. Wintersterfte van honingbijen is in de meeste gevallen toe te schrijven aan deze ziekte. Deze tweede, licht gewijzigde druk biedt informatie over de biologie van varroa, de effecten van varroa op

A diverse range of novel RNA viruses in geographically distinct honey bee populations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Remnant, Emily J.; Shi, Mang; Buchmann, Gabriele; Blacquière, Tjeerd; Holmes, Edward C.; Beekman, Madeleine; Ashe, Alyson

2017-01-01

Understanding the diversity and consequences of viruses present in honey bees is critical for maintaining pollinator health and managing the spread of disease. The viral landscape of honey bees (Apis mellifera) has changed dramatically since the emergence of the parasitic mite Varroa destructor,

Development of molecular tools for honeybee virus research: the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Increasing knowledge of the association of honeybee viruses with other honeybee parasites, primarily the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor, and their implication in the mass mortality of honeybee colonies, has resulted in increasing awareness and interest in honeybee viruses. In addition the identification, monitoring and ...

Toxicidade diferencial de produtos à base de abamectina ao ácaro Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes, 1939 (Acari: Tenuipalpidae em citros Differential toxicity of abamectin based products over Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes, 1939 (Acari: Tenuipalpidae mite in citrus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Júnior de Andrade

2010-03-01

Full Text Available O ácaro Brevipalpus phoenicis é uma das principais pragas dos citros por ser vetor do "Citrus Leprosis Virus" (CiLV, agente causal da leprose, uma das mais graves doenças da citricultura. Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito tóxico de produtos à base de abamectina sobre o ácaro B. phoenicis. Foram realizados um experimento de ação direta e três de ação residual no Laboratório de Acarologia do Departamento de Proteção de Plantas (Fitossanidade da FCAV - UNESP, Jaboticabal-SP. O delineamento adotado nos bioensaios foi o inteiramente casualizado, onde 10 tratamentos foram repetidos 7 vezes, sendo cada repetição composta por um fruto de laranja. Os tratamentos estudados (mL p.c./100 L de água foram: Acaramik a 20; 30; 40 e 50 mL; Vertimec a 30 e 40 mL; Abamectin Nortox a 30 e 40 mL; Tricofol a 77 mL e uma testemunha sem aplicação. Utilizaram-se frutos com presença de verrugose, que foram lavados e parcialmente parafinados, deixando-se uma área sem parafina, que foi circundada com cola entomológica para contenção dos ácaros. Transferiram-se 20 ácaros adultos B. phoenicis para cada fruto. No bioensaio de ação direta, a transferência foi realizada antes das aplicações e, nos bioensaios de ação residual, aos 5; 10 e 15 dias após a aplicação dos produtos. A aplicação dos produtos sobre os frutos foi realizada em Torre de Potter. Os resultados obtidos nos bioensaios evidenciaram que os melhores tratamentos foram: Tricofol a 77 mL, Acaramik a 40 e 50 mL e Vertimec a 40 mL. De forma geral, os produtos testados podem ser utilizados no controle do ácaro B. phoenicis.The mite Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes, 1939 (Acari: Tenuipalpidae is one of the most important pests in Brazil citrus plantation, because it is the virus "Citrus Leprosis Virus" (CiLV vector, one of the most serious citrus plantation diseases. The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the toxical effect of abamectin in the mite B. phoenicis. It was performed

Parasitic survey on introduced monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus in Santiago, Chile

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristóbal Briceño

Full Text Available Abstract Central Chile has been identified as a unique ecosystem with high conservation priority because of its high levels of endemism and intensive anthropic pressure. Over a period of almost four decades, the monk parakeet has been successful in establishing and dispersing in urban Santiago, although little is known about its potential impact. Furthermore, nothing is known about its epidemiological risks towards animals or even humans. For this reason, we conducted the first parasitic survey of monk parakeets in Chile through capture, necropsy and thorough external and internal inspection of 92 adult individuals. Among these, 45.7% presented lice that were identified as Paragoniocotes fulvofasciatum, 1.1% had mesostigmatid acari and 8.9% had free-ranging acari. Among 89 parakeets, 19.1% had structures identified as Cryptosporidium sp. This study provides the first description of Cryptosporidium sp. in monk parakeets. Along with the presence of a mesostigmatid acarus in one parakeet, this serves as a public health warning, given that both of these parasites have zoonotic potential.

External and gastrointestinal parasites of the rufous-collared sparrow Zonotrichia capensis (Passeriformes, Emberizidae in Chile

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebastián Llanos-Soto

Full Text Available Abstract A total of 277 rufous-collared sparrows, Zonotrichia capensis Müller, 1776 (Emberizidae, were examined for external parasites. The birds were captured using mist nets in seven locations in northern and central Chile. Additionally, seven carcasses from central Chile (the Biobío region were necropsied to evaluate the presence of endoparasite infection. Ectoparasites were found on 35.8% (99/277 of the examined birds and they were represented by the following arthropods: feather mites Amerodectes zonotrichiae Mironov and González-Acuña, 2014 (Analgoidea: Proctophyllodidae, Proctophyllodes polyxenus Atyeo and Braasch, 1966 (Analgoidea: Proctophyllodidae, and Trouessartia capensis Berla, 1959 (Analgoidea: Trouessartiidae; a louse Philopterus sp. (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera; and ticks Amblyomma tigrinum Koch, 1844 (Acari: Ixodidae and Ixodes auritulus Neumann, 1904 (Acari: Ixodidae. Two of the seven necropsied carcasses were infected with the acanthocephalan Mediorhynchus papillosus Van Cleave, 1916 (Gigantorhynchida: Gigantorhynchidae. To our knowledge, this study reports P. polyxenus, Philopterus sp., A. tigrinum, and M. papillosus for the first time for Z. capensis and expands the distributional range for T. capensis to Chile.

Occurrence, diversity and pattern of damage of Oplostomus species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), honey bee pests in Kenya

Science.gov (United States)

Several arthropod pests including the hive beetles Aethina tumida and Oplostomus haroldi and the ectoparasite Varroa destructor have recently been identified as associated with honey bee colonies in Kenya. Here, we report the first documentation of O. fuligineus in Kenya, a related scarab of O. haro...

Impact of temperatures to Hessian Fly resistance of selected wheat cultivars in the Great Plains Region

Science.gov (United States)

Changes in temperature can result in fundamental changes in plant physiology. This study investigated the impact of different temperatures from 14 to 26 °C on the resistance or susceptibility to the Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor, of selected wheat cultivars that are either currently popular in ...

On the abundance of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Trouessart, 1897) (Pyroglyphidae: Acarina) in house dust

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bronswijk, van J.E.M.H.; Schoonen, J.M.C.P.; Berlie, M.A.F.; Lukoschus, F.S.

1971-01-01

The dominance of the Pyroglyphidae in house dust has been influenced by a number of factors. The humidity in houses dropped recently to such an extent that only Pyroglyphidae can survive. When temperature and relative humidity are favorable for Acarus siro and Glycyphagus destructor as well as

The Tropilaelaps mites threat: Observations of their reproductive success

Science.gov (United States)

Tropilaelaps spp. are more successful parasitic mites of Apis mellifera than Varroa destructor in Asia (Burgett et al., Bee World 64:25-28). We sought explanations to this success by assessing their fecundity on European bees in three short experiments using the mite transfer technique: 1) fecundity...

Effectieve bestrijding van varroa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cornelissen, B.; Blacquiere, T.; Steen, van der J.J.M.

2010-01-01

De varroa mijtziekte (Varroa destructor) is de belangrijkste bedreiging van de Europese honingbij. Wintersterfte van honingbijen is in de meeste gevallen toe te schrijven aan deze ziekte. Deze brochure van de WUR biedt informatie over de biologie van varroa, de effecten van varroa op honingbijen en

Effect varroa op volksgrootte pas zichtbaar als het te laat is?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dooremalen, van C.; Cornelissen, B.; Langevelde, van F.

2014-01-01

De parasitaire mijt Varroa destructor is altijd en overal aanwezig in volken van onze honingbijen. Varroa verkot het leven van de volwassen bij, wat resulteert in een verhoogde kans op wintersterfte. Ondanks leen relatief geringe wintersterfte in 2012-2013 en 2013-2014 is het identificeren van een

Transcriptomic analyses of the secreted proteins from the salivary glands of the wheat midge larvae

Science.gov (United States)

Both the wheat midge (Sitodiplosis mosellana) and the Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructor) belong to a group of insects called gall midges (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and both are destructive pests of wheat. From Hessian fly larvae, a large number of genes have been identified to encode Secreted Salivary...

Responses to Varroa by honey bees with different levels of Varroa Sensitive Hygiene

Science.gov (United States)

The mite-resistance trait called suppression of mite reproduction (SMR) is a form of hygienic behavior that we have named varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH). With VSH, adult worker bees (Apis mellifera) disrupt the population growth of parasitic mites (Varroa destructor) by removing mite-infested bee p...

Simplified methods of evaluating colonies for levels of Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH)

Science.gov (United States)

Varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH) is a trait of honey bees, Apis mellifera, that supports resistance to varroa mites, Varroa destructor. Components of VSH were evaluated to identify simple methods for selection of the trait. Varroa mite population growth was measured in colonies with variable levels of...

Expression of varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH) in commercial VSH honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Science.gov (United States)

We tested six commercial sources of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) that were bred to include the trait of varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH). VSH confers resistance to the parasitic mite Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman. Queens from these sources were established in colonies which later were measure...

High-Resolution Linkage Analyses to Identify Genes That Influence Varroa Sensitive Hygiene Behavior in Honey Bees.

Science.gov (United States)

Varroa mites (V. destructor) are a major threat to honey bees (Apis melilfera) and beekeeping worldwide and likely lead to colony decline if colonies are not treated. Most treatments involve chemical control of the mites; however, Varroa has evolved resistance to many of these miticides, leaving be...

Bee Mite ID - an online resource on identification of mites associated with bees of the World

Science.gov (United States)

Parasitic mites are known to be a factor in recent declines in bee pollinator populations. In particular, Varroa destructor, an introduced parasite and disease vector, has decimated colonies of the western honey bee, one of the most important agricultural pollinators in the world. Further, global tr...

Ectoparasites from the South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens from Peruvian coast

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luis A. Gomez-Puerta

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Two species of ectoparasites were collected from a South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens found stranded on the beaches of Chorrillos in Lima, Peru. The ectoparasites were identified as Antarctophthirus microchir (Phthiraptera and Orthohalarachne attenuata (Acari. Some morphological characteristics are described in this report. The finding of these ectoparasites is the first records in Peru.

La eliminación higiénica de la cría congelada no predice caracteres de resistencia ante Varroa en las poblaciones no seleccionadas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leclercq, Gil; Blacquière, Tjeerd; Gengler, Nicolas; Francis, Frédéric

2018-01-01

In honey bees (Apis mellifera L.), hygienic behavior of workers against Varroa destructor provides the colonies with some resistance to this parasite. The removal of freeze-killed brood (FKB) has often been used as a proxy to assess the removal of Varroa-infested brood. The question is whether this

Varroa Sensitive Hygiene contributes to naturally selected varroa resistance in honey bees

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Panziera, Delphine; Langevelde, van Frank; Blacquière, Tjeerd

2017-01-01

The parasitic mite Varroa destructor is a serious threat for western honey bee colonies and beekeepers are compelled to control it to keep their colonies healthy. Yet, by controlling varroa no resistance to the parasite can evolve. As a trial, honey bee colonies have been left untreated in

Differential responses to DWV infection in honey bees: A case of tolerance or resistance?

Science.gov (United States)

Honey bees contend with a variety of abiotic and biotic stressors, and this has led to high and likely unsustainable annual colony mortality. The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor is the biggest threat affecting honey bee health in large part because of the viruses that mites vector while feeding...

Effects of of habitats and pesticides on aerobic capacity and survival of soil fauna.

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathi, G; Sharma, B M

2005-06-01

Faunal health is largely dependent on their soil environment and available litter quality. So the effects of different soil habitats and pesticides on citrate synthase (CS) activity of soil fauna and its population were studied. The soil animals were collected from different pedoecosystems for habitat study. Whereas Vigna radiata based system was selected for pesticidal observations. The field was divided into five equal plots for control and treatment of gamma-BHC, quinalphos, carbaryl and cypermethrin. Soil fauna was collected by quadrat method and extracted by Tullgren funnel. Individuals of a species having similar sizes were collected for the estimation of CS activity. They were homogenized and fractions were obtained by differential centrifugation. The activity of CS was assayed spectrophotometrically. Citrate synthase (CS) activity of beetle (Rasphytus fregi), woodlouse (Porcellio laevis) and centipede (Scolopendra morsitans) varied significantly with respect to changes in different soil habitats. Though the CS activity of R. fregi, P. laevis, and S. morsitans differed among themselves but the highest activity of CS in these animals was in V. radiata and lowest in A. nilotica based pedoecosystem. The aerobic capacity of centipede was maximum followed by woodlouse and beetle. The treatment of gamma-BHC, quinalphos, carbaryl and cypermethrin significantly reduced the CS activity of these animals. Gamma-BHC showed maximum reduction in CS activity indicating highly toxic effect of organochlorine on aerobic metabolism of soil fauna. However, minimum reduction was observed in response to carbaryl (in beetle) or cypermethrin (in woodlouse/centipede) leading to impairment of aerobic capacity. The differences in pesticide effects might be assigned to the differences in chemical nature of pesticides and their interactions with below-ground fauna. Treatment of gamma-BHC and quinalphos reduced the population of Acari, Coleoptera, Collembola, other arthropods as well as

Influence de l'usage préventif des pesticides sur les acariens Tetranychus urticae et Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari : Tetranychidae, Phytoseiidae présents en cultures de fraisiers du Nord du Maroc

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lagziri, M.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Influence of previous pesticide use on Tetranychus urticae and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Tetranychidae, Phytoseiidae from strawberry crops in the north of Morocco. Description of the subject. Effects of recommended doses of five common pesticides in the strawberries of Loukkos area (Morocco were tested on the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae and its predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis. Laboratory study assessed the contact toxicity of one avermectin miticide (abamectin, two pyrethrinoid insecticide-acaricides (bifenthrin and lambda-cyalothrin, and two fungicides: firstly, mancozeb, which belongs to the dithiocarbamates family of chemicals and secondly, hexaconazole, of the triazole family. Objectives. The aim of the present study was to test in laboratory conditions the effect of five pesticides on the two-spotted spider mite, T. urticae and its predatory mite, P. persimilis. The five pesticides tested were those most frequently applied for at least two years on strawberries at the experimental site. Method. Bioassays were performed with populations of mites originating from different plots with various crop protection backgrounds. The first group of plots had been repeatedly treated with the five tested pesticides during a two-year period, the second group had been moderately treated, and the third had been treated once with the tested pesticides. Results. Our results showed that the tested pesticides provided effective control of T. urticae but that they were not compatible with use on the predatory mite P. persimilis, as these particular mites did not usually come into contact with these products. On the other hand, in plots where pesticides had been used for a long time, the susceptibility of P. persimilis populations to these products was significantly reduced. Conclusions. If the tested pesticides are to be considered for integrated pest control programs in plots where they have been used for a long time and where P

Seminario C++, parte 1

OpenAIRE

Cachero Castro, Cristina; Ponce de León Amador, Pedro José

2007-01-01

Este seminario trata sobre principios de orientación a objetos con C++. Para comprender mejor sus contenidos, se debe tener un conocimiento básico sobre programación estructurada con C++ o C. Clases en C++. Operaciones set/get/is. Tipo Referencia (&). El puntero 'this'. Los constructores. El destructor.

Browse Title Index - AJOL

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Items 5101 - 5150 of 11090 ... Vol 5, No 5 (2006), Field evaluation of selected formulations of ... virus (DWV) in honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) and mite (Varroa destructor) in Turkey, Abstract PDF ... length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis of genetic diversity and ... Vol 10, No 66 (2011), Foliar zinc fertilization improves the zinc ...

Journal of Biosciences | Indian Academy of Sciences

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Amitraz is formamidine pesticide widely used as insecticide and acaricide. In veterinary medicine, amitraz has important uses against ticks, mites and lice on animals. Also, amitraz is used in apiculture to control Varroa destructor. It this study, the alkaline Comet assay was used to evaluate DNA damaging effects of amitraz ...

Stray dogs of northern Jordan as reservoirs of ticks and tick-borne hemopathogens

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Qablan, M.; Kubelová, M.; Široký, P.; Modrý, David; Amr, Z. S.

2012-01-01

Roč. 111, č. 1 (2012), s. 301-307 ISSN 0932-0113 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA206/09/0927 Grant - others:GA CR(CZ) GA524/09/0715 Keywords : ANAPLASMA-PHAGOCYTOPHILUM * GRANULOCYTIC EHRLICHIOSIS * MOLECULAR EVIDENCE * CANINE BABESIOSIS * HEPATOZOON-CANIS * ISRAEL * IXODIDAE * ACARI * COINFECTION * INFECTION Subject RIV: GJ - Animal Vermins ; Diseases, Veterinary Medicine Impact factor: 2.852, year: 2012

Statistical methods to quantify the effect of mite parasitism on the probability of death in honey bee colonies

Science.gov (United States)

Varroa destructor is a mite parasite of European honey bees, Apis mellifera, that weakens the population, can lead to the death of an entire honey bee colony, and is believed to be the parasite with the most economic impact on beekeeping. The purpose of this study was to estimate the probability of ...

Testing for non-target effects of spinosad on twospotted spider mites and their predator Phytoseiulus persimilis under greenhouse conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Holt, Kiffnie M; Opit, George P; Nechols, James R; Margolies, David C

2006-01-01

The compatibility of the selective insecticide spinosad (Conserve SC), at rates recommended for thrips control in greenhouses, with release of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) to control spider mites, was investigated in a crop of ivy geranium Pelargonium peltatum, cultivar 'Amethyst 96.' Plants were inoculated with twospotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), 2 weeks before treatments were applied. There were three treatment variables, each at two levels: predators (released or not), spray application (water or Conserve SC at 2 ml/3.79 l), and timing of spray (1 day before or after predators were released). Twospotted spider mite populations then were sampled twice each week over a three-week period. The application or timing of spinosad had no effect on the ability of the predator to reduce the population of spider mites. Spider mite populations in the no-predator treatment continued to expand over the course of the experiment, while those in the predator-release treatment declined. We conclude that P. persimilis can be used in conjunction with spinosad on ivy geraniums without causing obvious detrimental effects to this predator or leading to a reduction in biological control.

Acariasis on pet Burmese python, Python molurus bivittatus in Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mariana, A; Vellayan, S; Halimaton, I; Ho, T M

2011-03-01

To identify the acari present on pet Burmese pythons in Malaysia and to determine whether there is any potential public health risk related to handling of the snakes. Two sub-adult Burmese pythons kept as pets for a period of about 6 to 7 months by different owners, were brought to an exotic animal practice for treatment. On a complete medical examination, some ticks and mites (acari) were detected beneath the dorsal and ventral scales along body length of the snakes. Ticks were directly identified and mites were mounted prior to identification. A total of 12 ticks represented by 3 males, 2 females and 7 nymphal stages of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (R. sanguineus) were extracted from the first python while the other one was with 25 female Ophionyssus natricis (O. natricis) mesostigmatid mites. Only adult female mites were found. These mites are common ectoparasites of Burmese pythons. Both the acarine species found on the Burmese pythons are known vectors of pathogens. This is the first record that R. sanguineus has been reported from a pet Burmese python in Malaysia. Copyright © 2011 Hainan Medical College. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chlorotic spots on Clerodendrum, a disease caused by a nuclear type of Brevipalpus (Acari:Tenuipalpidae transmitted virus Mancha clorótica do Clerodendrum, uma enfermidade causada por um vírus do tipo nuclear, transmitido pelo ácaro Brevipalpus phoenicis (Acari:Tenuipalpidae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elliot Watanabe Kitajima

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Chlorotic spots have been observed in plants of Clerodendrum x speciosum growing in residential gardens and parks in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. Thin sections of diseased tissues revealed characteristic cytopathic effects of the nuclear type of the Brevipalpus (Acari: Tenuipalpidae mite-transmitted viruses (BTrV. Brevipalpus mites, identified as B. phoenicis, infesting symptomatic C. x speciosum plants transmitted the pathogen to healthy C. x speciosum and to C. thomsonae, Gomphrena globosa, Hibiscus cannabinus, H. coccineus, H. schizopetalus, Salvia leucantha, Spathiphyllum wallasi and Tetragonia expansa causing chlorotic spots on their leaves. Mechanical inoculation using leaf extracts from infected C. x speciosum resulted in chlorotic spots on inoculated C. x speciosum, Chenopodium quinoa, C. amaranticolor, G. globosa, H. cannabinus, H. coccineus and T. expansa leaves. C. amaranticolor and C. quinoa kept at 28 - 30°C became systemically infected. The same cytopathic effects caused by the nuclear type of BTrV were seen in tissues from all infected test plants by electron microscopy. The virus was purified from systemically infected leaves of C. amaranticolor and C. quinoa. A polyclonal antiserum obtained from an immunized rabbit presented a strong reaction with the homologous antigen in ELISA tests. The results suggest that this chlorotic spot disease of C. x speciosum is caused by a new species of the nuclear type of BTrV, tentatively named Clerodendrum chlorotic spot virus (ClCSV.Manchas cloróticas e necróticas foram observadas em folhas de várias plantas de coração-sangrento (Clerodendrum x speciosum cultivadas em parques e jardins em Piracicaba, SP, associadas à infestação pelo ácaro tenuipalpídeo Brevipalpus phoenicis. Exames preliminares de secções de tecido das manchas cloróticas ao microscópio eletrônico revelaram a ocorrência de efeitos citopáticos característicos dos induzidos pelos vírus do tipo nuclear, transmitido

Risk factors for the presence of Deformed wing virus and Acute bee paralysis virus under temperate and subtropical climate in Argentinian bee colonies.

Science.gov (United States)

Molineri, Ana; Giacobino, Agostina; Pacini, Adriana; Bulacio Cagnolo, Natalia; Fondevila, Norberto; Ferrufino, Cecilia; Merke, Julieta; Orellano, Emanuel; Bertozzi, Ezequiel; Masciángelo, Germán; Pietronave, Hernán; Signorini, Marcelo

2017-05-01

Beekeepers all across the world are suffering important losses of their colonies, and the parasitic mites Varroa destructor and Nosema sp, as well as several bee viruses, are being pointed out as the possible causes of these losses, generally associated with environmental and management factors. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the presence of seven virus species (Deformed wing virus -DWV-, Acute bee paralysis virus -ABPV-, Chronic bee paralysis virus -CBPV-, Black queen cell virus -BQCV-, Kashmir bee virus -KBV-, Israeli acute bee paralysis virus -IAPV-, and Sacbrood bee virus -SBV), as well as the prevalence of Nosema sp. and Varroa destructor, and their possible associated factors, under temperate and subtropical climate conditions in Argentinean colonies. A total of 385 colonies distributed in five Argentinean eco-regions were examined after honey harvest. The final multivariable model revealed only one variable associated with the presence of DWV and two with the presence of ABPV. The apiary random effect was significant in both cases (P=0.018; P=0.006, respectively). Colonies with a Varroa infestation rate >3% showed higher presence of DWV than colonies with <3% of Varroa infestation level (OR=1.91; 95% CI: 1.02-3.57; P<0.044). The same pattern was observed for the presence of ABPV (OR=2.23; 95% CI: 1.04-4.77; P<0.039). Also, colonies where replacement of old combs was not a common practice had higher presence of ABPV (OR=6.02; 95% CI: 1.16-31.25; P<0.033). Regardless of the location of the colonies, virus presence was strongly associated with V. destructor level. Therefore, all the factors that directly or indirectly influence the levels of mites will be also influencing the presence of the viruses. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Response of Pinus ponderosa Seedlings to Stylet-Bearing Nematodes

Science.gov (United States)

Viglierchio, D. R.

1979-01-01

Of 12 stylet-bearing nematodes used for inoculations, Pratylenchus penetrans, P. brachyurus, P. vulnus, Ditylenchus destructor, Meloidogyne incognita, M. javanica, and M. hapla reproduced on Pinus ponderosa, while Xiphinema index, Aphelenchus avenae, Paratylenehus neoamblycephalus, Tylenchulus semipenetrans, and Macroposthonia xenoplax did not. P. vulnus, P. brachyurus, P. penetrans, A. avenae, D. destructor, T. semipenetrans, and P. neoamblycephalus significantly suppressed both the shoot and root wet weights of ponderosa pine seedlings obtained from stands in five different locations. X. index significantly suppressed root wet weights, M. xenoplax siguificantly suppressed shoot wet weight, and M. incognita, M. javanica, and M. hapla suppressed neither at the inoculation levels used. Injurious nematodes tended to suppress root growth more than shoot growth. Seedlings from two locations produced greater shoot growth wet weight than did seedlings from the other three locations. The more injurious nematodes tended to cause an increase in the water content of shoots. Frequency analyses of seedling population shoot-root ratios indicated that ponderosa pine seedlings could be selected for better shoot-root ratios as well as for resistance to several pathogenic nematodes. PMID:19300659

Human Capital in the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Annemarie; Marinova, Svetla Trifonova

2018-01-01

Since Adam Smith (1776) took consideration to human capital as an asset of economic value, academic interest has focused on the economic effects of human capital. In 1931, Schumpeter called for a focus on the individual entrepreneur or the creative destructor with his/her motives, wishes, aspirat......Since Adam Smith (1776) took consideration to human capital as an asset of economic value, academic interest has focused on the economic effects of human capital. In 1931, Schumpeter called for a focus on the individual entrepreneur or the creative destructor with his/her motives, wishes......, aspirations and activities when dealing with entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs. Along these lines, this paper focuses on an in-depth investigation of the domain of human capital in Isenbergs Entrepreneurship Ecosystem. It captures the entrepreneurial mindset of the highly complex individual as a requisite...... for entrepreneurial success and ultimately, for business growth and development. The increasing literature debating human capital confirms the relevance of locating and refining the factors for entrepreneurial success. Consequently, this paper improves the roadmap of Entrepreneurship Ecosystems by adding the innate...

Chelicerata: Acari II

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Di Sabatino, A.; Gerecke, R.; Gledhill, T.; Smit, H.

2010-01-01

Chelicerata are a basically terrestrial group of invertebrates, including many clades whose representatives have never found an evolutionary way to aquatic live. An exception is made by some spiders and the highly diverse aquatic mites which in inland water habitats are represented by members of

Seminario C++, parte 4

OpenAIRE

Cachero Castro, Cristina; Ponce de León Amador, Pedro José

2007-01-01

Este seminario trata sobre principios de orientación a objetos con C++. Para comprender mejor sus contenidos, se debe tener un conocimiento básico sobre programación estructurada con C++ o C. Herencia simple. El destructor abstracto. Patrón de diseño singleton. Tipos enumerados. Declaraciones forward. Conversión entre objetos (upcasting/downcasting).

Operational Mosquito and Vector-Borne Diseases Surveillance at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

2017-05-23

of Biological Diversity , Columbus, OH, or the - cies and tested for arboviruses. Pools ranged from 1-25 mosquitoes depending on submission numbers...Rickettsia felis (Rickett- - phonaptera: Pulicidae) in the Philippines . J Ento- mol Sci. 2012;47:95-96. Mosquito surveillance data from Incirlik Air Base...Taylor SJ, Durden LA, Foley EH, Reeves WK. The bat tick Carios azteci (Acari: Argasidae) from Be- lize, with an endosymbiotic Coxiellaceae. Speleo

Application of radiochemical methods for development of new biological preparation designed for soil bioremediation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, A.A.; Djuraeva, G.T.; Djumaniyazova, G.I.; Yadgarov, Kh.T.

2006-01-01

Full text: Internationally the bioremediation of agricultural lands contaminated by persistent chloroorganic compounds by means of the microbial methods are used as the most low-cost and the most effective. One of the factors reducing efficacy of microbial degradation, is often the low quantity of microorganisms - destructors in the soil. Therefore, we have designed bioremediation technology of soils, contaminated by organochlorine compounds, with use of the alive microorganisms as active agent. We developed the biological preparation containing 5 aboriginal active strains of bacteria - destructors of persistent chloroorganic compounds and investigated the ability of biological preparation to increase the bioremediation potential of contaminated soils. To carry out the investigation we developed the complex of radiochemical methods with use of tritium labeled PCBs, including the following methods: 1.The method to define the accumulation and degradation of PCBs in soil bacteria in culture allows determination of quantitative characteristics of bacterial strains. 2. The method to define the PCBs degradation by soil bacteria strains in model conditions in the soil allows to estimate the PCB-destructive activity of strains after introducing in soil. 3. A method to define the PCB-destructive activity of own microbiota of contaminated soil. 4. A method to define the effect of stimulation of the PCB-destructive activity of biological preparation and own microbiota of soil with the help of biofertilizers. By using the developed radiochemical methods we have carried out investigation on creation of new biological preparation on the basis of strains of soil bacteria - destructors of PCBs. We also determined the quality and quantity characteristics of HCCH and PCBs-destructive activity of new biological preparation. It is shown that the new biological preparation is capable of accumulation and destruction of the PCBs in culture and in soil at model conditions. Thus, the

Introduction of Astigmatina and Oribatida Mites (Acari: Sarcoptiformes associated with Stored Food Products in Mashhad county

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zohre Khaleghabadian

2016-09-01

infested materials by using Berlese-Tullgreen funnel. The specimens were cleared using either pure Lactic acid or Nesbitt’s mixture and then mounted in Hoyer's medium as microscopic slides. Using relevant references, mites were identified and then sent to the third and fourth authors for confirmation. Type specimens are held in the Acarological laboratory, Department of Plant Protection, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. Results and Discussion: Among the identified species, Histiostoma sapromyzarum (Dufour has reported from Iran for the first time. New records for the study area are indicated by an asterisk. The list of identifying species is as below: I- Astigmatina- 1- Family Acaridae: Aleuroglyphus ovatus (Troupeau*, Caloglyphus berlesie Michael, Acarus siro Linnaeus, Rhizoglyphus echinopus (Fumouze & Robin*, R. robini Clapared, Tyrophagus longior Gervais*, T.putrescentiae (Schrank, 2- Family Chortoglyphidae: Chortoglyphus arcuatus (Troupeau*, 3- Family Glycyphagidae: Lepidoglyphus destructor (Schrank*, 4- Histiostomatidae: Histiostoma feroniarum (Dufour*, H. sapromyzarum (Dufour, 5- Suidasiidae: Suidasia nesbitti Hughes*. II- Oribatida- 1- Family Aphelacaridae: Aphelacarus acarinus (Berlese*, 2- Family Cosmochthoniidae: Cosmochthonius sp.*, 3- Family Ctenacaridae: Ctenacarus araneola (Grandjean*, 4- Family Galumnidae: Galumnadis cifera Balogh*, Galumnakarajica Mahunka & Akrami*, 5- Family Haplozetidae: Haplozetes sp.*, 6- Family Mesoplophoridae: Mesoplophora sp.*, 7- Family Oppiidae: Lasiobelba sp.*, 8- Family Oribatulidae: Oribatula (Oribatula sp.*, O. (Zygoribatula sp.*, O.(Zygoribatula connexa Berlese*, O. (Zygoribatula exarata Berlese*, 9- Family Scheloribatidae: Scheloribates fimbriatus Thor*. Conclusion: In this study, 12 species of Astigmatina belonging to 9 genera of 5 families and 13 species of oribatid mites were collected and identified. Among them, one species, namely Histiosomas apromyzarum (Dufour is a new record for the fauna of Iran. Twenty

Bioinsecticide-predator interactions: azadirachtin behavioral and reproductive impairment of the coconut mite predator Neoseiulus baraki.

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Debora B Lima

Full Text Available Synthetic pesticide use has been the dominant form of pest control since the 1940s. However, biopesticides are emerging as sustainable pest control alternatives, with prevailing use in organic agricultural production systems. Foremost among botanical biopesticides is the limonoid azadirachtin, whose perceived environmental safety has come under debate and scrutiny in recent years. Coconut production, particularly organic coconut production, is one of the agricultural systems in which azadirachtin is used as a primary method of pest control for the management of the invasive coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae. The management of this mite species also greatly benefits from predation by Neoseiulus baraki (Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae. Here, we assessed the potential behavioral impacts of azadirachtin on the coconut mite predator, N. baraki. We explored the effects of this biopesticide on overall predator activity, female searching time, and mating behavior and fecundity. Azadirachtin impairs the overall activity of the predator, reducing it to nearly half; however, female searching was not affected. In contrast, mating behavior was compromised by azadirachtin exposure particularly when male predators were exposed to the biopesticide. Consequently, predator fecundity was also compromised by azadirachtin, furthering doubts about its environmental safety and selectivity towards biological control agents.

Bioinsecticide-predator interactions: azadirachtin behavioral and reproductive impairment of the coconut mite predator Neoseiulus baraki.

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, Debora B; Melo, José Wagner S; Guedes, Nelsa Maria P; Gontijo, Lessando M; Guedes, Raul Narciso C; Gondim, Manoel Guedes C

2015-01-01

Synthetic pesticide use has been the dominant form of pest control since the 1940s. However, biopesticides are emerging as sustainable pest control alternatives, with prevailing use in organic agricultural production systems. Foremost among botanical biopesticides is the limonoid azadirachtin, whose perceived environmental safety has come under debate and scrutiny in recent years. Coconut production, particularly organic coconut production, is one of the agricultural systems in which azadirachtin is used as a primary method of pest control for the management of the invasive coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae). The management of this mite species also greatly benefits from predation by Neoseiulus baraki (Athias-Henriot) (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Here, we assessed the potential behavioral impacts of azadirachtin on the coconut mite predator, N. baraki. We explored the effects of this biopesticide on overall predator activity, female searching time, and mating behavior and fecundity. Azadirachtin impairs the overall activity of the predator, reducing it to nearly half; however, female searching was not affected. In contrast, mating behavior was compromised by azadirachtin exposure particularly when male predators were exposed to the biopesticide. Consequently, predator fecundity was also compromised by azadirachtin, furthering doubts about its environmental safety and selectivity towards biological control agents.

Impact of pest control strategies on the arthropodofauna living in bird nests built in nestboxes in pear and apple orchards.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, Lise; Bouvier, Jean-Charles; Lavigne, Claire; Galès, Mathieu; Buronfosse, Thierry

2013-08-01

Pesticide applications have a strong impact on biodiversity in agroecosystems. The present study aimed to assess the impact of pest control strategies on the arthropodofauna of Parus major nests built within nestboxes installed in orchards. Unlike many studied groups, these arthropod communities are not in direct contact with pesticide sprays (on account of their being sheltered by nestboxes) and are also unable to move away from the treated area. In this pilot study, we estimated the prevalence and the taxonomic and ecological diversities of arthropodofauna sampled in the nests and assessed the extent to which the whole and nest-specific arthropodofauna were affected by pest control strategies. Sixteen different insect and arachnid Primary Taxonomic Groups (PTGs, order level or below) were found in nests. The best represented PTGs (≥10% occurrence in years 2007 and 2008) were Psocoptera (Insecta, detritivorous/saprophagous), detritivorous/saprophagous Astigmata (Acari) and hematophagous Mesostigmata (Acari). Pest control strategies had a large impact on the prevalence of arthropods in nests, with higher proportions of nests hosting arthropods in organic orchards than in conventional orchards and with intermediate proportions in nests in Integrated Pest Management orchards. In contrast, pest control strategies had no significant effect on the composition of the arthropod communities when only nests hosting nidicolous arthropods were considered.

Interaction between two predator mites of Tetranychus urticae koch (Acariformes: Tetranychidae) in laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arguelles R, Angelica; Plazas, Natali; Bustos R, Alexander; Cantor R, Fernando; Rodriguez, Daniel; Hilarion, Alejandra

2013-01-01

Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) is an important pest of ornamental crops. A species of predatory mite used for its control is Neoseiulus californicus and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae). This research proposes the use of joint releases of the two cited predators for the control of the pest. Several situations leading to interaction were evaluated: high density of one predator and low density of the other one, being the prey present or absent. The scenario with predators in equal densities and in presence of the prey was also evaluated. When a predator is in higher density and the prey present, the predator with the lower density increases the interference with the consumption of preys by the predator with higher density. On the other hand, when the consumption of T. urticae reduces, intraguild predation increases. P. persimilis shows intraguild predation behavior when t. urticae is absent and N. californicus is present, consuming all developmental stages of its conspecific. Instead, N. californicus only feed on conspecific larvae, when the fitofagous was absent and P. persimilis was present. When the two predators were present in the same assemblage and with the same population density, the quantity of T. urticae consumed by both of them was not higher than the consumed one when each predator was present in separate way.

Rapid parallel evolution overcomes global honey bee parasite.

Science.gov (United States)

Oddie, Melissa; Büchler, Ralph; Dahle, Bjørn; Kovacic, Marin; Le Conte, Yves; Locke, Barbara; de Miranda, Joachim R; Mondet, Fanny; Neumann, Peter

2018-05-16

In eusocial insect colonies nestmates cooperate to combat parasites, a trait called social immunity. However, social immunity failed for Western honey bees (Apis mellifera) when the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor switched hosts from Eastern honey bees (Apis cerana). This mite has since become the most severe threat to A. mellifera world-wide. Despite this, some isolated A. mellifera populations are known to survive infestations by means of natural selection, largely by supressing mite reproduction, but the underlying mechanisms of this are poorly understood. Here, we show that a cost-effective social immunity mechanism has evolved rapidly and independently in four naturally V. destructor-surviving A. mellifera populations. Worker bees of all four 'surviving' populations uncapped/recapped worker brood cells more frequently and targeted mite-infested cells more effectively than workers in local susceptible colonies. Direct experiments confirmed the ability of uncapping/recapping to reduce mite reproductive success without sacrificing nestmates. Our results provide striking evidence that honey bees can overcome exotic parasites with simple qualitative and quantitative adaptive shifts in behaviour. Due to rapid, parallel evolution in four host populations this appears to be a key mechanism explaining survival of mite infested colonies.

Stable genetic diversity despite parasite and pathogen spread in honey bee colonies

Science.gov (United States)

Jara, Laura; Muñoz, Irene; Cepero, Almudena; Martín-Hernández, Raquel; Serrano, José; Higes, Mariano; De la Rúa, Pilar

2015-10-01

In the last decades, the rapid spread of diseases, such as varroosis and nosemosis, associated with massive honey bee colonies mortality around the world has significantly decreased the number and size of honey bee populations and possibly their genetic diversity. Here, we compare the genetic diversity of Iberian honey bee colonies in two samplings performed in 2006 and 2010 in relation to the presence of the pathogenic agents Nosema apis, Nosema ceranae, and Varroa destructor in order to determine whether parasite and pathogen spread in honey bee colonies reflects changes in genetic diversity. We found that the genetic diversity remained similar, while the incidence of N. ceranae increased and the incidence of N. apis and V. destructor decreased slightly. These results indicate that the genetic diversity was not affected by the presence of these pathogenic agents in the analyzed period. However, the two groups of colonies with and without Nosema/Varroa detected showed significant genetic differentiation (G test). A detailed analysis of the allelic segregation of microsatellite loci in Nosema/Varroa-negative colonies and parasitized ones revealed two outlier loci related to genes involved in immune response.

Stable genetic diversity despite parasite and pathogen spread in honey bee colonies.

Science.gov (United States)

Jara, Laura; Muñoz, Irene; Cepero, Almudena; Martín-Hernández, Raquel; Serrano, José; Higes, Mariano; De la Rúa, Pilar

2015-10-01

In the last decades, the rapid spread of diseases, such as varroosis and nosemosis, associated with massive honey bee colonies mortality around the world has significantly decreased the number and size of honey bee populations and possibly their genetic diversity. Here, we compare the genetic diversity of Iberian honey bee colonies in two samplings performed in 2006 and 2010 in relation to the presence of the pathogenic agents Nosema apis, Nosema ceranae, and Varroa destructor in order to determine whether parasite and pathogen spread in honey bee colonies reflects changes in genetic diversity. We found that the genetic diversity remained similar, while the incidence of N. ceranae increased and the incidence of N. apis and V. destructor decreased slightly. These results indicate that the genetic diversity was not affected by the presence of these pathogenic agents in the analyzed period. However, the two groups of colonies with and without Nosema/Varroa detected showed significant genetic differentiation (G test). A detailed analysis of the allelic segregation of microsatellite loci in Nosema/Varroa-negative colonies and parasitized ones revealed two outlier loci related to genes involved in immune response.

A real-time PCR method for quantification of the total and major variant strains of the deformed wing virus.

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Emma L Bradford

Full Text Available European honey bees (Apis mellifera are critically important to global food production by virtue of their pollination services but are severely threatened by deformed wing virus (DWV especially in the presence of the external parasite Varroa destructor. DWV exists as many viral strains with the two major variants (DWV-A and DWV-B varying in virulence. A single plasmid standard was constructed containing three sections for the specific determination of DWV-A (VP2 capsid region, DWV-B (IRES and a conserved region suitable for total DWV (helicase region. The assays were confirmed as specific and discriminatory with limits of detections of 25, 25 and 50 genome equivalents for DWV-A, DWV-B and total-DWV, respectively. The methods were successfully tested on Apis mellifera and V. destructor samples with varying DWV profiles. The new method determined a more accurate total DWV titre in samples with substantial DWV-B than the method currently described in the COLOSS Beebook. The proposed assays could be utilized for the screening of large quantities of bee material for both a total DWV load overview along with more detailed investigations into DWV-A and DWV-B profiles.

Like a glove: do the dimensions of male adanal suckers and tritonymphal female docking papillae correlate in the Proctophyllodidae (Astigmata: Analgoidea)?

OpenAIRE

Byers , K.A.; Proctor , H.C.

2014-01-01

International audience; Precopulatory guarding of tritonymphal females by adult males is common in feather mites (Acari: Astigmata). Within the Proctophyllodidae (Astigmata: Analgoidea), some genera possess morphological features in both sexes that have been suggested to enhance male attachment. One such structure in tritonymphal females is the development of a pair of fleshy lobe-like docking papillae, while males possess a pair of ventral adanal suckers that are proposed to fit over top of ...

Investigation of Demodex folliculorum frequency in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome*

OpenAIRE

Eser, Ayla; Erpolat, Seval; Kaygusuz, Ikbal; Balci, Hatice; Kosus, Aydin

2017-01-01

Abstract: Background: Background: Demodex mites are acari that reside in the pilosebaceous unit of the skin and have been associated with skin disorders. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Demodex folliculorum (D. folliculorum) mites in polycystic ovary syndrome patients as well as to examine the relationship between Demodex infestation and the presence of acne and oily or dry skin types in polycystic ovary syndrome patients. Methods: 41 polycystic ...

Improved methods for measuring radioactive tracer accumulation and excretion by microarthropods, with applications for a mite species, Tyrophagus longior (Acarina, Acaridae)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbott, D.T.; Crossley, D.A. Jr.

1980-01-01

Radioisotope retention measurements of 85 Sr and 51 Cr in Tyrophagus longior (Gervais) (Acari: Acaridae) were fit to 2 and 1 component models. Biological half-life for the rapid component of both radioisotopes was about 10 hours, with assimilation of 85 Sr being 62%. The identification of 51 Cr turnover as gut clearance must remain tentative. An inexpensive disposable culture chamber for measuring radioisotope retention in microarthropods is described along with details of methodology

Caracterização de um vírus baciliforme isolado de Solanum violaefolium transmitido pelos ácaros Brevipalpus phoenicis e Brevipalpus obovatus (Acari: Tenuipalpidae Characterization of a bacilliform virus isolated from Solanum violaefolium transmitted by the tenuipalpid mites Brevipalpus phoenicis and Brevipalpus obovatus

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Paulo de Tarso Oliveira Ferreira

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Solano-violeta (Solanum violaefolium é uma planta ornamental rasteira usada para cobrir solos de áreas sombreadas. Um vírus que induz manchas anelares nas folhas desta planta, tentativamente designado Solanum violaefolium ringspot virus - SvRSV, transmitido pelo ácaro Brevipalpus phoenicis (Acari: Tenuipalpidae foi encontrado em Piracicaba, SP. Trata-se de um vírus baciliforme que se assemelha a outros vírus do tipo citoplasmático transmitidos por Brevipalpus sp. Este trabalho teve como objetivo relatar propriedades biológicas e estabelecer uma caracterização molecular parcial do SvRSV. O vírus pode ser transmitido mecanicamente a várias outras espécies botânicas, causando lesões localizadas. Entre as espécies avaliadas, Datura stramonium mostrou-se a melhor hospedeira experimental. Observou-se também a manifestação de sintomas nestas plantas após infestação das mesmas por B. obovatus previamente alimentado em lesões de SvRSV, confirmando esta outra espécie de ácaro como vetor do vírus. Suas propriedades físicas in vitro foram: temperatura de inativação 40-45 ºC; ponto final de diluição 10-3-10-4; longevidade in vitro 12 dias. Em secções ultrafinas, as partículas do SvRSV mostraram-se levemente mais delgadas e mais longas que as de outros vírus do mesmo grupo. A partir do dsRNA do SvRSV foi construída uma biblioteca de cDNA e foram identificadas duas possíveis regiões codificadoras das proteínas de movimento e replicase viral. Baseado nestas regiões foram desenhados "primers" para amplificação do RNA do SvRSV por RT-PCR. Sondas baseadas nas seqüências obtidas hibridizaram com ss- e dsRNA de D. stramonium infectadas pelo vírus. Ensaios preliminares de RT-PCR e hibridização não resultaram em reação com o vírus da leprose dos citros, tipo citoplasmático (CiLV-C.Solanum violaefolium is an ornamental plant, with prostrate, trailing growth habit and is cultivated in shaded areas. A virus that causes

Efeito da solarização e da adubação sobre artrópodes em solo cultivado com alface Solarization, organic and chemical fertilization combined effects on arthropods community in soil cultivated with lettuce

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Marlene G da Silva

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Avaliou-se o efeito da solarização e da adubação química e orgânica na comunidade de artrópodes de solo na cultura da alface, cv. Verônica. Foram conduzidos dois experimentos, em blocos ao acaso, um com solarização e o outro sem solarização, em casa de vegetação, ambos com cinco tratamentos: adubação orgânica; nitrogênio na forma amoniacal (NH4; adubação com NPK; adubação orgânica + NPK; testemunha (sem adubação. No experimento solarizado, o solo foi coberto durante 132 dias com plástico transparente. Os artrópodes foram coletados por meio de armadilhas tipo alçapão em três épocas (antes da implantação do experimento, após a solarização e após a colheita. Foram utilizados índices faunísticos e de diversidade em cada experimento, tratamento e épocas. Os principais grupos coletados foram: Collembola (82,8%, Acari (7,1%, Hymenoptera (6,1% Coleoptera (1,3% e outros (2,7%. A classe Collembola foi a mais abundante, mesmo na colheita, quando a subordem Acari aumentou substancialmente. As espécies de Collembola predominantes foram: Proisotoma tenella (Reuter (34,3%; Seira atrolutea (Arlé (29%; Folsomides centralis (Denis (7,2%; Isotomurus sp. 161 (2,4% e Sminthurides sp. 98 (1,6%. Observou-se que a diversidade e abundância da comunidade de artrópodes não foi influenciada pela solarização ou adubação.To evaluate the effect of solarization, chemical and organic fertilization on soil arthropods community in lettuce, two blocks plots trials were carried out in Brasília, Brazil. One research was conducted with solarization and the other without solarization in a soil cultivated with lettuce, cv Veronica, under protected cultivation. Each trial consisted of five fertilization treatments: T1= organic fertilization; T2= amoniacal nitrogen (ammonium sulphate; T3= chemical fertilization; T4= organic and chemical fertilization; T5= control (without fertilization. In the solarized trial, the soil was covered for 132

Evaluation of skin sensitivity in dogs bearing allergic dermatitis to standardized allergenic extract of house dust and storage mites Avaliação da sensibilidade de cães com dermatite alérgica a extratos padronizados de ácaros da poeira domiciliar

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Victor E.S. Cunha

2007-08-01

Full Text Available The objective of the study was to evaluate whether allergenic extracts of five house dust and storage mite species standardized for humans might be used for the diagnosis of canine atopic dermatitis (CAD. Extracts of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Pyroglyphidae, D. farinae (Pyroglyphidae, Blomia tropicalis (Glycyphagidae, Lepidoglyphus destructor (Glycyphagidae and Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Acaridae were evaluated by intradermal testing in 20 healthy dogs (control and 25 dogs with allergic dermatitis. A significant difference in the response was observed between the two groups (pO presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar se extratos alergênicos de cinco espécies de ácaros da poeira domiciliar e produtos armazenados, padronizados para humanos, podem ser utilizados no diagnóstico da dermatite atópica canina. Extratos de Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Pyroglyphidae, D. farinae (Pyroglyphidae, Blomia tropicalis (Glycyphagidae, Lepidoglyphus destructor (Glycyphagidae e Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Acaridae foram avaliados através de testes intradérmicos em 45 cães, dos quais 20 normais e 25 com dermatite alérgica. Uma diferença significativa foi observada no padrão de respostas obtidas dos dois grupos (p<0.05. Apenas um animal (5% do grupo controle reagiu ao teste cutâneo, enquanto que no grupo dos alérgicos 14 cães (56% apresentaram pelo menos uma reação positiva (odds ratio = 24.2. As maiores freqüências de reações positivas observadas no grupo dos alérgicos foram aos extratos de T. putres-centiae ou L. destructor, cada um induzindo reações em 10(40% cães. Os extratos de D. farinae, D. pteronyssinus e B. tropicalis foram responsáveis por reações positivas em 7(28%, 3(12% e 3(12% cães, respectivamente. Os extratos padronizados para humanos avaliados no presente estudo podem ser utilizados como complemento no diagnóstico da doença, assim como na seleção de alérgenos para a imunoterapia alérgeno-específica.

A Geographical Information System Based Approach for Integrated Strategies of Tick Surveillance and Control in the Peri-Urban Natural Reserve of Monte Pellegrino (Palermo, Southern Italy)

OpenAIRE

Alessandra Torina; Valeria Blanda; Marcellocalogero Blanda; Michelangelo Auteri; Francesco La Russa; Salvatore Scimeca; Rosalia D’Agostino; Rosaria Disclafani; Sara Villari; Vittoria Currò; Santo Caracappa

2018-01-01

Ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) are bloodsucking arthropods involved in pathogen transmission in animals and humans. Tick activity depends on various ecological factors such as vegetation, hosts, and temperature. The aim of this study was to analyse the spatial/temporal distribution of ticks in six sites within a peri-urban area of Palermo (Natural Reserve of Monte Pellegrino) and correlate it with field data using Geographical Information System (GIS) data. A total of 3092 ticks were gathered via dr...

Hydrobiological study of the small stream on the Czech–Moravian Highlands

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Ivo Sukop

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Zoobenthos of the Fryšávka Rivulet was investigated in the years 2007–2008. Research included also physico-chemical factors of water (temperature, pH, conductivity, oxygen saturation. Altogether, 144 taxa of zoobenthos were determined in the Fryšávka Rivulet: Coelenterata (1 taxon, Turbellaria (1 taxon, Oligochaeta (6 taxa, Hirudinea (1 taxon, Mollusca (5 taxa, Amphipoda (1 taxon, Decapoda (1 taxon, Acari (1 taxon, Ephemeroptera (18 taxa, Plecoptera (18 taxa, Heteroptera (1 taxon, Megaloptera (1 taxon, Planipennia (1 taxon, Trichoptera (36 taxa, Coleoptera (8 taxa, Diptera (44 taxa. Altogether, 76 taxa of zoobenthos were determined in Medlovka brook: Coelenterata (1 taxon, Turbellaria (1 taxon, Oligochaeta (2 taxa, Mollusca (1 taxon, Isopoda (1 taxon, Amphipoda (1 taxon, Acari (1 taxon, Ephemeroptera (14 taxa, Plecoptera (8 taxa, Megaloptera (1 taxon, Trichoptera (17 taxa, Coleoptera (6 taxa, Diptera (22 taxa.The average abundance of zoobenthos of the Fryšávka Rivulet was 3208 ind.m−2, the average biomass was 7.5 g . m−2, respectively. The same values for the Medlovka brook were: abundance 3238 ind.m−2 and biomass 5.8 g . m−2. The average value of the saprobic index for the whole Fryšávka Rivulet was 1.25 (oligosaprobity, for the Medlovka brook 1.42 (oligosaprobity.

Evidence for positive selection and recombination hotspots in Deformed wing virus (DWV).

Science.gov (United States)

Dalmon, A; Desbiez, C; Coulon, M; Thomasson, M; Le Conte, Y; Alaux, C; Vallon, J; Moury, B

2017-01-25

Deformed wing virus (DWV) is considered one of the most damaging pests in honey bees since the spread of its vector, Varroa destructor. In this study, we sequenced the whole genomes of two virus isolates and studied the evolutionary forces that act on DWV genomes. The isolate from a Varroa-tolerant bee colony was characterized by three recombination breakpoints between DWV and the closely related Varroa destructor virus-1 (VDV-1), whereas the variant from the colony using conventional Varroa management was similar to the originally described DWV. From the complete sequence dataset, nine independent DWV-VDV-1 recombination breakpoints were detected, and recombination hotspots were found in the 5' untranslated region (5' UTR) and the conserved region encoding the helicase. Partial sequencing of the 5' UTR and helicase-encoding region in 41 virus isolates suggested that most of the French isolates were recombinants. By applying different methods based on the ratio between non-synonymous (dN) and synonymous (dS) substitution rates, we identified four positions that showed evidence of positive selection. Three of these positions were in the putative leader protein (Lp), and one was in the polymerase. These findings raise the question of the putative role of the Lp in viral evolution.

Antennae hold a key to Varroa-sensitive hygiene behaviour in honey bees.

Science.gov (United States)

Mondet, Fanny; Alaux, Cédric; Severac, Dany; Rohmer, Marine; Mercer, Alison R; Le Conte, Yves

2015-05-22

In honey bees, Varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH) behaviour, which involves the detection and removal of brood parasitised by the mite Varroa destructor, can actively participate in the survival of colonies facing Varroa outbreaks. This study investigated the mechanisms of VSH behaviour, by comparing the antennal transcriptomes of bees that do and do not perform VSH behaviour. Results indicate that antennae likely play a key role in the expression of VSH behaviour. Comparisons with the antennal transcriptome of nurse and forager bees suggest that VSH profile is more similar to that of nurse bees than foragers. Enhanced detection of certain odorants in VSH bees may be predicted from transcriptional patterns, as well as a higher metabolism and antennal motor activity. Interestingly, Deformed wing virus/Varroa destructor virus infections were detected in the antennae, with higher level in non-VSH bees; a putative negative impact of viral infection on bees' ability to display VSH behaviour is proposed. These results bring new perspectives to the understanding of VSH behaviour and the evolution of collective defence by focusing attention on the importance of the peripheral nervous system. In addition, such data might be useful for promoting marker-assisted selection of honey bees that can survive Varroa infestations.

Influence of Cultivars and Seed Thermal Treatment on the Development of Fungal Pathogens in Carrot and Onion Plants

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Martin Koudela

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Carrot and onion are vegetables representing an important segment of fresh market. They suffer from serious fungal diseases that can inflict great damage on crops, i.e. alternaria leaf blight, peronospora downy mildew, and botrytis neck rot. The resistance of selected carrot and onion cultivars important for the production of vegetables in the Czech Republic was tested by exposure to targeted infection by the above fungal pathogens. The exposure of eleven carrot cultivars to spores of Alternaria dauci showed that the most resistant and sensitive cultivars were Katrin, Cortina F1, Afalon F1 and Favorit, Tinga, Berlika F1, respectively. A targeted infection of onion cultivars with Botrytis aclada clustered them into three groups: Amfora F1, Bolero, Tosca, Triumf F1 (strong resistance, Avalon, Grenada (medium resistance, Alice, Karmen, Všetana (low resistance. Similar groups were distinguished also after the infection with Peronospora destructor: Avalon, Bolero, Tosca (strong resistance, Alice, Amfora F1, Grenada, Karmen, Triumf F1 (medium resistance,Všetana (low resistance. Hot water treatment of carrot seeds applied after the inoculation with A. dauci decreased the development of the infection 1.3-2.3-fold, whereas the protective effect observed with onion seeds against the infection by P. destructor and B. aclada was lower.

How I quit the government and learned how to ban the bomb

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smallbridge, J.

1997-03-01

A piece of equipment designed for destroying chemical warfare agents was discussed. A former scientist with Environment Canada, founder of ELI EcoLogic Inc., of Rockwood, Ontario, has designed and built the SE25 ELI Destructor, a `toxin-eating` machine that is portable, energy efficient and produces no emissions. The machine was designed primarily to handle toxic wastes from industry through a process called gas phase chemical reduction. Waste is forced through high-pressure nozzles into a sealed heated chamber to which hydrogen is added to force the toxic molecules to break apart. Hydrogen chloride and water are then scrubbed from the methane gas. The methane is used to heat the unit and keep the process going; the water is pure enough for irrigation. The hydrogen chloride has many industrial uses and many willing buyers. Leftover contaminated material is a manageable fraction of its original volume. The fledgling environmental company landed a U.S. Army contract to destroy chemical weapons at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds and the Army`s Newport chemical depot in Indiana. Other units are at work at General Motors, and a unit is being built for service in Australia. The Destructor passed early trials testing with an high efficiency ratings, destroying 99.999999% of the toxic agents.

Mating Frequencies of Honey Bee Queens (Apis mellifera L.) in a Population of Feral Colonies in the Northeastern United States

OpenAIRE

Tarpy, David R.; Delaney, Deborah A.; Seeley, Thomas D.

2015-01-01

Across their introduced range in North America, populations of feral honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies have supposedly declined in recent decades as a result of exotic parasites, most notably the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor. Nonetheless, recent studies have documented several wild populations of colonies that have persisted. The extreme polyandry of honey bee queens-and the increased intracolony genetic diversity it confers-has been attributed, in part, to improved disease resis...

High-Resolution Linkage Analyses to Identify Genes That Influence Varroa Sensitive Hygiene Behavior in Honey Bees

OpenAIRE

Tsuruda, Jennifer M.; Harris, Jeffrey W.; Bourgeois, Lanie; Danka, Robert G.; Hunt, Greg J.

2012-01-01

Varroa mites (V. destructor) are a major threat to honey bees (Apis melilfera) and beekeeping worldwide and likely lead to colony decline if colonies are not treated. Most treatments involve chemical control of the mites; however, Varroa has evolved resistance to many of these miticides, leaving beekeepers with a limited number of alternatives. A non-chemical control method is highly desirable for numerous reasons including lack of chemical residues and decreased likelihood of resistance. Var...

Apiculture and Bee Health in Central Sweden

OpenAIRE

Larne, Olof

2014-01-01

Pollination necessary for the agricultural crop production affects the functions of the ecosystems on earth. In landscapes where wild pollinators are decreasing, honey bees promote the maintenance of plant species, therefore honey bee losses are of great concern. Current honey bee colony losses (Apis mellifera) worldwide are caused by Colony collapse disorder, the mite Varroa destructor and pesticides. This results in the honey bees weakened immune defenses making them susceptible to differen...

Genetic diversity of Mayetiola destructor and Mayetiola hordei ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

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simple sequence repeats (ISSRs). Maha MEZGHANI KHEMAKHEM1, Mohamed MARRAKCHI1 and Hanem MAKNI1,2*. 1Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, Immunologie et Biotechnologie, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, 2092 El. Manar, Tunisie. 2Institut Supérieur de l'Animation pour la Jeunesse et la Culture de Bir ...

Influence of long-term exposure to simulated acid rain on development, reproduction and acaricide susceptibility of the carmine spider mite, Tetranychus cinnabarinus

OpenAIRE

Wang, Jin-Jun; Zhang, Jian-Ping; He, Lin; Zhao, Zhi-Mo

2006-01-01

Development, reproduction and acaricide susceptibility of Tetranychus cinnabarinus (Boisduvals) (Acari: Tetranychidae) were investigated after long-term (about 40 generations) exposure to various levels of acid rain; pH 2.5, 3.0, 4.0, and 5.6. Deionized water (pH 6.8) served as a control. The mites were reared on eggplant leaves at 28?C, 80%RH and a photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D) in the laboratory. The results showed that the duration of the immature stage was significantly affected by acid rain ...

Can Euseius alatus DeLeon (Acari: Phytoseiidae) prey on Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae) in coconut palm?; Pode Euseius alatus DeLeon (Acari: Phytoseiidae) predar Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae) em coqueiro?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Melo, Jose W. da S.; Domingos, Cleiton A.; Gondim Junior, Manoel G.C. [Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, PE (Brazil). Dept. de Agronomia. Area de Fitossanidade]. E-mail: mguedes@depa.ufrpe.br; Moraes, Gilberto J. de [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), Piracicaba, SP (Brazil). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Dept. de Entomologia, Fitopatologia e Zoologia Agricola]. E-mail: gjmoraes@carpa.ciagri.usp.br

2009-01-15

Mites of the genus Euseius are generally considered specialist as pollen feeders. Euseius alatus DeLeon is one of the six species of phytoseiid mites most commonly found on coconut plants in northeast Brazil associated with Aceria guerreronis Keifer. Although the morphology of E. alatus does not favor the exploitation of the meristematic area of the fruit inhabited by A. guerreronis, the predator may have some role in the control of this eriophyid during the dispersion process. The objective of this work was to evaluate the development and reproduction of E. alatus on the following diets: A. guerreronis, Ricinus communis pollen (Euphorbiaceae), and Tetranychus urticae Koch (Tetranychidae) + R. communis pollen + honey solution 10%. Euseius alatus developed slightly faster and had slightly higher oviposition rate when feeding on the diet composed of T. urticae + pollen + honey. However, life table parameters were very similar on all diets, suggesting that E. alatus may contribute in reducing the population of A. guerreronis in the field. (author)

An epidemiological model of viral infections in a Varroa-infested bee colony: the case of a bee-dependent mite population size

OpenAIRE

Bernardi, Sara; Venturino, Ezio

2016-01-01

In recent years the spread of the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor has become the most serious threat to worldwide apiculture. In the model presented here we extend the bee population dynamics with mite viral epidemiology examined in an earlier paper by allowing a bee-dependent mite population size. The results of the analysis match field observations well and give a clear explanation of how Varroa affects the epidemiology of certain naturally occurring bee viruses, causing considerable d...

Selection of VSH-derived “Pol-line” honey bees and evaluation of their Varroa-resistance characteristics

OpenAIRE

Danka , Robert G.; Harris , Jeffery W.; Dodds , Garrett E.

2016-01-01

International audience; AbstractHoney bees with Varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH) have good resistance to Varroa destructor. We bred “Pol-line” bees by outcrossing VSH queens to US commercial stocks from 2008 to 2014 and then selecting colonies with low mite infestations. Beginning in 2011, field performance of colonies with outcrossed Pol-line queens was compared to colonies with outcrossed VSH queens. Mite infestations after one season were comparable in colonies of the two bee types. Queens f...

Varroa Sensitive Hygiene contributes to naturally selected varroa resistance in honey bees

OpenAIRE

Panziera, Delphine; Langevelde, van, Frank; Blacquière, Tjeerd

2017-01-01

The parasitic mite Varroa destructor is a serious threat for western honey bee colonies and beekeepers are compelled to control it to keep their colonies healthy. Yet, by controlling varroa no resistance to the parasite can evolve. As a trial, honey bee colonies have been left untreated in isolated locations to allow development of resistance or tolerance to the mite. These colonies developed an ability to live without control measures against varroa, although the traits responsible for this ...

Antennae hold a key to Varroa-sensitive hygiene behaviour in honey bees

OpenAIRE

Mondet, Fanny; Alaux, C?dric; Severac, Dany; Rohmer, Marine; Mercer, Alison R.; Le Conte, Yves

2015-01-01

In honey bees, Varroa sensitive hygiene (VSH) behaviour, which involves the detection and removal of brood parasitised by the mite Varroa destructor, can actively participate in the survival of colonies facing Varroa outbreaks. This study investigated the mechanisms of VSH behaviour, by comparing the antennal transcriptomes of bees that do and do not perform VSH behaviour. Results indicate that antennae likely play a key role in the expression of VSH behaviour. Comparisons with the antennal t...

Comparação econômica entre controle biológico e químico para o manejo de ácaro-vermelho em macieira Economic comparison of biological and chemical control in the management of red spider mites in apple orchard

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Lino Bittencourt Monteiro

2006-12-01

Full Text Available O ácaro-vermelho da macieira, Panonychus ulmi (Acari: Tetranychidae, é uma importante praga na cultura da macieira em Fraiburgo - SC, e o controle biológico aplicado foi implantado em meados dos anos 90. O objetivo deste trabalho foi demonstrar os benefícios econômicos da utilização do controle biológico no manejo do ácaro-vermelho. A avaliação foi realizada em dois pomares comerciais de macieiras. Em um deles, foi implantado o controle biológico aplicado de ácaros, baseado na liberação do ácaro predador Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae, seleção de inseticidas e manejo de ervas invasoras, e o outro pomar seguiu o manejo convencional de artrópodes, baseado na aplicação de produtos químicos para o controle de insetos, ácaros fitófagos e ervas invasoras. A análise econômica mostrou que os custos com mão-de-obra e máquinas foram semelhantes em ambos os pomares, entretanto os custos com acaricidas foram significativamente inferiores no pomar onde o manejo foi o controle biológico, demonstrando que, apesar da necessidade de investimentos em instalações para a criação do ácaro predador e custos de manutenção das mesmas, a estratégia biológica foi economicamente viável.Red spider mite, Panonychus ulmi (Acari: Tetranychidae is a significant pest in apple tree in Fraiburgo, Santa Catarina (SC and applied biological control was implemented in the mid-nineties. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the economic benefits of biological control in the management of red spider mite. The assessment was carried out in two commercial orchards, one of which was subjected to biological control of spider mite by releasing the predator Neoseiulus californicus, insecticide selection and weed management, and the other to conventional arthropod management, based on the application of chemicals to control insects, phytofagous mites and weed. Economic analysis showed that the costs for labor and machines were

Diurnal temperature variations affect development of a herbivorous arthropod pest and its predators.

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Dominiek Vangansbeke

Full Text Available The impact of daily temperature variations on arthropod life history remains woefully understudied compared to the large body of research that has been carried out on the effects of constant temperatures. However, diurnal varying temperature regimes more commonly represent the environment in which most organisms thrive. Such varying temperature regimes have been demonstrated to substantially affect development and reproduction of ectothermic organisms, generally in accordance with Jensen's inequality. In the present study we evaluated the impact of temperature alternations at 4 amplitudes (DTR0, +5, +10 and +15°C on the developmental rate of the predatory mites Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot and Neoseiulus californicus McGregor (Acari: Phytoseiidae and their natural prey, the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae. We have modelled their developmental rates as a function of temperature using both linear and nonlinear models. Diurnally alternating temperatures resulted in a faster development in the lower temperature range as compared to their corresponding mean constant temperatures, whereas the opposite was observed in the higher temperature range. Our results indicate that Jensen's inequality does not suffice to fully explain the differences in developmental rates at constant and alternating temperatures, suggesting additional physiological responses play a role. It is concluded that diurnal temperature range should not be ignored and should be incorporated in predictive models on the phenology of arthropod pests and their natural enemies and their performance in biological control programmes.

Diurnal Temperature Variations Affect Development of a Herbivorous Arthropod Pest and its Predators

Science.gov (United States)

Vangansbeke, Dominiek; Audenaert, Joachim; Nguyen, Duc Tung; Verhoeven, Ruth; Gobin, Bruno; Tirry, Luc; De Clercq, Patrick

2015-01-01

The impact of daily temperature variations on arthropod life history remains woefully understudied compared to the large body of research that has been carried out on the effects of constant temperatures. However, diurnal varying temperature regimes more commonly represent the environment in which most organisms thrive. Such varying temperature regimes have been demonstrated to substantially affect development and reproduction of ectothermic organisms, generally in accordance with Jensen’s inequality. In the present study we evaluated the impact of temperature alternations at 4 amplitudes (DTR0, +5, +10 and +15°C) on the developmental rate of the predatory mites Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot and Neoseiulus californicus McGregor (Acari: Phytoseiidae) and their natural prey, the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae). We have modelled their developmental rates as a function of temperature using both linear and nonlinear models. Diurnally alternating temperatures resulted in a faster development in the lower temperature range as compared to their corresponding mean constant temperatures, whereas the opposite was observed in the higher temperature range. Our results indicate that Jensen’s inequality does not suffice to fully explain the differences in developmental rates at constant and alternating temperatures, suggesting additional physiological responses play a role. It is concluded that diurnal temperature range should not be ignored and should be incorporated in predictive models on the phenology of arthropod pests and their natural enemies and their performance in biological control programmes. PMID:25874697

Geographic distribution and host plants of Raoiella indica and associated mite species in northern Venezuela.

Science.gov (United States)

Vásquez, Carlos; de Moraes, Gilberto J

2013-05-01

The red palm mite (RPM), Raoiella indica Hirst (Acari: Tenuipalpidae), is an invasive pest in the New World, where it is currently considered a serious threat to coconut and banana crops. It was first reported from northern Venezuela in 2007. To determine its current distribution in this country, surveys were carried out from October 2008 to April 2010 on coconut (Cocos nucifera L.), banana (Musa spp.), ornamental plants and weeds in northern Venezuela. Higher population levels of RPM were registered on commercial coconut farms in Falcón and Sucre states but also on other plant species naturally growing along the coastal line in Anzoategui, Aragua, Carabobo, Monagas and Nueva Esparta states. Out of 34 botanical species evaluated, all RPM stages were observed only on eight arecaceous, one musaceous and one streliziaceous species, indicating that the pest developed and reproduced only on these plants. Mite specimens found on weeds were considered spurious events, as immature stages of the pest were never found on these. Amblyseius largoensis (Muma) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) was the most frequent predatory mite associated with RPM in all sampling sites. The results indicate that RPM has spread to extensive areas of northern Venezuela since its initial detection in Güiria, Sucre state. Considering the report of this pest mite in northern Brazil in the late 2009, additional samplings in southern Venezuela should be carried out, to evaluate the possible presence of RPM also in that region.

Toxicity of spiromesifen and natural acaricides to Tetranychus urticae koch and compatibility with Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks

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José Vargas de Oliveira

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae, is one important pest of cotton crop due to reductions in cotton yield and fiber quality. Thus, this work evaluated the toxicity of the synthetic acaricide spiromesifen and natural products on T. urticae and the compatibility with the predatory mite Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks (Acari: Phytoseiidae. Spiromesifen and the natural products Azadirachtin A/B, Azadirachtin 1%, Jatropha curcas L. and Ricinus communis L. oils were used at different concentrations; the leaf dipping method was employed. The mortality of T. urticae females and eggs was evaluated 48 and 96 h after treatment to calculate the lethal concentrations. The effect on P. macropilis was studied using the LC50s obtained to T. urticae. All acaricides tested were effective in controlling females and eggs of T. urticae. However, according to the LC50s and LC90s calculated, spiromesifen was the most toxic acaricide to females and J. curcas oil presented the higher toxicity to eggs. Spiromesifen, J. curcas oil and Azadiractina 1% caused side effects on P. macropilis. However, only espiromesifeno was classified as harmful to the predator, whereas Azadirachtin A/B and R. communis oil were slightly harmful. R. communis and Azadirachtin A/B were effective in controlling the two-spotted spider mite and promising for the management of this pest in cotton considering their low toxicity to the predator.

Efficacy of Tissue Tolerable Plasma (TTP against Ixodes ricinus

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Bender, Claudia

2014-03-01

Full Text Available [english] The efficacy of Tissue Tolerable Plasma (TTP against ticks was tested, as data from the literature has demonstrated its efficacy against other acari.The study was carried out by using the KINPen09 (Argon as carrier gas on (n=24. Treatment times of 1 and 3 minutes led to a reversible inactivation of the ticks. After 5 min of treatment, they died.Thanks to the acaricidal effect of TPP, a new treatment strategy using the KINPen09 for tick-infested pets is now available.

Host Specificity in the Honeybee Parasitic Mite, Varroa spp. in Apis mellifera and Apis cerana.

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Alexis L Beaurepaire

Full Text Available The ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor is a major global threat to the Western honeybee Apis mellifera. This mite was originally a parasite of A. cerana in Asia but managed to spill over into colonies of A. mellifera which had been introduced to this continent for honey production. To date, only two almost clonal types of V. destructor from Korea and Japan have been detected in A. mellifera colonies. However, since both A. mellifera and A. cerana colonies are kept in close proximity throughout Asia, not only new spill overs but also spill backs of highly virulent types may be possible, with unpredictable consequences for both honeybee species. We studied the dispersal and hybridisation potential of Varroa from sympatric colonies of the two hosts in Northern Vietnam and the Philippines using mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA markers. We found a very distinct mtDNA haplotype equally invading both A. mellifera and A. cerana in the Philippines. In contrast, we observed a complete reproductive isolation of various Vietnamese Varroa populations in A. mellifera and A. cerana colonies even if kept in the same apiaries. In light of this variance in host specificity, the adaptation of the mite to its hosts seems to have generated much more genetic diversity than previously recognised and the Varroa species complex may include substantial cryptic speciation.

The effect of pathogens and pests on honey bee gene expression

OpenAIRE

Navajas Navarro, Maria; Martin, Jean-François; Le Conte, Yves; Queen's University Belfast

2008-01-01

The effect of pathogens and pests on honey bee gene expression is a fascinating area of research in itself and can lead to new molecular tools for diagnostics and selection in beekeeping. In this framework, we first investigated Varroa-bee interactions by using a combination of nuc1ear and mitochondrial DNA markers of Varroa destructor to trace the parasite invasion of Apis mellifera since it shifted from A. cerana. The extremely low worldwide mite genetic diversity found on A. ...

Ocorrência de Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes (Acari, Tenuipalpidae, Tetranychus urticae (Koch (Acari, Tetranychidae e Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks (Acari, Tarsonemidae sobre folhas de Ipomoea cairica (Linnaeus Sweet (Solanales, Convolvulaceae Occurrence of Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes (Acari, Tenuipalpidae, Tetranychus urticae (Koch (Acari, Tetranychidae and Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks (Acari, Tarsonemidae on leaves of I. cairica (Linnaeus Sweet (Solanales, Convolvulaceae

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Ozana M. de A. Maia

2006-09-01

Full Text Available A ocorrência de três espécies acarinas fitófagas é relatada pela primeira vez sobre folhas de Ipomoea cairica. As espécies Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes, Tetranychus urticae (Koch e Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks, foram coletadas sobre folhas de I. cairica nas imediações da Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brasil, em 20 de janeiro de 2005.The first occurrence of three phytophagus mites on Ipomoea cairica, is reported. The species Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes, Tetranychus urticae (Koch and Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks were caught on leaves of I. cairica, around Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil, in January 20th, 2005.

Toxicity of plant essential oils to Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Won-Il; Lee, Sang-Geui; Park, Hyung-Man; Ahn, Young-Joon

2004-04-01

Fifty-three plant essential oils were tested for their toxicity against eggs and adults of Tetranychus urticae Koch as well as adults of Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot, by using a filter paper diffusion bioassay without allowing direct contact. Responses varied according to oil type and dose, and mite species. In a plastic container (4.5 by 9.5 cm) bioassay at 14 x 10(-3) microl/ml air, caraway seed, citronella java, lemon eucalyptus, pennyroyal, and peppermint oils gave > 90% mortality against adult T. urticae, whereas 82 and 81% mortality was observed with sage and spearmint oils, respectively. With the exception of sage oil, the other six essential oils were highly effective against T. urticae eggs at 9.3 x 10(-3) microl/ml air. Against adult P. persimilis, these six test oils caused > 90% mortality at 7.1 x 10(-3) microl/ml air. Particularly peppermint oil at 4.7 x 10(-3) microl/ml air was highly toxic. In an acrylic cage (30 by 30 by 40 cm ) test, lemon eucalyptus, pennyroyal, peppermint, and spearmint oils were highly effective against adult T. urticae at 1.4 x 10(-3) microl/ml air. These results indicate that the mode of delivery of these essential oils was largely a result of action in the vapor phase via the respiratory system. The essential oils described herein merit further study as potential fumigants for T. urticae control.

Ensaio sobre a eficácia do ácido fórmico no tratamento da Varroose

OpenAIRE

Pires, Sância; Serrano, José; Ruíz, José; Pereira, Óscar; Silva, Elisa

2004-01-01

Este ensaio teve como objectivo estudar a eficácia do ácido fórmico no tratamento da Varroose. O ensaio decorreu num apiário situado na área de influência do Parque Natural de Montesinho. De acordo com a metodologia descrita por (2; 3), em 15 colmeias de modelo Langstroth e infestadas de forma natural, pelo ácaro Varroa destructor (1), aplicámos esponjas impregnadas com 240 mi de ácido fórmico a 85%, durante 20 dias.

Small-cell comb does not control Varroa mites in colonies of honeybees of European origin

OpenAIRE

Seeley , Thomas; Griffin , Sean

2011-01-01

International audience; We tested the idea that Varroa destructor can be controlled in colonies of the European subspecies of Apis mellifera by providing them with combs built of small cells, in which immature mites might have difficulty developing for lack of space. We established seven pairs of equal-size colonies that started out equally infested with mites. In each pair, one hive contained only standard-cell (5.4 mm) comb, and the other contained only small-cell (4.8 mm) comb. We measured...

[Soil mesofauna in differents systems of land use soil in Upper River Solimões, AM, Brazil].

Science.gov (United States)

Morais, José W De; Oliveira, Viviane Dos S; Dambros, Cristian De S; Tapia-Coral, Sandra C; Acioli, Agno N S

2010-01-01

The mesofauna has an important function in the soil and it is represented mainly by Acari Oribatida and Collembola. We report the first data on the density and diversity of the soil mesofauna in Benjamin Constant, Amazonas State, Brazil. The following systems were evaluated: primary forest, secondary forest, agroforestry system, cultivated areas and pastures. A total of 101 samples were collected 100 m apart from each other and specimens were collected by using Berlese-Tullgren method. The highest density was registered in secondary forest (29,776 specimens.m-2). Acari Oribatida was the dominant group (7.072 specimens.m-2) in the pasture, suggesting that mites show higher capacity of adaptation to disturbed environments and/or due to the presence of gregarious species. The density of Collembola (5,632 specimens.m-2) was higher in secondary forest. Formicidae was the dominant group (27,824 specimens.m-2) and its highest density occurred in the secondary forest (12,336 specimens.m-2). Seven species and ten morphospecies of Isoptera and three species of Symphyla were identified. The highest density and diversity were found in secondary forest. One supposes that the low density of mesofauna found in all of the studied systems is being influenced by soil structure and composition as well as litter volume. For SUT, the composition of taxonomic groups in the cultivated areas is similar to the one found in primary forest, while the groups found in the agroforestry system are similar to those in the pasture, which may help to decide on land use strategies.

Assessment of the interactions between two predator mites of Tetranychus urticae (Acariformes: Tetranychidae in laboratory

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Angelica María Argüelles

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae is one of the most important pests in ornamental cultures. Between the species most used for its control are Neoseilus sp. and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae. Knowing the effectivity and ages of the prefers prey of each species of predator. In this search purposed the management of the plague through the use of combined releases, is necessary to evaluate that could occur between them with the prey when they act together. With this aim, we evaluated any situations. For one side was evaluated when a predator with a second predator with more density for the first predator. This situation was analyzed in presence and with absence of its prey. For other side, was evaluated the interactions of both predators are presents at the same density and with the prey. In the fist situation in presence of the prey was observe that increase the age of predator in minor density also increase the interference over the consumption of the high population’s predator over the prey. Moreover when decreased the T. urticae’s consumption increased the intraguild consumption. P. persimilis in absence of T. urticae and in presence of N. californicus approve a behavior of intraguild predation over all the ages of its cospecifics, while that N. californicus only consumed coespecific’s larvae in the phytofagous absence and in presence of  P. persimilis.  When both predators were in the same test at the same population’s density, was not observe a higher consumption of T. urticae that when each predator act for its way.

Egg hatching response to a range of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation doses for four predatory mites and the herbivorous spider mite Tetranychus urticae.

Science.gov (United States)

Koveos, Dimitrios S; Suzuki, Takeshi; Terzidou, Anastasia; Kokkari, Anastasia; Floros, George; Damos, Petros; Kouloussis, Nikos A

2017-01-01

Egg hatchability of four predatory mites-Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot, Iphiseius [Amblyseius] degenerans Berlese, Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot, and Euseius finlandicus Oudemans (Acari: Phytoseiidae)-and the spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) was determined under various UV-B doses either in constant darkness (DD) or with simultaneous irradiation using white light. Under UV-B irradiation and DD or simultaneous irradiation with white light, the predator's eggs hatched in significantly lower percentages than in the control non-exposed eggs, which indicates deleterious effects of UV-B on embryonic development. In addition, higher hatchability percentages were observed under UV-B irradiation and DD in eggs of the predatory mites than in eggs of T. urticae. This might be caused by a higher involvement of an antioxidant system, shield effects by pigments or a mere shorter duration of embryonic development in predatory mites than in T. urticae, thus avoiding accumulative effects of UV-B. Although no eggs of T. urticae hatched under UV-B irradiation and DD, variable hatchability percentages were observed under simultaneous irradiation with white light, which suggests the involvement of a photoreactivation system that reduces UV-B damages. Under the same doses with simultaneous irradiation with white light, eggs of T. urticae displayed higher photoreactivation and were more tolerant to UV-B than eggs of the predatory mites. Among predators variation regarding the tolerance to UV-B effects was observed, with eggs of P. persimilis and I. degenerans being more tolerant to UV-B radiation than eggs of A. swirskii and E. finlandicus.

Múltiple natural enemies do not improve two spotted spider mite and flower western thrips control in strawberry tunnels

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Gemma Albendín

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Biological control techniques are commonly used in many horticultural crops in Spain, however the application of these techniques to Spanish strawberries are relatively recent. In this study the effectiveness of augmentative biological control techniques to control the two main strawberry (Fragaria xananassa Duchesne pest: the two-spotted spider mite (TSSM, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae, and the western flower thrips (WFT, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande (Thysanoptera: Thripidae, through releases of the predatory mites Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot, Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor, Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae, and Orius laevigatus (Fieber (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae were tested. Two-year results on the performance of treatments using combinations of these biocontrol agents are presented. In both years, all treatments resulted in the reduction of TSSM numbers; but no treatment was better than the release of P. persimilis alone (P < 0.05. TSSM suppression varied among crop phases being greater early in the season. None of the treatments reduced significantly WFT numbers (P < 0.05, and the established economic injury level (EIL was surpassed from March to late April in both years. However, EIL was surpassed less times when treatment included O. laevigatus (2009: 20.7%; 2010: 22.7% of samples. No effect of A. swirskii was observed when this mite was released. Results corroborate that biological control techniques for TSSM and WFT are feasible for high-plastic tunnel strawberries. Under the conditions in our study no additive effects were observed, and there was not advantage in the release of multiple natural enemies.

ECTOFAUNA PARASITÁRIA DE CÃES URBANOS DOMICILIADOS ATENDIDOS EM CLÍNICAS VETERINÁRIAS PARTICULARES NA CIDADE DE LAVRAS, MG

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Antonio Marcos Guimarães

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of ectoparasites in urban domiciled dogs treated at nine private veterinary clinics in the city of Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Visible and palpable ectoparasites specimens were collected manually from 67 dogs during the period of September 2004 to May 2005, kept in flasks with ethanol 70º GL and identified under a stereomicroscope. In the case of mites that cause mange, performed the analysis of the results obtained from 155 skin scrapings of the same number of dogs with clinical suspicion of parasitic dermatosis was performed, and sent to diagnostic at the Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases of Federal University of Lavras (UFLA, during the period of September 2002 to July 2007. A total of 540 ectoparasites were recorded, and four species were identified: Rhipicephalus sanguineus (60%, Ctenocephalides canis and C. felis (both 36%, and Dermatobia hominis larvae (4%. In scraped skin, positive results were verified in 12.9% (20/155, of which 80.0% with Demodex canis (16/20 and 20.0% with Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis (4/20. After ectoparasites identification a database with the dogs´medical records was made and analyzed by SPSS 12.0. It can be concluded that the predominant species of ectoparasites in dogs treated at private veterinary clinics in the city of Lavras, MG, were Ctenocephalides canis and C. felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae and R. sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae and Demodex canis (Acari: Demodecidae that had a significant predominance (p<0.05 on scraped skin of young animals with suspicion of canine demodicosis.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever in Arizona: documentation of heavy environmental infestations of Rhipicephalus sanguineus at an endemic site.

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Nicholson, William L; Paddock, Christopher D; Demma, Linda; Traeger, Marc; Johnson, Brian; Dickson, Jeffrey; McQuiston, Jennifer; Swerdlow, David

2006-10-01

A recent epidemiologic investigation identified 16 cases and 2 deaths from Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) in two eastern Arizona communities. Prevalence studies were conducted by collecting free-living ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) from the home sites of RMSF patients and from other home sites within the community. Dry ice traps and flagging confirmed heavy infestations at many of the home sites. Only Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks were identified and all developmental stages were detected. It is evident that under certain circumstances, this species does transmit Rickettsia rickettsii to humans and deserves reconsideration as a vector in other geographic areas.

Presence of potentially pathogenic Babesia sp. for human in Ixodes ricinus in Switzerland.

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Casati, Simona; Sager, Heinz; Gern, Lise; Piffaretti, Jean-Claude

2006-01-01

We have designed and performed a new PCR method based on the 18S rRNA in order to individuate the presence and the identity of Babesia parasites. Out of 1159 Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks collected in four areas of Switzerland, nine were found to contain Babesia DNA. Sequencing of the short amplicon obtained (411-452 bp) allowed the identification of three human pathogenic species: Babesia microti, B. divergens, for the first time in Switzerland, Babesia sp. EU1. We also report coinfections with B. sp. EU1-Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto and Babesia sp. EU1-B. afzelii.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT THE COASTAL AQUATORY OF KUIALNIK ESTUARY: MICROPHYTES, ZOOBENTHOS, DIVERSITY OF MICROBIOTA IN THE WATER AND PELOIDS

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Polukarova L. A.

2012-11-01

Full Text Available We determined the concentration of macro- and microelements, such as: sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, chlorides. We have also measured the concentration of hydrogen ions (pH and nitrogen of urea in samples of water and peloids which were taken from different places of Kuialnik estuary including territories around of such villages: Kotovka, Iliinka, Kovalevka, Novo Kovalevka, Belyayevsky district of Odessa region and such villages as: Korsuntsev, Krasnosilka, Kominternivskiy district of Odessa region.It was found that concentration of sodium and chlorides was high and increased from southern area to the northern part of Kuialnik estuary where volume of water is lesser. Hydrochemical investigation showed that concentration of macro- and microelements in the deep soils (peloids was lesser than in water samples and soils taken from the bottom of estuary. Investigation of tissue homogenates of brine shrimp (Artemia salina showed high enzyme activity of lactate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase. The same biochemical parameters tested in biomass of blue-green algae (cyanoprokaryota, unicellular algae Microcystis sp. where high activity of alkaline phosphatase and high concentration of calcium, potassium and iron were registered. We studied the following microbiota: ferro-oxidizing bacteria (destructors of iron, manganese-oxidizing bacteria (destructors of manganese, sulfate-reducing bacteria, mycobacterium, thiobacteria and representatives from some other microbial groups in the water and peloid samples. Such integrated environmental investigation allowed to assess the environmental situation in different plots of the Kuialnik estuary more properly and complete.

Tratamentos alternativos no combate à Varroa. Aplicação na apicultura biológica em Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro

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Vilas-Boas, Miguel

2004-01-01

A varroose é urna doença parasitária externa das abelhas causada por um ácaro denominado por Varroa destructor. Este parasita original mente presente nas abelhas melíferas asiáticas Apis cerana, onde coexiste numa relação simbiótica parasita/hospedeiro,foi detectado pela primeira vez em 1963 em colónias de abelhas Appis mellífera. Este salto imediato não Ihes permitiu criar os seus mecanismos de resistência ao parasita, pelo que se verifica actualmente urna mortalidade eleva...

Calibración y validación de un modelo en computador para simular el golpe de ariete en redes cerradas.

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Velásquez Hidalgo, Carlos Férnando; Toro Botero, Francisco Mauricio

2006-01-01

El golpe de ariete, como fenómeno transitorio, ha sido un tema de estudio de la hidráulica, por sus efectos destructores en sistemas de alta presión como los conductos abastecedores de turbinas en centrales hidroeléctricas. Aunque el tema esté muy estudiado y analizado para conductos simples, comienza a aflorar la inquietud de simular este fenómeno en redes cerradas, las cuales están propensas a experimentar el golpe de ariete. Se presenta un modelo computacional para simular el Golpe de Arie...

Comparative morphological analysis of apple blister mite, Eriophyes mali Nal., a new pest in Serbia

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Biljana Vidović

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The apple blister mite, Eriophyes mali Nalepa, 1926 (Acari: Prostigmata: Eriophyoidea, has been recently found in Serbia as a new pest of apple. The history of its research, the results of a morphological analysis and degree of infestation are presented. A comparison of the main morphological features of mites from different populations of remote geographical origin has shown that the apple blister mite from Serbia is most similar to another European population (Bulgarian [or Austrian?] while it differs from E. mali originating from the USA and New Zealand. The percentage of infestation varied from 1.6% to 87.6%, with an average of 22.4%.

Honey Bee Colonies Headed by Hyperpolyandrous Queens Have Improved Brood Rearing Efficiency and Lower Infestation Rates of Parasitic Varroa Mites.

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Keith S Delaplane

Full Text Available A honey bee queen mates on wing with an average of 12 males and stores their sperm to produce progeny of mixed paternity. The degree of a queen's polyandry is positively associated with measures of her colony's fitness, and observed distributions of mating number are evolutionary optima balancing risks of mating flights against benefits to the colony. Effective mating numbers as high as 40 have been documented, begging the question of the upper bounds of this behavior that can be expected to confer colony benefit. In this study we used instrumental insemination to create three classes of queens with exaggerated range of polyandry--15, 30, or 60 drones. Colonies headed by queens inseminated with 30 or 60 drones produced more brood per bee and had a lower proportion of samples positive for Varroa destructor mites than colonies whose queens were inseminated with 15 drones, suggesting benefits of polyandry at rates higher than those normally obtaining in nature. Our results are consistent with two hypotheses that posit conditions that reward such high expressions of polyandry: (1 a queen may mate with many males in order to promote beneficial non-additive genetic interactions among subfamilies, and (2 a queen may mate with many males in order to capture a large number of rare alleles that regulate resistance to pathogens and parasites in a breeding population. Our results are unique for identifying the highest levels of polyandry yet detected that confer colony-level benefit and for showing a benefit of polyandry in particular toward the parasitic mite V. destructor.

Differential Gene Expression Associated with Honey Bee Grooming Behavior in Response to Varroa Mites.

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Hamiduzzaman, Mollah Md; Emsen, Berna; Hunt, Greg J; Subramanyam, Subhashree; Williams, Christie E; Tsuruda, Jennifer M; Guzman-Novoa, Ernesto

2017-05-01

Honey bee (Apis mellifera) grooming behavior is an important mechanism of resistance against the parasitic mite Varroa destructor. This research was conducted to study associations between grooming behavior and the expression of selected immune, neural, detoxification, developmental and health-related genes. Individual bees tested in a laboratory assay for various levels of grooming behavior in response to V. destructor were also analyzed for gene expression. Intense groomers (IG) were most efficient in that they needed significantly less time to start grooming and fewer grooming attempts to successfully remove mites from their bodies than did light groomers (LG). In addition, the relative abundance of the neurexin-1 mRNA, was significantly higher in IG than in LG, no groomers (NG) or control (bees without mite). The abundance of poly U binding factor kd 68 and cytochrome p450 mRNAs were significantly higher in IG than in control bees. The abundance of hymenoptaecin mRNA was significantly higher in IG than in NG, but it was not different from that of control bees. The abundance of vitellogenin mRNA was not changed by grooming activity. However, the abundance of blue cheese mRNA was significantly reduced in IG compared to LG or NG, but not to control bees. Efficient removal of mites by IG correlated with different gene expression patterns in bees. These results suggest that the level of grooming behavior may be related to the expression pattern of vital honey bee genes. Neurexin-1, in particular, might be useful as a bio-marker for behavioral traits in bees.

Combating Varroa destructor in Honeybee Colonies Using Flumethrin or Fluvalinate

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A. Gregorc

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Mite mortality in two apiaries, one with 32 and the other with 15 honeybee (Apis mellifera carnica colonies, was recorded prior to and after flumethrin or fluvalinate treatments and after a control, oxalic-acid application. During the 42- and 51-day pre-treatment periods, the average daily natural mite drop was 0.04 (± 0.04 and 2.82 (± 2.19, respectively, which represents 1.09% (± 1.06 and 3.84% (± 3.04 of the total number of mites found during the experiment. The flumethrin or fluvalinate applications resulted in an average mite mortality at the two apiaries of 214.46 (± 260.02 and 4,098.64 (± 2,508.31. The treatments resulted in a 19.11% (± 14.62 and a 39.28% (± 10.47 reduction in the number of mites in slightly infested colonies and 94.30% (± 4.26 and 96.24% (± 3.14 in highly infested colonies. The difference in treatment efficacy between both apiaries was significant (P < 0.001 and indicates that fluvalinate and flumethrin are highly efficacious in dealing with highly infested honeybee colonies with sealed brood. The importance of effective mite control in colonies with a high level of natural mite mortality is discussed in this study.

Assessing grooming behavior of Russian honey bees toward Varroa destructor.

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The grooming behavior of Russian bees was compared to Italian bees. Overall, Russian bees had significantly lower numbers of mites than the Italian bees with a mean of 1,937 ± 366 and 5,088 ± 733 mites, respectively. This low mite population in the Russian colonies was probably due to the increased ...

Uso de HeberPAG en carcinoma basocelular periocular

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Yanisel Jiménez Barbán

Full Text Available Se describe el caso clínico de un paciente de 34 años de edad con un carcinoma basocelular nodular de párpado inferior del ojo izquierdo, de 3 años de evolución. Se procedió a aplicar el HeberPAG en inyección perilesional 3 veces por semana durante 3 semanas consecutivas. Terminadas las aplicaciones de este producto desaparecieron los signos clínicos del tumor. Se comenta el potencial destructor de este tumor, así como las técnicas utilizadas en el manejo de esta patología.

Olfactory response of Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) to untreated and Beauveria bassiana-treated Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae).

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Seiedy, Marjan; Saboori, Alireza; Zahedi-Golpayegani, Azadeh

2013-06-01

Determination of attraction and avoidance behavior of predators is important in concomitant use of multiple natural enemies to control a pest. The olfactory response of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis was studied to odors related to Tetranychus urticae adults infected by Beauveria bassiana DEBI008 in 0, 24, 48 and 72 h intervals, both in absence and in presence of plants. In plant-present experiments, P. persimilis attraction was neither towards adults of T. urticae infected by 0.02 % Tween 80 (as control), nor to the ones infected by B. bassiana for 0 or 24 h, whereas significant attraction towards the control was observed when tested against T. urticae infected by B. bassiana for 48 or 72 h. In absence of plants, P. persimilis displayed significant avoidance of T. urticae infected by B. bassiana for 48 or 72 h, when their alternative option was 0.02 % Tween 80-infected T. urticae adults. These results indicate that P. persimilis can recognize the presence of B. bassiana and that the predator avoids the fungus. This suggests that the two natural enemy species can be used together in biological control programmes.

Can Euseius alatus DeLeon (Acari: Phytoseiidae) prey on Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae) in coconut palm?

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Melo, Jose W. da S.; Domingos, Cleiton A.; Gondim Junior, Manoel G.C.; Moraes, Gilberto J. de

2009-01-01

Mites of the genus Euseius are generally considered specialist as pollen feeders. Euseius alatus DeLeon is one of the six species of phytoseiid mites most commonly found on coconut plants in northeast Brazil associated with Aceria guerreronis Keifer. Although the morphology of E. alatus does not favor the exploitation of the meristematic area of the fruit inhabited by A. guerreronis, the predator may have some role in the control of this eriophyid during the dispersion process. The objective of this work was to evaluate the development and reproduction of E. alatus on the following diets: A. guerreronis, Ricinus communis pollen (Euphorbiaceae), and Tetranychus urticae Koch (Tetranychidae) + R. communis pollen + honey solution 10%. Euseius alatus developed slightly faster and had slightly higher oviposition rate when feeding on the diet composed of T. urticae + pollen + honey. However, life table parameters were very similar on all diets, suggesting that E. alatus may contribute in reducing the population of A. guerreronis in the field. (author)

Detection of Hepatozoon canis in the Brown Dog Tick and Domestic Dogs in Peninsular Malaysia.

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Prakash, Batah Kunalan; Low, Van Lun; Tan, Tiong Kai; Vinnie-Siow, Wei Yin; Lim, Yvonne Ai-Lian; Morvarid, Akhavan Rezaei; Azman, Adzzie Shazleen; Yeong, Yze Shiuan; AbuBakar, Sazaly; Sofian-Azirun, Mohd

2018-05-17

Hepatozoon canis has been widely reported in dogs. Its prevalence in ticks, however, has not been well-established. Here we determine the occurrence of Hepatozoon DNA in the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) (Acari: Ixodidae) sensu lato (s.l.) and domestic dogs from Peninsular Malaysia using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay based on amplification of the 18S ribosomal RNA coding sequence. Our results revealed a relatively low prevalence of H. canis DNA in both R. sanguineus s.l. (0.7%) and dogs (3.33%). This study represents the first report of H. canis DNA in R. sanguineus s.l. in Malaysia, highlighting the risk of this infection in dogs.

Land use effect on soil meso and macro-organisms in Quindio coffee zone

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Sadeghian Siavosh

2001-01-01

Meso and macro-organisms communities in different agro-ecosystems were evaluated on the Colombian coffee region (Quindio) during the second semester of 1997. Soil samples were taken at 10 cm of deep and the Berlese funnel apparatus was used for evaluations. The agro-ecosystems were Guadual (Guadua angustifolia), traditional and technical coffee, citrus, and cassava crops, cattle ranching (extensive and intensive systems). A total of twenty taxonomic groups were identified. The most abundant and common specimens were ants, acari, collembola and diplura. The greatest diversity and abundance of organisms were registered on the G. angustifolia and coffee agro-ecosystems. The opposite tendency was observed on the cattle ranching due to physical degradation, associated to soil compacting

Alimentación en Melanophryniscus stelzneri (Anura: Bufonidae

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Fillipelo, Ana María

1994-01-01

Full Text Available The alimentary categories of a population of Melanophryniscus stelzneri are studied cuantitatively and cualitatively utilizing a sample of 57 specimens obtained from "El Trapiche", province of San Luis, Argentine, in order to know the grade of trophic overlap and predation strategies. The main alimentary categories for males and females are: Formicidae, Collembola, Acari, Coleoptera, Isoptera and larvae. Although the diets of both sexes show a high grade of trophic overlap, males and females differ in the amount of each resource used. Adults and juveniles present a low grade of trophic overlap. The juveniles follow the "widely foraging" strategy and the adults follow an intermidiate one, between "sit and wait" and "widely foraging".

Tyramine functions as a toxin in honey bee larvae during Varroa-transmitted infection by Melissococcus pluton.

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Kanbar, G; Engels, W; Nicholson, G J; Hertle, R; Winkelmann, G

2004-05-01

From wounds of honey bee pupae, caused by the mite Varroa destructor, coccoid bacteria were isolated and identified as Melissococcus pluton. The bacterial isolate was grown anaerobically in sorbitol medium to produce a toxic compound that was purified on XAD columns, gelfiltration and preparative HPLC. The toxic agent was identified by GC-MS and FTICR-MS as tyramine. The toxicity of the isolated tyramine was tested by a novel mobility test using the protozoon Stylonychia lemnae. A concentration of 0.2 mg/ml led to immediate inhibition of mobility. In addition the toxicity was studied on honey bee larvae by feeding tyramine/water mixtures added to the larval jelly. The lethal dosis of tyramine on 4-5 days old bee larvae was determined as 0.3 mg/larvae when added as a volume of 20 microl to the larval food in brood cells. Several other biogenic amines, such as phenylethylamine, histamine, spermine, cadaverine, putrescine and trimethylamine, were tested as their hydrochloric salts for comparison and were found to be inhibitory in the Stylonychia mobility test at similar concentrations. A quantitative hemolysis test with human red blood cells revealed that tyramine and histamine showed the highest membranolytic activity, followed by the phenylethylamine, trimethylamine and spermine, while the linear diamines, cadaverine and putrescine, showed a significantly lower hemolysis when calculated on a molar amine basis. The results indicate that tyramine which is a characteristic amine produced by M. pluton in culture, is the causative agent of the observed toxic symptoms in bee larvae. Thus this disease, known as European foulbrood, is possibly an infection transmitted by the Varroa destructor mite.

Use of tritium-labeled PCBs for investigation of PCBs biodegradation by soil bacteria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, A.A.; Djuraeva, G.T.; Takhtobiri, K.S.; Yadgarov, H.T.; Zinovev, P. V.; Abdukarimov, A.A.

2002-01-01

The method for tritium labelling of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was developed. The strains of soil bacteria - destructors of chloro organic compounds was studied with the help of test-system based on the using of tritium-labeled PCBs. The strains of bacteria were grown on the agar synthetic medium and then were introduced into the synthetic medium containing tritium-labeled mixture of PCBs (commercial mark - SOVOL) as alone source of carbon. The samples were analysed after one and two months period of incubation. PCBs were extracted by hexane from fraction of bacteria and fraction of cultural medium and radioactivity was measured. The samples were analyzed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) with following radioautography. Additionally samples were analyzed by gas chromatography. It was found that all selected strains survived in the medium with PCBs as alone source of carbon and bacteria accumulated PCBs from cultural medium. Accumulation of PCBs by strains of bacteria was different. The TLC analysis detected additional compounds labeled by tritium, that prove the degradation of PCBs in presence of bacteria. The gas chromatography analysis of cultural medium and bacteria detected redistribution in the system and qualitative changes of PCBs in bacteria. The strains of bacteria also were grown in model condition on the soil with tritium labeled PCBs. We found that some strains effectively destroy PCBs with decreasing level of tritium label in the soil. The using of tritium labeled PCBs' allows to introduce precise quantitative characteristics for study of accumulation and biodegradation PCBs by soil bacteria strains. Developed test-system is very useful tool for selection of new strains of soil bacteria - destructors of PCBs

Recognition of mite-infested brood by honeybee (Apis mellifera) workers may involve thermal sensing.

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Bauer, Daniel; Wegener, Jakob; Bienefeld, Kaspar

2018-05-01

Hygienic behavior, i.e. the removal of diseased or damaged brood by worker honey bees (Apis mellifera), is seen as one of the principal behavioral elements of this species' social immunity. Identification of the stimuli that trigger it would be helpful in searching for biochemical and molecular markers of this important breeding trait. While many studies at the genomic, transcriptomic, and behavioral level have pointed to the implication of chemical cues, we here hypothesized that thermal cues are alternatively/additionally involved. To test this hypothesis, we first measured whether infestation by the mite Varroa destructor (a condition known to induce hygienic behavior) leads to a thermal gradient between affected and unaffected brood. We found that infested brood cells were between 0.03 and 0.19 °C warmer than uninfested controls. Next, we tested whether artificially heating an area of a brood comb would increase the removal of infested or uninfested brood as compared to an unheated control area, and found that this was not the case. Finally, we investigated whether the heating of individual brood cells, as opposed to comb areas, would influence brood removal from cells adjacent to the heated one. This was the case for uninfested, though not for infested cells. We conclude that infestation by V. destructor leads to a heating of brood cells that should be perceivable by bees, and that small-scale temperature gradients can influence brood removal. This makes it appear possible that thermal cues play a role in triggering hygienic behavior of honey bees directed at varroa-infested larvae/pupae, although our results are insufficient to prove such an involvement. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Impacts of Austrian Climate Variability on Honey Bee Mortality

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Switanek, Matt; Brodschneider, Robert; Crailsheim, Karl; Truhetz, Heimo

2015-04-01

Global food production, as it is today, is not possible without pollinators such as the honey bee. It is therefore alarming that honey bee populations across the world have seen increased mortality rates in the last few decades. The challenges facing the honey bee calls into question the future of our food supply. Beside various infectious diseases, Varroa destructor is one of the main culprits leading to increased rates of honey bee mortality. Varroa destructor is a parasitic mite which strongly depends on honey bee brood for reproduction and can wipe out entire colonies. However, climate variability may also importantly influence honey bee breeding cycles and bee mortality rates. Persistent weather events affects vegetation and hence foraging possibilities for honey bees. This study first defines critical statistical relationships between key climate indicators (e.g., precipitation and temperature) and bee mortality rates across Austria, using 6 consecutive years of data. Next, these leading indicators, as they vary in space and time, are used to build a statistical model to predict bee mortality rates and the respective number of colonies affected. Using leave-one-out cross validation, the model reduces the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) by 21% with respect to predictions made with the mean mortality rate and the number of colonies. Furthermore, a Monte Carlo test is used to establish that the model's predictions are statistically significant at the 99.9% confidence level. These results highlight the influence of climate variables on honey bee populations, although variability in climate, by itself, cannot fully explain colony losses. This study was funded by the Austrian project 'Zukunft Biene'.

Virus Status, Varroa Levels, and Survival of 20 Managed Honey Bee Colonies Monitored in Luxembourg Between the Summer of 2011 and the Spring of 2013

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Clermont Antoine

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Twenty managed honey bee colonies, split between 5 apiaries with 4 hives each, were monitored between the summer of 2011 and spring of 2013. Living bees were sampled in July 2011, July 2012, and August 2012. Twenty-five, medium-aged bees, free of varroa mites, were pooled per colony and date, to form one sample. Unlike in France and Belgium, Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus (CBPV has not been found in Luxembourg. Slow Bee Paralysis Virus (SBPV and Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV levels were below detection limits. Traces of Kashmir Bee Virus (KBV were amplified. Black Queen Cell Virus (BQCV, Varroa destructor Virus-1 (VDV-1, and SacBrood Virus (SBV were detected in all samples and are reported from Luxembourg for the first time. Varroa destructor Macula- Like Virus (VdMLV, Deformed Wing Virus (DWV, and Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV were detected at all locations, and in most but not all samples. There was a significant increase in VDV-1 and DWV levels within the observation period. A principal component analysis was unable to separate the bees of colonies that survived the following winter from bees that died, based on their virus contents in summer. The number of dead varroa mites found below colonies was elevated in colonies that died in the following winter. Significant positive relationships were found between the log-transformed virus levels of the bees and the log-transformed number of mites found below the colonies per week, for VDV-1 and DWV. Sacbrood virus levels were independent of varroa levels, suggesting a neutral or competitive relationship between this virus and varroa.

Effects of azadirachtin on Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) and its compatibility with predatory mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) on strawberry.

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Bernardi, Daniel; Botton, Marcos; da Cunha, Uemerson Silva; Bernardi, Oderlei; Malausa, Thibaut; Garcia, Mauro Silveira; Nava, Dori Edson

2013-01-01

The spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, is the major strawberry pest in Brazil. The main strategies for its control comprise synthetic acaricides and predatory mites. The recent register of a commercial formula of azadirachtin (Azamax(®) 12 g L(-1) ) can be viable for control of T. urticae. In this work, the effects of azadirachtin on T. urticae and its compatibility with predatory mites Neoseiulus californicus and Phytoseiulus macropilis in the strawberry crop were evaluated. Azadirachtin was efficient against T. urticae, with a mortality rate similar to that of abamectin. In addition, the azadirachtin showed lower biological persistence (7 days) than abamectin (21 days). Azadirachtin did not cause significant mortality of adult predatory mites (N. californicus and P. macropilis), but it did reduce fecundity by 50%. However, egg viability of the azadirachtin treatments was similar to that of the control (>80% viability). The use of azadirachtin and predatory mites is a valuable tool for controlling T. urticae in strawberry crop. Azadirachtin provided effective control of T. urticae and is compatible with the predatory mites N. californicus and P. macropilis. It is an excellent tool to be incorporated into integrated pest management for strawberry crop in Brazil. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry.

Inventaire préliminaire des ravageurs et des ennemis naturels du cotonnier du département de l'Ouémé (République du Bénin

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Tchibozo, S.

1995-01-01

Full Text Available Preliminary Inventory of Pests and Natural Enemies on Cotton in Oueme Department, Benin. The cotton plant is attacked by thousand of insects pests whose natural enemies are not well known in some producing countries. In order to make an inventory of pests and natural enemies, a first work has been realized on cotton entomological fauna in Oueme Department during agricultural campaign 1993-1994. The results obtained, allowed us to list ail the pests, and their natural enemies met on cotton per locality. The main destructors are classified according to their relative importance. For each pest the frequency of natural enemies is assessed.

Detection of chronic bee paralysis virus and acute bee paralysis virus in Uruguayan honeybees.

Science.gov (United States)

Antúnez, Karina; D' Alessandro, Bruno; Corbella, Eduardo; Zunino, Pablo

2005-09-01

Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) causes a disease characterized by trembling, flightless, and crawling bees, while Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV) is commonly detected in apparently healthy colonies, usually associated to Varroa destructor. Both viruses had been detected in most regions of the world, except in South America. In this work, we detected CBPV and ABPV in samples of Uruguayan honeybees by RT-PCR. The detection of both viruses in different provinces and the fact that most of the analyzed samples were infected, suggest that, they are widely spread in the region. This is the first record of the presence of CBPV and ABPV in Uruguay and South America.

A Comparative Study of Environmental Conditions, Bee Management and the Epidemiological Situation in Apiaries Varying in the Level of Colony Losses

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Pohorecka Krystyna

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Explaining the reasons for the increased mortality of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L. in recent years, in Europe and North America, has become a global research priority in apicultural science. Our project was aimed at determining the relationship between environmental conditions, beekeeping techniques, the epidemiological situation of pathogens, and the mortality rate of bee colonies. Dead bee samples were collected by beekeepers from 2421 colonies. The samples were examined for the presence of V. destructor, Nosema spp. (Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae, chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV, acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV, deformed wing virus (DWV, and Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV.

Widespread occurrence of honey bee pathogens in solitary bees.

Science.gov (United States)

Ravoet, Jorgen; De Smet, Lina; Meeus, Ivan; Smagghe, Guy; Wenseleers, Tom; de Graaf, Dirk C

2014-10-01

Solitary bees and honey bees from a neighbouring apiary were screened for a broad set of putative pathogens including protists, fungi, spiroplasmas and viruses. Most sampled bees appeared to be infected with multiple parasites. Interestingly, viruses exclusively known from honey bees such as Apis mellifera Filamentous Virus and Varroa destructor Macula-like Virus were also discovered in solitary bees. A microsporidium found in Andrena vaga showed most resemblance to Nosema thomsoni. Our results suggest that bee hives represent a putative source of pathogens for other pollinators. Similarly, solitary bees may act as a reservoir of honey bee pathogens. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interaction between Varroa destructor and imidacloprid reduces flight capacity of honeybees

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blanken, Lisa; Langevelde, van F.; Dooremalen, van J.A.

2015-01-01

Current high losses of honeybees seriously threaten crop pollination. Whereas parasite exposure is acknowledged as an important cause of these losses, the role of insecticides is controversial. Parasites and neonicotinoid insecticides reduce homing success of foragers (e.g. by reduced orientation),

Efeitos do nim sobre tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae e os predadores Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks e Neoseiulus californicus (Mcgregor (Acari: Phytoseiidae Effects of neem on tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae and the predators Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks and Neoseiulus Californicus (Mcgregor (Acari: phytoseiidae

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Daniele Cristine Hoffmann Schlesener

2013-03-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eficiência de controle e os efeitos adversos de dois produtos à base de nim Azamax® (Azadiractina A/B 12g/L e Neemseto® (Azadiractina A/B, Nimbina e Salanina 2,389 g/L sobre o ácaro-rajado Tetranychus urticae e os predadores Phytoseiulus macropilis e Neoseiulus californicus em laboratório. Para o ácaro-rajado, foram consideradas as variáveis mortalidade, fecundidade, efeito ovicida e persistência biológica, enquanto para os fitoseídeos consideraram-se mortalidade e fecundidade. A mortalidade máxima observada para o ácaro-rajado foi de 89,7% e 91,5% para Azamax® e Neemseto®, respectivamente, na concentração de 0,5% após a reaplicação do produto no sétimo dia. Também foram observados efeitos adversos sobre a fecundidade e a viabilidade dos ovos quando tratados com os produtos comerciais (p.c.. A persistência biológica dos produtos foi de aproximadamente três dias após a pulverização. As formulações apresentaram seletividade em relação aos fitoseídeos, porém causaram redução da fecundidade dos mesmos.The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficiency of control and adverse effects of two neem based products: Azamax TM (Azadirachtin A/B 12g/L and Neemseto TM (Azadirachtin A/B, Nimbin and Salanin 2,389 g/L over two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae and the predators Phytoseiulus macropilis and Neoseiulus californicus in laboratory. Effects over the mortality, fecundity, eggs and biological persistence of the two-spotted spider mite when treated with neem based products were evaluated. For the phytoseiids the effects on mortality and fecundity were evaluated. The maximum mortality of two-spotted spider mites rates observed were 89.7% and 91.5% for Azamax TM and Neemseto TM respectively, on the 0.5% concentration after reapplying the product on the seventh day. Adverse effects were also observed over the fecundity and viability of the eggs when treated with commercial products (c.p.. The biological persistence of the products was of approximately three days after being pulverized. The formulations present selectivity in relation to the phytoseiids, however they caused fecundity reduction.

New Neoribates (Acari, Oribatida, Parakalummidae) from Vietnam

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ermilov, S.G.; Starý, Josef

2017-01-01

Roč. 4303, č. 1 (2017), s. 51-72 ISSN 1175-5326 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60660521 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Oripodoidea * morphology * systematics * Tam Dao National Park * Oriental region Subject RIV: EG - Zoology OBOR OECD: Zoology Impact factor: 0.972, year: 2016

New Protoribates (Acari, Oribatida, Haplozetidae) from Vietnam

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ermilov, S.G.; Starý, Josef

2017-01-01

Roč. 4258, č. 6 (2017), s. 501-524 ISSN 1175-5326 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60660521 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Oripodoidea * morphology * systematics * new species * Tam Dao National Park * Oriental region Subject RIV: EG - Zoology OBOR OECD: Zoology Impact factor: 0.972, year: 2016

fabricius (acari: ixodidae en equinos y bovinos

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Víctor Álvarez C.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Con el objetivo de ampliar el conocimiento sobre el comportamiento de los adultos y las ninfas de Amblyomma en equinos y bovinos, se desarrolló un estudio en San Pablo de Turrubares, provincia de San José. Para el trabajo de campo se empleó 3 métodos: revisión de los animales seleccionados, el arrastre por medio de bandera, y el trampeo con CO2. Los equinos demostraron ser la especie más susceptible para A. cajennense, seguidos por B. taurus. Las ninfas de A. cajennense se concentran en la época seca y a nivel de laboratorio muestran indicadores que colocan a estas garrapatas como individuos con una gran capacidad para sobrevivir sin alimento, lo que dificulta su control. No se encontró correlación entre la precipitación y los niveles de garrapatas; sin embargo, durante la época que incluye la mayoría de los meses lluviosos se encontró una mayor cantidad de garrapatas. Se observó sitios de preferencia por parte de A. cajennense para fijarse al cuerpo de los animales.

A revision of the Plateremaeidae (Acari: Oribatei

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Adilson D. Paschoal

1986-01-01

Full Text Available The family Plateremaeidae is revised, and includes the following taxa: Plateremaeus Berlese, with the only species P. ornatissimus (Berlese, from Brazil; Allodamaeus Banks, with the species ewingi (Banks, from the USA, coralgablensis, sp. n. (type-locality: USA, Flórida, Coral Gables, and ornatos Balogh & Csiszár, from Argentina; Lophoremaeus, gen. n., with two species: mirabilis Csiszár, from Bulgaria, the type-species, and laminipes (Berlese, n. comb., from Italy; Paralopheremaeus, gen. n., with the species legendrei (Balogh, n. comb., from Madagascar; Calipteremaeus, gen. n., with the species yaginumai (Aoki, n. comb., from Japan; the following species are considered incertae sedis: Plateremaeus carinulatus (Berlese, from Brasil, P. complanatus (Berlese, from Chile, P. rotundatus Berlese, from Japan, and P. tunicatus ( Balogh, from Zaire.A família Plateremaeidae é revista, e inclui os seguintes táxons: Plateremaeus Berlese, com a única espécie P. ornatissimus (Berlese, do Brazil; Allodamaeus Banks, com as espécies ewingi (Banks, dos Estados Unidos, coralgablensis, sp. n. (localidade-tipo: Estados Unidos, Flórida, Coral Gables e ornatos Balogh & Csziszár, da Argentina; Lophoremaeus, gen. n., com duas espécies: mirabilis Csiszár, da Bulgária, espécie-tipo, e laminipes (Berlese, n. comb., da Itália; Paralopheremaeus, gen. n., com a espécie legendrei (Balogh, n. comb., de Madagascar; Calipteremaeus. gen. n., com a espécie yaginumai (Aoki, n. comb., do Japão; as seguintes espécies são consideradas incertae sedis: Plateremaeus carinulatus (Berlese, do Brasil, P. complanatus (Berlese, do Chile, P. rotundatus Berlese, do Japão, e P. tunicatus (Balogh, do Zaire.

The Honey Bee Pathosphere of Mongolia: European Viruses in Central Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsevegmid, Khaliunaa; Neumann, Peter; Yañez, Orlando

2016-01-01

Parasites and pathogens are apparent key factors for the detrimental health of managed European honey bee subspecies, Apis mellifera. Apicultural trade is arguably the main factor for the almost global distribution of most honey bee diseases, thereby increasing chances for multiple infestations/infections of regions, apiaries, colonies and even individual bees. This imposes difficulties to evaluate the effects of pathogens in isolation, thereby creating demand to survey remote areas. Here, we conducted the first comprehensive survey for 14 honey bee pathogens in Mongolia (N = 3 regions, N = 9 locations, N = 151 colonies), where honey bee colonies depend on humans to overwinter. In Mongolia, honey bees, Apis spp., are not native and colonies of European A. mellifera subspecies have been introduced ~60 years ago. Despite the high detection power and large sample size across Mongolian regions with beekeeping, the mite Acarapis woodi, the bacteria Melissococcus plutonius and Paenibacillus larvae, the microsporidian Nosema apis, Acute bee paralysis virus, Kashmir bee virus, Israeli acute paralysis virus and Lake Sinai virus strain 2 were not detected, suggesting that they are either very rare or absent. The mite Varroa destructor, Nosema ceranae and four viruses (Sacbrood virus, Black queen cell virus, Deformed wing virus (DWV) and Chronic bee paralysis virus) were found with different prevalence. Despite the positive correlation between the prevalence of V. destructor mites and DWV, some areas had only mites, but not DWV, which is most likely due to the exceptional isolation of apiaries (up to 600 km). Phylogenetic analyses of the detected viruses reveal their clustering and European origin, thereby supporting the role of trade for pathogen spread and the isolation of Mongolia from South-Asian countries. In conclusion, this survey reveals the distinctive honey bee pathosphere of Mongolia, which offers opportunities for exciting future research.

Development of a 44K SNP assay focussing on the analysis of a varroa-specific defence behaviour in honey bees (Apis mellifera carnica).

Science.gov (United States)

Spötter, A; Gupta, P; Nürnberg, G; Reinsch, N; Bienefeld, K

2012-03-01

Honey bees are exposed to a number of damaging pathogens and parasites. The most destructive among them, affecting mainly the brood, is Varroa destructor. A promising approach to prevent its spread is to breed for Varroa-tolerant honey bees. A trait that has been shown to provide significant resistance against the Varroa mite is hygienic behaviour, a behavioural response of honey bee workers to brood diseases in general. This study reports the development of a 44K SNP assay, specifically designed for the analysis of hygienic behaviour of individual worker bees (Apis mellifera carnica) directed against V. destructor. Initially, 70,000 SNPs chosen from a large set of SNPs published by the Honey Bee Genome Project were validated for their suitability in the analysis of the Varroa resistance trait 'uncapping of Varroa-infested brood'. This was achieved by genotyping of pooled DNA samples of trait bearers and two trait-negative controls using next-generation sequencing. Approximately 36,000 of these validated SNPs and another 8000 SNPs not validated in this study were selected for the construction of a SNP assay. This assay will be employed in following experiments to analyse individualized DNA samples in order to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) involved in the control of the investigated trait and to evaluate and possibly confirm QTL found in other studies. However, this assay is not just suitable to study Varroa tolerance, it is as well applicable to analyse any other trait in honey bees. In addition, because of its high density, this assay provides access into genomic selection with respect to several traits considered in honey bee breeding. It will become publicly available via AROS Applied Biotechnology AS, Aarhus, Denmark, before the end of the year 2011. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The Honey Bee Pathosphere of Mongolia: European Viruses in Central Asia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khaliunaa Tsevegmid

Full Text Available Parasites and pathogens are apparent key factors for the detrimental health of managed European honey bee subspecies, Apis mellifera. Apicultural trade is arguably the main factor for the almost global distribution of most honey bee diseases, thereby increasing chances for multiple infestations/infections of regions, apiaries, colonies and even individual bees. This imposes difficulties to evaluate the effects of pathogens in isolation, thereby creating demand to survey remote areas. Here, we conducted the first comprehensive survey for 14 honey bee pathogens in Mongolia (N = 3 regions, N = 9 locations, N = 151 colonies, where honey bee colonies depend on humans to overwinter. In Mongolia, honey bees, Apis spp., are not native and colonies of European A. mellifera subspecies have been introduced ~60 years ago. Despite the high detection power and large sample size across Mongolian regions with beekeeping, the mite Acarapis woodi, the bacteria Melissococcus plutonius and Paenibacillus larvae, the microsporidian Nosema apis, Acute bee paralysis virus, Kashmir bee virus, Israeli acute paralysis virus and Lake Sinai virus strain 2 were not detected, suggesting that they are either very rare or absent. The mite Varroa destructor, Nosema ceranae and four viruses (Sacbrood virus, Black queen cell virus, Deformed wing virus (DWV and Chronic bee paralysis virus were found with different prevalence. Despite the positive correlation between the prevalence of V. destructor mites and DWV, some areas had only mites, but not DWV, which is most likely due to the exceptional isolation of apiaries (up to 600 km. Phylogenetic analyses of the detected viruses reveal their clustering and European origin, thereby supporting the role of trade for pathogen spread and the isolation of Mongolia from South-Asian countries. In conclusion, this survey reveals the distinctive honey bee pathosphere of Mongolia, which offers opportunities for exciting future research.

Schedulability Analysis for Java Finalizers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bøgholm, Thomas; Hansen, Rene Rydhof; Søndergaard, Hans

2010-01-01

Java finalizers perform clean-up and finalisation of objects at garbage collection time. In real-time Java profiles the use of finalizers is either discouraged (RTSJ, Ravenscar Java) or even disallowed (JSR-302), mainly because of the unpredictability of finalizers and in particular their impact...... on the schedulability analysis. In this paper we show that a controlled scoped memory model results in a structured and predictable execution of finalizers, more reminiscent of C++ destructors than Java finalizers. Furthermore, we incorporate finalizers into a (conservative) schedulability analysis for Predictable Java...... programs. Finally, we extend the SARTS tool for automated schedulability analysis of Java bytecode programs to handle finalizers in a fully automated way....

Investigation of PCBs biodegradation by soil bacteria using tritium-labeled PCBs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, A.A.; Djuraeva, G.T.; Takhtobin, K.S.; Kadirova, M.; Yadgarov, H.T.; Zinovev, P.V.; Abdukarimov, A.A.

2004-01-01

The method of tritium labeling of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has been developed. It allows producing of uniformly labeled tritium PCBs. High specific activity permits the tracing all of the tritium labeled PCBs biodegradation products. Radiochemical approach of the investigation of PCBs microbial degradation has been developed and PCB-destructive activity of soil bacteria strains has been studied. It was found that 4 investigated bacteria strains of Bacillus sp. has the ability accumulate and destroy PCBs. Use of developed radiochemical methods in complex with other analytical methods in investigation of PCBs biodegradation provide useful additional information. The radiochemical methods developed can be successfully used for wide screening of microorganisms, destructors of PCBs. (author)

Raillietia caprae (Acari: Raillietidae and Psoroptes ovis (Acari: Psoroptidae in the ears of goats in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Southeast Brazil Raillietia caprae (Acari: Raillietidae e Psoroptes ovis (Acari: Psoroptidae nos condutos auditivos de caprinos no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Luiz H. Faccini

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Ear cannals of 145 domestic goats including the breeds Saanen, Toggenburg, Anglobian, Alpine, Moxoto (native and crossbred goats from 10 smallholder farms were examined by flushing for the presence of ear mites. Prevalence of Raillietia caprae Quintero, Bassols and Acevedo, 1980 was much more higher than Psoroptes ovis (Hering, 1838 in the studied area, respectively 62% ( 90/145 and 4% ( 6/145. The youngest animal parasitized was eight months old and the oldest was 10 years old. Subclinical otitis is a common feature of infestation by both species but increase of wax and the presence of pus were detected in the flushed material in approximately 10% of the goats examined.Os condutos auditivos de 145 caprinos das raças Saanen, Toggenburg, Anglobian, Alpine, Moxoto (native e mestiços provenientes de 10 pequenos criadores foram examinados pela técnica de lavagem para diagnosticar a infestação por ácaros. A prevalência de Raillietia caprae Quintero, Bassols and Acevedo, 1980 foi muito mais alta do que Psoroptes ovis (Hering, 1838 - 62% (90/145 e 4% (6/145, respectivamente. O animal parasitado mais jovem tinha oito meses de idade e o mais velho 10 anos. Otite subclínica é comum nas infestações por ambas espécies mas aumento de cerume e presença de pus foram diagnosticados no material da lavagem em aproximadamente 10% dos caprinos examinados.

THE INFLUENCE OF VARIABLE TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY ON THE PREDATION EFFICIENCY OF P. PERSIMILIS, N. CALIFORNICUS AND N. FALLACIS.

Science.gov (United States)

Audenaert, J; Vangansbeke, D; Verhoeven, R; De Clercq, P; Tirry, L; Gobin, B

2014-01-01

Predatory mites like Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot, Neoseiulus californicus McGregor and N. fallacis (Garman) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) are essential in sustainable control strategies of the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) in warm greenhouse cultures to complement imited available pesticides and to tackle emerging resistance. However, in response to high energy prices, greenhouse plant breeders have recently changed their greenhouse steering strategies, allowing more variation in temperature and humidity. The impact of these variations on biological control agents is poorly understood. Therefore, we constructed functional response models to demonstrate the impact of realistic climate variations on predation efficiency. First, two temperature regimes were compared at constant humidity (70%) and photoperiod (16L:8D): DIF0 (constant temperature) and DIF15 (variable temperature with day-night difference of 15°C). At mean temperatures of 25°C, DIF15 had a negative influence on the predation efficiency of P. persimilis and N. californicus, as compared to DIF0. At low mean temperatures of 15°C, however, DIF15 showed a higher predation efficiency for P. persimilis and N. californicus. For N. fallacis no difference was observed at both 15°C and 25°C. Secondly, two humidity regimes were compared, at a mean temperature of 25°C (DIFO) and constant photoperiod (16L:8D): RHCTE (constant 70% humidity) and RHALT (alternating 40% L:70%D humidity). For P. persimilis and N. fallacis RHCTE resulted in a higher predation efficiency than RHALT, for N. californicus this effect was opposite. This shows that N. californicus is more adapted to dry climates as compared to the other predatory mites. We conclude that variable greenhouse climates clearly affect predation efficiency of P. persimilis, N. californicus and N. fallacis. To obtain optimal control efficiency, the choice of predatory mites (including dose and application frequency

Efeito de restos da cultura do abacaxizeiro e de agrobio na fauna do solo Effect of residues of pineaplle plant and agrobio in the soil fauna

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alecsandra de Almeida

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Objetivou-se avaliar o efeito de restos culturais de abacaxizeiro (Ananas comosus L. 'Smooth Cayenne' na fauna de artrópodes,em cultivos em campo. As mudas, do tipo filhote, foram plantadas no mês de junho, em um Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo, que recebeu 0, 30 e 60t/ha de restos de abacaxizeiro, aplicados superficialmente e incorporados a 10cm de profundidade, com e sem a adição do biofertilizante-Agrobio10% (v/v. Foram coletadas amostras a 05 cm de profundidade aos 90, 210, 330 e 450 dias após a aplicação dos resíduos. Identificou-se, durante os 15 meses de avaliações, o predomínio de Acari e Collembola. A maior densidade de animais foi observada na primeira amostragem, aos 90 dias após a adição dos restos. No entanto, diferenças na abundância da fauna de solo só foram observadas, 330 dias após a adição dos resíduos.This study was conducted under field conditions, in order to determine the effect of pineapple crop (Ananas comosus L. residues on the edaphic arthropod fauna. Slips were planted in June, in Red-Yellow Latossol , with crop residues in amounts of 0, 30 and 60 t/ha, placed on the surface or tilled under 10cm, with and without 10% (v/v Agrobio biofertilizer applied along with the residues and sprayed monthly at 3% (v/v two months after planting. Soil samples were collected from the top 5.0 cm of soil at 90, 210, 330 and 450 days after the application of residues. Over 15 months, the predominance of Acari and Collembolan was observed. The highest density of animals was observed in the first sample, at 90 days after the addition of residues. Nevertheless, differences in soil fauna abundance between treatments were not detected until 330 days after soil management with crop residues.

Plant species modifies the functional response of Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) to Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae): implications for biological control.

Science.gov (United States)

Skirvin, D J; Fenlon, J S

2001-02-01

The functional response of the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot to eggs of its prey, the spider mite Tetranychus urticae Koch was examined on three plant species. Experiments were done to determine whether differences in the functional response on the three plant species were due to the morphological features of the crop directly on the predator or through an effect of the plant species on the prey. The results show that crop morphology is the only factor influencing the predatory ability of P. persimilis on the three plant species. Fewer eggs were eaten on Ceanothus thyrsiflorus var. 'Autumnal Blue', the plant species with hairy leaves, and greater numbers of prey consumed on Choisya ternata, a species with smooth leaves. However, similarly few eggs were eaten on the smooth, but waxy leaved Euonymus japonicus as on Ceanothus thyrsiflorus, demonstrating that morphological characters of leaves other than the possession of hairs and trichomes may affect the rates of predation. The implications of these results for the tritrophic interactions between plant, predator and prey, and the development of suitable biological control strategies are discussed.

Alternating temperatures affect life table parameters of Phytoseiulus persimilis, Neoseiulus californicus (Acari: Phytoseiidae) and their prey Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Vangansbeke, Dominiek; De Schrijver, Lien; Spranghers, Thomas; Audenaert, Joachim; Verhoeven, Ruth; Nguyen, Duc Tung; Gobin, Bruno; Tirry, Luc; De Clercq, Patrick

2013-11-01

Increasing energy costs force glasshouse growers to switch to energy saving strategies. In the temperature integration approach, considerable daily temperature variations are allowed, which not only have an important influence on plant growth but also on the development rate of arthropods in the crop. Therefore, we examined the influence of two constant temperature regimes (15 °C/15 °C and 20 °C/20 °C) and one alternating temperature regime (20 °C/5 °C, with an average of 15 °C) on life table parameters of Phytoseiulus persimilis and Neoseiulus californicus and their target pest, the two-spotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae at a 16:8 (L:D) h photoperiod and 65 ± 5 % RH. For females of both predatory mites the alternating temperature regime resulted in a 25-30 % shorter developmental time as compared to the corresponding mean constant temperature regime of 15 °C/15 °C. The immature development of female spider mites was prolonged for 7 days at 15 °C/15 °C as compared to 20 °C/5 °C. With a daytime temperature of 20 °C, no differences in lifetime fecundity were observed between a nighttime temperature of 20 and 5 °C for P. persimilis and T. urticae. The two latter species did show a higher lifetime fecundity at 20 °C/5 °C than at 15 °C/15 °C, and their daily fecundity at the alternating regime was about 30 % higher than at the corresponding mean constant temperature. P. persimilis and T. urticae showed no differences in sex ratio between the three temperature regimes, whereas the proportion of N. californicus females at 15 °C/15 °C (54.2 %) was significantly lower than that at 20 °C/5 °C (69.4 %) and 20 °C/20 °C (67.2 %). Intrinsic rates of increase were higher at the alternating temperature than at the corresponding mean constant temperature for both pest and predators. Our results indicate that thermal responses of the studied phytoseiid predators to alternating temperature regimes used in energy saving strategies in glasshouse crops may have consequences for their efficacy in biological control programs.

Acute exposure to a sublethal dose of imidacloprid and coumaphos enhances olfactory learning and memory in the honeybee Apis mellifera.

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, Sally M; Baker, Daniel D; Wright, Geraldine A

2013-06-01

The decline of honeybees and other pollinating insects is a current cause for concern. A major factor implicated in their decline is exposure to agricultural chemicals, in particular the neonicotinoid insecticides such as imidacloprid. Honeybees are also subjected to additional chemical exposure when beekeepers treat hives with acaricides to combat the mite Varroa destructor. Here, we assess the effects of acute sublethal doses of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid, and the organophosphate acaricide coumaphos, on honey bee learning and memory. Imidacloprid had little effect on performance in a six-trial olfactory conditioning assay, while coumaphos caused a modest impairment. We report a surprising lack of additive adverse effects when both compounds were administered simultaneously, which instead produced a modest improvement in learning and memory.

Parasites and pathogens of ticks ( Rhipicephalus species Acari ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The interaction of ticks with its environment as well as its natural hosts predisposes it to acquiring pathogens that could pose animal and human health risks. Identifying these pathogens could alert dog owners and others to reassess the predisposing factors and ensure control. The aim of the study was to identify the species ...

Origins of asexuality in Bryobia mites (Acari: Tetranychidae)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ros, V.I.D.; Breeuwer, J.A.J.; Menken, S.B.J.

2008-01-01

Background Obligate asexual reproduction is rare in the animal kingdom. Generally, asexuals are considered evolutionary dead ends that are unable to radiate. The phytophagous mite genus Bryobia contains a large number of asexual species. In this study, we investigate the origin and evolution of

The ticks (Acari: Ixodida: Argasidae, Ixodidae) of Bolivia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mastropaolo, Mariano; Beltrán-Saavedra, L Fabián; Guglielmone, Alberto A

2014-03-01

The tick species reported in Bolivia are reviewed here as (1) endemic or established: Ornithodoros echimys, O. guaporensis, O. hasei, O. kohlsi, O. mimon, O. peropteryx, O. rostratus, Otobius megnini, Amblyomma auricularium, A. cajennense, A. calcaratum, A. coelebs, A. dubitatum, A. humerale, A. incisum, A. longirostre, A. naponense, A. nodosum, A. oblongoguttatum, A. ovale, A. parvitarsum, A. parvum, A. pecarium, A. pseudoconcolor, A. rotundatum, A. scalpturatum, A. tigrinum, A. triste, Dermacentor nitens, Haemaphysalis juxtakochi, H. leporispalustris, I. boliviensis, I. cooleyi, I. luciae, Rhipicephalus microplus, R. sanguineus, and (2) erroneously reported: Ornithodoros puertoricensis, O. talaje, O. turicata, Amblyomma americanum, A. maculatum, A. multipunctum, Ixodes ricinus, I. scapularis, Rhipicephalus annulatus. Many of these records are lacking locality and/or host, and some of them need new findings for confirmation. Some of the species recorded may represent a threat for human and animal health, therefore would be of great value to make a countrywide survey of ticks in order to update the information presented in this work. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

The ticks (Acari: Ixodida: Argasidae, Ixodidae) of Paraguay

Science.gov (United States)

2007-01-01

20u209S, 60u209W Parque Defensores del Chaco 20u149S, 60u129W ALTO PARANÁ Ciudad del Este 25u329S, 54u379W BOQUERÓN Colonia Fernheim 22u149S, 59u509W...female, host unknown, Parque Defensores del Chaco, 5 December 1981, coll. J. A. Kochalka), RML 119014 (two males and one female, ex Catagonus wagneri...Moro, 22 June 2002, coll. M. Cunningham), RML 123661 (one female, ex Pa. onca, Parque Defensores del Chaco, 16 July 2003, coll. M. Cunningham), RML

A Proteomic Analysis of Sarcoptes scabiei (Acari: Sarcoptidae)

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Marjorie S.; Arlian, Larry G.; Rider, S. Dean; Grunwald, William C.; Cool, David R.

2016-01-01

The pruritic skin disease scabies is caused by the burrowing of the itch mite Sarcoptes scabiei (De Geer). It is difficult to diagnose this disease because its symptoms often resemble those of other skin diseases. No reliable blood or molecular diagnostic test is available. The aim of this project was to begin to characterize the scabies proteome to identify scabies mite proteins, including those that may be useful in the development of a diagnostic test or vaccine. Various scabies mite extracts were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis, and 844 Coomassie Blue-stained protein spots were excised, subjected to trypsin digestion, and analyzed by Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-Of-Flight/Time-Of-Flight (MALDI-TOF/TOF) mass spectrometry (MS). Tryptic fragment sequences determined by MS were searched against the recently completed S. scabiei annotated genome, leading to the identification of >150 proteins. Only 10 proteins hit to previously identified scabies proteins including actin, tropomyosin, and several ABC transporters. Thirteen proteins had homology to dust mite allergens (members of groups 8, 10, 13, 17, 20, 25, and 28). Most other sequences showed some homology to proteins in other mites and ticks including homologs of calmodulin, calreticulin, lipocalin, and glutathione-S-transferase. These data will now allow the identification of the proteins to which scabies patients produce antibodies, including those that may be good candidates for inclusion in a diagnostic test and vaccine. PMID:26792847

Resistance of the predacious mite, euseius kenyae (acari ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study was carried out to assess whether the predacious phytoseiid mite, Euseius kenyae (Swirski and Ragusa), commonly found in major coffee growing regions in Kenya has developed resistance to Chlorpyrifos. Mite populations were collected from coffee farms harbouring E. kenyae and where Chlorpyrifos or other ...

Efeitos do nim sobre tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae e os predadores Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks e Neoseiulus californicus (Mcgregor (Acari: Phytoseiidae

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Daniele Cristine Hoffmann Schlesener

2013-03-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eficiência de controle e os efeitos adversos de dois produtos à base de nim Azamax® (Azadiractina A/B 12g/L e Neemseto® (Azadiractina A/B, Nimbina e Salanina 2,389 g/L sobre o ácaro-rajado Tetranychus urticae e os predadores Phytoseiulus macropilis e Neoseiulus californicus em laboratório. Para o ácaro-rajado, foram consideradas as variáveis mortalidade, fecundidade, efeito ovicida e persistência biológica, enquanto para os fitoseídeos consideraram-se mortalidade e fecundidade. A mortalidade máxima observada para o ácaro-rajado foi de 89,7% e 91,5% para Azamax® e Neemseto®, respectivamente, na concentração de 0,5% após a reaplicação do produto no sétimo dia. Também foram observados efeitos adversos sobre a fecundidade e a viabilidade dos ovos quando tratados com os produtos comerciais (p.c.. A persistência biológica dos produtos foi de aproximadamente três dias após a pulverização. As formulações apresentaram seletividade em relação aos fitoseídeos, porém causaram redução da fecundidade dos mesmos.

Nuevas citas de ácaros oribátidos (Acari: Oribatida para la Argentina New records of oribatids (Acari: Oribatida for Argentina

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Ana Salazar Martínez

2006-12-01

Full Text Available En la presente nota se citan, por primera vez para la Argentina , cuatro especies de ácaros oribátidos: Epilohmannia pallida americana Balogh & Mahunka, 1981, Protoribates (Triangius praeoccupatus (Pérez-Iñigo & Baggio, 1980, Scheloribates curvialatus Hammer, 1961 y Galumna innexa Pérez-Iñigo & Baggio, 1986. Los ejemplares fueron hallados en muestras de suelo recolectadas en La Plata , Provincia de Buenos Aires (34º 54'S, 57º 55´ W, en ambientes sometidos a intervención antrópica: bosques urbanos, huertas orgánicas y pastizales.Four species of oribatid mites are recorded from Argentina for the first time: Epilohmannia pallida americana Balogh & Mahunka, 1981, Protoribates (Triangius praeoccupatus (Pérez-Iñigo & Baggio, 1980, Scheloribates curvialatus Hammer, 1961 and Galumna innexa Pérez-Iñigo & Baggio, 1986. The specimens were collected in soil samples in La Plata , Buenos Aires Province (34º 54' S, 57º 55´ W in sites exposed to different degrees of human intervention: urban forest, organic orchards and pastures.

Suscetibilidade de Oligonychus yothersi (Acari: Tetranychidae ao fungo Beauveria bassiana Susceptibility of Oligonychus yothersi (Acari: Tetranychidae to the fungus Beauveria bassiana

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Renato Cassol de Oliveira

2002-03-01

Full Text Available A cultura da erva-mate (Ilex paraguariensis é uma importante atividade econômica no Sul do Brasil. Com o aumento de consumo nos anos oitenta, cresceram também as áreas de monocultura, gerando condições favoráveis para o aumento populacional de insetos e ácaros fitófagos, entre eles o ácaro vermelho Oligonychus yothersi. Este estudo avaliou a suscetibilidade do ácaro vermelho O. yothersi a vários isolados do fungo Beauveria bassiana. O experimento foi conduzido em Cascavel, PR. Discos foliares de erva-mate (2,2 cm² foram previamente infestados com 20 fêmeas adultas. Alíquotas de 1 mL de cada suspensão de conídios dos diferentes isolados de B. bassiana, ajustadas na concentração de 1,0x10(8 conídios mL-1 foram pulverizadas, separadamente, sobre um conjunto de 5 discos. Os discos foliares foram mantidos flutuando em água destilada, em caixas plásticas (3 cm de diâmetro, sob condições controladas. Diariamente, os ácaros mortos foram transferidos para câmara úmida, para confirmação de mortalidade causada pelo fungo. A mortalidade total variou entre 77 e 98% (6 dias após a aplicação, não permitindo diferenciar os isolados quanto à virulência (P>0,05. Já a mortalidade confirmada variou entre 19 e 75%, permitindo diferenciá-los (PThe Paraguay tea (Ilex paraguariensis crop is an important economical activity in Southern Brazil. With the increase of tea consumption in the 80s, the number of monoculture crops also increased, creating favorable conditions for the development of phytophagous insect and mite populations, such as the red mite Oligonychus yothersi. The objective of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of the red mite O. yothersi to the several strains of the Beauveria bassiana fungus. The experiments were carried out in Cascavel, PR, Brazil. Leaf disks of Paraguay tea (2.2 cm² were previously infested with 20 adult females. Five disks were inoculated with 1 mL of each conidial suspension of B. bassiana strains (1x10(8 conidia per mL. Disks were kept afloat on distilled water in plastic boxes (3 cm diameter, under controlled conditions. Dead mites were transferred to a humid chamber on a daily basis to confirm the mortalities rate by the fungus. All the strains were pathogenic, with total mortality varying from 77 to 98%, 6 days after application. It was not possible to differentiate virulence levels between strains (P<0.05 by total mortality. However, confirmed mortality varied from 19 to 75%, 8 days after application, allowing for a differentiation in virulence levels between strains (P<0.05. This study concluded that the O. yothersi red mite is susceptible, at different levels, to B. bassiana tested strains.

Validation report – Results of an International Ring test According to the Draft Guideline: Predatory mite reproduction test in soil (Hypoaspis (Geolaelaps) aculeifer) (med bidrag)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Römbke, Jörg; Becker, B. Dark, Th. Moser, N. Halsall, W. Powley, A. Ruf, C. Scholer, E. Smit, P. Wege, N. Zenz, L.; Krogh, Paul Henning

A new Test Guideline has been developed, which is designed to be used for assessing the effects of chemical substances in soil on the reproductive output of the soil mite species Hypoaspis (Geolaelaps) aculeifer Canestrini (Acari: Laelapidae). H. aculeifer represents an additional trophic level...... to the species for which guidelines are already available. The main endpoint is the reproduction of the mites without discrimination and quantification of the different stages of the reproductive cycle. Based on already standardised OECD and ISO test guidelines as well as ideas from literature, the ad...... caused by the ring test experiences. The results determined in the ring test proved the suitability of the proposed test method. The LC50 values for both test chemicals differed by less than a factor of 2.5 from the mean and no statistically significant differences were found between laboratories.The EC...

Trophic Interactions between Generalist Predators and the Two Spotted Spide Mite, Tetranychus urticae in, Strawberry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Stine Kramer

The two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), is a major cause of pest damage worldwide. Its host range includes among many the strawberry crop, a high value crop in Denmark as well as in many other temperate and subtropical regions. Chemical control of T. urticae...... occurrence and diversity of predatory insects and predatory mites in Danish strawberry fields and surrounding vegetation is lacking, as is the knowledge of the potential of generalist insect predators to control T. urticae. The overall objective of this PhD thesis was to investigate the trophic interactions...... between natural enemies, in particular generalist predators and the two spotted spider mite, T. urticae, in strawberry. This was done by investigating interactions of T. urticae and its natural enemies as influenced by cropping practice and the surrounding vegetation (Manuscript I) as well as more...

Aplicação foliar de tratamentos para o controle do míldio e da podridão-de-escamas de bulbos de cebola Foliar spray of treatments in the control of downy mildew and bulb rot in onion

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João Américo Wordell Filho

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Em experimento de campo, avaliou-se o efeito da aplicação foliar de tratamentos para o controle do míldio (Peronospora destructor e da podridão de bulbos (Burkholderia cepacia de cebola: testemunha, clorotalonil/metalaxyl + clorotalonil, fosfito de potássio, fertilizante foliar (03-00-16, N-P-K, calda bordalesa, calda bordalesa/fosfito de potássio, acibenzolar-S-methyl, pulverizados semanalmente; extrato de alga (Ulva fasciata e ulvana, aplicados a cada 7, 14 e 21 dias. Somente a pulverização semanal com fungicidas sintéticos ou com o fertilizante (03-00-16; 400 mL de p.c./100 L foi capaz de reduzir significativamente a severidade do míldio, em 60 ou 23%, respectivamente, em relação à testemunha não pulverizada, sem aumentar o rendimento de bulbos. O tratamento com fertilizantes ricos em potássio resultou em maior incidência da podridão de bulbos armazenados por cinco meses. O conteúdo de açúcares solúveis e incidência da podridão de bulbos de cebola foram correlacionados significativamente (-0,629, p A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of foliar sprays with the following treatments on the downy mildew (Peronospora destructor and bulb rot (Burkholderia cepacia in onions: non-treated control, fungicide chlorotalonil/metalaxyl + chlorotalonil, potassium phosphite, foliar fertilizer (03-00-16, N-P-K, bordeaux mixture, bordeaux mixture/potassium phosphite, acibenzolar-S-methyl weekly applied; extract of alga Ulva fasciata and ulvan sprayed every 7, 14 and 21 days. Only the weekly spraying of fungicides and fertilizer (03-00-16, 400 mL/100 L significantly reduced the mildew severity by 60 and 23%, respectively, but did not increase the bulb yield. The foliar application of potassium rich fertilizers resulted in a higher incidence of rotten bulbs after 5 months in storage. Soluble sugar content and rot incidence of onion bulbs were significantly correlated (-0,629, p < 0,05.

Impregnación superficial, con azufre, del hormigón

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Dutruel, F.

1979-03-01

Full Text Available Se puede afirmar que la durabilidad del hormigón está principalmente condicionada a su compacidad y a su aislamiento de los ambientes agresivos. Los agentes destructores endógenos se consideran eliminados cuando el hormigón está preparado correctamente, con materiales durables y técnica perfecta de amasado, colocación y curado. El centro francés, de estudios e investigaciones de la industria del hormigón "manufacturado" ha emprendido un estudio experimental de la impregnación con azufre. El principal objetivo ha sido comprobar la persistencia, a largo plazo, de las mejoras que se alcanzan en las propiedades físicas y químicas del hormigón por el revestimiento, o mejor, impregnación a cierta profundidad con azufre.

Exogenous Salicylic Acid Enhances the Resistance of Wheat Seedlings to Hessian Fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) Infestation Under Heat Stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Underwood, Joshua; Moch, John; Chen, Ming-Shun; Zhu, Lieceng

2014-10-01

Heat stress exerts significant impact on plant-parasite interactions. Phytohormones, such as salicylic acid (SA), play important roles in plant defense against parasite attacks. Here, we studied the impact of a combination of heat stress and exogenous SA on the resistance of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants to the Hessian fly [Mayetiola destructor (Say)]. We found that the wheat cultivar 'Molly', which contains the resistance gene H13, lost resistance to Hessian fly under heat stress (40°C for 3 and 6 h), and that exogenous application of SA on Molly seedlings right before heat stress can partially prevent the loss of resistance of Molly plants under heat conditions. Our findings have significant implications for understanding the dynamics of plant-insect interactions in the context of heat stress. © 2014 Entomological Society of America.

[The interaction of soil micromycetes with "hot" particles in a model system].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhdanova, N N; Lashko, T N; Redchits, T I; Vasilevskaia, A I; Borisiuk, L G; Siniavskaia, O I; Gavriliuk, V I; Muzalev, P N

1991-01-01

A model system which permits observing for a long time and fixing interaction of fungi with a radiation source has been created on the basis of an isolated "hot" particle, deficient mineral medium (saccharose content 60 mg/l) and suspension of fungal conidia. Five species (six strains) of micromycetes isolated from radionuclide-contaminated soils and fifteen "hot" particles have been tested. It has been found out for the first time that Cladosporium cladosporioides and Penicillium roseo-purpureum are able actively overgrow "hot" particles whose radioactivity did not exceed 3.1-1.0(-7) Ci by gamma-spectrum and to destroy them 50-150 days later. Certain changes in morphology of fungi-destructors of "hot" particles are revealed. A problem on ecological significance of the found phenomenon is discussed.

Origin and higher-level diversification of acariform mites - evidence from nuclear ribosomal genes, extensive taxon sampling, and secondary structure alignment.

Science.gov (United States)

Pepato, A R; Klimov, P B

2015-09-02

Acariformes is the most species-rich and morphologically diverse radiation of chelicerate arthropods, known from the oldest terrestrial ecosystems. It is also a key lineage in understanding the evolution of this group, with the most vexing question whether mites, or Acari (Parasitiformes and Acariformes) is monophyletic. Previous molecular studies recovered Acari either as monophyletic or non-monophyletic, albeit with a limited taxon sampling. Similarly, relationships between basal acariform groups (include little-known, deep-soil 'endeostigmatan' mites) and major lineages of Acariformes (Sarcoptiformes, Prostigmata) are virtually unknown. We infer phylogeny of chelicerate arthropods, using a large and representative dataset, comprising all main in- and outgroups (228 taxa). Basal diversity of Acariformes is particularly well sampled. With this dataset, we conduct a series of phylogenetically explicit tests of chelicerate and acariform relationships and present a phylogenetic framework for internal relationships of acariform mites. Our molecular data strongly support a diphyletic Acari, with Acariformes as the sister group to Solifugae (PP =1.0; BP = 100), the so called Poecilophysidea. Among Acariformes, some representatives of the basal group Endeostigmata (mainly deep-soil mites) were recovered as sister-groups to the remaining Acariformes (i. e., Trombidiformes + and most of Sarcoptiformes). Desmonomatan oribatid mites (soil and litter mites) were recovered as the monophyletic sister group of Astigmata (e. g., stored product mites, house dust mites, mange mites, feather and fur mites). Trombidiformes (Sphaerolichida + Prostigmata) is strongly supported (PP =1.0; BP = 98-100). Labidostommatina was inferred as the basal lineage of Prostigmata. Eleutherengona (e. g., spider mites) and Parasitengona (e. g., chiggers, fresh water mites) were recovered as monophyletic. By contrast, Eupodina (e. g., snout mites and relatives) was not. Marine mites (Halacaridae) were

Data from: Interaction between Varroa destructor and imidacloprid reduces flight capacity of honeybees

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blanken, Lisa; Langevelde, van F.; Dooremalen, van J.A.

2015-01-01

Current high losses of honey bees seriously threaten crop pollination. Whereas parasite exposure is acknowledged as an important cause of these losses, the role of insecticides is controversial. Parasites and neonicotinoid insecticides reduce homing success of foragers, e.g., by reduced orientation,

Nuevos registros de ácaros oribátidos (Acari: Oribatida para la Argentina New records of oribatid mites (Acari: Oribatida for Argentina

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Cecilia Accattoli

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Esta publicación constituye un aporte al conocimiento del elenco oribatológico en suelos de Argentina, basado en relevamientos realizados en un parque urbano de la ciudad de La Plata, Buenos Aires. Se informan dos nuevas citas de géneros, una de subgénero y siete de especies para el país. Además, cinco de las especies halladas serían nuevas para la ciencia. Se incorporan ocho géneros y siete especies a las registradas para la Provincia de Buenos Aires.This paper is a contribution to the knowledge of assemblages of oribatid mites in soils of Argentina. The study is based on samples from an urban forest in the city of La Plata, Buenos Aires. New records for the country are provided for two genera, one subgenus and seven species. Furthermore, five of the species found are possibly new to science. Eight genera and seven species are incorporated to the record of the Buenos Aires province.

Artrópodes em ninhos de Columba livia Gmelin, 1789 (Aves, Columbidae em área urbana de Manaus, Amazonas, Brasil.

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Guilherme Maerschner Ogawa

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Resumo. Foi realizado um estudo sobre artrópodes que vivem em ninhos de Columba livia Gmelin 1789, ave conhecida como pombo urbano e que nidifica em construções humanas, com o intuito de inventariar as espécies de artrópodes associadas. Foram coletados 14 ninhos de C. livia em nove bairros da área urbana de Manaus os quais foram levados ao laboratótio e colocados em um extrator do tipo Berlese-Tulgren por 12 dias, para a captura dos artrópodes. Foram encontrados 10.323 artrópodes, pertencentes a 3 subfilos, 3 classes, 14 ordens e 33famílias. Acari foi mais abundante com 7.879 indivíduos, sendo o gênero Caloglyphus Berlese, 1923, o mais representativo (75%. A maioria das espécies encontradas é detritívora. A diversidade de artrópodes foi menor em Manaus se comparada à registrada em trabalhos da região Paleártica, provavelmente por C. livia ser uma espécie exótica na fauna Neotropical. Arthropods in the nests of Columba livia Gmelin 1789 (Aves, Columbidae in the urban area of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. Abstract. The objective of this study was identify the arthropod fauna in nests of the urban pigeon, Columba livia Gmelin 1789 who build their nests in man-made buildings. Fourteen nests were collected in nine districts of the built up area of the city of Manaus. For twelve days, arthropods were extracted in a Berlese-Tulgren funnel. A total of 10.323 arthropods representing 3 subphyla, 3 classes, 14 orders and 33 families were detected. Acari was the most abundant group with 7879 individuals. Mites of the genus Caloglyphus Berlese, 1923, made up over 75 % of all arthropods collected. Most of the arthropods extracted are detrivorous and apterous. The diversity found in Manaus was lower than that reported for samples collected in the Palearctic Region, probably because C. livia is exotic in the Neotropical fauna. The introduction of this pigeon can be responsible for a major contact between some arthropods and humans.

OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals, Test No. 226: Predatory mite (Hypoaspis (Geolaelaps) aculeifer) reproduction test in soil

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Römbke, L. Becker, B. Dark, Th. Moser, N. Halsall, W. Powley, A. Ruf, C. Scholer, E. Smit, P. Wege, N. Zenz m.fl., J.; Krogh, Paul Henning

2008-01-01

This Test Guideline describes a method to assess the effects of chemical substances in soil on the reproductive output of the soil mite species Hypoaspis (Geolaelaps) aculeifer Canestrini (Acari: Laelapidae). It can be used for water soluble or insoluble substances, but not with volatile substances...... replicates for each test concentrations and six to eight control replicates, of 10 animals each, are recommended. At 20 oC, the test lasts 14 days after introducing the females, which usually allows the control offspring to reach the deutonymph stage. The number of surviving females (mortality ...% for a valid test) and the number of juveniles per test vessel (at least 50 for a valid test) are determined. The fecundity of the mites exposed to the test substance is compared to that of controls in order to determine the ECx (e.g. EC10, EC50) or the No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC). Any observed...

Mesocosm soil ecological risk assessment tool for GMO 2nd tier studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

D'Annibale, Alessandra; Maraldo, Kristine; Larsen, Thomas

Ecological Risk Assessment (ERA) of GMO is basically identical to ERA of chemical substances, when it comes to assessing specific effects of the GMO plant material on the soil ecosystem. The tiered approach always includes the option of studying more complex but still realistic ecosystem level...... effects in 2nd tier caged experimental systems, cf. the new GMO ERA guidance: EFSA Journal 2010; 8(11):1879. We propose to perform a trophic structure analysis, TSA, and include the trophic structure as an ecological endpoint to gain more direct insight into the change in interactions between species, i.......e. the food-web structure, instead of relying only on the indirect evidence from population abundances. The approach was applied for effect assessment in the agro-ecosystem where we combined factors of elevated CO2, viz. global climate change, and GMO plant effects. A multi-species (Collembola, Acari...

Vectorial role of some dermanyssoid mites (Acari, Mesostigmata, Dermanyssoidea

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Valiente Moro C.

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Among transmissible diseases, vectorial diseases represent a major problem for public health. In the group of acarina, while ticks are the most commonly implicated vectors, other arthropods and notably Dermanyssoidea are also involved in the transmission of pathogenic agents. Since the role of this superfamily is at present largely unknown, we have reviewed the vectorial role of these mites in the appearance, survival and propagation of pathogens. Various authors have shown that Dermanyssoidea are implicated in the transmission of both bacteria (Salmonella, Spirocheta, Rickettsia or Pasteurella and viruses (equine encephalitis viruses, West Nile virus, Fowl pox virus, the virus causing Newcastle disease and tick borne encephalitis viruses or hantaviruses. Finally, some authors have also shown their role in the transmission of some protozoa and filaria. As the vectorial character of such mites has been more clearly demonstrated (Dermanyssus gallinae, Ornithonyssus bacoti and Allodermanyssus sanguineus, it would be interesting to continue studies to better understand the role of this superfamily in the epidemiology of certain zoonoses.

Contribution to the Uropodina mites of Peru (Acari: Mesostigmata).

Science.gov (United States)

Kontschán, Jenő; Friedrich, Stefan

2017-02-27

Soil dwelling Uropodina mites were collected from a primary lowland rainforest in Amazonian Peru. The species found belong to three different families. A new diagnosis and the type genus of Tetrasejaspidae fam. nov. are given, and the family is recorded from Peru for the first time on the basis of Tetrasejaspis sellnicki Hirschmann, 1973. Two rotundabaloghid mites were collected (Rotundabaloghia (Circobaloghia) magna Hirschmann, 1992 and Rotundabaloghia (Circobaloghia) iquitosensis Hirschmann, 1992), both already reported from Peru. A new species (Origmatrachys peruensis sp. nov.) from the family Trachyuropodidae was collected in large numbers from soil, and is described on the basis of females, males, nymphs and larvae. This is the first description of the protonymphs and larvae of Origmatrachys. The new species differs from the previously described ones in the basis of sculptural pattern of dorsal, ventral, sternal shields and the length of the setae in the central part of the dorsal shield. A new key to the known adults and deutonymphs of Origmatrachys is given.

Biology of Dermacentor marginatus (Acari: Ixodidae under laboratory conditions

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Mohammad Mehdi Darvishi

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Objective: To investigate and survey the biology of Dermacentor marginatus (D. marginatus under laboratory conditions. Methods: In this investigation, D. marginatus adult ticks were collected from sheep in Semnan province. Then various developmental stages of D. marginatus including larvae, nymphs and adult males and females under laboratory condition were bred and their biology was scrutinized. Results: The requisite time to complete the life cycle of D. marginatus under controlled laboratory conditions for larvae (26 °C, 75% relative humidity and nymph (26 °C, 95% relative humidity moulting, was on average 92 d (range 75-104 d, including preoviposition and egg incubation (22.5 d, larvae incubation (20.5 d, nymphal stage (28 d along with male maturation (21 d. The index of conversion efficiency and the index of reproduction efficiency in females were 0.397 and 8.300, respectively. Conclusions: Although in this investigation, there was no meaningful correlation between preoviposition period and the weight of female ticks which were laid successfully. The significant linear relationship was fully observed between the weight of engorged female of D. marginatus and the number of eggs laid. The mean of preoviposition period from 5.4 d in autumn to 34.2 d in spring increased. The minimum weight of ticks with laying capacity was 69 mg and lighter ticks (21 mg either did not lay or if they did their eggs did not hatch.

Ixodid Ticks (Acari, Ixodidae in Urban Landscapes. A review

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Akimov I. А.

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This study presents the results of content analysis of published works on ixodid ticks in urban conditions in order to determine the species diversity, the vectors of research interests at various stages. Information about ticks in the cities up to the 1980s is incidental, to the point of exclusive, after this point there is targeted research in urban landscapes. There are 106 or 15 % of hard ticks of the world fauna registered in the urban territory, 26 species or 3.7 % being the most abundant. Of the urban hard tick species, 23 (88.5 % can attack humans, and 12 species are the most adapted to the urban landscape: Ixodes ricinus, I. persulcatus, Dermacentor reticulatus, D. marginatus, I. pavlovskyi, I. scapularis (dammini, Amblyomma cajennense, Haemaphysalis longicornis, I. hexagonus, Hyalomma marginatum, Am. americanum, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus. It was determined that the most likely causes of the growing number of publications on ixodids urban landscapes are: global accelerating urbanization, the development of recreational areas, the development of green tourism, the growth of the prestige of outdoor recreation, the creation of new, especially of the landscape parks and a tendency to preserve the native landscape in the cities, a significant increase in the density of populations of common species of hard ticks adapted to living in urban environment. The vectors of further work in urban landscapes will be directed to exact planning of monitoring studies of ixodids and associated tick-borne infections.

Assessing hygienic behavior and attraction to Varroa mite (Acari ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

2011-02-07

Feb 7, 2011 ... treatment and then the selected 5th instar larva were transferred to fundamental colonies with 10 to 12 ... Key words: Varroa mite, hygienic behavior (uncapping and .... into a container containing hot water and detergent.

Assessing hygienic behavior and attraction to Varroa mite (Acari ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Three days later, the number of female Varroa in the capped cells were counted as attraction criteria for each treatment separately. ... The negative correlation between 2 major resistance traits (hygienic behavior and attraction traits) in the breeding stock deems that selection for resistance against Varroa mite and improved ...

Listado de oribátidos (Acari, Oribatida de Túnez

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Subías, L. S.

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The oribatid mites of several Tunisian soil samples were studied. 113 species were obtained, 95 of which are recorded for the first time from Tunisia. A systematic check-list with the 136 species known up to now is included, and their geographical distribution is given. Most of them, 77 (56%, have a typical Mediterranean distribution and 16 are recorded for the first time from North Africa.Se han estudiado los ácaros oribátidos de una serie de muestras de suelo de Túnez y se han identificado 113 especies, 95 de las cuales se citan por primera vez en Túnez. Se ha elaborado un listado sistemático en el que se incluyen las 136 especies conocidas hasta el momento y su distribución geográfica. La mayoría, 77 (56 %, presentan características típicamente mediterráneas, y 16 se citan por primera vez en el norte de África.

A supplementary description of Brevipalpus californicus (Acari: Trombidiformes: Tenuipalpidae

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Mohammad Raissi Ardali

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The false spider mite Brevipalpus californicus from the family Tenuipalpidae was collected from Caucasian alnus, White willow, Persian raspberry and a wild Chrysanthemum bush in Mazandaran province. This species is reported as a new record to the false spider mites-fauna of Iran here. Reviewing literatures revealed that it was briefly described in the original paper without any measures. So, a completed description is presented based on the Iranian specimens and different body segments are drawn for B. californicus. In addition, the above plants are new host records for B. californicus.

EFFICACY OF 15% FORMIC ACID ON VARROA MITES IN DIFFERENT FORMS OF APPLICATION

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M MUŽA

2002-05-01

Full Text Available Varroa destructor is a parasitic mite of the honeybee, Apis mellifera, responsible for reduced honey and brood production, higher bee mortality in winter. Because the resistance to the acaricides and they residues to bee products, alternative products and methods have been used against Varroa. One of this methods is treatment with formic acid. Formic acid induce to Varroa mite in brood and do not leave any residues in products. Concentric formic acid (60-85% is very effective, but at higher air temperature, it has influence on bee. In the last few years, except concentric formic acid, 15 % formic acid was recommended as control of varroosis. Diluted formic acid (15% reduced the bee response to treatment. In treatment with 15% formic acid, higher air temperature and different forms of application have positive influence to they function (65 – 95%.

The effect of chrysanthemum leaf trichome density and prey spatial distribution on predation of Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae) by Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Skirvin, D J; Stavrinides, M C; Skirvin, D J

2003-08-01

The effect of plant architecture, in terms of leaf hairiness, and prey spatial arrangement, on predation rate of eggs of the spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, by the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot was examined on cut stems of chrysanthemums. Three levels of leaf hairiness (trichome density) were obtained using two different chrysanthemum cultivars and two ages within one of the cultivars. The number of prey consumed by P. persimilis was inversely related to trichome density. At low prey densities (less than ten eggs per stem), prey consumption did not differ in a biologically meaningful way between treatments. The effect of prey spatial arrangement on the predation rate of P. persimilis was also examined. Predation rates were higher in prey patches on leaves adjacent to the release point of P. persimilis, but significantly greater numbers of prey were consumed in higher density prey patches compared to low density patches. The predators exhibited non-random searching behaviour, spending more time on leaves closest to the release point. The implications of these findings for biological control and predator-prey dynamics are discussed.

Fitoseídeos (Acari: Phytoseiidae associados a cafezais e fragmentos florestais vizinhos Phytoseiids (Acari: Phytoseiidae associated to coffee plantations and adjacent forest fragments

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Ester Azevedo Silva

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Existem poucas informações sobre a fauna de ácaros predadores (Phytoseiidae em ambientes naturais brasileiros adjacentes a agroecossistemas cafeeiros (Coffea spp. ou sobre a influência que essa vegetação exerce como reservatório de ácaros predadores. Neste estudo, objetivou-se avaliar a diversidade destes organismos em cafeeiros e fragmentos florestais adjacentes. Coletaram-se amostras das espécies Calyptranthes clusiifolia (Miq. O. Berg (Myrtaceae, Esenbeckia febrifuga (A. St.-Hil. A. Juss. ex Mart. (Rutaceae, Metrodorea stipularis Mart. (Rutaceae e Allophylus semidentatus (Miq. Radlk. (Sapindaceae, em oito fragmentos florestais, de 5 a 51 ha, e cafezais adjacentes, nos meses de junho (final período chuvoso e outubro (final período seco nos anos 2004 e 2005, na região Sul do Estado de Minas Gerais. Ácaros foram extraídos das folhas, utilizando o método de lavagem e, em seguida, montados em lâminas de microscopia em meio de Hoyer, para identificação específica. No total foram identificados 2.348 fitoseídeos, sendo 2.090 nos fragmentos florestais e 258 espécimes nos cafezais adjacentes, pertencentes a 38 espécies. Servindo-se de análise faunística, a espécie Iphiseiodes zuluagai Denmark & Muma, 1972 apresentou os melhores índices no agroecossistema cafeeiro, sendo muito frequente e constante nas épocas estudadas. Nos fragmentos florestais Amblyseius herbicolus Chant, 1959, Iphiseiodes affs. neonobilis Denmark & Muma, 1978, Leonseius regularis DeLeon, 1965 e Euseius alatus DeLeon, 1966 foram dominantes, muito abundantes, muito frequentes e constantes nas épocas estudadas. Podemos concluir que a vegetação nativa abriga ácaros predadores, inimigos naturais de ácaros-praga, que ocorrem na cultura cafeeira, possibilitando o desenvolvimento de programas de manejo ecológico com áreas de vegetação natural e agroecossistemas cafeeiros adjacentes.There is little information about the fauna of predatory mites (Phytoseiidae in Brazilian natural environments, adjacent to coffee agroecosystems (Coffea spp., or about the influence exerted by neighbor vegetation as a reservoir of predatory mites. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diversity of these organisms in coffee plantations and adjacent forest fragments. Samples of the species Calyptranthes clusiifolia (Miq. O. Berg (Myrtaceae, Esenbeckia febrifuga (A. St.-Hil. A. Juss. ex Mart., Metrodorea stipularis Mart. (Rutaceae and Allophylus semidentatus (Miq. Radlk. (Sapindaceae were collected in eight forest fragments, from 5 to 51ha, adjacent to coffee plantations, in June (end of the rainy season and October (end of the dry season in the years of 2004 and 2005, in the Southern region of State of Minas Gerais. Leaf mites were extracted using the wash method, mounted in microscopy slides with Hoyer's medium for identification. A total of 2.348 phytoseiids was collected, being 2.090 in the forest fragments and 258 in adjacent coffee plantations, belonging to 38 species. According to fauna analysis, Iphiseiodes zuluaguai Denmark & Muma, the year of 1972 presented the best indexes in the coffee agroecosystem, being very frequent and constant in those periods. In the forest fragments, Amblyseius herbicolus Chant, 1959, Iphiseiodes affs. neonobilis Denmark & Muma, 1978, Leonseius regularis DeLeon, 1965 and Euseius alatus DeLeon, 1966 were dominant, very abundant, very frequent and constant in those periods. One may conclude that the native vegetation shelters predator mite, natural enemies of mite-pests that still occur in coffee culture, making possible ecological management program development involving areas of natural vegetation and adjacent coffee agroecosystems.

Acarine infracommunities associated with the Mexican free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana (Chiroptera: Molossidae) in arid regions of Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Guzmán-Cornejo, C; García-Prieto, L; Morales-Malacara, J B; Pérez-Ponce De León, G

2003-11-01

The Mexican free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana, is one of the most widely distributed bats, and its range includes the whole Mexican territory. Ectoparasites of this bat have been the subject of isolated reports, but no studies of its community ecology have been conducted. The acarine infracommunities associated with this bat were analyzed, comparing bat populations from three arid regions of Mexico: an abandoned factory in Nombre de Dios, Durango; a cave in Santiago, Nuevo León; and a church in Concepción del Oro, Zacatecas. The acarine infracommunity in Nuevo Le6n's bats exhibited the highest levels of diversity as reflected by a higher richness, a lower dominance, and a moderate and relatively homogeneous abundance in this locality in relation to the other two. This pattern is influenced by stable cave conditions relative to artificial habitats. Notwithstanding, further studies are required to determine whether or not different habitat conditions are a primary factor in the process of structuring the acari infracommunities.

Plant Perception and Short-Term Responses to Phytophagous Insects and Mites

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M. Estrella Santamaria

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Plant–pest relationships involve complex processes encompassing a network of molecules, signals, and regulators for overcoming defenses they develop against each other. Phytophagous arthropods identify plants mainly as a source of food. In turn, plants develop a variety of strategies to avoid damage and survive. The success of plant defenses depends on rapid and specific recognition of the phytophagous threat. Subsequently, plants trigger a cascade of short-term responses that eventually result in the production of a wide range of compounds with defense properties. This review deals with the main features involved in the interaction between plants and phytophagous insects and acari, focusing on early responses from the plant side. A general landscape of the diverse strategies employed by plants within the first hours after pest perception to block the capability of phytophagous insects to develop mechanisms of resistance is presented, with the potential of providing alternatives for pest control.

Parasitic arthropods of some wild rodents from Juréia-Itatins Ecological Station, State of São Paulo, Brazil

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Bossi David Eduardo Paolinetti

2002-01-01

Full Text Available A study of the associations between three species of rodents in the Atlantic forest and their parasitic arthropods was undertaken at the Juréia-Itatins Ecological Station, located in the State of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, from March 1989 to February 1990. Individuals of three species, Oryzomys russatus, Proechimys iheringi and Nectomys squamipes were captured and examined for ectoparasites. Eleven species of parasitic arthropods were found, including four species of insects and seven of Acari. Parasitism intensity, phenology, and rainfall were positively correlated with the abundance of the ectoparasites and their hosts. The most abundant host was O. russatus (Muridae: Sigmodontinae, and the most common parasite on it was the laelapid mite Gigantolaelaps oudemansi. The cuterebrid Metacuterebra apicalis caused myiasis in O. russatus. A mutualistic association between the staphylinid beetle Amblyopinus sp. and its host P. iheringi (Echimyidae was observed. The few N. squamipes captured had small numbers of ectoparasites.

Minimal barcode distance between two water mite species from Madeira Island: a cautionary tale.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Jiménez, Ricardo; Horreo, Jose Luis; Valdecasas, Antonio G

2017-06-01

In this work, we compare morphological and molecular data in their ability to distinguish between species of water mites (Acari, Prostigmata, Hydrachnidia). We have focused on the two species of the genus Lebertia inhabiting the island of Madeira. While traditional morphological traits were initially sufficient to distinguish between these two species, the molecular data were more dependable on the kind of analysis carried out. Single arbitrary genetic distance (e.g. a K2P distance below 2%) may lead to the conclusion that the specimens under study belong to the same species. Analysing the same specimens with the coalescent model has proved the evolutionary independence of both Lebertia clades in Madeira. Furthermore, multi-rate Poisson Tree Process analysis confirmed both lineages as independent species. Our results agree with previous studies warning of the dangers of rigid species delimitation based on arbitrary molecular distances. In addition, the importance of different molecular data approaches for correct species delimitation in water mites is highlighted.

Spider genomes provide insight into composition and evolution of venom and silk

Science.gov (United States)

Sanggaard, Kristian W.; Bechsgaard, Jesper S.; Fang, Xiaodong; Duan, Jinjie; Dyrlund, Thomas F.; Gupta, Vikas; Jiang, Xuanting; Cheng, Ling; Fan, Dingding; Feng, Yue; Han, Lijuan; Huang, Zhiyong; Wu, Zongze; Liao, Li; Settepani, Virginia; Thøgersen, Ida B.; Vanthournout, Bram; Wang, Tobias; Zhu, Yabing; Funch, Peter; Enghild, Jan J.; Schauser, Leif; Andersen, Stig U.; Villesen, Palle; Schierup, Mikkel H; Bilde, Trine; Wang, Jun

2014-01-01

Spiders are ecologically important predators with complex venom and extraordinarily tough silk that enables capture of large prey. Here we present the assembled genome of the social velvet spider and a draft assembly of the tarantula genome that represent two major taxonomic groups of spiders. The spider genomes are large with short exons and long introns, reminiscent of mammalian genomes. Phylogenetic analyses place spiders and ticks as sister groups supporting polyphyly of the Acari. Complex sets of venom and silk genes/proteins are identified. We find that venom genes evolved by sequential duplication, and that the toxic effect of venom is most likely activated by proteases present in the venom. The set of silk genes reveals a highly dynamic gene evolution, new types of silk genes and proteins, and a novel use of aciniform silk. These insights create new opportunities for pharmacological applications of venom and biomaterial applications of silk. PMID:24801114

Swarm prevention and spring treatment against Varroa destructor in honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cornelissen, B.; Gerritsen, L.J.M.

2006-01-01

In 2004 and 2005 experiments were carried out to test the efficacy and efficiency of Varroa control combined with swarm prevention methods in spring. Honey bee colonies were split in an artificial swarm and a brood carrier. Hereafter the swarms were treated with oxalic acid and the brood carriers

Genetic characterization of Russian honey bee stock selected for improved resistance to Varroa destructor.

Science.gov (United States)

Bourgeois, A Lelania; Rinderer, Thomas E

2009-06-01

Maintenance of genetic diversity among breeding lines is important in selective breeding and stock management. The Russian Honey Bee Breeding Program has strived to maintain high levels of heterozygosity among its breeding lines since its inception in 1997. After numerous rounds of selection for resistance to tracheal and varroa mites and improved honey production, 18 lines were selected as the core of the program. These lines were grouped into three breeding blocks that were crossbred to improve overall heterozygosity levels of the population. Microsatellite DNA data demonstrated that the program has been successful. Heterozygosity and allelic richness values are high and there are no indications of inbreeding among the three blocks. There were significant levels of genetic structure measured among the three blocks. Block C was genetically distinct from both blocks A and B (F(ST) = 0.0238), whereas blocks A and B did not differ from each other (F(ST) = 0.0074). The same pattern was seen for genic (based on numbers of alleles) differentiation. Genetic distance, as measured by chord distance, indicates that all of the 18 lines are equally distant, with minimal clustering. The data indicate that the overall design of the breeding program has been successful in maintaining high levels of diversity and avoiding problems associated with inbreeding.

The evaluation of the efficacy of sodium carbonate as zearalenone destructor in feeding stuffs.

Science.gov (United States)

Polak, M; Gajecki, M; Kulik, T; Łuczyński, M K; Obremski, K; Góra, M; Gajecka, M; Jakimiuk, E; Zielonka, Ł

2009-01-01

Contamination of feed with zearalenone (ZEA) is still a serious problem in farm animals feeding, especially in gilts, sensitive to this compound. The relative failure of current methods of decontamination and quality control lead us to look for new techniques. The commonly accepted method for breaking down ZEA was performed in controlled temperature and time conditions. Various sodium carbonate doses (0.5 - 4%) were added to feed naturally contaminated with ZEA (ZEA biosynthesis by F. graminearum isolates). These doses were found to be effective in in vitro studies. The addition of 2% sodium carbonate gave the best results in reducing the phytoestrogen in the feed.

A gallery of the key characters to ease identification of Dermanyssus gallinae (Acari: Gamasida: Dermanyssidae and allow differentiation from Ornithonyssus sylviarum (Acari: Gamasida: Macronyssidae

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Di Palma Antonella

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Dermanyssus gallinae (poultry red mite is a major threat for the poultry industry and is of significant interest for public health. Identification of D. gallinae can be difficult for scientists not familiar with mite morphology and terminology especially when trying to use identification keys. Moreover, this species may easily be confused with another dermanyssoid mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum (northern fowl mite, which often shares the same hosts and environment. Methods Specimens of D. gallinae were collected at poultry farms in the Puglia and performed for light and scanning electron microscopy observations, identification and micrographs. Moreover specimens of O. sylviarum were collected separately macerated and mounted on slides for light microscopy observations, identification and pictures. Results The micrographs used in this study, based on LM and SEM observations, highlight the following important identifying characters of D. gallinae: the prominent shoulders of the dorsal shield and the jagged edges of the shield reticulations, the position of setae j1, s1 and the epigynal pores, and the presence on tibia IV pl of one seta. Additional micrographs highlighting the shape of the dorsal (abruptly narrowed posteriorly and epigynal (narrowly rounded posteriorly shields and the chelicera (elongate, with distinct digits of O. sylviarum enable its differentiation from D.gallinae. Conclusion The photographic support provided here (both LM and SEM pictures can be considered a practical tool for scientists who are not well acquainted with the morphology of D.gallinae, and who are involved with classical and molecular systematics, veterinary and human health aspects of poultry red mites.

The effect of indoxacarb and five other insecticides on Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae), Amblyseius fallacis (Acari: Phytoseiidae) and nymphs of Orius insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae).

Science.gov (United States)

Bostanian, Noubar J; Akalach, Mohammed

2006-04-01

A laboratory study assessed the contact toxicity of indoxacarb, abamectin, endosulfan, insecticidal soap, S-kinoprene and dimethoate to Amblyseius fallacis (Garman), Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias-Henriot and nymphs of Orius insidiosus (Say). Amblyseius fallacis is a predacious phytoseiid mite and an integral part of integrated pest management (IPM) programmes in North American apple orchards. The other two beneficials are widely used in greenhouses to manage various arthropod pests infesting vegetable and ornamental crops. Indoxacarb is a slow-acting insecticide, so toxicity data were recorded 7 days post-treatment when the data had stabilised. It showed no toxicity to O. insidiosus nymphs or to A. fallacis or P. persimilis adults. The LC50 values for O. insidiosus nymphs and P. persimilis could not be estimated with their associated confidence limits, because the g values were greater than 0.5 and under such circumstances the lethal concentration would lie outside the limits. The LC50 for A. fallacis was 7.6x the label rate. The fecundity of P. persimilis was reduced by 26.7%. The eclosion of treated eggs from both species of beneficial mites was not affected adversely. Among the other pest control products, S-kinoprene and endosulfan affected adversely at least one species of the predators, whereas dimethoate, abamectin and insecticidal soap were very toxic to all three beneficials. Indoxacarb should be evaluated as a pest control product in IPM programmes. Copyright (c) 2006 Crown in the right of Canada.

Museum samples reveal rapid evolution by wild honey bees exposed to a novel parasite.

Science.gov (United States)

Mikheyev, Alexander S; Tin, Mandy M Y; Arora, Jatin; Seeley, Thomas D

2015-08-06

Understanding genetic changes caused by novel pathogens and parasites can reveal mechanisms of adaptation and genetic robustness. Using whole-genome sequencing of museum and modern specimens, we describe the genomic changes in a wild population of honey bees in North America following the introduction of the ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor. Even though colony density in the study population is the same today as in the past, a major loss of haplotypic diversity occurred, indicative of a drastic mitochondrial bottleneck, caused by massive colony mortality. In contrast, nuclear genetic diversity did not change, though hundreds of genes show signs of selection. The genetic diversity within each bee colony, particularly as a consequence of polyandry by queens, may enable preservation of genetic diversity even during population bottlenecks. These findings suggest that genetically diverse honey bee populations can recover from introduced diseases by evolving rapid tolerance, while maintaining much of the standing genetic variation.

Octanoic acid confers to royal jelly varroa-repellent properties

Science.gov (United States)

Nazzi, Francesco; Bortolomeazzi, Renzo; Della Vedova, Giorgio; Del Piccolo, Fabio; Annoscia, Desiderato; Milani, Norberto

2009-02-01

The mite Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman is a parasite of the honeybee Apis mellifera L. and represents a major threat for apiculture in the Western world. Reproduction takes place only inside bee brood cells that are invaded just before sealing; drone cells are preferred over worker cells, whereas queen cells are not normally invaded. Lower incidence of mites in queen cells is at least partly due to the deterrent activity of royal jelly. In this study, the repellent properties of royal jelly were investigated using a lab bioassay. Chemical analysis showed that octanoic acid is a major volatile component of royal jelly; by contrast, the concentration is much lower in drone and worker larval food. Bioassays, carried out under lab conditions, demonstrated that octanoic acid is repellent to the mite. Field studies in bee colonies confirmed that the compound may interfere with the process of cell invasion by the mite.

[Aerobic methylobacteria as the basis for a biosensor for dichloromethane detection].

Science.gov (United States)

Plekhanova, Iu V; Firsova, Iu E; Doronina, N V; Trotsenko, Iu A; Reshetilov, A N

2013-01-01

Cells of dichloromethane (DChM) bacteria-destructors were immobilized by sorption on different types of membranes, which were fixed on the measuring surface of a pH-sensitive field transistor. The presence of DChM in the medium (0.6-8.8 mM) led to a change in the transistor's output signal, which was determined by the appearance of H+ ions in the medium due to DChM utilization by methylobateria. Among four strains of methylobacteria--Methylobacterium dichloromethanicum DM4, Methylobacterium extorquens DM 17, Methylopila helvetica DM6, and Ancylobacter dichloromethanicus DM 16--the highest and most stable activity toward DChM degradation was observed in the strain M. dichloromethanicum DM4. Among 11 types of membranes for cell immobilization, Millipore nitrocellulose membranes and chromatographic fiber paper GF/A, which allow one to obtain stable biosensor signals for 2 weeks without a bioreceptor change, were chosen as optimal carriers.

Microbiological activities in a shallow-ground repository with cementitious wasteform

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Varlakova, G.A.; Dyakonova, A.T.; Netrusov, A.I.; Ojovan, M.I.

2012-01-01

Cementitious wasteform with immobilised nuclear power plant operational radioactive waste disposed in a near surface testing repository for about 20 years have been analysed for microbiological activities. Clean cultures were selected from the main metabolic groups expected within repository environment e.g. anaerobic de-nitrifying, fermenting, sulphur-reducing, iron-reducing, and oxidizing, thio-bacterium and mushrooms. Microbiological species were identified within cementitious wasteform, in the clayey soil near the wasteform and in the contacting water. The most populated medium was the soil with microbial populations Bacillus, Pseudomonas and Micrococcus, and densities of populations up to 3.6*10 5 colony/g. Microbial populations of generic type Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus, Alcaligenes, Micrococcus, Mycobacterium, and Arthrobacter were identified within cementitious wasteform. Populations of Arthrobacter, Pseudomonas, Alcaligenes, Rhodococcus, Bacillus and Flavobacterium were identified in the water samples contacting the cementitious wasteform. Microbiological species identified are potential destructors of cementitious wasteform and containers. (authors)

[Characteristics of floor litter and soil arthropod community in different types ot subtropical forest in Ailao Mountain of Yunnan, Southwest China].

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Zhao; Yang, Xiao-Dong

2011-11-01

By using line transect method, an investigation was conducted on the floor litter and soil arthropod community in a mid mountain wet evergreen broad-leaved forest, a mossy dwarf forest, and a Populus bonatii forest in Ailao Mountain of Yunnan in April (dry and hot season), June (rainy season), and December (dry and cold season), 2005. In both dry and rainy seasons, the existing floor litter mass, C storage, and C/N ratio in the three forests all increased in the order of mossy dwarf forest > P. bonatii forest > evergreen broad-leaved forest, but the N storage had less difference. In the floor litter layer of the forests, Acari and Collembola were the dominant groups of soil arthropod community, while Diptera larvae, Coleoptera, ants, and Homoptera were the common groups. The Sorenson coefficients of soil arthropod community in the three forests were extremely great. No significant differences were observed in the soil arthropod density (ind x m(-2)) in the floor litter layer among the three forests, but the relative density (ind x g(-1)) of soil arthropods was higher in the evergreen broad-leaved forest and P. bonatii forest than in the mossy dwarf forest. In the three forests, the density of soil arthropods was significantly higher in dry season than in rainy season, but the Shannon diversity index had less difference. There were significant positive correlations between the existing floor litter mass and the individual density (ind x m(-2)) and dominant groups of soil arthropod communities in dry and hot season (April), but negative correlations between the existing floor litter mass and the relative density (ind x g(-1)) of soil arthropod communities and Acari in dry and cold season (December). The individual densities of Collembola and Coleoptera also had positive correlations with the N storage of the existing floor litter mass in the three forests. It was considered that the floor litter and the development of soil arthropod community in the litter layer of

Toxicidade de extratos de nim (Azadirachta indica ao ácaro-vermelho-do-cafeeiro Oligonychus ilicis Toxicity of neem extracts (Azadirachta indica to the coffee red mite Oligonychus ilicis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sheila Abreu Mourão

2004-08-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a toxicidade aguda e crônica de extratos de óleo de torta, de sementes e de folhas de Azadirachta indica A. Juss (nim a fêmeas do ácaro-vermelho-do-cafeeiro Oligonychus ilicis (McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae. A mortalidade e a taxa instantânea de crescimento populacional de fêmeas adultas desse ácaro foram avaliadas em discos de folhas de cafeeiro com 3,5 cm de diâmetro, impregnados com resíduo seco dos extratos de nim e flutuando em água. As concentrações dos extratos de óleo de torta, sementes e folhas de nim que mataram 50% e 99% dos indivíduos de O. ilicis, após 72 horas de exposição, foram de 0,02, 15,9 e 121,4 mg/mL e de 10,9, 520,9 e 277,4 mg/mL, respectivamente. A taxa instantânea de crescimento populacional de O. ilicis diminuiu, linearmente, com o aumento da concentração dos extratos de óleo de torta, sementes e folhas de nim até 0,075, 15 e 144 mg/mL, respectivamente, a partir das quais as populações desse ácaro foram extintas.The objective of this work was to study the toxicity of extracts of oil cake, seeds and leaves of Azadirachta indica A. Juss (neem to the coffee red mite Oligonychus ilicis (McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae. Concentration-mortality and instantaneous rate of populational growth were determined for adult females of the red mite on disks of coffee with 3.5 cm diameter, floating on water and impregnated with dry residues of the neem extracts. Concentrations of these extracts which caused 50% mortality of the individuals of O. ilicis were 0.02, 15.9 and 121.4 mg/mL; while 99% mortality of this mite was reached with 10.9, 520.9 and 277.4 mg/mL for oil cake, seeds and leaves extracts, respectively. The instantaneous rate of populational growth of O. ilicis dropped as the extract doses increased up to 0.075, 15 and 144 mg/mL for oil cake, seeds and leaves extracts, respectively.