The ectoparasitic mite Tropilaelaps mercedesae reduces western honey bee, Apis mellifera, longevity and emergence weight, and promotes Deformed wing virus infections

Khongphinitbunjong, Kitiphong; Neumann, Peter; Chantawannakul, Panuwan; Williams, Geoffrey Rhys (2016). The ectoparasitic mite Tropilaelaps mercedesae reduces western honey bee, Apis mellifera, longevity and emergence weight, and promotes Deformed wing virus infections. Journal of invertebrate pathology, 137, pp. 38-42. Elsevier 10.1016/j.jip.2016.04.006

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Historically an ectoparasite of the native Giant honey bee Apis dorsata, the mite Tropilaelaps mercedesae has switched hosts to the introduced western honey bee Apis mellifera throughout much of Asia. Few data regarding lethal and sub-lethal effects of T. mercedesae on A. mellifera exist, despite its similarity to the devastating mite Varroa destructor. Here we artificially infested worker brood of A. mellifera with T. mercedesae to investigate lethal (longevity) and sub-lethal (emergence weight, Deformed wing virus (DWV) levels and clinical symptoms of DWV) effects of the mite on its new host. The data show that T. mercedesae infestation significantly reduced host longevity and emergence weight, and promoted both DWV levels and associated clinical symptoms. Our results suggest that T. mercedesae is a potentially important parasite to the economically important A. mellifera honey bee.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Research and Veterinary Public Health (DCR-VPH)
05 Veterinary Medicine > Department of Clinical Research and Veterinary Public Health (DCR-VPH) > Institute of Bee Health

UniBE Contributor:

Neumann, Peter (B), Williams, Geoffrey Rhys

Subjects:

500 Science > 570 Life sciences; biology
500 Science > 590 Animals (Zoology)
600 Technology > 630 Agriculture

ISSN:

0022-2011

Publisher:

Elsevier

Language:

English

Submitter:

Geoffrey Rhys Williams

Date Deposited:

14 Jul 2016 11:05

Last Modified:

29 Mar 2023 23:34

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/j.jip.2016.04.006

PubMed ID:

27126517

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.83500

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/83500

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