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Age‑performance and intensity of grooming behavior toward Varroa destructor in resistant and susceptible Apis mellifera colonies

Grooming behavior confers resistance to honey bees against Varroa destructor, being of interest to social immunity studies and breeding programs. The objective of this study was to characterize at the individual level the grooming behavior of mite-resistant (R) and susceptible (S) A. mellifera stock...

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Main Authors: Russo, Romina Maria, Landi, Lucas, Muntaabski, Irina, Liendo, María Clara, Pietronave, Hernan Pablo, Merke, Julieta, Rodriguez, Graciela Adriana, Palacio, María Alejandra, Basilio, Alicia Mabel, Lanzavecchia, Silvia Beatriz, Scannapieco, Alejandra Carla
Format: info:ar-repo/semantics/artículo
Language:Inglés
Published: Springer 2024
Subjects:
Honey Bees
Parasitism
Behavioural Sciences
Immunity
Abeja Melífera
Varroa destructor
Parasitismo
Ciencias del Comportamiento
Inmunidad
Apis mellifera
Grooming Behavior
Mite-resistant Stocks
Comportamiento de Aseo
Cepas Resistentes a los Acaros
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12123/16610
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13592-022-00971-0
https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-022-00971-0
Summary:Grooming behavior confers resistance to honey bees against Varroa destructor, being of interest to social immunity studies and breeding programs. The objective of this study was to characterize at the individual level the grooming behavior of mite-resistant (R) and susceptible (S) A. mellifera stocks from Argentina. Assays were performed in experimental arenas by applying two treatments to nurse bees: (1) placing a V. destructor mite on the bee’s thorax and (2) touching the bee with a paintbrush. Grooming reactions were recorded on bees from both stocks at the ages of 6, 10, and 14 days after emergence. R bees exhibited lower time of first response against the mite, performed more cleaning attempts, and used all their legs with a higher probability compared to S bees. The same pattern was evident when younger and older bees from the R stock were compared. The results demonstrate that bee age and genetic origin are critical factors of grooming behavior in honey bees.

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