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PubMed2000

Inheritance of resistance to Acarapis woodi (Acari: Tarsonemidae) in first-generation crosses of honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

The tendency of honey bees, Apis mellifera L, to become infested with tracheal mites, Acarapis woodi (Rennie), was measured in six different types of F1 colonies. The colonies were produced by mating a stock (Buckfast) known to resist mite infestation to each of five commercially available stocks and to a stock known to be susceptible to mites. Young uninfested bees from progeny and parent colonies were simultaneously exposed to mites in infested colonies, then retrieved and dissected to determine resultant mite infestations. Reduced infestations similar to but numerically greater than those of the resistant parent bees occurred in each of the six crosses made with resistant bees regardless of the relative susceptibility of the other parental stock. Reciprocal crosses between resistant and susceptible queens and drones proved equally effective in improving resistance. Therefore, allowing resistant stock queens to mate naturally with unselected drones, or nonresistant queens to mate with drones produced by pure or outcrossed resistant queens, can be used for improving resistance of production queens.

Acari↗
PubMed2001

Effect of bumble bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) pollination intensity on the quality of greenhouse tomatoes.

Laboratory studies were conducted to assess tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. (Solanaceae), quality in relation to the level of buzz-pollination by bumble bees. Studies were conducted in commercial tomato greenhouses in the Leamington, Ontario, area to categorize bruising of tomato anther cones by bumble bees into five levels of bruising. The number of pollen grains per stigma was determined for each bruising level, and the bruising level was found to be a good predictor of stigmatic pollen load. Experimental flowers were pollinated by bumble bees and assigned to bruising levels based on the degree of anther cone discoloration. Fruit set, tomato weight, minimum diameter, the number of days until ripe, roundness, weight, percentage sugars, and number of seeds were assessed and compared among bruising level. Fruit set in flowers receiving no pollination visits was 30.2%, whereas, 83.3, 84.4, 81.2, and 100% of the flowers set fruit in bruising levels 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Minimum diameter, number of seeds, and tomato weight all increased from no bruising to different levels of bruising. There was no increase in weight or diameter above a bruising level of 1, and no increase in the number of seeds per fruit after a bruising level of 2. We found that pollination of tomato flowers greater than a bruising level of 2 (corresponding to approximately one to two bee visits) did not result in a significant increase in quality.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Improved flight and rearing room design for honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae).

A detailed technical description of a flight and rearing room for bees is provided, highlighting improvements made relative to other facilities. A primary innovation was the development of a draft-free air handling system capable of circulating large volumes of air with high rates of fresh air exchange and continuous electrostatic cleaning. This design has lead to a dramatic improvement in the quality of air recirculated in the flight room, and has prevented the recurrence of asthmatic symptoms in researchers to bee-produced aeroallergens. Other improvements include the incorporation of high-frequency fluorescent lamp ballasts and the choice of lamp types that provide a greater proportion of long-wavelength energy. Improvements in control system technology also have permitted more precise regulation of environmental conditions and the maintenance of a simulated diurnal cycle. Honey bees foraged in a manner similar to outdoor conditions and were free of behaviors associated with design problems seen in earlier flight rooms. Observations on bee behavior and colony performance are provided, and the utility of studying chemically based foraging attractants indoors is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Compatibility of an organically based insect control program with honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) pollination in cantaloupes.

The application of azadirachtin to foliage of cantaloupes did not significantly reduce successful pollination by commercially managed honey bees, Apis mellifera L., as measured by numbers of foraging honey bees and yield. Similar results were obtained when the synthetic insecticide imidacloprid (used as a standard by cantaloupe growers) was applied to the soil. Fruit yield and quality, as a function of bee pollination, were statistically equal between the two treatments, and equal to that of the untreated control. The standard treatment of imidacloprid gave significantly better control than azadirachtin of one pest (cucumber beetle) early in the season. Fruit maturity was delayed in untreated plots, consistent with light insect pressure observed. These results indicate that an organically based insect control approach will not alter bloom acceptance and bee forager activity in cantaloupes.

Agriculture↗
PubMed1999

Modification of the AFLP protocol applied to honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) DNA.

The established amplified fragment-length polymorphism (AFLP) protocol was simplified and optimized for honey bee DNA (Apis mellifera L.). Compared to the original method, the following simplifications were made: (i) the digestion of DNA and ligation of the adapters are performed in one reaction vs. two, (ii) one restriction enzyme is used vs. two and (iii) amplification is accomplished in one reaction vs. two. PCR products are resolved in agarose-Synergel instead of polyacrylamide and are visualized by ethidium bromide staining rather than by autoradiography of labeled primers. Using the modified procedure for honey bee DNA, high reproducibility of the band patterns of PCR products and low sensitivity to the amplification conditions were seen. Analysis of honey bee DNA revealed considerable genetic variability within and between African and European bee samples. African- and European-specific fragments were found.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Bee-sting anaphylaxis in childhood.

The syndrome of bee-sting anaphylaxis is described. Children who have suffered crescendo reactions to previous bee stings, especially children with a history of asthma, are significantly at risk. Desensitization is required in such cases; adrenaline should be kept in the home, and parents should be trained in its emergency use. The immunological mechanisms of bee-sting anaphylaxis are described. The striking seasonal incidence of anaphylaxis suggests that pollen or plant products which are incorporated in the venom may also be important in its genesis; it suggests also that antigens prepared from either whole-body or pure-venom extracts should be prepared from bees which are collected in late spring.

Aerosols↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Management of bee-sting anaphylaxis.

A retrospective case analysis of 101 adverse reactions to bee-stings and a prospective questionnaire analysis of the proposed management by local medical practitioners and resident hospital staff members of three hypothetical bee-sting reactions has revealed that understanding of the use of adrenaline in patients with reactions to bee envenomation is confused with regard to the indications for its use, dosage and route; that corticosteroid agents are used or are recommended too frequently, sometimes as the sole therapeutic agent; and that there is a lack of awareness of the need for volume replacement in hypotensive shocked patients. These conclusions highlight the urgent need for a greater understanding of the optimal forms of management for patients with acute anaphylactic reactions to bee envenomation.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed2003

The toxicology of honey bee poisoning.

The use of insecticides continues to be a basic tool in pest management, since there are many pest situations for which there are no known alternative management methods. However, the harmful effects of insecticides against beneficial Insects continuous to be a serious problem. Poisoning of bee pollinators is a serious adverse effect of insecticide use which leads to a decrease in insect population, to reduction of honey yields, to destruction of plant communities, to insecticide residues in food, and to a significant loss of beekeepers' income. In bee poisoning, the identification of the responsible toxicant is necessary by both environmental and biological monitoring, to prevent bee poisoning and for the protection of public health. The different aspects of bee poisoning with anticholinesterase insecticides are discussed in detail.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[First detection of Kashmir bee virus in Hesse, Germany].

We gathered dead bees of 56 Hessian bee colonies following a sudden collapse during winter 2002/03. Viral RNA was purified from ten dead bees per sample. Kashmir bee virus (KBV) was detected by use of a RT-PCR protocol. 13 samples were positive for KBV. The PCR amplicon was sequenced. A BLAST GenBank search clearly identified the Hessian amplicon as a KBV fragment. Similarities of more than 85% were found. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close genetic relationship of the Hessian isolate to an isolate from New Zealand. The Northamerican, the Russian and Australian notations listed in GenBank did not cluster round with the Hessian isolate. This is the first documented detection of KBV in Middle Europe.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Evaluation of the neotropical stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera: Apidae) as pollinator of greenhouse tomatoes.

The Neotropical stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata Lepeletier was evaluated for pollinating tomatoes (variety Rodas; long-life hybrid) in greenhouses under plastic and with a hydroponic system and "organic concepts" in Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Flowers not pollinated did not set any fruit. Pollination by bees plus manual pollination did not differ from either bee or manual pollination. Maximum fruit diameter, fruit height, and roundness (quotient between maximum fruit diameter and fruit height) were not significantly different between treatments, but fruit visited by M. quadrifasciata had 10.8% less seeds (dry mass) than manual pollination. This apparently low efficiency of M. quadrifasciata pollination was attributed to the overlap of only 30 min between highest bee foraging activity and highest flower stigma receptivity. Thus, it was concluded that M. quadrifasciata is a feasible pollinator of greenhouse tomatoes because of 1) the observed increase in fruit quality with lower mechanical injury than traditional manual pollination, 2) no significant decrease in fruit size, and 3) high price of such product in the market. Some considerations for sustainable use of M. quadrifasciata as greenhouse pollinator are presented. Although techniques for keeping captive colonies of M. quadrifasciata are currently available, the sole current method for acquiring new colonies is removing them from the forest, and if demand was created for large numbers of colonies for commercial use, techniques for captive rearing must be developed to prevent serious declines in wild populations.

Agriculture↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Splenic abscess secondary to massive bee bite in immunocompetent host. A case report].

INTRODUCTION: Spleen abscesses are considered as an infrequent infectious disease. An increase in its presentation has been seen due to certain pathologies or clinical conditions associated with immune suppression, endocarditis being one of the most frequent causes. Gram-positive aerobes are the main causal agents with non-specific clinical manifestations. CT scan and ultrasound are the elective choices for diagnosis and imaging support for punction and drainage. OBJECTIVE: To describe the case of a patients with splenic abscess and its possible association with massive bee bite. CASE REPORT: A 51-year-old man, with no important medical history, suffered a massive bee bite and developed anaphylactic shock. He was managed at the emergency room where 116 bee stings were removed from the patient. He was discharged after 3 days. Eight days later he complained of abdominal pain localized in the left upper quadrant, persisting for 3 weeks. Abdominal pain increased and was accompanied by malaise, vomiting, fever, signs of peritonitis and leucocytosis. CT scan showed left pleural effusion, a single hypodense lesion in the inferior pole of the spleen, and thickness of the parenchyma. The patient was diagnosed with spleen abscess drained to cavity and was submitted to surgery. Surgical findings included localized peritonitis, friable spleen, and 200 ml of pus. Splenectomy was performed and IV antibiotic therapy was started. Blood culture, viral profile, Widal reactions, and serological test for HIV were negative. Secretion (pus) culture was positive for Enterococcus faecium. CONCLUSIONS: Spleen abscess is a rare entity and unusual diagnosis, representing a high mortality in non-treated patients. According to our search, there is no literature-based evidence of a similar case with this association. This report represents the first case of the association between spleen abscess and massive bee bite.

Abscess↗
PubMed2003

[The influence of levamisol on the level of total protein in haemolymph of bees infected with Varroa destructor].

The studies were performed in 1997 in bee colonies with carnica queens. Levamisol in dose 2,5 mg/l and 5 mg/l of sugar syrup was given to experimental group, while the control one was treated with the same dose of sugar syrup. From May to September, once a month, the segments of honeycombs containing 15-17 day brood were taken for farer housing. The level of total protein was investigated in the haemolymph of freshly hatched bee workers. It was found that levamisol given in sugar syrup did not caurse disturbances in the development of bee colonies, however, it was noticed that levamisol influenced on the rise of total protein level in haemolymph of bees and decrease of Varroa destructor infection.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Glycosylation-inhibiting factor from human T cell hybridomas constructed from peripheral blood lymphocytes of a bee venom-sensitive allergic patient.

Human T cell hybridomas, which constitutively secrete glycosylation inhibiting factor (GIF), were constructed from PBL of an allergic individual who was sensitive to honey bee venom. PBMC of the patient were stimulated with either denatured or cyanogen bromide-treated bee venom phospholipase A2 (PLA2), and Ag-activated cells were propagated by IL-2 in the presence of human recombinant lipocortin I. T cells obtained in the cultures were fused with a HAT-sensitive mutant of the human lymphoblastoid cell line CEM. Approximately one-third of hybridoma clones constitutively secreted GIF. The GIF-producing hybridomas were CD3+ and bore TCR-alpha beta. GIF formed by unstimulated hybridomas lacked affinity for bee venom PLA2. Upon cross-linking of CD3, however, a majority of the GIF-producing hybridomas formed IgE-binding factors and GIF, the latter of which had affinity for bee venom PLA2. Both nonspecific GIF and Ag-binding GIF from the hybridomas bound to an immunosorbent coupled with the anti-lipomodulin mAb 141-B9. Using an affinity-purified GIF as an immunogen, we established mouse B cell hybridomas that secreted monoclonal anti-human GIF. In order to characterize human nonspecific GIF, one of the GIF-producing hybridomas was adapted to a serum-free medium, and culture supernatant was fractionated by DEAE-Sepharose column chromatography and by gel filtration. The majority of nonspecific GIF in the culture supernatant was recovered from DEAE-Sepharose by elution of the column with 10 mM Tris-HCl buffer, pH 8.0, containing 50 mM NaCl. Affinity-purification of GIF in the DEAE Sepharose fraction by using anti-GIF-coupled Affigel, and analysis of the purified GIF by SDS-PAGE revealed that human GIF is a single polypeptide chain of 14 to 15 kDa. Gel filtration of both crude and affinity-purified GIF preparations confirmed the molecular size of the cytokine.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1991

[Mites (Acarida) of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) in Poland].

400 samples of natural winter debris collected from bee hives, 150 samples of stored honey and 100 samples of pollen collected by bees were examined; full of food and empty honey combs, brood and adult bees were also observed. 100% of samples of debris, 90% of pollen and almost 24% of honey samples contained mites; they were found also on honey combs and on died and living bees (brood, imagines). 33 mite species were found. Besides of parasite Varroa jacobsoni Oud. numerous mites belonging to Acaridae, Ameroseiidae, Tarsonemidae and Tydeidae were frequent. They are often accompanied by predatory mites from families Cheyletidae, Aceosejidae, Laelapidae, Bdellidae and Cunaxidae. 3 stated species--Acotyledon paradoxa Oud., Lasioacarus nidicolus Kadz. et Sev. and Thyreophagus odyneri Fain are new for Poland.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Bee venom allergy.

Bee stings are a common occurrence and for most people they cause only mild local discomfort, but for a few they are life threatening. The author considers the natural history of bee venom allergy, the place of diagnostic tests in assessing bee venom allergy, the emergency management of allergic reactions, and the use of bee venom immunotherapy in children.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Use of short-chain cyclopentano-phosphatidylcholines to probe the mode of activation of phospholipase A2 from bovine pancreas and bee venom.

A great mystery in the mechanism of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and many other lipolytic enzymes is the "interfacial activation" induced by micellar but not monomeric substrates. Equally mysterious is the lack of interfacial activation in bee venom PLA2, as opposed to PLA2s from pancreas and other sources. We have probed these problems using the conformationally restricted short-chain cyclopentano-analogues of diacylphosphatidylcholine (Cp-DCnPC, all-trans isomer). In the reaction catalyzed by bovine pancreatic PLA2, Cp-DC8PC behaved differently from DC8PC in that its monomers and micelles showed comparable activities (but lower than the activity of DC8PC). This result suggests that the activity of PLA2 can be regulated by substrate conformation and supports the "substrate conformation model" (Wells, M. A. (1974) Biochemistry 13, 2248-2257), but raises a question as to whether Cp-DC8PC mimics monomers or micelles of DC8PC. Conformational analysis by 1H NMR revealed that monomeric Cp-DC8PC was conformationally restricted near the carbonyl region, a property characteristic of micelles. Thus, monomeric CP-DC8PC can be considered as a conformational analogue of micelles, but the important structural feature lies in the CH2COO region instead of the glycerol backbone. CP-DC8PC was then used to test a previous proposal that the bee venom PLA2 hydrolyzes monomers but not micelles (which would predict little or no activity for Cp-DC8PC since its conformation is micelle-like whether below or above its critical micelle concentration). The results showed that Cp-DC8PC is a relatively good substrate for the bee venom PLA2 in comparison with the pancreatic PLA2. This and other evidence together suggest that the bee venom PLA2 is not sensitive to the conformation of monomeric and micellar substrates and hydrolyzes both monomers and micelles. The results in both PLA2s demonstrate the usefulness of cyclopentano-phospholipids in probing the mechanism of phospholipases and the roles of substrate conformation in the catalysis of PLA2.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

[Results of hyposensitization with bee and wasp venom].

The immunotherapy with purified bee and wasp venom is indicated for patients with severe general reactions after insect stings, positive prick test and positive RAST. One hundred seventy four persons were treated for three years with bee venom (SSW Dresden) and 34 patients with wasp venom (Reless). Challenge by a stinging bee after treatment proved in 90 per cent complete protection. There were no general reactions during hyposensitization with wasp venom, but in 46 per cent occurred general reactions during immunotherapy with bee venom. Therefore rush desensitization should be performed in indoor patients till a top dose of 100 micrograms/ml is reached. Booster injections can be given to outdoor patients. All individuals with systemic reactions after insect stings have to get an emergency treatment kit and must be familiar with its application.

Bee Venoms↗
PubMed1983

[Latent sensitization to bee and wasp venoms].

IgE-RAST with bee and wasp venom was performed on 200 persons without any allergic history. Specific IgE antibodies against bee and/or wasp venom were found in 55 persons (27, 5%); in 14 persons of these against bee, in 29 against wasp and in 12 against bee and wasp venom. Specific IgG antibodies were only found in 16, 4% of the silently sensitizated persons. Therefore, the lack of symptoms in the remainder of this group cannot be explained by the presence of blocking IgG antibodies.

Bee Venoms↗