Bees are the most important group of insect pollinators, but their populations are declining. To gain a better understanding of wild bee responses to different stressors (e.g. land-use change) and conservation measures, regional and national monitoring schemes are currently being established in Germany, which is used here as a model region, and in many other…
Background: The evaluation of the impact of pesticides on non-target species, like bees, is a crucial factor in registration procedures. Therefore, standardized test procedures have been developed on OECD level assessing the effects of chemicals on honey bees or bumble bees. Unfortunately, these protocols cannot directly be adapted for testing products that contain microorganisms. Interest…
Residues of plant protection products (PPPs) are frequently detected in bee matrices1–6 due to foraging bees collecting contaminated nectar and pollen, which they bring back to their hive. The collected material is further used by nurse bees to produce glandular secretions for feeding their larvae.7 Potential exposure to PPPs occurs through direct oral ingestion, contact…
European foulbrood (EFB) is a severe bacterial honey bee brood disease caused by the Grampositive bacterium Melissocccus plutonius. The disease is widely distributed worldwide, and is an increasing problem in some areas. Although the causative agent of EFB was described almost a century ago, many basic aspects of its pathogenesis are still unknown. Earlier studies…
Stylops ater is an endoparasite of the mining bee Andrena vaga with extreme sexual dimorphism and hypermetamorphosis. Its population structure, parasitization mode, genetic diversity and impact on host morphology were examined in nesting sites in Germany to better understand this highly specialized host–parasite interaction. The shift in host emergence due to stylopization was proven to…
Context: In Europe, the Western honey bee Apis mellifera has a dual nature as a managed and wild species (Requier et al. 2019). Although wild-living populations of A. mellifera are a threatened component of the native fauna, too little attention has been paid to monitoring these populations (Requier & Crewe 2019, Seeley 2019a). However, recent…
Queen health and quality play a significant role in the survival, expansion, and productivity of honey bee colonies. Nevertheless, modern beekeeping practices, intensified agriculture, and climate change can leave queens vulnerable to diverse stressors. These stressors can exert a negative impact on queens, resulting in a range of morphological and physiological abnormalities. The repercussions of…