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Honey bee mortality due to tracheal mite parasitism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

L. A. Royce  and
P. A. Rossignol
L. A. Royce
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, Cordley Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-2907 USA
P. A. Rossignol
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, Cordley Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331-2907 USA
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Summary

We demonstrate, by truncating the expected negative binomial distribution, that the tracheal mite parasite, Acarapis woodi, causes mortality in the Europen honey bee, Apis mellifera, but, that this mortality can be documented only during periods of low mite densities (mites per bee). At high mite densities, this technique no longer reveals mite-induced mortality. We suggest that this paradox results from a reduction in the mortality threshold at high mite densities, concealing mortality from our truncation procedures. Longitudinal comparisons of hive and forager bee cohorts, nevertheless, suggests mortality at all levels of infestation. We propose that persistent parasitism overcomes a colony's ability to compensate for losses, leading to its sudden decline and death.

Keywords

tracheal mitehoney beenegative binomial distributionparasitismpathology
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 100 , Issue 1 , February 1990 , pp. 147 - 151
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1990

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