Venom Collection from Honey Bees

A device that provides an electric shock makes it possible to collect pure venom from several thousand honey bees (Apis mellifera). The collection apparatus fits underneath the brood chamber of a colony of bees and may be moved from hive to hive. Each colony is "milked" for 5 minutes. An average of 20 hives must be "milked" to obtain 1 gram of venom. Under optimum conditions this quantity of venom is produced by 10,000 worker bees.     

Competitive interactions between neotropical pollinators and africanized honey bees

The Africanized honey bee, a hybrid of European and African honey bees, is thought to displace native pollinators. After experimental introduction of Africanized honey bee hives near flowers, stingless bees became less abundant or harvested-less resource as visitation by Africanized honey bees increased. Shifts in resource use caused by colonizing Africanized honey bees may lead to population decline of Neotropical pollinators.     

中国的养蜂自然条件和蜜蜂品种

<正> 我国具有有三千多年的养蜂历史。十四世纪就已经出现饲养中蜂的专业户。解放后,我国养蜂生产蓬勃发展。现蜂群数量达到600万群,其中意蜂约占2/3,中蜂约占1/3,此外尚有少量卡尼鄂拉蜜蜂和高加索蜜蜂。现年产蜂蜜10万吨;王浆300余吨。就我们这样一个有10亿人口的国家,以年产蜜10万吨行,全国每人平均只有100克,这远不能满足医药、食品、轻工以及外贸出口的需要。我国虽是养蜂古国,但今天在养蜂科学技术某些领域还是落后的,迫切需要向先进国家学习。     

瓦螨微生物防治的不良效果

We report six different field trials testing the efficacy of Metarhizium anisopliae,an entomopathogenic fungus,against varroa mites in honey bee hives.Varroa mites are parasitic on honey bees and cause serious damage to Apis mellifera colonies.Several control methods are available for varroa mites,none are very effective,so new,more effective methods are being sought.Varroa has previously been shown to be highly susceptible to M.anisopliae infections,and in our first two field trials,we found some efficacy from spore applications.However,in subsequent field trials,we were not able to obtain any varroa control, despite attempting several different application methods, two different strains of the fungus, and testing in different climates and during different phenological states of the honey bee colony. We conclude that microbial control of varroa using fungi is not likely to be effective unless some way is found to prolong the survival of the spores (or other infective units) in the hive environment.     

Monitoring of swarming sounds in bee hives for early detection of the swarming period

Beekeeping, known as one of the oldest forms of agriculture, in its complexity requires control for honey production with what modern technology can offer. Honey is included in animal production implying that farmers have interest in big productions according to the best blooming time, the presence of parasites, the genetic strain of his bees and the swarming periods of the honeybees (queen and her workers leaving the hive).This last fact has a big economic interest for the beekeeper as swarming means honey loss since bees start collecting the honey to migrate. Here for a method that enables the prediction of the swarming is required to prevent the queen from leaving the hives. In this experiment an acoustic method based on labelling of sounds is proposed to predict the swarming period. Three hives were monitored during 270 h. The microphones were sited inside the hives together with a temperature and humidity sensor. The sounds were recorded with a sample rate of 2 kHz, and analyzed via Matlab and Cool Edit Pro. During this period 9 swarming activities occurred. Swarming is indicated by an increase in the power spectral density at about 110 Hz; approaching to swarm the sound augmented in amplitude and frequency to 300 Hz, occasionally a rapid change occurred from 150 Hz to 500 Hz. Another finding indicating the initiation of a swarming period is the raise in temperature from 33 °C to 35 °C until the actual time of swarming when the temperature starts dropping to 32 °C. With more activity, ventilation from bee wings causes drop of temperature. Less information comes from the correlation between sound and humidity since this parameter is too much influenced by the external conditions and no significant variation occurred according to a swarm. This increase of temperature, together with the changes in acoustical features of the sound recorded in the hive, may be used as a predictor for swarming of the bees to reduce honey loss.     

Male reproductive parasitism: a factor in the africanization of European honey-bee populations

Africanized drone honey bees (Apis mellifera) migrate into European honey-bee colonies in large numbers, but Africanized colonies only rarely host drones from other colonies. This migration leads to a strong mating advantage for Africanized bees since it both inhibits European drone production and enhances Africanized drone production.     

胡蜂与蜜蜂的防御行为研究

 在19.4℃气温条件下,选择东方蜜蜂和西方蜜蜂各3群进行蜜蜂激怒时的结团温度的试验研究,刺激物分别为半导体点温仪器的铜线头和活体胡蜂,在蜂群内放入刺激物后每隔15 s做一次温度记录。结果发现,在东方蜜蜂群内,蜂群对两种刺激物的结团蜜蜂数在25～32只之间;温度在210 s左右的时间内分别达到44.6 ℃和45.0 ℃,其中,刺激物为铜线头的结团温度最高可以达到45.0 ℃, 而刺激物为活体胡蜂的结团温度最高可以达到45.6 ℃;在西方蜜蜂群内,蜂群对两种刺激物的结团蜜蜂数在18～26只之间;蜂群对两种刺激物的结团温度在210 s左右的时间内分别达到42.2 ℃和 44.1 ℃,其中刺激物为铜线头的结团温度最高可以达到42.7 ℃,而刺激物为活体胡蜂的结团温度最高可以达到44.4 ℃.在恒温箱的耐温试验里,20 min内,黑盾胡蜂的最高耐温极限温度为46 ℃,而东方蜜蜂和西方蜜蜂的最高耐温极限温度却分别为51 ℃和52 ℃.另外, 选择云南高原温带型东方蜜蜂和云南低海拔热带型东方蜜蜂各2群,在蜂箱门口用活体黑盾胡蜂（Vespa velutina）干扰蜜蜂采集活动,干扰的时间分别为3 min,6 min和12 min. 每 min为一计数单位,记录蜜蜂采集蜂飞出的数量。结果发现:蜜蜂采集蜂飞出的数量随干扰时间的增加而明显下降,干扰的时间越长,蜜蜂采集蜂恢复到正常数量的时间就越长;高原温带型东方蜜蜂和低海拔热带型东方蜜蜂在胡蜂干扰时的在数量变化有着明显的差异,后者对胡蜂的干扰比前者更为敏感(P<0.05）。     

Genetic component of bee odor in kin recognition

The primitively social sweat bee, Lasioglossum zephyrum, blocks the entry into its nest of most conspecifics from other colonies. Laboratory inbreeding of these bees produced lines which showed a positive linear relationship between the coefficient of relationship of bees tested and how often they permitted non-nestmates to pass them. The most probable mechanism is a genetically determined odor coupled with a learned component by which guard bees discriminate between odors of close kin and other bees.     

Hybridization between European and africanized honey bees in the neotropical yucatan peninsula

A population genetic analysis of honey bees of the Mexican neotropical Yucatan peninsula shows that the range expansion of Africanized bees there has involved extensive introgressive hybridization with European bees. Yucatan honey bee populations now include many colonies with intermediate morphologies. Genotypes of mitochondria have disassociated from historically correlated Africanized or European morphology, producing diverse phenotypic associations. This suggests that the size of resident European populations may be important in explaining previously reported asymmetrical hybridization. Evidence of natural hybridization is encouraging for the use of genetic management to mitigate the effects of Africanized bees in the United States.     

Genetic diversity in honey bee colonies enhances productivity and fitness

Honey bee queens mate with many males, creating numerous patrilines within colonies that are genetically distinct. The effects of genetic diversity on colony productivity and long-term fitness are unknown. We show that swarms from genetically diverse colonies (15 patrilines per colony) founded new colonies faster than swarms from genetically uniform colonies (1 patriline per colony). Accumulated differences in foraging rates, food storage, and population growth led to impressive boosts in the fitness (i.e., drone production and winter survival) of genetically diverse colonies. These results further our understanding of the origins of polyandry in honey bees and its benefits for colony performance.     

云南省中西部地区东方蜜蜂形态特征研究

 为了研究不同地理环境下东方蜜蜂的特征规律,测定了云南省中西部的武定、永胜、大姚、祥云和姚安5个地区的16群东方蜜蜂(Apis cerana)的第6背板覆毛长度、第3背板长、翅钩数和小盾片颜色等38个形态特征指标,并同云南省其他地方的东方蜜蜂形态数据进行比较。结果表明,云南省中西部地区的东方蜜蜂为一个小类群,与德钦、宾川和丽江的亲缘关系较近。在云南省范围内,德钦的东方蜜蜂体型最大,云南省中西部地区的东方蜜蜂体型蜂次之,东南低纬区的东方蜜蜂体型最小。该地区的东方蜜蜂形态特征呈现广泛性,是云南省镜内两大东方蜜蜂类群的中间过渡带。     

Dispersal by swarming in a social spider

Groups of Achaearanea wau (Theridiidae) disperse and found new colonies by means of synchronized emigrations of adult and subadult females. Emigrations involve the construction of silk highways from parent colonies to new web sites, synchronized migrations along the highways, and the establishment of daughter colonies. Emigrations of Achaearanea wau are similar in timing, group composition, and in some behavior components to swarming of social bees and wasps.     

蜂群入场时间对蜜蜂采集梨花粉习性的影响

【研究目的】为了完善梨树蜜蜂授粉配套技术,提高梨树蜜蜂授粉效能,节约成本。【方法】本研究以砀山酥梨和意大利蜜蜂为试验材料,考察了蜂群入场时间对蜜蜂采集梨花粉的影响。【结果】梨树末花期散粉量大,蜜蜂采集的花粉最多;在蜂群入场第一天,采集梨花粉的重量与开花量呈正相关,且初花期、盛花期入场蜂群采集梨花粉的比例高于其它时间入场蜂群;在同一天内,初花期入场蜂群采集梨花粉的重量和比例高于其它时间入场蜂群;蜂群采集梨花粉的高峰在12:00-13:00;初花期、盛花期入场蜂群对梨花粉采集好于其它时间入场蜂群,授粉效能也优于其它时间入场蜂群。【结论】本研究认为蜂群在梨树初花期即开花20%左右入场,可以达到梨树最佳授粉效果。     

Division of Labor among Primitively Social Bees

Australian bees of the genera Allodapula and Exoneura which commonly live in colonies of two to several individuals exhibit a division of labor among the adult females. Most foraging individuals are unfertilized and have slender ovaries, yet gather pollen and carry it to the nest; in contrast, fertilized egg-laying bees are not commonly foragers. Such castes are functionally similar to workers and queens found in some members of two other families of bees and represent a noteworthy example of physiological and behavioral parallelism in which the activities of different individuals are coordinated to form a functional unit.     

蜂粮酿制过程中细菌的变化规律

采用营养琼脂培养基、改良"LB"培养基、MRS(4.5)、MRS(6.5)培养基分别对中国茶(Camelliasinensis)的手采花粉(floral pollen)、蜂花粉(corbicular pollen)和不同酿制时间的蜂粮(bee bread)样品中的细菌进行菌落计数和分析.酿制初期的蜂粮样品在MRS(4.5)培养基和MRS(6.5)培养基上生长的细菌菌落数占优势,随酿制时间的延长而迅速下降;5、10、15、21 d蜂粮样品在改良"LB"培养基上生长的细菌菌落数占优势;60 d蜂粮样品在营养琼脂培养基上生长的细菌菌落数占优势.     

中国东方蜜蜂的形态学及生物地理学研究

 用形态学研究方法对中国的东方蜜蜂(Apis cerana)的形态特征进行研究。东方蜜蜂的标本从中国大陆的34个样点采集而来，这些样点代表了东方蜜蜂在中国大陆不同气候带或地理区域分布的不同类型。 34个点共采集了220群蜜蜂的样，每群蜂测定分析15只工蜂，形态的测定特征参照Ruttner 1988年提出的测定标准进行。每只蜂总共有38个测定的形态特征。测定的性状特征的数据进行因素分析，集合分析和区辨分析；形态性状与生态环境因子相关性分析；并与周边国家东方蜜蜂的相关数据进行比较，发现:生活在吉林长白山温带阔叶林的东方蜜蜂个体较大、体色较黑，与日本、韩国的东方蜜蜂较为相似；来自亚热带常绿阔叶林的东方蜜蜂（甘肃天水、湖北和湖南）与云南北部、北京、尼泊尔的东方蜜蜂聚集为一类；而居住在南方热带季雨林如：福建、广东、广西和云南部分南方的东方蜜蜂与低海拔亚热带常绿阔叶林的东方蜜蜂（越南、中国四川和安徽黄山）聚集为另一类； 云南南方如：景洪、思茅、河口、镇康、元江、屏边、蒙自草坝和开远的东方蜜蜂形成独特的一个分枝，与泰国和缅甸的东方蜜蜂非常接近，同时与亚热带常绿阔叶林的东方蜜蜂相邻；值得关注的是，来自高寒湿地的东方蜜蜂（甘肃岷县）是目前在亚洲已经发现的东方蜜蜂中，其个体最大、颜色最深。在因素分析和集合分析里，它具有独特的位置。     

Hormonal and genetic control of behavioral integration in honey bee colonies

The ability of insect colonies to adjust the division of labor among workers in response to changing environmental and colony conditions, coupled with research showing genetic effects on the division of labor in honey bee colonies, led to an investigation of the role of genetics and the environment in the integration of worker behavior. Measurements of juvenile hormone(JH) titers and allozyme analyses of worker honey bees suggest that two processes are involved in colony-level regulation of division of labor: (i) plasticity in age-dependent behavior is a consequence of modulation of JH titers by extrinsic factors, and (ii) stimuli that can affect JH titers and age-dependent behavior do elicit variable responses among genetically distinct subpopulations of workers within a colony. These results provide a new perspective on the developmental plasticity of insect colonies and support the emerging view that colony genetic structure affects behavioral organization.     

花粉和蜂粮中细菌的分离和鉴定

对中国茶(Camellia sinensis O.Ktze.)的手采花粉(floral pollen)、蜂花粉(corbicular pollen)和不同酿制时间的蜂粮(bee bread)样品中的细菌进行分离和鉴定.从样品中分离出207个菌落,鉴定出4个属的12种细菌,即詹氏乳杆菌(Lactobacillus jensenii)、果糖乳杆菌(Lactob.fructosus)、旧金山乳杆菌(Lactob.sanfrancisco)、绿色乳杆菌(Lactob.viridescens)、唾液乳杆菌(Lactob.salivarius)、微小乳杆菌(Lactob.minor)、干酪乳杆菌鼠李糖亚种(Lactob.casei subsp.rhamnosus)、植物乳杆菌(Lactob.plantarum)、无害利斯特氏茵(Listeria innocua)、格氏利斯特氏茵(List grayi)、枯草芽孢杆菌(Bacillus subtilis)和植物乳球菌(Lactococcusplantarum).     

蜂群中饲喂蜂王的工蜂亚家庭组成分析

蜜蜂是一种资源共享性强、社会分工精确度高且信息交流高度结构化的社会性群体。蜂群中,蜂王的交配方式是"一雌多雄",因此蜂群是由多个"同母异父"的亚家庭组成。研究表明,蜂群内这种"同母异父"的亚家庭结构,可以显著影响蜜蜂内在的部分社会分工。本研究以西方蜜蜂(Apis mellifera L.)为实验材料,从3群自然蜂群中各取样94只饲喂蜂王的工蜂和原蜂王,利用4对微卫星引物对样本进行个体基因型分析。分析得出了亚家庭总数分别为13、13和21的3群蜂群,结果表明:饲喂蜂王的工蜂的亚家庭组成并无亚家庭专属现象,即蜂王会接受各个亚家庭的适龄工蜂的饲喂。     

Gibberellic Acid: effects of feeding in an artificial diet for honeybees

Complete larval and pupal development occur in colonies of honeybees when adult bees are allowed to feed upon an artificial diet containing gibberellic acid. In the absence of gibberellic acid larvae die in the 3rd or 4th day of development.