Dead Brood of Apis mellifera Is Removed More Effectively from Small-Cell Combs Than from Standard-Cell Combs

Abstract

The efficiency of the hygienic behaviour in bee colonies towards dead brood was assessed in small-cell combs (SMCombs) and in standard-cell combs (STCombs). Each colony had both types of combs in the nest on a permanent basis. Simultaneous keeping of a colony on standard- and small-cell combs is a novel approach to the use of small-cell combs in beekeeping. The number of killed pupae removed within 24 h was the measure of the hygienic behaviour efficiency. Regardless of the year, the brood in the SMCombs was uncapped and removed significantly more efficient (p ≤ 0.01) than in the STCombs (number of non-uncapped cells: in 2020 SMCombs = 3.79, STCombs = 11.62; in 2021 SMCombs = 2.34, STCombs = 5.28 and completely removed cells: in 2020 SMCombs = 87.46, STCombs = 80.04; in 2021 SMCombs = 96.75, STCombs = 92.66). In colonies kept simultaneously on standard- and small-cell combs, the width of the comb cells has a significant effect on the efficiency of removal of dead brood, which is removed more efficient from small-cell combs than from standard-cell combs.

Effect of Rearing in Small-Cell Combs on Activities of Catalase and Superoxide Dismutase and Total Antioxidant Capacity in the Hemolymph of Apis mellifera Workers

“…5.50 mm) [ 31 ]. The design of the small- and standard-cell combs in the brood chamber was consistent with that presented by Dziechciarz et al [ 32 ]. The worker bees were reared in the small-cell (SMC) and standard-cell (STC) combs.…”

“…The queens in the foster colonies were naturally inseminated sisters of the same age. Buckfast bee colonies were used due to their good adaptation to living on small-cell combs [ 30 , 31 , 32 ]. All the colonies were kept in Dadant Blatt hives, and their nests contained two types of combs: small-celled (cell width approx.…”

“…The worker bees were reared in the small-cell (SMC) and standard-cell (STC) combs. At the age of 1 day, some worker bees were labeled [ 32 ]. The labeled workers were used in the apiary experiment, whereas the unlabeled individuals were used in the laboratory experiment.…”

“…Based on the comparison of the morphological traits and the activities of the proteolytic system in the hemolymph of the workers reared in small- and standard-cell combs, we hypothesized that the workers reared in small cells were predisposed to serve as foragers, whereas those from standard cells performed various tasks within the nest, e.g., nursing [ 31 ]. Additionally, we found a higher rate of dead brood removal from the small-cell rather than standard-cell combs [ 32 ], which indicates a possibility of modifying the behavior of worker bees by choosing the width of comb cells.…”

Fluctuación de la prevalencia viral en relación a Varroa destructor

“…Se multiplica en abejas jóvenes sin causar signología aparente (Bailey, 1967), lo cual permite que el virus persista en las colonias durante años. No obstante, no se observa un gran porcentaje de muertes de larvas porque las abejas adultas detectan y remueven del panal a la mayoría de las larvas en estadios tempranos de la infección (Dziechciarz et al, 2022).…”