Nosema ceranae in South American Native Stingless Bees and Social Wasp

Abstract

Besides the incipient research effort, the role of parasites as drivers of the reduction affecting pollinator populations is mostly unknown. Given the worldwide extension of the beekeeping practice and the diversity of pathogens affecting Apis mellifera populations, honey bee colonies are a certain source of parasite dispersion to other species. Here, we communicate the detection of the microsporidium Nosema ceranae, a relatively new parasite of honey bees, in stingless bees (Meliponini) and the social wasp Polybia scutellaris (Vespidae) samples from Argentina and Brazil by means of duplex PCR. Beyond the geographic location of the nests, N. ceranae was detected in seven from the eight Meliponini species analyzed, while Nosema apis, another common parasite of A. mellifera, was absent in all samples tested. Further research is necessary to determine if the presence of the parasite is also associated with established infection in host tissues. The obtained information enriches the current knowledge about pathologies that can infect or, at least, be vectored by native wild pollinators from South America.

Nosema ceranae in Apis mellifera: a 12 years postdetection perspective

“…Despite the high number of host taxa, N. ceranae has been restricted to the Apidae. However, this situation changed recently with detection of N. ceranae in the Vespidae wasp Polybia scutellaris , suggesting that the pathogen is even capable of traversing the family barrier (Porrini et al ., ).…”

A novel TaqMan ® assay for Nosema ceranae quantification in honey bee, based on the protein coding gene Hsp70

“…Besides, the microsporidium N. ceranae was detected in other Hymenoptera like stingless bee (Meliponini) and the social wasp Polybia scutellaris (Vespidae) (Porrini et al 2017) and it may cause emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) in Bombus spp. (Brown 2017;Graystock et al 2014).…”

The first detection of Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia) in the small hive beetle, Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae)

“…These include some stingless bees (Meliponini) (Porrini et al 2017), the solitary bees Osmia cornuta , Osmia bicornis , Heriades truncorum , and Andrena ventralis (Ravoet et al 2014), and the bumblebee species Bombus brasiliensis (Plischuk and Lange 2016), Bombus atratus , Bombus morio , and Bombus bellicosus (Plischuk et al 2009). The microsporidium also was detected in the social wasp Polybia scutellaris (Vespidae) (Porrini et al 2017). Also, in regurgitated pellet of Merops apiaster , beeeater bird, vital N. ceranae spores was detected (Higes et al 2008b).…”