Pathogen-associated self-medication behavior in the honeybee Apis mellifera

Abstract

Honeybees, Apis mellifera, have several prophylactic disease defense strategies, including the foraging of antibiotic, antifungal, and antiviral compounds of plant products. Hence, honey and pollen contain many compounds that prevent fungal and bacterial growth and inhibit viral replication. Since these compounds are also fed to the larvae by nurse bees, they play a central role for colony health inside the hive. Here, we show that honeybee nurse bees, infected with the microsporidian gut parasite Nosema ceranae, show different preferences for various types of honeys in a simultaneous choice test. Infected workers preferred honeys with a higher antibiotic activity that reduced the microsporidian infection after the consumption of the honey. Since nurse bees feed not only the larvae but also other colony members, this behavior might be a highly adaptive form of therapeutic medication at both the individual and the colony level.

Large-scale monitoring of effects of clothianidin-dressed oilseed rape seeds on pollinating insects in Northern Germany: effects on honey bees (Apis mellifera)

“…In these laboratory studies, test bees were heavily (experimentally) infected with Nosema spores (10 5 –3.3 × 10 5  spores/bee) followed by an artificial maintaining of bees in small cages. In the current study, only naturally occurring infections were monitored and infected bees could potentially perform self-medication behavior (Gherman et al 2014) or outside activities to limit contact in the hive with nest mates (Alaux et al 2014). In this respect, a detail of the study of Pettis et al (2012) is worth mentioning.…”

Pharmacophagy and pharmacophory: mechanisms of self-medication and disease prevention in the honeybee colony (Apis mellifera)

“…Also, Gherman et al (2014) showed honey type-specific spore load reduction for N. ceranae . They suggested multiple nonexclusive mechanisms that might be important: The active compounds may (1) kill Nosema spores, (2) increase the activity of the honeybee immune system to fight against microsporidian infections, or (3) inhibit the replication of vegetative forms of Nosema spp.…”

“…They suggested multiple nonexclusive mechanisms that might be important: The active compounds may (1) kill Nosema spores, (2) increase the activity of the honeybee immune system to fight against microsporidian infections, or (3) inhibit the replication of vegetative forms of Nosema spp. Whatever the actual mechanisms, those specific honey types that resulted in a reduction of a N. ceranae spore load had also been selected in a choice assay by workers infected with N. ceranae but not by healthy bees, suggesting a self-medication potential of honey at the level of the individual bee (Gherman et al 2014).…”

“…(Table IV) addressed the antibiotic effect of honey by counting dormant spores (Gherman et al 2014;Gregorc 1993;Pohorecka and Skubida 2004). Both, cage and colony experiments showed that such spores are still infectious after storage in honey (but see White 1919).…”

Bumble bee parasite strains vary in resistance to phytochemicals

“…Likewise, animals that consume antimicrobial phytochemicals may gain protection from their own parasites, as shown in herbivores161718. In pollinators, ingestion of floral phytochemicals19 and certain types of honey20 were therapeutic for infected honey bees ( Apis mellifera ). Infection also stimulated collection of phytochemical-rich resins21 and preference for high-phytochemical nectar2223, indicating the potential for phytochemicals to improve pollinator health.…”