Seminarji gostujočih znanstvenikov 2005/2006
Vljudno vabljeni na predavanje z naslovom “Influence of ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor on flight behavior and on the loss of infested forager honey bees Apis mellifera” dr. Jasne Kralj z Nacionalnega inštituta za biologijo Ljubljana, v četrtek 20. aprila 2006 ob 15. uri v predavalnici P-7. Predavanje bo v angleškem jeziku.
Varroa destructor, an ectoparasitic mite, is one of the most serious pests of the honey bee Apis mellifera causing numerous losses of honey bee colonies worldwide. Life of V. destructor is divided into a reproductive phase in brood and a phoretic phase during which the mite is attached to the adult bee. The mite can leave the colony with workers involved in foraging tasks and may or not return to the colony. That mites do not return to the colony was indicated by recent investigations showing substantially higher infestation of departing workers compared to the infestation of returning workers. The main objective of the study was to provide information whether V. destructor influences flight behavior of foragers and consequently returning frequency of foragers to the colony. The study revealed that infested foragers have extended flights, were impaired in their orientation and return to the colony less frequently. As V. destructor is a relatively recent pest to the western honey bee A. mellifera and specific adaptations cannot be expected, not returning to the colony could be a more general response to diseases and might be a trait which could be enhanced in breeding programs to strengthen the behavioural defence against V. destructor and possibly to other honey bee diseases.