Department of Zoology, Otago University, Dunedin, New Zealand,
J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol. 2011 Nov;197(11):1055-62. doi: 10.1007/s00359-011-0666-1. Epub 2011 Jul 15.
The parasitic mite Varroa destructor is responsible for heavy losses in honey bee colonies and represents a major threat to the beekeeping industry. Essential oils offer an attractive alternative to the use of synthetic chemicals for the control of varroa. Amongst them, thymol appears to be particularly promising. However, treatments using thymol as their active substance, such as the gel formulation Apiguard(®), are suspected to have adverse effects on honey bee colonies. In this study, laboratory assays are used to investigate the effects of Apiguard(®) exposure on honey bee behaviour. Our results reveal that honey bee responses to this anti-varroa treatment change with honey bee age. While 2-day-old bees respond neutrally to Apiguard(®), older bees generally avoid the Apiguard(®) gel. Responses of forager bees were particularly striking. Foragers appear to be repelled by Apiguard(®). Touching their antennae with Apiguard(®) induces robust fanning behaviour. Our data suggest, however, that forager bees exposed to Apiguard(®) in the hive can become habituated to this treatment. These results offer interesting new perspectives on the effects of Apiguard(®) on honey bee behaviour and serve to highlight age-related changes in honey bee responses to gustatory, as well as olfactory cues.
寄生螨瓦螨是导致蜜蜂大量死亡的罪魁祸首，也是养蜂业的主要威胁。精油为控制瓦螨提供了一种有吸引力的替代合成化学品的方法。其中，麝香草酚似乎特别有前途。然而，以麝香草酚为活性物质的处理方法，如凝胶制剂 Apiguard(®)，被怀疑对蜜蜂群体有不良影响。在这项研究中，实验室试验用于研究 Apiguard(®)暴露对蜜蜂行为的影响。我们的结果表明，蜜蜂对这种抗瓦螨处理的反应随蜜蜂年龄的变化而变化。虽然 2 日龄的蜜蜂对 Apiguard(®)反应中性，但较老的蜜蜂通常会避开 Apiguard(®)凝胶。觅食蜜蜂的反应尤其引人注目。觅食者似乎被 Apiguard(®)排斥。用 Apiguard(®)触碰它们的触角会引起强烈的扇动行为。然而，我们的数据表明，在蜂巢中接触 Apiguard(®)的觅食蜜蜂可能会对这种处理产生习惯。这些结果为 Apiguard(®)对蜜蜂行为的影响提供了有趣的新视角，并强调了蜜蜂对味觉和嗅觉线索的反应随年龄的变化。
