School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
J Econ Entomol. 2011 Aug;104(4):1146-52. doi: 10.1603/ec11035.
A high proportion of nonreproductive (NR) Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Mesostigmata: Varroidae), is commonly observed in honey bee colonies displaying the varroa sensitive hygienic trait (VSH). This study was conducted to determine the influence of brood removal and subsequent host reinvasion of varroa mites on mite reproduction. We collected foundress mites from stages of brood (newly sealed larvae, prepupae, white-eyed pupae, and pink-eyed pupae) and phoretic mites from adult bees. We then inoculated these mites into cells containing newly sealed larvae. Successful reproduction (foundress laid both a mature male and female) was low (13%) but most common in mites coming from sealed larvae. Unsuccessful reproductive attempts (foundress failed to produce both a mature male and female) were most common in mites from sealed larvae (22%) and prepupae (61%). Lack of any progeny was most common for mites from white-eyed (83%) and pink-eyed pupae (92%). We also collected foundress mites from sealed larvae and transferred them to cells containing newly sealed larvae, prepupae, white-eyed pupae, or pink-eyed pupae. Successful reproduction only occurred in the transfers to sealed larvae (26%). Unsuccessful reproductive attempts were most common in transfers to newly sealed larvae (40%) and to prepupae (25%). Unsuccessful attempts involved the production of immature progeny (60%), the production of only mature daughters (26%) or the production of only a mature male (14%). Generally, lack of progeny was not associated with mites having a lack of stored sperm. Our results suggest that mites exposed to the removal of prepupae or older brood due to hygiene are unlikely to produce viable mites if they invade new hosts soon after brood removal. Asynchrony between the reproductive status of reinvading mites and the developmental stage of their reinvasion hosts may be a primary cause of NR mites in hygienic colonies. Even if reinvading mites use hosts having the proper age for infestation, only a minority of them will reproduce.
在表现出瓦螨敏感卫生特性（VSH）的蜜蜂群体中，通常会观察到大量非生殖（NR）瓦螨（Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman，Mesostigmata: Varroidae）。本研究旨在确定幼虫移除以及随后的瓦螨重新入侵对螨虫繁殖的影响。我们从幼虫期（新封盖的幼虫、预蛹、白眼蛹和粉眼蛹）收集产卵螨，从成年蜜蜂中收集寄生螨。然后，我们将这些螨虫接种到含有新封盖幼虫的细胞中。成功繁殖（产卵螨产下成熟的雄性和雌性）率较低（13%），但最常见于来自封盖幼虫的螨虫。未成功的繁殖尝试（产卵螨未能产下成熟的雄性和雌性）最常见于来自封盖幼虫（22%）和预蛹（61%）的螨虫。缺乏任何后代最常见于来自白眼（83%）和粉眼蛹（92%）的螨虫。我们还从封盖幼虫中收集产卵螨，并将其转移到含有新封盖幼虫、预蛹、白眼蛹或粉眼蛹的细胞中。只有在转移到封盖幼虫时才会成功繁殖（26%）。在转移到新封盖幼虫（40%）和预蛹（25%）时，未成功的繁殖尝试最为常见。不成功的尝试涉及产生不成熟的后代（60%）、仅产生成熟的雌性（26%）或仅产生成熟的雄性（14%）。通常，缺乏后代与螨虫缺乏储存的精子无关。我们的结果表明，如果螨虫在卫生处理后因清除预蛹或更老的幼虫而暴露，并且在清除幼虫后不久重新入侵新的宿主，它们不太可能产生有活力的螨虫。重新入侵的螨虫的生殖状态与它们重新入侵的宿主的发育阶段之间的不同步可能是卫生蜂群中 NR 螨虫的主要原因。即使重新入侵的螨虫使用适合感染的宿主，也只有少数螨虫会繁殖。
