Gonthier Jérémy, Papach Anna, Straub Lars, Campbell Joshua W, Williams Geoffrey R, Neumann Peter
Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Bee Health University of Bern Bern Switzerland.
Swiss Bee Research Centre Agroscope Bern Switzerland.
Ecol Evol. 2019 May 14;9(11):6422-6432. doi: 10.1002/ece3.5217. eCollection 2019 Jun.
Invasive species may exploit a wide range of food sources, thereby fostering their success and hampering mitigation, but the actual degree of opportunism is often unknown. The small hive beetle (SHB), , is a parasite of honeybee colonies endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. SHBs have now spread on all habitable continents and can also infest colonies of other social bees. To date, the possible role of solitary bee nests as alternative hosts is unknown. Similarly, flowers as possible alternative food sources are not well understood. Here, we show that SHBs can complete an entire life cycle in association with nests of solitary bees . The data also show that flowers can serve as alternative food sources. These results support the opportunistic nature of this invasive species, thereby generating further obstacles for mitigation efforts in the field. It also suggests that SHB invasions may result in more serious consequences for endemic bee fauna than previously thought. This provides further motivation to slow down the global spread of this pest, and to improve its management in areas, where it is established.
入侵物种可能利用广泛的食物来源，从而促进其成功并阻碍防治工作，但实际的机会主义程度往往未知。小蜂螨是撒哈拉以南非洲特有的蜜蜂群落寄生虫。小蜂螨现已蔓延到所有宜居大陆，也会侵扰其他群居蜜蜂的群落。迄今为止，独居蜂巢作为替代宿主的可能作用尚不清楚。同样，花朵作为可能的替代食物来源也未得到充分了解。在此，我们表明小蜂螨可以与独居蜜蜂的巢穴共同完成整个生命周期。数据还表明花朵可以作为替代食物来源。这些结果支持了这种入侵物种的机会主义性质，从而给实地防治工作带来了更多障碍。这也表明小蜂螨的入侵可能对本地蜜蜂群落造成比之前认为的更严重后果。这为减缓这种害虫在全球的传播速度以及改善其在已入侵地区的管理提供了进一步的动力。
