Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada.
Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Dalhousie University, PO Box 550, Truro, NS, B2N 5E3, Canada.
Exp Appl Acarol. 2020 Aug;81(4):495-514. doi: 10.1007/s10493-020-00519-w. Epub 2020 Jul 22.
Detection and interpretation of chemical cues is essential for Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman, an important parasite of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.), to complete its life cycle. We collected volatiles from honey bee brood at various developmental stages and screened for V. destructor electrophysiological responses to these with gas chromatography-linked electrotarsal detection. Volatile collections contained several methyl-alkanes that evoked electrophysiological responses from V. destructor. Moreover, odors in honey bee colonies that regulate honey bee colony structure and function were also detected by V. destructor. Collections from mid- to late-stage larvae had detectable levels of low-volatility odors identified as components of the honey bee brood pheromone and branched alkanes likely originating from brood cuticle. Among these, several mid- to heavy-molecular weight compounds elicited high proportional electrophysiological responses by V. destructor relative to their abundance but could not be identified using chemical standards of previously documented honey bee brood odors. We suggest further investigation of these unknown volatiles and future behavioral assays to determine attractiveness/repellency (valence) of those identified through chemical standards.
检测和解释化学线索对于完成生命周期至关重要，是重要的蜜蜂寄生虫（Apis mellifera L.）。我们从不同发育阶段的蜜蜂幼虫中收集挥发物，并通过气相色谱-触角电生理检测筛选对这些挥发物的电生理反应。挥发物收集物中含有几种甲基-链烷烃，它们能引起的电生理反应。此外，调节蜜蜂群体结构和功能的蜜蜂群体气味也被检测到。从中等到晚期幼虫的收集物中可以检测到低挥发性气味，这些气味被鉴定为蜜蜂幼虫信息素的成分，而支链烷烃可能来自幼虫的角质层。在这些气味中，有几种中等到重分子量的化合物相对于它们的丰度引起了相对较高的电生理反应，但无法使用先前记录的蜜蜂幼虫气味的化学标准进行鉴定。我们建议进一步研究这些未知的挥发性物质，并进行未来的行为测定，以确定通过化学标准鉴定的那些物质的吸引力/驱避性（效价）。
