DeGrandi-Hoffman Gloria, Graham Henry, Corby-Harris Vanessa, Chambers Mona, Watkins-deJong Emily, Ihle Kate, Bilodeau Lanie
Carl Hayden Bee Research Center, USDA-ARS, 2000 East Allen Road, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA.
Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research Lab, USDA-ARS, 1157 Ben Hur Rd., Baton Rouge, LA 70820, USA.
Insects. 2025 Mar 4;16(3):266. doi: 10.3390/insects16030266.
Management strategies are needed that mitigate the effects of climate change on honey bee colony losses. Extended periods of warmer fall temperatures prolong periods of honey bee flight and parasitic Varroa mite immigration into colonies. We report on a management strategy using Varroa-resistant Russian honey bees overwintered in indoor cold storage facilities, and compare colony survival and growth with that of unselected European bees. Fat body metrics that are key to overwintering survival were also measured in Russian and unselected bees. Comparisons between overwintering Russian colonies in cold storage versus apiaries were also conducted. Russian and unselected colonies overwintered in cold storage had comparable overwintering survival and percentages rented for almond pollination. However, more Russian colonies overwintered in cold storage were alive after almond bloom than those overwintered in apiaries. Fat bodies in Russian and unselected bees gained weight while in cold storage. Protein concentrations increased and lipids decreased. Changes in lipid concentrations were inversely related to the number of brood bees reared while in cold storage. Similar percentages of colonies overwintered in cold storage or outdoor apiaries survived and were rented for almond pollination. An economic analysis indicated that overwintering Russian colonies in cold storage costs less than in apiaries. Our study indicates that cold storage can be a viable management strategy for mitigating the effects of climate change on colony survival.
需要制定管理策略来减轻气候变化对蜜蜂蜂群损失的影响。秋季较长时间的温暖气温会延长蜜蜂飞行期以及寄生性瓦螨迁入蜂群的时间。我们报告了一种管理策略，即使用在室内冷藏设施中越冬的抗瓦螨俄罗斯蜜蜂，并将蜂群的存活率和生长情况与未经过筛选的欧洲蜜蜂进行比较。我们还测量了俄罗斯蜜蜂和未经过筛选的蜜蜂中对于越冬存活至关重要的脂肪体指标。此外，还对在冷藏库中越冬的俄罗斯蜂群和在养蜂场中越冬的蜂群进行了比较。在冷藏库中越冬的俄罗斯蜂群和未经过筛选的蜂群具有相当的越冬存活率以及用于杏仁授粉出租的比例。然而，在冷藏库中越冬的俄罗斯蜂群在杏仁花期过后存活下来的比在养蜂场中越冬的更多。俄罗斯蜜蜂和未经过筛选的蜜蜂在冷藏期间脂肪体增重。蛋白质浓度增加而脂质减少。脂质浓度的变化与冷藏期间培育的育雏蜜蜂数量呈负相关。在冷藏库或户外养蜂场中越冬的蜂群存活并被出租用于杏仁授粉的比例相似。一项经济分析表明，在冷藏库中让俄罗斯蜂群越冬的成本低于在养蜂场中。我们的研究表明，冷藏可以作为一种可行的管理策略，以减轻气候变化对蜂群存活的影响。
