Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T21:26:04.961Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The diminished incidence of Acarapis woodi (Rennie) (Acari: Tarsonemidae) in honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), in Britain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

L. Bailey
Affiliation:
Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts., AL5 2JQ, UK
J. N. Perry
Affiliation:
Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Herts., AL5 2JQ, UK

Abstract

Investigations showed that there is a highly significant linear dependence of the percentage of bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies detectably infested with Acarapis woodi (Rennie) on the number of colonies in England and Wales. A decline of infestation since 1947 corresponds to a decrease recorded in the number of colonies. The simplest explanation, based on current knowledge, is that the decrease has allowed the foraging activity of the remaining colonies to increase, so lessening the contact between old infested bees and young susceptible individuals sufficiently to hinder the spread and multiplication of mites within colonies.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1982

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bailey, L. (1958). The epidemiology of the infestation of the honeybee, Apis mellifera L., by the mite Acarapis woodi Rennie and the mortality of infested bees.—Parasitology 48, 493—506.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bailey, L. (1961). The natural incidence of Acarapis woodi (Rennie) and the winter mortality of honeybee colonies.—Bee Wld 42, 96100.Google Scholar
Bailey, L. (1981). Honeybee pathology.—124 pp. London, Academic Press.Google Scholar
Bailey, L. & Carlisle, E. (1956). Tests with acaricides on Acarapis woodi (Rennie).—Bee Wld 37, 8594.Google Scholar
Crane, E. (1975). The flowers honey comes from.—pp. 376in Crane, E. (Ed.). Honey.—608 pp. London, Heinemann.Google Scholar
De Jong, D., Morse, R. A. & Eickwort, G. C. (1982). Mite pests of honey bees.—A. Rev. Ent. 27, 229252.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jeffree, E. P. (1955). Acarine disease of the honeybee and temperature.—Nature, Lond. 175, 91.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Manley, R. O. B. (1948). Beekeeping in Britain.—439 pp. London, Faber & Faber.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (1950). The examination of bees for acarine disease.—Advis. Leafl. Minist. Agric. Fish. no. 362, 6 pp.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (19551970). Bee health and beekeeping in England and Wales. (Annual publication.)Pinner, Middlesex, Minist. Agric., Fish. Fd.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (19711980). Beekeeping and bee health statistics. (Annual publication.)Pinner, Middlesex, Minist. Agric., Fish. Fd.Google Scholar
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1981). Agricultural statistics England 1978/79.—217 pp. London, HMSO.Google Scholar
Morgenthaler, O. (1930). New investigations on acarine disease.—Bee Wld 11, 4950.Google Scholar
Morgenthaler, O. (1931). Ein Versuchs-Bienenstand für Milbenkrankheit im Berner Seeland und einige dort gewonnene Ergebnisse.—Schweiz. Bienenztg 53, 538545.Google Scholar
Morison, G. D., Jeffree, E. P., Murray, L. & Allen, M. D. (1956). Acarine and Nosema diseases of honeybees in Britain, 1925–47.—Bull. ent. Res. 46, 753759.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nixon, M. (1982). Preliminary world maps of honeybee diseases and parasites.—Bee Wld 63, 2342.Google Scholar
Rennie, J., White, P. B. & Harvey, E. J. (1921). Isle of Wight disease in hive bees.—Trans. R. Soc. Edinb. 52, 737779.CrossRefGoogle Scholar