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PREVALENCE OF SPHAERULARIA BOMBI (NEMATODA: TYLENCHIDA: SPHAERULARIIDAE) IN BUMBLE BEE QUEENS (HYMENOPTERA: APIDAE) ON CAPE BRETON ISLAND, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

D.B. McCorquodale ,
R.G. Beresford ,
J.M. Francis ,
C.E. Thomson  and
C.M. Bartlett
D.B. McCorquodale*
Affiliation:
Department of Behavioural and Life Sciences, University College of Cape Breton, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada B1P 6L2
R.G. Beresford
Affiliation:
Department of Behavioural and Life Sciences, University College of Cape Breton, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada B1P 6L2
J.M. Francis
Affiliation:
Department of Behavioural and Life Sciences, University College of Cape Breton, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada B1P 6L2
C.E. Thomson
Affiliation:
Department of Behavioural and Life Sciences, University College of Cape Breton, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada B1P 6L2
C.M. Bartlett
Affiliation:
Department of Behavioural and Life Sciences, University College of Cape Breton, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada B1P 6L2
*
1 Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed.
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Abstract

Sphaerularia bombi Dufour is an internal nematode parasite of bumble bee queens in North America and Europe. Infection functionally castrates the bee. Here we document the prevalence and intensity of S. bombi infections in seven species of Bombus and three species of Psithyrus on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. We found dramatic variation in prevalences among Bombus spp., and some evidence that prevalence increased as the nesting season progressed. Also, we report S. bombi in the bumble bee nest parasite Psithyrus insularis (Smith), the first record for the genus in North America.

Résumé

Le nématode Sphaerularia bombi Dufour est un parasite interne des reines de bourdons en Amérique du Nord et en Europe. L’infection du parasite cause la castration fonctionelle des bourdons. Dans ce manuscrit, nous documentons la fréquence et l’intesité des infections de S. bombi pour sept espèces de Bombus et trois espèces de Psithyrus sur l’Île du Cap Breton, Nouvelle-Écosse, Canada. Nous avons trouvé des variations dramatiques de fréquence parmi les espèces de Bombus et des évidences suggèrent que la fréquence aux infections croît avec la progression de la période de nidification. Également, nous présentons un rapport des infections de S. bombi sur un parasite des nids de bourdons, Psithyrus insularis (Smith), ce qui représente la première mention pour le genre en Amérique du Nord.

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 130 , Issue 6 , December 1998 , pp. 877 - 882
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1998

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