Journal of Biology ISSN: 2084-3577 TMKARPIŃSKI PUBLISHER and Earth Sciences

BIOLOGY ORIGINAL ARTICLE

The first data on hygienic behavior of Apis mellifera intermissa in Algeria

Noureddine Adjlane1 , Nizar Haddad2

1Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, M'hamed Bougara University of Boumerdes, Algeria 2National Center for Agriculture Research and Extension, Bee Research, Unit. P.O. Box 639 ­ Baq’a 19381, Jordan

ABSTRACT Hygienic behavior is considered as an important factor in selection programs of resistance bee mite to , the objective of this study was to evaluate this behavior Apis mellifera intermissa, the local of Algeria. The study was performed on 40 colonies in spring and fall. The results had show a variation in the removal rate of dead brood where it was 91 .56% in spring and, 83.55% in autumn. This is the first test of hygienic behavior in Apis mellifera intermissa in Algeria. We can conclude, that the Algerian local bees are characterized by a good cleaning ability.

Key words: Apis mellifera intermissa; Dead brood; Hygienic behavior; Algeria.

J Biol Earth Sci 201 4; 4(1 ): B1 -B5

Corresponding author: Noureddine Adjlane Tel/Fax/Mob: +21 3 794074021 E-mail: [email protected]

Original Submission: 24 October 201 3; Revised Submission: 1 0 December 201 3; Accepted: 1 4 December 201 3

Copyright © 201 3 Author(s). Journal of Biology and Earth Sciences © 201 3 Tomasz M. Karpiński. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

http://www.journals.tmkarpinski.com/index.php/jbes or http://jbes.strefa.pl e-mail: [email protected]

Journal of Biology and Earth Sciences, 201 4, Vol 4, Issue 1 , B1 -B5 B1 Adjlane & Haddad The first data on hygienic behavior of Apis mellifera intermissa In Algeria

INTRODUCTION intermissa. The results of this study are of impor- tance for future selection of mite-tolerant bees. Honey Bees are indispensable part of the ecolo- gical balance in the world for their role in the polli- MATERIALS AND METHODS nation of many plant species. It also has other interests such as the production of honey, propolis, The experiment was conducted in March and and . It is noteworthy that in re- September 201 2 in an located 50 km from cent years, impairments of hives are registered in capital city of Algeria in Blida, were the experiment many countries. This phenomenon leads to winter was performed in 40 equalized Apis mellifera inter­ mortality of bee colonies than normal and popula- missa colonies with a one year old queen. The tion losses during the year. This weakening is degree of hygienic behavior was determined by known as the ‘’Colony Collapse Discorder’’ (CCD) method of Spivak and Gilliam [24]. Freeze killed [1 -4]. Among the pests and pathogens responsible brood assay was conducted by removing a 5 cm by for colony losses in Worldwide and Algeria [5]. Var- 8 cm square sections of comb containing approxi- roasis is an ectoparasitosis of the honey bee cau- mately 1 00 cells of capped brood from each colony. sed by the mite Varroa destructor [6]. Varroa feeds The sections were placed in a freezer for approxi- on hemolymph of honey Bee and causes modifica- mately 1 8 hours, and then the brood was thawed tions on the morphology and physiology of bees and placed back into the frame from which it was such as a reduction in the weight of the emergence removed. The percentages of brood removal in parasitized bees [7]. The mite Varroa also causes a each colony were recorded after 24, 48 and 72 h. reduction of the volume of hypopharyngeal glands Four experiments were conducted consequently of adult workers [8] and a reduction of the life with one week interval in each season. expectancy of workers [9]. Varroa play a vital role The data obtained are analyzed using Statistica as a vector the [1 0] the varroa software version 5.0 according to the process of can also transmit other viruses that might destroy analysis of variance (ANOVA). The comparison of the whole colony [11 -1 3]. means was done by testing Newman - Keuls at 5% Most beekeepers relied on acaricides such as [38]. Apistan (fluvalinate) or Bayvarol (fluméthrine) or Apivar (Amitraz) to control Varroa mites. Unfortuna- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION tely, the use of chemicals led to the development of acaricide-resistant mites moreover it increased the The test results are given in Table 1 . After 24 h, chemicals residues in the hive products [1 4-1 8]. the bees removed 83.55% of the cells to the test in The selection of Varroa-resistant honey bees is September while is was 91 .56% in March. Which is considered as crucial in order to reduce or eliminate considered as a significant difference between the the acaricides usage. The hygienic behavior was two tests (F = 11 .59; d.f. = 39; p = 0.001 5). recognized as an important mode of resistance to According to the results of Balhareth et al. [39], disease [1 9] chalkbrood [20] as the removal percentage was 43.84% for Apis melli­ will as it was demonstrated that hygienic bees de- fera carnica and 85.28% for Apis mellifera jemeniti­ tect and remove pupae infested with the parasitic ca. Whereas Kamel et al. [40] detarmend it to be mite, Varroa destructor [21 ]. Bees with hygienic be- 72.5% for the A. m. jemenitica and 35.6% for A. m. havior are them that are ability to detect, uncap, and carnica. remove infested pupae from the cells [22], such be- havior interrupts the reproduction of the fertile mites inside the sealed brood cells. In addition, the imma- Table 1. Hygienic behavior expressed as % of mean ture mites are killed which decreases the average removal of killed brood in Apis mellifera intermissa in number of offspring per mother mite [23]. March and September. The hygienic behavior was studied in different honeybee races and hybrids [24-37]. In Algeria, no study has been done on hygienic behavior on local Algerian race. The present study was conducted to quantify the hygienic behavior of Apis mellifera

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According to a study done by Bak et al. [41 ] un- was removed more quickly than pupae that had capping behavior of worker bees differed significan- been sealed for five days. tly between different lines of A. mellifera evaluated also 24 h after the combs with the dead brood were CONCLUSION reintroduced. The highest percentage of cell cle- aning behavior was demonstrated by mellifera This is the first test of hygienic behavior in Apis (1 7%) and Carniolan – Dobra line (1 3.6%) colonies. mellifera intermissa in Algeria, the Algerian local The lowest efficiency of the process was observed bee is characterized by a good cleaning ability. in the Carnolian Kortowka (Cark) bees (only 2.0%). Further studies are needed to confirm these results, Differences have been reported in the relative and to other studies on the hygienic behavior of ho- hygienic behaviour of of Apis mellifera, ney bees towards brood infested with Varroa, espe- A. cerana, and Africanized honey bees. Kefuss [42] cially to compare the hygienic behavior of honey found that A. m. intermissa colonies from Tunisia bee colonies between Apis mellifera intermissa had the highest level of hygienic behaviour than that and/or Apis mellifera sahariensis. of the several subspecies of A. mellifera (A. m. mel­ lifera, A. m. ligustica, A. m. carnica, A. m. caucasi­ TRANSPARENCY DECLARATION ca) that he tested from France, Tunisia and Chile. Rodriguez et al. [43] found no significant differences The authors declare no conflicts of interest. in hygienic behaviour between A. m. mellifera, A. m. , and ‘Buckfast’ colonies. In some studies, carnica REFERENCES Africanized honey bees had better hygienic beha- vior than European Bees [44-45]. Previous studies 1 . Burgett M, Randal R, Walter T. Honey bee colony have suggested that the detection and subsequent mortality in the Pacific Northwest (USA). Am Bee J. removal of diseased larvae are guided by olfactory 2009; 1 49: 573-575. stimuli [46]. Differences in the degree of hygienic 2. Currie RW, Pernal SF, Gusman-Novoa E. Honey bee behavior at the colony level result from the relative colony losses in Canada. J Apic Res. 201 0; 49(1 ): speed and efficiency with which individual bees 1 04-1 06. perform the behavior. A response threshold model 3. Neumann P, Carreck NL. Honey bee colony losses. J was postulated to describe the differences in colo- Apic Res. 201 0; 49: 1 -6. 4. Adjlane N, Doumandji S. Study of the major factors ny-level expression of the behavior [47]. threatening the survival of bee colonies Hygienic behavior is stronger in March than in Apis mellifera intermissa in Algeria. Proceedings of 7th COLOSS September. The elimination after 24 hours was Conference Prevention of Honey Bee Colony 91 .56% for the test in March against 83.55% in the LOSSes 26-28 August, 2011 Hotel Palace September. After 48 hours the difference is still si- Belgrade/Serbia. gnificant between the two tests (F = 7.03; d.f. = 39; 5. Adjlane N, Doumandji SE, Haddad N. in p = 0.011 ). Statistical analysis revealed significant Algeria: The factors threatening the survival of the difference after 72 hours (F = 1 4.1 9; p = 0.0005). honeybee Apis mellifera intermissa [in French]. Cah March in Algeria is the period of blooming citrus, Agric. 201 2; 21 : 235-241 . doi: 1 0.1 684/agr.201 2.0566 there is a great activity of the workers. Bees need 6. Anderson DL, Trueman JWH. Varroa jacobsoni lots of cells for storing nectar. This justifies the rapid (Acari: Varroidae) is more than one species. Exp Appl elimination of cells compared with September. Nec- Acarol. 2000; 24: 1 65-1 89. doi: 1 0.1 023/A:1 0064567 tar conditions have some influence on the outcome 2041 6 7. De Jong D, Concalves LS, Morse RA. Dependence of the evaluation of hygienic behavior. on climate of the virulence of . Bee Hygienic behavior is genetically determined. Varroa jacobsoni World. 1 984; 65: 11 7-1 21 . Previous studies, however, have shown that there is 8. Schneider P, Drescher W. The influence of Varroa high degree of variability in the expression of the jacobsoni Oud on weight development and behavior. For example, lack of incoming nectar has hypopharyngeal glands and longevity of Apis been shown to reduce the hygienic response [48]. mellifera L. Apidologie 1 987; 1 8: 1 01 -11 0. Weakened colonies (those with small populations) 9. Needham GR. Status on Varroa jacobsoni. Am Bee J. also display a reduced hygienic response [49]. Fre- 1 988; 1 28: 1 06-11 0. eze-killed brood recently sealed with a wax capping 1 0. Marcangeli J, Monetti l, Fernandez N. Malformation

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