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Research article2024Peer reviewedOpen access

Unique brood ester profile in a Varroa destructor resistant population of European honey bee (Apis mellifera)

Scaramella, Nicholas; Glinwood, Robert; Locke, Barbara

Abstract

Varroa destructor is one of the greatest threats to Apis mellifera worldwide and if left untreated will kill a colony in less than three years. A Varroa-resistant population from Gotland, Sweden, has managed to survive for 25 years with little to no Varroa treatment by reducing the mite's reproductive success. The underlying mechanisms of this trait is currently not known, though previous research indicates that it is the honey bee brood, and not adult bee influence, that contributes to this phenotype. As the mite's own reproduction is synchronized with the brood's development though the interception of brood pheromones, it is possible that a change in pheromone profile would disrupt the mite's reproductive timing. To investigate this, we characterized the brood ester pheromone (BEP) profile of our resistant Gotland population compared to a non-resistant control. This was done by extracting and analyzing key cuticular compounds of the BEP using gas chromatography. A significant difference was found immediately after brood capping, indicating a divergence in their pheromonal production at this time point. This is an important step to understanding the mechanisms of the Gotland population's Varroa-resistance and contributes to our global understanding of Varroa destructor infestation and survival.

Keywords

Apis mellifera; Varroa destructor; Brood ester pheromones; BEP; Brood effects

Published in

Scientific Reports
2024, volume: 14, number: 1, article number: 25531
Publisher: NATURE PORTFOLIO

SLU Authors

UKÄ Subject classification

Zoology
Pathobiology

Publication identifier

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-76399-6

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/139257