How do bees make sure the queen bee stays healthy?
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How Bees Ensure the Queen Bee Stays Healthy
Nutritional Support for Queen Bees
Importance of Early Adult Nutrition
The health of queen bees is significantly influenced by their diet during the early stages of their adult life. Research has shown that the availability of pollen and the sugar concentration in nectar are crucial for the queen's nutritional status. Pollen, being the primary source of lipids and proteins, and nectar, the main source of carbohydrates, are essential for nutrient storage. These nutrients are particularly critical during the first few days of adult life, impacting the queen's ability to survive through various life stages, including diapause and post-diapause periods1.
Impact of Natural Forage
Providing natural forage, such as Brassica rapa (rapini), instead of protein supplements, has been found to lower pathogen loads and increase overwinter survival rates in honey bee colonies. This natural diet results in higher protein digestion and better overall health, reducing the incidence of diseases like black queen cell virus and Nosema, which are detrimental to queen health10.
Disease Management and Queen Health
Effects of Pesticides
Exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides, such as imidacloprid, has been shown to severely affect queen bees. These pesticides compromise the reproductive anatomy and physiology of queens, including the quality and quantity of spermathecal-stored sperm, which is vital for their reproductive success. Chronic exposure to these pesticides can lead to histopathological damage in the midgut and ovaries, further affecting the queen's ability to produce offspring and maintain colony health3 6 9.
Viral Infections
Viruses pose a significant threat to queen bees, with over 30 viruses identified in honey bees. These viruses can be transmitted vertically from the queen's parents or horizontally through interactions with worker bees and drones. Infections can lead to compromised reproductive vigor and overall health of the queen. For instance, the Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) can spread through close contact between infected workers and queens, highlighting the need for effective management of viral infections to protect queen health4 8.
Role of Gut Microbiota
Microbiota and Ovarian Metabolism
The gut microbiota of queen bees plays a crucial role in regulating their ovarian metabolism. Studies have shown that confinement practices, such as egg-laying restriction, can alter the diversity of gut microbiota, impacting the queen's reproductive health. Key bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium increase in abundance, while others like Bombella decrease, affecting the queen's ability to resume egg laying promptly. This interplay between gut microbiota and ovarian metabolism is essential for maintaining the queen's reproductive health and overall colony success5.
Antioxidant and Immune Performance
Queen bees exhibit stronger antioxidant capacity and lower immune pathway activity compared to worker bees. This enhanced antioxidant performance helps in scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS), reducing oxidative damage, and contributing to the queen's longevity. Additionally, the composition of gut bacteria, including higher levels of beneficial bacteria like Acetobacteraceae, Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacterium, supports the queen's health and longevity7.
Conclusion
The health of queen bees is maintained through a combination of proper nutrition, effective disease management, and a balanced gut microbiota. Ensuring access to natural forage, minimizing exposure to harmful pesticides, and managing viral infections are critical strategies for maintaining queen health. Additionally, understanding the role of gut microbiota in regulating reproductive health can provide new insights into improving queen longevity and overall colony success.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
Diet and nutritional status during early adult life have immediate and persistent effects on queen bumble bees.
Poor diet during early adult life negatively impacts queen bumble bees' fitness, with pollen and nectar starvation negatively impacting lipid storage and nectar sugar concentration impacting stored carbohydrates.
Non-RCT
Animal Study
Rigorous JournalQueen Quality and the Impact of Honey Bee Diseases on Queen Health: Potential for Interactions between Two Major Threats to Colony Health
Understanding the interaction between honey bee diseases and queen health is crucial for ensuring colony health and mitigating disease-related colony declines.
Literature Review
Highly CitedNeonicotinoid pesticides severely affect honey bee queens
Exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides during development can severely affect honey bee queens, affecting reproductive anatomy and physiology, potentially reducing their success in maintaining bee colonies.
Non-RCTAnimal StudyHighly CitedGut microbiota-driven regulation of queen bee ovarian metabolism
Restricting egg laying in queen bees can negatively impact their ovarian metabolism, potentially affecting their reproductive health and hive management.
Non-RCTAnimal StudyImidacloprid Induces Histopathological Damage in the Midgut, Ovary, and Spermathecal Stored Spermatozoa of Queens After Chronic Colony Exposure
Imidacloprid exposure in honey bee colonies may cause damage to essential organs, potentially affecting colony development and reproductive success.
RCTAnimal StudyThe Comparison of Antioxidant Performance, Immune Performance, IIS Activity and Gut Microbiota Composition between Queen and Worker Bees Revealed the Mechanism of Different Lifespan of Female Casts in the Honeybee
Queen bees have stronger antioxidant capacity, lower immune pathway and IIS activity, and a more beneficial gut microbiota composition than worker bees, contributing to their longer lifespan.
Observational StudyRigorous JournalIsraeli Acute Paralysis Virus: Honey Bee Queen–Worker Interaction and Potential Virus Transmission Pathways
Honey bee queens are better protected by individual and social immunity, but this protection is insufficient to completely prevent IAPV infections.
Non-RCTAnimal StudyRigorous JournalSub-lethal effects of dietary neonicotinoid insecticide exposure on honey bee queen fecundity and colony development
Dietary neonicotinoid insecticide exposure negatively affects honey bee queen fecundity and colony development, with larger colonies acting as a buffer to pesticide exposure.
Non-RCTAnimal StudyHighly CitedHoney bee colonies provided with natural forage have lower pathogen loads and higher overwinter survival than those fed protein supplements
Natural forage, such as Brassica rapa (rapini), improves overwinter survival for honey bee colonies, reducing pathogen loads and queen losses compared to protein supplements.
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