Synergistic and Antagonistic Interactions Between Varroa destructor Mites and Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Male Apis mellifera Honey Bees
Pressures from multiple, sometimes interacting, stressors can have negative consequences to important ecosystem-service providing species like the western honey bee (Apis mellifera). The introduced parasite Varroa destructor and the neonicotinoid class of insecticides each represent important, nearl...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.756027/full |
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| author | Selina Bruckner Lars Straub Lars Straub Peter Neumann Peter Neumann Geoffrey R. Williams |
| author_facet | Selina Bruckner Lars Straub Lars Straub Peter Neumann Peter Neumann Geoffrey R. Williams |
| author_sort | Selina Bruckner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pressures from multiple, sometimes interacting, stressors can have negative consequences to important ecosystem-service providing species like the western honey bee (Apis mellifera). The introduced parasite Varroa destructor and the neonicotinoid class of insecticides each represent important, nearly ubiquitous biotic and abiotic stressors to honey bees, respectively. Previous research demonstrated that they can synergistically interact to negatively affect non-reproductive honey bee female workers, but no data exist on how concurrent exposure may affect reproductive honey bee males (drones). This is important, given that the health of reproductive females (queens), possibly because of poor mating, is frequently cited as a major driver of honey bee colony loss. To address this, known age cohorts of drones were obtained from 12 honey bee colonies—seven were exposed to field-relevant concentrations of two neonicotinoids (4.5 ppb thiamethoxam and 1.5 ppb clothianidin) during development via supplementary pollen patties; five colonies received patties not spiked with neonicotinoids. Artificially emerged drones were assessed for natural V. destructor infestation, weighed, and then allocated to the following treatment groups: 1. Control, 2. V. destructor only, 3. Neonicotinoid only, and 4. Combined (both mites and neonicotinoid). Adult drones were maintained in laboratory cages alongside attendant workers (1 drone: 2 worker ratio) until they have reached sexual maturity after 14 days so sperm concentration and viability could be assessed. The data suggest that V. destructor and neonicotinoids interacted synergistically to negatively affect adult drone survival, but that they interacted antagonistically on emergence mass. Although sample sizes were too low to assess the effects of V. destructor and combined exposure on sperm quality, we observed no influence of neonicotinoids on sperm concentration or viability. Our findings highlight the diverse effects of concurrent exposure to stressors on honey bees, and suggest that V. destructor and neonicotinoids can severely affect the number of sexually mature adult drones available for mating. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:24:16Z |
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| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T20:24:16Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-e8071262edc7474aa0951346d487fc1c2022-12-22T04:04:43ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2021-11-01910.3389/fevo.2021.756027756027Synergistic and Antagonistic Interactions Between Varroa destructor Mites and Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Male Apis mellifera Honey BeesSelina Bruckner0Lars Straub1Lars Straub2Peter Neumann3Peter Neumann4Geoffrey R. Williams5Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United StatesInstitute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, SwitzerlandAgroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern, SwitzerlandInstitute of Bee Health, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, SwitzerlandAgroscope, Swiss Bee Research Centre, Bern, SwitzerlandEntomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United StatesPressures from multiple, sometimes interacting, stressors can have negative consequences to important ecosystem-service providing species like the western honey bee (Apis mellifera). The introduced parasite Varroa destructor and the neonicotinoid class of insecticides each represent important, nearly ubiquitous biotic and abiotic stressors to honey bees, respectively. Previous research demonstrated that they can synergistically interact to negatively affect non-reproductive honey bee female workers, but no data exist on how concurrent exposure may affect reproductive honey bee males (drones). This is important, given that the health of reproductive females (queens), possibly because of poor mating, is frequently cited as a major driver of honey bee colony loss. To address this, known age cohorts of drones were obtained from 12 honey bee colonies—seven were exposed to field-relevant concentrations of two neonicotinoids (4.5 ppb thiamethoxam and 1.5 ppb clothianidin) during development via supplementary pollen patties; five colonies received patties not spiked with neonicotinoids. Artificially emerged drones were assessed for natural V. destructor infestation, weighed, and then allocated to the following treatment groups: 1. Control, 2. V. destructor only, 3. Neonicotinoid only, and 4. Combined (both mites and neonicotinoid). Adult drones were maintained in laboratory cages alongside attendant workers (1 drone: 2 worker ratio) until they have reached sexual maturity after 14 days so sperm concentration and viability could be assessed. The data suggest that V. destructor and neonicotinoids interacted synergistically to negatively affect adult drone survival, but that they interacted antagonistically on emergence mass. Although sample sizes were too low to assess the effects of V. destructor and combined exposure on sperm quality, we observed no influence of neonicotinoids on sperm concentration or viability. Our findings highlight the diverse effects of concurrent exposure to stressors on honey bees, and suggest that V. destructor and neonicotinoids can severely affect the number of sexually mature adult drones available for mating.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.756027/fullhoney beedroneneonicotinoidthiamethoxamVarroa destructorparasite |
| spellingShingle | Selina Bruckner Lars Straub Lars Straub Peter Neumann Peter Neumann Geoffrey R. Williams Synergistic and Antagonistic Interactions Between Varroa destructor Mites and Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Male Apis mellifera Honey Bees Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution honey bee drone neonicotinoid thiamethoxam Varroa destructor parasite |
| title | Synergistic and Antagonistic Interactions Between Varroa destructor Mites and Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Male Apis mellifera Honey Bees |
| title_full | Synergistic and Antagonistic Interactions Between Varroa destructor Mites and Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Male Apis mellifera Honey Bees |
| title_fullStr | Synergistic and Antagonistic Interactions Between Varroa destructor Mites and Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Male Apis mellifera Honey Bees |
| title_full_unstemmed | Synergistic and Antagonistic Interactions Between Varroa destructor Mites and Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Male Apis mellifera Honey Bees |
| title_short | Synergistic and Antagonistic Interactions Between Varroa destructor Mites and Neonicotinoid Insecticides in Male Apis mellifera Honey Bees |
| title_sort | synergistic and antagonistic interactions between varroa destructor mites and neonicotinoid insecticides in male apis mellifera honey bees |
| topic | honey bee drone neonicotinoid thiamethoxam Varroa destructor parasite |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.756027/full |
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