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Honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony health and pathogen composition in migratory beekeeping operations involved in California almond pollination

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  • William Glenny
  • Ian Cavigli
  • Katie F Daughenbaugh
  • Rosemarie Radford
  • Susan E Kegley
  • Michelle L Flenniken

Abstract

Honey bees are important pollinators of agricultural crops. Pathogens and other factors have been implicated in high annual losses of honey bee colonies in North America and some European countries. To further investigate the relationship between multiple factors, including pathogen prevalence and abundance and colony health, we monitored commercially managed migratory honey bee colonies involved in California almond pollination in 2014. At each sampling event, honey bee colony health was assessed, using colony population size as a proxy for health, and the prevalence and abundance of seven honey bee pathogens was evaluated using PCR and quantitative PCR, respectively. In this sample cohort, pathogen prevalence and abundance did not correlate with colony health, but did correlate with the date of sampling. In general, pathogen prevalence (i.e., the number of specific pathogens harbored within a colony) was lower early in the year (January—March) and was greater in the summer, with peak prevalence occurring in June. Pathogen abundance in individual honey bee colonies varied throughout the year and was strongly associated with the sampling date, and was influenced by beekeeping operation, colony health, and mite infestation level. Together, data from this and other observational cohort studies that monitor individual honey bee colonies and precisely account for sampling date (i.e., day of year) will lead to a better understanding of the influence of pathogens on colony mortality and the effects of other factors on these associations.

Suggested Citation

  • William Glenny & Ian Cavigli & Katie F Daughenbaugh & Rosemarie Radford & Susan E Kegley & Michelle L Flenniken, 2017. "Honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony health and pathogen composition in migratory beekeeping operations involved in California almond pollination," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(8), pages 1-24, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0182814
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182814
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    1. Nicholas W Calderone, 2012. "Insect Pollinated Crops, Insect Pollinators and US Agriculture: Trend Analysis of Aggregate Data for the Period 1992–2009," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(5), pages 1-27, May.
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