Apidologie (2003) 34, 389-397

Ingemar Fries, Henrik Hansen, Anton Imdorf and Peter Rosenkranz (2003)
Swarming in honey bees (Apis mellifera) and Varroa destructor population development in Sweden
Apidologie 34 (4), 389-397
Abstract: In a honey bee population of 150 colonies, the development of an introduced Varroa destructor mite population was monitored in swarming and non-swarming colonies for two years in a Nordic climate. The results demonstrated a reduced mite population as a result of swarming only for the first swarm season studied. In the second swarm season, there were much higher mite levels (based on debris counts of mites) and fewer colonies swarmed, but there was no significant difference in infestation levels of adult bees in the fall between swarming and non-swarming colonies. This result was interpreted as an effect of host-parasite interactions, where the detrimental influence from the infestation prohibited growth (and swarming) in some colonies, but allowed better mite reproduction opportunities (and swarming) in others. Surprisingly, the mite infestation levels of swarms in the late fall were not significantly different from those of swarming colonies the same year, indicating that swarm survival may be almost as much affected by V. destructor, as intact, swarming colonies. No horizontal mite transfer through robbing was observed. The results suggest that, horizontal mite transfer may not be as important in a Nordic climate where many bee colonies die over winter along with their mites, as it is in warmer climates.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Ingemar Fries

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
population dynamics/ epidemiology
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Varroa destructor		Sweden