The territorial invasion of Apis florea in Africa
- Bezabih, G, Adgaba, N, Hepburn, H Randall, Pirk, Christian W W
- Authors: Bezabih, G , Adgaba, N , Hepburn, H Randall , Pirk, Christian W W
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/452044 , vital:75098 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC163586
- Description: Apis florea took an inadvertent leap onto the African continent and was detected in Khartoum, Sudan, for the first time in 1985 (Lord and Nagi 1987; Mogga and Ruttner 1988). The occurrence of these bees in Africa is very likely via global transportation. Since then, A. florea has been gradually expanding its territory to the whole of Sudan (Moritz et al. 2010) and to neighbouring countries. Moreover, in Asia A. florea has been steadily expanding westwards, and it is now well established in the Middle East (Hepburn et al. 2005; Haddad et al. 2009).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Bezabih, G , Adgaba, N , Hepburn, H Randall , Pirk, Christian W W
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/452044 , vital:75098 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC163586
- Description: Apis florea took an inadvertent leap onto the African continent and was detected in Khartoum, Sudan, for the first time in 1985 (Lord and Nagi 1987; Mogga and Ruttner 1988). The occurrence of these bees in Africa is very likely via global transportation. Since then, A. florea has been gradually expanding its territory to the whole of Sudan (Moritz et al. 2010) and to neighbouring countries. Moreover, in Asia A. florea has been steadily expanding westwards, and it is now well established in the Middle East (Hepburn et al. 2005; Haddad et al. 2009).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Cooperative wasp-killing by mixed-species colonies of honeybees, Apis cerana and Apis mellifera
- Tan, K, Yang, M-Y, Li, H, Zhang, Z-L, Radloff, Sarah E, Hepburn, H Randall
- Authors: Tan, K , Yang, M-Y , Li, H , Zhang, Z-L , Radloff, Sarah E , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:6838 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1010979 , http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13592-011-0098-5
- Description: The cooperative defensive behaviour of mixed-species colonies of honeybees, Apis cerana and Apis mellifera, were tested against a predatory wasp, Vespa velutina. When vespine wasps hawk honeybees at their nest entrances, the difference in the numbers of bees involved in heat-balling among pure species and mixed-species colonies was not significantly different. However, in the mixed colonies, the numbers of A. cerana and A. mellifera workers involved in heat-balling were significantly different. The duration of heat-balling among these three groups was significantly different. During heat-balling, guard bees of both species in mixed colonies raised their thoracic temperatures and the core temperatures of the heat-balls were about 45°C, which is not significantly different from that of the pure species. These results suggest that the two species of honeybees can cooperate in joint heat-balling against the wasps, but A. cerana was more assertive in such defence.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Tan, K , Yang, M-Y , Li, H , Zhang, Z-L , Radloff, Sarah E , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:6838 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1010979 , http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13592-011-0098-5
- Description: The cooperative defensive behaviour of mixed-species colonies of honeybees, Apis cerana and Apis mellifera, were tested against a predatory wasp, Vespa velutina. When vespine wasps hawk honeybees at their nest entrances, the difference in the numbers of bees involved in heat-balling among pure species and mixed-species colonies was not significantly different. However, in the mixed colonies, the numbers of A. cerana and A. mellifera workers involved in heat-balling were significantly different. The duration of heat-balling among these three groups was significantly different. During heat-balling, guard bees of both species in mixed colonies raised their thoracic temperatures and the core temperatures of the heat-balls were about 45°C, which is not significantly different from that of the pure species. These results suggest that the two species of honeybees can cooperate in joint heat-balling against the wasps, but A. cerana was more assertive in such defence.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2012
Apis florea in Jordan: source of the founder population
- Haddad, N, Fuchs, S, Hepburn, H Randall, Radloff, Sarah E
- Authors: Haddad, N , Fuchs, S , Hepburn, H Randall , Radloff, Sarah E
- Date: 2009
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:6844 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011047
- Description: A recent isolated population of Apis florea has been reported from Aqaba in Jordan at the Red Sea, consisting of numerous colonies within a still limited range which apparently is expanding. This region is about 1500 km apart from its next occurrences in Sudan where it had been introduced and first detected in 1985 and about 2000 km apart from its next natural occurrences in Iran and Oman. These bees apparently have been imported by human transport, most likely by ship. This new location thus represents a major jump in the progression of the species still to fill a wide area of possible locations offering adequate living conditions. Here we attempt to track the possible origin of this new population by morphometric methods. This analysis indicated closest relation to A. florea from Oman, thus being the most likely source of this population.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Haddad, N , Fuchs, S , Hepburn, H Randall , Radloff, Sarah E
- Date: 2009
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:6844 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011047
- Description: A recent isolated population of Apis florea has been reported from Aqaba in Jordan at the Red Sea, consisting of numerous colonies within a still limited range which apparently is expanding. This region is about 1500 km apart from its next occurrences in Sudan where it had been introduced and first detected in 1985 and about 2000 km apart from its next natural occurrences in Iran and Oman. These bees apparently have been imported by human transport, most likely by ship. This new location thus represents a major jump in the progression of the species still to fill a wide area of possible locations offering adequate living conditions. Here we attempt to track the possible origin of this new population by morphometric methods. This analysis indicated closest relation to A. florea from Oman, thus being the most likely source of this population.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Intra- and interspecific brood recognition in pure and mixed-species honeybee colonies, Apis cerana and A. mellifera
- Tan, K, Yang, M-X, Radloff, Sarah E, Yu, Y, Pirk, Christian W W, Hepburn, H Randall
- Authors: Tan, K , Yang, M-X , Radloff, Sarah E , Yu, Y , Pirk, Christian W W , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Apis mellifera Apis cerana
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:6837 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1010962 , http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/apido/2009003
- Description: We studied the effects of mixed honeybee colonies of Apis mellifera and Apis cerana on the intraspecific and interspecific recognition of female brood stages in the honeybees A. cerana and A. mellifera by transferring brood combs between queenright colonies. In the intraspecific tests, significantly more larvae were removed in A. cerana than in A. mellifera, whilst significantly fewer eggs and pupae were removed in A. cerana than in A. mellifera. In the interspecific tests, A. cerana colonies removed significantly more larvae and pupae of A. mellifera than the same brood stages of A. cerana were removed by A. mellifera. We show there are highly significant differences in both intraspecific and interspecific brood recognition between A. cerana and A. mellifera and that brood recognition operates with decreasing intensity with increasing developmental age within species. This suggests that worker policing in egg removal is a first line of defense against heterospecific social parasites.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Tan, K , Yang, M-X , Radloff, Sarah E , Yu, Y , Pirk, Christian W W , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: Apis mellifera Apis cerana
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:6837 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1010962 , http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/apido/2009003
- Description: We studied the effects of mixed honeybee colonies of Apis mellifera and Apis cerana on the intraspecific and interspecific recognition of female brood stages in the honeybees A. cerana and A. mellifera by transferring brood combs between queenright colonies. In the intraspecific tests, significantly more larvae were removed in A. cerana than in A. mellifera, whilst significantly fewer eggs and pupae were removed in A. cerana than in A. mellifera. In the interspecific tests, A. cerana colonies removed significantly more larvae and pupae of A. mellifera than the same brood stages of A. cerana were removed by A. mellifera. We show there are highly significant differences in both intraspecific and interspecific brood recognition between A. cerana and A. mellifera and that brood recognition operates with decreasing intensity with increasing developmental age within species. This suggests that worker policing in egg removal is a first line of defense against heterospecific social parasites.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2009
Wax discrimination in the Lesser Honeyguide Indicator minor
- Authors: Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/448440 , vital:74730 , https://doi.org/10.2989/OSTRICH.2009.80.2.11.838
- Description: Beeswaxes consist of complex mixtures of homologous neutral lipids that vary among species of honeybees but share many compounds in common (Aichholz and Lorbeer 1999). However, the beeswaxes of subspecies of the honeybee, Apis mellifera, can only be distinguished after careful calculation of the peak elution pattern area ratios of selected compounds (Brand-Garnys and Sprenger 1988). This is of interest in an ornithological context because honeyguides (Indicatoridae) subsist in large measure on the pillage of the combs of honeybees (Friedman 1955) and their enzymic capacity to digest beeswax has been demonstrated experimentally (Friedmann and Kern 1956, Diamond and Place 1988, Downs et al. 2002). Honeyguides can utilise olfactory orientation to find beeswax (Stager 1967, Archer and Glen 1969) and can even detect and seek out the combs of honeybees stored in hives devoid of bees in darkened out-buildings (HRH pers. obs.).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
- Authors: Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2009
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/448440 , vital:74730 , https://doi.org/10.2989/OSTRICH.2009.80.2.11.838
- Description: Beeswaxes consist of complex mixtures of homologous neutral lipids that vary among species of honeybees but share many compounds in common (Aichholz and Lorbeer 1999). However, the beeswaxes of subspecies of the honeybee, Apis mellifera, can only be distinguished after careful calculation of the peak elution pattern area ratios of selected compounds (Brand-Garnys and Sprenger 1988). This is of interest in an ornithological context because honeyguides (Indicatoridae) subsist in large measure on the pillage of the combs of honeybees (Friedman 1955) and their enzymic capacity to digest beeswax has been demonstrated experimentally (Friedmann and Kern 1956, Diamond and Place 1988, Downs et al. 2002). Honeyguides can utilise olfactory orientation to find beeswax (Stager 1967, Archer and Glen 1969) and can even detect and seek out the combs of honeybees stored in hives devoid of bees in darkened out-buildings (HRH pers. obs.).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2009
Bee-hawking by the wasp, Vespa velutina, on the honeybees Apis cerana and A. mellifera
- Tan, K, Radloff, Sarah E, Li, J J, Hepburn, H Randall, Yang, Ming-Xian, Zhang, L J, Neumann, Peter
- Authors: Tan, K , Radloff, Sarah E , Li, J J , Hepburn, H Randall , Yang, Ming-Xian , Zhang, L J , Neumann, Peter
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:6941 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011965
- Description: The vespine wasps, Vespa velutina, specialise in hawking honeybee foragers returning to their nests. We studied their behaviour in China using native Apis cerana and introduced A. mellifera colonies. When the wasps are hawking, A. cerana recruits threefold more guard bees to stave off predation than A. mellifera. The former also utilises wing shimmering as a visual pattern disruption mechanism, which is not shown by A. mellifera. A. cerana foragers halve the time of normal flight needed to dart into the nest entrance, while A. mellifera actually slows down in sashaying flight manoeuvres. V. velutina preferentially hawks A. mellifera foragers when both A. mellifera and A. cerana occur in the same apiary. The pace of wasp-hawking was highest in mid-summer but the frequency of hawking wasps was three times higher at A. mellifera colonies than at the A. cerana colonies. The wasps were taking A. mellifera foragers at a frequency eightfold greater than A. cerana foragers. The final hawking success rates of the wasps were about three times higher for A. mellifera foragers than for A. cerana. The relative success of native A. cerana over European A. mellifera in thwarting predation by the wasp V. velutina is interpreted as the result of co-evolution between the Asian wasp and honeybee, respectively.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
- Authors: Tan, K , Radloff, Sarah E , Li, J J , Hepburn, H Randall , Yang, Ming-Xian , Zhang, L J , Neumann, Peter
- Date: 2007
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:6941 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011965
- Description: The vespine wasps, Vespa velutina, specialise in hawking honeybee foragers returning to their nests. We studied their behaviour in China using native Apis cerana and introduced A. mellifera colonies. When the wasps are hawking, A. cerana recruits threefold more guard bees to stave off predation than A. mellifera. The former also utilises wing shimmering as a visual pattern disruption mechanism, which is not shown by A. mellifera. A. cerana foragers halve the time of normal flight needed to dart into the nest entrance, while A. mellifera actually slows down in sashaying flight manoeuvres. V. velutina preferentially hawks A. mellifera foragers when both A. mellifera and A. cerana occur in the same apiary. The pace of wasp-hawking was highest in mid-summer but the frequency of hawking wasps was three times higher at A. mellifera colonies than at the A. cerana colonies. The wasps were taking A. mellifera foragers at a frequency eightfold greater than A. cerana foragers. The final hawking success rates of the wasps were about three times higher for A. mellifera foragers than for A. cerana. The relative success of native A. cerana over European A. mellifera in thwarting predation by the wasp V. velutina is interpreted as the result of co-evolution between the Asian wasp and honeybee, respectively.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2007
Evaluation of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner as an alternative control of small hive beetles, Aethina tumida Murray (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae)
- Buchholz, S, Neumann, Peter, Neumann, K, Hepburn, H Randall
- Authors: Buchholz, S , Neumann, Peter , Neumann, K , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6929 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011945
- Description: Small hive beetles, Aethina tumida Murray, are parasites and scavengers of honeybee colonies, Apis mellifera L., and have become an invasive species that can cause considerable damage in its new distribution areas. An effective subspecies of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (=Bt) would provide an alternative to chemical control of this pest. Therefore, we tested three different Bt strains [B. thuringiensis, var. aizawai (B401®), B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Novodor®) and B. thuringiensis var. San Diego tenebrionis (Jackpot®)] and Perizin® (3.2% coumaphos), each applied on combs with a pollen diet fed to pairs of adult beetles. This evaluates the products for the suppression of successful small hive beetle reproduction. While none of the tested Bt strains showed a significant effect on the number of produced wandering larvae, we could confirm the efficacy of coumaphos for the control of small hive beetles. We further show that it is also efficient when applied with a lower concentration as a liquid on the combs. We suggest the continued search for efficient Bt strains naturally infesting small hive beetles in its endemic and new ranges, which may become a part of the integrated management of this pest.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Buchholz, S , Neumann, Peter , Neumann, K , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2006
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6929 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011945
- Description: Small hive beetles, Aethina tumida Murray, are parasites and scavengers of honeybee colonies, Apis mellifera L., and have become an invasive species that can cause considerable damage in its new distribution areas. An effective subspecies of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (=Bt) would provide an alternative to chemical control of this pest. Therefore, we tested three different Bt strains [B. thuringiensis, var. aizawai (B401®), B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Novodor®) and B. thuringiensis var. San Diego tenebrionis (Jackpot®)] and Perizin® (3.2% coumaphos), each applied on combs with a pollen diet fed to pairs of adult beetles. This evaluates the products for the suppression of successful small hive beetle reproduction. While none of the tested Bt strains showed a significant effect on the number of produced wandering larvae, we could confirm the efficacy of coumaphos for the control of small hive beetles. We further show that it is also efficient when applied with a lower concentration as a liquid on the combs. We suggest the continued search for efficient Bt strains naturally infesting small hive beetles in its endemic and new ranges, which may become a part of the integrated management of this pest.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Floral resources of Apis mellifera capensis in the fynbos biome in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
- Addi, A, Phillipson, P, Hepburn, H Randall
- Authors: Addi, A , Phillipson, P , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/451845 , vital:75081 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC32660
- Description: The plant species utilized by Cape honeybees, Apis mellifera capensis, as primary nectar and pollen sources were studied in the Eastern Cape Province in an area where fynbos vegetation mingles with grassland communities. From direct field observations and analyses of pollen loads collected by foragers, 54 plant species were identified as nectar and pollen sources. Of 37 endemic and exotic pollen source plants, Metalasia muricata, Eucalyptus grandis, E. camadulensis, Erica chamissonis, Helichrysum odoratissimum, H. anomalum, Crassula cultrata and Acacia longifolia were dominant species.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Addi, A , Phillipson, P , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/451845 , vital:75081 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC32660
- Description: The plant species utilized by Cape honeybees, Apis mellifera capensis, as primary nectar and pollen sources were studied in the Eastern Cape Province in an area where fynbos vegetation mingles with grassland communities. From direct field observations and analyses of pollen loads collected by foragers, 54 plant species were identified as nectar and pollen sources. Of 37 endemic and exotic pollen source plants, Metalasia muricata, Eucalyptus grandis, E. camadulensis, Erica chamissonis, Helichrysum odoratissimum, H. anomalum, Crassula cultrata and Acacia longifolia were dominant species.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Nestmate recognition and genetic variability among individuals from nests of the queenless ponerine ant, Streblognathus aethiopicus Smith (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
- Schluns, E A, Neumann, Peter, Schluns, H, Hepburn, H Randall, Moritz, Robin F A
- Authors: Schluns, E A , Neumann, Peter , Schluns, H , Hepburn, H Randall , Moritz, Robin F A
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/452000 , vital:75094 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC32667
- Description: Nestmate recognition in the queenless ponerine ant, Streblognathus aethiopicus, was evaluated with a behavioural bioassay. Ten pairs of nests were randomly chosen from an aggregation of 74 nests. While nestmates never showed aggression towards each other, the behaviour towards non-nestmates was either aggressive or non-aggressive, demonstrating the ability to recognize nestmates. Also, the nests in this aggregation were evenly spaced, further supporting the notion of territoriality in this species. To evaluate the relative importance of environment and genetics on the observed variation in nestmate recognition, we measured the spatial and genetic distances between nests. Workers of 13 nests were genotyped with the AFLP technique. Multiple regression analysis revealed no significant impact of spatial and genetic distance on aggressive behaviour. Thus, further studies are necessary to reveal the actual mechanisms underlying nestmate recognition in this species. Two distinct groups of nests with genetically homogeneous and heterogeneous workers were found, which may indicate gamergate replacement or colony fission.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
- Authors: Schluns, E A , Neumann, Peter , Schluns, H , Hepburn, H Randall , Moritz, Robin F A
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/452000 , vital:75094 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC32667
- Description: Nestmate recognition in the queenless ponerine ant, Streblognathus aethiopicus, was evaluated with a behavioural bioassay. Ten pairs of nests were randomly chosen from an aggregation of 74 nests. While nestmates never showed aggression towards each other, the behaviour towards non-nestmates was either aggressive or non-aggressive, demonstrating the ability to recognize nestmates. Also, the nests in this aggregation were evenly spaced, further supporting the notion of territoriality in this species. To evaluate the relative importance of environment and genetics on the observed variation in nestmate recognition, we measured the spatial and genetic distances between nests. Workers of 13 nests were genotyped with the AFLP technique. Multiple regression analysis revealed no significant impact of spatial and genetic distance on aggressive behaviour. Thus, further studies are necessary to reveal the actual mechanisms underlying nestmate recognition in this species. Two distinct groups of nests with genetically homogeneous and heterogeneous workers were found, which may indicate gamergate replacement or colony fission.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
Multivariate analysis of honeybees, Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae) of the northeastern and southern regions of Algeria.
- Barour, C, Tahar, A, Radloff, Sarah E, Hepburn, H Randall
- Authors: Barour, C , Tahar, A , Radloff, Sarah E , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/451976 , vital:75092 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC32628
- Description: Morphometric characters of worker honeybees, Apis mellifera Linnaeus, were analysed by multivariate methods to characterize their populations in the northeastern and southern regions (ecological-climatological zones) of Algeria, from 36°55' to 32°25'N and 3°39' to 8°22'E. Three morphoclusters were identified by using principal components and linear discriminant analyses. The bees are identified as Apis mellifera intermissa Buttel-Reepen.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
- Authors: Barour, C , Tahar, A , Radloff, Sarah E , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2005
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/451976 , vital:75092 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC32628
- Description: Morphometric characters of worker honeybees, Apis mellifera Linnaeus, were analysed by multivariate methods to characterize their populations in the northeastern and southern regions (ecological-climatological zones) of Algeria, from 36°55' to 32°25'N and 3°39' to 8°22'E. Three morphoclusters were identified by using principal components and linear discriminant analyses. The bees are identified as Apis mellifera intermissa Buttel-Reepen.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
Multivariate morphometric analysis of Apis cerana of southern mainland Asia
- Hepburn, H Randall, Radloff, Sarah E, Hepburn, Colleen, Fuchs, S, Otis, G W, Sein, M M, Aung, H L, Pham, H T, Tam, D Q, Nuru, A M, Ken, T
- Authors: Hepburn, H Randall , Radloff, Sarah E , Hepburn, Colleen , Fuchs, S , Otis, G W , Sein, M M , Aung, H L , Pham, H T , Tam, D Q , Nuru, A M , Ken, T
- Date: 2005
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6906 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011859
- Description: Multivariate morphometric analyses were performed on a series of worker honeybees, Apis cerana, representing 557 colonies from all of southern mainland Asia extending from Afghanistan to Vietnam south of the Himalayas. Scores from the principal components analysis revealed five statistically separable but not entirely distinct morphoclusters of bees: (1) the Hindu Kush, Kashmir, N. Myanmar, N. Vietnam and S. China; (2) Himachal Pradesh region of N. India; (3) N. India, Nepal; (4) central and S. Myanmar and Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, S. China and peninsular Malaysia; (5) central and S. India. The major morphoclusters are distributed coherently with the different climatic zones of the region. While populations are definable, nomenclatural adjustments remain for the future.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
- Authors: Hepburn, H Randall , Radloff, Sarah E , Hepburn, Colleen , Fuchs, S , Otis, G W , Sein, M M , Aung, H L , Pham, H T , Tam, D Q , Nuru, A M , Ken, T
- Date: 2005
- Language: English
- Type: Article
- Identifier: vital:6906 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011859
- Description: Multivariate morphometric analyses were performed on a series of worker honeybees, Apis cerana, representing 557 colonies from all of southern mainland Asia extending from Afghanistan to Vietnam south of the Himalayas. Scores from the principal components analysis revealed five statistically separable but not entirely distinct morphoclusters of bees: (1) the Hindu Kush, Kashmir, N. Myanmar, N. Vietnam and S. China; (2) Himachal Pradesh region of N. India; (3) N. India, Nepal; (4) central and S. Myanmar and Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, S. China and peninsular Malaysia; (5) central and S. India. The major morphoclusters are distributed coherently with the different climatic zones of the region. While populations are definable, nomenclatural adjustments remain for the future.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2005
The wing coupling apparatus and the morphometric analysis of honeybee populations
- Hepburn, H Randall, Radloff, Sarah E
- Authors: Hepburn, H Randall , Radloff, Sarah E
- Date: 2004
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:6904 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011760
- Description: Significant differences between countries were found in the distribution of the number of hamuli within Apis andreniformis, A. florea, A. cerana and A. koschevnikovi. The mean hamuli numbers for Apis mellifera intermissa differed significantly among localities in Algeria. Significant differences in intercolonial variability between countries were found within A. cerana. There was no significant infraspecific variability within A. andreniformis, A. florea, A. koschevnikovi and A. m. intermissa. Significant differences in the mean number of hamuli occur between A. m. intermissa and A. andreniformis, A. florea and A. cerana; also between A. cerana/A. koschevnikovi and A. andreniformis and A. florea. Significant differences were found in the distribution and variability of the number of hamuli between species (populations). The mean numbers of hamuli for A. andreniformis differed from those of A. florea. Both these population means differed from those of A. cerana, A. koschevnikovi and A. m. intermissa. No significant differences were found between A. cerana and A. koschevnikovi. When the analysis included data for A. dorsata, A. nigrocincta, A. m. carnica, A. m. caucasica and A. m. ligustica, the results showed significant differences in hamuli numbers between A. andreniformis/A. florea and A. cerana/A. koschevnikovi/A. nigrocincta and A. m. intermissa/A. m. carnica/A. m. caucasica/A. m. ligustica. Hamuli numbers in A. dorsata significantly differed from those of other populations except A. m. intermissa. These results show that hamuli numbers are useful in the classification of honeybee populations. Whether hamuli would be useful in multivariate analysis depends on the correlation between the number of hamuli and the other characters used.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
- Authors: Hepburn, H Randall , Radloff, Sarah E
- Date: 2004
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:6904 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011760
- Description: Significant differences between countries were found in the distribution of the number of hamuli within Apis andreniformis, A. florea, A. cerana and A. koschevnikovi. The mean hamuli numbers for Apis mellifera intermissa differed significantly among localities in Algeria. Significant differences in intercolonial variability between countries were found within A. cerana. There was no significant infraspecific variability within A. andreniformis, A. florea, A. koschevnikovi and A. m. intermissa. Significant differences in the mean number of hamuli occur between A. m. intermissa and A. andreniformis, A. florea and A. cerana; also between A. cerana/A. koschevnikovi and A. andreniformis and A. florea. Significant differences were found in the distribution and variability of the number of hamuli between species (populations). The mean numbers of hamuli for A. andreniformis differed from those of A. florea. Both these population means differed from those of A. cerana, A. koschevnikovi and A. m. intermissa. No significant differences were found between A. cerana and A. koschevnikovi. When the analysis included data for A. dorsata, A. nigrocincta, A. m. carnica, A. m. caucasica and A. m. ligustica, the results showed significant differences in hamuli numbers between A. andreniformis/A. florea and A. cerana/A. koschevnikovi/A. nigrocincta and A. m. intermissa/A. m. carnica/A. m. caucasica/A. m. ligustica. Hamuli numbers in A. dorsata significantly differed from those of other populations except A. m. intermissa. These results show that hamuli numbers are useful in the classification of honeybee populations. Whether hamuli would be useful in multivariate analysis depends on the correlation between the number of hamuli and the other characters used.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2004
A note on mapping propolis deposits in Cape honey bee (Apis mellifera capensis) colonies
- Ellis, James D, Hepburn, H Randall
- Authors: Ellis, James D , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2003
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/451805 , vital:75078 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC32532
- Description: Propolis is a mixture of plant-derived substances, and sometimes wax, collected by most Apis mellifera subspecies for use as caulking and entrance-reducing material and as a colony sealant and sterilant (Ruttner 1988; Schmidt and Buchmann 1992; Hepburn and Radloff 1998). Additionally, it is used in honey bee defense against colony invaders, particularly Aethina tumida Murray (small hive beetles) (Hepburn and Radloff 1998; Neumann et al. 2001; Ellis 2002).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2003
- Authors: Ellis, James D , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2003
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/451805 , vital:75078 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC32532
- Description: Propolis is a mixture of plant-derived substances, and sometimes wax, collected by most Apis mellifera subspecies for use as caulking and entrance-reducing material and as a colony sealant and sterilant (Ruttner 1988; Schmidt and Buchmann 1992; Hepburn and Radloff 1998). Additionally, it is used in honey bee defense against colony invaders, particularly Aethina tumida Murray (small hive beetles) (Hepburn and Radloff 1998; Neumann et al. 2001; Ellis 2002).
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2003
Parasitic Cape bees in the northern regions of South Africa: source of the founder population
- Neumann, Peter, Radloff, Sarah E, Hepburn, H Randall
- Authors: Neumann, Peter , Radloff, Sarah E , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2002
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:6908 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011861
- Description: Multivariate discriminant analyses of nine standard morphometric characters of honeybee workers were used to track the origin of a social parasitic pseudo-clone of thelytokous laying workers that have invaded colonies of Apis mellifera scutellata in South Africa. Twenty social parasitic workers were sampled from both of two infested A. m. scutellata colonies at two distant apiaries (Graskop and Heilbronn, about 390 km apart) and compared with data obtained from 80 colonies in four different geographical zones (zone I: thelytokous A. m. capensis morphocluster; zone II: natural thelytokous hybrids between A. m. capensis and A. m. scutellata; zone III: thelytokous A. m. scutellata morphocluster; zone IV: an arrhenotokous A. m. scutellata morphocluster). Thelytokous laying workers occur naturally in zones I-III. Highly significant morphometric differences were found among the bees in the four zones. The data support the conclusion that the social parasitic workers belong to the thelytokous A. m. capensis morphocluster. It is most likely that the social parasitic workers originated from the heart of the Cape bee's distribution range in the Western Cape region in zone I. Morphometric analysis makes it feasible to restrict the possible origin of the social parasitic workers from the natural distribution range of thelytoky (approximately 240 000 km2) down to about 12 000 km2, which represents a resolution capacity of about 95%.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2002
- Authors: Neumann, Peter , Radloff, Sarah E , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2002
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:6908 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011861
- Description: Multivariate discriminant analyses of nine standard morphometric characters of honeybee workers were used to track the origin of a social parasitic pseudo-clone of thelytokous laying workers that have invaded colonies of Apis mellifera scutellata in South Africa. Twenty social parasitic workers were sampled from both of two infested A. m. scutellata colonies at two distant apiaries (Graskop and Heilbronn, about 390 km apart) and compared with data obtained from 80 colonies in four different geographical zones (zone I: thelytokous A. m. capensis morphocluster; zone II: natural thelytokous hybrids between A. m. capensis and A. m. scutellata; zone III: thelytokous A. m. scutellata morphocluster; zone IV: an arrhenotokous A. m. scutellata morphocluster). Thelytokous laying workers occur naturally in zones I-III. Highly significant morphometric differences were found among the bees in the four zones. The data support the conclusion that the social parasitic workers belong to the thelytokous A. m. capensis morphocluster. It is most likely that the social parasitic workers originated from the heart of the Cape bee's distribution range in the Western Cape region in zone I. Morphometric analysis makes it feasible to restrict the possible origin of the social parasitic workers from the natural distribution range of thelytoky (approximately 240 000 km2) down to about 12 000 km2, which represents a resolution capacity of about 95%.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2002
A scientific note on the natural merger of two honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera capensis)
- Neumann, Peter, Pirk, Christian W W, Hepburn, H Randall, Radloff, Sarah E
- Authors: Neumann, Peter , Pirk, Christian W W , Hepburn, H Randall , Radloff, Sarah E
- Date: 2001
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:6912 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011875
- Description: Natural mergers of honeybee colonies are commonplace in tropical Africa (Hepburn and Radloff, 1998), but their consequences on organizational structure are unknown. Here we determine the spatial distribution and division of labor of workers (Apis mellifera capensis Esch.) following a merger of two colonies. Two unrelated colonies (each ~3000 bees) were placed in threeframe observation hives. When workers emerged from the sealed brood of each colony, they were individually labeled and reintroduced into their respective mother hives. They are referred to as cohorts Aand B, each comprising 300 workers of the same age. The behaviors and positions of all labeled workers and queens were recorded twice daily for 24 days (Kolmes, 1989; Pirk et al., 2000). On day 14 colony B was dequeened, left its nest and merged with colony A on day 15.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
- Authors: Neumann, Peter , Pirk, Christian W W , Hepburn, H Randall , Radloff, Sarah E
- Date: 2001
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:6912 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011875
- Description: Natural mergers of honeybee colonies are commonplace in tropical Africa (Hepburn and Radloff, 1998), but their consequences on organizational structure are unknown. Here we determine the spatial distribution and division of labor of workers (Apis mellifera capensis Esch.) following a merger of two colonies. Two unrelated colonies (each ~3000 bees) were placed in threeframe observation hives. When workers emerged from the sealed brood of each colony, they were individually labeled and reintroduced into their respective mother hives. They are referred to as cohorts Aand B, each comprising 300 workers of the same age. The behaviors and positions of all labeled workers and queens were recorded twice daily for 24 days (Kolmes, 1989; Pirk et al., 2000). On day 14 colony B was dequeened, left its nest and merged with colony A on day 15.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
Population structure of Apis mellifera scutellata (Hymenoptera: Apidae) filling the Uganda gap
- Radloff, Sarah E, Hepburn, H Randall
- Authors: Radloff, Sarah E , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2001
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/452017 , vital:75095 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC32956
- Description: Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Apidae) extends from South Africa to Ethiopia but includes local populations of varying morphology. The honeybees of Uganda previously represented an important biogeographical gap in defining the population structure of A. m. scutellata, but have now been resolved by morphometric analyses of worker honeybees analysed with multivariate techniques. Honeybees of lower altitudes (less than 2000 m) formed one distinct morphocluster typical of A. m. scutellata throughout the continent, while those at higher altitudes (less than 2000 m) formed a separate distinct cluster of large, dark bees. The latter occur as an archipelago of mountain ecotypes of A. m. scutellata..
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
- Authors: Radloff, Sarah E , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2001
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/452017 , vital:75095 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC32956
- Description: Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Apidae) extends from South Africa to Ethiopia but includes local populations of varying morphology. The honeybees of Uganda previously represented an important biogeographical gap in defining the population structure of A. m. scutellata, but have now been resolved by morphometric analyses of worker honeybees analysed with multivariate techniques. Honeybees of lower altitudes (less than 2000 m) formed one distinct morphocluster typical of A. m. scutellata throughout the continent, while those at higher altitudes (less than 2000 m) formed a separate distinct cluster of large, dark bees. The latter occur as an archipelago of mountain ecotypes of A. m. scutellata..
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
Population structure of Apis mellifera scutellata (Hymenoptera: Apidae) filling the Uganda gap
- Radloff, Sarah E, Hepburn, H Randall
- Authors: Radloff, Sarah E , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2001
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/452021 , vital:75096 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC32956
- Description: Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Apidae) extends from South Africa to Ethiopia but includes local populations of varying morphology. The honeybees of Uganda previously represented an important biogeographical gap in defining the population structure of A. m. scutellata, but have now been resolved by morphometric analyses of worker honeybees analysed with multivariate techniques. Honeybees of lower altitudes (less than 2000 m) formed one distinct morphocluster typical of A. m. scutellata throughout the continent, while those at higher altitudes (less than 2000 m) formed a separate distinct cluster of large, dark bees. The latter occur as an archipelago of mountain ecotypes of A. m. scutellata..
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
- Authors: Radloff, Sarah E , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 2001
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/452021 , vital:75096 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/EJC32956
- Description: Apis mellifera scutellata Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Apidae) extends from South Africa to Ethiopia but includes local populations of varying morphology. The honeybees of Uganda previously represented an important biogeographical gap in defining the population structure of A. m. scutellata, but have now been resolved by morphometric analyses of worker honeybees analysed with multivariate techniques. Honeybees of lower altitudes (less than 2000 m) formed one distinct morphocluster typical of A. m. scutellata throughout the continent, while those at higher altitudes (less than 2000 m) formed a separate distinct cluster of large, dark bees. The latter occur as an archipelago of mountain ecotypes of A. m. scutellata..
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
Social parasitism by honeybee workers (Apis mellifera capensis Escholtz): host finding and resistance of hybrid host colonies
- Neumann, Peter, Radloff, Sarah E, Moritz, Robin F A, Hepburn, H Randall, Reece, Sacha L
- Authors: Neumann, Peter , Radloff, Sarah E , Moritz, Robin F A , Hepburn, H Randall , Reece, Sacha L
- Date: 2001
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:6907 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011860
- Description: We studied possible host finding and resistance mechanisms of host colonies in the context of social parasitism by Cape honeybee (Apis mellifera capensis) workers. Workers often join neighboring colonies by drifting, but long-range drifting (dispersal) to colonies far away from the maternal nests also rarely occurs. We tested the impact of queenstate and taxon of mother and host colonies on drifting and dispersing of workers and on the hosting of these workers in A. m. capensis, A. m. scutellata, and their natural hybrids. Workers were paint-marked according to colony and reintroduced into their queenright or queenless mother colonies. After 10 days, 579 out of 12,034 labeled workers were recaptured in foreign colonies. We found that drifting and dispersing represent different behaviors, which were differently affected by taxon and queenstate of both mother and host colonies. Hybrid workers drifted more often than A. m. capensis and A. m. scutellata. However, A. m. capensis workers dispersed more often than A. m. scutellata and the hybrids combined, and A. m. scutellata workers also dispersed more frequently than the hybrids. Dispersers from queenright A. m. capensis colonies were more often found in queenless host colonies and vice versa, indicating active host searching and/or a queenstate-discriminating guarding mechanism. Our data show that A. m. capensis workers disperse significantly more often than other races of A. mellifera, suggesting that dispersing represents a host finding mechanism. The lack of dispersal in hybrids and different hosting mechanisms of foreign workers by hybrid colonies may also be responsible for the stability of the natural hybrid zone between A. m. capensis and A. m. scutellata.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
- Authors: Neumann, Peter , Radloff, Sarah E , Moritz, Robin F A , Hepburn, H Randall , Reece, Sacha L
- Date: 2001
- Language: English
- Type: text , Article
- Identifier: vital:6907 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011860
- Description: We studied possible host finding and resistance mechanisms of host colonies in the context of social parasitism by Cape honeybee (Apis mellifera capensis) workers. Workers often join neighboring colonies by drifting, but long-range drifting (dispersal) to colonies far away from the maternal nests also rarely occurs. We tested the impact of queenstate and taxon of mother and host colonies on drifting and dispersing of workers and on the hosting of these workers in A. m. capensis, A. m. scutellata, and their natural hybrids. Workers were paint-marked according to colony and reintroduced into their queenright or queenless mother colonies. After 10 days, 579 out of 12,034 labeled workers were recaptured in foreign colonies. We found that drifting and dispersing represent different behaviors, which were differently affected by taxon and queenstate of both mother and host colonies. Hybrid workers drifted more often than A. m. capensis and A. m. scutellata. However, A. m. capensis workers dispersed more often than A. m. scutellata and the hybrids combined, and A. m. scutellata workers also dispersed more frequently than the hybrids. Dispersers from queenright A. m. capensis colonies were more often found in queenless host colonies and vice versa, indicating active host searching and/or a queenstate-discriminating guarding mechanism. Our data show that A. m. capensis workers disperse significantly more often than other races of A. mellifera, suggesting that dispersing represents a host finding mechanism. The lack of dispersal in hybrids and different hosting mechanisms of foreign workers by hybrid colonies may also be responsible for the stability of the natural hybrid zone between A. m. capensis and A. m. scutellata.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2001
Honeybees, Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae), of equatorial Africa
- Radloff, Sarah E, Hepburn, H Randall
- Authors: Radloff, Sarah E , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/451885 , vital:75083 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/AJA10213589_364
- Description: Morphometric and flight dimensional characters of worker honeybees, Apis mellifera Linnaeus, from equatorial Gabon were analysed by multivariate methods to characterize the population. A single morphocluster and a single flight dimension cluster were obtained. When these bees were grouped together with those of other countries of the region, again a single morphoduster and flight cluster were obtained. All of the outlier samples were previously designated as Apis mellifera adansonii Latreille and completely surround the Gabon samples, establishing the same subspecies membership for the latter. The bees of Gabon are morphometrically more homogeneous than in any other area of Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1999
- Authors: Radloff, Sarah E , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 1999
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/451885 , vital:75083 , https://hdl.handle.net/10520/AJA10213589_364
- Description: Morphometric and flight dimensional characters of worker honeybees, Apis mellifera Linnaeus, from equatorial Gabon were analysed by multivariate methods to characterize the population. A single morphocluster and a single flight dimension cluster were obtained. When these bees were grouped together with those of other countries of the region, again a single morphoduster and flight cluster were obtained. All of the outlier samples were previously designated as Apis mellifera adansonii Latreille and completely surround the Gabon samples, establishing the same subspecies membership for the latter. The bees of Gabon are morphometrically more homogeneous than in any other area of Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1999
Clinal morphometric variation in wild honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in South Africa
- Steele, G R, Villet, Martin H, Radloff, Sarah E, Hepburn, H Randall
- Authors: Steele, G R , Villet, Martin H , Radloff, Sarah E , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 1998
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/442622 , vital:74015 , https://www.jstor.org/stable/2999809
- Description: As a result of side effects of the accidental dispersal of the Cape honey bee, it has become of agroeconomic importance to delineate the region within South Africa where thelytokous worker honey bees occur so that apicultural movement of bees does not exacerbate the problem. Thelytokous workers are believed to be unique to Apis mellifera capensis, so that the problem is to find morphological markers distinguishing this race from its A. m. scutellata neighbours. However, no evidence of the expected hybrid zone demarcating races could be found. Factor analysis revealed only one spherical cluster of samples. Trend surfaces of the local mean morphometric factor scores showed a cline that paralleled latitude, with distortions relating to montane and continental effects. Discriminant function analysis implicated certain mountain ranges in amplifying the effects of latitude. Trend surfaces of local intercolony factor variance showed morphometric homogeneity across most of the country. We conclude that there is only a single population of honey bees in South Africa, and that it shows climate-correlated clinal variation. If the transportation of bees for commercial apiculture is to be successfully regulated to solve the `capensis calamity', further research should focus on the geographical distribution of thelytokous workers rather than on the capensis phenotype. Such workers have a wider distribution than capensis, occurring also at high frequencies around the type locality of A. m. scutellata.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1998
- Authors: Steele, G R , Villet, Martin H , Radloff, Sarah E , Hepburn, H Randall
- Date: 1998
- Subjects: To be catalogued
- Language: English
- Type: text , article
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/442622 , vital:74015 , https://www.jstor.org/stable/2999809
- Description: As a result of side effects of the accidental dispersal of the Cape honey bee, it has become of agroeconomic importance to delineate the region within South Africa where thelytokous worker honey bees occur so that apicultural movement of bees does not exacerbate the problem. Thelytokous workers are believed to be unique to Apis mellifera capensis, so that the problem is to find morphological markers distinguishing this race from its A. m. scutellata neighbours. However, no evidence of the expected hybrid zone demarcating races could be found. Factor analysis revealed only one spherical cluster of samples. Trend surfaces of the local mean morphometric factor scores showed a cline that paralleled latitude, with distortions relating to montane and continental effects. Discriminant function analysis implicated certain mountain ranges in amplifying the effects of latitude. Trend surfaces of local intercolony factor variance showed morphometric homogeneity across most of the country. We conclude that there is only a single population of honey bees in South Africa, and that it shows climate-correlated clinal variation. If the transportation of bees for commercial apiculture is to be successfully regulated to solve the `capensis calamity', further research should focus on the geographical distribution of thelytokous workers rather than on the capensis phenotype. Such workers have a wider distribution than capensis, occurring also at high frequencies around the type locality of A. m. scutellata.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1998