| Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals |
PART 2 ..« |
SECTION 2.9. ..« ».. |
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Summary ? - Index |
INTRODUCTORY NOTE ON BEE DISEASES
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Bees are insects that are closely related to ants and wasps. There are many thousands of species of bee, most of which are not social insects, living solitary lives. The honey bee, Apis species, lives as a colony, which is a family of social insects. There are many species, subspecies, races and subraces of honey bees that are adapted to their environment. Two species are important for bee keeping - the western honey bee Apis mellifera, and the eastern honey bee A. cerana. The Africanised bee, which is found in South and Central America and some states of the United States of America, is a cross between two subspecies of the western honey bee, the European bees and the South African bee. Apis cerana is important in South and South-East Asia. The colonies are small and docile, but the honey yields are low. In a suitable climate, the western honey bee, A. mellifera, is sometimes preferred for its greater honey production. It is thought that all bees are susceptible to the known diseases of bees, but different races may have varying susceptibility. For example, A. cerana is less susceptible to varroosis. When sampling a colony of bees for diagnosis of diseases, live bees must first be killed with diethyl ether or in a deep freezer (-20°C) overnight. Bees may also be killed by submersion in 70% ethyl alcohol, e.g., when collected for diagnosis of acariosis (Acarapis). Larval and pupal smears must be made when testing for brood diseases or a piece of comb containing brood showing visible signs of disease may be sent to the laboratory. *
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