Stefan Fuchs

Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main · Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience

We explored practical steps to implement a sustainable treatment against Varroa destructor which is adapted to common beekeeping situations, and applies conventional control but nevertheless exerts selection pressure towards increased mite tolerance in honey bees. This approach approximates conditions of natural selection in host-parasite systems...

This study confirmed that infestation by Varroa destructor is lower in foragers returning to the colony than in those leaving the colony and explored causes of mite loss. Video recordings of bees at the flight entrance revealed that some mites may get lost from foragers but also showed that infested bees stay outside the colony longer. Returning te...

The development of insecticides requires valid risk assessment procedures to avoid causing harm to beneficial insects and especially to pollinators such as the honeybee Apis mellifera. In addition to testing according to current guidelines designed to detect bee mortality, tests are needed to determine possible sublethal effects interfering with th...

Defending a large social insect colony containing several thousands of workers requires the simultaneous action of many individuals. Ideally this action involves communication between the workers, enabling coordinated action and a fast response. The Asian dwarf honeybee, Apis florea, is a small honeybee with an open nesting habit and a comparativel...

A number of hypotheses have been proposed to explain the evolution of multiple mating in the honeybee queen. In particular, the consequences of reduced intracolonial relatedness provide plausible explanations for multiple mating with up to ten drones, but fail to account for the much higher mating frequencies observed in nature. In this paper, we p...

In Morocco, there are two well-recognised honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) subspecies: A. m. intermissa in the north and A. m. sahariensis in the south-east. The latter subspecies is found in the arid and semiarid climates of the Sahara Desert. In this study, we used honey bees from four areas of south-eastern Morocco which are, to some degree, isolat...

In order to investigate the geographical distribution of morphological and mitochondrial variation of the Western honey bee in West and Central Africa, 175 colonies, sampled from 44 localities (or a subset therefrom), were subjected to geometric morphometric (GM), traditional morphometric (TM) and mitochondrial DNA analyses. The shape of the forewi...

The genus Apis, the honey bee, is represented by nine species and contains three subgenera: Megapis, Micrapis, and Apis. Apis species within a subgenus can be difficult to distinguish from one another, emphasizing the need for a versatile diagnostic tool that can be used to identify the species efficiently and accurately. We photographed 8756 wings...

Traditional beekeeping has been playing important socio-economic roles in Ethiopia for millennia. The country is situated in northeast Africa, where ranges of major evolutionary lineages of Apis mellifera adjoin. However, studies on the classification and distribution of subspecies and lineages of honey bees in the country are partly inconsistent,...

Apis mellifera anatoliaca had a mitochondrial genome that was 16,256 bp long, with 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and an AT-rich control region. The phylogenetic tree showed that A. m. anatoliaca was closely related to other subspecies found in Turkey, A. m. caucasica and A. m. meda.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the West African honey bee Apis mellifera adansonii consisted of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a control region. It was 16,466 bp and consisted of 84.7% AT nucleotides. This subspecies had a similar mitogenome to those of other southern African honey bees, namely A....

The Spanish honey bee Apis mellifera iberiensis, had a mitochondrial genome of 16,560 bp. It consisted of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and an AT-rich control region. The sample was from Portugal and its mitogenome resembled those of the African (A)-lineage honey bee subspecies. It was most closely related to other North A...

The mitochondrial genome of a worker Apis mellifera jemenitica was 16,623 bp. It consisted of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, two ribosomal RNAs and a control region. Phylogenetic analyses suggest a close relationship between A. m. jemenitica, A. m. lamarckii and A. m. syriaca.

The mitochondrial genome of Apis mellifera ruttneri consisted of 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNAs, 22 tRNAs, an AT-rich control region, and was 16,577 bp long. The phylogenetic analyses suggested that A. m. ruttneri was closely related to two North African subspecies: A. m. sahariensis and A. m. intermissa.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Apis mellifera simensis was 16,523 bp long. The 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNAs, and 22 tRNAs resembled other Apis mitogenomes. The location of this Apis subspecies in our phylogenetic tree supported the hypothesis that this subspecies is distinct, and is most closely related to A. m. scutellata and A. m. mon...

The complete mitochondrial genome of the endemic Malagasy honey bee Apis mellifera unicolor is 16,373 bp and comprises 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a control region. The mitochondrial genome closely resembles mitogenomes of other published Apis mellifera subspecies, and the phylogenetic analysis sugge...

Sequencing the mitochondrial genome of the Carniolan honey bee, Apis mellifera carnica, revealed 16,358 bp, consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and a control region. Phylogenetic analysis supported a close relationship to another south-eastern European (C-lineage) honey bee, A. m. ligustica.

Within the western honey bee (Apis mellifera), there are more than 20 recognised subspecies. It is well known that these subspecies differ in their wing venation patterns. However, there is a demand for efficient tools to identify honey bee subspecies, ecotypes, populations or hybrids. The aim of this study was to develop a fast and easy identifica...

The complete mitochondrial genome of the western honey bee subspecies Apis mellifera lamarckii was sequenced. This mitochondrial genome is 16,589 bp in length with 37 classical eukaryotic mitochondrial genes and an A + T-rich region. Gene directions and arrangements are similar to those of other Apis mitogenomes. Seven genes begin with ATT, four wi...

The complete mitochondrial genome of the western honey bee subspecies Apis mellifera meda was sequenced. This mitochondrial genome is 16,248 bp in length, with 37 classical eukaryotic mitochondrial genes and an A + T-rich region. Gene direction and arrangement are similar to those of other Apis mitogenomes. All genes initiate with ATT (six genes),...

The complete mitochondrial genome of Apis nigrocincta was sequenced. The mitochondrial genome is a circular molecule of 15,855 bp, including 37 classical eukaryotic mitochondrial regions and an A + T-rich region. Gene directions and arrangements are similar to those of other Apis mitogenomes. Most genes initiated with ATT, though ATG and ATA were a...

The complete mitochondrial genome of Apis nuluensis Tingek was sequenced. The mitochondrial genome was 15,843 bp in length, with 37 classical eukaryotic mitochondrial genes and an A + T-rich region. Gene directions and arrangements were similar to those of other Apis mitogenomes. Most genes initiate with ATT (though ATG and ATC also were used) and...

The complete mitochondrial genome of Apis mellifera monticola was sequenced and annotated. The genome is 16,343 bp in length and encodes all 37 mitochondrial genes with an A + T content of 84.8%. Gene directions and arrangements are identical to those of other sequenced mitogenomes in Apis. Most genes initiated with ATT, though ATG, ATA, and ATC al...

Possible effects of clothianidin seed-treated oilseed rape on honey bee colonies were investigated in a large-scale monitoring project in Northern Germany, where oilseed rape usually comprises 25–33 % of the arable land. For both reference and test sites, six study locations were selected and eight honey bee hives were placed at each location. At e...

The development of insecticides requires valid risk assessment procedures to avoid causing harm to beneficial insects and especially to pollinators such as the honeybee Apis mellifera. In addition to testing according to current guidelines designed to detect bee mortality, tests are needed to determine possible sublethal effects interfering with th...

The morphometry of native honeybees from Saudi Arabia was analysed and compared with 7 Apis mellifera subspecies, based on 198 colony samples from 36 locations. Twenty five standard morphological characters were evaluated, and samples were compared with seven reference honeybee subspecies (Apis mellifera carnica, A. m. ligustica, A. m. meda, A. m....

In this BEEBOOK paper we present a set of established methods for quantifying honey bee behaviour. We start with general methods for preparing bees for behavioural assays. Then we introduce assays for quantifying sensory responsiveness to gustatory, visual and olfactory stimuli. Presentation of more complex behaviours like appetitive and aversive l...

The natural diversity of honey bees in Europe is eroding fast. A multitude of reasons lead to a loss of both genetic diversity and specific adaptations to local conditions. To preserve locally adapted bees through breeding efforts and to maintain regional strains in conservation areas, these valuable populations need to be identified. In this paper...

The introduction of the Africanized honeybees (Apis mellifera scutellata) in the New World is reported as one of the most successful exotic species invasion ever known. Here, we analyzed this invasion process trough niche modeling approach, comparing the performance of modeling A. m. scutellata with other African subspecies distributions, projected...

Schematic view of the bee-tunnel cross-section. (A) Cross section of the tunnel designed to ensure passages of the bees with dorsal-surface facing upward. The highest part allows passage of the bee's body, while the side extensions give space to the bee's legs in sideward position. Front view. (B) Top view of the two parallel tunnels. (TIF)

1st symptom observed after administration of doses ≥1 ng clothianidin. Bee moving around the feeder compartment with an awkwardly arched abdomen. (AVI)

Results of pre-test conducted with a handheld USB-Pen to detect bees at the feeder site. (A) The number of visits at the feeder site was significantly reduced, (B) the median total duration for a single foraging trip and the first time interval spent inside the hive were significantly prolonged compared to the control (n = 10) for bees treated with...

1st symptom observed after administration of doses ≥3 ng imidacloprid. Bee showing reduced mobility at the entrance of the feeder compartment. (AVI)

2nd symptom observed after administration of doses ≥3 ng imidacloprid. A near-to-motionless bee sitting on the feeder with occasional trembling and cleaning movements. (AVI)

2nd symptom observed after administration of doses ≥1 ng clothianidin. Bee lying on its back with paddling movements unable to return to upright position. (AVI)

Some nectars, such of that of the thunder god vine, Tripterygium hypoglaucum, contain alkaloids that are mildly toxic to honeybees, Apis spp. Given a choice, foragers prefer nontoxic honey to that of T. hypoglaucum, but only if there are no alternative nectar sources. Here we show that foragers of the Asian hive bee collecting T. hypoglaucum honey...

Pollination by honey bees plays a key role in the functioning of ecosystems and optimisation of agricultural yields. Severe honey bee colony losses worldwide have raised concerns about the sustainability of these pollination services. In many cases, bee mortality appears to be the product of many interacting factors, but there is a growing consensu...

In the present study, the microtaxonomy of honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) subspecies was reevaluated based on a geometric morphometric method. Wing images of honeybee subspecies, obtained from the Morphometric Bee Data Bank in Oberursel, Germany, were assigned to four honeybee lineages from the indivudial images, and 40 Cartesian coordinates were obt...

Honey bees endemic to the volcanic dome system of Ethiopia are described as a new subspecies, Apis mellifera simensis, on the basis of morphometrical analyses. Principal component and discriminant analyses show that the Ethiopian bees are clearly distinct and statistically separable from honey bees belonging to neighboring subspecies in eastern Afr...

This chapter discusses in detail individual honeybees fending off an enemy and the effects that can be rendered when whole colony defence is a coordinated, social effort. Enemies extend from viruses to bears. Whatever the predator, the nesting styles and nests of the bees afford a first line of defence. These are supplemented by various weapons, in...

The stridulation of the giant pill-millipede genus Sphaerotherium from South Africa, one of only three groups of millipedes that produce sounds, was studied. One hundred one stridulation series of a total of nine different species (Sphaerotherium dorsaloide, Sphaerotherium hanstroemi, Sphaerotherium mahaium, Sphaerotherium similare, Sphaerotherium...

Multivariate morphometric analyses of Apis cerana Fabricius, 1793 across its full geographical range were performed. Principal components plots did not reveal distinct morphoclusters. Further substructuring of the principal component plots could not initially be derived but only by introducing local labelling did it reveal six main morphoclusters....

Although texts and wall paintings suggest that bees were kept in the Ancient Near East for the production of precious wax and honey, archaeological evidence for beekeeping has never been found. The Biblical term "honey" commonly was interpreted as the sweet product of fruits, such as dates and figs. The recent discovery of unfired clay cylinders si...

In this study we investigated whether the microsporidian Nosema sp. affects the flight behavior of forager bees. Bees released 6 and 10 m away from the colony took longer times to return. The proportion of bees that did not return was higher in the diseased bees compared to the healthy bees when released 30 m away from the colony. That diseased bee...

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...

We show, with classical morphometrical analyses, that Libyan honeybees sampled at coastal and desert locations are distinctly different from both the adjacent A. m. intermissa bee populations of Tunisia and Algeria and those of A. m. lamarckii of Egypt. The morphotype was most closely related to A. m. sahariensis and, based on wing venation angles,...

We analyzed mitochondrial DNA variation in honey bee colonies in Jordan using DraI restriction profiles of the COI-COII intergenic region. Seven different haplotypes were observed, three of which belonged to the C mitochondrial lineage. Samples displaying haplotypes of the C lineage were concentrated in the north of the country where frequent impor...

The presence of an adventitious distal abscissa in the forewing venation of honey bees is recorded. The vein arises from the posterior quarter of the second submarginal cell, on the apical surface of the 2rs-m crossvein. The homology of this vein is discussed and its presence broadly compared across Hymenoptera so as to establish its correct identi...

Multivariate morphometric analyses were performed on workers of Apis koschevnikovi from throughout their distribution in Malaysia, Borneo and Indonesia. Principal component analysis showed one morphocluster comprising bees from Kalimantan Indonesia, Sarawak, Sabah and the Malay Peninsula. The population is more homogeneous than A. cerana over the s...

Multivariate statistical analyses of the morphometric characters of worker bees of Apis cerana were collected from 188 colonies at 68 localities throughout China with a sampling resolution of 1 locality/50 000 km$^{2}$. Principal components plots revealed one morphocluster. By introducing local labeling it become clear that bees from different loca...

The parasitic mite Varroa destructor influences flight behavior, orientation and returning success of forager honeybees (Apis mellifera) infested as adults. As impaired orientation toward the nest entrance might be due to deficiency in recognition and responsiveness to stimuli in the environment, we examined effects of V. destructor on sensory resp...

The variability of Apis mellifera mellifera in Eastern Europe was investigated with a morphometric analysis of 136 samples from Poland, Belarus and the Ukraine. Samples from the northern part of this area were unambiguously classified as A. m. mellifera, but the proportion of uncertain allocations increased towards the south, where some samples wer...

Geographic distribution of the eastern honeybee, Apis cerana (Hymenoptera: Apidae), across ecological zones in China: morphological and molecular analyses Abstract The biogeography and intraspecific variability of the eastern cavity-nesting honeybee, Apis cerana, are not very well known. We studied the variability of this spe-cies in China using mo...

Geographic distribution of the eastern honeybee, Apis cerana (Hymenoptera: Apidae), across ecological zones in China: morphological and molecular analyses Abstract The biogeography and intraspecific variability of the eastern cavity-nesting honeybee, Apis cerana, are not very well known. We studied the variability of this spe-cies in China using mo...

Multivariate morphometric analyses were performed on 2923 individual worker bees from 184 colonies representing 103 localities across the full distributional area of Apis florea Fabricius 1787 from Vietnam and southeastern China to Iran and Oman (~7000 km). Morphologically A. florea is unequivocally separable from A. andreniformis. Comparisons of g...