Time-activity budgets and space structuring by the different life stages of Varroa jacobsoni in capped brood of the honey bee, Apis mellifera

Varroa jacobsoni reproduces in honey bee brood cells. Here the behavioral activity and use of space by infesting Varroa females and progeny were quantified in transparent artificial brood cells. The time-activity budget of both infesting and developing mites converged toward a stable pattern which w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of insect behavior 1997-05, Vol.10 (3), p.371-393
Main Authors: Donze, G. (Federal Dairy Research Institute, Liebefeld-Bern, Switzerland.), Guerin, P.M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal ethology
Apidae
APIS MELLIFERA
BEE BROODS
BEHAVIOR PATTERNS
BEHAVIOUR
Biological and medical sciences
CELLS (HONEY BEES)
COMPORTAMIENTO
COMPORTEMENT
COUVAIN
DESCENDANCE
DEUTONYMPHS
DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES
ETAPAS DE DESARROLLO
FEMALES
FEMELLE
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
HEMBRA
HONEYCOMBS
INCUBACION DE ABEJAS
INFESTACION
INFESTATION
PANALES DE MIEL
PROGENIE
PROGENY
PROTONYMPHS
Protozoa. Invertebrata
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
RAYON DE MIEL
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
STADE DE DEVELOPPEMENT
TEMPS
TIEMPO
TIME
VARROA JACOBSONI
Varroidae
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Summary:Varroa jacobsoni reproduces in honey bee brood cells. Here the behavioral activity and use of space by infesting Varroa females and progeny were quantified in transparent artificial brood cells. The time-activity budget of both infesting and developing mites converged toward a stable pattern which was established during the bee prepupal stage of the infesting mites and the protonymphal stage of mite progeny. The pattern was such that infesting females and offspring eventually divided their activity between the fecal accumulation on the cell wall, which served as the rendezvous site for newly molted individuals, and the feeding site prepared on the pupa by the foundress. Other parts of the cell wall were used for oviposition and molting, away from the fecal accumulation on which activity of mobile stages was concentrated. Space structuring and the time-activity budget in Varroa probably evolved to enhance the number of fertilized females produced within the capped brood, where space and time are limiting factors. These behavioral adaptations parallel those of other mite species which show group behavior within cavities.
ISSN:0892-7553
1572-8889
DOI:10.1007/BF02765605