Seasonal detection of pathogens in honeybees kept in natural and laboratory conditions

Abstract

The honeybee is one of the most important pollinators in the world. The frequently observed poor health of honeybee colonies can be caused by various factors, e.g. environmental pollution, nutritional stress, and climate changes. Moreover, honeybees are constantly exposed to a wide spectrum of pathogens, such as parasites, bacteria, and viruses. We examined the occurrence of various diseases in different-aged worker honeybees from two colonies kept in natural and laboratory conditions during spring, summer, and autumn in Poland. The honeybees were examined by PCR to detect infection with selected pathogens: Nosema ceranae, N. apis, N. bombi, Acarapis woodi, trypanosomatids, and neogregarines (Mattesia or Apicystis species) and by RT-PCR to identify deformed wing virus (DWV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), and acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV). DWV and N. ceranae turned out to be the dominant pathogens. Trypanosomatids and BQCV were also found in several samples. We did not detect the presence of the other pathogens: N. apis, N. bombi, A. woodi, neogregarines, or ABPV. As shown in the present study, the dynamics and occurrence of pathogens are influenced by keeping conditions, honeybee age, and seasonality.