<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The infection of Lithuanian honey bee colonies by <italic>Nosema apis</italic> and <italic>N. ceranae</italic> and the consequences were analysed over a four-year (2011 - 2014) period. Both mono-infection either by <italic>N. apis</italic> or <italic>N. ceranae</italic>, and co-infection by both <italic>Nosema</italic> species, were found. There was a decrease in the percentage of <italic>Nosema</italic> infected colonies during the four-year study period. There were fewer colonies infected by <italic>N. ceranae</italic>, whereas the number of colonies with <italic>N. apis</italic> remained approximately at the same level during the study. The prevalence of both types of <italic>Nosema</italic> in honey bee colonies varied seasonally, i.e. there was a higher percentage of colonies infected in spring and summer but very rarely was <italic>Nosema</italic> detected in autumn. Mono-infection by <italic>N. apis</italic>, and co-infection by both <italic>Nosema</italic> species, were significantly more often recorded in weak and moderate colonies than in strong colonies. Mono-infection by <italic>N. ceranae</italic> was more often detected in weak colonies than in moderate and strong colonies, but more often detected in strong than in moderate colonies. A moderate link between a high prevalence of <italic>N. ceranae</italic> infection and an increased risk for winter colony mortality was observed.</p></abstract>

The infection of Lithuanian honey bee colonies by Nosema apis and N. ceranae and the consequences were analysed over a four-year (2011 - 2014) period. Both mono-infection either by N. apis or N. ceranae, and co-infection by both Nosema species, were found. There was a decrease in the percentage of Nosema infected colonies during the four-year study period. There were fewer colonies infected by N. ceranae, whereas the number of colonies with N. apis remained approximately at the same level during the study. The prevalence of both types of Nosema in honey bee colonies varied seasonally, i.e. there was a higher percentage of colonies infected in spring and summer but very rarely was Nosema detected in autumn. Mono-infection by N. apis, and co-infection by both Nosema species, were significantly more often recorded in weak and moderate colonies than in strong colonies. Mono-infection by N. ceranae was more often detected in weak colonies than in moderate and strong colonies, but more often detected in strong than in moderate colonies. A moderate link between a high prevalence of N. ceranae infection and an increased risk for winter colony mortality was observed.

Honey Bee Infection Caused by <italic>Nosema</italic> spp. in Lithuania

Nature Research Centre, Akademijos 2, LT-08412 Vilnius,

Journal of Apicultural Science

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Honey Bee Infection Caused by  spp. in Lithuania

The infection of Lithuanian honey bee colonies by Nosema apis and N. ceranae and the consequences were analysed over a four-year (2011 - 2014) period. Both...

Honey Bee Infection Caused by Nosema spp. in Lithuania

Published Online: Dec 08, 2016

Page range: 77 - 88

Received: Jan 18, 2016

Accepted: Oct 26, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jas-2016-0019

Keywords
colony losses, Nosema apis, Nosema ceranae, Apis mellifera, seasonality

© 2016 Laima Blažytė-Čereškienė et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Honey Bee Infection Caused by Nosema spp. in Lithuania

Published Online: Dec 08, 2016

Page range: 77 - 88

Received: Jan 18, 2016

Accepted: Oct 26, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jas-2016-0019

Keywordscolony losses, Nosema apis, Nosema ceranae, Apis mellifera, seasonality

© 2016 Laima Blažytė-Čereškienė et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
colony losses, Nosema apis, Nosema ceranae, Apis mellifera, seasonality