Influence of body fluid from pin-killed honey bee pupae on hygienic behavior

Abstract

Hygienic behavior in honey bees can be tested by piercing the brood with a pin; however, there is concern that variability in the quantity of fluids that leaks from the pupae could influence test results. Colonies of Apis mellifera carnica were tested to evaluate this possibility. We made four repetitions of four treatments and one control in each of three colonies. The order of degree of hygienic behavior was: pin-killed capped worker brood with a drop of body fluid injected underneath the cell capping > pin-killed capped worker brood > undamaged capped brood with a drop of body fluid injected underneath the cell capping > control or a drop of pupal body fluid placed on the cell cappings. All of the differences were significant (Tukey test, P < 0.05) except the body fluid on the cell cap, which gave the same results as the control. The addition, inside worker brood cells, of pupal body fluid had a significant effect on honey bee hygienic behavior, both in normal brood and in pin-killed brood. © Inra/DIB/AGIB/Elsevier, Paris.