Grooming and removal behaviour of Apis mellifera intermissa in Tunisia against Varroa jacobsoni
Author(s)
O Boecking; W Ritter
Abstract
The removal and grooming behaviour of Apis mellifera intermissa against Varma jacobsoni was investigated in Tunisia. Workers in 15 test colonies detected and removed up to 75% of artificially infested brood and removed up to 97%-99% of freeze-killed brood in each of two trials. Likewise, A. m. intermissa actively groomed off V. jacobsoni, as shown by a great number of injured mites dropping from naturally infested colonies. Both grooming and removal activities of A. m. intermissa provide evidence for active mechanisms of resistance against V. jacobsoni.