Here are a couple of abstracts posted on Bombus-L relating to bumble bees and honey bees that 
might be of interest.

Regards,
Dick Allen


 Ecological Entomology
 Volume 31 Issue 6 Page 623 - December 2006
 doi:10.1111/j.1365-2311.2006.00827.x
 Volume 31 Issue 6
  
  
 Infestation of commercial bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) field colonies by small hive beetles 
(Aethina tumida)
 SEBASTIAN SPIEWOK1 and PETER NEUMANN2,3,4

Abstract. 1. The small hive beetle, Aethina tumida, is a parasite of honeybee (Apis mellifera) 
colonies native to sub-Saharan Africa and has become an invasive species. In North America the 
beetle is now sympatric with bumblebees, Bombus, not occurring in its native range. Laboratory 
studies have shown that small hive beetles can reproduce in bumblebee colonies but it was not 
known whether infestations occur in the field.

 2. For the first time, infestation of bumblebee colonies by small hive beetles was investigated in 
the field. Commercial Bombus impatiens colonies (n = 10) were installed in proximity to infested 
apiaries. Within 8 weeks, all colonies that were alive in the 5-week observation period (n = 9) 
became naturally infested with adult small hive beetles and successful small hive beetle 
reproduction occurred in five colonies.

 3. In four-square choice tests, the beetles were attracted to both adult bumblebee workers and 
pollen from bumblebee nests, suggesting that these odours may serve as cues for host finding.

 4. The data indicate that bumblebee colonies may serve as alternative hosts for small hive beetles 
in the field. To foster the conservation of these essential native pollinators, investigations on the 
actual impact of small hive beetles on wild bumblebee populations are suggested.
  

 Ecological Entomology
 Volume 31 Issue 6 Page 616 - December 2006
 doi:10.1111/j.1365-2311.2006.00823.x
 Volume 31 Issue 6
   
 Honey bee and bumblebee trypanosomatids: specificity and potential for transmission
 MARIO X. RUIZ-GONZÁLEZ1 and MARK J. F. BROWN1

Abstract. 1. Experimental studies of multihost parasite dynamics are scarce. Understanding the 
transmission dynamics of parasites in these systems is a key task in developing better models of 
parasite evolution and to make more accurate predictions of disease dynamics.

 2. Bumblebee species (Bombus spp.) host the trypanosomatid parasite, Crithidia bombi. Its 
transmission in the field occurs through the shared use of flowers. Flowers are a perfect scenario 
for inter-taxa transmission of diseases because they are used by a wide range of animals.

 3. Honey bees host a poorly studied trypanosomatid, Crithidia mellificae. In this study, five 
questions have been experimentally addressed: (a) Can C. bombi infect honey bees? (b) Can C. 
mellificae infect bumblebees? (c) Can the honey bee act as a vector for C. bombi? (d) Are C. bombi 
cells present in honey-bee faeces? (e) Does C. bombi have an effect on the mortality of honey bees 
after ingestion?

 4. While both parasites were found to be specific to their hosts at the genus level, results suggest 
that honey bees may play a role in the epidemiology of C. bombi transmission.

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