> This clearly demonstrates that Varroa destructor mite reproductive success can be suppressed by traits of the honey bee host brood, independent of adult worker behavioral traits. ... Small changes in brood volatile quantities or timing could therefore reduce the ļ¬tness of the parasites by interrupting their reproduction cycle. This could potentially be a simpler adaptive strategy for honey bee resistance as opposed to adult bee behaviors. ... This study clearly distinguishes that adult bee behaviors are not involved in the expression of the SMR phenotype in these naturally adapted mite-resistant honey bee populations.
PLB
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