USA Paralysis - Vicious Bee Breeding Historical Background
Part 17
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QUARTERLY REPORTS USDA Bureau of Entomology and
Plant Quarantine, Division of Bee Culture Page #2. Progress and Status
of Work. W.C. Roberts has been stationed at Kelleys Island since
April 5 making preparations for the queen-rearing project this
year. A 20' x 40' x 8' portable insulated steel building has
recently been erected in one of the queen-rearing yards. The
portable steel grafting house erected last summer was moved to
this location. Mr. Roberts returned to Madison June 25 to carry
on his work in bee breeding. Stephen Taber and his assistant
William N. Edwards have taken over the queen-rearing work on
the Island this summer. Page #2 Progress and Status of Work. "Kelleys Island Queen Production Project" A 20' x 40' portable insulated steel building was erected late in June to facilitate the project. The bees were in excellent condition at the start of the season. Queen rearing go off to a good start. However, except for a brief honey flow from sumac, there was little nectar available throughout the summer, which handicapped the production of queens severely. Very little rain fell during June, July, and August. Robbing bees were serious throughout the summer but special cages for putting over colonies while they were being worked were of some help. The production schedule fell below planned estimates. Approximately 1,500 queens were produced and distributed for testing. Honey reserves are too low for satisfactory wintering, which will make it necessary to feed a large quantity of sugar syrup before the 1st of November. Page #4. "Paralysis" (Floyd Moeller) Paralysis became so severe in one colony in the Slotten yard that the colony was of no value. The condition was first noted June 3. After adding a quantity of brood from a triple nuc on June 20, the colony made some improvement but due to queen trouble, the colony was finally disposed of. Two other colonies in the same yard later developed paralysis, which was never severe, and recovered. In July two more colonies in this yard developed bad cases of paralysis. Both of these are very severe at this time. Two cases of paralysis appeared in early August in the Primrose yard - one is severe and the other mile, but both persist as of this date. A further observation was made to the effect that all five of the colonies severely infected with paralysis were of the stock line (S-10 x W39) x (A18 x 16-3). The two colonies that showed light infection and then recovered were of the line (Cau. x B149 x E-182 x Sh) None of the (S-10 x W39) x (A18 x 16-3) cases has recovered. This would seem to indicate some degree of resistance and susceptibility to the disease among the lines of stock. The means of spread is not well understood, but may be in large part by crawling bees. It has to this time been restricted to the two yards - Slotten and Primrose. Page #6. Work Project I-g-2. Bee Management Investigations. I-g-2-5. Stock selection and inbreeding. (W.C. Roberts) The production phase of the Kelleys Island project was assigned to Stephen Taber and two assistants in late June. Thus the work of production and maintenance in inbred lines of bees could be renewed at Madison. Established lines were inbred for another generation and new lines were started from some of the outstanding hybrid crosses. Pedigrees of the nine lines (which we will winter this year) are shown in the diagrams. These pedigrees give a history of the lines for the last 4 years and show the matings made each year. Page #15. Some of the principal
distinguishing characteristics of the lines under test are given
below. Detailed study of the season's data has not been made
at this time. The Kelleys Island line (S-10 x Cau) x (A-18 x
16-3) has bees of gentle disposition, seal their honey white
to the bottom bar, and do not produce bur or brace comb even
when heavily crowded. The top producing colonies in three of
the four yards were of this line. In the other yard, the top
producing colony produced only 5 pounds less than the highest
yielding colony. In some colonies the tendency to propolize the
entrance was shown, but not to excess. From the standpoint of
handling characteristics and honey production, this is the best
of the 1949 series. Some of the queens were lost due to an unexplained
rather abrupt cessation of egg laying at various times of the
season, which necessitated replacement of those queens. Page #8. "Stock Testing
Reports" Reports on the performance of queens produced at
Kelleys Island in 1948 are slow in coming in and in general very
incomplete. Some cooperators gave good reports on individual
colonies and supplied a comprehensive summary of general conclusions.
Other cooperators just wrote a letter of regret that colony records
were not taken. It is evident from the tests that the S-10 x
Cauc (Red) queens were considered best by most cooperators. The
other lines were in most cases inferior but in a few cases the
S-10 x W39 (yellow) or S-10 x W39 x Cau (orange aluminum) queens
were considered superior. In the majority of cases where the
S-10 x Cau (Red) queens were best the D182 x Bur X Cau (aluminum)
queens were in second position with orange aluminum and yellow
following in that order. Page #9: The records showed
a general tendency for the S-10 x W39 (yellow) and the S-10 x
W39 x Cau (orange aluminum) to be slow in building up in the
spring. This is in general agreement with our observations of
the queens in the cell builders at Kelleys Island. The cooperators
who expressed a preference for the yellow or orange aluminum
queens were located in areas having a honey flow that started
later than in areas of cooperators who found the red or aluminum
queens to be best. Although the records are only approximate,
it appears that the queens that were one-half or one-fourth W39
had a tendency to reach the peak of brood rearing later than
those queens having no W39. This seems to indicate that certain
hybrids build up a population quicker than others. Location and
time of honey flow may thus be very important in the selection
of the most desirable hybrids. Page #16. Due to its unusual
susceptibility to paralysis, stock (S-10 x W39) x (A18 x 16-3)
was hampered considerably in production. (Six colonies showed
paralysis: 3 in the Slotten yard ((one lost)), 2 in Primrose,
and 1 in Zweifel.) On the basis of relative yields, it ranks
about eleventh among the sixteen lines tested. This line evidently
is the more inferior of the four Kelleys Island crosses. Temper
and nervousness is also associated with this line, probably due
to the W39 breeding. Page #1 Progress and Status of Work. "Diseases" - Paralysis. It is interesting to note that the five cases of paralysis encountered last year were all of the stock line (S-10 x W39) x (A18 x 16-3) All hybrids received for 1950 tests from Kelleys Island were mated to S-10 x W39 drones. If stock has any relationship to the occurrence of paralysis, this would indicate that we can expect trouble. Page #2. Already fifteen cases
of paralysis have been noted among test colonies this year. The
disorder is confined to five lines of stock at present. The (S-12
x Bur) x (S-10 x W39) line developed 6 cases of the disease among
20 colonies, 2 of which were very bad. The (A-18 x Bur) x (S10
x W39) line developed 4 cases among 18 colonies, 2 of which became
severe. The (Hr x Gaf) x (S-10 x W39) stock shows paralysis in
3 colonies out of 20, one being severe. The (A-18 x Gaf) x (S-10
x W39) and (Bur x Hr) x (S-10 x W39) lines each have one case
of the disease. Strangely, the (S-10 x W39) x (A18 x 16-3) colonies
that had severe paralysis and recovered last year are excellent
colonies this year and show no signs of the disease. Page #6. "Paralysis" Adult bee paralysis reached epidemic proportions in two yards, was severe in a third yard, and spread to all other yards before the end of August. With the exception of two colonies, the most devastating cases were confined to Kelleys Island stock. One Short and one Harrell colony represented severe cases. However, in these and the milder cases among commercial stocks the disease developed slowly. With Kelleys Island stock, they contained S10 x W39 either through the queen or drones. Page #7. The first indication
of paralysis usually was indicated as mild and within 5 to 7
days the majority of bees were affected. In many colonies from
1 to 3 gallons of dead bees would accumulate in front of the
hive within a few weeks. In most cases queens were superseded,
although in one of the worst cases brood rearing was maintained
at an excessive level, yet the colony population remained static
or decreased. In a few cases where infection and supersedure
occurred early, the colonies appear free of paralysis. Page #10. During August and
September, queens produced at Kelleys Island for 1951 tests were
introduced. The plan calls for 9 lines with 20 queens in each
line. To date, all but two of the lines have been introduced.
Five commercial lines were also secured for test - 20 queens
from Davis, 20 queens from the American Bee Breeders Association
(ABBA), 26 queens from Short, 20 queens from Rossman and Long
(G42 xS10 breeding), and 20 queens from Kelley (Hr x S10 breeding),
making a total of 180 Kelleys Island and 106 commercial or 286
queens in all for 1951 test. Some losses are expected but the
numbers should be adequate to provide 15 to 20 queens from each
line. Losses incurred at introduction or shortly after are being
compensated for in part by Dr. Robert's replacement queens of
the breeding (MxE) x F, (MxE) x Naturally Mated, and (YFxD) x
T. Table 2 shows the queen losses to date. Page #12. Most cooperators reported some paralysis in their test colonies. Some beekeepers, however, were unable to differentiate between paralysis and nosema. Several cooperators reported differences between yards in the incidence of the disease, although the queens in each yard were of the same breeding. Page #14. Paralysis was not
noticeable or appreciably evident in the stock colonies or in
the cell building and finishing colonies on the Island in the
summer of 1949. Since these colonies were the source of the S10
x W39 drones that mated with the test queens, it must be concluded
that the question of heritability of susceptibility to the disease
is not established. We, however, do not plan to repeat these
identical crosses for large-scale tests again in the near future. Page #7. I-g-2-6 Production
of hybrid queens for testing under commercial conditions.(W.C.
Roberts). Production of queens on Kelleys Island has been satisfactory
during the quarter, and all order have been filled according
to schedule. Approximately 175 queens were mailed out previous
to June 26 and another 100 queens will probably be sent out before
June 30. Four-hundred-eighty nuclei were established previous
to June 25, and adequate numbers of bees and brood are available
to establish all the remaining nuclei within the next 2 weeks.
The delay in getting the yard completely established before the
end of June was due to difficulty in obtaining adequate numbers
of queen cells for establishing nuclei. Page #12 " Temperament
of Bees" Similar to the epidemic of paralysis encountered
in Kelleys Island stock last year and due to the unfortunate
selection of S10 x W39 paralysis - susceptible drone stock for
securing matings, we are now faced with an epidemic, this time
being VICIOUS bees due to another unfortunate selection of A18
x Bur drone stock for matings on Kelleys Island last year. The
(A18 x Bur) x (S10 x W39) stock tested last year was outstandingly
vicious, so the choice of A18 x Bur drones for Kelleys Island
last year was expected to be unfortunate and it was. All Kelleys
Island stocks being tested this year are vicious, with some variations
in the queen lines. The temper of these bees is such that unless
a honey flow is in progress, they cannot be manipulated without
the use of gloves and adequate clothing. Even with a flow on,
they are far from gentle. Page #2.The honey flow ended approximately July 25. Colony yields appear to average 150 pounds surplus and range from less than winter stores to in excess of 300 pounds surplus. European foulbrood infections and extremely vicious bees that increased difficulties in colony management largely contributed to the wide spread in production. Stock differences will be summarized when data is completed and analyzed. Extracting of honey was made difficult by inadequate space for handling the large volume of super equipment, no satisfactory method for uncapping honey, and considerable amount of granulated honey in the comb affecting straining. The finishing of extracting had to be postponed as it stimulated robbing among the breeding colonies and nuclei located in the immediate vicinity. Considerable loss of queens resulted from the excess robbing. Page #3. Attendant bees from
approximately 300 cages of queens received were examined for
Nosema. Approximately 40 to 50 percent contained infected attendants.
An analysis of this problem is being undertaken by caging queens
removed from colonies with varying numbers of inoculated attendant
bees for 4 to 8 days. Over 200 queens will be examined to determine
what infection results from this association. Two colonies of
bees removed from the refrigerator showed 100-percent Nosema
infections. Cause or significance of this has not been clarified.
I-g-2-6. Page #4. Vicious bees necessitated
wearing of two layers of clothing, bee gloves, and removing honey
by means of bee escapes. These procedures still were not adequate
to prevent considerable stinging. All the field operations were
materially slowed up as a result. I-g-2-9. Little work on this
project was possible due to European foulbrood and demands of
other work in handling the test colonies. Page #2. Excessive temper characterized the stock from Kelleys Island produced in 1950 and tested this summer. This temper was so bad that all colony manipulations were seriously impeded, resulting in incomplete colony notes. Many of the best colonies went out of condition due to swarm preparations that seriously affected yields. European foulbrood reached epidemic proportions, greatly influencing yields and distorting the general conclusions. Forty cases of European foulbrood were recorded, with possibly again that many that were not recorded. Production records, in view of the above conditions, were used only to generalize on the potentialities of the stock lines. All Test colonies were weighed in October and final production records tabulated. All test colonies showed an average yield of 157.5 pounds - maximum 363, minimum -72. Only eight cases of paralysis disease, four of which were bad, were observed this season. All of these cases were either Short stock or contained the S-10 line. Page #14. Detailed observations on queens and brood were restricted to fewer occasions than in the past due to the excessive temper characterizing most of the stock being tested this season. Colony manipulations were modified somewhat, also due to this cause. Bee gloves and coveralls, frowned upon by progressive beekeepers as cumbersome and unnecessary, had to be used even during the height of the honey flow to avoid unbearable amount of punishment. Paralysis disease has been much reduced this season, only eight colonies showing any evidence of the disease. Five of these were commercial Short stock, two of (W42 x S10) x (M x E) stock, and one was a (Hr x S10) x (A18 x Bur) colony. Four of the cases were very mild and four were bad. Three of the bad cases were of commercial Short stock and one was of the (W42 x S10) x (M x E) stock. All of the cases were either Short stock or contained the S10 line. It will be recalled that the S10 x W39 matings in past years resulted in unusual susceptibility to paralysis. Experience this year points strongly to the Short stock portion of this cross as carrying much of the susceptibility. Page #15. Test queens for 1952
were introduced during August and September. The program of testing
has been modified for next year to get a better evaluation of
stock before it is released as well as to broaden the scope of
stocks being evaluated. Page #6. Artificially inseminated
queens, 1945 testing. Table 2 gives a comparison of the 1944
results with the 1945 preliminary results. The W64 line again
showed 100 percent negatives plus recoveries but only 46 percent
negatives. The W39 line results were complicated by the fact
that 8 of the 12 colonies under tests were killed on Sept 10,
because of the extremely vicious temper then exhibited. This
viciousness was a source of increasing difficulty all season.
It is very probable however that this group would have been 100
percent negative plus recoveries if they had gone to the end
of brood rearing since none of the non-recovery colonies showed
more than 1 or 2 diseased cells at the time the colonies wee
killed on September 10. Page #13.BR 14-60. To obtain
information on semen and eggs of the honey bee (S.Taber,3rd)
Experiments on Semen --shipment: The work this season on this
problem has continued some of the work started in the fall, and
summer. Two shipments of semen were received from Dr. W. E. Kerr,
in Brazil. The first arrived in very poor condition and no inseminations
were possible. The second made according to my instructions was
quite satisfactory and semen arrived in good condition. Four
queens were inseminated, all are laying fertilized eggs. According
to Kerr this particular stock (Apis mellifera adonsonii) is quite
vicious but a tremendous honey producer. At this time virgins
are being reared from these queens and Kerr has been asked to
send additional semen from this stock. Three tubes of semen mailed
to Kerr in one shipment were received but queens inseminated
with the contents of the tubes died. Two additional shipments
of semen, 3 tubes each have been made to Kerr, one sent airmail
special delivery and the other sent regular mail special delivery. Page #14. There has been no
chance to study the implications of light eggs versus heavy eggs,
in so far as a practical aspect of the problem is concerned.
The logic that a small queen might lay small eggs and a large
queen larger eggs or that a queen of equal size but laying smaller
eggs than another could for this reason lay more eggs, is not
necessarily so. These questions and others will have to be examined.
Two shipments of semen were received from Kerr during the quarter.
The first was especially unsatisfactory, causing death of all
queens. The second has just been used and the queens have just
started laying so that it will be some time before success or
failure is known. If these are successful, it will mean that
we now have bees which are 87.5 per cent adonsonii. Page #11. 7-Temper and Manageability. Temper, quietness on combs, and similar factors which influence handling of bees were noted at most observations. The rating, except in instances where a colony was noticeable different, were broad comparisons. No accurate measure of temper was developed. Page #16. "X" Characterization of Line. General: This line, in spite of its nervousness and mean disposition, was the outstanding line under test. It was also the least inbred. It had the highest honey production, was second only to "B" in pollen storage, had the best B/H and E/B ratios, the highest brood average and the best brood pattern of any group. Of the six colonies set up for test, one superceded prior to the data taking period and one failed, queenless, on 5/19/60. Queen cells in various stages were observed in all colonies at various times but there was no serious effort to swarm of to supercede in splits of severe crowding, except in the supercedure colony 36 which tried to swarm about 5/19. The colonies were above average in population throughout the test period. Burr comb was perhaps more plentiful in this line then in any other but it is doubtful that this can be considered a line characteristic since these colonies were stronger and possibly more crowded than some others. There was no disease in any colony during the test, except possibly nosema which was doubtless present in all colonies. Page #17. "B" Characterization of Line. General: Not an outstanding line in any particular. Colonies were average or below average in development and production, inclined toward nervousness and meanness and susceptible to European Foulbrood. Honey production was closely comparable in all colonies but exceeded by "I" and "D". The ratio of brood to honey was above average, exceeded only by "X" and would have been better except for colony 37 which produced more brood than any colony of the group but was third in honey production. The line rated 7th in ratio of pollen to brood but the maximum amount of pollen stored was in B-17. There were no supercedures in the line and only one colony failed during the test. In spite of general resistance to wax moth infestation Colony B-1 was finally almost destroyed by moths. Page #18. "B" line cont'd. Wax Moths. Moths were found in combs in Colonies 10, 17, and 25. Bottom boards, with the exception of 25 were generally clean and no wax moth larvae were found there. Reaction to Smoke was interesting in this line. Bees had a tendency to collect on top bars or to boil over the edges of bodies during manipulation and especially in Colony 37 could not be driven down by smoke. Similar to the "S" line in this respect. Page #21. "Y" Characterization of Line. General: In spite of the fact that these colonies were good in population throughout the test the line excelled only in the P/B ratio and possibly in resistance to wax moth. Of the 5 colonies set up for test, two colonies superceded prior to the data taking period and one failed on 4/6/60. One test colony #35, and one supercedure colony, #8, had E.F.B. The colonies were gentle, quiet and possibly as easy to handle as any group. However, colony 12, a supercedure colony, was nervous and nasty; qualities which may be forgiven in part since it was one of the strongest colonies and the highest producer in the yard. Page #22. "L" Characterization of Line. General: This is a difficult line to evaluate. The colonies divide into two groups: 15 and 16 which were alike and uniformly poor throughout the test period and colonies 21, 24, and 33 which were average or above. There were no supercedures prior to the data gathering period and no colony failures during the test which is similar to the "B" and "T" lines. The line is susceptible to "paralysis" with all colonies showing SHINY bees to a certain extent during most of the test and severe symptoms in Nos. 15, 16, 21, and 24 until 4/6. European foulbrood was present in Colony 33 during most of the test period and in Colony 21 on 4/20. In spite of disease the line ranked 4th in honey production and only one colony had any wax moths. The line is inclined to be cross, equal to "B" and exceeded only by "X", but is fairly quiet on the combs. There is a definite indication that stronger colonies would be harder to handle and Colony 21 was definitely MEAN. Page #26 "S" Characterization of Line. General: Of the three colonies started, two were superceded early and only one colony was available for test. Although the colony was below average in most respects it had some distinctive characteristics. The bees were nervous and irritable but not exactly cross. They did not respond to smoke, flew from frames easily and could not be driven down from top bars or edges of hives. Sometimes a trail of bees would boil over from the second brood chamber, run down the side of the hive and go in the entrance. Presumably they ran up the inside wall and repeated the performance. Both supercedure colonies were downright nasty to handle. Another characteristic different from most lines was the presence of "Lace" comb, a thin line of white wax along the edges of the top bars. The behavior of this line shows a resemblance to the old "black" or German bees. No disease was found in Colony 27 but both supercedure colonies showed E.F.B. at one or more observation periods. Page #33. Experiments on shipment
of bee semen (continued from 2nd Quarter) Dr. F. Kohler, of Wursburg,
Germany, reports that he used semen sent to him to successfully
inseminate queens. Semen sent to Illinois and California was
successfully used to inseminate queens. Four tubes were sent
air mail to Dr F. Ruttner, in Austria, with instructions for
him to use two tubes for inseminations of his own and to return
two to Baton Rouge. Upon receipt of this returned semen from
Ruttner, one tube was immediately used to inseminate 4 queens.
Three of these produced fertile workers. The other tube was kept
for 3 weeks so that it would have been possible to have inseminated
daughters of the first insemination with the second insemination.
Inseminations with the second tube were unfortunately all unsuccessful.
However, they were made at a time when we were having a great
deal of trouble with septicemia infections killing inseminated
queens, so that the disappointment in the second tube cannot
be blamed entirely on the semen. Additional shipments of semen
were received from Kohler as described in the last Quarterly
Report, but no successful inseminations were made from them.
Other shipments have been made from Baton Rouge to various people,
but reports are still not complete. Page #9. A shipment of one
tube of semen of A. mellifera adonsonii was received from Dr
W. Kerr, four inseminations were attempted, 3 queens died immediately,
the fourth is still in doubt. Page #2. In cooperation with
the Ontario Agricultural College stocks of bees are being established
from immature stages brought to Baton Rouge from England by Dr.
Smith, of that Institution. Queens and drone pupae in gelatin
capsules, young larvae on royal jelly, and fertilized eggs were
included. Three stocks were represented: Adam 1, Adam 2, and
Russian. Good sexually mature individuals were obtained from
all categories in all stocks except the Russian drones produced
very little semen. Virgin queens of all lines were shipped to
Ontario for natural mating there and drone production. Artificial
matings were made between the virgins and drones of each Adam
line and some of those shipped to Ontario and some to Madison
for virgin production. Page #3. BR 4-61. To develop
methods of measurement of "Temper" in honey bees as
a basis for genetic study. (Roberts) During the season we have
produced over 25 two-way hybrids and 20 four-way hybrids for
temper studies. The single hybrids are established in nuclei
and the multiple hybrids are now in colonies. Variances in temper
of these bees are observable but difficult to measure. So far
we have not obtained a "yardstick." Page #7 As a first step in
evaluating the colonies in this test group, a brood count was
made June 29. This is shown in table 3. The colonies will be
moved into a 50 acre alfalfa field at Arlington Farm in August.
Undesirable handling qualities of runniness and some temper were
noted in most of the APC stock, both high and low lines. Page # 4. Temper in the CrPC
stocks (for which we did not keep production records) was excessive.
Because of this unwanted temper, we will discontinue further
cranberry selections in these lines. Page #7. Paralysis. One colony
of miscellaneous stock had severe paralysis June 4, lost most
of its population, went queenless, and had to be replaced. This
is the first case of severe paralysis seen for many years at
Madison. (F. E. Moeller). |
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