论文部分内容阅读
The poor health status of the Western honey bee,Apis mellifera,compared to its Eastern counterpart,Apis cerana,is remarkable.This has been attributed to lower pathogen prevalence in Apis cerana colonies and to their ability to survive infestations with the ectoparasitic mite,Varroa?destructor.These properties have been linked to an enhanced removal of dead or unhealthy immature bees by adult workers in this species.Although such hygienic behavior is known to contribute to honey bee colony health,comparative data of Apis mellifera and Apis cerana in performing this task are scarce.