Research Projects
The varroa mite (Varroa destructor) belongs to the major threat of colonies of the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) worldwide. A sustainable approach to control the mite population in a honey bee colony is by breeding varroatolerant honey bees. In the SETBie project beekeepers, beekeeper associations and various university institutions are working together to breed and establish a varroa tolerant honey bees in Baden-Württemberg via the behavioural trait Varroa Sensitive Hygiene (VSH). Bee colonies with this trait specifically remove varroa infested brood cells and thus reduce the mite density within a colony. The project investigates the breeding trait VSH from genetic, methodological and beekeeping aspects.
Deciphering the molecular signal for diploid drone detection in the western honey bee Apis mellifera
Social insects have gained many novel morphological and behavioral traits relative to their solitary ancestors. One remarkable behavior of the western honey bee Apis mellifera is the cannibalism of diploid drone larvae at early developmental stages. Quantitative differences of larval cuticular substances are proposed to be recognized by worker bees; however the molecular signals and mechanisms are still unknown. We combine molecular and biochemical analysis to investigate the differences between the sexes in young larvae to elucidate the cannibalism behaviour of diploid drones in Apis mellifera.