The microsporadia parasite, Nosema apis, is an obligate intra-cellular parasite that severely affect the health of honey bees (Apis mellifera). Worker honey bees show age-related division of labor and nurses and foragers have very different physiology. In this study we determine whether Nosema would reproduce differently in workers performing different tasks (newly emerged bees, nurses, and foragers). Understanding effects of various factors on Nosema spore production might lead to development of new control methods for Nosema apis.
Species 1: Hymenoptera Apidae Apis mellifera (honey bee)
Species 2: Microsporida Nosematidae Nosema apis (Nosema)
Keywords: reproduction caste-difference
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