Next Article in Journal
A Review of the Diagnostic Approaches for the Detection of Antimicrobial Resistance, Including the Role of Biosensors in Detecting Carbapenem Resistance Genes
Previous Article in Journal
Regulatory RNA Networks in Ovarian Follicular Cysts in Dairy Cows: Implications for Human Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Genes
Volume 16
Issue 7
10.3390/genes16070792
genes-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Genetic Effects for Individual Honeybee Grooming Behavior in Response to Varroa Mites and Its Relationship with the Mite Infestation Levels of Honeybee Colonies

by
Miguel Enrique Arechavaleta-Velasco
1,*,
Laura Yavarik Alvarado-Avila
1,
Claudia García-Figueroa
1,
Francisco Javier Ramírez-Ramírez
1,
Vicente Eliezer Vega-Murillo
2 and
Moisés Montaño-Bermúdez
1
1
Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Fisiología y Mejoramiento Animal, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Querétaro 76280, Mexico
2
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz 91710, Mexico
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Genes 2025, 16(7), 792; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes16070792
Submission received: 12 June 2025 / Revised: 28 June 2025 / Accepted: 28 June 2025 / Published: 30 June 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Animal Genetics and Genomics)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The objectives of this study were to identify the genetic effects involved in the expression of individual honeybee grooming behavior in response to Varroa destructor and to determine if there is an association between the expression of this behavior and the infestation levels of Varroa in the honeybee colonies. Methods: The study was conducted in a population of 112 colonies composed of six segregating genetic groups that were derived from two honeybee lines that were selected for high and low individual honeybee grooming behavior. The individual honeybee grooming behavior of 3974 workers from the 112 colonies was measured by the time it takes a bee to respond in performing grooming behavior after a mite was placed on her body. The population growth of Varroa in the colonies was measured over a period of six months. Results: Differences between the genetic groups were found in the expression of individual honeybee grooming behavior (p < 0.01). The distribution of means of the genetic groups fits a genetic additive and dominance effects model for the expression of individual honeybee grooming behavior (r2 = 0.95; p < 0.01). Differences between the genetic groups were found in the colony population growth of Varroa over a period of six months (p < 0.01). A positive correlation was found between the mean individual honeybee grooming behavior of the colonies and the Varroa level of infestation in the colonies (r = 0.57; p < 0.01). Conclusions: The results indicate that additive and dominance genetic effects are associated with honeybee individual grooming behavior and that this trait has an effect on the levels of Varroa infestation in the colonies.
Keywords: honeybee; Varroa destructor; grooming behavior; genetic effects; Varroa infestation levels honeybee; Varroa destructor; grooming behavior; genetic effects; Varroa infestation levels

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Arechavaleta-Velasco, M.E.; Alvarado-Avila, L.Y.; García-Figueroa, C.; Ramírez-Ramírez, F.J.; Vega-Murillo, V.E.; Montaño-Bermúdez, M. Genetic Effects for Individual Honeybee Grooming Behavior in Response to Varroa Mites and Its Relationship with the Mite Infestation Levels of Honeybee Colonies. Genes 2025, 16, 792. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes16070792

AMA Style

Arechavaleta-Velasco ME, Alvarado-Avila LY, García-Figueroa C, Ramírez-Ramírez FJ, Vega-Murillo VE, Montaño-Bermúdez M. Genetic Effects for Individual Honeybee Grooming Behavior in Response to Varroa Mites and Its Relationship with the Mite Infestation Levels of Honeybee Colonies. Genes. 2025; 16(7):792. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes16070792

Chicago/Turabian Style

Arechavaleta-Velasco, Miguel Enrique, Laura Yavarik Alvarado-Avila, Claudia García-Figueroa, Francisco Javier Ramírez-Ramírez, Vicente Eliezer Vega-Murillo, and Moisés Montaño-Bermúdez. 2025. "Genetic Effects for Individual Honeybee Grooming Behavior in Response to Varroa Mites and Its Relationship with the Mite Infestation Levels of Honeybee Colonies" Genes 16, no. 7: 792. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes16070792

APA Style

Arechavaleta-Velasco, M. E., Alvarado-Avila, L. Y., García-Figueroa, C., Ramírez-Ramírez, F. J., Vega-Murillo, V. E., & Montaño-Bermúdez, M. (2025). Genetic Effects for Individual Honeybee Grooming Behavior in Response to Varroa Mites and Its Relationship with the Mite Infestation Levels of Honeybee Colonies. Genes, 16(7), 792. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes16070792

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Back to TopTop