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Honeybees use propolis as a natural pesticide against their major ectoparasite.

ABSTRACT: Honeybees use propolis collected from plants for coating the inner walls of their nest. This substance is also used as a natural antibiotic against microbial pathogens, similarly to many other animals exploiting natural products for self-medication. We carried out chemical analyses and laboratory bioassays to test if honeybees use propolis for social medication against their major ectoparasite: Varroa destructor. We found that propolis is applied to brood cells where it can affect the reproducing parasites, with a positive effect on honeybees and a potential impact on Varroa population. We conclude that propolis can be regarded as a natural pesticide used by the honeybee to limit a dangerous parasite. These findings significantly enlarge our understanding of behavioural immunity in animals and may have important implications for the management of the most important threat to honeybees worldwide.

SUBMITTER: Pusceddu M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8670950 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Honeybees use propolis as a natural pesticide against their major ectoparasite.

Pusceddu Michelina M Annoscia Desiderato D Floris Ignazio I Frizzera Davide D Zanni Virginia V Angioni Alberto A Satta Alberto A Nazzi Francesco F

Proceedings. Biological sciences 20211215 1965

Honeybees use propolis collected from plants for coating the inner walls of their nest. This substance is also used as a natural antibiotic against microbial pathogens, similarly to many other animals exploiting natural products for self-medication. We carried out chemical analyses and laboratory bioassays to test if honeybees use propolis for social medication against their major ectoparasite: <i>Varroa destructor</i>. We found that propolis is applied to brood cells where it can affect the rep ...[more]

PMID: 34905714

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