Líffræðifélag Íslands - biologia.is
Líffræðiráðstefnan 2019
Erindi/veggspjald / Talk/poster V6
Höfundar / Authors: Guðný Rut Pálsdóttir, Barry O’Connor, Karl Skírnisson
Starfsvettvangur / Affiliations: Tilraunastöð Háskóla Íslands í meinafræði að Keldum
Kynnir / Presenter: Guðný Rut Pálsdóttir
Bees are efficient and important pollinators for natural and agricultural ecosystems. In exchange for pollination, plants provide the bees with food in the form of pollen and nectar. Mites have been observed on bumblebees and in their nests for centuries. The ecological relationship between bumblebees and mites varies in form and complexity and may range from phoresy to parasitism. The acarofauna of bumblebees (Bombus spp.) in Iceland has not been systematically studied before. The aim of the present study is to identify which mite species are associated with the bees, examine the role of mites in the nest and evaluate if harmful species are present. Fifty-three bumblebees were collected in May and June 2017 in the greater Reykjavík area, moreover a few bees were collected in the East of Iceland. Three species of bumblebees and 5 species of mites were found. The mite species were Scutacarus acarorum, Parasitellus fucorum, Pneumolaelaps marginalis, Proctolaelaps longisetosus and Kuzinia cf. laevis. Most of them are commensals or mutualists while others are kleptoparasites. The effects that these mites have in the nest may depend on their density. Feeding habits and effects on the bees will be further discussed on the poster.