Principal Investigators: Kaira Wagoner, Olav Rueppell
Application Number: 62/831,277
UNCG Innovation: 19-0003
Category: Chemistry & Biochemistry
Description:
So far, only crude methods for selection of hygienic behavior in honey bees exist. We have developed a new assay that is based on a chemical application to honey bee wax combs, Its advantages over existing practices are practicality, utility, and biological relevance. The improved hygienic assay consists of a chemical mixture in hexane.
We believe the chemical assay described above is an improvement over existing assays for hygienic behavior because the assay:
- Is based on natural honey bee brood stress signals (rather than signals merely perceived as “abnormal”
or signals associated with death, as in the liquid nitrogen freeze-killed brood (LNFKB) and pin-kill assays) - Is rapid (2 hours rather than 24 hours, as is common in the LNFKB and pin-kill assays)
- Is convenient (can be applied easily and quickly, and does not require use of liquid nitrogen as in the LNFKB, or manipulation of individual cells as in the pin-kill assay)
- Appears to be a better predictor than the LNFKB assay of colony mite infestation level
- Appears to be a better predictor than the LNFKB assay of colony mite removal ability
- Improves the resolution of colonies considered to be “hygienic”, allowing discrimination of colonies that remove both infested and non-infested (healthy) brood
Immediate & Future Applications:
- Tool for improved selective breeding of hygienic honey bees (honey bee breeders)
- Tool for measuring colony hygiene level and facilitating management decisions (beekeepers)
- Tool for inducing self-removal of social insect pests (termites, ants)
Inventor info: Kaira Wagoner
- https://biology.uncg.edu/people/kaira-wagoner/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaira-wagoner-56641a9
- https://www.projectapism.org/project-apis-m-blog/developing-beekeeper-tools-to-test-for-hygienic-behavior
Inventor Info: Olav Ruepell
- https://biology.uncg.edu/people/olav-rueppell/
- https://biology.uncg.edu/rueppell-lab/
- https://biology.uncg.edu/labs/rueppell/research.html
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/olav-rueppell-4863393a
- https://www.grantome.com/grant/NIH/R21-AG046837-02
Media:
- https://www.projectapism.org/project-apis-m-blog/developing-beekeeper-tools-to-test-for-hygienic-behavior
- https://newsandfeatures.uncg.edu/kaira-wagoner-honey-bee-research/
- https://businessnc.com/research-nc-buzzworthy-business-at-uncg/
- https://academic.oup.com/jee/article/111/6/2520/5095208/
- https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/2023810540_Kaira_M_Wagoner