DOI: 10.5061/dryad.6j97p92
title: Data from: Reduced density and visually complex apiaries reduce parasite load and promote honey production and overwintering survival in honey bees

description: 1. Managed honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies are kept at much greater
 densities than naturally occurring feral or wild colonies, which may have
 detrimental effects on colony health and survival, disease spread, and
 drifting behavior (bee movement between natal and non-natal colonies). 2.
 We assessed the effects of a straightforward apiary management
 intervention (altering the density and visual appearance of colonies) on
 colony health. Specifically, we established three “high density / high
 drift” (“HD”) and three “low density / low drift” (“LD”) apiary
 configurations, each consisting of eight bee colonies. Hives in the HD
 apiary configuration were of the same color and placed 1m apart in a
 single linear array, while hives in the LD apiary configuration were
 placed 10m apart at different heights, facing outwards in a circle, and
 made visually distinctive with colors and symbols to reduce accidental
 drift between colonies. We investigated disease transmission and dynamics
 between the apiary configurations by clearing all colonies of the
 parasitic mite Varroa destructor, and subsequently inoculating two
 randomly-chosen colonies per apiary with controlled mite doses. 3. We
 monitored the colonies for two years and found that the LD apiary
 configuration had significantly greater honey production and reduced
 overwinter mortality. Inoculation and intervention status interacted to
 affect brood mite levels, with the highest levels in the inoculated
 colonies in the HD configuration. Finally, foragers were more than three
 times more likely to drift in the HD apiary configurations. 4. Synthesis
 and applications. Our results suggest that a relatively straightforward
 management change – placing colonies in low-density visually complex
 circles rather than high-density visually similar linear arrays – can
 provide meaningful benefits to the health and productivity of managed
 honey bee colonies.
description: UGA-Emory honey bee
 studiesThe Pilot study started
 in 2014 using 6 apiaries each consisting of 7 colonies - In 3 apiaries the
 colonies were placed in a circle with entrances facing out and 2 meters
 separating colonies - In 3 apiaries the colonies were placed in a circle
 with entrances facing out and 10 meters separating colonies The ED study
 started in 2015 using 6 apiaries each consisting of 8 colonies - In 3
 apiaries the colonies were placed in a line with all entrances facing the
 same direction and 2 meters separating colonies - In 3 apiaries the
 colonies were placed in a circle with entrances facing out and 10 meters
 separating colonies The TO study started in 2016 using 10 apiaries
 consisting of 14 colonies - In 5 apiaries 2 colonies were inoculated with
 mites expected to be of high virulence - In 5 apiaries 2 colonies were
 inoculated with mites expected to be of low virulence The VA study started
 in 2015 - 8 apiaries each with 10 colonies The CI study started in 2014 -
 HM, LM, and F bees inoculated with HM, LM, or F mites In each study
 colonies were initially cleared of mites and then 2 colonies in each
 apiary were randomly chosen to inoculate with mites - In the pilot study
 colonies were inoculated once - In the ED study colonies were inoculated
 twice Variables - wave = sequential month since start of experiment -
 sticky.screen.72hrs = standard Varroa measurement tool - sticky screen
 left under colony for 72 hours and mites that are trapped are counted -
 date indicates when screen first placed - note: sometimes sticky screens
 could not be left for exactly 72 hours; in these cases the mite count is
 prorated to 72hours - queen.status = whether the colony is queen right or
 not or whether there is a virgin queen - mite inoculation = record of date
 of inoculation and how many mites were added to the colony -
 colony.weight.kg = the colony weight is measured in kilograms -
 alcohol.mite.count.300bees = appoximately 300 bees are rinsed in alcohol
 to remove mites - note: measurement values are prorated to 300 bees -
 adult.bees.A & B = each side of each frame is examined in a colony. A
 percentage score for these frames are recorded (ex. adult bees make up 50%
 of a frame) the percentages for the colony are added together to get the
 final measurement. In order to reduce error associated with different
 workers measurements two people measure each colony and the final
 measurements are averaged (*note: in the CI study only one measurement was
 taken but this was recorded twice to make it consistent with the existing
 R code) - brood.coverage.A & B = same measurement procedure as above
 but for brood instead of adult beesUGA_Emory_Master_Spreadsheet.xlsx