{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/34584"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/34584","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"The Effects of Miticides on the Reproductive Physiology of Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Queens and Drones","abstract":"The effects of miticides on the reproductive physiology of queens and drones were examined. The first study examined the effects of Apistan (fluvalinate), Check Mite+ (coumaphos), and Apilife VAR (74% thymol) on sperm production and viability in drones. Drones from colonies treated with each miticide were collected at sexual maturity. Sperm production was determined by counting the number of sperm in the seminal vesicles. Sperm for viability assays was analyzed by dual fluorescent staining. Apilife VAR and coumaphos significantly lowered (P<0.0001) sperm production and coumaphos treatments caused a significant decrease (P<0.0001) in the sperm viability. The effects of miticides on queens was examined by treating queen-rearing colonies and examining the number and viability of sperm in the spermathecae of newly mated queens. Queens from each treatment group were collected after mating and the spermathecae were removed and analyzed. Colonies treated with coumaphos failed to provide viable queens and were excluded. Apilife VAR was found to significantly decrease (P<0.0016) sperm viability. No significant differences in sperm numbers were found between treatments. The effect of miticides on sperm viability over time was also examined. Drones were reared as described, but the spermatozoa were collected as pooled samples from groups of drones. The pooled samples from each treatment were subdivided and analyzed periods of up to 6 weeks. Random samples were taken from each treatment (n = 6 pools) over a period of 6 weeks. The exposure of drones to coumaphos during development significantly reduced sperm viability for all 6 weeks, and caused a large decline in week 6. The potential impacts of these results on queen performance and failure are discussed.","abstract_html":"The effects of miticides on the reproductive physiology of queens and drones were examined. The first study examined the effects of Apistan (fluvalinate), Check Mite+ (coumaphos), and Apilife VAR (74% thymol) on sperm production and viability in drones. Drones from colonies treated with each miticide were collected at sexual maturity. Sperm production was determined by counting the number of sperm in the seminal vesicles. Sperm for viability assays was analyzed by dual fluorescent staining. Apilife VAR and coumaphos significantly lowered (P&lt;0.0001) sperm production and coumaphos treatments caused a significant decrease (P&lt;0.0001) in the sperm viability. The effects of miticides on queens was examined by treating queen-rearing colonies and examining the number and viability of sperm in the spermathecae of newly mated queens. Queens from each treatment group were collected after mating and the spermathecae were removed and analyzed. Colonies treated with coumaphos failed to provide viable queens and were excluded. Apilife VAR was found to significantly decrease (P&lt;0.0016) sperm viability. No significant differences in sperm numbers were found between treatments. The effect of miticides on sperm viability over time was also examined. Drones were reared as described, but the spermatozoa were collected as pooled samples from groups of drones. The pooled samples from each treatment were subdivided and analyzed periods of up to 6 weeks. Random samples were taken from each treatment (n = 6 pools) over a period of 6 weeks. The exposure of drones to coumaphos during development significantly reduced sperm viability for all 6 weeks, and caused a large decline in week 6. The potential impacts of these results on queen performance and failure are discussed.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Burley, Lisa Marie"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Master of Science in Life Sciences","degree_level":"masters","degree_discipline":"Entomology","degree_department":"Entomology","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Fell, Richard D."],"committee_members":["Mullins, Donald E.","Saacke, Richard G.","Brewster, Carlyle C."],"year":2007,"date_issued":"2007-08-02","date_published":"2007-08-02","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:56:01Z","subjects":["Drone","Queen","Miticides","Spermatozoa viability","Numbers of Spermatozoa","Honey Bee","Reproductive Physiology","Apis mellifera L."],"languages":[],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-08162007-092313"],"render_values":[{"text":"etd-08162007-092313","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34584","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Fell, Richard D."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Mullins, Donald E.","Saacke, Richard G.","Brewster, Carlyle C."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Entomology"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Burley, Lisa Marie"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2014-03-14T20:43:35Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2014-03-14T20:43:35Z","2007-09-05"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2007-08-02"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Entomology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science in Life Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Drone","Queen","Miticides","Spermatozoa viability","Numbers of Spermatozoa","Honey Bee","Reproductive Physiology","Apis mellifera L."]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["etd-08162007-092313"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34584"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The effects of miticides on the reproductive physiology of queens and drones were examined. The first study examined the effects of Apistan (fluvalinate), Check Mite+ (coumaphos), and Apilife VAR (74% thymol) on sperm production and viability in drones. Drones from colonies treated with each miticide were collected at sexual maturity. Sperm production was determined by counting the number of sperm in the seminal vesicles. Sperm for viability assays was analyzed by dual fluorescent staining. Apilife VAR and coumaphos significantly lowered (P<0.0001) sperm production and coumaphos treatments caused a significant decrease (P<0.0001) in the sperm viability. The effects of miticides on queens was examined by treating queen-rearing colonies and examining the number and viability of sperm in the spermathecae of newly mated queens. Queens from each treatment group were collected after mating and the spermathecae were removed and analyzed. Colonies treated with coumaphos failed to provide viable queens and were excluded. Apilife VAR was found to significantly decrease (P<0.0016) sperm viability. No significant differences in sperm numbers were found between treatments. The effect of miticides on sperm viability over time was also examined. Drones were reared as described, but the spermatozoa were collected as pooled samples from groups of drones. The pooled samples from each treatment were subdivided and analyzed periods of up to 6 weeks. Random samples were taken from each treatment (n = 6 pools) over a period of 6 weeks. The exposure of drones to coumaphos during development significantly reduced sperm viability for all 6 weeks, and caused a large decline in week 6. The potential impacts of these results on queen performance and failure are discussed."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Master of Science in Life Sciences"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Effects of Miticides on the Reproductive Physiology of Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Queens and Drones"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Fell, Richard D."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Mullins, Donald E.","Saacke, Richard G.","Brewster, Carlyle C."],"dc:contributor.department":["Entomology"],"dc:creator":["Burley, Lisa Marie"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2014-03-14T20:43:35Z"],"dc:date.available":["2014-03-14T20:43:35Z","2007-09-05"],"dc:date.issued":["2007-08-02"],"dc:description.abstract":["The effects of miticides on the reproductive physiology of queens and drones were examined. The first study examined the effects of Apistan (fluvalinate), Check Mite+ (coumaphos), and Apilife VAR (74% thymol) on sperm production and viability in drones. Drones from colonies treated with each miticide were collected at sexual maturity. Sperm production was determined by counting the number of sperm in the seminal vesicles. Sperm for viability assays was analyzed by dual fluorescent staining. Apilife VAR and coumaphos significantly lowered (P<0.0001) sperm production and coumaphos treatments caused a significant decrease (P<0.0001) in the sperm viability. The effects of miticides on queens was examined by treating queen-rearing colonies and examining the number and viability of sperm in the spermathecae of newly mated queens. Queens from each treatment group were collected after mating and the spermathecae were removed and analyzed. Colonies treated with coumaphos failed to provide viable queens and were excluded. Apilife VAR was found to significantly decrease (P<0.0016) sperm viability. No significant differences in sperm numbers were found between treatments. The effect of miticides on sperm viability over time was also examined. Drones were reared as described, but the spermatozoa were collected as pooled samples from groups of drones. The pooled samples from each treatment were subdivided and analyzed periods of up to 6 weeks. Random samples were taken from each treatment (n = 6 pools) over a period of 6 weeks. The exposure of drones to coumaphos during development significantly reduced sperm viability for all 6 weeks, and caused a large decline in week 6. The potential impacts of these results on queen performance and failure are discussed."],"dc:description.degree":["Master of Science in Life Sciences"],"dc:identifier.other":["etd-08162007-092313"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/34584"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["Drone","Queen","Miticides","Spermatozoa viability","Numbers of Spermatozoa","Honey Bee","Reproductive Physiology","Apis mellifera L."],"dc:title":["The Effects of Miticides on the Reproductive Physiology of Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Queens and Drones"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Entomology"],"thesis:degree_level":["masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science in Life Sciences"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:56:01Z"}