نشریه علوم و فنون زنبور عسل ایران
پیاپی 10 (بهار و تابستان 1394)

American foulbrood (AFB)، a severe bacterial disease of honeybee brood، caused by the sporeforming bacterium Paenibacillus larvae subspecies larvae. The agent، infect and kill larvae and produce billions of resistantspores to environmental factors. The spores are distributed in bee colonies and apiaries، thus bee products (honey…) are contaminated. For diagnosis، culture and chemical tests are very timeconsuming and expensive which occasionally give false result. In this study، 121 samples of honey were collected from apiaries in Tehranprovince. The samples wereselected by simple random method. Honey samples were diluted with an equal volume of distilled water and centrifuged، then the pellet used for DNA extraction. DNA was used for culture and PCR. PCR products were electrophoresed on 0. 8%agarose gel. The result showed that out of 121 honey samples which collected from beekeeping of Tehran province، 31 (25/6 %) samples were positive by culture andPCR. To control and preventive measures before the occurrence of any kind of damages، we can monitor orscreen of honey samples on regional and national scale by using culture and PCR method. According to the possibility of Honey contamination with the spores and its importance in global trade and a clear negative impact on exports، monitoring and detection of spores in honeys is very essential.

The opposite of Pinaceae which dose not have any endemic species in Iran، Cupressaceae has three Genera in titled Cupressus، Juniperus and Thuja whit several natural spesies and under species taxa in Iran. From genus Cupressus، there are spesies Cupressus sempervirens and three variety in titled C. sempervirens var. horizontalis، C. sempervirens var. cereiformis and C. sempervirens var. fastigiata which is naturaly distributed in Iran. In these varieties، C. sempervirens var. horizontalis has producted several high density populations in Sepidrood and Chaloos valleys during 300m to 700m altitudes above sae level on lime soils and lime stones. This variety has producted pure and condensed the Cupressetum sempervirens var. horizontalis association in Emamzadeh Hashem، Rostam Abad، Roodbar and Manjil mountains in Sepidrood valley. The great area of Chaloos valley is covered by this species too. This species is ditributed in Pole Zoghal and Marzan Abad to 700 m altitude. There is one secretory resin and gum pore on the back surface of each scale leaf in this genus. These communities are the most important sources of propolis in these areas. Cupressus arizonica is brought from south of America which is cultivated in parks and green spaces in Iran. In C. arizonica، in addition to resin seretory from the leaf pore، a great volume of resin is also secreted from stem and shoots. But in the endemic species of this genus، the resin secretory is just happened from back surface of scale leaf. C. arizonica is one of the most important sources of resin and gum secretory in this family. The alone species of genus Thuja in Iran is Thuja orientalis which have formed the condensed populations in Ali Abad Katool. Also is cultivated as hedge in the most areas of Iran. With a view to resin and gum secretory volume this species is settled in the second place after C. arizonica in Cupressaceae. in addition to seretory from the leaf pore، the damaged and pruned shoots secrete the resin and gum too. As great surface of parks and green spaces is covered by this species، it is accounted as important sources of propolis in Iran. If the honey bee colonies have been presented in the garden during prune the species from last part of autumn until middle of winter، can collect propolis with high quality and quantity. Genus Juniperus has 5 endemic species in Iran. Juniperus communis ssp. hemisphaerica is growing on lime soil and lime stone in 2000m to 2800m altitude of Alborz Mountain Chain in Golestan، Mazandaran، Guilan، Tehran and Semnan Provinces. The species J. oxycedrus grows in Ziarat area of Gorgan Province. The species J. oblonga is distributed in north west of Iran in West Azarbaijan، East Azarbaijan and Ardabil Provinces between 1300m and 2600m altitude. The species J. sabinais distributed in Mazandaran، Golestan and Semnen Provinces between 2000m and 2800m altitude and in Azarbaijan Province it is distributed in Arasbaran region between 1200m and 1300m altitude. The species J. excelsa has the most distribution between the all species of family Cupressaceae in Iran. It have formed cummunities in Irano-Turanian Region in the Alborz and Zagros Chains between 2000m and 2700m on lime soile and lime stones. The species J. foetidissima is seen in protected Arasbaran region. The resin secretory circulation is usually done in warm seasons and if the resin is not collected by bee and human it will have been dried on the plant. the resin secretory pore on the back surface of scale leaf secretes resin in the warm seasons rather than the other seasons. By collecting the resin by honey bee the resin secretory circulation will be continued and if the honey bee dose not collect the resin، its aromatical and essential maters will be slowly evaporated and the dry transparent and Crystalline mater will be remained on the pore which it will more or less prevented continuing the resin secretory. If this dry Crystalline resin be removed from the pore، resin secretion will be continued. Therefore if we compel the honey bee for resin collecting during all seasons، the plant will be compelled to continuous secretion from the leaf pore، and by having the resin secretory circulation for the long time، the great volume of valuable propolis will be produced.

Honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies are important pollinators in agricultural settings worldwide and in many natural ecosystems. honey bee products، such as honey، wax، royal jelly، propolis are economically very important buthoney bees are attacked by numerous parasites and pathogens toward which they present a variety of individual and group-level defenses، also show behavioral mechanisms for reducing the disease risk of their nest mates. Accordingly، we discuss the dynamics of hygienic behavior and other group-level behaviors that can limit diseases. These group-level dynamics، labeled ‘social immunity ’provide an underappreciated benefit of living in crowded social groups with respect to reduction of diseases. Behavioral defenses in honey bee included: Hygienic behavior، sting behavior and Pheromones. Hive products such as honey، royal jelly، propolis، each of which has antimicrobial properties. The first step of defensesis behavioral mechanisms. The next line of defense is the skin chitin and then hemolymph. Vertebrates، including the human، have both innate and adaptive immunity with ‘immunological memory’، whereas insects do not possess the ability to produce antibodies. Although antigenic memory appears to be lacking، insects possess innate immunity which is characterized by non-specific immune reactions against invading pathogens. The defense mechanism in insects consists of cellular and humoral immunity. Cellular immunity Included: phagocytosis، nodule formation، encapsulation،coagulation and wound healing. Humoral immunity consist Pattern Recognition Proteins، prophenoloxidase system، antimicrobial peptides. All of these factors can reduce the impacts of pathogenic bacteria، fungi and parasites. Some diets and plant extracts can influence immune system and improve health of honey bee colonies.

Since 2006، disastrous colony losses have been reported in Europe and North America. The causes of the losses were not readily apparent and have been attributed to overwintering mortalities and to a new phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder. Most scientists agree that there is no single explanation for the extensive colony losses but that interactions between different stresses are involved. As the presence of Varroa in each colony places an important pressure on bee health، we here address the question of how Varroa contributes to the recent surge in honey bee colony losses.