The First Record of Facultative Parasitism of Megaselia Spp. (Diptera: Phoridae) in a Honeybee Colony in Slovakia

Abstract

The current global climate warming trend leads to a shift in animal-habitats northwards. According to the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute, summer 2018 was extremely hot and long throughout Slovakia. This was probably the fact that resulted in the detection of the presence of Megaselia spp. (Diptera: Phoridae) in one honeybee colony at the University apiary located in Rozhanovce (48° 46’ 27.24″ N; 21° 22’ 26.01″ E; eastern Slovakia). The first warning signal after opening the hive was the changed odour. During closer inspection, there were observed small parasitoid phorid larvae that emerged from the sealed bee brood; further examination revealed that the parasitized bee larvae and pupae contained emptied body cavities. Vice-versa, parasitisation was not detected in adult honey bees. Our knowledge of Diptera being responsible for parasitizing (even facultative) the honey bee (Apis mellifera) is still incomplete and needs to be investigated further in more details.

Keywords

• climate warming
• facultative parasitoid
• honey bee
• megaselia spp.
• phorid fauna