Isolation and Identification of microorganisms in comb and body parts of wild and domesticated honey bees of two ecozones of Nigeria
Loading...
Date
2013
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Erudite Journal of Microbiology and Biodiversity
Abstract
The survival of the honey bee depends on the successful defense against microbial invaders, parasites and
predators. This research was carried out to isolate and identify microorganisms associated with the honeybees
of two ecological zones of Nigeria. Thirty adult worker honeybees were collected from the wild, modern and
traditional beekeeping methods and analyzed for microbial presence. The body and bee comb were swabbed
using sterile normal saline moistened swab stick. The swabs were diluted, homogenized and cultured for
microbial growth. The contents of the fore, mid and hind guts were emptied, homogenized and cultured. 1ml of
homogenized sample was diluted, from this into four sterile dilutions of 1/20
1/40
1/80 and 1/160. 1.0 ml each of
dilutions which was inoculated into molten Sabourand dextrose Agar (SDA) containing tetracycline for fungi
growth, while nutrient agar and De Ma Rogossa Sharbroth (MRS) agar were inoculated for the bacteria. SDA
plates were incubated at 30o
C for 3 days while SDA and MRS were incubated at 37oC overnight. The total
number of colonies forming units (CFU) per plate was counted and was correlated to the dilution factor. Each
different colony was identified using morphological and biochemical tests. The microbial examination of the
comb, body and gut of the bees showed the presence of six moulds and fungi: Mucor hiemalis, Penincillium
frequentans, Aspergilus repens, Rhizopus stolonifer, Geotrichums sp. and Botryotricum sp. and three bacteria
species in the three beekeeping methods in both ecological zones. The species of the bacteria encountered
were: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptobaccillus sp. and Baccillus pulyifacien. Some of the isolated microbes
such as Mucor hiemalis, Aspergilus species and Rhizopus species have been implicated as causative
organisms of chalkbrood disease of bee. Further research is been suggested for the roles of the isolates in
much dreaded CCD.