THE HONEYBEE AS A POSSIBLE VECTOR OF ERWINIA AMYLOVORA (BURR.) WINSLOW ET AL.

The maximum longevity period is 11 weeks for nectar and 8 weeks for honey. These results can only be reached at a conservation temperature of 4°C. At the higher temperature of 35°C E. amylovora can survive only two weeks in sugar solution. Debris, wax and propolis are bad conservation media for E. amylovora. The maximum longevity on wax is 3 weeks at 4°C. Regardless of the conservation temperature, E. bacteria can survive no longer than 1 day in debris and propolis.

In pollen E. amylovora can keep alive for a longer time at low temperature (40 weeks at 15°C and more than 50 weeks at 4°C). At 35°C the bacteria die during the first week after inoculation. Erwinia bacteria survive less than two days in or on the honeybee.

We can conclude that in experimental circumstances bees can spread locally a present infection when visiting the flowers.

Coming form an orchard, which was infected before winter, bees cannot be a source of primary infection when visiting flowers in spring. Bee colonies originating from an infected area emerge from hibernation Erwinia free.

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