DEFENCE STRATEGIES AND SELF MEDICATION IN HONEY BEE (Apis mellifera)

B.I. Gherman, H. Dezmirean, D.S. Dezmirean, A. Nagy, Otilia Bobiş, L.Al. Mărghitaş

Abstract
The defence strategies of the honey bee is strongly related to their behaviour. As a social insect, the risk of infection is very high, therefore, unless humans interfere, they have to deal themselves with the parasites, which sometimes could be very successful. A huge advantage is on the honey bee side, because there are thousands of individuals inside a colony, so they can unify their effort to eliminate the intruders on one hand. On the other hand, based on the honey bee - human relationship too, the honey bees have developed an evolutionary capacity of diagnose the disease and take some action. We here show that despite the virulence of some pathogens, the honey bees are capable of defend themselves and, sometimes, they can even resort to self medication.

Key words: honey bee, behaviour, social insect, medication