The development of diagnostic radioentomology and its application to the biology and management of bees

The overall aims of this study were to: 1. Test whether DR can be used on bees; and 2. Explore the usefulness of DR for studying bee morphology, behaviour and health. The invasive process of splitting hives open to observe colony health kills many hundreds of bees. This spurred a major aim of my research that was to develop a novel method for non-invasively monitoring colony health in bees using MacroCT and to assess whether this method has applications more generally for research into the biology of bees. Also, I explored the use of MicroCT for investigating internal and external morphology of individual bees. I collectively termed the methods I developed diagnostic radioentomology (DR). Methods for the non-invasive assessment of bees were examined. A colony of T. carbonaria in a manufactured hive was examined. All previously reported nest structures, including egg cells, pupal cells, cocoons, involucrum, cerumen and batumen layers were clearly identifiable. In addition, MacroCT enabled accurate estimates of brood chamber volume to be made. A batumen bridge was found that may secure the brood chamber to the base of the hive box: this structure has not been reported before. MacroCT could be used to follow the life-cycle of stingless bees, track the development of natural nests and observe nest morphology to distinguish between species of Trigona. Thus, colony health could be monitored without the need to split hives during which process the hives are damaged and bees killed