File:Honeybee gut microbiome.png

Summary

Regions of the hindgut where core members reside are indicated in the boxed areas. Core members of the mature honeybee gut microbiome consist of Lactobacillus Firm-5 and Firm-4, Bifidobacterium spp., Gilliamella apicola and Snodgressella alvi, with transiently found members including Frischella perrara, Bartonella apis and Parasacharibacter apium. Snodgressella and Gilliamella are transmitted to newly emerged workers through social interactions with older nestmates and are concentrated in the ileum, whereas Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium are acquired through diet and exposure to the hive environment. As a result, the honeybee gut microbiome is inherited horizontally (see Glossary) and not vertically as is common in mammals. Figure made with BioRender; honeybee illustrations by Impact Media Lab.