Abstract
Gut microbiomes play a significant role in the health, development, and behavior of numerous species, including honey bees ( Apis mellifera ). Worker honey bees exhibit varying degrees of hygienic behavior, which involves the removal of unhealthy brood to mitigate disease within their colony. However, the potential relationship between hygienic behavior and the honey bee gut microbiome has not been previously investigated. In this study, we compared gut microbiota in honey bees engaged in hygienic behavior (hygiene performers) versus those not exhibiting this behavior (non-hygiene performers) using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria were identified as the predominant phyla. Notably, three bacterial species ( Apilactobacillus kunkeei , Bartonella apis, and Frischella perrara ) were found to be more abundant in hygiene performer bees compared to non-hygiene performer bees. Additionally, hygiene performer bees showed a higher diversity of amplicon sequence variants, with Apibacter mensalis being exclusively present in hygiene performer bees and absent in non-hygiene performer bees. These findings reveal an association between gut microbiota composition and hygienic behavior in honey bees, which may provide a foundation for future research exploring probiotic development and other strategies to enhance honey bee health.