Article
Entomology
Hongcai Chang, Guiling Ding, Guangqun Jia, Mao Feng, Jiaxing Huang
Summary: Honey bees collect different nutrient-rich pollen to meet their metabolic needs. The protein content in pollen varies, and the nutritional value is mainly reflected in the amino acid composition. In this study, the differences in amino acid content and hemolymph metabolism in bees fed three different pollen types were evaluated. Pear pollen had the highest nutritional value among the three pollens in terms of amino acid level.
Review
Entomology
Maciej Sylwester Brys, Patrycja Skowronek, Aneta Strachecka
Summary: A pollen diet plays a crucial role in the development and immunity of bees, influencing factors such as hemocyte numbers, protein levels, and intestinal histology. Properly balancing a diverse pollen diet is essential for the overall health and development of a honey bee colony.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kirsten S. Traynor, Simone Tosi, Karen Rennich, Nathalie Steinhauer, Eva Forsgren, Robyn Rose, Grace Kunkel, Shayne Madella, Dawn Lopez, Heather Eversole, Rachel Fahey, Jeffery Pettis, Jay D. Evans, Dennis vanEngelsdorp
Summary: The study found that honey bees were exposed to a variety of pesticides, with most detections occurring at levels predicted to be of low risk to colonies. High risk samples usually contained one of 12 different insecticides or varroacides, while exposures predicted to be low-risk were nevertheless associated with colony morbidity.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ge Zhang, Miranda Kersten, Amy Owen, Amanda Skidmore
Summary: The negative impacts of industrial farming on honey bee health, such as pesticide use and habitat loss, are well-known. Evaluating the suitability of urban farms for honey bee health is crucial for sustainable agriculture and apiculture in urban settings. Organic urban farms with restrictions on synthetic pesticides and conservation of natural habitat can provide an environment that mitigates these stressors. This experiment found that honey bees on organic urban farms in New Mexico were not stressed by pesticides, had diverse forage resources, and thrived with certain hive equipment. Overall, organic urban farms are important for honey bee health and food safety in desert climates, and hive equipment selection plays a role in mitigating environmental stress.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emmanuel Schaad, Marion Fracheboud, Benoit Droz, Christina Kast
Summary: Pesticide contamination of bee products is widespread. We developed an analytical method to monitor pesticide contamination in bee bread. The study revealed significant variability in pesticide occurrence and concentrations among different bee colonies. This study provides a reliable approach for pesticide monitoring campaigns.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kristina Gratzer, Robert Brodschneider
Summary: The feedback of laboratory analysis results is an important form of encouragement for beekeepers to actively participate, but not their primary motivation. Most beekeepers are willing to participate in similar future investigations, and they are also willing to recommend participation to other beekeepers, demonstrating the importance and potential of beekeepers in citizen science research.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Chenyi Li, Min Tang, Xingan Li, Xin Zhou
Summary: Honey bees face challenges in winter due to low temperatures and dietary shifts. The gut microbiota of winter bees undergoes drastic turnover, with non-core bacterium Bartonella dominating during the season. Bartonella has the ability to utilize diverse energy substrates and provide essential nutrients to the host. The seasonal gut variations may improve the fitness of honey bees.
Article
Ecology
Gabriela M. M. Quinlan, Rufus Isaacs, Clint R. V. Otto, Autumn H. H. Smart, Meghan O. O. Milbrath
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the associations between weather, landscape characteristics, and honey bee colony outcomes. Detailed measurements on over 450 honey bee colonies in Michigan, USA revealed that higher than normal precipitation in the preceding spring and fall was negatively correlated with colony size change and with foraged nectar mass. Sites surrounded by less agricultural land and more forested land also had fewer pupae by the end of summer.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Ola Lundin, Chloe A. Raderschall
Summary: The study found that bumble bee abundance and legitimate flower visitor abundance were higher in areas with higher landscape complexity. Additionally, although excluding insect pollination in the pollination experiment resulted in fewer beans per pod, the individual bean weight increased, maintaining total bean mass per plant. This suggests that faba bean pollination potential is higher in complex landscapes, and there is not a complete dependency on insect pollination.
AGRICULTURE ECOSYSTEMS & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Alison McAfee, Joseph P. Milone, Bradley Metz, Erin McDermott, Leonard J. Foster, David R. Tarpy
Summary: This study investigated the direct impact of topical pesticide exposure on honey bee queens and found that common pesticides found in wax did not have a direct effect on queen performance, reproduction, or quality at the doses tested. The research suggests that previously reported associations between high levels of pesticide residues in wax and queen failure are likely driven by indirect effects of worker exposure on queen care or perception.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Jiangtao Qiao, Zhouxu Feng, Yong Zhang, Xingying Xiao, Jie Dong, Eric Haubruge, Hongcheng Zhang
Summary: This study investigated phenolamides and flavonoid glycosides in 20 types of monofloral bee pollen. The plant origins of pollen samples were determined using DNA barcoding with a purity of over 70%. A total of 31 phenolamides, including 33 cis/trans isomers, and 25 flavonoid glycosides were identified. Additionally, 19 phenolamides and 14 flavonoid glycosides were discovered as new compounds in bee pollen. The phenolics and flavonoids were found in their amidation or glycosylation forms. The study also summarized the MS/MS cleavage modes of phenolamides and flavonoid glycosides.
Article
Food Science & Technology
William Ignacio Mora-Adames, Carlos Alberto Fuenmayor, Maria Angelica Benavides-Martin, Nestor Ariel Algecira-Enciso, Martha Cecilia Quicazan
Summary: Different process conditions were evaluated to induce lactic acid fermentation of bee pollen at the pilot scale using three different commercial starter cultures. Clean and dry Colombian high Andean bee pollen was used as the sole source of nutrients (substrate). The fermentation process time was 30 h, after which a significant decline in bacterial populations was observed. Among the starter cultures tested, one constituted exclusively by probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM presented the best performance in terms of lactic acid production, with a concentration of 1.65% wt, after 30 h. The results highlight the feasibility of producing fermented bee pollen at a commercial scale as a functional food product with probiotic features.
LWT-FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Chunxiu Pang, Kun Dong, Yueqin Guo, Guiling Ding, Yuming Lu, Zhanbao Guo, Jie Wu, Jiaxing Huang
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of different types and doses of pollen on the survival rate, weight, and developmental stage of honey bee larvae, as well as the digestibility of pollen and its effects on midgut cells. The results showed that rape pollen was more beneficial for the growth and development of honey bee larvae compared to apricot and pear pollen.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Laura Grauso, Bruna de Falco, Riccardo Motti, Virginia Lanzotti
Summary: Corn poppy, also known as Papaver rhoeas L., is a ubiquitous weed and edible plant with various biological properties beneficial for human health. Traditionally used to treat a range of ailments, the plant has been the subject of critical review in this paper to enhance understanding of its botanical characteristics and medicinal uses.
PHYTOCHEMISTRY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Kirk J. Grubbs, Daniel S. May, Joseph A. Sardina, Renee K. Dermenjian, Thomas P. Wyche, Adrian A. Pinto-Tomas, Jon Clardy, Cameron R. Currie
Summary: Research suggests that honey bees may use Actinobacteria derived from pollen and their associated small molecules to maintain colony health, particularly exhibiting inhibitory activity against Paenibacillus larvae, the causative agent of American foulbrood.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
