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Modern bee keeping demands more scientific and environment compatible methodologies to improve honeybee's health and efficiency. The current study was designed to explore the hidden potential of probiotics (Lactobacillus rhamnosus) and organic acids (lactic acid and acetic acid) on bee's growth especially hypopharyngeal gland (HPG). Large sized HPG has the ability to produce more royal jelly than smaller ones. For the purpose, the experimentation was carried out in 7 different treatment groups in which probiotics and organic acids were provided in different proportions. Significant increase in acinal surface area of bees in all the experimental groups was observed. Control bees which were fed with pollens and sugar syrup only for two weeks depicted the mean ± SE value of 0.011 ± 0.001 for acinal surface area. Similarly, worker bees of the experimental group 3 [pollens +50% (w/v) sucrose in 1.96% acetic acid], group 4 [pollens + L. rhamnosus in 50% (w/v) sucrose in distilled water], group 5 [pollens + L. rhamnosus in 50% (w/v) sucrose in 2.99% lactic acid], group 6 [pollens + L. rhamnosus in 50% (w/v) sucrose in 2.91% acetic acid] and group 7 [pollens + L. rhamnosus in 50% (w/v) sucrose in 1.96% acetic acid] showed mean ± SE values of 0.019 ± 0.001, 0.017 ± 0.001, 0.013 ± 0.001, 0.016 ± 0.001 and 0.014 ± 0.001 mm

The multi-species associations of insects (symbiocenosis) in honey bee hives currently include more than 15 orders of Insecta. We present the results of studying the inquilines of bee hives in the south of Western Siberia. In the honeybee hives of this region 37 insect species from 8 orders (Dermaptera, Thysanoptera, Psocoptera, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera) were identified. Inquiline insects were observed in 77% of hives in 81.5% of the studied apiaries. Coleoptera prevailed among the orders, accounting for 94% of observations. The overall eudominant was Cryptophagus scanicus (Linnaeus, 1758) (87.8%); the subdominants were Dermestes lardarius Linnaeus, 1758 and Contacyphon variabilis (Thunberg, 1787). The smallest number of insect species can be attributed to specific groups. These are C. scanicus, a detritophage that primarily feeds on mold fungi hyphae, but can also consume bee supplies; and Galleria melonella (Linnaeus, 1758), a widespread pest of bee colonies, that feeds on bee bread, honey, wax and bee brood. The facultative group includes detritophages, pollen- and honey-feeding species, that find suitable conditions for feeding and developing in beehives (Vespidae, Formicidae, etc.). Representatives of accidental group were the most diverse in species composition and type of nutrition but they were always individually found in hives. In total, 42 species of insects are currently recorded in the beehives of Western Siberia.

The yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina nigrithorax), outside its natural range, has become a major threat to domestic bees. Several control methods have been used to fight against V. velutina, but the results achieved are not satisfactory. The use of protein baits with biocides has shown to be an effective method to control invasive wasp populations, but they have not been used to control V. velutina. Thus, the efficacy of protein baits containing fipronil to reduce the presence of hornets in apiaries was evaluated in this study. After laboratory determination of the optimal efficacy of a protein bait at a 0.01% concentration of fipronil, field trials were conducted involving 222 beekeepers. The data reported by the 90 beekeepers who completed the requested questionnaire demonstrated that in the groups of apiaries with the highest pressure of hornets (groups with 10–30 and >30 hornets), there was a significant decrease in the presence of V. velutina, lasting at least two weeks. The reduction in the number of hornets was positively correlated with bait consumption, and bait consumption was positively correlated with the number of hornets present at the time of treatment. Although the method used has shown good efficacy and the concentration of fipronil used was very low; possible negative effects on the environment should also be evaluated.

In Hungary, beekeeping is a relatively small-scale sector within the livestock sector, but it is essential for maintaining biodiversity and rural employment. In order to provide ecosystem services such as pollination by honey bees, apiaries need to be economically sustainable, and it is therefore of strategic importance that beekeepers can continue their activities. Based on this, this article’s main objective is the economic analysis of Hungarian honey production, which enables the evaluation of the cost–benefit relationships, production volume and the efficiency of the operation. The authors’ analysis is based on a Hungarian apiary with 300 bee colonies, which also engages in migration and produces a significant amount of acacia honey. The model farm produces several types of honey due to migratory beekeeping, and its average yield reaches 60 kg/bee colony/year, which the authors calculated based on the average purchase prices in 2021. Based on the farm model, the analysis showed that 71 bee colonies and 4253 kg of honey production reached the profitability threshold.

Habitat loss, climate change, and other environmental degradations pose severe challenges to beekeepers. Therefore, this sector needs to rely on updated information so that the intervening actors can deal with the problems. In this context, and assuming that professional training can greatly help those acting in the beekeeping sector, this work intended to investigate the gaps in the updated knowledge of beekeepers and how these can be filled through lifelong learning. The research was conducted in seven European countries (Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, and Spain). The data were collected through a questionnaire survey translated into the native languages of all participating countries. The results revealed that the topics of highest interest are apiary health and pest control and the management of the colonies throughout the year. The beekeepers update their knowledge through family, complemented by professional training, with participants preferring in-person courses as well as, in the workplace or in internships. The learning methodologies they consider most useful are project-based learning and learning through gamification. The videos and paper books or manuals are particularly valued as learning materials, and practical exercises are considered the most helpful assessment format. Finally, considering the effect of sociodemographic variables on the learning experiences and preferences of beekeeping actors, it was observed that the country was the most influential of the variables under study. In conclusion, this work revealed valuable information that should be used to design professional training actions to help the professionals in the beekeeping sector enhance their competencies and be better prepared to manage their activities successfully.

Viruses are one of the most potential risk factors that negatively affect the different life stages of honey bees. This study was conducted to determine the presence of infections caused by the deformed wing virus (DWV), black queen cell virus (BQCV), and acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV) in honey bees in the beekeeping regions of Burdur, along with obtaining information about their prevalence in this particular region. In our study, the adult bees were taken from 31 different beehives and comb samples that had different honey bee breeds and were sampled randomly from 15 beekeeping areas within the region. The collected samples were analyzed using the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the prevalence of DWV, BQCV, and ABPV infections were determined to be 74.19% (23/31), 25.81%, (8/31) and 74.19% (23/31), respectively. In this study, the distribution of positive samples and the rates of multiple infections were determined in the colonies. Of the positive honey bee samples, 12 (%38.71) were detected only for one virus, 9 (%29.03) were positive for two viruses (DWV-ABPV) and 8 (%25.81) were positive for all three viruses. In the present study, the presence of the three bee viruses that caused significant damage to the colonies by multiple infections in the Burdur region was determined with RT-PCR. To our knowledge, this is the first report of three mentioned bee infections in honey bees in the Burdur region. The revealed epidemiological conditions lead to the conclusion that serious measures are needed to control these infections in this region.

The aim of this review article is to identify the most commonly used methods for introducing new queen bees to a colony and to evaluate their success rates. Through a literature review, the authors select the most frequently used methods and assess their advantages and disadvantages, as well as the success rate for each method. While beekeepers have developed various methods for introducing new queen bees, there have been no comprehensive studies to determine which methods have the highest success rates. Successful introduction of a new queen bee is crucial for beekeeping, as unsuccessful introductions can result in the loss of queen bee material, colony collapse, development of laying worker bees and reduced productivity of the colony.

The beekeeping sector is demanding, requires knowledge and updated information to be able to deal with the challenges related with climate change, stress, pollution, and other harmful effects from the surrounding environment. Hence, this work intended to make a characterization of the needs in professional training in the beekeeping sector and how these needs can be fulfilled through courses and other actions to help beekeepers to maintain updated. The work was carried out in seven European countries (Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Total), and the data was collected through a questionnaire survey, translated into the native languages in all the participating countries. The results revealed that the topics of highest interest for the beekeepers were apiary health and pest control and also colony management throughout the year. The most relevant sources of information are family and professional training/courses. The most valued forms of training are in-person and in workplace/internships, although the digital supporting resources are preferred instead of printed material. The learning materials most valued were videos but also books/paper manuals were considered relevant. The field visits were also greatly appreciated by the participants, and the most preferred assessment format was the realization of practical exercises. In conclusion, this work produced valuable information that can be utilized to design training actions and course to the professionals in the beekeeping sector to enhance their knowled info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Honeybees and hive products have long been recognized as excellent bio-indicators, as they provide valuable information on the state of the environments concerned. As yet, however, no tool is capable of contextually assessing the level of pollution of different environmental matrices in order to create maps of areas in which to place hives. In this paper, a possible method of creating a regional map to support the implementation of targeted monitoring plans on beekeeping is described. We obtained and identified related-activity pressure factors, which were subsequently combined by means of a multi-criteria approach through the analytic hierarchy process method (AHP). The different levels used were drawn up by first attributing qualitative values; these were converted into quantitative values through scoring elaborations and pair comparisons and then elaborated and standardized by means of different techniques in order to create an index with a spatial distribution of five risk classes throughout the region. To verify the correct execution of the procedure, a consistency ratio method was implemented on this index and validated the reliability of the application as the main source of information for sampling activities on beekeeping products. Creation of the specific environmental risk index enabled us to construct a map displaying the areas of greatest impact on beekeeping activities and a representation of the cumulative effects generated by the different pollutants in the air, water, soil and subsoil compartments. This index may, therefore, constitute an essential tool to support beekeepers in choosing sites for their apiaries.

В статье представлен анализ архивных документов Центрального государственного архива Удмуртской Республики по пчеловодству колхоза «Россия» Можгинского района за период 1953–1964 гг. В эти годы к власти пришёл Н. С. Хрущев, в его планах важное место занимало развитие сельского хозяйства. Он призывал «догнать и перегнать Америку» по всем показателям сельского хозяйства, в том числе и по пчеловодству. Колхоз «Россия» активно развивался, улучшалась работа в пчеловодстве, и значительно повысилась продуктивность пчелиных семей. К концу периода количество пчелиных семей увеличилось в десять раз (на начало 1953 г. – 83 шт., к 1964 г. – 890 семей). Средняя медовая продуктивность пчелиных семей увеличилась с 3,7 кг на пчелиную семью (1953 г.) до 9,22 кг (1958 г.). Расширение посевов клеверов, люцерны, вики, подсолнечника и др. культур создали дополнительную площадь медоносных растений. На примере крупной пасеки колхоза «Россия» выявлено, что хрущёвский период сыграл положительную роль в развитии пчеловодства., The article presents an analysis of archival documents of the Central State Archive of the Udmurt Republic on beekeeping of the collective farm "Rossiya" of Mozhga district for the period 1953-1964. In these years, N. S. Khrushchev came to power and the development of agriculture played an important role in his plans. He called to "catch up and overtake America" in all agricultural parameters, including beekeeping. The collective farm "Rossiya" actively developed, the work in beekeeping improved, and the productivity of the bee families increased considerably. The number of bee families had increased tenfold by the end of the period (83 families at the beginning of 1953, 890 families by 1964). Honey productivity of honey bee colonies increased from 3.7 kg per colony in 1953 to 9.22 kg in 1958. The expansion of clover, alfalfa, vetch, sunflower and other crops created an additional area of honey plants. On the example of the large beekeeping apiary of the collective farm "Rossiya" it is established that the Khrushchev period played a positive role in the development of beekeeping., Международный научно-исследовательский журнал, Выпуск 4 (130) 2023

Context: Success in beekeeping depends on the existence of plant resources for bee consumption, so research on the flora with uses in apiculture is essential. Aim: To evaluate the diversity of bee species, and their potentialities, on suburban farms in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Methods: The composition and diversity of bee species were established through sample collection, which included 100 m2 (10 x 10) lots. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to determine the potential uses attributed to such species, related to honey production. Results: A number of 51 species were enlisted, of which three stood out for their abundance and distribution. Musa, Polianthes tuberosa, Ipomoea batata, Amaranthus dubius, and Mangifera indica. The farms with the largest bee-related flora were La Cecilia, Erick Vega, and La República. Helianthus annuus and Mangifera indica were the most frequently visited by the bees, with at least less than 50% of the reports issued by the technicians. Conclusions: The farms included in the study have a stable flora, with a balanced distribution, and a diversity that tends to reduce dominance. Their similarity was low-moderate, thus proving that the bee species range between exclusiveness and the potential adaptation to the conditions of the ecosystems studied. There was an adequate social perception of the nectar-producing plant species on these farms, with a thought potential to offer this service to the ecosystem in their communities.

Beekeepers are central to pollinator health. For policymakers and beekeeping organisations to develop widely accepted strategies to sustain honeybee populations alongside wild pollinators, a structured understanding of beekeeper motivations is essential. UK beekeepers are increasing in number, with diverse management styles despite calls for coordinated practice to manage honeybee health. Our Q methodology study in Cornwall, UK, indicated five beekeeping perspectives; conventional hobbyists, natural beekeepers, black bee farmers, new-conventional hobbyists and pragmatic bee farmers. Motivations can be shared across perspectives but trade-offs (notably between economic, social responsibility and ideological motivations) result in differing practices, some of which counter ‘official’ UK advice and may have implications for pollinator health and competition. Honeybee conservation emerged as a key motivator behind non-conventional practices, but wild pollinator conservation was not prioritised by most beekeepers in practice. Q methodology has the potential to facilitate non-hierarchical collaboration and conceptualisation of sustainable beekeeping, moving towards co-production of knowledge to influence policy.

Beekeeping contributes to poverty reduction in many developing countries, and in addition, provides pollination services for sustainable crop production. In Nepal, management practices associated with beekeeping are poorly characterized, and so the potential for this sector to further contribute to livelihood development remains unclear. This study sought to examine and identify factors associated with production efficiency and financial profitability of beekeeping with the aim of enhancing economic gains for Nepali beekeepers. Our study included a sample of 150 respondents from more than twenty commercial beekeeping districts across the Terai and mountainous regions of Nepal. Profitability of beekeeping with the European honeybee (Apis mellifera) Linnaeus, 1758 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and the Asian honeybee Apis cerana Fabricius, 1793 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) was quantified and disaggregated according to several variables, including hive-derived products produced, marketing strategy employed, number of beehives managed, and postharvest management practices. Our results showed that the different types of management practices adopted (such as number of beehives kept, colony multiplication, supplementary feeding, month of honey harvesting, and marketing approach) significantly influenced the productivity and economic profitability of beekeeping. Our results also revealed that professional supports, such as the availability of subsidies and training, were key factors to enhance productivity. As a whole, this study provides insight into the biological factors and management practices associated with higher economic returns from beekeeping. This work can help guide policymakers and professional support agencies to expand commercial beekeeping for sustainable livelihood development in Nepal and beyond.

Honey bees are important for ecological health, biodiversity preservation, and crop output. Antimicrobials, like Tetracyclines, are commonly used in agriculture, medicine, and beekeeping, bees might be exposed to Tetracycline residues in the environment either directly or indirectly. This study aimed to determine the effect of antibiotic treatment (Tetracycline) effect on the Bio-efficiency of the larvae honey bee (Apis mellifera jemenatica), when larvae honeybee workers were exposed to different concentrations of it, to see how long they survived after being exposed to it and affected this antibiotic to the histological structure of the midgut. The results demonstrated that the concentration (LC50=125.25 μg/ml) of antibiotics Tetracycline leads to kills half of the individuals. Our data indicate that the high concentrations of Tetracycline have a significant effect on the histological composition of the cells of the midgut of honeybee larvae. Antibiotic exposure can negatively impact the health of honey bees, especially Tetracycline because it is the most used antibiotic in apiculture.

This study aimed to assess infestation levels of the mite Varroa destructor and microspore Nosema spp. in apiaries in the Picos microregion of Piauí state, Brazil, during the dry season. To that end, bees were collected (n=31) from 19 apiaries between September and October 2016. Infestation levels of the parasites were analyzed at the Laboratory of the Bee Technology Center, an institution affiliated with the Senador Helvídio Nunes de Barros Campus of the Federal University of Piauí. Varroa destructor was identified in 54% of the colonies, with infestation levels varying from 0 to 10.54%, and an average of 3.31% ± 4.12. Analysis of Nosema spp. revealed that all the colonies sampled exhibited microsporidia, albeit at low (1 to 1.4 spores/bee) and very low levels (0.35 to 0.95 spores/bee) of infestation. Given the relevance of beekeeping in the semiarid region of Piauí, it was concluded that although infestation levels were deemed low, there is a need to regularly monitor the health of colonies in the apiaries.

Agricultural cooperatives have important contributions to farmers. Thanks to cooperatives, agricultural products are sold at high prices, while agricultural inputs can be purchased at low prices. Cooperatives provide their partners with technical support in product processing, grading, standardization, storage and quality. On the other hand, cooperatives contribute to the sustainability of agricultural activities by providing credit support to their members. The current research was carried out Milas district of Mugla province, which is the center of pine honey production in Turkey. In the current research, a survey was conducted face to face with 62 farmers engaged in beekeeping, and the decision tree model, which is one of the data mining methods, was used in determining the factors that affect the beekeepers' membership in cooperatives. As a result of the statistical analyses conducted, it was concluded that on the cooperative membership of beekeepers, their status of using credit, education level and status of receiving beekeeping supports have a highly significant influence. (c) Ankara University, Faculty of Agriculture

COVID-19 pandemic has passed to the front all the contradictions of the beekeeping sector: the valuable role of bee products as immune enhancers and antiviral agents and the impact that unsustainability of human activities has on bees’ health and survival. The COVID-19 emergency led several countries to adopt severe restriction measures to contrast the infection. The lowering of industrial and commercial activities, transports, and the general lockdown had immediate consequences on the air quality, significantly improving environmental conditions. This had a positive impact on honeybees’ life’s quality. On the other hand, the bee and beehive transportation limitations threaten to hit food production by affecting the pollinator service, and this is particularly true in large, food-exporting countries like the USA and China where due to the few numbers of local bees, beekeepers import them by other countries and convey by truck hives for thousands of kilometers to pollinate crops. Furthermore, honeybee products, focusing on their natural pharmacological properties, can play an essential role as a potential natural contrast to the virus by enhancing the immunity defenses of both humans and animals, and their demand by consumers is expected to increase. Several researchers in the last months focused their attention on bee products to evaluate their effect in the cure of COVID-19 patients to ameliorate the symptoms or to contrast the coronavirus directly. This review reports these preliminary results.

Depuis un siècle, l’abeille est mise au service comme pollinisateur en agriculture. Pour assurer la fécondation des cultures, les agriculteurs louent des colonies d’abeilles aux apiculteurs professionnels pour profiter de leur butinage. À partir d’un terrain ethnographique en vallée du Rhône, l’article suit les conceptions et les pratiques autour de ce que faire travailler l’abeille en pollinisation doit être. Il s’intéresse à l’activité des apiculteurs pour préparer les colonies au travail dans les écosystèmes agricoles intensifs. Ces pratiques interespèces de pollinisation s’exécutent dans des « écologies perturbées » (Besky & Blanchette, 2019), des écosystèmes agricoles où la nature et le travail se présentent conjointement dans leur fragilité : alors que ces écologies nécessitent le service de l’abeille pour rester productives, elles offrent des conditions exigeantes et délicates pour réaliser ce travail, demandant alors d’accroître sa charge, pour les abeilles autant que pour les apiculteurs. For a century, the bee has been put to service as an agriculture’s pollinator. To ensure the crop’s pollination, farmers resort to the pollination service and rent colonies to beekeepers. Based on an ethnographic fieldwork in the Rhone Valley, the article follows conceptions and practices around what the bee's work in pollination should be. It looks at the beekeeper’s activities to prepare colonies for work in intensive agricultural ecosystems. These interspecies pollination practices are performed in "troubled ecologies" (Besky & Blanchette, 2019): agricultural ecosystems in which work and nature present themselves in their fragility. While these ecologies require the service of the bee to remain productive, they offer challenging and delicate conditions to carry out this work, requiring then to increase its load, for the bees as well as for beekeepers. Desde hace un siglo, la abeja se pone al servicio de la agricultura como polinizador. Para asegurar la fertilización de los cultivos, los agricultores recurren al servicio de polinización y alquilan colonias a los apicultores. A partir de un trabajo de campo etnográfico en el valle del Ródano, el artículo sigue las concepciones y prácticas en torno a lo que debería ser trabajar con las abejas en la polinización. Se centra en la actividad de los apicultores para preparar las colonias para trabajar en ecosistemas agrícolas intensivos. Estas prácticas de polinización interespecífica materializan la existencia de «ecologías perturbadas» (Besky & Blanchette, 2019): ecosistemas agrícolas en los que el trabajo y la naturaleza se presentan en su fragilidad. Si bien estas ecologías requieren el servicio de la abeja sigan siendo productiva, ofrecen condiciones exigentes y delicadas para llevar a cabo esta labor, por lo que requieren una mayor carga tanto para la abeja como para los apicultores.

The physicochemical traits and an array of organic and inorganic contaminants were monitored in monofloral honeys (i.e., jujube [Ziziphus lotus], sweet orange [Citrus sinensis], PGI Euphorbia [Euphorbia resinifera] and Globularia alyphum) from the Moroccan Béni Mellal-Khénifra region (i.e., Khénifra, Beni Méllal, Azlal and Fquih Ben Salah provinces). Moroccan honeys were in line with the physicochemical standards set by the European Union. However, a critical contamination pattern has been outlined. In fact, jujube, sweet orange, and PGI Euphorbia honeys contained pesticides, such as acephate, dimethoate, diazinon, alachlor, carbofuran and fenthion sulfoxide, higher than the relative EU Maximum Residue Levels. The banned 2,3′,4,4′,5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB118) and 2,2′,3,4,4′,5,5′-heptachlorobiphenyl (PCB180) were detected in all samples and quantified in jujube, sweet orange and PGI Euphorbia honeys; while polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), such as chrysene and fluorene, stood out for their higher contents in jujube and sweet orange honeys. Considering plasticizers, all honeys showed an excessive amount of dibutyl phthalate (DBP), when (improperly) considering the relative EU Specific Migration Limit. Furthermore, sweet orange, PGI Euphorbia and G. alypum honeys were characterized by Pb exceeding the EU Maximum Level. Overall, data from this study may encourage Moroccan governmental bodies to strengthen their monitoring activity in beekeeping and to find suitable solutions for implementing more sustainable agricultural practices.

U ovom završnom radu opisano je pčelarstvo i uloga vrcaljke u njegovom razvoju. Navedeni su svi dijelovi vrcaljke, njihova uloga u sklopu i materijali od kojih se proizvode te razvoj vrcaljki kroz povijest. U teorijskom dijelu rada objašnjeni su i mehanizmi i procesi trošenja prisutni među elementima u dodiru. U eksperimentalnom dijelu rada analizirana je mikrostruktura, provedena su ispitivanja tvrdoće osnovnog materijala te su doneseni zaključci na osnovu dobivenih podataka. This paper describes beekeeping and the honey extractor's contribution to its development. The extractor's components are all listed, as well as their role in the assembly and the materials used to manufacture them. Furthermore, this paper describes the development of honey extractors throughout history. In the theoretical part of the paper, the wear mechanisms and processes that exist among the elements in contact are explained. In the experimental part of the paper, the microstructure was examined, base material hardness tests were carried out, and the conclusions were drawn based on the obtained data.

Biomonitoring of the environment and assessment of the quality of beekeeping products are considered. Розглянуто бiомонiторинг оточуючого середовища та оцiнка якостi продуктiв бджiльництва.

Harvested honey is usually replaced by an alternative sugar to overwinter honeybee colonies. Supplementation of winter stores with beet or cane sucrose is safe for colonies and does not cause winter mortality. Despite this, there are hypotheses that supplementation of inverted sugars has the potential to give better results in overwintering, spring growth, and honey production of the colonies, because bees are consuming already cleaved feed. Therefore, we compared the condition parameters and honey production in 70 colonies at four apiaries overwintered with stores from sucrose or inverted sugars. No statistically significant differences in dependence on the type of the supplemental feed were found. Inverted sugar was more expensive than sucrose for feeding colonies. Economic efficiency, physiological consequences, and other disadvantages of using invert syrups are discussed.

This study investigated the influence of Dynamic Capabilities (DC) and Digital Transformation (DT) on Business Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Using cross-sectional data from 388 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) of beekeeping in Indonesia. Furthermore, the data were analyzed by Structural Equation Model (SEM) analysis and executed by SmartPLS 3.0 software. The main results of this study indicate that DC plays an important role in improving MSMEs’ DT. However, the essential role of DT on firm resilience only happened for micro, small, and medium firms of family businesses. However, DT has an insignificant effect on firm resilience in small nonfamily businesses. Yet, the effect of DC on firm resilience is mediated by DT. Nevertheless, our empirical findings indicate heterogeneous effects among micro, small, and medium firms. Based on the study’s findings, we suggested that the policy implication in developing beekeeping firms should be more specific based on the firm scale. The results of this study can be generalized to the national level to inform decision-making regarding the intangible assets of MSME livestock products in developing countries. The findings are also relevant to other livestock products, which tend to be dynamic during a crisis.

el ensayo contiene información respecto a la industria apícola y sus recursos, se aborda una problemática con el propósito de resolverla; y se proponen soluciones, a través de información y el uso de herramientas, una hipótesis y los argumentos que la apoyan, para impulsar el avance en la producción de productos dentro de esta industria por medio de la mejora en el proceso y con alianzas a sectores públicos y privados. the trial contains information regarding the beekeeping industry and its resources, addresses a problem with the purpose of solving it; and solutions are proposed, through information and the use of tools, a hypothesis and the arguments that support it, to boost progress in product production within this industry through improved process and partnerships with public and private sectors Profesional en Negocios Internacionales Pregrado

The multi-species associations of insects (symbiocenosis) in honey bee hives currently include more than 15 orders of Insecta. We present the results of studying the inquilines of bee hives in the south of Western Siberia. In the honeybee hives of this region 37 insect species from 8 orders (Dermaptera, Thysanoptera, Psocoptera, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera) were identified. Inquiline insects were observed in 77% of hives in 81.5% of the studied apiaries. Coleoptera prevailed among the orders, accounting for 94% of observations. The overall eudominant was Cryptophagus scanicus (Linnaeus, 1758) (87.8%); the subdominants were Dermestes lardarius Linnaeus, 1758 and Contacyphon variabilis (Thunberg, 1787). The smallest number of insect species can be attributed to specific groups. These are C. scanicus, a detritophage that primarily feeds on mold fungi hyphae, but can also consume bee supplies; and Galleria melonella (Linnaeus, 1758), a widespread pest of bee colonies, that feeds on bee bread, honey, wax and bee brood. The facultative group includes detritophages, pollen- and honey-feeding species, that find suitable conditions for feeding and developing in beehives (Vespidae, Formicidae, etc.). Representatives of accidental group were the most diverse in species composition and type of nutrition but they were always individually found in hives. In total, 42 species of insects are currently recorded in the beehives of Western Siberia.

first_pagesettingsOrder Article Reprints Open AccessArticle Professional Training in Beekeeping: A Cross-Country Survey to Identify Learning Opportunities by Raquel P. F. Guiné 1ORCID,Jorge Oliveira 1ORCID,Catarina Coelho 1,2,*ORCID,Daniela Teixeira Costa 1,Paula Correia 1ORCID,Helena Esteves Correia 1ORCID,Bjørn Dahle 3,Melissa Oddie 3,Risto Raimets 4,Reet Karise 4ORCID,Luis Tourino 5,Salvatore Basile 6,Emilio Buonomo 6,Ivan Stefanic 7 andCristina A. Costa 1ORCID 1 CERNAS Research Centre, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal 2 CECAV, Animal and Veterinary Research Center, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, Apartado 1013, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal 3 Norwegian Beekeepers Association, 2040 Kløfta, Norway 4 Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51014 Tartu, Estonia 5 Eosa Estrategia y Organización SA, 36202 Vigo, Spain 6 Bio-Distretto Cilento, 84052 Salerno, Italy 7 Tera Tehnopolis, 31000 Osijek, Croatia * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Sustainability 2023, 15(11), 8953; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118953 Received: 21 April 2023 / Revised: 24 May 2023 / Accepted: 31 May 2023 / Published: 1 June 2023 (This article belongs to the Special Issue Prospects Challenges and Sustainability of the Agri-Food Supply Chain in the New Global Economy II) Download Browse Figures Review Reports Versions Notes Abstract Habitat loss, climate change, and other environmental degradations pose severe challenges to beekeepers. Therefore, this sector needs to rely on updated information so that the intervening actors can deal with the problems. In this context, and assuming that professional training can greatly help those acting in the beekeeping sector, this work intended to investigate the gaps in the updated knowledge of beekeepers and how these can be filled through lifelong learning. The research was conducted in seven European countries (Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, and Spain). The data were collected through a questionnaire survey translated into the native languages of all participating countries. The results revealed that the topics of highest interest are apiary health and pest control and the management of the colonies throughout the year. The beekeepers update their knowledge through family, complemented by professional training, with participants preferring in-person courses as well as, in the workplace or in internships. The learning methodologies they consider most useful are project-based learning and learning through gamification. The videos and paper books or manuals are particularly valued as learning materials, and practical exercises are considered the most helpful assessment format. Finally, considering the effect of sociodemographic variables on the learning experiences and preferences of beekeeping actors, it was observed that the country was the most influential of the variables under study. In conclusion, this work revealed valuable information that should be used to design professional training actions to help the professionals in the beekeeping sector enhance their competencies and be better prepared to manage their activities successfully. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

La industria agrícola en Colombia es de gran importancia ya que generó ingresos en más de US$9.400 millones para el año 2021; asimismo, los productos no tradicionales obtuvieron un incremento del 18%, entendiéndose como producto no tradicional como aquel al que se le da un valor agregado, para este caso, el hidromiel entra en esa categoría. El hidromiel, también llamado vino de miel o agua de miel, es una bebida fermentable que puede alcanzar desde los 8% a los 18% etanol; es una sustancia derivada de la fermentación de la miel de la abeja (Apis mellifera) mezclada con agua y levadura, esta tiene el potencial de poder llegar a tener cabida en el mercado nacional como un producto no tradicional y novedoso. Actualmente, en Colombia, la miel es un alimento de bajo consumo, 87 g/año/habitante, y su transformación agroindustrial se limita al uso de edulcorante natural; sin embargo, se le desea dar un valor agregado a través del desarrollo del vino de miel. No obstante, la elaboración de este subproducto, según la literatura investigada, posee diferentes inconvenientes entre el que se encuentra la fase de fermentación, ya que se trata de un procedimiento lento y de cuidado, debido a que puede afectar las características organolépticas y sensoriales del producto final; se hace necesario la adecuación del mosto con una fuente nitrogenada. The agricultural industry in Colombia is of great importance since it generated income of more than US$9.4 billion for the year 2021; Likewise, non-traditional products obtained an increase of 18%, understanding a non-traditional product as one to which an added value is given, in this case, mead falls into that category. Mead, also called honey wine or honey water, is a fermentable drink that can reach from 8% to 18% ethanol; It is a substance derived from the fermentation of honey from the bee (Apis mellifera) mixed with water and yeast. It has the potential to find a place in the national market as a non-traditional and innovative product. Currently, in Colombia, honey is a low-consumption food, 87 g/year/inhabitant, and its agro-industrial transformation is limited to the use of natural sweetener; however, it is desired to add value through the development of honey wine. However, the elaboration of this by-product, according to the researched literature, has different drawbacks, among which is the fermentation phase, since it is a slow and careful procedure, because it can affect the organoleptic and sensory characteristics of the product final product, it is necessary to adapt the must with a nitrogenous source.

Many of the issues that require resolution are not easy to mitigate just from the technology perspective. The ancestral learned logic of processes, the people traditions, and many other variants define inner contexts that make the adhesion and efficient use of information technologies a delicate process. The enormous geographical dispersion of the beekeeping economic activity, the mostly amateur profile of beekeepers, and the specificity in the traditional way as the activity is managed, compromises the applicability of integrative measures based on ICTE. Efficient and integrated management of a no-professionalized economic activity depends on two basic principles: i) the existence of effective tools capable of managing that activity and its synergies with other related activities, and ii) an infrastructure (technological, procedural, legal) that supports services properly profiled for any actor in that activity. This paper describes the work-in-process sBee - Smart Beekeeping, an applied research project that sought to integrate emerging technologies on the innovative management of critical issues that beekeeping needs to overcome. Electronic devices, Internet-of-things, advanced management algorithms, and innovative visualization services were explored. The global system architecture, its supporting services, and the communication infrastructure are here described. The integration of both internet-of-things and communications services, with the common beekeeping?s management tasks, levered a proposal for improving this activity to become more effective. Furthermore, an advanced technological supporting platform was created and experimented, prepared for further developments, on mitigating emergent challenges that the digitization promotes, namely the security and traceability on food and related agriculture value-chains, as well as on the predictive and intelligent perception of current and future scenarios. 911A-2C18-106F | Carlos Jorge Enes Capit?o de Abreu N/A

In many countries around the world, massive declines in bee colonies have been reported as a consequence of the multifactorial effects of exogenous and endogenous factors. The development of opportunistic infections in bees is due to an imbalance of opportunistic pathogenic microflora that colonise the midgut of insects. The problem of dysbacteriosis in various animal species, including bees, is of interest to veterinarians. Therefore, the search for new remedies alternative to antibiotics is a high priority in beekeeping. Probiotic preparations have been proposed as new and safe medicines for the treatment and prevention of dysbacteriosis in human and veterinary medicine. Probiotics are products containing live micro-organisms that are able, in a certain dosage, to influence the macro-organism effectively. The application of such therapeutic additives to insects is preceded by their preliminary in vitro testing. Therefore, the main aim o the study was to determine the direction of action (bacteriostatic, bactericidal, antagonistic) of «EM® PROBIOTIC FOR BEES», diluted with sugar syrup solution and water in different concentrations, against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella (Enterobacter) aerogenes bacteria and on mixed microbialas sociation in vitro. An in vitro experiment on the above probiotic agent was carried by diffusion in agar wells (well method) and a modified KirbyBauer method for the beekeeping industry (disk diffusion method). Bacteriostatic, bactericidal and antagonistic effects were determined visually and by measuring diameter of the are aaround the discs and wells. The bacteriostatic effect of probiotic microorganisms against enterobacteriaceae of Klebsiella pneumoniae species was recorded to be maintained at the same level when diluted with 50 % sugar syrup solution in concentrations from 0.5 % to 30 %. «EM® PROBIOTIC FOR BEES» diluted with water had pronounced antagonistic effect against Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria by diffusion in agar wells method at concentrations of 0.5 % - 75,4±1,04 mm and 1% - 61,2±0,42 mm on the third day of the experiment. By diluting the probiotic with 50% sugar syrup solution, inhibition of the growth of Klebsiella (Enterobacter) aerogenes bacteria was observed in concentrations of up to 50%, ranging from 18,2±0,42 mm to 25,4±0,45 mm (disk diffusion method). Bactericidal effect of «EM® PROBIOTIC FOR BEES» diluted with water against mixed microbial association isolated from bee colonies with signs of intestinal disorders was observed at a concentration of 10% with a diameter of 18,6±0,57 mm by the disk diffusion method. Thus, «EM® PROBIOTIC FOR BEES» has antagonistic, bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects against enterobacteriaceae of bees Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella (Enterobacter) aerogenes species and agaist mixed microbial associations. The nature of the action of this probiotic depends on the solvent and its concentration, which in turn determines the direction and purpose of its application. Key words: beekeeping, dysbiosis, Klebsiella (Enterobacter) aerogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects, antagonistic action.

The aim of this paper is to measure and evaluate the effects of the CAP instruments on the competitiveness of the beekeeping sector and, on this basis, to make recommendations for increasing the effectiveness of the application of these instruments in the future. A Common Monitoring and Evaluation Framework is used to assess the effects of CAP implementation on sector efficiency and competitiveness. It can be summarized that the future development of small bee farms cannot be achieved without the active financial support of the State. This support is necessary because these farms are the backbone of rural economic development. Farmers have a strong motivation to develop their farms, which is determined by the desire to ensure a better way of life.

Odorant-degrading enzymes (ODEs) are proposed to degrade/inactivate volatile organic compounds (VOCs) on a millisecond timescale. Thus, ODEs play an important role in the insect olfactory system as a reset mechanism. The inhibition of these enzymes could incapacitate the olfactory system and, consequently, disrupt chemical communication, promoting and complementing the integrated pest management strategies. Here, we report two novel aldehyde oxidases, AOX-encoding genes GmelAOX2 and GmelAOX3, though transcriptomic analysis in the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella. GmelAOX2 was clustered in a clade with ODE function, according to phylogenetic analysis. Likewise, to unravel the profile of volatiles that G. mellonella might face besides the sex pheromone blend, VOCs were trapped from honeycombs and the identification was made by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR showed that GmelAXO2 has a sex-biased expression, and qRT-PCR indicated that both GmelAOX2 and GmelAOX3 have a higher relative expression in male antennae rather than female antennae. A functional assay revealed that antennal extracts had the strongest enzymatic activity against undecanal (4-fold) compared to benzaldehyde (control). Our data suggest that these enzymes have a crucial role in metabolizing sex pheromone compounds as well as plant-derived aldehydes, which are related to honeycombs and the life cycle of G. mellonella.

We conducted a citizen science survey on the winter honey bee colony losses in Poland from 2017/18 to 2019/20 to determine the influence of the use of screened bottom boards on the winter colony losses due to various causes. A total of 1035 beekeepers with 40,003 colonies reported valid data. The overall winter colony loss rate ranged from 10.7% to 13.9%, and in every year, the overall winter colony loss rate was higher than 10% (which is considered as acceptable in Poland). The study reveals that the use of screened bottom boards was associated with reduced overall loss rate. However, the nature of this relationship was not the same in terms of all types of colony losses: while the use of screened bottom boards was associated with a reduced mortality rate (management-related colony loss rate due to dead colonies) in which the empty hives were observed (colony depopulation syndrome, CDS), it was associated with an increased mortality rate in which the lack of food was observed (starvation). Given that in our study the role of CDS in the overall colony loss rate was 2.5-fold higher than the role of starvation, the final influence of the use of screened bottom boards on the overall colony loss rate turned out to be beneficial. Given the well-known beneficial role of screened bottom boards in varroosis control, they are highly recommended in beekeeping practices in Poland.

The Thriving Hives Beginning Beekeeping Education program caters to novice beekeepers to promote best practices, confidence in beekeeping skills, and healthy apiaries around the state. A major objective of the program is to educate participants on the management of Varroa mites in their hives.

Resumen Introducción: El conocimiento de la riqueza vegetal y la estacionalidad alrededor de los apiarios de Apis mellifera es una herramienta de planificación indispensable para los apicultores. Debe incluir la disponibilidad de recursos, las preferencias alimenticias y el comportamiento de búsqueda de alimento. Dicha información no está disponible para las Yungas argentinas, uno de los ecosistemas forestales más estacionales de América del Sur. Objetivo: Evaluar la disponibilidad de recursos tróficos a través de un calendario de floración y su relación con las cargas de polen de A. mellifera en las Yungas. Métodos: En El Fuerte, Jujuy, recolectamos muestras mensuales de septiembre a marzo (2014-2015 y 2015-2016) utilizando trampas de polen. Utilizamos técnicas estandarizadas para los análisis palinológicos e índices de asociación para el uso de recursos. Las fenofases fueron Inicio de floración, Plena floración y Fin de floración. Resultados: Se identificaron 47 especímenes botánicos a nivel de especie y 9 a nivel de género. En ambos períodos hubo una oferta moderada de flores al inicio de la primavera, representada igualmente por plantas arbustivas y herbáceas, con un pico de floración en noviembre. Posteriormente, hubo una caída en la disponibilidad, con un pico de floración nuevamente al final de la temporada. En cinco especies de plantas hubo una asociación de media a alta entre la especie vegetal disponible y la presencia de ésta en el espectro polínico de la muestra de polen corbicular recolectada (Vachellia aroma, Blepharocalyx salicifolius, Cantinoa sp., Vernonanthura sp. y Zanthoxylum coco). Conclusión: En esta región hay una oferta moderada de flores de plantas arbustivas y herbáceas a principios de la primavera, con un pico de floración en noviembre y al final de la temporada. Solo cinco, de casi 50 especies de plantas, muestran una asociación de disponibilidad y uso por parte de las abejas. Abstract Introduction: Knowledge of vegetation richness and seasonality around Apis mellifera apiaries is an indispensable planning tool for beekeepers. It must include resource availability, food preferences and foraging behaviour. Such information is unavailable for the Argentinian Yungas, one of the most seasonal forest ecosystems in South America. Objective: To assess the availability of trophic resources through a flowering calendar and its relationship with A. mellifera pollen loads in the Yungas. Methods: In El Fuerte, Jujuy, we collected monthly samples from September to March (2014-2015 and 2015-2016) using pollen traps. We used standardized techniques for palynological analyses, and association indices for resource use. The phenophases were Beginning of flowering, Full flowering, and End of flowering. Results: We identified 47 botanical specimens to species level and 9 only to genus. In both periods there was a moderate supply of flowers at the beginning of spring, represented equally by shrub and herbaceous plants, with peak flowering in November. Subsequently, there was a drop in availability, with peak flowering again at the end of the season. In five plant species, there was a medium to high association between the plant species available and their presence in the pollen spectrum of the corbicular pollen samples collected (Vachellia aroma, Blepharocalyx salicifolius, Cantinoa sp., Vernonanthura sp. And Zanthoxylum coco). Conclusion: In this region, there is a moderate supply of shrub and herbaceous plant flowers at the beginning of spring, with peak flowering in November and at the end of the season. Only five, out of nearly 50 plant species, show an association of availability and use by bees.

Climate change is a major threat to agriculture production among small-scale farms worldwide. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is one of the technologies and strategies to sustain agriculture growth in a changing climate. Researchers are finding ways to collect big data, which are required to clarify local climate change and its impacts on agriculture to pinpoint the farming strategies for the practice of CSA. The honeybee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) hives around the world which are equipped with digital devices for continuously monitoring the status of colonies for precise beekeeping, accumulate huge amounts of data that can be used to address some questions about CSA. In this paper, we confer an overview of the big beehive data (BBD) and data science and identifies their potential applications to support CSA, as well as several challenges confronted by this approach. Here, we also outline that how can we predict the bee-plant interaction based on monitoring dynamics in honey production using novel and technological approaches. Numerous approaches including big data analytics, IoT, Wireless sensor network (WSN)-based monitoring systems, machine learning, and AI algorithms are being considered as a power source to assist in delivering novel insights and explication to the problems. We put in examples where all these approaches have been employed for monitoring and analyzing BBD. Moreover, we predict their role to aid in apiary management with the perspective of CSA.

Beekeeping is a very old practice in Burkina Faso and has many advantages, including the availability of honey resources, of endogenous knowledge and support from public policies. However, it faces challenges, including health problems, which are poorly documented. This cross-sectional study was conducted between March and May 2019 in the Central and Central-west regions of Burkina Faso to determine the prevalence and risk factors of wax moth in bee colonies. A total of 200 modern hives were visited of which 106 were colonized or previously colonized. Methods of observation and inspection of the hives were used to search for witnesses of the wax moth infestation: eggs, larvae, pupae cocoons, woven silk cloth, gallery in wax or adult butterflies. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect information on beekeepers and apiaries characteristics. An inspection sheet was used to record observations made during the inspection of the hives. The results revealed that the average size was 18 hives by apiary. Hives used were Kenyan, Dadant, and rectangular frame hives with a colonization rate of 53%. The overall prevalence of wax moth was 23.6% [15.5-31.7%]. Other predators/pests were observed in 43.4% of the hives, the main ones being beetles (25.5%) and ants (17%). The analysis of the radio adjusted odds ratio showed the absence of risk factors among the modalities of the studied variables. In view of the results of this pilot study, more extensive studies could be carried out to have a better understanding of the epidemiology of the infestation and its possible impact that it can have on honey production.

The beekeeping farm is a farm for breeding bees carried out in order to obtain apiculture products (honey, pollen, propolis, wax, royal jelly and bee venom). The bee harvesting is regulated in Romania by the Law on beekeeping No. 383/2013 and it is a technological link of the beekeeping production activity, in which the beekeeper transports and temporarily places the bee families, at the areas suitable for honey production in agricultural or forestry fund. To exploit the productive potential of the bee families, specific work is needed to ensure their optimal development during the main harvest period. The paper presents a study on setting up a beekeeping or apiary farm in a rural area in the Gorj County as a business idea that contributes to rural development and to diversification of the entrepreneur's income. The investment expenses are of 154.200 lei and the net income in the first year of production is of 92.250 lei, so that under favorable weather conditions to achieve 4 harvests per year, the depreciation of the investment costs and getting profit is made from the second year of production

La apicultura es una actividad que tiene importancia económica, social y ecológica. En México esta actividad enfrenta varios problemas, entre los que destacan el alto comportamiento defensivo de las colonias de abejas melíferas (Apis mellifera L.) provocado por la africanización y la varroosis ocasionada por el ácaro Varroa destructor. El alto comportamiento defensivo de las colonias ha ocasionado que la apicultura sea más compleja y menos rentable, mientras que la varroosis afecta la producción de miel de las colonias, y es un factor asociado con la pérdida de colonias de abejas que ocurre a nivel mundial. Para atender estos problemas el INIFAP desarrolla investigación en genética y mejoramiento genético apícola. El objetivo de este artículo fue hacer una revisión de los resultados de los trabajos de investigación en genética en los que el INIFAP ha estado involucrado que han permitido generar conocimientos científicos sobre los factores genéticos, genómicos y epigenéticos que regulan la expresión de los comportamientos defensivo, de guardia, de aguijoneo, de acicalamiento e higiénico de las abejas. De los trabajos desarrollados en materia de mejoramiento genético para reducir el comportamiento defensivo de las abejas que han permitido generar métodos para la evaluación y selección de esta característica, así como generar líneas de abejas de bajo comportamiento defensivo a partir de las cuales se han transferido reinas a los productores. Así como de los trabajos para la conservación de material genético de origen europeo que derivaron en el establecimiento de un Banco de Germoplasma Apícola.

Urban beekeeping is gaining salience worldwide. Though beekeeping brings benefits to humanity, it has certain negative aspects. We conducted surveys in eight countries where urban beekeeping is practiced to understand the status of the governance of urban beekeeping. There were a wide variety of rules, ranging from detailed ones to the absence of any. The organizations creating regulations included regional governments, basic governments, and even NGOs. Regulatory items for urban beekeeping were biased toward safety, with few regulations of the other aspects, such as biodiversity conservation and apicultural production. We found a wide range of numerical provisions for this regulation type, with no scientific basis provided, and there is further need for improvements.

Honey bee (Apis mellifera) health and hive transport are regulated by local apiary programs composed of apiary inspectors. Inspectors monitor and ensure the health of honey bees through field visits to apiaries where they inspect, identify, diagnose, and provide recommendations for the treatment of honey bee health issues. Laws and regulations pertaining to beekeeping and honey bee health are present in most states, territories, and provinces. Veterinarians are encouraged to establish a relationship with their local apiary inspector to further support beekeepers and the management of healthy honey bee colonies.

Honey bees face a broad range of threats globally. Many of these threats originate outside of North America because honey bees are an introduced species. Invasive pests are among the most widely distributed, damaging, and economically costly honey bee hive associates. As international trade and travel continue at a rapid pace, the list of invasive apicultural pests likely will grow. Details of these organisms' life history relevant to management and eradication efforts are addressed. Methods and proposed methods of detection and management encountered abroad are discussed.

Beekeeping and honey production have been of great historical, economic, and health interest in Lebanon. However, the Lebanese beekeeping sector is poorly documented, not to mention the challenging...

The benefits of beekeeping have been well documented over the years; keeping bees can help the economy, provide a great sense of community, and can teach children about the value of nature. Bees ar...

La apicultura en el Perú ha crecido en los últimos años, influenciado principalmente por los cultivos como el palto (Persea americana Mill.), cuya polinización es asistida por los insectos. Sin embargo, cada año las colmenas de abejas enfrentan graves problemas que disminuyen su población, siendo uno de los causantes principales, el parasitismo por el ácaro Varroa destructor. Este ácaro invade celdas de larvas de abejas para reproducirse y evitan ser eliminadas de las mismas por las abejas obreras gracias a una estrategia kairomonal. Varios acaricidas son utilizados para controlar la invasión por varroa, sin embargo, existen reportes que la varroa estaría presentando resistencia a estos plaguicidas, ya sea por mutaciones en los canales de sodio dependientes de voltaje o acetilcolinesterasas, así como un incremento de la actividad desintoxicante. Como alternativa viable a la resistencia de la varroa hacia los acaricidas, se viene seleccionando colmenas con buen comportamiento higiénico, que, mediante acciones específicas como el aseo, minimizan la infestación por el ácaro. La presente revisión expone la información actual relacionada con la biología reproductiva y la alimentación de la varroa dentro de la colmena. Asimismo, describe los posibles mecanismos moleculares que explican la resistencia reportada hacia los acaricidas, proponiéndose la selección de colmenas de buen comportamiento higiénico como estrategia viable para el control de la varroa.

The honey bee ectoparasite Varroa destructor is considered the major threat to apiculture, as untreated colonies of Apis mellifera usually collapse within a few years. In order to control this mite, many beekeepers rely on a limited number of approved synthetic acaricides, including the pyrethroids tau-fluvalinate and flumethrin. Due to the intensive use of these products, resistance is now commonplace in many beekeeping regions across the world. In the present study, the occurrence of amino acid substitutions at residue L925 of the voltage-gate sodium channel-the pyrethroid target site-was studied in Varroa populations collected throughout Flanders, Belgium. Dose-response bioassays supported the involvement of the frequently observed L925V substitution in flumethrin resistance, resulting in a 12.64-fold increase of the LC50 in a Varroa population mostly consisting of homozygous 925 V/V mites. With the presence of L925 substitutions in about four out of 10 screened apiaries, the use of pyrethroid-based varroacides in Flanders, including the recently released PolyVar® Yellow, should be carefully considered.

Relationships between humans and honeybees are complex because they are deeply entangled. These entanglements take on many forms, such as those present in the honeybees’ self-centered worlds—umwelt—as well as the intersections in their mutually constituted lived world, or their domus. As honeybees are involved in pollinating up to 85 percent of the world’s agricultural crops, understanding these entanglements is a vital component of environmental anthropology. To high­light these interconnected relationships as they apply to commercial beekeepers, this paper explores the case study of an Australian almond farmer named Mark deCaux who has incorporated beekeeping into his agricultural practices to ensure his crops are adequately pollinated. Since adopting beekeeping, his crops have grown his apiary to a commercial-sized practice. Through the lens of his experiences, the concepts of umwelt and domus emphasize the intricate negotiations between humans and honeybees that constitute their mutually entangled relationships.

Agri-food has become an economic sector under increasing pressure in order to support food demand and decrease environmental impacts. One valuable methodology to evaluate environmental impacts is life cycle assessment (LCA), which has been employed in different economic sectors, however, beekeeping has been scarcely explored. In this context, this article investigates the environmental profile of 31 Chilean beekeeping systems reporting 15 environmental impact categories with a cradle to gate approach. In this way, this study identifies key contributing activities, variability in the environmental impacts, differences among operation scales, and provided efficient management practices for policy-makers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that conducts a wide environmental analysis of beekeeping systems through LCA. The results show that feeding is the most impacting activity in all categories, followed by hives transport. Otherwise, medication, consumption of disposable inputs and honey extraction contribute less than 5% in average across all categories. Regarding the operation scale, the results suggest that small-scale beekeepers have the lowest environmental performance. Otherwise, medium-scale beekeepers have better environmental performance than the large-scale ones, depending on the environmental impact category evaluated. Finally, managerial practices in order to achieve sustainable honey production are provided.

The study was carried out to compare the performance of wood hive types and plywood hive types in three different vegetation types between June 2018 and May 2020 in Akure South local Government of Ondo State, Nigeria. A total of eighteen (18) Kenyan Top Bar hives made from Danta, Gmelina and plywood were constructed at six (6) each per wood types. Two (2) each of Danta, Gmelina and Plywood hives were installed in three locations: Natural Forest, Plantation forest and cocoa farmland. The rate of colonization of each hive was evaluated at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months after installation in the field. The results revealed that plywood hive type was not colonized in the natural forest throughout the period of study while Danta and Gmelina each recorded 50% colonization at the end of the experiment. In plantation forest, each of the Plywood and Gmelina hives recorded 50% colonization at 24 months after installation while bees in Danta hives absconded before 24th months after installation. In cocoa farmland, Gmelina recorded 100% colonization at 24 months, Danta recorded 50% colonization at 24 months and plywood accounted for 100% colonization at 24 months after installation. An improvement was recorded in the colonization performance at 12,18, 24 month after installation of hives. Plywood hives installed in the cocoa farmland and plantation accounted for higher colonization percentage than natural forest.