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20 Pág. (This article belongs to the Collection Impact of Environmental Factors and Management Practices on Bee Health), To study the influence of thiamethoxam exposure on colony strength and pathogen prevalence, an apiary (5 colonies) was placed in front of a plot sown with winter oilseed rape (wOSR), just before the flowering phase. Before sowing, the seeds were treated with an equivalent application of 18 g thiamethoxam/ha. For comparison, a second apiary (5 colonies) was located in front of a separate 750 m plot sown with untreated wOSR. Dead foragers at the entrance of hives were assessed every 2-3 days throughout the exposure period, while the colony strength (number of combs covered with adult honey bees and brood) and pathogens were monitored each month until the following spring. Foraging on the wOSR crop was confirmed by melissopalynology determination of the corbicular pollen collected periodically, while the chemical analysis showed that exposure to thiamethoxam was mainly through nectar. There was an increase in the accumulation of dead bees in the apiary exposed to thiamethoxam relating with the control, which was coped with an increment of bee brood surface and adult bee population. However, we did not find statistically significant differences between apiaries (α = 0.05) in terms of the evolution of pathogens. We discuss these results under hormesis perspective., This research was funded by INIA-FEDER funds (RTA2013-00042-C10-03 and RTA2013- 00042-C10-06)

In this case report, we analyze the possible causes of the poor health status of a professional Apis mellifera iberiensis apiary located in Gajanejos (Guadalajara, Spain). Several factors that potentially favor colony collapse were identified, including Nosema ceranae infection, alone or in combination with other factors (e.g., BQCV and DWV infection), and the accumulation of acaricides commonly used to control Varroa destructor in the beebread (coumaphos and tau-fluvalinate). Based on the levels of residues, the average toxic unit estimated for the apiary suggests a possible increase in vulnerability to infection by N. ceranae due to the presence of high levels of acaricides and the unusual climatic conditions of the year of the collapse event. These data highlight the importance of evaluating these factors in future monitoring programs, as well as the need to adopt adequate preventive measures as part of national and international welfare programs aimed at guaranteeing the health and fitness of bees., This research was funded by INIA-FEDER (RTA2017-00004-C02)

Honey samples (n = 126) from Castilla-La Mancha (Central Spain) were characterized based on their physicochemical properties and a melissopalynological analysis. The latter showed that Echium pollen type was the dominant palynomorph in most samples, representing at least 30% of the pollen in each sample. As anticipated, a relationship was observed between the proportion of this pollen and the properties of the honey. One goal of this study was to set a threshold that defines the percentage of pollen necessary for Viper's bugloss honey to be considered monofloral or multifloral. This is a mandatory requirement in light of the publication of the European Directive 2014/63/EU establishing the regulations governing the labelling and control of honey to eradicate fraud (BOE n° 147, June 2015). By analyzing how the proportions of Echium pollen type affected the physicochemical and sensory parameters of the honey, the honeys analyzed could be segregated into multifloral and monofloral honeys. The data indicates that the proportion of pollen necessary to discriminate monofloral Viper's bugloss honey lies at 70%.

The range of pollen that can be found around the city of Siguenza has been analysed (La Alcarria, north-eastern region, Guadalajara, Spain), an area currently included in the territory comprising the Protected Origin Denomination ‘Miel de la Alcarria’. We studied the pollen recovered from two different types of biological sensors: bryophytes, live material used to study the recent pollen rain, and honey. The aim of this study was to try to establish the relationship between the pollen collected from both types of sensors and the existing natural vegetation in the area using comparative statistical methods. More than 7500 pollen grains were observed from the bryophyte samples and included 35 pollen types. Conversely, the pollen present in 37 honey samples contained 46 pollen types with a total of 46 000 pollen grains counted. The data presented in this study proves the relationship between the bryophyte pollen spectrum and the local vegetation present in a geographical area. However, it indicates t...

Contribution at the study of the selective utilization for Apis melltfera L. of the local flora in one apyary in the NW of Spain. In this work, we have determined the selective utilization of the pollen collection by Api.s inellifera in the species of the sub-humed mediterranean (in accordance with climatic index of Allue) zone of Galicia (NW of Spain), throughout sampling pollen loud at the hives. This was quantified the different plant used by honey bees, analyzing the relative importance of them.

Background and aims The objective of this work was to determine the influence of the soil substrate on the characteristics and properties of a specific type of honey. As such, we analysed the features of a typical single-flower honey, thyme honey, produced in a specific Mediterranean region. Thymus is a genus of aromatic perennial plants that are native to Europe, North Africa and Asia. Methods A total of 70 honey samples from hives situated on limestone (38 samples) or gypsum soils (32 samples) were studied. The physical and chemical properties of each samples were analyzed using standard assays. Results Within the same geographical area and despite a similar thyme pollen content, we observed variation in the physicochemical, antioxidant and sensorial characteristics of monofloral honeys. The quantification of certain physicochemical parameters of the honey indicated these features were influenced by the soil type. Indeed, the soil type of the hives’ settlement area, limestone or gypsum, influences the conductivity, antioxidant capacity, colour and floristic composition. Conclusions The present work demonstrates that soil type (gypsum or limestone) influences the characteristics of honey, potentially providing added market value to these products. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40064-016-3243-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.