Lethal effects of tea-oil Camellia on honeybee larvae due to pollen toxicity.

Authors :: Zhang C
Feng HH
Liu YL
Huang SQ
Source :: Journal of integrative plant biology [J Integr Plant Biol] 2024 Nov; Vol. 66 (11), pp. 2313-2316. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Jul 02.
Publication Year :: 2024
Abstract: Toxicity tests on tea-oil Camellia flowers (Camellia oleifera) indicated that its pollen harmed honeybee larvae significantly more than pollen from oilseed rape (Brassica napus) flowers. The C. oleifera pollen contained high levels of the toxic triterpenoid theasaponin, which was undetectable in nectar.<br /> (© 2024 Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.)