Floral resources foraged by Geotrigona argentina (Apidae,Meliponini) in the Argentine Dry Chaco forest

This study is the first contribution to knowledge of the relationships between Geotrigona argentina and the plants of the Argentine Dry Chaco forest. A total of 1260 g of honey (corresponding to 146 pots) and 763 g of pollen (63 pots) stored in four underground nests was studied. The honey pots from each nest were homogenised and the four honey samples were analysed by melissopalynological methods, whereas the pollen pots were studied individually. Both classical counts and counts affected by the volume of the pollen types were carried out. Pollen data were statistically analysed. Additional data on both protein and lipid content is also provided. A total of 39 pollen taxa were identified. Pollen collection was focused on a few pollen taxa: Prosopis, Castela coccinea, Maytenus and Capparis; these taxa, together with Ziziphus mistol and Pisonia zapallo, were also important nectar sources. The preliminary results show that pollen collection varied seasonally, being most diverse in the summer when G. argentina incorporates herbaceous plants into its diet. The pollen collection spectrum of G. argentina is similar to that of other Trigonina bees in that the main plant species collected are a few large shrubs or trees, whose flowering consists of small and clustered flowers. Pots with large amounts of monofloral loads with pollen from only a few species suggests an organised foraging behaviour that includes the recruitment of foragers, such as that observed in other eusocial bees.     

Palynological evaluation of selected honeys from Romania

Fifty-four honey samples collected over two consecutive harvest seasons (2009–2010) from different floristic areas of Romania were analysed. A melissopalynological analysis including qualitative and quantitative analyses was carried out in order to identify the principal pollen types in Romanian honeys and therefore, the important plants exploited by Apis mellifera in this country. Seventy-seven pollen types from 35 botanical families were identified. The main pollen forms were: Brassica napus-type, Tilia, Helianthus annuus, Robinia pseudoacacia, Prunus, Castanea sativa, Fragaria-type and Plantago-type. Honey samples were classified as: acacia honey (Robinia pseudoacacia), lime honey (Tilia), rape honey (Brassica napus-type), sunflower honey (Helianthus annuus), cherry honey (Prunus). Three of them were honeydew honeys whereas the others were all polyfloral. The results from this study can be used as a palynological baseline data of Romanian artisanal honeys.     

Floral resources and risk of exposure to pesticides for Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides Lepeletier 1836 in a Cerrado of São Paulo (Brazil)

Honey and bee bread samples from storage pots of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides were collected monthly from April 2015 to May 2016 in the Mogi Guaçu Biological Reserve (22º 10? S, 47º 11? W). The flora in the site is characteristic of the Atlantic Forest with preserved areas of savanna-like vegetation surrounded by commercial forests, orchards and various crops of exotic and native plants. Samples were analysed with the use of melissopalynological methodology and 46 pollen types from 38 genera and 30 families were identified in 25 honey samples. Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Myrtaceae, Sapindaceae showed the greatest pollen richness in honey. Predominant nectariferous pollen types were Anadenanthera, Cordia, Eucalyptus, Mimosa scabrella, Schefflera, Sida, Serjania and Vernonia. Twenty-eight types of pollen from 21 genera and 19 families were identified in 22 bee bread samples. Fabaceae, Asteraceae and Myrtaceae showed the highest pollen richness. Anadenanthera, Cecropia, Eucalyptus, Melastomataceae, Mimosa scabrella, Mimosa verrucosa and Myrcia were the most frequent polliniferous pollen types. Principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrated that honey and pollen samples formed two main groups of similarity, mainly due to Eucalyptus’ nectar and pollen of Melastomataceae, respectively. Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides collected nectar and pollen from the preserved areas as well as in the secondary and ‘ruderal’ vegetation and in cultivated forests/fields, suggesting their importance as pollinators both of native flora and exotic species. The use of trophic resources of plants grown with pesticides is a concern for the conservation of these species of bee and should be better studied.     

Pollen types from colonies of Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) established in a coffee plantation

Melipona scutellaris is a eusocial bee with potential to be used as a crop pollinator. This study aimed to identify pollen types used by Melipona scutellaris through the analysis of pollen loads and honey samples in colonies established in a coffee plantation. We analysed 117 pollen loads and pollen content of 15 honey samples. In the pollen loads, we identified 40 pollen types. Poincianella pyramidalis, Coffea arabica, Commelina villosa, Mimosa tenuiflora, Myrcia, Senna macranthera, Solanum and Syagrus coronata stood out as predominant pollen. We found a negative correlation between the abundances of the pollen types Coffea arabica and Mimosa tenuiflora during coffee flowering. In the honey samples, we recorded 33 pollen types. Eucalyptus and Machaerium occurred in frequencies of between 16 and 45%. Although Melipona scutellaris gathers resources from several plant species, its diet is based on a relatively narrow subset of plants.     

Pollen analyses of honey from Finland

The present study reports results of qualitative melissopalynological analyses of Finnish honey between the years 2000–2007 and changes in its pollen content from the period 1960–2007. Altogether the pollen content of 734 honey samples was analysed with an average of 415 pollen grains counted from a sample. Pollen of Trifolium repens type, Rubus spp., Salix spp. and the Brassicaceae family were present in more than 90% of the samples, and these pollen types were also found in the highest proportions. Annual variation in the relative amounts of the most numerous pollen types could be as high as 10%. On the basis of the pollen spectra of the honey samples, four regions of forage plants for bees could be identified in Finland. In the period between 1960 and 2007, the most marked change observed was that the percentage of the Trifolium spp. pollen type had decreased from 70% to 10%, while the proportions of Brassicaceae and Rosaceae pollen types showed a corresponding increase.     

Pollen analysis of Atlantic forest honey from the Vale do Ribeira Region,state of São Paulo,Brazil

The pollen contents of 34 Apis mellifera honey samples from the Quilombola Community of Porto Velho (Vale do Ribeira, state of São Paulo, Brazil) were studied in order to identify their botanical and geographical origin. A total number of 114 pollen types distributed in 43 families were identified. Fabaceae pollen types were the most diverse (20). Dominant pollen was observed in 27 samples. The dominant type Piper was found in 21 samples and Zanthoxylum, Mikania cordifolia, Cupania oblongifolia, Cecropia, Attalea and Poaceae only in one sample. The quantitative analysis revealed a predominance of very-high pollen concentrations in the samples (Category IV, 35.3%). A second frequency of occurrence analysis revealed 67 pollen types from 26 botanical families from nectariferous species. Fabaceae was also the family with the largest number of nectariferous pollen types (15), followed by Sapindaceae, Asteraceae (six pollen types each), and Euphorbiaceae (five types). Dominant pollen occurred in 19 samples. The main nectariferous sources of pollen in the present study were: Arecaceae (Attalea and Euterpe/Syagrus), Asteraceae (Mikania cordifolia), Fabaceae (Machaerium), Rutaceae (Zanthoxylum), and Sapindaceae (Cupania oblongifolia). The honey was classified as predominantly heterofloral (67.6%). Monofloral honey from Mikania cordifolia, Machaerium, Zanthoxylum, Cupania oblongifolia, Euterpe/Syagrus and Attalea were also identified. The geographical origin demonstrates Apis mellifera using nectariferous sources available from the Atlantic Rainforest in the south and southeast of Brazil, as well as in the brushwood, secondary forest and field plants. This is one of the first works about melissopalynology in the Vale do Ribeira Region.     

The first find in southern Georgia of fossil honey from the Bronze Age,based on palynological data

The results of a palynological analysis of the organic content of earthenware pots from the Kodiani burial mound (27th–25th centuries b.c.) are reported. The character of the palynological spectrum differs significantly from that of a buried soil within the same burial mound. In the samples taken from the pots, pollen concentration is very high, pollen grains are perfectly preserved and an abundance of pollen from insect-pollinated plants is recorded. It is well known that these features are peculiar to honey palynospectra. In all three pots the pollen of Rosaceae, a family of plants that produce good honey, is dominant. However, the second, third and fourth most dominant pollen types in all three samples are different. For example, Tilia pollen is the second dominant in only one pot. In the second pot, Apiaceae and Poaceae are predominant, and in the third pot, Poaceae, both wild and cultural, is the second dominant. It is clear that the different pots contained different types of honey. The variety of honey types indicates highly developed bee-keeping in the Early Bronze Age. In the same regions of Georgia, agriculture was also highly developed. Wheat cultivation was very important. According to the palynospectra, the landscape and climate of this period were probably quite different to those of today.     

澜沧江流域北部中华蜜蜂有毒蜂蜜孢粉学和营养生态位分析

为分析澜沧江流域北部人食用蜂蜜中毒的原因,于2013年6—9月份,对该区域蜜蜂和蜜源植物的分布情况进行了调查,观察蜜蜂采集有毒蜜源植物的行为,并进一步调查了蜜蜂巢内蜂蜜、蜂花粉的储存情况,采集了中华蜜蜂蜂蜜样品,进行蜂蜜孢粉学与营养生态位分析。该区域有大量采用传统方式进行人工饲养的中华蜜蜂(Apis cerana cerana),及少量野生中华蜜蜂、黑色小蜜蜂(Apis audreniformis)、黑色大蜜蜂(Apis laboriosa smith)群体分布;人工饲养的中华蜜蜂蜂巢内部结构与野生中华蜜蜂蜂巢相似,为自然蜂巢,内有充足的蜜粉储存,部分蜂群蜂巢内虫害严重。该区域内主要蜜源植物为荞麦(Fagopyrum esculentum Moench),其他零星辅助蜜源较多,部分地点南烛(Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb)、昆明山海棠(Tripterygium hypoglaucum(Levl.)Hutch)连片集中分布。对中华蜜蜂蜂蜜进行孢粉学和营养生态位分析,结果表明:中华蜜蜂蜂蜜标本中含有有毒蜜源植物南烛、昆明山海棠花粉,部分样品中南烛、昆明山海棠的花粉含所占比例较高;中华蜜蜂的营养生态位宽度为0.22,比其他地区中华蜜蜂生态位指数小,推测澜沧江水电枢纽的修建等人为原因已对蜜蜂种类、蜜源植物的物种组成、群落结构造成了较大影响。     

A study of variation in the pollen spectra of honeys sampled from the Baixa Limia‐Serra do Xurés Nature Reserve in north‐west Spain

The pollen content of eleven honey samples from ten different apiaries in the Baixa Limia – Serra do Xurés Nature Reserve and other honey commercialised by the cooperative as “Mel do Xurés” (north‐west Spain) was subjected to quantitative and qualitative melissopalynological analysis. The quantitative analysis found that ten samples belonged to Maurizio's Class III and one to Class IV. According to the qualitative analysis, four samples were classified as unifloral honey with Erica, four samples as multifloral honey with Erica pollen as the principal component and three samples as multifloral honey with Cytisus‐type pollen and Erica as the principal component pollen. The pollen spectra differ between the diverse honeys analysed, with a common denominator being Erica and Cytisus‐type pollen being abundant in all. For the rest of the samples, the pollen spectra were mainly the same, but with different relative percentages among secondary elements. Thus, either as a secondary or an important element, 91% of the honeys contained Quercus, 82% Castanea sativa Miller, 45% Rubus, 36% Cistus and 27% Lithodora prostrate (Loisel) Griseb,. In particular, we record for the first time the presence of Ribes and Ilex aquifolium L. pollen in Spanish honeys as an important minor or minor pollen component.     

Pollen analysis of honeys from Caatinga vegetation of the state of Bahia,Brazil

Based on pollen analysis, 17 honey samples collected in the Caatinga area from Nova Soure city were classified by botanical origin to identify the most important floral sources. Most of the honey samples were obtained in August and September. A total of 73 pollen types were identified belonging to 30 families, 64 genera and 30 species. The families best represented by their number of pollen types were Mimosaceae (11), Caesalpiniaceae (9), Rubiaceae and Fabaceae (5 each). Predominant pollen types were: Mimosa arenosa in four samples, M. sensitiva and M. tenuiflora in one sample. Pollen from Mimosa ursina was registered for the first time in the pollen spectrum of the Caatinga vegetation. The correspondence analysis showed a similarity among the honey samples based on pollen composition. The high representation of pollen from native species such as Chamaecrista nictitans, C. ramosa, C. swainsonii and Copaifera martii (Caesalpiniaceae); Aeschynomene martii and Zornia sericea (Fabaceae); Herissantia tiubae (Malvaceae); Mimosa arenosa, M. quadrivalvis, M. sensitiva, M. tenuiflora, M. ursina, Piptadenia moniliformis and Plathymenia reticulata (Mimosaceae), and Ziziphus joazeiro (Rhamnaceae) supports the origin of these honeys from Caatinga vegetation.     

基于山地蜂蜜花粉组成的中华蜜蜂传粉多样性研究

中华蜜蜂为多种植物传粉,具有重要的生态服务价值。为进一步了解中华蜜蜂选择蜜粉源植物的多样性与特征,采用聚合酶链式反应(PCR)、DNA条形码、高通量测序等技术,研究了源自陕西宝鸡、贵州望谟和广西凤山蜂巢蜜中的花粉来源。通过对样品花粉rbcL基因片段扩增及测序、分析,发现各样本间可操作分类单元(OTU)水平上蜜粉源植物Alpha多样性指数无显著差异,同一地点样品不同重复间存在较高的相关性,而不同地区样本相关性较低。三地共鉴定出27目46科71属82种蜜粉源植物,其中宝鸡市、望谟县、凤山县样本中分别鉴定出57种、30种和40种,各地蜜粉源植物的物种组成存在较大差异。这些蜜粉源植物中,菊目植物种类最多,其次为毛茛目,分别有12种和7种。其中草本植物和木本植物(含乔木、灌木和木质藤本等)分别有44种和38种。研究对蜜粉源植物花序特点进行了分析,但并未发现相关性状对中华蜜蜂选择具有的影响。从属的区系成分分析,总体上温带分布区类型的植物属多于热带分布区类型的属,所占比例分别为46.5%和36.6%,但在凤山县样本中出现热带分布区类型多于温带分布区类型的情况。在不同样品中,红足蒿(Artemisia rubripes)、向日葵(Helianthus annuus)、芜青(Brassica rapa)、粗糠柴(Mallotus philippensis)、枇杷(Eriobotrya japonica)等分别占有一定优势,其与中华蜜蜂的关系值得进一步研究。根据蜜粉源植物的系统进化关系,中华蜜蜂访问的蜜粉源植物处于不同进化地位的分支,其中在菊类分支和蔷薇类分支比较集中。研究揭示了中华蜜蜂传粉植物组成特点,为进一步认知中华蜜蜂传粉服务功能的重要性提供依据。     

Pollen characterization of multifloral honeys from La Palma (Canary Islands)

The pollen content of twenty-five honey samples from twelve different apiaries on La Palma (Canary Islands) was subjected to qualitative and quantitative melissopalynological analysis. The quantitative analysis showed that 4% of the honey belonged to Maurizio Class II, 88% to Class III, 4% to Class IV and 4% to Class V. In the qualitative analysis, 60 pollen types were identified from 40 different families. The number of pollen types per honey sample ranges between 16 and 37 (mean of 25.8). Foeniculum vulgare-type and Rumex sp. pollen were present in all the samples. Castanea sativa and Echium plantagineum pollen were found in 96% of them and the combination Aspalathium bituminosum, Bidens pilosa-type and Erica arborea in 92%.     

Secondary pollen types characteristic of Louisiana honeys

Nine secondary pollen types (those comprising 16–45% of the pollen sample) were recovered from 54 honey samples (10 g) collected from the major beekeeping areas of Louisiana. The pollen types in order of decreasing importance are:Berchemia scandens, rattan vine;Rubus spp., blackberry and dewberry;Salix spp., willow;Trifolium repens, white clover;Glycine max, soybean;Parthenocissus quinquefolia, Virginia creeper; Rosaceae, rose family;Cephalanthus occidentalis, buttonbush; andCornus spp., dogwood. The first four secondary types also appeared as dominant pollen (over 45%) in some of the Louisiana honey samples investigated and were previously reported. The remaining five pollen types and the “bee plants” associated with each pollen type are identified and described.     

A melissopalynological study of 54 Louisiana (U.S.A.) honeys

Pollen analyses were made of 54 commercial Louisiana (U.S.A.) honeys collected during 1967–1968. Fifty-eight different pollen types were identified. A direct correlation was assumed between a plant's pollen quantity and its nectar contribution. On this basis, the major Louisiana honey plants that were determined are: Fabaceae, predominantly Trifolium repens (99%), Rubus, Berchemia scandens, and Salix. Plants established as important for their nectar contributions in isolated samples are: Cephalanthus occidentalis, Sapium sebiferum, miscellaneous Compositae (Asteraceae), Glycine max, and Parthenocissus quinquefolia. Native plants such as Rubus, Berchemia scandens, and Salix contribute more to Louisiana's honey sources than do cultivated plants or introduced plants. Most samples originated from six to fifteen different plant types and thus do not appear to be of particularly diverse botanical origin. The pollen types that indicate late spring, summer, or fall honeys include: Glycine max, Cassia fasciculata, Polygonum, Lagerstroemia indica, Lythrum, Ampelopsis, Trachelospermum difforme, and others. Thirty-one samples could be considered unifloral honeys. Most Louisiana honeys were a clear color and from nectar of flowers and not honeydew.     

Characterization of pollen profile of Apis mellifera L. in arid region of Pakistan

Honeybees rely exclusively on pollen and nectar-producing plants for strengthening their colonies and manufacturing honey. Little is known about the indigenous melliferous flora of arid zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) which is crucial for honey production and how different pollen assessment techniques effect the identification of indigenous melliferous pollen flora. Visual survey and loads ensnaring through pollen traps were used to identify the botanical profile of melliferous pollen flora of Dera Ismail Khan (DIKhan), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The test time extended for two consecutive years 2018 and 2019. The study revealed 56 plant species as pollen flora with 18 significant pollen producing species in visual survey technique while 8 species as predominant flora in pollen trapping technique. The major pollen species found common in both the techniques were Brassica napus L., Brassica campestris L., Trifolium alaxandrinum L., Zea mays L., Acacia modesta L., Citrus aurantium L., Euclyptus spp., and Morus alba L. Pollen interception and palynological analysis of pollen were found to be more reliable techniques as compared to focal observations. More than fifty % differences were found by comparing the results of the visual survey and pollen trapping technique in major flora of DIKhan. Based on the availability, utility status and flowering duration of apiphilic flora, mid-February to mid-May was found to be a significant pollen flow period in the study area. Maximum benefit can be taken in this period through trapping ample amount of pollen and stored for using in artificial diets, selling and feeding bees during dearth period.     

Pollen viability and transgene expression following storage in honey

Transgenic plants of tobacco andArabidopsis that produce genetically marked pollen, expressing the reporter geneuidA (gusA), were generated to determine whether pollen proteins can be expressed and stable in honey, a potential route by which foreign proteins might enter the wider environment. Hydrated tobacco pollen was found to lose viability rapidly in honey, while pollen in the natural dehydrated form remained viable for at least several days and in some cases several weeks, as determined by FDA staining activity and germinability. Dehydrated pollen was found to be capable of transient foreign gene expression, following microprojectile bombardment, after incubation in honey for at least 120 h. PCR amplification of transgene sequences in pollen of transgenic plants revealed that pollen DNA can remain relatively intact after 7 weeks in honey. GUS enzyme activity analysis and SDS-PAGE of pollen proteins revealed that foreign and native pollen proteins are stable in pollen incubated in honey for at least 6 weeks. We conclude that pollen may represent an ecologically important vector for transgenic protein products.     

Pollen of Apis honey from Maharashtra

Melissopalynological investigations are important in establishing an apiary industry. Pollen analyses of the nectar sources of Apis florea Fabr. from the Saoner region indicate the importance of this region for commercial bee keeping enterprises. Twenty seven samples were collected during winter season in the months of October 1997 to January 1998 and November 1998 to January 1999. In addition, 245 pollen loads were analyzed from 19 honey combs collected from the same region. Pollen grains were identified from reference slides. Of the 27 honey samples, 17 samples were unifloral and ten multifloral. A total of 39 pollen types were classified into 21 families. In the analyses of the 245 pollen loads Lagascea mollis Cav. was dominant in 57 pollen loads and Parthenium hysterophorus L. in 55 pollen loads. Weeds such as Parthenium hysterophorus, Sphaeranthus indicus L., Lagascea mollis, Bidens pilosa L. and Justicia procumbens L. were the common sources of nectar and pollen for Apis florea in the region. Agricultural tracts of the Saoner region in the Nagpur District have a good potential for sustaining beekeeping ventures because of the diversity of nectar and pollen taxa.     

Pollen analysis of honeys from the northwest of Argentina: Province of Jujuy

The palynological characterisation of 157 honey samples from three northwest regions of Argentina (Prepuna, Yungas and Chaco) are presented to determine their botanical origin and species associations to be able to define their geographic origin. Samples were harvested during 2003–2011 and processed by means of melissopalynological conventional techniques. One-hundred and nine pollen types were identified. Representative pollen types with a frequency of occurrence greater than 50% in descending order of importance are: Salix humboldtiana, Allophylus edulis, Baccharis, Solanaceae, Eucalyptus, Schinus, Brassicaceae, Papilionoideae, Celtis, Scutia/Condalia-type and Parapiptadenia excelsa. The most important monofloral honeys are from the following: Salix humboldtiana, Scutia/Condalia-type, Allophylus edulis, Baccharis, Blepharocalyx salicifolius, Gleditsia amorphoides, Myrtaceae, Sicyos, Ziziphus mistol, Schinopsis-type, Agonandra excelsa, Anadenathera colubrina, Mimosa, all of them native species, and among introduced species are Eucalyptus, Citrus and Tithonia. Three apicultural zones and their corresponding pollen association indicators were determined: Zone I, Prepuna: Arquita trichocarpa, Prosopis ferox, Schinus areira, Baccharis, Buddleja and Mutisieae; Zone II, Yungas: Myrtaceae, Parapiptadenia excelsa, Baccharis, Salix humboldtiana, Allophylus edulis, Scutia/Condalia-type and Zanthoxylum coco; Zone III, transitional area Yungas-Chaco: Prosopis, Salix humboldtiana, Schinus, Anadenanthera colubrina and Allophylus edulis.     

Palynological characterization of honeys from the Andean Patagonia (Chubut,Argentina)

The pollen content of 58 honey samples of Apis mellifera L. from the Andean region of Chubut (Argentinian Patagonia) was analyzed. The samples were provided by beekeepers between 1999 and 2004. Eighty‐eight pollen types were identified, 30 of them are not reported in Argentinian honeys. Identified types belong to 47 families, of which the most diverse were Asteraceae (15 pollen types), Fabaceae (13 pollen types), and Rosaceae (four pollen types). From the samples analyzed, 47% were monofloral and corresponded to the following taxa: Trifolium spp. (16%), Rosaceae (10%), Aristotelia chilensis (Molina) Stuntz (7%), Discaria‐Colletia (5%), Escallonia spp. (3%), Schinus patagonica (Phil.) I. M. Johnst. (2%), Phacelia secunda J. F. Gmel. (2%), Myrtaceae (2%). The results of this study show a high level of utilization of native flora by Apis mellifera. Four new types of monofloral honey were recognized: Aristotelia chilensis, Discaria‐Colletia, Phacelia secunda, and Schinus patagonica. The high representation of native flora distinguishes these honeys geographically.