Honey bee (Apis mellifera) preference towards micronutrients and their impact on bee colonies |
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Authors: | Khalid Ali Khan Hamed A Ghramh Zubair Ahmad Mogbel AA El-Niweiri Mohamed Elimam Ahamed Mohammed |
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Institution: | 1. Research Center for Advanced Materials Science (RCAMS), King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia;2. Unit of Bee Research and Honey Production, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia;3. Biology Department, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia;4. Biology Department, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Zahran al-Janobe, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia;5. Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia |
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Abstract: | Honey bees are important pollinators and take micronutrients from different natural floral resources and turbid water to adequately meet their nutritional requirements. But the role of micronutrients for honey bee health is not well understood. Here, the present study was conducted to determine honey bees' micronutrients preference in summer and winter seasons. Also, the impact of micronutrients on foraging behaviour and brood increase was studied in different honey bee colonies. The results elucidated that honey bees exhibited a strong preference for a salt solution compared to deionized water during the summer and winter seasons. However, there was a notable switch in salt preference between seasons. Overall, honey bees showed significantly more foraging activity, more pollen collection, and increased brood area after sodium consumption compared to other minerals in the summer season. Further, pollen collection and brood area were significantly higher after the use of potassium in the winter season. Thus, the food preference of honey bees is strongly linked with the seasons and the availability of the floral resources. Our data suggested that honey bees may seek specific nutrients during variation of the seasonal conditions. |
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Keywords: | Honey bee Minerals Nutrition Foraging behaviour Pollen Seasons |
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