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Animals
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Apiculture and Challenges for Future—2nd Edition
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Apiculture and Challenges for Future—2nd Edition

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal System and Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2024 | Viewed by 6784

Special Issue Editors

Dr. María Shantal Rodríguez-Flores

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Guest Editor
Department of Vegetal Biology and Soil Science, Faculty of Science, University of Vigo, As Lagoas, 32004 Ourense, Spain
Interests: characterization of honeybee products; melissopalynology; unifloral honeys; physicochemical properties; sensorial characterization; healthy compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Olga Escuredo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Vegetal Biology and Soil Science, Faculty of Science, University of Vigo, As Lagoas, 32004 Ourense, Spain
Interests: characterization of honeybee products; melissopalynology; unifloral honeys; physicochemical properties; sensorial characterization; healthy compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. M. Carmen Seijo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Vegetal Biology and Soil Science, Faculty of Science, University of Vigo, As Lagoas, 32004 Ourense, Spain
Interests: characterization of honeybee products; melissopalynology; unifloral honeys; physicochemical properties; sensorial characterization; healthy compounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change and current globalization threaten the survival of bee colonies and the supply of beekeeping products. As a result, the increasing global decline of Apis mellifera populations affects the maintenance of ecosystems and food production on a global scale. Global warming is responsible for the displacement of some plant and animal species, as well as changes in the flowering patterns of honey bee resources. Globalization also facilitates world trade and the circulation of different species and subspecies on a global scale. The consequences of this genetic input for apiculture have scarcely been studied. In the case of exotic and pathogenic species, they have been able to take advantage of current circumstances to better adapt to the environment they invade, creating new threats to honeybees.

Beekeeping is in a moment of urgency that requires more research focused on identifying these risk factors. Changing conditions and emerging threats must be researched and addressed. This second Special Issue calls for research on topics such as the effects of global warming and the consequences of invasive species, new pests, and diseases, as well as management strategies and innovative methods such as precision beekeeping, which offer alternative solutions for this economic sector.

Dr. María Shantal Rodríguez-Flores
Prof. Dr. Olga Escuredo
Prof. Dr. M. Carmen Seijo
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • beekeeping
  • honey bees
  • new challenges
  • climate change
  • emerging technologies
  • management strategies

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 520 KiB  
Article
Composition and Quality of Honey Bee Feed: The Methodology and Monitoring of Candy Boards
by Soraia I. Falcão, Michel Bocquet, Robert Chlebo, João C. M. Barreira, Alessandra Giacomelli, Maja Ivana Smodiš Škerl and Giancarlo Quaglia
Animals 2024, 14(19), 2836; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14192836 - 1 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1204
Abstract
The nutritional status of a honey bee colony is recognized as a key factor in ensuring a healthy hive. A deficient flow of nectar and pollen in the honey bee colony immediately affects its development, making room for pathogen proliferation and, consequently, for [...] Read more.
The nutritional status of a honey bee colony is recognized as a key factor in ensuring a healthy hive. A deficient flow of nectar and pollen in the honey bee colony immediately affects its development, making room for pathogen proliferation and, consequently, for a reduction in the activities and strength of the colony. It is, therefore, urgent for the beekeepers to use more food supplements and/or substitutes in apiary management, allowing them to address colony nutritional imbalances according to the beekeeper’s desired results. In this context, the commercial market for beekeeping products is growing rapidly due to low regulation of animal food products and the beekeeper’s willingness to guarantee healthy colonies. There are numerous products (bee food additives) currently available on the worldwide market, with a highly variable and sometimes even undefined composition, claiming a set of actions at the level of brood stimulation, energy supplementation, queen rearing support, reduction of Varroa reproduction levels, improvement of the intestinal microflora of bees, Nosema prevention, and improvement of the health of honey bee colonies infested by American foulbrood, among others. To address this issue, the members of the COLOSS (Honey Bee Research Association) NUTRITION Task Force are proposing, for the first time, action on honey bee feed control and monitoring. In our common study, we focused on candy board composition and quality parameters. For that, a selected number of commercial candy boards usually found in Europe were analyzed in terms of water and ash content, pH, acidity, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, sugars, C3-C4 sugar origin, and texture. Results revealed differences between the values found and the ones displayed on the label, demonstrating the need for regulation of the quality of these products. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Apiculture and Challenges for Future—2nd Edition)
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16 pages, 1642 KiB  
Article
Potential of Wormwood and Oak Bark-Based Supplement in Health Improvement of Nosema ceranae-Infected Honey Bees
by Uros Glavinic, Nemanja M. Jovanovic, Nina Dominikovic, Nada Lakic, Milivoje Ćosić, Jevrosima Stevanovic and Zoran Stanimirovic
Animals 2024, 14(8), 1195; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14081195 - 16 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1271
Abstract
Nosema ceranae, a microsporidian parasite, as one of the stressors that contribute to honey bee decline, has a significant negative impact on the longevity, productivity, and reproductive capacity of honey bee colonies. There are several different strategies for Nosema infection control, including [...] Read more.
Nosema ceranae, a microsporidian parasite, as one of the stressors that contribute to honey bee decline, has a significant negative impact on the longevity, productivity, and reproductive capacity of honey bee colonies. There are several different strategies for Nosema infection control, including natural-based and antibiotic-based products. In this study, we tested wormwood and oak bark-based supplement “Medenko forte” on survival, Nosema infection, oxidative stress, and expression of immune-related genes in artificially N. ceranae-infected bees. The results revealed a positive influence on the survival of Nosema-infected bees, irrespectively of the moment of supplement application (day 1, day 3, or day 6 after bee emergence), as well as reduction of Nosema loads and, consequently, Nosema-induced oxidative stress. Supplementation had no negative effects on bee immunity, but better anti-Nosema than immune-stimulating effects were affirmed based on expression levels of abaecin, defensin, hymenoptaecin, apidaecin, and vitellogenin genes. In conclusion, the tested supplement “Medenko forte” has great potential in the health protection of Nosema-infected bees. However, further investigations need to be performed to elucidate its mechanisms of action. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Apiculture and Challenges for Future—2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 2569 KiB  
Article
Phytochemical Composition and Pharmacological Efficacy Evaluation of Calamintha nepeta, Calamintha sylvatica, Lavandula austroapennina and Mentha piperita Essential Oils for the Control of Honeybee (Apis mellifera) Varroosis
by Roberto Bava, Fabio Castagna, Carmine Lupia, Stefano Ruga, Filomena Conforti, Mariangela Marrelli, Maria Pia Argentieri, Vincenzo Musella, Domenico Britti, Giancarlo Statti and Ernesto Palma
Animals 2024, 14(1), 69; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14010069 - 24 Dec 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1500
Abstract
Varroa destructor is currently considered the parasite that causes the greatest damage and economic losses to honeybee farms. Its presence is often associated with that of viral and bacterial pathogens, which ultimately leads to colony collapse. Careful control of the parasitic load is [...] Read more.
Varroa destructor is currently considered the parasite that causes the greatest damage and economic losses to honeybee farms. Its presence is often associated with that of viral and bacterial pathogens, which ultimately leads to colony collapse. Careful control of the parasitic load is therefore necessary to avoid the onset of these events. Although chemical treatments are often in easily and quickly administered formulations, in recent years, there have been increasingly frequent reports of the onset of drug resistance phenomena, which must lead to reconsidering their use. Furthermore, chemical compounds can easily accumulate in the food matrices of the hive, with possible risks for the final consumer. In such a condition, it is imperative to find alternative treatment solutions. Essential oils (EOs) prove to be promising candidates due to their good efficacy and good environmental biodegradability. In this study, the acaricidal efficacy of the EOs of Calamintha sylvatica Bromf., Calamintha nepeta Savi, Lavandula austroapennina N.G. Passal. Tundis & Upson and Mentha piperita L., extracted from botanical species belonging to the Lamiaceae family, was evaluated. The test chosen for the evaluation was residual toxicity by contact. The examined EOs were diluted in Acetone to a concentration of 2, 1 and 0.5 mg/mL. At the highest concentration, the EOs demonstrated an acaricidal activity equal to 52% for C. nepeta, 60% for C. sylvatica, 80% for L. austroapennina and 68% for M. piperita. Of the EOs tested, therefore, Lavender proves to be a good candidate for subsequent evaluations in semi-field and field studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Apiculture and Challenges for Future—2nd Edition)
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12 pages, 2794 KiB  
Article
Effects of Plant-Based Supplement on Oxidative Stress of Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) Infected with Nosema ceranae
by Nemanja M. Jovanovic, Uros Glavinic, Marko Ristanic, Branislav Vejnovic, Tamara Ilic, Jevrosima Stevanovic and Zoran Stanimirovic
Animals 2023, 13(22), 3543; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13223543 - 16 Nov 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2136
Abstract
One of the most important approaches in the prevention and treatment of nosemosis is the use of herbal preparations as food supplements for bees. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a plant-based supplement branded as “B+” on [...] Read more.
One of the most important approaches in the prevention and treatment of nosemosis is the use of herbal preparations as food supplements for bees. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a plant-based supplement branded as “B+” on honeybees in a laboratory experiment. Four experimental groups were established: treated group (T), N. ceranae-infected and treated group (IT), N. ceranae-infected group (I) and non-infected group (NI). Survival, N. ceranae spore load and oxidative stress parameters together with expression levels of antioxidant enzyme genes and vitellogenin gene were monitored. The mortality in the T, IT and NI groups was significantly (p < 0.001) lower than in than in the I group. Within Nosema-infected groups, the IT group had a significantly lower (p < 0.001) number of N. ceranae spores than the I group. In addition, expression levels of genes for antioxidant enzymes were lower (p < 0.001) in the IT group compared to the I group. The concentration of malondialdehyde and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione S-transferase) were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the IT group compared to the I group. No negative effects of the tested supplement were observed. All these findings indicate that the tested supplement exerted beneficial effects manifested in better bee survival, reduced N. ceranae spore number and reduced oxidative stress of bees (lower expression of genes for antioxidant enzymes and oxidative stress parameters). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Apiculture and Challenges for Future—2nd Edition)
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