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Updated: Feb 14, 2026

Collection and Identification of Pollen from Honey Bee Colonies
Published on: January 19, 2021
Harvesting Season and Botanical Origin Interferes in Production and Nutritional Composition of Bee Pollen
Adriana F Negrão1, Ricardo O Orsi2
1Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista/UNESP, Campus Botucatu, Rua Dr. José Barbosa de Barros, 1780, Fazenda Experimental Lageado, 18610-307 Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
Abstract:
We aimed to evaluate the frequency of bee pollen production, its botanical origin and chemical composition when collected in different seasons. Our results indicate that higher proteins (22.80 ± 3.09%) and flavonoids (2789.87 ± 1396.00 μg 100g-1) levels were obtained in the winter season, which also showed greater pollen production (134.50 ± 35.70 grams) and predominance of the Myrtaceae family. As for spring we found high concentrations of lipids (4.62 ± 2.26%) and low ash content (2.22 ± 0.39%). Regarding the amino acid composition and vitamin C content, we found no differences between the averages throughout the seasons. Our results highlight the importance of understanding not only the botanical origin and the chemical composition of bee pollen, but also the harvesting frequency of this product by bees, so that it becomes possible to supplement the colonies in times of natural food resources shortage.
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