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Monitoring Colony-level Effects of Sublethal Pesticide Exposure on Honey Bees
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Dietary Phytochemicals, Honey Bee Longevity and Pathogen Tolerance
Elisa Bernklau1, Louis Bjostad2, Alison Hogeboom3
1Bioagricultural Sciences and Pest Management, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. elisa.bernklau@colostate.edu.
Insects
|January 11, 2019
Summary
Dietary phytochemicals from plants can improve honey bee survival and pathogen resistance. Lower concentrations of these compounds, like caffeine and gallic acid, are most beneficial for bee health.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Zoology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Habitat loss reduces essential floral resources for bees, impacting plant-pollinator mutualisms.
- Phytochemicals in nectar and pollen play a crucial role in honey bee health and plant-pollinator interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of four specific phytochemicals (caffeine, gallic acid, kaempferol, p-coumaric acid) on the survival and pathogen tolerance of European honey bees (Apis mellifera).
Main Methods:
- Worker bees were provided sugar solutions with varying concentrations of phytochemicals to assess longevity.
- Artificially infected bees (Nosema ceranae) received phytochemical supplements to determine effects on longevity and pathogen load.
Main Results:
- Phytochemical supplementation significantly increased honey bee longevity.
- Lower concentrations of phytochemicals generally yielded more beneficial effects.
- Supplemented bees exhibited enhanced tolerance to Nosema ceranae infection, indicated by reduced spore loads.
Conclusions:
- Dietary phytochemicals bolster honey bee health and resilience against pathogens.
- These findings highlight the chemical underpinnings of plant-pollinator co-evolution.
- Maintaining diverse floral resources rich in phytochemicals is vital for sustaining healthy honey bee populations.
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