Floral Diversity in Different Types of Honey

Abstract Many different types of honey are available in the Brazilian market. They vary in color, flavor, smell, thereby increasing interest in honey characterization relating to botanical origin. A total of 155 honey samples belonging to Brazilian flora were examined on the pollen analysis; sampling is made in a span of one year. The preparation followed melisso palynological analysis based on the specific botanical variety. The pollen spectra revealed 60 pollen types belonging to 27 plant families and Myrtaceae, Fabaceae and Asteraceae were the dominant plant families. Few pollen types were found in most samples of honey. The families that showed major richness of pollen types were Fabaceae and Asteraceae. Only six floral sources of pollen plants and three floral sources of nectar plants appeared in the category of predominant pollen. The unifloral honeys were slightly more frequent than polyfloral, and wild floral species dominated most of the honey samples. These floral sources, even in minor parts in the honeys samples, are also part of the biological feature of theses honeys. The honeys from natural fields cannot be completely accounted by the term unifloral honeys.

Mycotoxicological and palynological profiles of commercial brands of dried bee pollen

Abstract Pollen is used in the human diet as a food supplement because of its high nutritional value; however, this product is prone to fungal contamination that could potentially generate toxins that are harmful to human health. This study aimed to verify the floral diversity of commercial brands of bee pollen and their mycotoxicological safety for human consumption. A total of 27 bee pollen samples were analyzed; these samples represented commercial brands, either showing an inspection seal or not, marketed in the State of Rio de Janeiro. The analyzed parameters included floral diversity through palynological analysis, water activity, fungal counts, identification and toxigenic profiles. The palynological analysis identified nine plant families, of which the Asteraceae was predominant. Analysis of hygienic quality based on fungal load showed that 92% of samples were reproved according to the commercial, sanitary, and food safety quality indicators. Aspergillus, Cladosporium and Penicillium were the most common genera. Toxigenic evaluation showed that 25% of the A. flavus strains produced aflatoxins. The high rate of contamination of products bearing an inspection seal emphasizes the need to monitor the entire procedure of bee pollen production, as well as to revise the current legislation to ensure safe commercialization of this product.

Floral sources to Tetragonisca angustula (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and their pollen morphology in a Southeastern Brazilian Atlantic Forest

The stingless bees are important flowers visitors of several plant species, due to their feeding habits and foraging behavior, constituting an important group to maintain biodiversity and the dynamics of tropical communities. Among stingless bees, Tetragonisca angustula is widely distributed in tropical habitats, and has been considered an important pollinator of different plant families. To support a rational economic use of this group, there is a need to characterize the plant species that represent important sources as part of their diet, as preferred, alternative or casual food sources. The aim of this survey was to distinguish the plant species that T. angustula visited most often. The study was undertaken in four regions of the Atlantic Rainforest in Rio de Janeiro state (Brazil) over a year from March 2008 to February 2009. For this, we collected bees, flowering plants and bee pollen loads from the four sites, and evaluated pollen morphology in the laboratory. Field observations showed the presence of plants belonging to ten different families and pollen loads showed the presence of pollen types belonging to 26 plant families. There were strong differences between pollen types, especially regarding pollen grain shape. The present survey suggests a high value of these plant species as trophic resources for the T. angustula in the understory of Atlantic Rainforest. Changes in these fragments of this forest may compromise the availability of resources for Tetragonisca angustula species and other stingless bees.

Para apoyar el uso racional de las abejas sin aguijón, es necesario conocer las especies de plantas que actúan como fuentes de recursos para estas abejas en su ambiente natural. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar las especies de plantas que fueron visitadas con mayor frecuencia por abejas Tetragonisca angustula y describir los granos de polen de estas plantas. El estudio se realizó en la Mata Atlántica, donde se recogieron las abejas, las plantas con flores y el polen de las cargas corbiculares de las abejas obreras. La observación de campo mostró la presencia de plantas pertenecientes a diez familias y las cargas de polen mostraron la presencia de tipos de polen pertenecientes a 26 familias botánicas. Hubo grandes diferencias entre los tipos de polen, sobre todo teniendo en cuenta la ornamentación de los granos de polen. Este estudio sugiere un alto valor de estas especies de plantas como recursos tróficos para las abejas jataí en el sub-bosque de la Mata Atlántica. Las alteraciones de los fragmentos de bosque pueden afectar la disponibilidad de recursos para Tetragonisca angustula y otras abejas sin aguijón y ser un gran obstáculo para la su crianza sostenible.

Nota sobre abelhas Lestrimelitta rufipes (Freise) (Hymenoptera, Meliponina), atraídas por armadilhas com iscas odoríferas, na região Sul Fluminense do Estado do Rio de Janeiro / Note on bees Lestrimelitta rufipes (Friese) (Hymenoptera, Meliponina) attracted by scent traps in the South Region of the State of Rio de Janeiro

O estudo foi realizado bimestralmente entre agosto de 2006 e maio de 2007 na Região Sul Fluminense do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. As armadilhas, modelo Carvalho-47, foram adaptadas e posteriormente montadas às 9 horas e retiradas 48 horas depois. Em cada ponto de coleta foram montadas 4 armadilhas, totalizando 20 armadilhas em toda a trilha. Durante o experimento, oito operárias de Lestrimelitta rufipes (Friese) foram capturadas, sendo sete atraídas por salicilato de metila e uma por cineole. Além dessas essências, foram utilizadas mais duas essências, eugenol e vanilina, porém essas duas essências não atraíram nenhum indivíduo. Todas as abelhas foram coletadas ao longo de novembro de 2006. Mesmo com ampla distribuição geográfica, L. rufipes não havia sido registrada na região Sul Fluminense, sendo também o primeiro registro de coletas dessa espécie através de armadilhas com iscas odoríferas. Não foi possível identificar o porquê da atração das operárias de L. rufipes ao salicilato de metila e cineole, uma vez que essas abelhas não visitam flores nem ninhos que poderiam conter tais fragrâncias. O método de coleta através de armadilhas com iscas odoríferas poderá ser empregado com diversos objetivos, entre eles, o de conhecer a riqueza e a distribuição desse gênero em diversas áreas.

This study was done each two months between August 2006 to May 2007 in a South Region in the State of Rio de Janeiro. The traps, a (Carvalho-47) model, were adjusted, then assembled at 9 o'clock and finally removed 48 hours after. In each place of the extraction, 4 traps were assembled, in a total of 20 in all the trail. During the experiment, eight worker bees of Lestrimelitta rufipes, were captured, and seven of them were attracted by methyl salicilate and one by cineole. Beside this essences, two more were used, eugenol and vanillin, but these two ones didn't collect any bees. All the bees were collected during November 2006. Even with such geographical distribution, L. rufipes hasn't been registered in this south region, and this is also the first registered collection of this specie using scent traps. It was not possible to identify the cause of the bee workers L. rufipes attraction by methyl salicilate and cineole, because these bees do not visit flowers, neither nets that could have this fragrance. The method of collection used by scent traps can be used for many purposes and among them the objective of knowing the richness and distribution of these types in different areas.

Tipos polínicos encontrados em colônias de abelhas africanizadas sujeitas à doença cria ensacada brasileira / Pollen types found in africanized honeybees colonies submitted to brazilian sac brood disease

O pólen de algumas espécies de Stryphnodendron (Mimosoidea), conhecidas popularmente por barbatimão, tem sido apontado como agente causador da mortandade de larvas pré-pupas observada na cria ensacada brasileira (CEB). Neste estudo, objetivou-se identificar os tipos polínicos encontrados em amostras de pólen coletadas em colméias de Apis mellifera L., no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, a fim de elucidar as fontes florais utilizadas por essa espécie de abelhas em períodos sujeitos a CEB, com especial atenção para a presença do pólen de Stryphnodendron spp. Foram coletadas amostras de pólen apícola e pão de abelhas em sete apiários, em três municípios do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. A amostragem foi tomada um mês antes e durante a ocorrência da CEB. As famílias botânicas mais representativas foram: Leguminosae, Euphorbiaceae, Asteraceae, Poaceae e Myrtaceae. O pólen de Stryphnodendron não esteve presente nas amostras analisadas. A ausência de Stryphnodendron no menu floral das colônias africanizadas acometidas pela CEB em condições naturais sugere outro fator causal para a CEB no Estado do Rio de Janeiro.

The pollen of some Stryphnodendron species (Mimosoidea), commonly known as barbatimão, has been identified as a causative agent of pre-pulps larvae mortality, observed in Brazilian sac brood disease (BSB). The goal of this study is to identify the pollen types found in samples of pollen collected by Apis mellifera L. to elucidate the floral diet used by this honeybee specie in Rio de Janeiro state during the periods where BSB usually occurs. Particular attention was given to the pollen of Stryphnodendron spp presence. Samples of pollen and bee bread were collected from seven apiaries located in Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. Sampling procedures were done a month before BSB usual occurrence and also during its occurrence. Leguminosae, Euphorbiaceae, Asteraceae, Poaceae and Myrtaceae were most representative botanical families on pollen sampling. Pollen from Stryphnodendron was not presented at the analyzed samples. In order to Stryphnodendron absent at the floral diet of Africanized hives affected by BSB in natural conditions, it is proposed another causal factor for BSB in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

Eusocial Apidae in tropical insular region

This study examined species richness and relative abundance of eusocial Apidae in an insular region of rain-forest, southeastern Brazil. Sampling took place during one year, using an standardized method with entomological net, at sites of secondary growth habitats surrounded by Atlantic rain-forest. Thirteen species of eusocial Apidae were netted at flowers, over 80 percent of the captured individuals were meliponine species, although the presence of Apis mellifera, commonly dominant in Brazilian habitats. Foraging activity of these bee species were essentially non-seasonal, apparently affected by high humidity. The patterns in abundance and species richness observed in Ilha Grande differed with other studies conducted at tropical islands, which were characterized by the poverty of meliponine species.

Esta pesquisa foi realizada em uma Ilha tropical do Sudeste brasileiro, onde se examinou a riqueza em espécies e sua abundância relativa de abelhas Apidae eussocias. A amostragem foi feita durante um ano, com pulçás entomológicos, utilizando-se método padrão de coleta em regiões de habitat secundário, cercado por floresta de mata Atlântica. Treze espécies de abelhas eussociais foram capturadas nas flores, mais de 80 por cento do total de espécimes eram meliponíneos, apesar da presença de Apis mellifera, comumente dominante nos hábitats brasileiros. O forrageamento das espécies de abelhas apresentou-se asazonal, com forte influência de períodos muito úmidos. Na Ilha Grande, padrões de abundância e riqueza em espécies contrastam com estudos realizados em outras ilhas, que se caracterizam pela baixa ocorrência de meliponíneos.