Selective Behaviour of Honeybees in Acquiring European Propolis Plant Precursors.
Honey bees harvest resins from various plant species and use them in the hive as propolis. While there have been a number of studies concerning the chemical composition of this antimicrobial product, little is known about selective behavior and bee preference when different potential plant sources of resin are available. The main objective of this paper was to investigate some aspects of behavioral patterns of honeybees in the context of resin acquisition. Samples of propolis originating from temperate zones of Europe and the supposed botanical precursors of the product were analyzed. Taxonomical markers of bud resins of two white birch species, aspen, black poplar, horse-chestnut, black alder, and Scots pine were determined through GC-MS analysis. All these trees have been reported as sources of propolis, but comparisons of the chemical composition of their bud resins with the compositions of propolis samples from seven European countries have demonstrated the presence of taxonomical markers only from black poplar, aspen, and one species of birch. This suggests selective behavior during the collection of bud resins by honeybees. To examine the causes of such selectivity, the antimicrobial properties of bud resins were determined. Horse-chestnut resins had lower antimicrobial activity than the other resins which did not differ significantly.
Forest Faculty, Białystok University of Technology, 17-200, Hajnówka, Poland. v.isidorov@pb.edu.pl.
Valery A
VA
Isidorov
Forest Faculty, Białystok University of Technology, 17-200, Hajnówka, Poland.
Sławomir
S
Bakier
Forest Faculty, Białystok University of Technology, 17-200, Hajnówka, Poland.
Ewa
E
Pirożnikow
Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, University of Białystok, 15-950, Białystok, Poland.
Monika
M
Zambrzycka
Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biology, University of Białystok, 15-950, Białystok, Poland.
Izabela
I
Swiecicka
D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001516:Bees / Q000187:drug effects*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D011429:Propolis / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D011429:Propolis
Aesculus hippocastanum; Alnus glutinosa; Apis mellifera; Betula pendula; Betula pubescens; Black alder; Black poplar; Common aspen; Downy birch; Horse-chestnut; Pinus sylvestris; Populus nigra; Populus tremula; Propolis; Scots pine; Silver birch