Occurrence of virus, microsporidia, and pesticide residues in three species of stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) in the field.

Bees are important pollinators whose population has declined due to several factors, including infections by parasites and pathogens. Resource sharing may play a role in the dispersal dynamics of pathogens among bees. This study evaluated the occurrence of viruses (DWV, BQCV, ABPV, IAPV, KBV, and CBPV) and microsporidia (Nosema ceranae and Nosema apis) that infect Apis mellifera, as well as pesticide residues in the stingless bees Nannotrigona testaceicornis, Tetragonisca angustula, and Tetragona elongata sharing the same foraging area with A.

European Foulbrood in stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) in Brazil: Old disease, renewed threat.

Stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) are a group of bees with vestigial stings showing a high level of social organization. They are important pollinators in tropical and subtropical regions, and, in the last decades, stingless beekeeping has increased rapidly in Brazil. Bee-collected pollen and honey of Apis mellifera can be an important source of disease when used as supplements to feed stingless bee colonies, a common and increasing practice adopted by stingless beekeepers.

Honey bee colonies act as reservoirs for two Spiroplasma facultative symbionts and incur complex, multiyear infection dynamics.

Two species of Spiroplasma (Mollicutes) bacteria were isolated from and described as pathogens of the European honey bee, Apis mellifera, ~30 years ago but recent information on them is lacking despite global concern to understand bee population declines. Here we provide a comprehensive survey for the prevalence of these two Spiroplasma species in current populations of honey bees using improved molecular diagnostic techniques to assay multiyear colony samples from North America (U.S.

Nosema ceranae has been present in Brazil for more than three decades infecting Africanized honey bees.

Until the mid-1990s, the only microsporidium known to infect bees of the genus Apis was Nosema apis. A second species, Nosema ceranae, was first identified in 1996 from Asian honey bees; it is postulated that this parasite was transmitted from the Asian honey bee, Apis cerana, to the European honey bee, Apis mellifera. Currently, N.

Hydroxycinnamic acid amide derivatives, phenolic compounds and antioxidant activities of extracts of pollen samples from Southeast Brazil.

Seven bee pollen samples (C1-C7) with different palynological sources were harvested from Pindamonhangaba municipality (Southeast Brazil). Methanol extracts of untreated samples (control), samples frozen at -18 °C and samples frozen and then dried were analyzed by HPLC/PAD/ESI/MS/MS. Flavonoid diglycosides of quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin and patuletin were detected, together with hydroxycinnamic acid amide derivatives, such as N',N'',N'''-tris-p-feruloylspermidine and N',N'',N'''-tris-p-coumaroylspermidine.

Seasonal variation, chemical composition and antioxidant activity of Brazilian propolis samples.

Total phenolic contents, antioxidant activity and chemical composition of propolis samples from three localities of Minas Gerais state (southeast Brazil) were determined. Total phenolic contents were determined by the Folin-Ciocalteau method, antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH, using BHT as reference, and chemical composition was analyzed by GC/MS. Propolis from Itapecerica and Paula Cândido municipalities were found to have high phenolic contents and pronounced antioxidant activity.

Virus infections in Brazilian honey bees.

This work describes the first molecular-genetic evidence for viruses in Brazilian honey bee samples. Three different bee viruses, Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV), Black queen cell virus (BQCV), and Deformed wing virus (DWV) were identified during a screening of RNAs from 1920 individual adult bees collected in a region of southeastern Brazil that has recently shown unusual bee declines. ABPV was detected in 27.

Plant Origin of Green Propolis: Bee Behavior, Plant Anatomy and Chemistry.

Propolis, a honeybee product, has gained popularity as a food and alternative medicine. Its constituents have been shown to exert pharmacological effects, such as anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory and anticancer. Shoot apices of Baccharis dracunculifolia (alecrim plant, Asteraceae) have been pointed out as sources of resin for green propolis.

Origin and Chemical Variation of Brazilian Propolis.

Propolis is a hive product containing chiefly beeswax and plant-derived substances such as resin and volatile compounds. Propolis has been used as an antiseptic and wound healer since ancient times and interest for the product has increased recently. Probably few plant species contribute as major resin sources.