Exploring the effects of nutrient content in pollen collected by honey bees (Apis mellifera) from different landscapes on colony growth

Exploring the effects of nutrient content in pollen collected by honey bees (Apis mellifera) from different landscapes on colony growth.

Mustafa Bozkus, Kannan Mani, Spencer T. Behmer, and Juliana Rangel*

*Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.

Corresponding author e-mail: mustafabozkus@tamu.edu

Abstract:

Honey bee (Apis mellifera) health critically depends on balanced nutrition, which directly influences growth, immunity, reproduction, and growth. With the recent trend of monofloral pollination services and urbanization, there is a critical need to understand the role of pollen intake on colony health and performance. Honey bees rely on plant nectar and pollen for their nutritional needs, from which they obtain carbohydrates, protein, lipids, and micronutrients. We hypothesize that pollen diversity, and thus access to a multi-dimensional nutritional space, will be lowest in agricultural settings, intermediate in urban areas, and highest in rural landscapes.  In this regard, we will characterize the nutritional characteristics of pollen collected by honey bees in agricultural, urban, and rural landscapes throughout the year. By correlating the nutritional profile of pollen collected by bees in each of these landscapes with colony health metrics, we hope to develop an informed set of guidelines for beekeepers regarding honey bee nutrition, including workshops and supplemental feeding recommendations, to improve bee health across different landscapes.

Key words: Apis mellifera, nutritional ecology, pollen diversity, colony performance, fat metabolism.