Pollination is an important ecosystem service necessary for 80% of global plant reproduction. This service can also improve fruit production and is essential for 84% of all crops grown in the EU. However, some pollinators have been declining for the last decades and the important honey bee is no exception. One of the reasons to this decline is believed to be agricultural use of chemicals (i.e. fungicides, herbicides and insecticides). One of the most commonly used herbicides is RoundUp, which include glyphosate as its active substance. In this study, I test if RoundUp affects honey bee behaviour by exposing them during a short-term period to one of three different concentrations (0 mg/l, 5 mg/l and 50 mg/l). The test was conducted in a wind tunnel and aimed to test the hypothesis that glyphosate affects searching abilities and flight time of honey bees. In contrast to my hypothesis, I was unable to detect effects on searching ability. However, method limitations might have been the reason only three bees, out of 147, found the food. My analysis showed neither any effects from RoundUp on fly time (P>0.05) or activity (P=0.066). However, in my data I could see a negative trend in activity and due to earlier data collected around glyphosate, I argue that exposure to glyphosate might have a negative long-term impact on honey bee survival.

Varroa destructor, in Czech language known as kleštík včelí, is a parasitic mite (of eastern bee and honeybee) which causes the disease called varroasis. Kleštík is like a black passenger on the body of bees and drones, which commonly penetrate foreign hives, and because of that they can be considered the main vector of parasite. In the Czech Republic we fight this parasite using methods every since its discovery in the early 80s of the 20th century. Some methods are defined by the Veterinary Institute in the Czech Republic and the others were disovered by the beekeepers themselves. The main purpose of this thesis was to determine what are current methods to suppress or to completely obliterate the infection caused by Varroa destructor. What methods have proved to be most effective, and what new methods were invented from the time of its discovery. I conducted a field experiment bee hives belonging to beekeeping organizations Trhové Sviny during the 2015 and the 2016. The practical part of my research ( i.e. occurrence and also the review of varroasis disease treatment) had little effect on normal activities of beekeepers. The process of Varroa destructor presence, its treatment and the methods of treatment researched. Based on the collected samples sent to Veterinary Administration for testing to find out whether are the Varroa counter measures effective or not. The conclusion of my reasearch ist he unificated treatment and detection of Varroa are of the main importance. That goes not only for the beekeeping associations but also by unregistered beekeepers. Because the amount of bee colonies here in the Czech Republic is huge, the use of alternative treatment and suppresing procedures as well as the intentional breeding for resistance against Varroa are rather unrealistic, the only viable option fort he moment , is to follow Veterinary Services guidelines.

Nosemosis is a serious disease of bees caused by microsporidia Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae. Both species are widely spread around the world and in the Czech Republic. The aim of this thesis was to evaluate the incidence and prevalence of Nosema spp., describe the species variability and assess the influence of the season. PCR method amplifying part of the gene encoding the small ribosomal subunit rRNA was used to identify the species of Nosema spp. A total 77 samples originated from 17 farmers were examined Out of them, 71% (55 samples) were positive for the presence of Nosema spp. Samples were collected in five seasons in 2011?2012. Both N. apis, and N. ceranae were detected in all breeds. In 2011, N. apis was detected as causative agent of nosemosis except one sample, where the mixed infection was detected. In 2012, N. ceranae was observed in mono- or mixed infections. Currently monoinfections of N. apis were not detected in 2012. Generally, the highest occurrence was detected in the autumn and winter months.

Diploma Thesis watch qualitative indicators of honey in dependence of different ways of nutrition of bee colony. Determined the influence on fragmentation of honey, content solids materials, acidity of honey, electrical conductivity of honey and using of refractometer to find out content of water.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:32:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2005-01-10Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T21:05:31Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 melo_crm_dr_botfm.pdf: 282857 bytes, checksum: b93322b1d4fd06e5dda5714db163ab21 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / A restrição hospitalar de alimentação e fluido oral para parturientes é uma tradição obstétrica fortemente organizada, justificada pelo risco de regurgitação e aspiração do conteúdo gástrico durante a anestesia. Estudos demonstram que independente do tempo da última refeição, o estômago nunca está completamente vazio, pois o jejum não elimina o conteúdo estomacal; pelo contrário, aumenta a concentração de ácido clorídrico, podendo o jejum prolongado causar aumento do volume gástrico e da acidez. Embora a infusão intravenosa seja necessária, em muitas circunstâncias obstétricas, para administração de medicamentos ou anestesia, o emprego de fluidos intravenosos de rotina não pode ser considerada um substituto completamente seguro de alimento e líquidos no trabalho de parto. Estudos comparam o esforço do trabalho de parto com o desempenho atlético como correr uma maratona, porém há carência de informação das necessidades nutricionais da parturiente e seu feto A normatização das práticas durante a assistência ao parto normal reflete a promoção do parto e nascimento saudáveis, porém observam-se ainda atitudes desvinculadas dos últimos achados científicos. / Oral fluid and dietary restriction for parturients in hospital settings is a highly organized obstetric tradition aimed at preventing regurgitation and aspiration of gastric matter from taking place during anesthesia. Studies have shown that, independently from the time of the last meal, the stomach is never completely empty because fasting does not eliminate stomach contents. Quite the contrary, there is an increase in chloridric acid. Besides, prolonged fasting may raise the level of gastric volume and acidity. Intravenous infusion is necessary, but when it comes to medication or anesthesia management, routine intravenous fluids may not work as well as food and liquids during obstetric labor. Some studies show that giving birth takes as much effort as running a marathon. Nevertheless, information about the nutritional needs of parturient and fetus is scarce. Although less scientific forms of labor management can still be found, concrete measures towards promoting a healthier labor can be taken by the standardization of the assistance to the mother in normal labor.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:33:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-09-19Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:23:40Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 cardoso_kfg_dr_botfmvz.pdf: 274279 bytes, checksum: 4c63fe896bafffcb2b2627717e3c4439 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / O objetivo deste trabalho foi caracterizar a qualidade higiênico-sanitária do mel produzido na região do Pólo Cuesta do Estado de São Paulo, por meio da enumeração do Número Mais Provável de Coliformes Totais e Termotolerantes, contagem de bolores e leveduras e atividade de água. Foram coletadas 37 amostras de méis de diferentes floradas produzidas por abelhas Apis mellifera L. em apiários distribuídos na região. As amostras de mel foram coletadas no momento do beneficiamento, acondicionadas em embalagens plásticas do apiário e armazenadas à temperatura ambiente. Todas as análises foram realizadas segundo as recomendações do Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento no Laboratório de Microbiologia de Alimentos do Instituto de Biociências da UNESP de Botucatu. Todas as amostras revelaram-se negativas quanto à presença de coliformes totais e termotolerantes e 34 (91,9%) apresentaram contaminação por bolores e leveduras, variando entre 102 até 105 UFC/g. Quanto a atividade de água, os menores valores foram observados na florada de laranja com média de 0,575±0,01 Aa, diferindo significativamente das floradas de eucalipto (0,629±0,02 Aa) e silvestre (0,614±0,02 Aa). Conclui-se que a qualidade microbiológica do mel produzido na região do Pólo Cuesta do Estado de São Paulo apresenta-se satisfatória / The objective of this study was to characterize the hygienic quality of the honey produced in the Pólo Cuesta region of São Paulo state by enumerating the Most Probable Number of Total Coliforms and Thermotolerants, by counting yeasts and molds, and by water activity. Thirty-seven samples of honey of flowerings produced by Apis mellifera L. bees in apiaries spread throughout the region were collected. The 28 honey samples were collected at processing, kept in plastic packages of the apiary, and stored in room temperature. All the analyses were carried out according to the recommendations of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply in the Laboratory of Food Microbiology of the Bioscience Institute at UNESP - Botucatu. All the samples proved negative as to the presence of total coliforms and thermotolerants and 34 (91.9%) of them presented some contamination by yeasts and molds ranging from 102 to 105 UFC/g. As to water activity, the lowest values were observed in the orange flowering with an average of 0.575±0.01 Aa, which is significantly different from the eucalyptus flowering (0.629±0.02 Aa) and from the sylvestral one (0.614±0.02 Aa). It is concluded that the microbiological quality of the honey produced in the Pólo Cuesta region of São Paulo state proves satisfactory

abstract: Food is an essential driver of animal behavior. For social organisms, the acquisition of food guides interactions with the environment and with group-mates. Studies have focused on how social individuals find and choose food sources, and share both food and information with group-mates. However, it is often not clear how experiences throughout an individual's life influence such interactions. The core question of this thesis is how individuals’ experience contributes to within-caste behavioral variation in a social group. I investigate the effects of individual history, including physical injury and food-related experience, on individuals' social food sharing behavior, responses to food-related stimuli, and the associated neural biogenic amine signaling pathways. I use the eusocial honey bee (Apis mellifera) system, one in which individuals exhibit a high degree of plasticity in responses to environmental stimuli and there is a richness of communicatory pathways for food-related information. Foraging exposes honey bees to aversive experiences such as predation, con-specific competition, and environmental toxins. I show that foraging experience changes individuals' response thresholds to sucrose, a main component of adults’ diets, depending on whether foraging conditions are benign or aversive. Bodily injury is demonstrated to reduce individuals' appetitive responses to new, potentially food-predictive odors. Aversive conditions also impact an individual's social food sharing behavior; mouth-to-mouse trophallaxis with particular groupmates is modulated by aversive foraging conditions both for foragers who directly experienced these conditions and non-foragers who were influenced via social contact with foragers. Although the mechanisms underlying these behavioral changes have yet to be resolved, my results implicate biogenic amine signaling pathways as a potential component. Serotonin and octopamine concentrations are shown to undergo long-term change due to distinct foraging experiences. My work serves to highlight the malleability of a social individual's food-related behavior, suggesting that environmental conditions shape how individuals respond to food and share information with group-mates. This thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of inter-individual variation in animal behavior. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Biology 2017

Nós avaliamos a atividade antimicrobiana do mel coletado de ninhos de 12 espécies de abelhas nativas sem ferrão comumente encontrados no Brasil e 25 amostras de mel de Apis mellifera não pasteurizados que foram identificadas como sendo unifloral e uma amostra de mel multifloral. A atividade antimicrobiana de cada amostra de mel foi testada contra cinco espécies de bactérias patogênicas, uma espécie de fungo patogênico e uma espécie de levedura patogênica, comparando esta atividade com o mel terapêutico de manuka produzido por abelhas Apis mellifera na Nova Zelândia a partir do néctar de Leptospermum scoparium (Myrtaceae). Cinco das treze amostras de mel das abelhas sem ferrão foram bactericidas e oito foram fungicidas contra o fungo patogênico Trichophyton rubrum. Somente a levedura Candida albicans foi resistente a todas as amostras de mel. As amostras de mel de Apis mellifera que apresentaram atividade bactericida foram caju, romã e cana, nenhuma das amostras de mel de A. mellifera afetou o fungo T. rubrum. Os meis de Nannotrigona testaceicornis, Plebeia remota, Tetragona clavipes e Scaptotrigona depilis todos com alto nível de atividade antimicrobiana, foram significativamente mais eficiente em termos de atividade antimicrobiana que o mel de manuka, especialmente contra Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae e T. rubrum. O mel artificial feito com os principais açúcares encontrados no mel e com teor de água semelhante, não teve atividade antimicrobiana em nossas análises. Nós também fizemos análises de espectrometria de massas das amostras de mel e encontramos alguns \"fingerprint\" característicos que foram associadas com a atividade antimicrobiana. / We evaluated the antimicrobial activity of honey collected from nests of 12 species of native stingless bees commonly found in Brazil and 25 unpasteurized honey samples of Apis mellifera that were identified as being unifloral and one multifloral honey sample. The antimicrobial activity of each honey sample was tested against five species of pathogenic bacteria, a pathogenic fungal species and a pathogenic yeast species, comparing this activity with therapeutic manuka honey produced by Apis mellifera bees in New Zealand from the nectar of Leptospermum scoparium (Myrtaceae). Five of thirteen samples of honey from the stingless bees were bactericidal and eight were fungicidal against the pathogenic fungus Trichophyton rubrum. Only the yeast Candida albicans was resistant to all honey samples. The Apis mellifera honey samples that showed bactericidal activity were caju, romã e cana, none of the A. mellifera honey samples affected the fungus T. rubrum. The honeys from Nannotrigona testaceicornis, Plebeia remote, Tetragona clavipes and Scaptotrigona depilis all had a high degree of antimicrobial activity, they were significantly more efficient in terms of antimicrobial activity than manuka honey, especially against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and T. rubrum. Artificial honey, made with the main sugars found in honey and with similar water content, had no antimicrobial activity in our analyses. We also made mass spectrometry analyses of the honey samples and found some fingerprint characteristics that were associated with antimicrobial activity.

Orientador: Flávio Luis Schmidt / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-19T16:23:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Vieira_LuanaReis_M.pdf: 12427431 bytes, checksum: 43cbcc66f7d6f2b06d12185e0be5c71d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: O mel pode ser definido como uma solução concentrada de açúcares. Possui enzimas,ácidos orgânicos e outros compostos. O aquecimento do mel é usualmente utilizado para descristalizar e facilitar o processamento. Atualmente na indústria o mel é aquecido por convecção forçada de ar e pode demorar de 4 a 7 dias, onerando o processamento. O emprego de altas temperaturas no mel pode alterar muitas de suas propriedades, como diminuição da enzima diastase e aumento do hidroximetilfurfural (HMF), importantes indicadores de qualidade. O objetivo do trabalho foi estudar o processo de descristalização do mel frente ao tratamento térmico em banho de água sob agitação,visando desenvolver métodos mais eficientes para a descristalização do produto. A partir dos dados da história térmica do mel, os parâmetros cinéticos de transferência de calor e os impactos do aquecimento nas propriedades do mel foram verificados. Foram utilizados três tipos de méis para avaliação de suas propriedades sob influência do aquecimento e determinação das cinéticas de reação. Avaliaram-se as alterações no pH, acidez, índice de formol e cor, além da atividade diastásica e conteúdo de HMF formados nas temperaturas de 50, 70 e 90ºC. Para os estudos de descristalização foram realizados 12 ensaios utilizando-se mel de eucalipto, safra 2010, aquecido nas temperaturas de 58, 75 e 95ºC e velocidades de rotação 0, 20, 30 e 40 rpm. O aquecimento a 50 e 70ºC não produziu importantes alterações na sua composição inicial, entretanto a 90ºC as alterações começaram a se evidenciar. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que a formação de HMF e a destruição da diastase puderam ser descritos pelo modelo cinético de primeira ordem com Ea (energia de ativação) de 19,5 kcal/mol, z (índice térmico) de 27,7ºC e Q10 (quociente de velocidade) de 2,3; para a formação do HMF e Ea de 31,4 kcal/mol, z de 17,8ºC e Q10 de 4,3 para a degradação da diastase, sendo notada a maior dependência desta com a temperatura. Foram encontrados menores valores de fh (parâmetro do efeito da temperatura) com o aumento da agitação das embalagens e também com o aumento da temperatura empregada, sendo possível a partir da cinética das reações, estimarem as concentrações finais de HMF e diastase. O ensaio com melhores resultados para a descristalização do mel foi a 75ºC e 20 rpm onde o mel apresentou-se totalmente descristalizado e sem perdas significativas da qualidade. O fh encontrado para este ensaio foi de 16 min e coeficiente de transferência de calor 54,2 W/m2.ºC. Foi possível concluir que o uso de tratamento térmico em banho sob agitação para descristalização do mel melhora as propriedades de transferência de calor reduzindo o tempo total de processo, mantém as características de qualidade do mel em níveis aceitáveis, podendo ser empregado para otimização, rapidez de fluxo, eficiência da descristalização e aumento da produtividade nas indústrias / Abstract: Honey can be defined as a concentrated solution of sugars, containing many organic acids, pigments and other compounds. Heating of honey is usually utilized to dissolve the sugar crystals, making a more acceptable product. Nowadays, at big industries, honey is heated by forced air convection, which takes 4 to 7 days. This process is quite onerous,becoming a problem on honey processing. High temperatures can change many properties of honey, like decrease in diastase activity and increase in hydroxymetylfurfural (HMF) contents, important indicators of honey¿s quality. The aim of the present work was to study the liquefying crystallized honey process using thermal treatment in water bath under stirring, in order to develop more efficient methods of doing it. The work intended to verify, based on data from the thermal history of honey, the kinetic parameters of heat transfer and the consequences of heating on honey properties. To evaluate these consequences and to determine the reaction kinetics, three kinds of honey were used. The parameters: pH, acidity, formaldehyde contents and color, besides diastase activity and HMF contents were evaluated at 50, 70 and 90oC. To study liquefying crystallized honey process only eucalyptu's honey, crop 2010, was used. It was submitted to 12 essays, using temperatures of 58, 75 and 95oC, and stirring speed of 0, 20, 30 and 40 rpm. At 50 and 70ºC the changes observed in honey properties were not important, becoming significant at 90ºC. The results obtained demonstrated that production of HMF and degradation of diastase could be described by the kinetic model of first order with Ea of 19,52 kcal/mol, z of 27,7oC and Q10 of 2,32 for HMF production and Ea de 31,4 kcal/mol, z de 17,8ºC e Q10 de 4,27 for diastase. It was noted that diastase had the great temperature dependency. Increase in temperature and stirring speed of honey container, leds to decrease in fh (parameter of temperature effect) values. The reaction kinetics provided, in addition to kinetic parameters, estimated values of final concentrations of HMF and diastase. The essay with best results for liquefy crystallized honey was that of 75oC and 20rpm, in which honey was fully liquefied with no significant loss of quality. In this essay a fh value of 16 min and a heat transfer coefficient of 54,2 W/m2.OC were found. It was possible to conclude that use of heating treatment in water bath under stirring for liquefying crystallized honey improve the heat transfer properties, reducing total processing time,keep quality characteristics of honey at acceptable levels and, therefore, can be employed at the honey processor industries for optimization, flow quickness, efficiency in liquefying crystallized honey and increase in productivity / Mestrado / Tecnologia de Alimentos / Mestre em Tecnologia de Alimentos

The role of the queen in wax secretion and comb building was studied in the the Cape honeybee, Apis mellifera capensis (Escholtz). The percentage of bees bearing wax and the amount of wax borne by these bees did not differ between the experiments. This meant that the queenless and queenright colonies had the potential to construct equal amounts of comb as the amounts of wax available for comb building was the same. Contrary to this prediction, queenright colonies constructed 8 times more comb than their queenless counterparts. Queenright Apis mellifera scutellata colonies constructed 4 times more comb than their queenless counterparts. The increased amount of 9-oxo-2-decanoic acid (90DA) in the A.m.capensis mandibular gland secretions could not alone account for this difference. In fact, A.m.capensis and A.m.scutellata colonies constructed similar amounts of comb when they were given their own queens or queens from the other race. Worker bees need to have direct contact with their queen for comb building to be enhanced. Even when the queen had her mandibular glands extirpated and tergite glands occluded large amounts of comb were constructed than when access to the queen was limited. Direct access to the head of a mated queen proved to be the stimulus enhancing comb building. No comb was constructed when the workers had access to the abdomen of the queen. Virgin queens did not stimulate comb building. The relatively large amounts of 90DA and 9HDA from the mandibular glands of Cape virgin queens had not influenced comb building. Worker sized cells were generally constructed. These cells were slightly smaller than those constructed by European honeybees, but were indicative of African bees. A few queen less colonies constructed cells that were of an intermediate drone and worker size. Four mandibular gland pneromones were measured by gas chromatography. No correlations between these pheromones and the comb construction measurements were found. It is unlikely that the mandibular gland pheromones are the only pheromones that stimulate comb building. Pheromones from other glands on the head may contribute towards the enhancement of comb building, and they are not present in virgin queens