Orientador: Anita Jocelyne Marsaioli / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Química / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-21T20:30:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Pianaro_Adriana_D.pdf: 8531703 bytes, checksum: 86c8399c69a5d82f0e333fed92903d03 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: Este trabalho teve como objetivo a comunicação química em insetos sociais e em particular de abelhas sem ferrão e formigas lava-pés brasileiras. Portanto, estes dois tópicos foram abordados em dois capítulos distintos e revelaram que: (1) As rainhas virgens de M. quadrifasciata com abdomes inflados liberam uma mistura de nerol/geraniol na razão 1:2, respectivamente, pelas glândulas tergais. Estes monoterpenos indicam o nível de maturidade destas rainhas e podem estar envolvidos na seleção de uma nova rainha. Rainhas fisogástricas de S. aff. depilis atraem machos e a partir da descoberta deste fenômeno iniciou¿se a procura dos compostos responsáveis pela atração sexual. As análises dos extratos epicuticulares, extratos abdominais, glândulas de Dufour e glândulas tergais das rainhas fisogástricas e virgens de S. aff. depilis revelaram ésteres no extrato das rainhas fisogástricas. Os testes de campo com os extratos, as frações dos compostos isolados de rainhas fisogástricas de S. aff. depilis e padrões sintéticos revelaram que os extratos epicuticulares das rainhas fisogástricas atraem e estimulam a cópula dos machos quando adsorvidos sobre feltro preto. As frações e os padrões não produziram nenhuma resposta. A presença de 2-alcanóis nos extratos cefálicos de rainhas de M. quadrifasciata e S. aff. depilis e machos de N. testaceicornis estimulou a realização de testes de campo com 2-alcanóis, os quais demonstraram que o (S)-(+)-2-heptanol e a mistura (S)-(+)-2-heptanol/ (S)-(+)-2-nonanol (1:1) atraem operárias de P. droryana, N. testaceicornis e F. silvestrii, sugerindo ser um feromônio de recrutamento de operárias e envolvidos na formação de leques de machos. (2) A análise dos alcalóides dos venenos de operárias e rainhas de S. saevissima revelou diferenças na composição química intra e inter-nidal de duas regiões diferentes do Brasil (São Paulo e Rio de Janeiro). Uma metodologia para acesso rápido das configurações relativas e absolutas dos alcalóides piperidínicos do veneno das formigas lava-pés foi elaborada empregando CG-EM e CG-DIC com coluna capilar quiral Chrompack CP-chirasil-Dex CB e derivados trifluoroacetamidas e acetamidas dos alcalóides piperidínicos sintéticos e naturais, onde se verificou pela primeira vez a presença dos quatro estereoisômeros da 2-metil-6-undecilpiperidina em venenos de formigas lava-pés. / Abstract: The aim of this thesis is the chemical communication of social insects and in particular of Brazilian stingless bees and fire ants. Therefore, the results obtained in these two topics are presented in two chapters as follows: (1) Virgin queens of M. quadrifasciata (stingless bee) with inflated abdomens release a mixture of nerol/ geraniol in 1:2 ratio, respectively, by tergal glands. These monoterpenes are related to the development of these queens and may be involved in the new queen selection. S. aff. depilis physogastric queens attract drones and this observation oriented the research to sexual pheromones. The analysis of the epicuticular, abdominal, Dufour¿s gland, and tergal gland extracts of S.aff. depilis from physogastric and virgin queens revealed the outstanding presence of esters in the epicuticular extracts of physogastric queens. Field tests with extracts, isolated compound fractions of S. aff. depilis physogastric queens and synthetic standards revealed that physogastric queen epicuticular extracts attract and stimulate mating of drones when adsorbed on black felt. The fractions and standards produced no response. The presence of 2-alkanols in cephalic extracts of M. quadrifasciata and S. aff. depilis queens and N. testaceicornis drones stimulated field tests with 2-alkanols, which showed that the (S)-(+)-2-heptanol and the mixture of (S)-(+)-2-heptanol/ (S)-(+)-2-nonanol (1:1) attract workers of P. droryana, N. testaceicornis and F. silvestrii. This biological response is consistent with worker recruit pheromones, involved in the formation of drone swarms. (2) Analysis of the venom alkaloids of S. saevissima workers and queens revealed differences in the intra and internidal chemical composition of fire ants from two different regions in Brazil (Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro). A methodology to rapidly access the relative and absolute configurations of the piperidinic alkaloids from the fire ant venom was developed using GC-MS and GC-FID with a chiral capillary column (Chrompack CP-chirasil-Dex CB) and trifluoroacetamides and acetamides of synthetic and natural piperidinic alkaloids. This methodology was applied to the analysis of 2-methyl-6-undecylpiperidine of S. saevissima gynes and worker venoms from Ubatuba-SP and Pedro do Rio-RJ revealing for the first time the presence of four stereoisomers of 2-methyl-6-undecylpiperidine in the fire ant venoms. / Doutorado / Quimica Organica / Doutora em Ciências

Orientador: Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães Pereira / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-04T03:04:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Maria_CarlaCristinaJudice_D.pdf: 2319952 bytes, checksum: e037242b656f9d55edeac4eaeb12cfb4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / Resumo: O polifenismo de castas é um fenômeno multifacetado, sendo mais evidente em diferenças na capacidade reprodutiva e na longevidade entre rainhas e operárias. No presente estudo, a abelha sem ferrão Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides foi escolhida para a investigação de diferenças na expressão gênica entre rainhas e operárias recém nascidas. Este estudo foi focalizado em adultos recém nascidos pois esse estágio representa o ponto final do desenvolvimento embrionário e o ponto inicial para o desempenho de tarefas casta-específicas. Inicialmente, foi empregada a metodologia do ¿differential display reverse transcription (DDRT)-PCR¿ e podendo ser detectada a expressão diferenciada de 14 genes entre rainhas e operárias. As diferenças no perfil de expressão foram posteriormente analisadas através de duas bibliotecas subtrativas de cDNA: uma representando genes muito expressos ou induzidos em operárias quando em comparação com rainhas, e a outra representando genes mais expressos na casta rainha. Embora o número total de seqüências geradas não tenha permitido uma compreensão completa dos transcriptomas das castas, foi possível detectar em rainhas a predominância de genes envolvidos na regulação transcricional e no metabolismo, em relação à ampla diversidade de categorias funcionais das ESTs encontradas na casta operária. Um outro grupo representando seqüências de funções desconhecidas apresentou elevada similaridade a seqüências de Apis mellifera, podendo, portanto, conter genes candidatos para investigações em processos específicos das abelhas sociais ou do desenvolvimento de castas de maneira geral. Além disso, este estudo questionou se rainhas induzidas pelo tratamento com hormônio juvenil (HJ) durante a fase larval poderiam apresentar níveis de expressão gênica similares aos de uma rainha produzida de modo natural. Curiosamente, os dados preliminares sugerem que a rainha artificial não apresenta o mesmo transcriptoma de uma rainha natural, indicando que o HJ pode induzir a diferenciação, mas não em todos os aspectos / Abstract: Caste polyphenism is a multifaceted phenomenon, most evident in the marked differences in reproductive capacity and longevity between queens and workers. In the present study, the stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides was chosen to investigate differences in gene expression between newly emerged adult queens and workers. This study has focused on newly emerged adults since this stage represents the endpoint of post-embryonic development and the starting point for caste-specific task performance.Initially, the methodology of differential display reverse transcription (DDRT)-PCR was employed and the differential expression for 14 M. quadrifasciata genes could be detected between queens and workers. The differences in the expression profile of the castes were further analysed through two subtractive cDNA libraries: one representing the genes that are overexpressed in workers, when compared with queens and the other representing genes which are overexpressed in queens.Although the total number of sequence does not allow a comprehensive picture of the caste transcriptomes, there seems to exist a predominance of genes involved in transcriptional regulation and metabolism in the queen ESTs, versus a much broader spectrum of categories in the worker ESTs. Another group representing sequences with unknown function displayed significant matches only with the Apis database and, therefore, may contain candidates for further investigations on processes specific to social bees or caste development in general.In addition, this study addressed the question of whether queens induced by treatment with juvenile hormone (JH) during the larval phase display genes with similar expression levels as naturally produced queens. Remarkably, our preliminary data suggest that the artificial queen does not present the same transcriptome of a natural queen, indicating that JH may not induce all aspects of the differentiation process / Doutorado / Genetica Animal e Evolução / Doutor em Genetica e Biologia Molecular

Le virus de la paralysie chronique de l’abeille (CBPV) est responsable d’une maladie infectieuse et contagieuse de l’abeille domestique. c'est un virus anisométrique et non enveloppé. Les premières études ont décrit son génome étant constitué de cinq segments d’ARN simple brin de polarité positive : deux ARN majoritaires et trois ARN minoritaires. Cependant, ces derniers n’ont pas été observés lors de récentes études. L’ARN 1 coderait pour les protéines non structurales et L’ARN 2 coderait pour deux protéines structurales.Les ARN totaux du CBPV sont infectieux chez l’abeille par inoculation intra-thoracique. Toutefois, les éléments génétiques essentiels à la réplication du virus n’étaient pas encore déterminés. Néanmoins, cette information est cruciale pour la mise en place du système de génétique inverse pour le CBPV afin de mieux caractériser ce virus. Lors de ce travail, nous avons montré le pouvoir infectieux des ARN majoritaires du CBPV. Ces résultats nous ont permis d'accomplir la première étape de la mise du système de génétique inverse pour le CBPV: le clonage des ARN majoritaires. Les résultats préliminaires montrent que les ARN transcrits in vitro à partir des plasmides recombinants sont répliqués in vivo après leur inoculation aux abeilles, mais ne conduisaient à aucun signe clinique de la maladie. Le système de génétique inverse du CBPV développé offrira la possibilité, par mutagenèse dirigée, de définir les fonctions des ORF et des protéines voire de permettre la production de protéines purifiées nécessaires à la production d’anticorps monoclonaux afin de développer un test rapide de diagnostic de la paralysie chronique. / Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) causes an infectious and contagious disease of adult honeybees. CBPV is an anisometric and non-enveloped virus. First studies described its genome as composed of five positive single-stranded RNAs: two major RNAs and three minor RNAs. However, these latest were not observed during recent studies. CBPV RNA 1 encodes for the non-structural proteins and RNA 2 encodes for two structural proteins. The total RNAs of CBPV are infectious by intra-thoracic inoculation of bees. However, the essential genetic elements for CBPV replication are still unknown. Besides, this information is crucial to develop a reverse genetic system in order to better characterize this virus.In this work, we showed the infectivity of CBPV major RNA. These results allowed us to accomplish the first step of the implementation of the reverse genetics system for CBPV: cloning of major RNA. Our preliminary results showed that RNA transcribed in vitro from recombinant plasmids replicated in vivo after inoculation to bees, but did not led to any clinical signs of the disease.The reverse genetics system developed for CBPV facilitate the study of CBPV genome, by site directed mutagenesis, the determination of its proteins functions. Moreover, it allows the expression of purified proteins necessary for production of monoclonal antibodies to develop a rapid diagnostic test for CBPV.

Membrane diversity associated with variation in body mass and body temperature of hymenopterans was investigated. Body mass of organisms affects most aspects of their biology, including physiological traits. One trait influenced by mass is metabolic rate, but the basis for its variation among organisms remains unclear. Recent work revealed that membrane phospholipid composition varies systematically with body mass: smaller vertebrates with higher mass-specific metabolic rates have more fluid membranes containing more long chains of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and less monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). This “membrane pacemaker” theory of metabolism has recently been challenged by a lack of link between metabolic rate and membrane composition. To test this relationship, we have quantified the membrane lipid composition of 22 species of Panamanian orchid bees with a 22-fold range in mass. Results incorporating phylogenetic analysis show significant relationships for 18:1 (MUFA) and 18:3 (PUFA) with body mass that are consistent with the “pacemaker” theory, and unexpected relationships with saturated fatty acids (SFA). Moreover, changes in membrane fatty acid composition with temperature are a strategy in ectothermic poïkilotherms that is part of the “homeoviscous adaptation” model. Here, we report systematic variations in fatty acid composition linked with thoracic temperature excess in North American Hymenopterans, a novel discovery in these heterotherms. These findings are discussed in the context of diet, metabolism and lifespan.

Declines in several pollinator species are due to a variety of factors, including pathogens. Incorporating pollinator-friendly plant species into wild and agricultural habitats could reduce the stress of pathogens if food sources act medicinally against pathogens. Previous research demonstrated one domesticated sunflower cultivar (Helianthus annuus) can dramatically reduce a gut pathogen (Crithidia bombi) of the common eastern bumble bee, Bombus impatiens. To ascertain the breadth of this medicinal trait, we tested whether pollen from several H. annuus cultivars and four relatives could also reduce C. bombi infections in B. impatiens. We also investigated whether timing of exposure to sunflower pollen relative to time of infection affected the strength of this medicinal trait. In all experiments, bees were infected and then fed their respective pollen diets for a week before they were dissected to assess infection. In our first experiment, all pollen from Helianthus species and relatives reduced C. bombi cell counts compared to our single species control of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum). In our timing of exposure experiments, a one-time exposure to sunflower pollen present at the time of infection did not lower infection levels. In longer exposure trials, sunflower pollen suppressed C. bombi infection with a strength inversely proportional to the time between treatment and infection. Our results suggest that medicinal pollen may be widespread in the Helianthus genus and potentially throughout the Asteraceae family. Thus, these results provide insights into how strategic plantings of certain floral resources can help mediate and influences pollinator disease dynamics.

Once prevalent on the landscape, early-successional habitats are now increasingly threatened in the northeastern United States. As a result, many species that rely on or require habitats dominated by shrubs, young trees, grasses, and forbs have experienced precipitous population declines, leading many organizations to list shrubland habitats and constituent wildlife as a conservation priority. Even-aged forest management (e.g. clearcutting) has been shown to be an efficient and effective means for creating early-successional habitat for certain taxa such as shrubland birds, but it is unfeasible in many situations in southern New England due to public opinion and increased parcelization. Group selection harvests create shrubland conditions in the form of relatively small forest openings (< 1 ha); however, limited attention has been directed toward understanding the extent to which these methods contribute to conservation of early-successional species. In order to assess the conservation value of small forest openings for wildlife in southern New England, I studied two distinct communities associated with early-successional habitats, shrubland birds and bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes), in openings created by group selection harvests and patch-cutting. In 2014 and 2015, birds were surveyed in small forest openings in western Massachusetts in an effort to describe relationships between species occurrence and patch area as well as other microhabitat-, patch-, and landscape-level variables. Black-and-white warblers, common yellowthroats, chestnut-sided warblers, eastern towhees, and gray catbirds were likely to be present in openings at least 0.3 ha in size, while indigo buntings and prairie warblers had minimum area requirements of 0.55 and 1.07 ha, respectively. Variables within microhabitat-, patch-, and landscape-levels were important for predicting species occurrence. Most notably, prairie warblers were more likely to occur in openings closer to large patches of habitat such as powerline corridors, even if those openings were small in size. I conclude that, despite their inability to support the entire community of shrubland birds in this region, small forest openings can provide habitat for several species of conservation concern if proper attention is given to promoting suitable microhabitat, patch, and landscape characteristics. Bees were sampled in openings as well as adjacent mature forest in an effort to describe the bee community, identify environmental variables influencing bee abundance and diversity, and examine the extent to which openings created by forest management may support bees, as well as potentially augment bee populations within adjacent unmanaged forest. Bees were significantly more abundant and diverse in forest openings than mature forest, but species composition was indistinguishable between openings and forest. Abundance and diversity displayed no relationship with opening size in either openings or forest, but were generally positively related to the amount of early-successional habitat on the landscape. Vegetation characteristics within openings were important in shaping bee communities in openings, with abundance and diversity decreasing with vegetation height and increasing with floral abundance. Notably, eusocial, soft-wood-nesting, and small bees exhibited the opposite pattern in adjacent forest, increasing with the succession of openings and decreasing with greater floral abundance within openings. These results suggest that the creation of small forest openings may help to promote bees both in openings and adjacent mature forest, but certain guilds may be negatively affected.

<p>Istraživanje faune insekata opra&scaron;ivača(Hymenoptera: Apoidea i Diptera: Syrphidae) u<br />Vojvodini je rezultiralo registrovanjem 238 vrsta iz 7 familija na četiri tipa zemlji&scaron;nog<br />pokrivača klasifikovanih po CORINE nomenklaturi&nbsp; (2.1.1.&nbsp; -&nbsp; Nenavodnjavan oobradivo zemlji&scaron;te, 2.4.3.&nbsp; -&nbsp; Pretežno poljoprivredna zemlji&scaron;ta sa većim područjima prirodne vegetacije,&nbsp; 3.1.1.&nbsp; -&nbsp; Listopadne &scaron;ume&nbsp; i 3.2.1. - Prirodni travnjaci). Po broju&nbsp; zabeleženih vrsta izdvaja se pokrivač&nbsp; Listopadne &scaron;ume (158).&nbsp; Na prirdonim&nbsp; travnjacima nađeno je 124 vrste, na poluprirodnim stani&scaron;tima 62 i najmanji broj vrsta registrovan je na poljoprivrednim područjima (8).&nbsp; Nova&nbsp; vrsta&nbsp; za&nbsp; nauku&nbsp;<em> Eumerus pannonicus</em>&nbsp; sp.&nbsp; nov.&nbsp; Ricarte,&nbsp; Vujić&nbsp; i Radenković,&nbsp; zabeležena&nbsp; je&nbsp; na&nbsp; lokalitetu Pa&scaron;njaci velike droplje u okviru klase 3.2.1.</p><p>Shannon-ov indeks diverziteta je najveći za Listopadne &scaron;ume (3,385). Za Prirodne travnjake indeks diverziteta je 3,022. Vrednost indeksa za poluprirdona stani&scaron;ta je 2.431, dok je za poljoprivredna područja najmanji (0.765). Shannon-ov indeks diverziteta je računat i za svaki lokalitet&nbsp;&nbsp; posebno.</p><p>Prema&nbsp; Jaccard-ovom&nbsp; koeficijentu&nbsp; sličnosti,najsličnije&nbsp; su&nbsp; faune&nbsp; Slanog&nbsp; Kopova&nbsp; i&nbsp; Pa&scaron;njaka velike&nbsp; droplje&nbsp; (32,7%). Najmanju sličnost pokazala je fauna lokaliteta Đurđevo u kombinaciji sa faunama Fru&scaron;ke gore, Vr&scaron;ačkih planina I, Okanj bare i Vr&scaron;ačkih planina II, gde su svi koeficijenti imali vrednost ispod 4%.</p><p>Na&nbsp; području&nbsp; Vojvodine&nbsp; tri&nbsp; nađene&nbsp; vrste&nbsp; iz&nbsp; reda Hymenoptera&nbsp; uvr&scaron;tene&nbsp; su&nbsp; na&nbsp; IUCN-ovu&nbsp; crvenu listu. Prema nacionalnom Pravilniku o progla&scaron;enju i za&scaron;titi strogo za&scaron;tićenih i za&scaron;tićenih divljih vrsta biljaka, životinja i gljiva, iz kategorije strogo za&scaron;tićenih vrsta nađena je jedna, a od za&scaron;tićenih vrsta nađene su dve osolike muve.</p><p>RDA&nbsp; analizom&nbsp; pokazano&nbsp; je&nbsp; da&nbsp; su&nbsp;&nbsp; statistički značajne&nbsp; sve&nbsp; ispitivane&nbsp; varijable:&nbsp; ko&scaron;enje,&nbsp; UOP(udaljenost&nbsp; od&nbsp; poljoprivrednih&nbsp; područja),nadmorska visina i ispa&scaron;a.</p><p>Ekonomska vrednost ekosistemske usluge polinacije procenjena za period od 2009-2014.godine pokazuje rastući trend. Vrednost polinacije tokom&nbsp; godina rasla je sa 110,5miliona EUR u 2009. godini do 203,7 miliona EUR u 2014.</p> / <p>Research of pollinators fauna&nbsp; (Hymenoptera: Apoidea i Diptera: Syrphidae) in&nbsp; Vojvodina results in a finding of 238 species within 7 families on 4 CORINE land&nbsp; cover habitat types (2.1.1.&nbsp; -&nbsp; Non-irrigated arable&nbsp; land, 2.4.3.&nbsp; -&nbsp; Land principally occupied by agriculture, with significant areas of natural vegetation, 3.1.1. &nbsp;- Broad- leaved forest and 3.2.1.&nbsp; -&nbsp; Natural grasslands). The highest number of species has been recorded on class Broad-leaved forest (158). On class Natural grasslands were found 124 species, on the seminatural habitats 62 species and the lowest&nbsp; number was registered on arable&nbsp; land (8). New species for science Eumerus&nbsp; pannonicus&nbsp; sp.nov.&nbsp; Ricarte,&nbsp; Vujić&nbsp; i Radenković has been recorded in locality Pa&scaron;njaci velike droplje within the class 3.2.1.</p><p>Broad-leaved forest class have&nbsp; the highest values for the scored&nbsp; diversity index (3,385), followed by&nbsp; Natural grasslands (3,022) and saminatural habitats (2,431). Arable land class have&nbsp; the lowest diversity values, only 0,765. The Shannon diversity index is calculated for each locality.</p><p>According to Jaccard similarity coefficient, Slano Kopovo and Pa&scaron;njaci Velike Droplje have shown to be most similar faunistically (32,7%). The fauna of Djurdjevo had the lowest similarity value comparing to faunas of Fruska gora, Vrsacke planine I, Okanj bara and Vrsacke planine II, where all the coefficients were below 4%.</p><p>Two of the 238&nbsp; recorded bee species in Vojvodina are included in the IUCN red list. Acording to Serbian&nbsp; regulatory&nbsp; act&nbsp; &bdquo;Regulation on the promulgation and protection of the protected and strictly protected wild species of plants,&nbsp; animals and fungi&ldquo; one&nbsp; Syrphidae species&nbsp; is catalogued as a Strictly Protected,while two found hoverflie species are Protected. RDA analysis has demonstrated that all the environmental variables used for the analysis are of statistical significance: mowing, UOP(distance from the agricultural area), elevation and grazing intensity.</p><p>Economic value of insect pollination was estimated for&nbsp; a length of&nbsp; time 2009.-2014., and displays&nbsp; an&nbsp; increasing&nbsp; trend.The value of pollination&nbsp; has increased&nbsp; over these years, starting with 110,5 millions of EUR in 2009., up to 203,7 millions of EUR in 2014.</p>

Orientador: Ricardo de Oliveira Orsi / Resumo: O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar o efeito de suplementação com fonte de ferro inorgânico na qualidade da geleia real produzida por abelhas A. mellifera, por meio de análises proteômicas. Foram utilizadas 12 colônias de abelhas A. mellifera africanizadas, alimentadas com xarope de açúcar (proporção de 1:1 de água e açúcar cristal) suplementado ou não com sulfato ferroso heptahidratado (contendo 20% de ferro), nas concentrações de 0, 25, 50 e 100 mg L-1. A produção de geleia real foi realizada por meio da técnica de transferência de larvas, colhida, armazenada em vials estéreis e mantidas sob congelamento. Eletroforese bidimensional (2D-PAGE) foi usada para fracionamento das proteínas da geleia real e o ferro quantificado por técnica de espectroscopia de absorção atômica de chama (FAAS), com identificação das proteínas por Espectrometria de massas com ionização por eletrospray (ESI-MS/MS). Os resultados foram avaliados por ANOVA, seguido do teste de Tukey para verificar diferenças entre as médias (P<0,05). Observou-se que a suplementação da dieta com o mineral ferro afetou o teor proteico e o número de spots em quase todos os tratamentos e meses analisados. Observa-se ainda que a dieta contendo 100 mg L-1 de Fe apresentou maior numero de spots contendo este mineral, bem como no abdome das abelhas. As principais proteínas contendo Fe foram classificadas como do grupo MRJPs (Major Royal Jelly Proteins). Os resultados encontrados mostram que o ferro influência na qualidad... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Mestre

No description available.

The thesis entitled The Beekeeping in the Czech Republic on Crossroads aims to get in the current issues of beekeeping. It describes the field of beekeeping, one of the oldest human activities in terms of biology, ecology, history, sociology and practical use. The methodology of this thesis is set in the framework of qualitative research and the discipline of social and cultural ecology which is based on multidisciplinary research. During the research a questionnaire construction was used. The research part focuses on the social and generational issues of beekeeping and reveals the motivation of my respondents for keeping bees. Furthermore it interprets the opinion of my respondents on beekeeping organizations in the Czech Republic, their connection with nature and their own outlook for the near future of beekeeping. In the discussion I summarize the results of the interviews with my respondents and in the conclusion I re-evaluate the aimed goals of my thesis and I give suggestions for further research possibilities in this field.