Hydroxymethylfurfural Affects Caged Honey Bees (Apis mellifera carnica)

A high concentration of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) (e.g., 15 mg HMF per kg honey) indicates quality deterioration for a wide range of foods. In honey bee colonies, HMF in stored honey can negatively affect bee health and survival. Therefore, in the laboratory, we experimentally determined the effec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Diversity (Basel) 2020-01, Vol.12 (1), p.18
Main Authors: Gregorc, Aleš, Jurišić, Snežana, Sampson, Blair
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal behavior
Apis mellifera
Apis mellifera carnica
Apoptosis
Bees
cell death
Honey
honey bee
Hydroxymethylfurfural
immunohistochemistry
Laboratories
Midgut
Mortality
nosema ceranae
Sugar
Variance analysis
Workers (insect caste)
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Summary:A high concentration of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) (e.g., 15 mg HMF per kg honey) indicates quality deterioration for a wide range of foods. In honey bee colonies, HMF in stored honey can negatively affect bee health and survival. Therefore, in the laboratory, we experimentally determined the effects of HMF on the longevity and midgut integrity of worker Apis mellifera carnica by feeding bees standard diets containing five concentrations of HMF (100, 500, 1000, and 1500 ppm). Simultaneously, we also examined HMF’s effect on Nosema ceranae spore counts within infected honey bees. We performed an immunohistochemical analysis of the honey bee midgut to determine possible changes at the cellular level. No correlation was established between HMF concentration and N. ceranae spore counts. Negative effects of HMF on bees were not observed in the first 15 days of exposure. However, after 15 to 30 days of exposure, HMF caused midgut cells to die and an increased mortality of honey bee workers across treatment groups.
ISSN:1424-2818
1424-2818
DOI:10.3390/d12010018