Skip to main content

Increased brood viability and longer lifespan of honeybees selected for propolis production

Apidologie volume 45, pages 269–275 (2014)Cite this article

Abstract

Propolis has been proposed to affect honeybee health. To test this hypothesis, we initially evaluated propolis production in 36 honeybee colonies. The three highest (HP) and three lowest propolis-producing (LP) colonies had mean yields of 16.0 and 0.64 g, respectively. Queens and drones from these parental colonies were crossed by artificial insemination to produce five colonies each of the following crosses: HP♀ × HP♂, HP♀ × LP♂, LP♀ × HP♂, and LP♀ × LP♂. Colonies headed by HP♀ × HP♂ queens produced 34 times more propolis than those headed by LP♀ × LP♂ queens and five times more than those from the other two crosses. Newly emerged bees were marked to measure longevity, and egg and brood counts were made to determine brood survival rates. The colonies with queens derived from crosses between high-propolis-producing colonies had significantly higher brood viability and greater worker bee longevity. We conclude that colonies that collect more propolis are healthier and have longer-living bees.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Figure 1.

References

  • Antúnez, K., Harriet, J., Gende, L., Maggi, M., Eguaras, M., Zunino, P. (2008) Efficacy of natural propolis extract in the control of American foulbrood. Vet. Microbiol. 131, 324–331

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Azevedo A.L.G. (1996) Estudo de parâmetros relacionados com a produção de geléia real em colméias de Apis mellifera mais e menos produtivas. Doctoral thesis, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil

  • Bankova, V., Popova, M., Bogdanov, S., Sabatini, A.G. (2002) Chemical composition of European propolis: expected and unexpected results. Z Naturforsch 57(5–6), 530–533

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bastos, E.M.A.F., Simone, M., Jorge, D.M., Soares, A.E.E., Spivak, M. (2008) In vitro study of the antimicrobial activity of Brazilian propolis against Paenibacillus larvae. J. Invertebr. Pathol. 97(3), 273–281

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Behrends, A., Scheiner, R. (2010) Learning at old age: a study on winter bees. Front. Behav. Neurosci. . doi:10.3389/fnbeh.2010.00015

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Breyer, H.F.E. (1995) Aspectos de produção, coleta, limpeza, classificação e acondicionamento de própolis bruta de abelhas Apis mellifera L, p. 143. Anais do 7º Simpósio Estadual de Apicultura do Paraná, Prudentópolis

    Google Scholar 

  • Couto, R.H.N., Couto, L.A. (2006) Apicultura: manejo e produtos. Funep, Jaboticabal

    Google Scholar 

  • Cremer, S., Sixt, M. (2009) Analogies in the evolution of individual and social immunity. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B. Biol. Sci. 364, 129–142

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • De Jong, D., De Jong, P.H. (1983) Longevity of Africanized honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) infested by Varroa jacobsoni (Parasitiformes: Varroaidae). J. Econ. Entomol. 76(4), 766–768

    Google Scholar 

  • Doull, K.M. (1980) Relationships between consumption of a pollen supplement, honey production and brood rearing in colonies of honeybees Apis mellifera L. Apidologie 14(4), 362–365

    Google Scholar 

  • Garófalo, A.C. (1977) Brood viability in normal colonies of Apis mellifera. J. Apic. Res. 16(1), 3–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham, J.M. (1997) The hive and the honey bee. Dadant & Sons, Hamilton

    Google Scholar 

  • Gramacho, K.P., Gonçalves, L.S. (2009) Comparative study of the hygienic behavior of Carniolan and Africanized honey bees directed towards grouped versus isolated dead brood cells. Genet. Mol. Res. 8(2), 744–750

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Inoue, H.T., Sousa, E.A., Orsi, R.O., Funari, S.R.C., Carelli Barreto, L.M.R., Da Silva, D.A.P. (2007) Produção de própolis por diferentes métodos de coleta. Arch. Latinoam. Prod. Anim. 15(2), 65–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Kulincevic, J.M., Rothenbulher, W.C., Rinderer, T.E. (1982) Disappearing disease. Part 1—Effects of certain protein sources given to honey bee colonies in Florida. Am. Bee. J 122(3), 198–191

    Google Scholar 

  • Malone, L.A., Giacon, H.A., Newton, M.R. (1995) Comparison of the responses of some New Zealand and Australian honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) to Nosema apis Z. Apidologie 26(6), 495–502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manrique, A.J., Soares, A.E.E. (2002) Início de um programa de seleção de abelhas Africanizadas para a melhoria na produção de própolis e seu efeito na produção de mel. Interciencia 27(6), 312–316

    Google Scholar 

  • Marcucci, M.C. (1995) Propolis: chemical composition, biological properties and therapeutic activity. Apidologie 26(2), 83–99

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mlagan, V., Sulimanovic, D. (1982) Action of propolis solutions on Bacillus larvae. Apiacta 17, 16–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Page, R.E., Peng, Y.S.C. (2001) Aging and development in social insects with emphasis on the honey bee. Apis mellifera L. Exp. Gerontol. 36(4–6), 695–711

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prost-Jean, P. (1985) Apicultura, 2nd edn. Ediciones Mundi-Prensa, Madrid

    Google Scholar 

  • Remolina, S.C., Hughes, K.A. (2008) Evolution and mechanisms of long life and high fertility in queen honey bees. Age 30(2–3), 177–185

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Righi A.A., Negri G., Salatino A. (2013) Comparative Chemistry of Propolis from Eight Brazilian Localities. Evid.-Based Compl. Alt. Article ID 267878; 2013:1–14. doi:10.1155/2013/267878

  • Rueppell, O., Bachelier, C., Fondrik, M.K., Page Jr., R.E. (2007) Regulation of life history determines lifespan of worker honey bees (Apis mellifera L.). Exp Gerontol 42(10), 1020–1032

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sakagami, S.F., Fukuda, H. (1968) Worker brood survival in honey bees. Res. Pop. Ecol. 10(1), 31–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute– Statistical analysis systems (1993) User's guide: Stat. Version 6, 12. 4. ed. Cary.

  • Seeley, T.D. (1995) The Wisdom of the Hive. Harvard University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Sforcin, J.M., Bankova, V. (2011) Propolis: is there a potential for the development of new drugs? J. Ethnopharmacol. 133(2), 253–260

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simone, M., Evans, J.D., Spivak, M. (2009) Resin collection and social immunity in honey bees. Evolution 63(11), 3016–3022

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Simone-Finstrom, M.D., Spivak, M. (2010) Propolis and bee health: the natural history and significance of resin use by honey bees. Apidologie 41(3), 295–311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simone-Finstrom, M.D., Spivak, M. (2012) Increased resin collection after parasite challenge: a case of self-medication in honey bees? PLoS ONE 7, e34601

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Terada, Y., Garófalo, C.A., Sakagami, S.F. (1975) Age-survival curves for workers of two eusocial bees (Apis mellifera and Plebeia droryana) in a subtropical climate, with notes on worker polyethism in P. droryana. J. Apic. Res 14(3/4), 161–170

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiss, K. (1984) Regulierung des proteinhaushaltes im bienenvolk (Apis mellifica L.) durch brutkannibalismus. Apidologie 15(3), 339–354

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu, J.Y., Anelli, C.M., Sheppard, W.S. (2011) Sub-lethal effects of pesticide residues in brood comb on worker honey bee (Apis mellifera) development and longevity. PLoS ONE 6, e14720

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) for a scholarship for D.N. and CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico) for financial assistance. Anonymous reviewers made helpful comments that improved the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Campus de Dracena, Curso de Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Dracena, SP, Brazil

    Daniel Nicodemo

  2. Departamento de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil

    Euclides Braga Malheiros

  3. Departamento de Genética, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil

    David De Jong

  4. Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil

    Regina Helena Nogueira Couto

Authors
  1. Daniel Nicodemo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Euclides Braga Malheiros
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. David De Jong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Regina Helena Nogueira Couto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to David De Jong.

Additional information

Manuscipt editor: Peter Rosenkranz

Viabilité du couvain et durée de vie accrues chez des abeilles sélectionnées pour leur production de propolis

Reproduction contrôlée / propolis / viabilité du couvain / longévité

Höhere Brutüberlebensraten und längere Lebensdauer bei Honigbienen, die auf höhere Propolisproduktion selektiert wurden

Kontrollierte Paarung / Propolis / Brutüberlebensraten / Lebensdauer

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nicodemo, D., Malheiros, E.B., De Jong, D. et al. Increased brood viability and longer lifespan of honeybees selected for propolis production. Apidologie 45, 269–275 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-013-0249-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-013-0249-y

Keywords

  • controlled mating
  • propolis
  • brood viability
  • longevity