Free Access
Issue
Apidologie
Volume 35, Number 4, July-August 2004
Page(s) 411 - 417
DOI https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:2004033
Apidologie 35 (2004) 411-417
DOI: 10.1051/apido:2004033

Comparison of the antimicrobial activity of honey produced by Tetragonisca angustula (Meliponinae) and Apis mellifera from different phytogeographic regions of Costa Rica

Jason H. DeMera and Esther R. Angert

Departments of Entomology and Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA

(Received 3 April 2003; revised 15 September 2003; accepted 8 December 2003)

Abstract - The purpose of the present study was to investigate and compare the demonstrated variation in antimicrobial activity of honey produced by introduced A. mellifera and the stingless bee, Tetragonisca angustula, commonly kept in hives in Costa Rica. There was no difference in activity of honey produced by Apis mellifera and T. angustula against the 5 microbes tested. Honey from different phytogeographic regions exhibited differential antimicrobial activity and susceptibility of yeasts to honey of either species was greater than that of bacteria.


Key words: Tetragonisca / Apis / antimicrobial activity / phytogeographic / Costa Rica

Corresponding author: Jason H. DeMera jhd4@cornell.edu

© INRA, EDP Sciences, DIB, AGIB 2004