Apidologie 40 (2009) 124-133
DOI: 10.1051/apido/2008066

Pollen analysis of honeybee rectum as a method to record the bee pollen flora of an area

Maria Dimou and Andreas Thrasyvoulou

Laboratory of Apiculture & Sericulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Agroktima Panepistimiou, 57001, Thermi Thessaloniki, Greece

Received 25 June 2008 – Revised 16 October 2008 – Accepted 22 October 2008 - Published online 3 February 2009

Abstract - Pollen is very important for the bees' nutrition and it is necessary for their survival and reproduction. In this work we studied the possibility of recording the pollen flora of an area by examining the pollen content of the rectum of honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) and comparing the results to these coming from pollen traps. We concluded that the pollen analysis of the rectum of honeybees could be used as a fast screening method of the bee flora of an area. However, for quantitative results, additional methods such as pollen pellet analysis should be applied.

Key words: Apis mellifera / nurse bees / pollen consumption / melissopalynology


© INRA, DIB-AGIB, EDP Sciences 2009