Honigeinlagerung

Der Wassergehalt des von den Pflanzen produzierten Nektars kann variieren. Um seine Konservierung in den Waben zu gewährleisten, darf er nicht gären. Deshalb wird er von den Bienen in Honig umgewandelt, indem sie seinen Wassergehalt senken und folglich den Zuckergehalt erhöhen. Dies verhindert die Entwicklung der Mikroorganismen. In der Dunkelheit des Bienenstocks ist es schwierig, den Herstellungsprozess des Honigs zu beobachten. Aus diesem Grund ist er auch nur wenig erforscht. Um die Umwandlung von Nektar in Honig zu untersuchen, haben wir die Technik der Tomographie eingesetzt. Sie ermöglicht es, den Zuckergehalt des eingelagerten Nektars sehr präzise zu messen, ohne den Bienenstock öffnen zu müssen und das Bienenvolk zu stören.

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Papach A., Balusu R., Williams G. R., Fadamiro H. Y., Neumann P.

The smell of sex: cuticular hydrocarbons of adult small hive beetles, Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae).

Journal of Apicultural Research, 61, (3), 2022, 365-367.

Zusammenfassung:

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) play key olfactory roles in insect mating, and can therefore be used for pest control. However, the CHC profiles of adult small hive beetles (SHB), Aethina tumida, are currently unknown, even though this widespread invasive species threatens agriculture and wild bee populations. Here we show that CHC profiles can differ between SHB males and females, as well as their mating statuses. In the laboratory, SHB were reared individually and then kept singly or in mixed groups of males and females until sexual maturity at day 10. Then, CHC profiles were compared between the six groups (virgin 1 and 10 days old females, mated 10 days old females, virgin 1 and 10 days old males, and mated 10 days old males). The data show largely homogenous CHC profiles, with no substance being specific to males. However, Hexahydropyridine,1-methyl-4-[4,5-dihydroxyphenyl] was only detected in female SHBs and 2′-Hydroxypropiophenone, TMS derivative was only detected in 10 days old virgin females, and 5-Cyclohexyl-1-pentene was exclusively found in mated beetles, regardless of sex or age. The biological activity of these candidates needs to be confirmed. Given that they constitute olfactory cues involved in mating, this would offer a promising avenue for sustainable pest control of SHB, enabling for the first time to protect wild bee populations.

ISSN Print: 0021-8839
ISSN Online: 2078-6913
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): https://doi.org/10.1080/00218839.2021.2015057
Publikations-ID (Webcode): 49020 Per E-Mail versenden

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