USDA-ARS Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research Laboratory, 1157 Ben Hur Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, USA.
Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University AgCenter, 402 Life Sciences Bldg., Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA.
J Insect Sci. 2023 Nov 1;23(6). doi: 10.1093/jisesa/iead087.
Managed honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Apis mellifera Linnaeus) hives require frequent human inputs to maintain colony health and productivity. A variety of plant natural products (PNPs) are delivered via feeding to control diseases and reduce the use of synthetic chemical treatments. However, despite their prevalent use in beekeeping, there is limited information regarding the impact of ingested PNPs on bee health. Here, we tested the effects of different essential oils and propolis extracts on honey bee life span, nutrient assimilation, xenobiotic detoxification, and gut microbiota abundance. Brazilian propolis extract lengthened worker life span, while the other PNPs (Louisiana propolis extract, lemongrass oil, spearmint oil, and thyme oil) exerted variable and dose-dependent effects on life span. Vitellogenin (vg) gene expression was reduced by Brazilian propolis extract at high doses. Expression of CYP6AS1, a detoxification-related gene, was reduced by low doses of thyme oil. The abundances of 8 core gut microbiota taxa were largely unaffected by host consumption of PNPs. Our results suggest that in addition to propolis's structural and immunomodulatory roles in the colony, it may also exert beneficial health effects when ingested. Thyme oil, a commonly used hive treatment, was toxic at field-realistic dosages, and its use as a feed additive should be viewed with caution until its effects on bee health are more thoroughly investigated. We conclude that the tested propolis extracts, lemongrass oil, and spearmint oil are generally safe for bee consumption, with some apparent health-promoting effects.
管理蜜蜂（膜翅目：蜂科：Apis mellifera Linnaeus）蜂群需要频繁的人为干预来维持群体健康和生产力。各种植物天然产物（PNPs）通过喂养来控制疾病和减少合成化学品的使用。然而，尽管它们在养蜂中被广泛使用，但关于摄入的 PNPs 对蜜蜂健康的影响的信息有限。在这里，我们测试了不同的精油和蜂胶提取物对蜜蜂寿命、营养吸收、异生物质解毒和肠道微生物区系丰度的影响。巴西蜂胶提取物延长了工蜂的寿命，而其他 PNPs（路易斯安那蜂胶提取物、柠檬草油、薄荷油和百里香油）对寿命产生了不同的、剂量依赖性的影响。巴西蜂胶提取物在高剂量下降低了 vitellogenin (vg) 基因的表达。低剂量的百里香油降低了与解毒相关的 CYP6AS1 基因的表达。8 个核心肠道微生物类群的丰度受宿主摄入 PNPs 的影响不大。我们的研究结果表明，除了蜂胶在群体中的结构和免疫调节作用外，当被摄入时，它还可能对蜜蜂的健康产生有益的影响。百里香油是一种常用的蜂箱处理剂，在田间实际剂量下具有毒性，在对其对蜜蜂健康的影响进行更彻底的研究之前，应谨慎使用其作为饲料添加剂。我们得出结论，测试的蜂胶提取物、柠檬草油和薄荷油通常对蜜蜂的食用是安全的，并且具有一些明显的促进健康的作用。
