Meng Qingxin, Huang Rong, Yang Shunhua, Jiang Wutao, Tian Yakai, Dong Kun
Yunnan Provincial Engineering and Research Center for Sustainable Utilization of Honeybee Resources, Eastern Bee Research Institute, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China.
Insects. 2025 Mar 27;16(4):351. doi: 10.3390/insects16040351.
The honeybee comb serves as the primary site for all essential colony activities, and its structural and functional integrity plays a crucial role in colony development. As combs age through successive brood-rearing cycles, their physicochemical properties undergo significant changes, which can negatively affect colony health and productivity. This review synthesizes the current knowledge on the biological functions of combs, the aging process, and the negative impacts of old combs on cell structure, worker morphology, colony strength, and bee product quality. Additionally, it examines the adaptive strategies employed by honeybees and the recommended beekeeping management practices to mitigate these effects. Specifically, old combs undergo structural changes in cell dimensions and reduced spatial capacity, leading to the growth of smaller bees with diminished foraging and productivity. Furthermore, bee products, such as honey and beeswax, collected from old combs demonstrate compromised quality and higher levels of environmental contaminants. To counteract these challenges, colonies engage in hygienic behaviors, such as cell cleaning and comb rebuilding, while their enhanced immune and detoxification systems help mitigate comb-derived stressors. This review demonstrates that the systematic replacement of old brood combs is a critical management strategy to optimize bee health and ensure sustainable apiculture.
蜂巢是蜂群所有重要活动的主要场所，其结构和功能的完整性对蜂群发展起着至关重要的作用。随着蜂巢在连续育雏周期中老化，其物理化学性质会发生显著变化，这可能会对蜂群健康和生产力产生负面影响。本文综述了关于蜂巢生物学功能、老化过程以及旧蜂巢对蜂巢结构、工蜂形态、蜂群强度和蜂产品质量的负面影响的现有知识。此外，还研究了蜜蜂采用的适应性策略以及为减轻这些影响而推荐的养蜂管理实践。具体而言，旧蜂巢在巢房尺寸上会发生结构变化且空间容量减小，导致培育出体型较小的蜜蜂，其觅食和生产力降低。此外，从旧蜂巢中采集的蜂蜜和蜂蜡等蜂产品质量受损且环境污染物含量更高。为应对这些挑战，蜂群会采取清洁巢房和重建蜂巢等卫生行为，同时其增强的免疫和解毒系统有助于减轻源自蜂巢的应激源。本文综述表明，系统更换旧育蜂巢是优化蜜蜂健康和确保可持续养蜂业的关键管理策略。
