The stingless bee Nannotrigona testaceicornis (Lepeletier, 1836), commonly known as “Iraí,” has established itself as a species of increasing ecological and economic relevance in the Neotropical region. Due to its wide distribution, adaptive plasticity in anthropized environments, and ease of management, the species stands out for its role in meliponiculture and ecosystem services. Given that existing knowledge is fragmentary, this study aimed to conduct a systematic literature review, integrating classical data and recent findings to provide an updated overview of the species. The study sought to cover fundamental aspects of this bee’s taxonomy and biology, including nest architecture and colony structure. Critical topics such as population genetics are discussed, highlighting the risks of inbreeding in urban areas, as well as ecological interactions, with emphasis on its efficiency in visiting and pollinating agricultural crops and native flora. The review aimed to compile data on ecotoxicology, chemical ecology, and emerging sanitary challenges, such as the presence of viral and bacterial pathogens. Finally, the potential of its products and associated microbiota for biotechnological applications is highlighted. It is concluded that N. testaceicornis is a promising biological model, requiring integrative management strategies that combine genetic conservation and sanitary rigor.

Minimising honey bee colony losses requires healthy colonies. An important contributor to maintaining good colony health and vitality is effective colony management, but individual beekeepers vary greatly in their knowledge and application of optimal management practices. Beekeepers become knowledgeable through the acquisition of reliable information, but whilst there are many available information sources for the beekeepers, these vary greatly in quality. The COLOSS B-RAP (Bridging Research and Practice) group, a Core Project of the COLOSS (prevention of honey bee COlony LOSSes) honey bee research association, studies the means for the effective transfer of the latest beekeeping knowledge from scientists and extension workers to practising beekeepers. A purpose-designed questionnaire was used in an international online survey, translated and published by volunteer national coordinators, to collect data on the information sources preferred and most used by the beekeepers, in order to understand the best means for communication and beekeeping education. The study covered 71 countries and received 11,351 responses, mainly from Europe, Asia, North America and Latin America. It was found that knowledge acquisition differed significantly according to various beekeeper characteristics, with the most influential factors being continent, beekeeper age, beekeeping experience and beekeeping education. The results demonstrate the necessity for researchers and beekeeping advisors to diversify their usage of information channels so that a majority of the beekeeping community can access important new bee research results.

Although the ecological importance of stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) is widely recognized, their populations are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic activities. This study investigated the biodiversity of stingless bees in anthropogenic fragments of the Cerrado, a Neotropical savanna in central Brazil. Additionally, we analyzed how the diversity of natural and artificial habitats influences the occurrence of nests of different species. We employed active-search surveys in three Cerrado fragments to locate and mark all observed nests. For each recorded nest, we identified the bee species and characterized the habitat using environmental variables, including canopy cover, nest vertical position, and nesting substrate type (trees, termite mounds, buildings, or soil). The relationship between species occurrence and these environmental factors was analyzed using linear models. We identified 101 nests from 13 species of stingless bees, with Nannotrigona testaceicornis and Tetragonisca fiebrigi being the most abundant. Species exhibited distinct nesting preferences: N. testaceicornis predominantly occupied lower vertical positions; Partamona ailyae nested in the lower parts of trees; Scaptotrigona postica preferred higher locations; Trigona hyalinata selected elevated areas with lower canopy cover; and T. fiebrigi nested predominantly in buildings. These findings enhance our understanding of the ecological factors influencing stingless bee nesting behavior, highlight their adaptability to anthropogenic environments, and underscore the importance of preserving diverse habitats for their conservation, even in human-modified landscapes.

Microbial bioinsecticides are considered safer for the environment than traditional chemical pesticides. However, conducting the necessary studies to assess their impact on the honey bee is always essential. In this study, two bioinsecticides, Spinosad and Spinetoram, were examined and evaluated for their chronic exposure effects at sublethal concentrations on pollen consumption and the development of hypopharyngeal glands in two age groups: six-day-old and nine-day-old, caged honey bee workers under laboratory conditions. We found that Spinosad negatively affected pollen cumulative consumption and the glands’ volume, activity represented in histochemical structure, and nucleus area, with apparent effects observed in nine-day-old bees. As for Spinetoram, it did not affect pollen consumption or gland volume but showed a noticeable effect on gland histochemical structure and caused nucleus deformation in 9-day-old bees. Therefore, special attention needs to be paid to the sublethal effects of some microbial bioinsecticides on honey bees, and they should not be exempted from risk assessment analysis.

In apiculture, the natural acaricide formic acid (FA) is considered highly effective in killing Varroa mites, including their reproductive phase, which takes place in capped brood cells. It is recommended for long-term treatment in integrated pest management programs around the world. Using AI-based computer technology, we assessed potentially harmful effects of FA (60%) on brood development after 6 days of continuous treatment. A single in-hive application of FA had negative effects on the presence of eggs, young, and old larvae. All the developmental stages in open brood were strongly reduced after the FA treatment, whereas continuous presence of eggs and young larvae throughout the entire test period was observed in the control group. The computer analysis revealed changes in reproductive performance regarding egg laying and brood rearing in colonies treated with FA. The areas of empty cells decreased to 22% in the FA treatment group, whereas in the control, they increased to 46% at Brood Area Fixing Day (BFD) +22, thus indicating colony expectation of continuous egg laying in the next period.

This study evaluated the feasibility of swab-based sampling with Molecular (MTM) and Viral (VTM) Transport Media for molecular detection of Melissococcus plutonius (European foulbrood) in honey bee brood. Both media enabled reliable detection for up to 14 days at tropical ambient temperatures (21–32 °C). This refrigeration-free method is a cost-effective and practical alternative to frozen transport, significantly improving surveillance logistics in extensive territories like Brazil.

The deformed wing virus (DWV)is widely distributed worldwide in Apis mellifera colonies. It is expected that the most virulent strain (DWV-B) will become more prevalent over time, yet there are still major gaps regarding its distribution. Here, we report for the first time the presence of DWV-B in Portugal (mainland) in honey and wild bees, as well as in Vespa velutina nigrithorax (collected in July–August, 2024). Furthermore, studies reporting DWV-B presence in European countries are reviewed to better understand its distribution at the European level.

The present study investigated the effects of drying on the quality of propolis from Heterotrigona itama reared in a jaboticaba plantation. Raw propolis was extracted using 70% aqueous ethanol in an ultrasound assisted extraction system. Then the propolis extract was subjected to three drying techniques, namely sun drying, vacuum oven drying and infrared drying. The drying behavior of propolis was found to follow thin layer models. The page model was the most suitable drying model with the kinetic constants of 0.0014 g/hr (sun drying). 0.0794 g/hr (vacuum oven drying) and 0.0675 g/hr (infrared drying). A diffusion controlled process was the dominant drying mechanism of propolis in the vacuum oven and infrared dryers because only two falling rates were observed. However, sun drying of propolis extract occurred at a constant rate in an open air system. Although the vacuum oven and infrared drying accelerated the drying process, some phenolics and flavonoids were degraded to some extent, thus lowering the antioxidant capacity of propolis extract. The reduction was partly due to the degradation of flavanones, particularly for infrared dried propolis extract. Unsupervised principal component analysis also revealed that propolis extracts formed two distinct clusters, in which sun dried propolis extract was located far away from the other propolis extracts. Mass spectra indicated that higher levels of lignin based phenolics, coumarins, and their glycosylated derivatives in sun dried propolis extract were the main contributors to the variance. The findings concluded that the vacuum oven was the best drying technique for propolis with good quality.

This study presents honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colony loss rates and their associated risk factors across Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Kenya during the 2023/24 active beekeeping season using a standardized survey questionnaire developed previously for Africa. A total of 453 beekeepers managing 15,830 colonies reported an overall loss rate of 19.3%, primarily attributed to the main local pests: ants, mammals, and wax moths, and uncontrollable factors: bushfires, theft/vandalism, strong wind, and drought. Loss rates differed significantly among countries, ranging from 12.8% in Cameroon and 18.6% in Ethiopia to 27.2% in Kenya. Beekeepers trained in best colony management practices experienced significantly lower losses than their untrained counterparts, and full-time and part-time beekeepers had lower loss rates than hobbyists. Hive type effectiveness varied by country. In Ethiopia, colonies in movable-frame hives experienced reduced losses compared to frameless designs. Conversely, in Cameroon and Kenya, high pest pressures and uncontrollable challenges (mostly theft, drought, bushfire, and/or cold weather) contributed to higher losses in movable-frame hives compared to frameless hives. Notably, colony predation by the African serval cat (Leptailurus serval) accounted for 61.5% of pest-related losses in Cameroon. This is a newly documented threat to African honey bee colonies requiring further study. Migratory beekeeping was also associated with significantly higher losses than stationary beekeeping. Detailed results by country and region are presented in accompanying tables, and specific management recommendations to reduce colony losses are provided.

Bee pollen is a healthful food product with nutritional and therapeutic properties. The high moisture content in bee pollen during traditional storage conditions often leads to product degradation. The present study was conducted to examine the effectiveness of ozone treatment and gamma irradiation as methods for healthily preserving bee pollen, to maintain its nutritional properties during storage for 6 months at ambient temperature. For this purpose, ozone treatment at a dosage of 0.03 µg/L and gamma radiation at a dosage of 7.5 kGy were performed on maize and Egyptian clover bee pollens, and then they were preserved at ambient temperature for 6 months. Protein and amino acid composition in bee pollens were determined. In comparison with the fresh bee pollen, insignificant changes in crude protein content, total amino acids, total essential amino acids, and total non-essential amino acids of bee pollen treated with ozone and gamma radiation occurred after 6 months of storage at ambient temperature. In comparison with the fresh bee pollen, histidine was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased, while arginine was significantly (p < 0.05) increased in treated Egyptian clover bee pollen after 6 months of storage. It can be inferred that ozone treatment or gamma irradiation can be applied to maintain the protein and amino acids in bee pollen during storage for 6 months at ambient temperature.