Os impactos da suplementação artificial na sanidade das abelhas Apis mellifera

Abstract

The bee species Apis mellifera is one of the main productive species in the apiculture environment. In the search for satisfactory results, this sector has found some difficulties, including the health of the colonies. In order to achieve better health results and, consequently, beekeeping production, management in this sector requires different care by beekeepers, including care with colony nutrition that varies according to the seasons of the year. Depending on the needs of each colony, there is a need to provide food supplementation in periods of food shortage, which in this case leads many beekeepers to resort to commercial artificial supplementation. Artificial supplementation provided to the colonies is commonly composed of energy and protein foods and is effective in addition to common apicultural practices such as support for rearing queens, combating varroa reproduction by strengthening the colonies which also benefits the intestinal microflora of the colonies. bees beyond the possibility of promoting the prevention of nosema. among other positive factors related to bee health. This work aims to evaluate the efficiency of a modified cage model for bee keeping under laboratory conditions as well as to evaluate the effects of 14 food supplements administered to bees inoculated with Nosema ceranae spores (4 days old) by evaluating the different variables such as longevity, spore counting, histopathological evaluation and PCR. The results showed differences in longevity and in all supplements initially there was a high rate of spore number and consequent reduction. In the histological evaluation the analyzed samples showed morphological alterations and presence of spores inside and outside the ventricular epithelium cells. Our results demonstrate the need to expand supplementation studies as a way of prevention and treatment for Nosema ceranae.