Türkiye-İsrail kovanlarında Kumafos kalıntısının yaygınlığı: Ortak bir çalışma

A collaborative study was achieved to determine the distribution of coumaphos residues in beeswax and honey samples collected from hives in different parts of Turkey and Israel. Totally 170 samples were analyzed by Gas Chromatography / Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). In Turkey and Israel no honey samples were contaminated over Maximum Residue Limit (MRL=100 ppb) but in Turkey 100 % of beeswaxes and in Israel 91.6% of positive beeswaxes were over MRL.Çevresel etkilerin ve zirai ilaç kullanımının arı ürünlerinde kimyasal kalıntılara yol açtığı uzun yıllardan beri bilinmektedir. Çoğu zaman 'coumaphos' (Checkmite, Perizin), 'amitraz' ve 'fluvalinate' ile yapılan akarisit tedavileri kovanda kalıntılara yol açmaktadır. Akarisitler hidrofobik yapıya sahip oldukları için bal dışında petekte birikme özelliği gösterirler. Balda kalıntı miktarı düşük düzeyde olmasına rağmen, petekte kalıntı miktarının yüksek olması arılar üzerinde sinerjik toksik etkiye sebep olmakta ve akarisitlere dayanıklı akarların gelişmesine yol açmaktadır. Geri dönüşümü yapılarak kullanılan peteklerde kalıntı oranı çok hızlı bir şekilde artmakta ve bu kalıntıların yok olması çok uzun zaman almaktadır. Bu olay, doğal, saf, temiz ve yenmesi son derece sağlıklı olarak bilinen bal ve diğer arı ürünlerine ekonomik zararlar vermektedir. Eski peteklerin geri dönüştürülmesiyle yeni petek elde etme işlemleri, kumafos kalıntılarının seviyesini azaltmaya yardımcı olmamakta, tam aksine eski peteklerin sürekli geri dönüştürülmesi peteklerde kumafos seviyesinin artmasına neden olmaktadır

Evaluation of colony losses in Israel in relation to the incidence of pathogens and pests

To evaluate symptoms, extent, and possible causes of colony decline and losses in Israel, we carried out (1) a survey of honeybee colony losses and potential causes via mail and phone; (2) systematic sampling of healthy and problematic beehives after requeening in the winter; (3) detection of Varroa and pathogens including, viruses and Nosema ceranae, by microbiological means and sensitive RT-PCR. From 58 beekeepers (46000 colonies) interviewed, 40% complained of extensive colony loses during 2008. Examination and sampling for pests and pathogens of 113 hives in the winter of 2009 showed 35% of hives with Nosema and 21% with V. destructor. The most frequent viruses detected were Black Queen Cell Virus, Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus, and Deformed Wing Virus. A significant negative correlation was found between worker population in the hive and the presence of viral and Nosema infections

Honey bee (Apis mellifera) strains differ in avocado (Persea americana) nectar foraging preference

Avocado nectar is unusual because it contains perseitol, a 7-carbon sugar alcohol. We compared avocado-nectar collection by commonly used Italian-based (IT) honey bee colonies and New World Carniolan (NWC) colonies introduced in avocado orchards in Israel (IS) and California (CA). In IS, NWC colonies had greater honey yields (1.2–4.3 fold), with a higher perseitol content (1.1–5.4 fold), than IT colonies. Overall, we calculated that NWC bees collected 1.4 to 18.1 times more avocado nectar than IT bees in the IS orchards. In CA, analyses of the crop contents of foragers revealed non-significant strain-specific trends in visitation to avocado flowers that were consistent with those indicated by data from IS. The genetic basis for honey bee differences in visitation to avocado flowers was further supported by the consistently high honey perseitol content of selected colonies over two years. The implications of possible strain-specific difference in avocado-nectar preference are discussed in relation to the use of honey bees for avocado pollination