Veterinary medicine in the field of beekeeping

Pčelarstvo je ekonomski i ekološki važna gospodarska grana ovisna o složenim utjecajima iz okoliša. Kukci oprašivači (medonosne pčele, bumbari, solitarne pčele) imaju važnu ulogu u održavanju prirodnih ekosustava jer oprašivanjem utječu na bioraznolikost kao i na proizvodnju hrane. Zdravlje pčelinjih zajednica ključan je čimbenik uspješnog pčelarenja. Posljednje desetljeće ovaj važan dio poljoprivredne proizvodnje suočen je sa zdravstvenom krizom. Kao odgovor na trenutačnu situaciju educirani veterinari u suradnji s pčelarima moraju pratiti pojavnost i raširenost pojedinih bolesti te provoditi kontrolne i preventivne mjere kao i suzbijanje bolesti pčela. Veterinarska medicina ima važnu ulogu u osiguravanju i održavanju zdravlja te proizvodnosti pčelinjih zajednica, javnom zdravstvu i zaštiti okoliša. Primjena dobre veterinarske, pčelarske i okolišne prakse može osigurati proizvodnju sigurnih pčelinjih proizvoda te bioraznolikost.Apiculture is an economically and ecologically important industry that depends on complex environmental factors. Pollinator insects (honeybee colonies, bumblebees, solitary bees) have huge significance because of the multiple roles they play in efficient plant pollination, biodiversity and food production. The health of honey bee colonies is a crucial factor for successful beekeeping. Currently, this important agricultural sector is faced with a health crisis. In order to respond to the chalanges posed by the current situation educated veterinarians must manage the surveillance, control, prevention and eradication measures of honeybee diseases in close collaboration with beekeepers. Veterinary medicine has an important role to play in ensuring the health, sustainability and productivity of managed honeybee colonies, public health, and ecosystem conservation. Implemention of good veterinary, beekeeping and environmental practices can guarantee the safety of apian products, as well as environmental biodiversity

Hepatopankreas u nekih vrsta morskih riba i struktura jetre u arbuna (Pagellus erythinus, Linnaeus) i pišmolja (Merlangius merlangus euxinus, Nordmann, 1840)

The livers of twenty-nine species of fish from twenty different fish families obtained from the Adriatic Sea (Croatia) were investigated. In the livers of twenty species of fish hepatopancreas was found, but not always in the same species. Histology and stereological analysis was undertaken of the liver in ten teleost fish, one each of: common pandora, Pagellus erythinus (Linnaeus, 1758) and in whiting, Merlangius merlangus euxinus (Nordmann, 1840). In the liver of the common pandora there was a smallest proportion of liver tissue 85.81% and liver blood vessels 2.50% and the largest proportion of hepatopancreas tissue 14.19% and hepatopancreas and liver blood vessels 2.50% and the largest proportion of hepatopancreas blood vessels 1.70%. The liver of whiting contained the largest proportion of liver tissue 95.14% and liver blood vessels 4.60% and smaller proportion of hepatopancreas tissue 4.86% and hepatopancreas blood vessels 1.43%. A statistically significant correlation was only obtained between the percentages of the mean values of the examined tissues and blood vessels of the livers between whiting and common pandora (P < 0.01), but not between the groups of the same species. In whiting and common pandora the division to the liver lobuli, the Glison trias is not visible and the perisinusoidal space (space of Dissae) is large and well developed. The Glison trias is not visible and the perisinusoidal space (space of Dissae) is large and well developed. The sinusoidal capillaries were narrow and irregularly shaped and the hepatocytes were organized in tubular form.Istraživanja su provedena na jetri 29 vrsta iz 20 različitih porodica riba iz Jadrana (Hrvatska). U jetri 20 vrsta riba hepatopankreas je pronađen, ali ne uvijek u istih porodica. Provedene su histološke i stereološke analize jetre u deset arbuna, Pagellus erythinu (Linnaeus, 1758) i pišmolja, Merlangius merlangus euxinus (Nordmann, 1840). U jetri arbuna prisutan je manji udio jetrenog tkiva 85,81% i krvnih žila 2,50% te veći udio hepatopankreasnog tkiva 14,19% i krvnih žila u hepatopankreasu 1,70% u odnosu na jetru pišmolja koja sadrži veći udio jetrenog tkiva 95,14% i krvnih žila u jetri 4,60% te manji udio hepatopankreasnog tkiva 4,86% i krvnih žila u hepatopankreasu 1,43%. Statistički značajne razlike ustanovljene su u udjelu istraživanog tkiva i krvnih žila jetre između arbuna i pišmolja (P<0,01), ali ne između riba unutar iste vrste. U arbuna i pišmolja podjela jetrenih režnjića i Glisonov trias nisu vidljivi, a perisinusoidalni prostor (Dissaeov prostor) je velik i dobro razvijen. Sinusoidalne kapilare su uske i nepravilnog oblika, a hepatociti su organizirani u cjevastom obliku

Pojavnost pčelinjih virusa u pčelinjacima Koprivničko-križevačke županije u Hrvatskoj.

Viral honey bee diseases are an increasing beekeeping problem throughout the world because they can cause great economic losses and a reduction in biodiversity in natural ecosystems. Therefore, it is important to promptly identify the causal pathogens of honey bee diseases in order to develop appropriate measures and procedures for their prevention and eradication. In this paper the prevalence and distribution were determined of the five economically most important honey bee viruses in the Koprivnica-Križevci district by Reversetranscriptase PCR (RT-PCR). In addition, the honey bee samples were examined for the presence of the mite Varroa destructor. In the investigated apiaries the following viruses were identified: Deformed wing virus (DWV) with 100%, Sacbrood bee virus (SBV) with 70%, Black queen virus (BQCV) with 20%, Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV) with 10% and Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV) with 10% incidence. Multiple infections of the examined honey bee colonies were found in 80% of samples.Virusne bolesti medonosne pčele predstavljaju ozbiljan problem u pčelarstvu diljem svijeta, jer uzrokuju velike gospodarske štete i smanjenje bioraznolikosti prirodnih ekosustava. Stoga je bitno pravovremeno utvrditi uzročnike bolesti kako bi se mogle poduzeti odgovarajuće mjere i postupci za sprečavanje pojave i njihovo suzbijanje. U ovom je radu lančanom reakcijom polimerazom uz prethodnu reverznu transkripciju utvrđena prisutnost i rasprostranjenost pet najznačajnijih pčelinjih virusa na području Koprivničko-križevačke županije. Dodatno su uzorci pčela pretraženi na prisutnost grinje Varroa destructor. Na pretraženim uzorcima pčela utvrđena je RNA virusa izobličenih krila u 100%, virusa mješinastog legla u 70%, virusa crnih matičnjaka u 20%, virusa akutne pčelinje paralize u 10% i virusa kronične pčelinje paralize u 10% uzoraka. Višestruke mješovite infekcije u pretraženim pčelinjim zajednicama utvrđene su u 80% uzoraka

Varooacidna učinkovitost primjene dodatka hrani tijekom ljetnog tretmana zajednica medonosne pčele (Apis mellifera)

The aim of this field study was to evaluate the varroacidal efficacy of the product Hive Clean® during summer treatment of honeybee colonies (Apis mellifera). Treatment efficacy was assessed by counting the number of Varroa destructor mites killed after multiple applications of Hive Clean®, according to the instructions provided by the producer. Hive Clean® was applied consecutively, with two varroacides with different active ingredients as shock treatment. The treatment with Hive Clean® resulted in a median mite drop of 91.51% (89.25-93.26%). Total mite mortality was always significantly higher than the natural mite fall observed during the pre-treatment period. According to the results obtained, Hive Clean®, as a food additive with acaricidal effect, could be considered an appropriate alternative for varroosis control and also suitable for use in combination with authorized veterinary medicine products, in organic and conventional apiaries under mild climate conditions.Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je utvrditi učinkovitost Hive Clean® proizvoda tijekom ljetnog tretmana zajednica medonosne pčele (Apis mellifera) protiv varooze, u poljskim uvjetima. Učinkovitost tretmana je utvrđena brojenjem otpalih grinja Varroa destructor nakon višekatne uporabe Hive Clean® proizvoda prema uputama proizvođača, kao i nakon kombinirane uzastopne primjene dva varooacida s različitim aktivnim tvarima. Nakon provedenog tretmana s Hive Clean® proizvodom prosječna učinkovitost pada grinja iznosila je 91,51 % (89,25-93,26 %). Ukupan broj otpalih grinja je u svim tretiranim zajednicama medonosne pčele bio značajno veći u odnosu na prirodni pad grinja utvrđen tijekom razdoblja prije tretmana. Sukladno dobivenim rezultatima provedenog istraživanja učinkovitosti Hive Clean® proizvoda, kao dodatka hrani s akaricidnim učinkom, može ga se smatrati prikladnim za kontroliranje varooze. Također, prihvatljiv je za uporabu u kombinaciji s odobrenom veterinarsko medicinskim proizvodima za kontroliranje varooze, i to u pčelinjacima s ekološkim i konvencionalnim načinom pčelarenja

Ponašanje pri gniježđenju i parenju pčele Andrena patella (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae)

This study of nesting and associated behavior patterns of Andrena patella was carried out at 27 locations with different landscape categories, from 2013 to 2016. The research areas chosen were generally flat or marshy areas. A total of 15 major nest aggregations were spotted and 120 nests were excavated. This species nests in soil, males emerge earlier than females, and mating occurred on flowers during the foraging season, in the 3rd week of May. The various nest and cell parameters showed low variability in the different years and different sites, but nest cell length, diameter and number varied significantly, as well as depth even at the same site. The nests were multi-cellular, oblique to horizontal, and cell shape was oval. The mating attempts of the pairs and copulatory behavior involved various steps which were completed in a very few seconds. The males appeared first on the flowers, near to the nesting site, and lived shorter than the females. The females started foraging in the 2nd to 3rd weeks of May and laid eggs in the 1st week of June. The adult phenology, egg placement, cell provision and larval feeding are described.Istraživanje gniježđenja i povezanih obrazaca ponašanja pčele Andrena patella provedeno je na 27 lokacija različitih krajobraznih kategorija, od 2013. do 2016. godine. Odabrana područja istraživanja općenito su bila ravna i vlažna. Uočeno je 15 velikih agregacija gnijezda, a iskopano je 120 gnijezda. U vrsta koje su bile ugniježđene na glinenom zemljištu mužjaci su se razvili prije ženki, a parenje se zbilo na cvijeću za vrijeme sezone paše, treći tjedan u svibnju. Različiti pokazatelji gnijezda i stanica pokazali su nisku varijabilnost u različitim godinama i na različitim lokacijama, no dužina stanica saća, njihov promjer i broj statistički su se znakovito razlikovali čak i na istom mjestu. Gnijezda su bila multistanična, kosa do vodoravna, a oblik stanica ovalan. Pokušaj parenja i kopulacijsko ponašanje uključili su različite faze koje su završene u nekoliko sekunda. Mužjaci su se prvi pojavili na cvijeću, blizu mjesta za gniježđenje, i živjeli su kraće od ženki. Ženke su počele s pašom drugi i treći tjedan svibnja, a jajašca su položile prvi tjedan u lipnju. Opisani su oblici odraslih jedinki, polaganje jaja, opskrba stanica i hranjenje ličinki

Aktivnost leucin-aminopeptidaze u srednjem crijevu nozemoznih medonosnih pčela (Apis mellifera).

The aim of this study was to determine leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) activity in the midgut of nosema diseased honeybees. Nosema sp. spores were confirmed in 60% of the coprologically examined individual honeybees. For laboratory testing 100 honeybees were collected randomly from three beehives. LAP enzyme activity in the midgut of the honeybees was assessed qualitatively, based on the intensity of staining in histological preparations. In bees in which the midgut coprological examination did not reveal Nosema sp. spores, the epithelial cells were red-purple stained, and all the layers of the walls of the midgut were visible. The intensity of honeybees naturally infected with microsporidia Nosema sp. increased while the intensity of the staining gradually decreased, showing progressively less pronounced LAP enzyme activity. Also there was an increasing number of damaged epithelial cells. Therefore, nosema disease can be considered as the disease of choice for studying LAP enzyme activity and determining the degree of microsporidium infection.Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je odrediti aktivnost leucin-aminopeptidaze (LAP) u srednjem crijevu nozemoznih medonosnih pčela (Apis mellifera). Koprološkom pretragom na nozemozu, spore Nosema sp. potvrđene su u 60% pretraženih pojedinačnih medonosnih pčela. Za laboratorijske pretrage slučajnim odabirom skupljeno je po 100 medonosnih pčela iz triju košnica. Aktivnost enzima LAP u srednjem crijevu pčela određena je kvalitativno na osnovi jačine obojenja u pripremljenim histološkim preparatima. U pčela u kojih koprološkom pretragom u srednjem crijevu nisu utvrđene spore Nosema sp. epitelne stanice bile su crveno-purpurno obojene i svi su slojevi stijenke srednjega crijeva bili vidljivi. Jačina prirodne invazije invadiranih medonosnih pčela mikrosporidijama Nosema sp. se povećavala, dok se jačina obojenja postupno smanjivala što ukazuje na postupno slabije izraženu aktivnost enzima LAP. Također je utvrđeno i sve više propalih epitelnih stanica. Zbog toga se nozemozu može smatrati bolešću od izbora za utvrđivanje aktivnosti enzima LAP i utvrđivanje stupnja invadiranosti mikrosporama

Proizvodnja, praksa i stavovi pčelara u Hrvatskoj

We conducted a survey on the beekeeping production, practices and attitudes of 117 beekeepers in Croatia, via a questionnaire. The beekeepers were divided into three groups: full-time (professionals), part-time (side-liners) and hobby (hobbyists) beekeepers. The questions covered the purpose and size of their beekeeping production, the production interests of the beekeepers, treatment of the economically most important honeybee diseases, and the possibilities of the growth of their operation. Professional beekeepers were the youngest (39 years of age on average), with the largest average number of beehives per beekeeper (135 beehives), the largest proportion of LR hives and migratory apiaries, and the largest yearly per hive production of 17.04 kg of honey. The results show that the most marketable beekeeping product was honey, and that professional beekeepers also value propolis as equally interesting for production. They all inherited their beekeeping operations from their predecessors. Varroosis is perceived as the largest cause of honeybee colony death, followed by bad beekeeping practices. About 56% of the beekeepers are prepared to switch to organic/ecological beekeeping. Almost all the beekeepers (96.46%) support the introduction of the early diagnostics of American foulbrood. We found that professional beekeepers prefer the conservative economic model of growth based on their own equity, while hobbyists prefer a more expansive but riskier model of growth based on financial leverage (debt). Professional beekeepers are not inclined to create a mutual beekeepers’ fund to cover losses. On the other hand, they strongly support the idea of creating an alliance for the purpose of joint market penetration.Upitnikom smo proveli istraživanje o pčelarskoj proizvodnji, praksi i stavovima 117 pčelara u Hrvatskoj. Pčelari su bili podijeljeni u tri skupine: profesionalci, pčelari iz dopunske djelatnosti i hobisti. Pitanja su obuhvatila svrhu i veličinu pčelarske proizvodnje, proizvodne interese pčelara, liječenje ekonomski najvažnijih bolesti pčela i mogućnosti za rast djelatnosti. Profesionalni pčelari bili su najmlađi (u prosjeku 39 godina), imali su najveći prosječan broj košnica po pčelaru (135 košnica), imali su najveći udio LR košnica i pokretnih pčelinjaka te su imali i najveću proizvodnju meda po košnici od 17,04 kg. Rezultati pokazuju da je najprodavaniji pčelarski proizvod med, dok profesionalni pčelari i propolis smatraju jednako zanimljivim za proizvodnju. Za razliku od drugih skupina, svi su pčelarstvo naslijedili od svojih predaka. Varooza se smatra najvećim uzrokom uginuća zajednica, a slijedi je loša pčelarska praksa. Oko 56 % pčelara spremno je prijeći na ekološko (organsko) pčelarstvo. Gotovo svi pčelari (96,46 %) podržavaju uvođenje rane dijagnostike američke gnjiloće pčelinjeg legla. Utvrdili smo da profesionalni pčelari preferiraju konzervativni ekonomski model rasta temeljen na vlastitom kapitalu, dok hobisti preferiraju ekspanzivniji, ali i rizičniji model rasta koji se temelji na financijskoj poluzi (dugu). Profesionalni pčelari nisu skloni stvaranju zajedničkoga pčelarskog fonda za pokrivanje gubitaka. S druge strane, snažno podupiru ideju udruživanja sa svrhom zajedničkog prodora na tržište

Mapping the teaching of honeybee veterinary medicine in the European Union and European Free Trade Area

Background Honey bee (Apis mellifera) is a very important species for human beings, animals, environmental biodiversity, crop production and economic sustainability in Europe and worldwide. This study investigates whether future veterinarians are trained to deal with the particular needs of the only traditional food-producing insect in Europe. Methods This study analyses data collected from 77 European veterinary education establishments in EU and the European Free Trade Area. Results The results show that 75 per cent of those establishments (58 out of 77) teach honeybee veterinary medicine. There is a clear geographical differentiation. In north-western countries only about half of the establishments include honeybee health, production and product inspection in their undergraduate curricula, while in eastern, central and southern countries, which are also important beekeeping countries, the great majority of the establishments incorporate honeybee veterinary medicine in their undergraduate curriculum. Eighty-six per cent of all the establishments teaching honeybee veterinary medicine (50 of the 58) incorporate it in their core curriculum either as separate subject or as part of other subjects. Twenty-five per cent of all the establishments (19 out of 77) organise postgraduate training courses in this field. Conclusions Veterinarians have an important role in ensuring the health, sustainability and productivity of managed honeybee colonies as they do for other animal species. It seems however that teaching of honeybee veterinary medicine receives less attention in undergraduate veterinary curricula in EU compared with other fields of veterinary medicine. Seeing the increasing importance of honey bees for crop protection, environmental protection and economic sustainability, it would be beneficial to further strengthen the education of honeybee veterinary medicine in the future. Establishments should encourage and prepare veterinarians for practising science-based veterinary medicine in honey bees by incorporating such teaching in undergraduate curricula and by providing postgraduate opportunities to qualified veterinarians wishing to enhance their basic skills in this field

Veterinari i pčelarstvo: Koje su uloge, očekivanja i perspektive u budućnosti? – pregledni rad.

Apiculture is an important economy sector, facing a real health crisis. Honeybees, as well as other insect pollinator populations have been in decline over recent decades, and diseases are one of the principal challenges. To face this situation, public and private veterinary services are needed to manage surveillance, control, eradication and prevention measures of honeybee diseases within their territories, in close collaboration with beekeepers and farmers. It is necessary urgently to clarify the current problems and threats to apiculture in the public health sector. Due to possible interactions between bee health and production, the negative effects of environmental xenobiotics and climate change, this field must be considered as an interdisciplinary research issue. Moreover, honeybee veterinary medicine is increasingly engaged in the One Health approach, due to the possibility that the poor health of honeybee colonies affects human life. This review identified the key veterinarian roles, gaps in their higher education curriculum, as well as the necessity for research linkage between expectations and professional perspectives.Pčelarstvo je važan sektor gospodarstva koji se suočava sa zdravstvenom krizom. Zajednice medonosne pčele, kao i populacije drugih kukaca oprašivača se smanjuju posljednjih desetljeća. Bolesti se smatraju jednim od glavnih uzroka gubitaka u pčelarstvu. Kako bi se suočili s tim problemom potrebno je povoditi veterinarski nadzor, kontroliranje, suzbijanje i preveniranje bolesti pčela uključivanjem javnih i privatnih veterinarskih organizacija na području njihova djelovanja i u bliskoj suradnji s pčelarima i poljoprivrednicima. Nužno je potrebno osvijestiti aktualnu problematiku i ugroženost pčelarstva u javnozdravstvenom sektoru. Zbog mogućih negativnih učinaka ksenobiotika iz okoliša i klimatskih promjena na zdravlje i proizvodnju pčelinjih zajednica ovo područje zahtjeva provedbu intradisciplinarnih istraživanja. Štoviše, veterinarska medicina u području zdravlja zajednica medonosne pčele zauzima iznimno važan pristup Jednog zdravlja upravo zbog mogućnosti da narušeno zdravlje pčelinjih zajednica može negativno utjecati na zdravlje ljudi. U ovom radu istaknute su glavne uloge veterinara u pčelarstvu, nedostatci u kurikulima studijskih programa veterinarske medicine visokoobrazovnih ustanova i nužnosti provedbe istraživanja koja povezuju očekivanja i stručne perspektive

Gospodarstvena obilježja pčelarske proizvodnje u Hrvatskoj

The aim of this study was to determine the basic economic parameters of honey production, export and import in Croatia and worldwide. We also estimated the market value of Croatian beekeeping as a whole for the year 2007. The most marketable bee product is honey, but its value is many times smaller than the value of pollination that bees deliver to our ecosystem. Besides that, there is also the positive infl uence of the beekeeping activities on human health since they are bound to dwelling in the natural surroundings. The largest honey producers of the world, for the period 2002-2007 were, in descending order: China, Argentina, Turkey, the USA and Ukraine. The largest world honey exporters in the same period were Argentina, China, Mexico, Germany and Hungary, and largest importers were the USA, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and France. Germany is not only a large importer but also a large honey exporter. A trend analysis of the number of beehives in Croatia from 1967-2007 (variable x2) shows with 95% certainty that in the year 2015 the number of beehives in Croatia will be somewhere between 64.80 and 151.20 thousand. The predicted value for the same year for honey production (variable x3) is somewhere between 1,640 and 2,360 tons, and for per hive honey production (variable x4) between 16.34 and 20.87 kg. The total market value of the Croatian beekeeping industry in 2007 was estimated at 28.55 million € (214.09 million HRK).Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je odrediti temeljne ekonomske pokazatelje proizvodnje, izvoza i uvoza meda u Hrvatskoj i u svijetu. Također smo procijenili tržišnu vrijednost hrvatskoga pčelarstva za 2007. godinu. Najutrživiji pčelarski proizvod je med, ali njegova je vrijednost puno puta manja od vrijednosti oprašivanja koje u našem ekosustavu obavljaju pčele. Osim toga, pčelarske aktivnosti pozitivno utječu na ljudsko zdravlje zbog boravka u prirodi. Najveći proizvođači meda na svijetu, u razdoblju od 2002. do 2007. godine, bili su Kina, Argentina, Turska, SAD i Ukrajina. Najveći svjetski izvoznici u istom razdoblju bili su Argentina, Kina, Meksiko, Njemačka i Mađarska, a najveći uvoznici SAD, Njemačka, Japan, Velika Britanija i Francuska. Njemačka nije samo uvoznik nego i veliki izvoznik meda. Analiza trenda broja košnica u Hrvatskoj od 1967. do 2007. godine (promjenjivica x2) pokazuje s 95% pouzdanosti da će 2015. godine u Hrvatskoj biti između 64,80 i 151,20 tisuća košnica. Predviđena vrijednost proizvodnje meda (promjenjivica x3) za istu godinu mogla bi biti između 1.640 i 2.360 tona, a proizvodnje meda po košnici (promjenjivica x4) između 16,34 i 20,87 kg. Ukupna tržišna vrijednost hrvatske pčelarske industrije za 2007. godinu procijenjena je na 28,55 milijuna € (214,09 milijuna HRK)