Instrumental insemination is an important tool in honey bee breeding as it provides controlled mating, genetic improvement, and conservation of valuable traits. This technique is widely practised in the European honey bee (Apis mellifera), but its application in the Indian honey bee (Apis cerana indica) is limited due to species-specific biological, behavioural and technical challenges. In this review, honey bee biology relevant to instrumental insemination is analysed, and a comparative assessment of the technique in A. mellifera and A. cerana indica is presented. Key aspects such as caste differentiation and sex determination, drone congregation areas, natural mating behaviour, procedures of instrumental insemination, and factors influencing insemination success such as queen age, semen collection and handling, carbon dioxide exposure, and post-insemination management are discussed. In A. cerana indica, smaller body size, reduced spermathecal capacity, and increased sensitivity to handling are identified as major constraints affecting insemination efficiency and post-insemination performance. Methodological limitations, procedural standardization, and operator-dependent variability influencing insemination outcomes are also analyzed. Understanding these interspecific differences is essential for refining species-specific protocols and expanding the application of instrumental insemination for selective breeding, genetic conservation, and sustainable apiculture. The review also outlines future research prospects aimed at improving efficiency and promoting wider adoption of instrumental insemination, particularly in indigenous honey bee species.
Pollinators are vital to agricultural productivity, yet their populations are declining due to anthropogenic disturbances, including pesticide use. This study evaluated the acute toxicity of selected insecticides to two bee species, the honey bee (Apis mellifera) and the small carpenter bee (Ceratina smaragdula), using laboratory and field experiments. Under laboratory conditions, emamectin benzoate exhibited the highest toxicity to C. smaragdula, with a 12-hour LC₅₀ of 4.69 µg/mL. Moderate toxicity was observed for flubendiamide (LC₅₀ = 60.57 µg/mL) and chlorantraniliprole (LC₅₀ = 57.64 µg/mL), whereas the remaining insecticides showed higher LC₅₀ values ranging from 141.41 to 846.77 µg/mL. After 24 hours, emamectin benzoate remained the most toxic (LC₅₀ = 1.14 µg/mL), and similar toxicity patterns were observed for the other insecticides. In A. mellifera, emamectin benzoate was also the most toxic insecticide at both 12 hours (LC₅₀ = 9.64 µg/mL) and 24 hours (LC₅₀ = 5.10 µg/mL). Moderate toxicity was recorded for flubendiamide and chlorantraniliprole, while the other insecticides exhibited lower toxicity, with 24-hour LC₅₀ values ranging from 56.35 to 589.92 µg/mL. Field applications resulted in significant differences in bee abundance between treated and untreated plots, with the highest abundance in untreated plots and the lowest in bifenthrin-treated plots. Overall, bee abundance increased over time, peaking 72 hours after insecticide application. These findings highlight the need for further investigation into the long-term effects of pesticides, particularly on understudied solitary bee species across diverse ecosystems.
Stingless bee colony multiplication is vital for expanding agricultural pollination and sustainable honey production, yet it is often constrained by slow natural establishment after division in standard hive systems. This study evaluated the use of red earthen pots as an ideal, natural artificial hive to facilitate the successful division and management of stingless bee colonies. Three different hive types, viz., wooden square hives, red earthen pots, and wooden rectangular hives, were evaluated for the colony establishment after division. Significantly greater percentage of colony establishment was recorded in red earthen pots (62.55%) with initiation of forage activity in a lesser time period (8.80 ± 0.84 days). The study found that using localized red earthen pots will help in faster colony establishment after division and sustainable multiplication. Internal hive architecture, such as the pillars and involucrum, was recorded at a significantly shorter period after colony division in red earthen pots (6.40 ± 1.14 days). They provide a durable, porous, and well-insulated environment that mimics natural tree hollows, protecting the brood from heat and moisture and enabling faster colony establishment. Pot hives provide a sustainable alternative to wooden boxes and allow for easy inspection and harvesting for hobbyists.
The star fruit tree (Averrhoa carambola L.) has knowledge gaps regarding its reproductive dynamics and interactions with pollinators under field conditions. This study aimed to characterize the phenology, floral biology, and efficiency of biotic visitors in fruit set in Brazil. Flowering occurred from December to February (~90 days), with synchrony among individuals. The flowers are hermaphroditic, ephemeral (with a longevity of 12 h), and exhibit morning anthesis (07:00), with stigmatic receptivity maintained throughout the floral opening period. Floral density was high, with an average of 21.22 ± 11.36 flowers per inflorescence. The visiting entomofauna was predominantly Hymenoptera (95.3%), with Trigona spinipes (58.3%) and Apis mellifera (37%) the most prominent. However, resource segregation was observed: T. spinipes acted primarily as a resin collector, while A. mellifera collected nectar exclusively, exhibiting a significantly higher foraging rate (10.15 ± 1.28 flowers/min) compared to T. spinipes (4.69 ± 1.40 flowers/min). In pollination tests, there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) between all treatments: pollination directed by A. mellifera resulted in the highest initial fruit set (3.1%), followed by free pollination (1.9%) and wind/phyllo pollination (1.2%). Total isolation (paper bags) produced only 0.5% of fruits, confirming that spontaneous self-pollination is inefficient due to floral morphology. It is concluded that, despite the abundance of T. spinipes, it does not effectively contribute to pollination because it focuses on non-reproductive resources. A. mellifera is the most efficient pollinator. Its targeted introduction is essential to mitigate pollination deficits and increase star fruit productivity.
Many insect species are known only by their scientific names, with scarce information about their biology, even when they are widely distributed and promising predators in crop environments. For predatory species such as social wasps, foraging rhythm, prey diversity, flight range, and colony size are cornerstones of characterizing their impact on the environment. Here, we studied these aspects for the widespread social wasp Agelaia centralis (Cameron, 1907), in a Colombian oil palm plantation. We recorded the foraging rhythm and the type of items brought to the nest. A preliminary flight distance was assessed. Colony sizes were calculated using Schumacher-Eschmeyer and Lincoln-Petersen estimators. The round flights ranged between 198 and 325 individuals/10 min, with a peak in the morning and another in the afternoon. The efficiency index for load items ranged between 18.2 and 19.7. Between 87% and 90% of the solid items carried to the nest were prey. These included Araneae, Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, and Orthoptera, but most samples (>72%) were unidentifiable due to malaxation. Wasps released up to 400 m were recaptured from the nest. Estimated colony sizes ranged between 893.6 and 6122.4 individuals. Between 5% and 28% of individuals of a colony are foraging within a 10 min observation slot. The study sets basic information to calculate the impact of this social wasp as an arthropod predator in an agricultural environment.
