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The objective of the present study is to establish regression models defining the relations between physicochemical parameters of bee honey and the type of honey. 89 samples of bee honey (acacia honey, coriander honey, limetree honey, rapeseed honey, sunflower honey, and multifloral honey) collected from different regions of Bulgaria were used in the study. The following parameters have been defined: water content (WC); content of fructose (F), glucose (G), electrical conductivity (EC), refractive index (RI), and pH. Moderate to strong negative correlation between WC and RI has been found for all studied types of bee honey. In the samples from lime tree, coriander, and multifloral honey, positive but different in strength correlation has been observed - from weak to moderate correlation between pH and EC. The analysis of the samples with acacia honey showed differences in strength and direction of: lime tree and multifloral honey in terms of the correlations between pH and total F + G content; of lime tree, rapeseed, and sunflower honey in the correlations between F+G and RI and between WC and F + G. General Linear Models (1-5) have been compiled based on the connections between the considered physicochemical parameters and the different types of honey, which would allow subsequent estimation of the studied parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Testing for the level of manifestation of the hygienic behavior of 32 bee colonies from the local honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) from three apiaries has been carried out. Depending on the level of manifestation of the cleansing instinct, two groups of bee colonies have been formed - hygienic (these clean over 95% of the cells with dead brood up to the 48th hour after killing the brood) and non-hygienic (these clean less than 95% of the cells with dead brood up to the 48th hour). Woiker bee samples have been taken from the tested bee colonies to determine the level of fat body development. The fat body is important for the bee organism, since in addition to being a fat and carbohydrate storage depot, it is also considered to be the center of metabolism in insects. The analysis of the results from the present study revealed that the mean value of the level of fat body development in worker bees from the group of hygienic bee colonies was 2.76±0.038. In the group of non-hygienic colonies this value was 7.61% lower (2.55±0.079). This difference is statistically significant at p<0.05. Significant differences have been found in the development of the fat body in worker bees from apiaries at a distance of 100 km without regard to hygienic behavior and according to hygienic behavior. The results obtained suggest that there is a correlation between the level of fat body development and the hygienic behavior in bees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study is to examine the changes in some indicators characterizing the winter hardiness of bee colonies settled in hives made of different material (polystyrene, wood, ceramics) and with different type of bottom (lattice or solid). Some parameters which characterize the wintering of bee colonies (amount of dead bees and quantity of food consumption in winter) have been investigated. The bee colonies were housed in 10-frame Dadant Blatt hives with a lattice and solid bottom situated at the Training Apiary of the Faculty of Agriculture, Trakia University, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. Two inspections of the bee colonies were carried out (during wintering in November 2020 and at the beginning of the active season in March 2021). Amount of bees in the bee hive (strength) and amount of capped honey in the honeycombs were reported. In bee colonies wintering in hives with a lattice bottom, the consumption of food per 1 kg of bees was 1.639 kg (50%) higher than in hives with a solid bottom. Winter mortality of bees in hives with a lattice bottom was higher compared to this indicator in the hives with a solid bottom, 16.19±10.72% and 12.59±3.57%, respectively, which can be considered excellent wintering below 15% and good wintering in the range of 15.0-19.99%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hygienic behaviour of 26 bee colonies of apiaries in different regions of Bulgaria was tested. The degree of expression of hygienic behaviour was evaluated by the pin-killing method. A test field of square 5 x 5 cm was stuck onto a section of a honeycomb with a sealed worker brood. The bee colonies are divided into two groups: hygienic (cleaned over 95% of cells in the testing area on the 48th hour) and nonhygienic (cleaned less than 95% of the cells in the testing area on the 48th hour). Haemolymph has been taken from bees from each bee colony at 48th hour and lysozyme levels and total protein content has been defined. Multivariate analysis (ANOVA) was used to determine significant differences between hygienic and nonhygienic colonies. The results obtained show significant differences between both groups (P<0.05) according to percent cleaned cells after killing the brood at 3rd, 24th and 48th hours and insignificant differences between hygienic and nonhygienic colonies (P<0.05) for both parameters-lysozyme and total protein. Bivariate correlation was applied to investigate the impact of hygienic behaviour on lysozyme levels and total protein content. Low negative correlation (r=-0.33) between total protein and hygienic behaviour was established which means that an increase of the activities related to the cleansing of honeycomb cells leads to a decrease in the total protein content. Low correlation (r=0.35) between hygienic behaviour and lysozyme levels was found i.e. higher levels of lysozyme are reported with more pronounced hygiene behaviour. The calculated regression model for lysozyme (P=0.24826) is statistically insignificant but the regression model for total protein is statistically significant (P=0.003153) and can be used to predict the relation between total protein content in the haemolymph and hygienic behaviour of bee colonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study is to determine the effectiveness of Ecostop (plates) and Oxalis Bee - plant-based products for the prevention and control of varroosis in bees (Apis mellifera L.).The study was conducted at the end of the 2017 Beekeeping Season of the Beekeeping Experimental Training Center at the Faculty of Agriculture, Trakia University, Stara Zagora. Two products were used: Ecostop containing peppermint oil (2 ml/plate) and timol (5 g/plate), and Oxalis Bee - zootechnical feed additive for bees, including plant extracts, organic acids and invert solution from bio-sugar. The dosing of the products is in accordance with the instructions of the producers Primavet-Sofia Ltd., Bulgaria and the company Vechni pcheli Ltd., Bulgaria. The development and extensinvasion of bee colonies at the beginning and the end of the study and the effectiveness of the applied products were determined. It has been established that the development of bee colonies is normal for the end of the beekeeping season. The comparative analysis of the acaricidal effect of the test products against Varroa destructor shows 98.55±0.30% for Ecostop and 78.15±8.76% for Oxalis Bee. The reported difference in efficacy of both preparations is reliable at p≤0.05. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study is to examine samples of bee honey of different origin and create models for their classification through spectral analysis in the nearinfrared spectrum. Representative samples unifloral (sunflower, acacia, lime and coriander), multifloral and honeydew honey are used. The origin of the above honey samples has been determined in advance by pollen analysis. The spectral measurement (NIR spectroscopy) of each sample was done non-destructively, by measuring the diffuse reflection of the honey samples using the spectral device NIRQuest512 within the range 900-1700 nm. The spectral differences between the different types of bee honey have been studied. For classification of the samples based on their spectra the SIMCA method (Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogy) was used. Models for distinguishing different types of bee honey- unifloral, multifloral and honeydew - have been obtained. The results show 100% accuracy of classification of the samples from the three groups based on the received spectral information. The most compact is the group of honeydew honey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the use of stimulated feeding by additive syrup extract of Tribulus terrestris is investigated. Three groups of bee colonies are included in the study (a control and two experimental), which are stimulated with inverted sugar solution and supplement of extract from Tribulus terrestris and the veterinary medical product "Startovit" during the autumn of 2010. It is established that the average percentage of hibernated bees in the control group of beehives is 72%. For the experimental group stimulated with supplement of extract from Tribulus terrestris, it is 76, 53% and for the group fed with a supplement of "Startovit" - 75, 56%. The average honey consumption by one interhold with bees for the whole winter period within the families from the control group is 1, 37 kg, for those stimulated with extract it is 1,01 kg and those stimulated with "Startovit" have consumed an average of 1,25 kg of honey per interhold. The results show that bee colonies stimulated with extract of Tribulus terrestris have the best winter resistance compared to the control group and the group fed with "Startovit". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The changes in some parameters determining the quality of bee honey are traced after one and two years of storage at room temperature (5 - 8°C in winter months and 25 - 35°C in summer months). On samples of multifloral and honeydew honey (n=27) the following quality parameters have been defined: water content (%), electrical conductivity (μS/cm), specific optical rotation ([ἁ]D20), pH, total acidity (meq/kg), diastase activity (units by Gote), hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF -- mg/kg) content. It was found that the duration of storage at ambient conditions has a pronounced impact on the amount of HMF for copper samples analyzed. There were no significant changes in the amount of HMF in honeydew honey and in most of multifloral bee honey samples. Depending on the duration and storage conditions, the values from other quality parameters being within admissible limits stated in Bulgarian (BDS 3050/80, Decree 48/2003) and international regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study is to investigate the composition and physico-chemical properties of fresh royal jelly(RJ) samples from Sofia (n=5), Lovech (n=5) and Varna (n=3), produced from May to August 2011. The samples were kept frozen at -20° C before analysis. The parameters of royal jelly samples obtained from Sofia region varied within the following ranges: water content (61.7-65.2%), proteins (15.07- 16.85%), fructose (3.73-5.05%), glucose (2.01 - 3.70%), sucrose (1.50 - 2.27%), total sugars (8.05 - 10.37%), pH (3.94 - 4.06), total acidity (3.86 - 4.51 ml 0.1 N NaOH/g) and electrical conductivity (180 - 206 μS/cm). The samples from Lovech region gave the following results: water content (59.10 - 62.70%), proteins (16.84 - 19.63%), fructose (4.07- 5.47%), glucose (3.69 - 5.28%), sucrose (0.36 - 3.59%), total sugars (8.12 - 13.48%), pH (3.86 - 3.97), total acidity (3.68 - 4.42 ml 0.1 N NaOH/g) and electrical conductivity (196-216 μS/cm). Fructose, glucose, sucrose and total sugars contents are in the range 3.64-4.27%, 2.69-5.87%, 2.28 -3.44%, 9.15-12.87%, respectively for the samples from Varna region. The minimum and maximum values for other parameters are: water content (63.30-65.80%), proteins (12.23- 13.08%), pH (3.60-3.70), total acidity (2.48-4.23 ml 0.1 N NaOH/g), electrical conductivity (173- 181 μS/cm). Because of the small number of samples and absence of information about additional feeding of bees with sugar solution, it should be insufficient to draw conclusion about the prevalence of glucose or fructose in fresh royal jelly. This work indicated slight differences between the obtained results of royal jelly samples from three regions of Bulgaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]