Devrim Oskay

Honey bee nutrition is crucial for the health, production, and longevity of their colonies. Honey bees obtain the vast majority of their carbohydrates from nectar. Pollen is a major source of macro and micronutrients, such as proteins, lipids, sterols, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients are essential for brood development, hypopharyngeal gland function, enzyme synthesis, and reproductive efficiency. Nutritional stress can arise as a result of seasonal food scarcity, habitat loss, intensive agricultural practices, and the effects of climate change. To mitigate these stressors, researchers rigorously examine the formulation and evaluation of supplemental feeds and alternative sources, highlighting their nutritional composition, functional properties, and health benefits. This review comprehensively presents current scientific research on the nutritional requirements of honeybee colonies and the application of alternative feeds, considering evidence-based colony management strategies and ecologically advantageous beekeeping practices.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the protein extraction efficiency and amino acid composition of bee pollen collected from different botanical sources using water-based ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) with various solvents. Material and Methods: Bee pollen samples were collected from five different apiaries in the central district of Bingöl, Türkiye. Palynological analysis was conducted to identify botanical origins, followed by UAE using distilled water (dH₂O), ethanol (EtOH), and methanol (MeOH) at different concentrations. Extraction efficiency and protein content were determined, and the amino acid profile was analyzed in the sample with the highest protein content. Results: Palynological analysis showed diverse floral sources across the samples. The highest extraction yield (75.7%) was obtained from the BP-1 sample using 25% EtOH, while the highest protein content (9.80%) was observed in BP-3 with dH₂O. BP-3, primarily derived from Fabaceae, Poaceae, and Polygonaceae, was rich in proline, asparagine, and glycine. Conclusion: The botanical origin of bee pollen significantly affects its chemical composition. Solvent type and concentration critically influence extraction efficiency and protein yield. UAE with dH₂O offers a practical method for obtaining plant-based protein from bee pollen, contributing to its valorization as a functional food source.

Bal arısı ıslahı, üstün özelliklere sahip arı kolonileri geliştirme sürecidir. Amaç; verim, hastalıklara ve zararlılara karşı direnç, saldırganlık ve kışlama yeteneği gibi özellikleri iyileştirmektir. Etkili ıslah ve çevresel değişikliklere uyum için genetik çeşitlilik esastır. Yerli bal arısı ırklarının korunması, gelecekte yapılacak ıslah çalışmaları hem de ekosistem dengesi için önemlidir. Islah programlarında sürdürülebilirliğin sağlanması amacıyla genetik materyal değişimi ve seçici çiftleştirme yöntemleri kullanılır. Bal arısı ıslahı, arıcılık sektörünün gelişmesine katkı sağlamanın yanı sıra çevresel ve ekonomik faydalar da sağlar.Kolonilerin performansı, kuluçka gelişimi, hastalıklara ve zararlılara karşı direnç, bal üretimi gibi özelliklerle değerlendirilir. Kolonilerin bu özelliklerinin değerlendirilebilmesi ve karşılaştırılabilmesi için farklı ölçüm teknikleri ve istatistiksel yöntemler kullanılır. Bunların yanı sıra biyoteknoloji alanında kullanılan gen düzenleme, RNAi teknolojisi, markör destekli ve genomik seleksiyon yöntemleri bal arısı ıslahında kullanılır. Koloni yönetimi, ana ve erkek arı yetiştiriciliği ve suni tohumlama teknikleri ıslah çalışmalarının temelini oluşturur. Bu bölümde bal arısı ıslah programlarında kullanılan hem geleneksel hem de biyoteknolojik yaklaşımlar ayrıntılı açıklaması sunulmaktadır.

Arıcılığın Tari̇hçesi Cengiz ERKAN Arıcılığın Genel Durumu, İşletmelerin Ekonomik Analizi ve Pazarlama Stratejileri Zekiye ŞENGÜL Gamze SANER Bal Arısı Tür ve Irkları Meral KEKEÇOĞLU Balarısının Vücut Yapısı ve Biyolojisi Nuray ŞAHİNLER Bal Arısı Kolonisinde Yaşam ve İletişim Rahşan İVGİN TUNCA Gonca ÖZMEN ÖZBAKIR Bal Arısı Genetiği Kemal KARABAĞ Bal Arısı Islahı Devrim OSKAY Kemal KARABAĞ Ana Arı Yetiştiriciliği ve Yapay Tohumlama Aziz GÜL Münire TURHAN Teknik Arıcılıkta Kullanılan Malzemeler ve Teknoloji Kullanımı Gonca ÖZMEN ÖZBAKIR Rahşan İVGİN TUNCA Koloni ve Arılık Yönetimi Halil YENİNAR Bal Arılarında Kışlama ve Kış Arılarının Oluşumu, Fizyolojik ve Davranışsal Özellikleri ile Kışlama Uygulamaları Halil YENİNAR Bal Arısı Beslenmesi Gizem SÖNMEZ OSKAY Devrim OSKAY Gezginci (Göçer) Arıcılık Halil YENİNAR Paket Arıcılık Halil YENİNAR Ali KORKMAZ Bal Arısı Sağlığı Levent AYDIN Bal Arısı ve Tozlaşma Dilek KABAKCI Bal Arılarının Nektar ve Polen Kaynakları Fazlı ÖZTÜRK Balın Yapısı, Çeşitleri ve Kullanım Alanları Nuray ŞAHİNLER Arı Ürünleri Sibel SİLİCİ Apiterapi Sibel SİLİCİ Arı Yetiştiriciliğinde Sürdürülebilir Sistemler: İyi Arıcılık Uygulamaları, Organik ve Biyodinamik Arıcılık Ekin VAROL Banu YÜCEL Küresel İklim Değişikliklerinin Bal Arıları Üzerine Etkileri Cengiz ERKAN Arıcılık ve Hukuk Arsin DEMİR Bal Arılarında Doğru Bilinen Yanlışlar Kemal KARABAĞ

Honey bees, scientifically known as Apis mellifera L., play a crucial role as pollinators, being vital for both biodiversity and agricultural output. Honey bee numbers are declining due to a variety of pressures, with climate change being a significant factor despite their ability to adapt. Honey bees, being ectothermic species, are quite vulnerable to changes in their environment, such as increasing temperatures, changing patterns of precipitation, and severe weather events. These changes disrupt the process of searching for food, diminish the availability of flowers as a source of sustenance, and heighten susceptibility to diseases and pests, ultimately resulting in nutritional strain. This study examines the immediate and indirect consequences of climate change on honey bee colonies, emphasizing the influence of severe temperatures and changes in floral resources on their well-being and capacity to survive. Additionally, it scrutinizes current colony management strategies aimed at mitigating nutritional stress. We examine the possibility of alternative diets that include proteins, lipids, vitamins, phytochemicals, and probiotics to support honey bee health in the face of environmental stress. Furthermore, we are conducting an investigation into the use of food waste items as nutritious supplements. It is crucial to prioritize ongoing research and development of efficient alternative diets in order to ensure the long-term survival of honey bee populations in light of climate change. By implementing these tactics, beekeepers may improve colony resilience and boost biodiversity and agricultural production.

The effects of global warming could be devastating to all forms of life on Earth. Premature aging and diseases related to heat stress can be triggered by prolonged exposure to high temperatures. The limited number of studies on honey bees as model organisms focuses on the potential of natural products to slow down aging process and prolong healthy lifespan. Here we aimed to test the effects of two natural products, chestnut honey and curcumin, on the lifespan of honey bees under heat stress conditions in an experimental system. Honey bees were fed diets consisting of sugar syrup with or without chestnut honey, curcumin and their combinations while they were kept in cages held in an incubator at 35°C and 60% humidity for ten days. On the 10th day, the temperature was raised to 45°C and the cages were kept at this temperature for 3 h. Afterwards, the temperature was lowered to 35°C and the honey bees in the cages continued to feed. Food consumption and number of dead bees in each group were determined everyday. It was found that under stress conditions the average lifespan was prolonged in honey bees fed chestnut honey and curcumin combination, without any changes in their food consumptions. Combined therapy increased the lifespan from 12 to 18 days, while individually chestnut honey was less effective (15 days), and curcumin has no effect (12 days). The results of current study are expected to contribute experimental and practical use of chestnut honey with or without curcumin as a food supplement for not only for honey bees but also for other animals, and human.

Objective: In recent years, there has been an increase in interest in functional honey bee products. Due of their high nutritional content, drone larvae (Apilarnil) is capable of a wide range of biological activities. In this study, we compared the individual and total weights of drone larvae obtained from colonies fed with different substitute foods.Material and Methods: 12 out of 100 colonies comparable in queen age, brood status and colony size were used as material. The colonies were divided into three groups: control, sugar syrup and pollen substitute diet. Each group underwent three replications.Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the weight averages of individual drone larvae taken from colonies (p>0.05). The difference in the average weight of total drone larvae collected between the groups was statistically significant (p<0.05). The average weight of total drone larvae produced by the colonies was 23.80 g in the control group, 34.70 g in the honey substitute group, and 44.42 g in the pollen substitute group.Conclusion: In this research, the high average weight of total drone larvae produced in colonies that fed with pollen substitute feed showed that the use of appropriate substitute feeds in colony feeding management in beekeeping practices promotes drone brood production.

Objective: In several nations, royal jelly is used in apitherapy, healthful foods, and cosmetics. The production and quality of royal jelly collected from honeybee colonies are being worked on by researchers and beekeepers. This study investigated the effect of honey and pollen substitute feeding on the production efficiency of royal jelly. In addition, analyses were conducted to determine the differences between fed and unfed groups in terms of 10-hydroxy-2-deconoic acid (10-HDA), protein and pH characteristics, honey, and pollen substitute.Material and Methods: In this research, the influence of honey and pollen substitute feeding on royal jelly production was examined using the ANOVA test for multiple comparisons by forming 3 different groups and conducting 2 replications. Also, features of the 10- hydroxy-2-deconoic acid (10-HDA), protein and pH of the royal jelly was analyzed for understanding differences among the non-feeding pollen and honey substitute feeding groups.Results: The average RJ quantity per queen cup for non-feeding colonies (Group A) was 420 mg, while the content of 10-HDA, protein and pH were 2.40%, 14.06% and 4.20%, respectively. For the colonies fed with sugar syrup (Group B), these values were 470 mg, 2.51%, 12.88%, 4.25 and for the colonies fed with syrup+pollen substitute (Group C) 530 mg, 4.05%, 13.13% and 4.18. The statistical test and contents analysis highlighted the impact of substitute feeding on average quantity amounts and 10-HDA. According to the results of the research, average RJ amounts in queen cell cup was significantly different in three honey bee colonies feeding groups (p<0.05). Colonies fed with sugar syrup +pollen substitute (Group C) colonies were filled the queen cell cups more amount of RJ than non-feeding (Group A) and fed with sugar syrup (Group B) colonies were filled RJ in the queen cell cups with significantly different. In the study, the colony fed with the sugar syrup +pollen substitute showed almost double the amount of 10-HDA value in RJ than non-feeding and fed with sugar syrup colonies. Protein and pH values shows no differences among the groups.Conclusion: Even at times when nectar and pollen were available in nature, it was observed in this research that providing pollen substitution feed to honey bee colonies supported the output and quality of royal jelly.

Arıcılıktaki araştırmalar birçok bilim dalının ışığında yapılmakta olup biyoteknoloji bunlardan biridir. İklimde yaşanan değişimler, arıların beslenme ve besin kaynaklarını etkilerken, son yıllarda hastalık ve zararlıların giderek artması ve kimyasal ilaçlara karşı gerek arının gerekse de parazit ve patojenlerin direnç geliştirmeleri sebebiyle hastalık etmenlerine bu kimyasalların çare olamaması arıcılıkta biyoteknolojik çalışmalara yönelimi hızlandırmıştır. Hastalıklara dirençli / verimli arı ırklarının ve mevcut katkı maddelerinin geliştirilmesiyle birlikte, yeni yem kaynakları oluşturulmasına yönelik biyoteknolojik araştırmalar yapılmaktadır. Özellikle dünyadaki gelişmelere uyum sağlamak sürdürülebilir arıcılık faaliyetleri açısından da oldukça önem taşımaktadır. Bu çalışmada bal arısı ve arıcılık sektöründe yapılmış bazı biyoteknolojik araştırmalar incelenerek bu alandaki gelişmelerin ortaya konulması ve yakın gelecekte yapılacak çalışmalara ışık tutulması amaçlanmıştır.