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Agriculture
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Recent Advances in Bee Rearing and Production
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Recent Advances in Bee Rearing and Production

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Farm Animal Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2025 | Viewed by 3182

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Atanas Atanasov

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural Machinery, Agrarian and Industrial Faculty, University of Ruse “Angel Kanchev”, 7004 Ruse, Bulgaria
Interests: modern agriculture technologies; smart greenhouses; smart vegetable growing; crop monitoring; precision farming; farm automation; remote monitoring; data-driven farming
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Zlatko Puškadija

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department for Hunting, Fishery and Beekeeping Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, V. Preloga 1, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
Interests: honey; bees; beekeeping; apis mellifera; hive; sunflower parasitic diseases; pollination; pollination ecology; honeybees

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Honeybees are one of the most ancient living organisms on our planet, on which the sustainability of all ecosystems depends. Despite historical advances, modern beekeeping faces numerous challenges. Factors such as habitat loss, pesticide exposure, climate change, and the proliferation of pests and diseases (notably Varroa mites) have contributed to a decline in bee populations. While modern challenges pose significant threats to bee populations, recent advances offer promising solutions. Through genetic research, innovative smart technologies, sustainable pest management, improved nutrition, conservation efforts, and community involvement, the future of beekeeping looks hopeful.

This Special Issue focuses on the current and emerging trends in the development of apiculture. By covering a broad spectrum of topics, it aims to provide valuable insights and practical solutions that can be applied to improve bee health, productivity, and sustainability. This Special Issue will include a broad range of interdisciplinary studies embracing agriculture, biology, genetics, numerical methods, chemistry, and engineering. All types of articles, such as original research, opinions, and reviews, are welcome.

Dr. Atanas Atanasov
Prof. Dr. Zlatko Puškadija
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • beekeeping
  • pollination
  • numerical analysis
  • honeybee population dynamics
  • methods
  • analysis of bee products
  • nutrition assessment
  • foraging
  • precision apiculture
  • apicultural plants
  • UAV
  • computer vision
  • machine learning

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 7273 KiB  
Article
An AI-Based Open-Source Software for Varroa Mite Fall Analysis in Honeybee Colonies
by Jesús Yániz, Matías Casalongue, Francisco Javier Martinez-de-Pison, Miguel Angel Silvestre, Beeguards Consortium, Pilar Santolaria and Jose Divasón
Agriculture 2025, 15(9), 969; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15090969 (registering DOI) - 29 Apr 2025
Abstract
Infestation by Varroa destructor is responsible for high mortality rates in Apis mellifera colonies worldwide. This study was designed to develop and test under field conditions a new free software (VarroDetector) based on a deep learning approach for the automated detection and counting [...] Read more.
Infestation by Varroa destructor is responsible for high mortality rates in Apis mellifera colonies worldwide. This study was designed to develop and test under field conditions a new free software (VarroDetector) based on a deep learning approach for the automated detection and counting of Varroa mites using smartphone images of sticky boards collected in honeybee colonies. A total of 204 sheets were collected, divided into four frames using green strings, and photographed under controlled lighting conditions with different smartphone models at a minimum resolution of 48 megapixels. The Varroa detection algorithm comprises two main steps: First, the region of interest where Varroa mites must be counted is established. From there, a one-stage detector is used, namely YOLO v11 Nano. A final verification was conducted counting the number of Varroa mites present on new sticky sheets both manually through visual inspection and using the VarroDetector software and comparing these measurements with the actual number of mites present on the sheet (control). The results obtained with the VarroDetector software were highly correlated with the control (R2 = 0.98 to 0.99, depending on the smartphone camera used), even when using a smartphone for which the software was not previously trained. When Varroa mite numbers were higher than 50 per sheet, the results of VarroDetector were more reliable than those obtained with visual inspection performed by trained operators, while the processing time was significantly reduced. It is concluded that the VarroDetector software Version 1.0 (v. 1.0) is a reliable and efficient tool for the automated detection and counting of Varroa mites present on sticky boards collected in honeybee colonies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Bee Rearing and Production)
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12 pages, 1719 KiB  
Article
A New Technique for Marking Queen Bees (Apis mellifera) for Better Visibility and Easier Spotting
by Slobodan Dolasevic, Nikola Delic, Maja Petricevic, Tanja Keskic, Ratko Pavlovic, Jevrosima Stevanovic and Zoran Stanimirovic
Agriculture 2025, 15(6), 645; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15060645 - 18 Mar 2025
Viewed by 473
Abstract
While marking queens is an optional rather than mandatory technique, it is increasingly becoming a standard practice in modern beekeeping. Finding queens in strong colonies and large apiaries is a time-consuming process. The visible and durable marking of the queen enables it to [...] Read more.
While marking queens is an optional rather than mandatory technique, it is increasingly becoming a standard practice in modern beekeeping. Finding queens in strong colonies and large apiaries is a time-consuming process. The visible and durable marking of the queen enables it to be seen more quickly, directly improving productivity in apiary management. This study examined a new technique for marking queens using an oil-based marker, which involved marking not only the thorax (as a standard technique) but also the wings and abdomen. The durability of the marking was assessed by measuring color retention at the start of the experiment and after five months. Two groups of queens were formed: an experimental group, marked with the new technique on three body parts—Group O (n = 12) and a control group of unmarked queens—Group N (n = 12). The most durable color retention was observed on the thorax (54.4%) and abdomen (14.4%), while retention on the wings was weaker (2.4%), necessitating reapplication during the season. Considering the proportion of the total marked area, abdomen marking gave better results (9.5%) compared to the thorax (5.4%) and wings (0.6%) marking. The application of this marking technique showed no negative effects on queen acceptance, survival, or supersedure. Marking three body parts can increase the queen’s visibility in a non-invasive way, improving work efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Bee Rearing and Production)
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15 pages, 5712 KiB  
Article
Lipidomics Reveals Dietary Alpha Linolenic Acid Facilitates Metabolism Related to Division of Labor in Honeybee Workers
by Qingxiao Zeng, Deqin Zong, Xiabing Li, Zihong Zhang and Jing Qiu
Agriculture 2025, 15(3), 272; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15030272 - 27 Jan 2025
Viewed by 751
Abstract
The division of labor among honeybee workers contributes to efficient pollination activities. Lipids play a crucial role in behavioral regulation, with pollen serving as a primary source of these lipids. However, the regulatory effect of pollen lipids on the division of labor of [...] Read more.
The division of labor among honeybee workers contributes to efficient pollination activities. Lipids play a crucial role in behavioral regulation, with pollen serving as a primary source of these lipids. However, the regulatory effect of pollen lipids on the division of labor of honeybee workers remains to be studied. In this study, an in-depth lipidomic analysis based on HPLC-QTOF-MS and UPLC-IM-QTOF-MS was applied. We conducted the first comprehensive lipidomic profiling of the abdomen, brain, and intestine of emerging, nursing, and foraging bees, as well as pollen, thereby establishing a lipid library comprising 646 lipid species. The lipid composition of pollen was found to exhibit characteristics similar to those of honeybee workers, with alpha linolenic acid (ALA) validated as a key labor characteristic lipid. Moderate dietary ALA supplementation reshaped lipid levels and facilitated metabolism related to the labor of division. These findings advance the field of lipidomic analysis in honeybee workers, revealing a novel behavioral regulator and extending the understanding of the nutritional regulation of ALA in the division of labor among honeybee workers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Bee Rearing and Production)
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16 pages, 628 KiB  
Article
Impact of Different Sugar Syrups on the Development of the Fat Body in Worker Bees (Apis mellifera macedonica)
by Svilen B. Lazarov, Petya M. Veleva, Atanas Z. Atanasov, Ivaylo S. Hristakov and Zlatko Puškadija
Agriculture 2025, 15(1), 83; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15010083 - 2 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1450
Abstract
Global climate change, intensive agriculture, and anthropogenic pollution adversely affect flowering plants and the vitality of bee colonies. In nutritional stress conditions, bees deplete the food reserves of their fat body to sustain colony life. Beekeepers play a critical role by providing supplemental [...] Read more.
Global climate change, intensive agriculture, and anthropogenic pollution adversely affect flowering plants and the vitality of bee colonies. In nutritional stress conditions, bees deplete the food reserves of their fat body to sustain colony life. Beekeepers play a critical role by providing supplemental nutrient solutions. This study examines the effects of various sugar syrups on the fat body development of worker bees (Apis mellifera macedonica). The colonies were divided into one control group and five experimental groups: one fed with 1:1 sugar/water syrup, one with 2:1 sugar/water syrup, one with inverted syrup (Apiinvert), one with HFCS (high-fructose corn syrup) (Isosweet), and one with 1:1 honey/water syrup. Fat body development was assessed through meticulous dissection, and the degrees of development were documented using a USB digital microscope (Bresser). The results indicate significant seasonal variations in fat body development, with winter depletion and recovery influenced by supplemental feeding. Apiinvert and honey/water syrup promoted higher fat body stages, while Isosweet led to elevated fifth degrees of development but raised concerns about potential toxicity due to the hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) formation of improperly stored syrups. This study concludes that adequate supplemental feeding with easily digestible sugars is critical for promoting fat body development, enhancing winter survival, and ensuring overall colony health. These findings provide practical guidance for beekeepers to optimize feeding strategies and support resilient bee colonies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Bee Rearing and Production)
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