SPOHD

Moving hives between regions for seasonal honey production can expose colonies to new pathogens and ecological conditions. The project examined how transhumance affects bee health, microbiota and pathogen exposure during orange blossom and fir honey production.

Bee and honey samples were collected around hive movements between Attica, Argolis and Boeotia. Gut microbiome profiling and shotgun metagenomics of honey were used to track microbes, pathogens, plant resources and other organisms associated with the hive environment.

Honey metagenomics non-invasively tracks foraging resources, gut microbiota, and pathogens from a single sample. Experimental tracking of hives moved to agricultural environments demonstrated immediate benefits to brood development alongside long-term risks, including increased Varroa infection and gut microbiome disruption.

• Galanis A., Vardakas P., Reczko M., Harokopos V., Hatzis P., Skoulakis E.M.C, Pavlopoulos G.A., Patalano S.* (2022). Bee foraging preferences, microbiota and pathogens revealed by direct shotgun metagenomics of honey. Molecular Ecology Resources. DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13626 →

BSRC Alexander Fleming, Ministry of Rural Development and Food