Annual diversity of honeybee pollen sources in two pumpkin growing landscapes, Machakos County, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26786/1920-7603(2025)809Keywords:
Apis mellifera, mulit-floral, normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), pollen diversityAbstract
Multi-floral foraging sources for honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) have been threatened by landscape changes and unsustainable farming practices. In East Africa, the biodiversity of forage resources that could support honey bees, especially in agricultural lands, remains least explored. This study investigated pollen diversity for honey bees in Yatta and Masinga Sub-counties in Machakos County, Kenya. Honey bee hives were installed on eight pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Duchesne ex Lam) farms (one hive per farm) in two varying landscape vegetation classes (low and medium) based on normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Pollen traps were installed at the hive entrance and pollen pellets were retrieved fortnightly for subsequent identification. Approximately 115 pollen types were identified. The pollen pellets were associated with 63 plant families and 109 plant families in low and medium NDVI classes, respectively. The predominant source of pollen for honey bees in low NDVI class included the plant families Poaceae (5,526 pellets), Asteraceae (3,176 pellets), Combretaceae (1,327 pellets), Acanthaceae (1,122 pellets), Amaranthaceae (960 pellets), Boraginaceae (951 pellets), Typhaceae (889 pellets), Guaduelleae (809 pellets) and Loranthaceae (588 pellets). In medium NDVI, most pollen was sourced from plant family Asteraceae (3,605 pellets), Malvaceae (1,572 pellets), Poaceae (1,538 pellets), Combretaceae (1,468 pellets), Salvadoraceae (1,354 pellets), Solanaceae (1,011 pellets), Asphodelaceae (885 pellets), Fabaceae (882 pellets), Euphorbiaceae (685 pellets) and Myrtaceae (546 pellets). The diversity of pollen types varied between the NDVI classes and across months. Although honey bees sourced diverse pollen required for the dietary balance of the colony, there was variability across landscape types and months.
References
Abdel-Rahman E, Makori D, Landmann T, Piiroinen R, Gasim S, Pellikka P, Raina S (2015) The Utility of AISA Eagle Hyperspectral Data and Random Forest Classifier for Flower Mapping. Remote Sensing, 7(10), 13298–13318. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/rs71013298
Adan M, Abdel-Rahman EM, Gachoki S, Muriithi BW, Lattorff HMG, Kerubo V, Landmann T, Mohamed SA, Tonnang HEZ, Dubois T (2021) Use of earth observation satellite data to guide the implementation of integrated pest and pollinator management (IPPM) technologies in an avocado production system. Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment, 23, 100566. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsase.2021.100566
Alaux C, Ducloz F, Crauser D, Le Conte Y (2010) Diet effects on honeybee immunocompétence. Biology Letters, 6(4), 562–565. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2009.0986
Antúnez K, Invernizzi C, Mendoza Y, vanEngelsdorp D, Zunino P (2017) Honeybee colony losses in Uruguay during 2013–2014. Apidologie, 48(3), 364–370. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-016-0482-2
Barth OM, Barreto CF, Vilela CG, Baptista Neto JA (2010) Pollen analysis revealing the paleoenvironment of a 3520 year BP old sediment in the Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. https://www.arca.fiocruz.br/handle/icict/26072
Bonnefille R (1971) Atlas des pollens d’Ethiopie, principales espèces des forêts de montagne. Pollen et Spores, 13(1), 15–72. https://pascal-francis.inist.fr/vibad/index.php?action=getRecordDetail&idt=GEODEBRGM72227162
Bosco LB, Da Luz CFP (2018) Pollen analysis of Atlantic Forest honey from the Vale do Ribeira Region, state of São Paulo, Brazil. Grana, 57(1–2), 144–157. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00173134.2017.1319414
Brochu KK, van Dyke MT, Milano NJ, Petersen JD, McArt SH, Nault BA, Kessler A, Danforth BN (2020) Pollen defenses negatively impact foraging and fitness in a generalist bee (Bombus impatiens: Apidae). Scientific Reports, 10(1), 3112. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-58274-2
Brodschneider R, Crailsheim K (2010) Nutrition and health in honey bees. Apidologie, 41(3), 278–294. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/apido/2010012
Corvucci F, Nobili L, Melucci D, Grillenzoni FV (2015) The discrimination of honey origin using melissopalynology and Raman spectroscopy techniques coupled with multivariate analysis. Food Chemistry, 169, 297–304. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.07.122
Da Luz CFP, Chaves SADM, Cano CB (2021) Botanical and geographical origins of honey samples from Pantanal (Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul states, Brazil) certificated by melissopalynology. Grana, 60(3), 189–216. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00173134.2020.1815831
do Carmo Zerbo A, Lúcia R, Silva de Moraes M, Regina Brochetto-Braga M (2001) Protein requirements in larvae and adults of Scaptotrigona postica (Hymenoptera, Apidia, Meliponinae): Midgut proteolytic activity and pollen digestion. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 129(1), 139–147. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1096-4959(01)00324-4
Donkersley P, Rhodes G, Pickup RW, Jones KC, Power EF, Wright GA, Wilson K (2017) Nutritional composition of honey bee food stores vary with floral composition. Oecologia, 185(4), 749–761. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-017-3968-3
Dyer FC (2002) The Biology of the Dance Language. Annual Review of Entomology, 47(1), 917–949. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ento.47.091201.145306
Elliott B, Wilson R, Shapcott A, Keller A, Newis R, Cannizzaro C, Burwell C, Smith T, Leonhardt SD, Kämper W, Wallace HM (2021) Pollen diets and niche overlap of honey bees and native bees in protected areas. Basic and Applied Ecology, 50, 169–180. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2020.12.002
Filipiak M, Walczyńska A, Denisow B, Petanidou T, Ziółkowska E (2022) Phenology and production of pollen, nectar, and sugar in 1612 plant species from various environments. Ecology, 103(7), e3705. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.3705
Giannini TC, Alves DA, Alves R, Cordeiro GD, Campbell A J, Awade M, Bento JMS, Saraiva AM, Imperatriz-Fonseca VL (2020) Unveiling the contribution of bee pollinators to Brazilian crops with implications for bee management. Apidologie, 51(3), 406–421. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-019-00727-3
Goodman L (2003) Form and function in the honey bee. International Bee Research Association. https://www.cabdirect.org/cabdirect/abstract/20033184686
Gorelick N, Hancher M, Dixon M, Ilyushchenko S, Thau D, Moore R (2017) Google Earth Engine: Planetary-scale geospatial analysis for everyone. Remote Sensing of Environment, 202, 18–27. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2017.06.031
Guantai MM, Kasina M, Mueke J, Matolo N, Martins D, Gemmill B (2019) Spatio-Temporal Delivery of Floral Resources in Highly Fragmented Farmlands. African Journal of Horticultural Science, 15, 1–12. https://journal.hakenya.net/index.php/ajhs/article/view/29
Haščík P, Čech M, Čuboň J, Bobko M, Kačániová M, Arpášová H (2022) Effect of supplemental flax and pumpkin pomace on meat performance and quality of Ross 308 broiler chickens’ meat. Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15414/2022.9788088279150
Hawkins J, De Vere N, Griffith A, Ford CR, Allainguillaume J, Hegarty MJ, Baillie L, Adams-Groom B (2015) Using DNA Metabarcoding to Identify the Floral Composition of Honey: A New Tool for Investigating Honey Bee Foraging Preferences. PLOS ONE, 10(8), e0134735. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0134735
Jakobsson A, Ågren J (2014) Distance to semi-natural grassland influences seed production of insect-pollinated herbs. Oecologia, 175(1), 199–208. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-014-2904-z
Keller I, Fluri P, Imdorf A (2005) Pollen nutrition and colony development in honey bees: Part 1. Bee World, 86(1), 3–10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0005772X.2005.11099641
Kirk WD, Howes FM (2012) Plants for bees: A guide to the plants that benefit the bees of the British Isles. (No Title). https://cir.nii.ac.jp/crid/1130000794509455744
Kiros S (2018). A preliminary study on bird diversity and abundance from Wabe fragmented forests around Gubre sub-city and Wolkite town, Southwestern Ethiopia. International International Journal of Avian & Wildlife Biology, 3(4). DOI: https://doi.org/10.15406/ijawb.2018.03.00116
Klein AM, Vaissière BE, Cane JH, Steffan-Dewenter I, Cunningham SA, Kremen C, Tscharntke T (2007) Importance of pollinators in changing landscapes for world crops. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 274(1608), 303–313. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2006.3721
Kleinert ADMP, Giannini TC (2012) Generalist Bee Species on Brazilian Bee-Plant Interaction Networks. Psyche: A Journal of Entomology, 2012, 1–7. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/291519
Konzmann S, Koethe S, Lunau K (2019) Pollen grain morphology is not exclusively responsible for pollen collectability in bumble bees. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 4705. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-41262-6
Köppler K, Vorwohl G, Koeniger N (2007) Comparison of pollen spectra collected by four different subspecies of the honey bee Apis mellifera. Apidologie, 38(4), 341–353. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:2007020
Kroyer G, Hegedus N (2001) Evaluation of bioactive properties of pollen extracts as functional dietary food supplement. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 2(3), 171–174. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1466-8564(01)00039-X
Lau P, Bryant V, Ellis JD, Huang ZY, Sullivan J, Schmehl DR, Cabrera AR, Rangel J (2019) Seasonal variation of pollen collected by honey bees (Apis mellifera) in developed areas across four regions in the United States. PLOS ONE, 14(6), e0217294. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0217294
Louveaux J, Maurizio A, Vorwohl G (1978) Methods of Melissopalynology. Bee World, 59(4), 139–157. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0005772X.1978.11097714
Malagnini V, Cappellari A, Marini L, Zanotelli L, Zorer R, Angeli G, Ioriatti C, Fontana P (2022) Seasonality and Landscape Composition Drive the Diversity of Pollen Collected by Managed Honey Bees. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 6, 865368. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2022.865368
Modro AFH, Silva IC, Luz CFP, Message D (2009) Analysis of pollen load based on color, physicochemical composition and botanical source. Anais Da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 81(2), 281–285. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0001-37652009000200014
Mwangi W, Mundia CN (2014) Assessing and monitoring agriculture crop production for improved food security in Machakos County. 5.
Noordyke ER, Ellis JD (2021) Reviewing the efficacy of pollen substitutes as a management tool for improving the health and productivity of western honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 5, 772897. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2021.772897/full DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.772897
Ochungo P, Veldtman R, Kinyanjui R, Abdel-Rahman EM, Muli E, Muturi MNK, Lattorff HM G, Landmann T (2021) Pollen diversity and protein content in differentially degraded semi-arid landscapes in Kenya. Journal of Apicultural Research, 60(5), 828–841. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00218839.2021.1899656
Onyango P, Nyunja R, Opande G, Fedha Sikolia S (2019) Inventory, reward value and diversity of Apis mellifera nectariferous and polleniferous forage in Eastern Mau forest, Kenya. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications (IJSRP), 9(2), p8608. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.9.02.2019.p8608
Pardee GL, Ballare KM, Neff JL, Do LQ, Ojeda D, Bienenstock EJ, Brosi BJ, Grubesic TH, Miller JA, Tong D (2023). Local and landscape factors influence plant-pollinator networks and bee foraging behavior across an urban corridor. Land, 12(2), 362. https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/2/362 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/land12020362
Pasupuleti VR, Sammugam L, Ramesh N, Gan S H (2017) Honey, Propolis, and Royal Jelly: A Comprehensive Review of Their Biological Actions and Health Benefits. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2017, 1–21. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/1259510
Patrício-Roberto G, Campos M (2014) Aspects of Landscape and Pollinators—What is Important to Bee Conservation? Diversity, 6(1), 158–175. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/d6010158
Ramanujam CGK, Kalpana TP (1992) Tamarindus indica L: An important forage plant for Apis florea F in south central India. Apidologie, 23(5), 403–413. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:19920503
Richard PSS, Muthukumar SA, Malleshappa H (2011) Relationship between floral characters and floral visitors of selected angiospermic taxa from Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Southern Western Ghats, India. https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.5555/20113311303
Salonen A, Julkunen-Tiitto R (2012) Characterization of two unique unifloral honeys from the boreal coniferous zone: Lingonberry and mire honeys. Agricultural and Food Science, 21(2), 159–170. https://journal.fi/afs/article/view/4931 DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.4931
Schmidt JO, Thoenes SC, Levin MD (1987) Survival of Honey Bees, Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae), Fed Various Pollen Sources. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 80(2), 176–183. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/80.2.176
Simanonok MP, Otto CR, Smart, MD (2020) Do the Quality and Quantity of Honey Bee-Collected Pollen Vary Across an Agricultural Land-Use Gradient? Environmental Entomology, 49(1), 189–196. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ee/nvz139
Stanley RG, Linskens HF (2012) Pollen: Biology Biochemistry Management. Springer Science & Business Media.
Tamic T, Aupinel P, Odoux JF, Loublier Y, Chabirand M (2011) Optimisation d’une méthode de dénombrement de grains de pollen adaptée à l’étude de l’alimentation de l’abeille domestique. Polen, 21, 51–55. https://revistas.usal.es/index.php/polen/article/download/9292/10338
Vincens A, Lézine AM, Buchet G, Lewden D, Le Thomas A (2007) African pollen database inventory of tree and shrub pollen types. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 145(1–2), 135–141. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.revpalbo.2006.09.004
Von Der Ohe W, Persano Oddo L, Piana ML, Morlot M, Martin P (2004) Harmonized methods of melissopalynology. Apidologie, 35(Suppl. 1), S18–S25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:2004050
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Marystella Wekhanya, Kasina, Rebecca Karanja, Mary Guantai, Rahab Kinyanjui, Evanson Omuse, Michael Lattorf, Elfatih Abdel-Rahman, Marian Adan, Samira A Mohamed, Thomas Dubois
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
