Organic acid supplementation in worker honeybees (Apis mellifera) : impacts on glandular physiology and colony resilience

dc.contributor.authorBezabih, Gebreamlak
dc.contributor.authorAtsbha, Tesfay
dc.contributor.authorAltaye, Solomon Zewdu
dc.contributor.authorZhou, Qingsong
dc.contributor.authorLi, Jianke
dc.contributor.authorPirk, Christian Walter Werner
dc.contributor.authorZhu, Chaodong
dc.contributor.authorFang, Yu
dc.contributor.emailchristian.pirk@up.ac.za
dc.date.accessioned2026-04-01T12:53:08Z
dc.date.available2026-04-01T12:53:08Z
dc.date.issued2025-11-26
dc.description.abstractHoneybees require diverse nutrients for larval growth, adult development, and colony health. Pollen quality significantly impacts reproduction, productivity, and growth. Bioactive substances from honeybee glands enhance colony health, with recent studies showing that optimal citric acid intake extends lifespan, boosts pollen consumption, accelerates mandibular gland development, and improves royal jelly quality. This review examines organic acid feeding's effects on gland development and overall health, offering insights for beekeeping and supplementary food development to support sustainable apiculture. Research gaps in organic acid supplementation, gland development, and health benefits are identified. The impact of varying organic acid concentrations on 10-HDA biosynthesis in mandibular glands and key regulatory proteins influencing 10-HDA expression is summarized. Findings highlight the benefits of organic acid supplements for worker bee gland development and health, guiding future research and practical applications in beekeeping.
dc.description.departmentZoology and Entomology
dc.description.librarianam2026
dc.description.sdgSDG-15: Life on land
dc.description.sponsorshipThe International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Live Gene program, supported by the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock (CRP livestock project) sponsored by the CGIAR funding contributors to the Trust Fund. The Bill and Melinda get Foundation and UK aid from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office. The study was conducted by Gebreamlak Bezabih, funded by the Tigray Agricultural Research Institute.
dc.description.urihttps://www.mdpi.com/journal/insects
dc.identifier.citationBezabih, G.; Atsbha, T.; Altaye, S.Z.; Zhou, Q.; Li, J.; Pirk, C.W.W.; Zhu, C. & Fang, Y. Organic Acid Supplementation in Worker Honeybees (Apis mellifera): Impacts on Glandular Physiology and Colony Resilience. Insects 2025, 16, 1203: 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects16121203.
dc.identifier.issn2075-4450 (online)
dc.identifier.other10.3390/insects16121203
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/109408
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherMDPI
dc.rights© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.
dc.subjectApis mellifera
dc.subjectHypopharyngeal gland
dc.subjectOrganic acids
dc.subjectCitric acid
dc.subjectRoyal jelly
dc.subjectGlandular development
dc.subjectGut microbiota
dc.subjectDetoxification
dc.subjectColony resilience
dc.subjectSustainable apiculture
dc.subjectHoneybee (Apis mellifera)
dc.titleOrganic acid supplementation in worker honeybees (Apis mellifera) : impacts on glandular physiology and colony resilience
dc.typeArticle

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