• Mycobiology
• /
• v.39 no.4
• /
• pp.317-320
• /
• 2011

Honey production from approximately 1.6 million colonies owned by about 199,000 Korean beekeepers was almost 23,000 metric tons in 2009. Nosema causes significant losses in honey production and the virus decreases population size. We initiated a survey of honey bee colonies on the blooming period of Acacia to determine the prevalence of Nosema and virus in 2011. Most Korean beekeepers have moved from the south to north of Korea to get Acacia nectar for 2 mon. This provided a valuable opportunity to sample bees originating from diverse areas in one location. Twenty hives owned by 18 beekeepers were sampled in this year. Nosema spore counts ranged from zero to 1,710,000 spores per bee. The average number of nosema spores per bee was 580,000. Approximately 95% of the colonies were infected with Nosema, based on the presence of spores in the flowering period of Acacia. This indicates that Nosema is the predominant species affecting honeybee colonies. Also, the seven most important honeybee viruses were investigated by reverse transcription-PCR. Among them, four different viruses were detected in samples. Black queen cell virus was present in all samples. Chronic bee paralysis virus was detected in 10% of samples. Deformed wing virus was present in only 5% of the samples. Prevalence of Sacbrood virus was 15%. However, Cloudy wing virus, Israel acute paralysis virus and kashmir bee virus were not detected in any of samples.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.206-211
• /
• 2021

Hygienic behavior of Honey bees, Apis mellifera, was evaluated by uncapping and removing ability of dead broods from the nest. Hygienic behavior is originated from quantitative traits, which are expected to express key roles in colony defense against mite parasites and bacterial and fungal diseases. It is regarded as one of important characteristics of honey bee's resistance to parasites and pathogens. In this study, five inbreed and two hybrid lines of A. mellifera, the former five inbreed lines, which have been reared for over eight years at the National Academy of Agricultural Science in Korea, and the latter two hybrid lines, which have been bred by crossing between the inbreed lines, were investigated on their hygienic behavior by a pin-killed brood assay at 12hrs and 24hrs after treatment. The results indicated that after 12hrs one inbred line was proved to be hygienic (removal rate of dead brood >90%), three inbred and two hybrid lines showed intermediate behavior, and one inbred line belonged to non-hygienic (removal rate of dead brood <70%). However, after 24hrs, only one line was considered to be intermediate as removal rate was below 90%, thus all except this line had shown hygienic behavior.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.60-66
• /
• 2021

Various insects live around us. Nowadays, insects are raised as a hobby at home or medicinal insects are bred in large quantities for commercial purposes. In addition, various studies have been conducted to understand the various growth characteristics of insects. In the laboratory, environmental factors were changed to do that, but only the growth characteristics could be analyzed. However, it is almost not easy to measure the skin temperature or body temperature basically needed to reveal the growth characteristics in the case of insects. In particular, the results of experiments on the skin temperature of winged insects are very insufficient. In this study, the skin temperature of insects was photographed and measured for bees and butterflies living in natural conditions under various biological activity conditions such as at rest and during flight using a thermal imaging camera, a non-contact temperature measurement method. Through quantitative analysis of the experimental results, the relationship between the biological activity characteristics of each insect and the skin temperature resulting from such biological activity was investigated. In addition, it was confirmed that honeybees maintained different skin temperatures for three important activities, such as flying, honey collection, and relocation, and that the butterflies performed a warm-up stage for flight similar to the characteristics of moths.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.60 no.1
• /
• pp.115-122
• /
• 2021

Pollinators are not only crucial for plant reproduction, but also important for crop production. These pollinators are affected by the diversity of plants within orchards. Thus, the study investigated the effect of blooming on the ground cover on pollinator diversity, network, fruiting rates and subsequent apple size during harvest season in apple blooming period. Total ten orchards were selected; Five with ground covered mostly by dandelion while the another five without ground cover. The orchards with dandelion bloom showed 16 pollinator groups and 801 pollination network interaction, while 14 pollinator groups and 589 interaction were found from orchards without ground cover blooms. es. Overall pollinators' abundances were not different. But bumble bees and caliphorid flies were more abundant in orchards with ground cover blooming. There was no significant in fruiting rates, but the apple size was significantly bigger in orchards with ground cover. These results may indicate that blooming on the ground cover during apple flowering season would increase pollinator diversity and influence fruit quality later on in apple orchards, and pose importance of floral diversity for sustainable apple production system.

• Journal of Apiculture
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.261-268
• /
• 2017

We evaluated the nutritional composition including proximate, amino acid, vitamin, minerals, and the antioxidant activity of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) pollen grains collected by Apis mellifera bees, to be used as a species of forage plant with Quercus acutissima (acorn) and Actinidia arguta pollen grains. The content of crude protein and fat were found 14.43% and 5.67%, respectively. Eighteen amino acids from buckwheat pollen were found, including 8 essential amino acids. The predominant amino acids were glutamic acid, aspartic acid and lysine, accounting for about 42.7% of total free amino acids. The concentration of vitamin C was the highest value of 13.7 mg/100g, followed by $B_3$ (niacin) and $B_1$ among the detected vitamins. The predominant minerals were potassium (1197.95mg/100g), followed by phosphorus (962.77mg/100g) and magnesium (535.42mg/100g), whereas copper, zinc and manganese were detected as minor elements. Antioxidant activity and total phenolic content accounted for 8.1% at $500{\mu}g/ml$ extract and $2.25{\mu}g/mg$, respectively.

• Journal of Apiculture
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.9-19
• /
• 2020

The questionnaire survey for Apis cerana beekeepers and professionals on improved native bee hives was carried out and we compared the temperature, relative humidity(RH), and weight changes of 4 improved hives(Chungju, Miryang, Hanam, and Suwon) from May 1, 2019 to January 31, 2020. Beekeepers need vertical feeder, hive stand, entrance block, and separating panel as hive accessory devices. The average temperatures within brood area were kept constantly (31.3~35.1℃) and the low daily variances of temperature (≤1℃) in Chungju hive among tested hives were observed. The daily temperature variances in the separated space and on the top of winter cluster were not different among 4 hives. In correlation between the temperature of brood area and the number of combs, Chungju hive showed the highest correlation(80.4%) and between the temperature on top of winter clusters and outside temperature, 4 hives showed high positive correlation(76.8~87.1%). RH of brood area(45~60%) in all hives were kept relatively low and constant compared to the outside RH(60~85%). The stablest RH on the top of winter cluster was observed in Suwon hives (65~75%) The highest cumulative weight increase among hives and the high positive correlation(65~67%) between the change of cumulative hive weight and combs number of hives were shown in the Miryang and Chungju. Based on these results, A. cerana bees are able to manage constant temperature and RH within hives area for their colony life, which also effected by the types of hive.

• Journal of Apiculture
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.189-195
• /
• 2019

Plants release a large variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the surrounding atmosphere. Floral volatile compounds (FVCs) emitted from many plants is the critical factors for pollinator attraction and defense for adaptation in environments. Recent studies indicate that the chemical components contributing to FVCs play an important role in the honeybee attractiveness to flowers. Olfactory signals are rapidly learned, indicating that foraging behavior results from the association of plant chemicals acting as chemosensory cues for the bees. Solid phase microextraction(SPME)-GC/MS method was applied to analyze the chemical composition of FVCs according to the different species of Robinia spp. The abundant compounds identified in R. pseudoacacia were (Z)-β-ocimene (34.86%) and linalool (35.47%). Those of the tetraploid R. pseudoacacia were (Z)-β-ocimene (35.42%) and α-Farnesene (33.94%). The volatiles of R. margarettae 'Pink Cascade' comprised an abundance of (Z)-β-ocimene (42.73%), (E)-4,8-Dimethylnona-1,3,7-triene (37.23%). Differences in FVCs of the different species of Robinia spp. are discussed in light of biochemical constraints on volatile chemical synthesis and of the role of flower scent in ecology of pollination.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.1-12
• /
• 2022

Tilia amurensis is an important honey plant. As T. amurensis mainly distributes mountainous area with various elevations in Korea, accurate prediction of blooming time at the different elevation would benefit forest beekeepers. In this study, we measured time-dependent blooming progress of T. amurensis in Mt. Gariwang area ranging from 500-1500m. Additionally we collected blooming data from web and published literatures and estimated the variation of blooming time relative to the geographic locations. Flowers began to bloom from July 6 to July 22 with full blooming on July 14 in location where elevation is 638m in Mt. G ariwang area in 2021. Based on these databases, a growing degree day (G DD) model was developed for prediction of T. amurensis blooming progress using average daily temperatures. Using the starting date of G DD accumulation of January 1 and base temperature of 5 ℃, blooming period ranging from 10% to 90% of cumulative blooming rate was estimated as 860-1198 degree days (DD). This corresponded to the beginning to the end of July in Mt. Gariwaning area in 2021. This model could explain the phenological variations of T. amurensis flower blooming possibly affected by elevation within geographic area, latitude or year relative to the climate change, and aid forest beekeepers for better timing of nectar foraging by honey bees.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.61 no.1
• /
• pp.229-238
• /
• 2022

Animal pollination is an important ecosystem service provided mostly by diverse insect groups such as bees and hover flies. Maintaining agricultural productivity and securing the nutritional balance are closely tied to human wellbeing. This study aimed to estimate the pollination dependent food production in Korean agricultural system. Crop production data were obtained from Korean statistical information service (KOSIS) data of 2015. By implementing pollination dependency, crop production and market price, contribution of insect pollination to crop production increase were estimated from total 71 crops including 12 cereals, 19 fruits, 18 field vegetables, 13 greenhouse vegetables and 9 specialty crops. Mean pollination dependency of all crops were 29.2% and it was higher on fruits, specialty crops and greenhouse vegetables as well, but low (7.5%) in cereal crops. Pollination dependent (PD) production was estimated as 17.8% of total agricultural crop production with the economic value of 6,850 (6,508-7,193) billion won. Especially, PD production of greenhouse vegetables accounted 49.2% followed by fruits of 42.9%. Even specialty crop also showed higher PD production (35.9%). It was obvious that pollination is the vital service for agricultural production as well as nutritional security in Korea. Further protection and enhancing the pollination service were discussed with integrated pollinator-pest management (IPPM) strategies.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.62 no.1
• /
• pp.43-48
• /
• 2023

The efficacy of spinetoram sprayed from an unmanned helicopter to control two insect vectors of pine wood nematodes, Monochamus alternatus and M. saltuarius was assessed. By using a ULV (Ultra Low Volume) sprayer, the mortality rates of phenthoate, bifenthrin, etofenprox, and diflubenzuron, which are registered for use against coleopteran insects, indoxacarb and spinetoram, which are registered for use against lepidopteran insects, were evaluated for efficacy as aerial spraying agents. The ULV test, using 33- and 55-fold dilutions of phenthoate, bifenthrin, indoxacarb, and spinetoram demonstrated a 100% insect mortality rate upon contact and feeding mortality on the third day after treatment, while etofenprox and diflubenzuron exhibited a slightly lower mortality rate than the remaining compounds. Consequently, spinetoram was selected as a candidate pesticide for aerial spraying and its efficacy to control the insect vectors was assessed. The x 33 dilution of spinetoram resulted in a 98.6-100% control efficacy against two insect vectors. However, risk assessment for bees following aerial spraying will be necessary before applying the pesticide to control insect vectors.