and back to propolis

https://www.apidologie.org/articles/apido/pdf/2010/03/m09142.pdf

Propolis and bee health: the natural history and significance
of resin use by honey bees
*
Michael Simone-Finstrom1,Marla Spivak2
1
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota,
Twin Cities,
St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
2
Department of Entomology, University of Minne
sota, Twin Cities, St. P
aul, Minneso
ta 55108, USA
Received 14 October 2009 – Revised 19 January 2010 – Accepted 2 February
2010

Abstract
– Social immunity, which describes how individual behaviors of group
members effectively re-
duce disease and parasite transmission at the colony level, is an emerging
field in social insect biology.
An understudied, but significant behavioral disease resistance mechanism in
honey bees is their collection
and use of plant resins. Honey bees harvest resins withantimicrobial
properties from various plant species
and bring them back to the colony where they are then mixed with varying
amounts of wax and utilized as
propolis. Propolis is an apicultural term for the resins when used by bees
within a hive. While numerous
studies have investigated the chemical components of propolis that could be
used to treat human diseases,
there is a lack of information on the importance of propolis in regards to
bee health. This review serves to
provide a compilation of recent research concerning the behavior of bees in
relation to resins and propolis,
focusing more on the bees themselves and the potential evolutionary
benefits of resin collection. Future
research goals are also established in order to create a new focus within
the literature on the natural history
of resin use among the social insects and role that propolis plays in
disease resistance

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