Microbial Profile of the <i>Ventriculum</i> of Honey Bee (<i>Apis mellifera ligustica</i> Spinola, 1806) Fed with Veterinary Drugs, Dietary Supplements and Non-Protein Amino Acids

Abstract

The effects of veterinary drugs, dietary supplements and non-protein amino acids on the European honey bee (Apis mellifera ligustica Spinola, 1806) ventriculum microbial profile were investigated. Total viable aerobic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, staphylococci, Escherichia coli, lactic acid bacteria, Pseudomonas spp., aerobic bacterial endospores and Enterococcus spp. were determined using a culture-based method. Two veterinary drugs (Varromed® and Api-Bioxal®), two commercial dietary supplements (ApiHerb® and ApiGo®) and two non-protein amino acids (GABA and beta-alanine) were administered for one week to honey bee foragers reared in laboratory cages. After one week, E. coli and Staphylococcus spp. were significantly affected by the veterinary drugs (p Staphylococcus spp., E. coli and Pseudomonas spp. (p ventriculum microbiological profile of Apis mellifera ligustica.

Keywords

• GABA
• beta-alanine
• oxalic acid
• diet effect
• microbiota