How does adulteration of wax foundation affect phenoloxidase and lysozyme activities as selected parameters of immunity in Apis mellifera?

Abstract

The adulteration of wax foundation is, for many reasons, a growing problem of modern beekeeping not only in Europe but also around the world. Wax foundation contaminated with stearin addition leads to a brood die-off, while paraffin addition negatively affects the strength of combs. It is tenable that such adulterated wax foundation reduces bees’ immunity. The aim of the study was to determine the activities of two bee immune enzymes, lysozyme and phenoloxidase, in the haemolymph of worker bees which had emerged from combs with wax foundations contaminated with stearin or paraffin.

Keywords

• wax adulteration
• stearin
• paraffin
• humoral immunity
• phenoloxidase
• lysozyme