Current global change substantially threatens pollinators, which directly impacts the pollination services underpinning the stability, structure and functioning of ecosystems. Amongst these threats, many synergistic drivers, such as habitat destruction and fragmentation, increasing use of agrochemicals, decreasing resource diversity, as well as climate change, are known to affect wild and managed bees. Therefore, reliable indicators for pollinator sensitivity to such threats are needed. Biological traits, such as phenotype (e.g. shape, size and asymmetry) and storage reserves (e.g. fat body size), are important pollinator traits linked to reproductive success, immunity, resilience and foraging efficiency and, therefore, could serve as valuable markers of bee health and pollination service potential. This data paper contains an extensive dataset of wing morphology and fat body content for the European honeybee (Apis mellifera) and the buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) sampled at 128 sites across eight European countries in landscape gradients dominated by two major bee-pollinated crops (apple and oilseed rape), before and after focal crop bloom and potential pesticide exposure. The dataset also includes environmental metrics of each sampling site, namely landscape structure and pesticide use. The data offer the opportunity to test whether variation in the phenotype and fat bodies of bees is structured by environmental factors and drivers of global change. Overall, the dataset provides valuable information to identify which environmental threats predominantly contribute to the modification of these traits.

Various pesticide residues can be found in different bee colony components. The queen larvae of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) receive non-contaminated food from nurse bees. However, there is little knowledge about how pesticide residues affect developing bees. Additionally, little is known about the migration of lipophilic pesticides between bee matrices. While wax, royal jelly (RJ), and bee larvae are chemically distinct, they all contain lipids and we expected the lipophilic fungicide tebuconazole to be absorbed by different contacting materials. Our aim was to analyze the translocation of tebuconazole residues from queen cell wax to RJ, queen larvae, and newly emerged queens and to evaluate its potential risk to queens. We demonstrated the potential for the migration of tebuconazole from wax to RJ, with a strong dilution effect from the original contamination source. No residues were detected in queen bee larvae and newly emerged queens, indicating that the migration of tebuconazole probably did not directly endanger the queen bee, but there was some risk that tebuconazole might still affect the homeostasis of developing bees.

Beekeeping is an ancient activity that is gaining interest among practitioners and society in general. It is as an activity with positive impacts in the environmental, social and economic spheres, with the potential to reconnect these dimensions and contribute to sustainable development. Thus, it is important to determine the profiles of beekeepers across the world, and to understand the main social, economic or ecological drivers that shape their activities. Hofstede cross-cultural dimensions were used to better explain differences between countries. A survey was undertaken of beekeepers in different countries (Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, and Spain) in the native language of each nation. A total of 313 questionnaires, using an online platform or in paper form, was delivered face-to-face during training or dissemination events in 2019. Norway and Finland were the countries with the highest percentage of respondents with a university degree (>80%), while Spain (42%) and Croatia (48%) presented the lowest percentages. Most participants were experienced beekeepers (59% had more than five years of experience) with more than 50 colonies. With the exception of Italy, beekeeping appears to be a hobby or an additional professional activity. The main beekeeping products for these beekeepers were honey, wax, colonies and propolis, with an average honey production per season of 24.5 kg/hive. Crossing socio-demographic characteristics and Hofstede cross-cultural dimensions showed a relation among countries with higher Power Distance Index (PDI; this value expresses how society accepts and expects a certain inequality of power) and lower annual income and educational level (Croatia, Portugal, and Spain). A strong correlation appeared between Masculinity Femininity Index (MFI; this value refers to gender effects in society, with feminine societies meaning that the dominant values are caring for others and quality of life, as opposed to masculine societies, which are driven by competition, achievement and success) and age, income and education, with Norway presenting the most feminine society, with more educated and older beekeepers. The Uncertainty Aversion Index (UAI; this value explains how members of a society feel when dealing with unknown situations) was strongly associated with education. The results showed that increasing beekeepers’ income will contribute to balancing the distribution of power among members of society, and that this might be achieved by training, especially in Croatia, Portugal, Spain, and Italy.

Habitat loss, climate change, and other environmental degradations pose severe challenges to beekeepers. Therefore, this sector needs to rely on updated information so that the intervening actors can deal with the problems. In this context, and assuming that professional training can greatly help those acting in the beekeeping sector, this work intended to investigate the gaps in the updated knowledge of beekeepers and how these can be filled through lifelong learning. The research was conducted in seven European countries (Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, and Spain). The data were collected through a questionnaire survey translated into the native languages of all participating countries. The results revealed that the topics of highest interest are apiary health and pest control and the management of the colonies throughout the year. The beekeepers update their knowledge through family, complemented by professional training, with participants preferring in-person courses as well as, in the workplace or in internships. The learning methodologies they consider most useful are project-based learning and learning through gamification. The videos and paper books or manuals are particularly valued as learning materials, and practical exercises are considered the most helpful assessment format. Finally, considering the effect of sociodemographic variables on the learning experiences and preferences of beekeeping actors, it was observed that the country was the most influential of the variables under study. In conclusion, this work revealed valuable information that should be used to design professional training actions to help the professionals in the beekeeping sector enhance their competencies and be better prepared to manage their activities successfully.