This study was conducted with the aim of determining the chemical, biochemical properties, and antimicrobial capabilities of some of the monofloral honeys produced in Turkey. In this study, 23 different monofloral honey samples were obtained from diverse geographical regions of Turkey. Floral origin of the honey samples was determined by melissopalinological analyses. Additionally, antioxidant properties were determined. To determine the antioxidant properties of honey samples, four test methods of total phenolic content, DPPH, iron reduction power and β-carotene linoleic acid emulsion method were used. As a result of the antioxidant activity analysis among the honey samples, rhododendron and parsley honey showed most prominent results in terms of the amount of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity. On the other hand, acacia and citrus honey samples showed least antioxidant activity. A positive correlation was determined between four methods. Differences between antioxidant activities of honey samples were significantly found (P < 0.01).

Beekeeping activities have a rapidly increasing importance due to their derived products and their contributions to human health, biodiversity, agriculture, and pollination. Moreover, beekeeping can play a major role in supporting rural development and bringing the benefits of sustainable developments and productivity. Thus, the decision on correct apiary locations via suitability analysis techniques seems essential to sustain and increase the yield and efficiency. However, this decision-making process requires a large number of parameters including the topography of the field surrounding environment and climate conditions. At this point, Multi Criteria Decision Analysis techniques can provide efficient solutions for decision making on suitable apiary locations. In this study, suitable apiary site selection analysis for beekeeping activities via Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and The Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment of Evaluations (PROMETHEE) methods was proposed for Konya city located in Central Anatolia as a pilot application. Aspect, elevation, slope, flora, water resources, roads, railroads, settlements, electricity lines, buildings, precipitation, and natural disaster area criteria were assessed to generate beekeeping suitability for apiaries. The restrictions and requirements of beekeeping activities were specified considering expert beekeeper decisions and recent studies for the study area. The AHP and PROMETHEE suitability maps were validated with existing 461 apiary locations to be able to determine the reliability and applicability.

The influence of different commercial queen producers on the quality of Apis mellifera queens was assessed. It was aimed to determine the quality characteristics of queens reared by commercial queen producers located in the province of Antalya, which is an important region in queens production due to its climatic characteristics. For this purpose, the quality characteristics of a total of 105 queen bees obtained from 21 enterprises were determined. Differences between the enterprises in terms of the number of spermatozoa (P < 0.01) were determined. In terms of the diameter of spermatheca, spermatheca volume and live weight, statistical differences between the enterprises were also observed (P < 0.05). When the relationships between the measured characteristics were examined, significant values were obtained statistically between live weight and diameter of spermathecae (0.268) and spermatheca volume (0.258). It was also determined that there is a significant correlation between spermatheca diameter and spermatheca volume (0.995). The spermatheca diameter of a good quality queen bee should not be <1.2 mm, spermatheca volume 0.90 mm3 and live weight not <200 mg. Only live weight was found to be within the normal quality standard values when the average results of the quality criteria are taken into consideration. Other characters such as spermathecae diameter, spermathecae volume and number of spermatozoa in spermathecae seem to be below quality standard values.

This study was carried out to determine the effects of different colony feeding methods on queen cell acceptance rates and royal jelly (RJ) production: (1) pollen substitute (PS), (2) PS + vitamin E (PS+V_E), (3) sugar syrup (SS), (4) sugar syrup + vitamin E (SS+V^E), and (5) no supplementary feed (control, C). Royal jelly production (g per cell) was 0.25, 0.26 0.23, 0.25 and 0.21; average colony yield (g) per harvest 32.1, 33.2, 31.0, 34.6, and 25.0; and total colony production (g) 96.2, 99.6, 93.0, 103.9, and 75.0 in groups PS, PS+V_E, SS, SS+V_E, and C, respectively. Any form of supplementary feeding improved RJ production relative to controls. Total colony production and average colony yield per harvest were highest in those colonies fed SS+V_E or PS+V_E. A benefit of supplementary V_E was more apparent for sugar syrup than for pollen substitute; total colony production and average colony yield per harvest were significantly higher for SS+V_E colonies than for SS, whereas no such benefit was shown between the pollen substitute groups.

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, Hatay’da bulunan Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi kampüsünde yetiştirilen bazı bitkiler üzerinde bal arısı tercihinin belirlenmesidir.Yöntem ve Bulgular: Bu çalışmada defne (Laurus nobilis L.), beyaz çiçekli yalancı akasya, (Robinia pseudoacacia L.), fazelya (Phaselia tanacetifolia Benth.), okaliptüs (Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh.), üçgül (Trifolium repens L.), yabani hardal (Sinapis arvensis L.), engerek otu (Echium vulgare L.), yıldız çalısı (Pittosporum tobira Ait.), kekik (Origanum sp.), ateş dikeni (Pyracantha coccinea Roemer), ada çayı (Salvia sp.), çam (Pinus sp.) bitkilerine saat 09:00, 12:00 ve 15:00 saatlerinde bal arılarının tercihleri belirlenmiştir. Bal arılarının kampüs içerisindeki bitkileri ziyaretleri arasındaki farklılıklar istatistiki olarak önemli bulunmuştur(P0.05). Ancak bal arılarının sabah ve öğlen saatlerinde bitkiler üzerindeki polen ve nektar toplama faaliyetlerinin daha fazla olduğu belirlenmiştir.Genel Yorum: Polinasyon, meyve ve tohum üretiminin temeli olup türlerin büyük çoğunluğunda polinasyon olmadan meyve ve tohum üretimi mümkün değildir Çalışma sonunda, bal arılarının en fazla defne (Laurus nobilis L.) bitkisini ziyaret ettiği ve en az ise ada çayı (Salvia sp.) bitkisini ziyaret ettiği gözlemlenmiştir. Bal arıları aynı çevrede bulunan bitkiler arasında bitkilerdeki polen ve nektar kalitesine göre tercihte bulunmaktadır.Çalışmanın Önemi ve Etkisi: Bal arılarının Hatay Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi kampüsünde yetişen bitkiler arasında tercihinin ortaya konduğu bu çalışma ile ileride yapılacak defne gibi dioik bitkilerde arı tercihinin ve arıların rolünün belirlenmesi çalışmalarına bir zemin oluşturacağı düşünülmektedir.