Journal of Entomological Research

SCOPUSWeb of Science
  • Year: 2025
  • Volume: 49
  • Issue: 4

Homing and foraging behaviour of western honeybee, Apis mellifera ligustica L. exposed to gamma irradiation

Centre for Applied Genetics, Bangalore University, Bengaluru - 560 056, Karnataka, India

1UGC-Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Centre, Bangalore University, Bengaluru - 560 056, Karnataka, India

2Environment Assessment Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai - 400 085, Maharashtra, India

3Radiation Biology and Health Science Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai - 400 085, Maharashtra, India

Abstract

Honeybees are used in ecotoxicological studies to evaluate various pollutants, including ionizing radiation in terrestrial ecosystems. Nonetheless, knowledge on the sub-lethal effects of ionizing radiation on the behaviour of honeybees is meagre. The studies on effect of gamma radiation doses (1 to 60 Gy) on the homing and foraging behaviour of Apis mellifera worker bees was conducted. The results indicated a significant (p<0.05) decrease in the number of returning bees and foragers irradiated with radiation doses of 20 to 60 Gy. Compared to control, the number of bees returning to the colonies was reduced by 13.70 and 40.74% in 20 and 60 Gy radiation doses, respectively. Similarly, the bees irradiated with similar doses of radiation showed a reduction in foraging activity by 16.30 and 48.46%, 18.35 and 45.41%, 27.78 and 52.99%, 21.86 and 50.23% in 3, 24, 48, and 72 h post-irradiation period, respectively. The findings of the study indicate that acute radiation doses of 20 to 60 Gy significantly affect the homing and foraging behaviour of A. mellifera workers.

Keywords

Foraging activity, Gamma irradiation, Homing behaviour, Honeybees