Honeybee diets, particularly fatty acids in tropical forests, are not well known. This study explored fatty acid concentration and diversity, measured as methyl ester derivatives (FAMEs), in bee bread from tropical landscapes with and without forest cover. Bee bread samples from 24 hives in Papua New Guinea were analysed using GCMS and DNA metabarcoding. Fatty acids consisted of 43% saturated and 57% unsaturated lipids. Myristic, palmitoleic, and stearic acids were higher in forest landscapes, providing antimicrobial properties and important compounds for wax production. Lauric acid was higher in landscapes without forest, which may benefit honeybee nutrition in disease resistance. FAME concentrations were high in omega-6 and omega-9 but low in omega-3, and total FAME diversity increased with floral diversity. This study highlights the importance of diverse pollen sources to maintain a complete fatty acid profile for honeybee health.
Cannizzaro et al. (Mon,) studied this question.