The demand for honey and other beehive products has necessitated different methods of hunting ranging from wild to modern beekeeping methods. The influence of two different nesting habitats on the gut enzyme activities and heavy metal content of honey-bee workers was investigated in this study. Worker bees of Apis mellifera L. were randomly collected from the wild and Kenya top bar hives were analysed for the presence of heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cd, Mn and Cu). Gut enzymes (cellulase, amylase, a-glucosidase, proteinase and lipase) assay was also determined in worker bees from the two habitats. Worker bees from the Kenya top bar hives recorded significantly higher heavy metals in their body than worker bees from the wild. Similarly, no Cd and Pb were detected in the body of worker bees from the wild. The gut enzymes assay of worker bees from Kenya top bar hives revealed the presence of cellulase, amylase, glucosidase, proteinase and lipase with a significantly higher enzymes activities (1.10, 1.65,0.89, 0.61,0.23 Absorbance/min for cellulase, amylase, proteinase, lipase and a-glucosidase, respectively) than wild worker bees. It can thus be concluded that nesting habitats influenced workerbees heavy metal composition and gut enzymes.
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African Entomology
Vol. 22 • No. 1
March 2014
Vol. 22 • No. 1
March 2014