Melliferous potential of Mentha aquatica

Abstract

The abundance and diversity of flowers have declined and bees are chronically exposed to numerous pressures such as cocktails of agrochemicals, parasites and predators, climate change, and lack of floral resources. Chronic exposure to multiple interacting stressors is driving honey bee colony losses and declines of wild pollinators, that may lead to “pollination crisis” in which crop yields begin to fall. Effective monitoring of pollinator populations is urgently needed to inform management strategies into the future. Additionally, strategies to reinforce the health and well-being of bees are needed. Based on the literature data gathered, we propose to use Mentha aquatica as an additional melliferous plant to support bees’ nutritional needs and develop diverse and nutritionally balanced plant communities. Here, we review the literature data concerning the implantation of the genus Mentha to complete the foraging schedule of Apis mellifera with special emphasis on its use as valuable nutritionally resource and source of nutritional diversity. Additionally, we discuss the aspects of attractiveness of genus Mentha to honey bees. Our list of facts thus far reported in the literature on the use of M. aquatica will help in implementation of this specimen in helping the bees that are in difficult situation.

Keywords:

• Apis mellifera
• Mentha aquatica
• honey
• melliferous specimens
• bees

Acknowledgements

C.D. L. and C.G. acknowledges support for this work from the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and Daniel Favas, beekeeper in Gard (France), for the precious discussions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

T.K.O acknowledges funding from a statutory activity subsidy from the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education for the Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology.