Farinos-Celdran, Pablo ， Zapata, Victor M. ， Martinez-Lopez, Vicente ， Robledano, Francisco
2016 JOURNAL OF APICULTURAL RESEARCH 2016 55(卷), 2(期), (193-201页)
The diet of several European bee-eater Merops apiaster colonies was studied in the Murcia Region (SE Spain) during the spring and summer of 2009, in order to assess their predation on the honey bee Apis mellifera. The examination of invertebrate remains found in pellets revealed the dominance of Hymenoptera and Coleoptera in the average diet, and a similar consumption of honey bees compared to other species of Hymenoptera. The number of honey bees and other Hymenoptera recorded in the pellets varied both spatially (between locations) and temporally (along the main reproductive phases). On average, it was estimated that a single bee-eater consumed 1333.39 +/- 759.8 honey bees during its complete stay in the region, far below the theoretical regeneration capacity of a single honey bee colony (36,000-45,000 honey bees per month from April to July). Consequently, under normal circumstances the effect of bee-eater predation on local apiaries appears negligible, and partially dependent on the availability of alternative prey.