We aimed to evaluate the frequency of bee pollen production, its botanical origin and chemical composition when collected in different seasons. Our results indicate that higher proteins (22.80 ± 3.09%) and flavonoids (2789.87 ± 1396.00 μg 100g -1 ) levels were obtained in the winter season, which also showed greater pollen production (134.50 ± 35.70 grams) and predominance of the Myrtaceae family. As for spring we found high concentrations of lipids (4.62 ± 2.26%) and low ash content (2.22 ± 0.39%). Regarding the amino acid composition and vitamin C content, we found no differences between the averages throughout the seasons. Our results highlight the importance of understanding not only the botanical origin and the chemical composition of bee pollen, but also the harvesting frequency of this product by bees, so that it becomes possible to supplement the colonies in times of natural food resources shortage.

ABSTRACT. Agrochemicals on crop cultivated areas is a source of contamination for bees and may cause physiological and behavioral disorders and mortality. The LD 50 of the pesticides fipronil and imidacloprid was determined and their effect on the learning behavior of Apis mellifera L. honeybee evaluated. ). The method of proboscis extension reflection (PER) and learning through citral odor evaluated their responses to food stimulation. LD 50 obtained were 0.28 ± 0.11 and 0.10 ± 0.04 μg bee -1 for fipronil and imidacloprid, respectively. The PER test showed no significant difference (p < 0.05) although agrochemicals affected the learning of bees. Insecticides fipronil and imidacloprid are extremely harmful to foraging Africanized Apis mellifera bees.Keywords: beekeeping, toxicity, lethal dose. Influência dos agroquímicos Fipronil e Imidaclopride no aprendizado de abelhasApis mellifera L. ). Para avaliar as respostas ao estímulo do alimento foi utilizado o método de reflexão de extensão da probóscide (REP) e aprendizado, utilizando odor citral. As DL 50 obtidas foram 0,28 ± 0,11 e 0,10 ± 0,04 μg abelha -1 para o Fipronil e Imidaclopride, respectivamente. O teste REP não apresentou diferenças significativas (p < 0,05); porém, os agroquímicos afetaram o aprendizado das abelhas. Dessa maneira, conclui-se que os inseticidas Imidaclopride e Fipronil são nocivos às abelhas campeiras de Apis mellifera.Palavras-chave: apicultura, toxicidade, dose letal.

a b s t r a c t the aim of our study was to investigate how the collection period affects and influences the production, chemical composition, and size of bee pollen loads (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, greater than 2.0 mm). the results showed there was a predominance of pollen loads with a diameter greater than 2.0 mm in all the production seasons. for all the seasons, there were no differences in protein content between the particle sizes. But when comparing 0.5 mm during the different periods, there were significant differences; the highest value was found during the winter (24.39 ± 3.7%). as far as lipids and crude fiber are concerned, we obtained differences between the same granulometry sizes for the spring and summer seasons. as for ashes, the results showed differences between different particle sizes for the summer and autumn seasons. our results have shown that regardless of pollen particle size, its quality was not altered, suggesting that smaller loads can be commercially used by containing nutritional quality or else be used by beekeepers as a supplement during periods of food scarcity.

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