Feral honey bees in the Sonoran Desert: Propolis sources other than poplars (Populus spp.)

Abstract

In Central Europe and other temperate regions the lipophilic bee hive product propolis normally originates from the bud exudate of poplar trees that is collected by the bees. Based on bee observations, various other sources have been discussed in particular for tropical regions, but in only few cases the origin has been proved by analytical methods. We have analyzed propolis samples from managed honey-bees as well as from feral bee colonies in the Sonoran Desert. Propolis collected in hives out of flight reach of poplars contained flavonoid aglycones and other phenolics that point to specific plants as the source of propolis in this area, namely Ambrosia deltoidea and Encelia farinosa.