Melissopalynological, physicochemical analysis, mineral content, antiradical activity and profile of compounds by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with a Diode Array Detector and quadrupole Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-DAD-qTOF-MS/MS) of Frieseomelitta doederleini honeys from semiarid region of the Northeast of Brazil are presented. The melissopalynological analysis showed two principal pollen types of Mimosa tenuiflora (jurema preta) and Shinus sp (aroeira). The chemical profile data obtained by UPLC-DAD-qTOF-MS/MS of the Mimosa tenuiflora flowers (principal pollen of honey) and the five samples of F. doederleini honeys both flowers and honey showed similar profile. Abelha branca honeys samples had similar characteristic profile of phenolic compounds (flavonoids), and also antiradical activity. The main flavonoids identified in the honey samples in the jurema preta flowers were flavonols/flavone and flavanols/flavanones aglycones. All the flavonoids identified showing that the nectar collected by the bees may be from this plant species. The antiradical activity of the honey samples strongly correlated with their phenolic content. Among the minerals analyzed, potassium was the most abundant, followed by magnesium.

The aim of this investigation was to analyze two samples of pollen collected by Apis mellifera bees in view of their chemical composition, antiradicalar and antimicrobial activities. Palynological analysis showed that the predominant pollen was Fabaceae species (42.3%, sample I and 50.6%, sample II). The characterization by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a diode array detector and quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS/MS) resulted in the identification of three derivatives of putrescine (di-4-coumaroylputrescine, coumaroyl-feruloyl-putrescine and di-feruloyl-putrescine), two spermidine derivatives (coumaroyl-di-cafeoyl-spermidine and tri-coumaroyl-spermidine and four biflavonoids (2,3-di-hydrohydroxy-amentoflavone, 2,3-dihydro-amentoflavone, amentoflavone and 2,3-dihydro-biapigenin). The two samples showed antiradical and antimicrobial activities, probably due to the presence of these compounds.

Foi estabelecido um protocolo de tratamento para análise do resíduo polínico de ninhos de Centris tarsata Smith, obtidos através do uso de ninhos-armadilha. A área estudada localiza-se na Estação Biológica de Canudos, município de Canudos (09º56'34"S; 38º59'17"W), microrregião Nordeste da Bahia. A vegetação local é de caatinga hiperxerófila arbustiva, o clima é semi-árido, com temperatura média anual de 24,1ºC e precipitação anual de 454 mm. Foram utilizados dez ninhos de C. tarsata coletados dos ninhos-armadilha no primeiro semestre de 2004. Para a análise palinológica do conteúdo dos ninhos, foi necessário o estabelecimento de um método adequado, elaborado a partir da análise de sedimentos em paleopalinologia e de procedimentos de acetólise usuais em palinologia. As análises microscópicas foram realizadas sob microscopia óptica. Foram identificados 17 tipos polínicos relacionados a sete famílias vegetais, contudo estes se apresentaram nos ninhos em associações de cinco a onze tipos distintos, indicando quais plantas foram utilizadas pelas abelhas na nutrição das crias. As famílias mais representadas foram Leguminosae (49,3%) e Solanaceae (43,2%) e os tipos polínicos com as maiores frequências de grãos encontrados foram Solanum paniculatum (43,8%) e Senna rizzini (32,1%). O protocolo desenvolvido proporciona uma nova técnica de estudos sobre a dieta de Centris e outros grupos de abelhas solitárias.

A new treatment protocol was developed to analyze pollen residues found in nests of Centris tarsata Smith harvested from nest-traps. The study area was located in the Canudos Biological Station in the municipality of Canudos (09º56'34"S; 38º59'17"W), in the northeastern micro-region of Bahia State, Brazil. The local vegetation is an open caatinga (deciduous dryland vegetation), the regional climate is semi-arid, the average annual temperature is 24.1ºC, and the annual regional rainfall rate is 454 mm. Ten nests of C. tarsata were collected in trap-nests during the first semester of 2004. Pollen analysis from the nests required the development of a new methodology that combined techniques of palynological sediment analysis with the more common pollinic analysis by acetolysis. Microscopic analyses employed optical microscopy techniques. The pollinic spectrum of the samples from C. tarsata indicated the presence of 17 pollen types from seven plant families, which were present in assemblage of five to eleven pollen types, pointed to the plants used by bees to feed on their offspring. The most represented plant families were Leguminosae (49.3%) and Solanaceae (43.2%). The most frequent pollen types in the samples were from Solanum paniculatum (43.8%) and Senna rizzini (32.1%). The protocol developed provides a new tool for diet assessment of Centris and other groups of solitary bees.