Beekeeping in urban areas: from honey production to environmental monitoring

The research will be carried out by monitoring some small apiaries placed in urban environments. Honey bee colonies will be used with the aims of: 1) evaluate the possibility to produce honey the urban areas, 2) evaluate the quality and quantity of production, 3) evaluate the quality of the environment using bees as bioindicators of the environmental pollution.
In the apiaries, periodical surveys will be conducted in order to assess the sanitary status of colonies, the activity of bees in the collection of nectar and the honey production. Samples of bees and honey will be also collected in order to check the residues of pesticides or other pollutants. Surveys will be also conducted for detection of plants visited by foraging bees in each area.
This study has the aim to evaluate the possibility of managing beekeeping in the city and at the same time to have a tool for prompt detection of pollutants in order to evaluate the quality of the environment; in addition, the surveys will be useful to promptly intercept new pests (i.e. Aethina tumida, the small hive beetle, recently introduced in Italy).

(Languages skills required Italian B2 or English B2)