Advancing Modern Apiculture: The Role of Natural Products, Bee Microbiome, and Ecology in Hive Health

Honey bee colonies are experiencing unprecedented pressures from pathogens, parasites, environmental change, and human activity. Despite significant research into hive management and disease prevention, major gaps remain in our understanding of how the chemical diversity of bee-associated natural products — and their interplay with the bee microbiome and ecological processes — jointly determines hive health and resilience. Recent evidence points to a dynamic interplay between microbiome composition, hive environment, and the production or transformation of biologically active compounds by bees, plants, and associated microorganisms. These interactions can help maintain colony defenses, promote immune balance, and increase resilience to environmental stressors, but the mechanisms and practical applications remain underexplored. Addressing these knowledge gaps is essential for developing sustainable and evidence-based solutions for apiculture in a changing world.This Research Topic aims to bring together innovative work that clarifies how natural products, bee microbiomes, and ecological interactions contribute to healthy and resilient hives. The goal is to isolate, structurally characterise, and better understand the bioactive compounds produced by bees, plants, and their associated microbes, while unraveling the roles these molecules play in disease resistance, colony protection, microbiome stability, and stress reduction. Through interdisciplinary research that integrates natural product science, microbiology, and ecology, we seek to uncover new strategies that support sustainable colony management and improved apicultural outcomes.The scope of this Research Topic ranges from studies on the chemical and functional characterization of natural products relevant to bee health to integrative research linking microbiome and ecological factors with bioactive molecule production and activity. Purely descriptive studies of microbiomes and ecosystem interactions are only within scope if they present clear connections to natural products and their roles in hive-health outcomes. We welcome submissions addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Identification and characterization of natural products from bee, plant, or hive-associated microbial sources relevant to hive health- Biosynthetic pathways and structural characterisation of natural products from bee, plant, or hive-associated microbial sources- Biological activities of natural products against bee pathogens, parasites, or stress-associated processes- Investigations into how natural products influence bee immunity, host–microbe interactions, and microbiome structure- Isolation and characterisation of microbiome-derived natural products and their functional roles in colony protection and ecological adaptation- Computational, cheminformatics, metabolomic, fingerprinting, or profiling approaches linking chemical composition to biological activity in hive-health contexts- Development and validation of sustainable, natural-product-based disease control and management strategies for apiculture- Interdisciplinary reviews addressing current advances at the intersection of natural products, bee microbiomes, ecology, and hive health Topic editors: Claudia Pașca, Daniel Severus DEZMIREAN, Dora Henriques Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80231/advancing-modern-apiculture-the-role-of-natural-products-bee-microbiome-and-ecology-in-hive-health