• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.69-73
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• 2006

To elucidate the composition of bumblebee (Bomb us terrestris) venom (BBV) and the anti-inflammatory effect of BBV. The major components of BBV by LC chromatography and SDS-PAGE were identified. The production of nitric oxide (NO) and proinflammatory cytokines was examined by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in a macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7 cells, with BBV. BBV inhibits LPS-induced NO in a dose dependent manner. We also found that BBV inhibits proinflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ and interleukin (IL)-6 production. These findings mean that BBV can be used in controlling macrophages mediated inflammation related disease. Additional studies on the pharmacological aspects of the individual components of BBV are recommended for future trials.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.137-141
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• 2008

We previously isolated and cloned a cDNA of abaecin from the Bombus ignitus. In an effort to produce a large amount of soluble abaecin at low cost, we successfully expressed the peptide in Escherichia coli that are highly sensitive to its mature form. For this, we fused the peptide encoding 39 amino acids of mature B. ignitus abaecin to the thioredoxin gene together with a C-terminal 6xHis tag. An enterokinase cleavage site was introduced between the 6xHis tag and mature abaecin to allow final release of the recombinant peptide. A high yield of 9.6 mg soluble fusion protein from 200 ml of bacterial culture was purified by $Ni^{2+}$-charged His-Bind resin affinity column, and 1.4 mg of pure active recombinant abaecin was readily obtained by enterokinase cleavage, followed by affinity chromatograph. The molecular mass of recombinant abaecin peptide was determined by Tricin-SDS-PAGE analysis. The recombinant abaecin exhibited antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.107-111
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• 2009

The alcohol extract of the larvae of Bombus ignitus, otherwise known as the Bumblebee, was orally administered to rats at doses of 0, 0.04, 0.2, 1 or 2 g/kg as a single oral dose. There were no observed clinical signs or deaths related to treatment in all the groups tested. Therefore, the approximate lethal dose of the alcohol extract of B. ignitus was considered to be higher than 2 g/kg in rats. Mild decreases in body weight gain in male rats were observed dose-dependently within the B. ignitus treated groups over 2 weeks. Throughout the administration periods, no significant changes in diet consumption, ophthalmologic findings, clinical pathology (hematology, clinical chemistry and coagulation) or gross pathology were detected. Minor changes in male rats were found with in the hematological parameters in groups treated with the 0.04 g/kg, 1 g/kg or 2 g/kg of B. ignitus larvae extract, however, all the changes observed were within the physiological range. From these results, it was concluded that there was no evidence of specific toxicity related to the ingestion of alcohol extract of B. ignitus larvae.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.101-107
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• 1999

Queens of Korean native bumblebee species, Bombus ignitus were collected from the field in the spring of 1998 to investigate their ecological characteristics and reared under the laboratory conditions; 3 0 f 1$^{\circ}$C, 55 25% of relative humidity and darkness. As a result, 94.4% of the queens laid eggs in 6.00f 2.41 days after the field collection. The first worker and the first drone from the egg cell of the collected queens appeared in 18.90 f 1.16 and 68.96 f 3.94 days, respectively. In the colony foundation, 86.1% of the collected queens founded their colony, and 96.8% of them produced new queens in 71.14f 6.88 days. The life span of the colony-founded queen covered for 86.90f24.35 days, whereas that of non-colonized queen for 15.67 f 7.37 days. One colony sized as big as 987.82f 145.84 in number, composing of workers (188.79f 18.23), drones (691.10f 159.24) and queens (107.93 f47.48). Copulation lasting time of queen and drone took 23.00f 7.33 minutes in average. In a new queen emergence, there were two patterns; single peak type of new queen emergence in 12.31 k6.95 days and two peaks type of it in 74.00f 17.61 days. The number of eggs per egg cell of new queen averaged as 8.86f 4.00 grains and an egg period covered 3 days after oviposition. An egg cell sized as 7.15 f0.88 mm in a width, 7.79 f 1 .l 1 mm in a length and 3.33 f 0.23 mm in a height. An egg shaped as banana and sized as 1.22 f 0.09 mm in a width and as 3.5 1 f 0.21 mm in a length, weighing as 2.70 + 0.30 mg.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.293-298
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• 2008

This study was surveyed the effects by pollinating activity of Apis mellifera and Bombus terrestris released in the paprika vinyl-houses. The foraging activity and behaviour of A. mellifera and B. terrestris visited on the paprika flowers were nearly alike. The pick times of pollinating activity by A. mellifera and B. terrestris were showed the hightest at 11:00 and 15:00, and 09:00 to 11:00, respectively. The rate of fruit set by A. mellifera and B. terrestris released for pollinating paprika were same level with 94%, and these rate were higher than the fruit setting rate which was 92% by fan operated. The qualities of paprika produced by pollinators released were higher than those by fan operated. And weight per fruit, number of seeds per fruit and economical profit per 2,310 $m^2$ were over 10% higher than those by fan operated. Therefore the economical effects by the pollinating activities of A. mellifera and B. terrestris released in the paprika vinyl-houses were obviously demonstrated.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.382-390
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• 2008

This study was performed to evaluate the acute toxicity and residual toxicity of the 69 kinds of agrochemicals (41 insecticides, 18 fungicides, and 10 acaricides) against honeybee, Apis mellifera and bumblebee, Bombus terrestris. According to the IOBC standard, the toxicity showed below 30% was classified as non-toxic. Among 41 insecticides, five insecticides (acetamiprid, chlorfenapyr, thiacloprid, milbemectin, and buprofezin+amitraz) against the honeybee; eight insecticides (methomyl, thiodicarb, acetamiprid, chlorfenapyr, thiacloprid, abamectin, spino sad, buprofezin+amitraz) against the bumblebee did not show any toxic effect. Therefore, it thought to being safe. Other 18 fungicides and 10 acaricides were safe against the honeybee and bumblebee. In residual toxicity against the honeybee, eight insecticides (dichlorvos, methomyl, imidachlorprid, emamectin benzoate, spinosad, cartap hydrochloride, chlorfenapyr, and endosulfan) among 41 insecticides tested were safe at three days after treatment; however, sixteen insecticides (dimethoate, fenitrothion, fenthion, methidathion, phenthoate, pyraclofos, fenpropathrin, clothianidin, dinotefuran, thiamethoxam, abamectin, acetamiprid+ethofenprox, acetamiprid+indoxacarb, bifenthrin+imidacloprid, ethofenprox+phenthoate, imidacloprid+methiocarb) still remain high toxicity at eleven days after treatment. Against the bumblebee, residual toxicity showed as safe in seven insecticides (dimethoate, methidation, a-cypermethion, ethofenprox, indoxcarb, chlorpyrifos+a-cypennethrin, esfenvalerate+fenitrochion) at three days after treatment; however, eight insecticides (fenitrothion, pyraclofos, clothianidin, fipronil, acetamiprid+ethofenprox, chlorpyrifos+bifenthrin, ethofenprox+phenthoate, imidacloprid+methiocarb) still showed high toxicity at seven days after treatment. From above results, it will be useful information to select insecticides being safe and effective against the honeybee and bumblebee.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.229-234
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• 2007

Pure Bombus ignitus venom samples were submitted to two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. A total of 64 excised spots were analyzed by mass spectrometry. Three main proteins resulted in the identification have not been described in other bee venoms before. Dose-dependence against human carcinoma (Hep3B, BT-20, A549 and AGS) were observed from 1ng/ml to 100ng/ml. Expecially, the treatment of 100ng/ml B. ignitus venoms showed the highest cytotoxicity with 55% against hepatocellular carcinoma (Hep3B). The B. ignitus venoms showed strong antimicrobial activities against Enterococcus faecium and Shigella sonnei, and practically antimicrobial activity against the other microorganisms tested. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of E. faecium and S. sonnei, were 0.256ug/ml, respectively.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.58-65
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• 2014

Bumblebees are important pollinators of crops and wildflowers. Bumblebees generally produce one generation per year. One of the key stages for year-round rearing of bumblebees is breaking diapause. To evaluate the effects of a combination method of $CO_2$-narcosis and cold treatment to break the diapause of B. ignitus and B. terrestris queens, we determined whether this method affected their ability to establish a colony after the diapause break. The diapause treatment regimes that were utilized were $CO_2$ ($CO_2$-narcosis), CT-1M (cold treatment at $5^{\circ}C$ for 1 mo), CT-1M-$CO_2$ ($CO_2$-narcosis after cold treatment for 1 mo), CT-2M-$CO_2$ ($CO_2$-narcosis after cold treatment for 2 mo), CT-2M (cold treatment for 2 mo), CT-2.5M-$CO_2$ ($CO_2$-narcosis after cold treatment for 2.5 mo) and CT-2.5M (cold treatment at $5^{\circ}C$ for 2.5 mo). In view of the effects on the colony developmental characteristics of B. ignitus queens, the most favorable diapause treatment was CT-1M-$CO_2$. A combination method of $CO_2$-narcosis and cold temperature treatment yielded better results than that of single $CO_2$-narcosis or cold temperature treatment on the colony development of diapause-broken B. ignitus queens. In the case of B. terrestris queens, we concluded that a combination method of $CO_2$ and cold temperature treatment yielded better results than that of a single cold-temperature (up to 2 mo) treatment. In conclusion, the findings of the present study indicated that the combined application of $CO_2$ and cold temperature was a favorable method for the colony development of diapause-broken B. ignitus and B. terrestris queens compared with only $CO_2$-narcosis or cold temperature treatments. A combination method of $CO_2$ and cold treatment reduced the side effect of $CO_2$-narcosis and shortened the duration of cold treatment by at least 1 mo.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.161-165
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• 2012

Antimicrobial peptides of insects are found and reported as immune defence system against infectious agents. The peptides are produced by fat body cells and thrombocytoids, a blood cell type. Defensin is 38-45 amino acids long and consists of an ${\alpha}$-helix linked by a loop to an antiparallel ${\beta}$-sheet. Defensin from a bumblebee, Bombus ignitus, is known to comprise 52 amino acid residues. This peptide consists of two ${\alpha}$-helixes; ACAANCLSM and KTNFKDLWDKRF and one ${\beta}$-sheet; GGRCENGVCLCR. We carried out antibacterial activity test by radial diffusion assay against Staphylococcus aureus (Gram positive), Escherichia coli (Gram negative), Pseudomonas syringae (Gram negative), Candida albicans (fungi), MDRPA, MRSA, and VRE (antimicrobial resistant microbes) with synthetic oligopeptides from Peptron (Daejeon, Korea). The predicted curtailment fragment (GGRCEVCLCR-$NH_2$) for ${\beta}$-sheet had strong antibacterial activity when internal amino acids were removed. But, curtailment fragments (ACAANCLSM-$NH_2$ and TNFKDLWDKR-$NH_2$) of ${\alpha}$-helix were not showed antibacterial activity. These synthetic oligopeptides were showed the great activity against Gram positive and negative bacteria.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.408-421
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• 2019

This study estimated and analyzed the incremental profits to compare the imported buff-tailed bumblebees, Bombus terrestris, and their pollination alternatives. A result of the analysis showed that the incremental profit, which is defined as the sales revenue minus the common production cost, was higher when using pollinator insects than when using the artificial pollination and that the incremental costs were lower when using domestic bumblebees or artificial pollination than when using imported bumblebees or honeybees. The incremental profits of each alternative were 46,801 million won for imported bumblebees, 47,170 million won for domestic bumblebees, 46,975 million won for honeybees, and 29,839 million won for artificial pollination. The incremental profit means the accounting profit that can be realized from each alternative. However, not all of the accounting profits can be attributed to pollen-mediated alternatives since they include potential costs such as imputed rent or normal profits. Considering the opportunity costs, which are the potential costs, it appears that the alternative of using imported bumblebees can lead to an economic loss. It means that fruit and vegetable farmers can expect additional economic profits if they choose other alternatives instead of using imported bumblebees.