Concentration of Micronutrients, Specifically Copper and Molybdenum, in Different Parts of the Honey Bee Body and Varroa Mite

Background: Minerals are essential bioelements that participate in numerous physiological and metabolic processes in animals. Among these, copper (Cu) and molybdenum (Mo) are critical trace elements that regulate enzymatic activity, protein metabolism and respiration. In honey bees (Apis mellifera), copper is a key component of hemocyanin, the respiratory metalloprotein that substitutes for hemoglobin, while molybdenum is involved in the activity of enzymes such as xanthine oxidase and aldehyde oxidase. Both elements are chemically antagonistic, with molybdenum capable of inhibiting copper accumulation in tissues. Understanding the distribution of these micronutrients in different body parts of bees and in their ectoparasite, Varroa destructor, is important for assessing nutrient dynamics between host and parasite and for the overall health of bee colonies. Methods: The study was conducted in apiaries of the southern Tyumen region from 2020 to 2025. Samples of dead bees and mites (200-300 g) were collected from comparable colonies. Bee bodies were carefully dissected into individual fragments including head, thorax, abdomen, wings and legs. Concentrations of copper and molybdenum in each fragment and in the bodies of Varroa destructor mites were measured using spectral analysis after dry mineralization, following GOST 26929-86 standards. Result: The concentrations of copper and molybdenum varied significantly among different bee body parts. Molybdenum was highest in bee heads (8.02±0.32 mg/kg) and absent in legs and wings, whereas copper was most concentrated in the abdomen (6.26±1.37 mg/kg), likely due to the fat body tissue’s mineral accumulation properties. In Varroa mites, copper and molybdenum concentrations reflected those in the bee abdomen, consistent with their feeding on the fat body. These findings demonstrate differential accumulation patterns of trace elements in bees and their parasites, highlighting the role of anatomical specialization in micronutrient distribution.