The purpose of this study is to verify the importance of the body surface and tissues of foraging
honey bee Apis mellifera as bioaccumulator of heavy metals that can therefore, be included in
biomonitoring programmes of heavy metals in terrestrial ecosystems. The presence of five
representative heavy metals (copper, zinc, cadmium, lead and iron) was investigated in honey
bee tissues (mid gut, hind gut and fat body), body surface and wings using proton induced X-ray
emission method. X-ray spectrums of mid gut and fat body of forager bees demonstrated small
peaks for Cd, Pb, Fe and Ni compared to the control. Moreover, slightly larger peaks for Cu and
Zn were noticed in the X-ray spectrums of whole honey bee mid gut, hind gut and fat body than
those of the control. Forager honey bee body surface showed small peaks for Cu and Pb
compared to the control. Similarly, small peaks for Cd, Pb and Ni were noticed in the X-ray
spectrums of wings and hind gut of the forager honey bee compared to control.