Melatonin Enhances Thermal Resilience and Extends Worker Lifespan in Apis cerana via Redox–Metabolic Reprogramming

), and longevity. These molecular responses were associated with enhanced antioxidant capacity, reduced oxidative damage, and sustained foraging activity under thermal stress. Collectively, these results indicate that melatonin serves as a potent nutritional intervention that reprograms redox metabolic networks to mitigate heat-induced damage, extend worker longevity, and enhance colony productivity under climate warming. These findings highlight melatonin's potential as a practical tool to reduce summer colony losses in apiculture.