Supplements Research

About Supplements

As generalists who rely entirely on blooming plants for their diet, honey bees are well adapted to utilize the best available resources in their range (which is often several miles). This makes them excellent candidates to provide pollination services. As with other livestock, when the environmental resources are not sufficient, beekeepers may provide supplemental nutrition. The study of natural forage systems and developing optimal supplements for bees are both relevant concerns to maintain sustainable, flourishing colonies of honey bees.

Current Supplements Research

Please click on titles for more information about research projects

Sustaining Honey Bee Health with Probiotics
Principal Investigator: Pierre Giovenazzo, Laval University, 2016

Honey bee nutrition is a key factor associated with colony development and health. Honey bees live in various agricultural environments that are often limited and deficient in regards to floral diversity. Furthermore they are often in contact with various phytosanitary products that cause dysbiosis of their microbiota. Our probiotic strategy coupled with metagenomic monitoring of microbiota homeostasis is an integrated approach that aims to improve health and welfare of honey colonies living in an agricultural environment.

Availability of a scientifically developed nutritionaly balanced honey bee diet that is enhanced with pre and probiotics will help the beekeeping industry cope with the challenge of offering intensive pollination services (almonds, blueberries, cranberries and other crops) and keeping bees in various agricultural environments.

Completed Supplements Research

Please click on titles for more information about research projects

Testing HFCS Bee Feed for Contaminants and Determining Adverse Effects
on Honey Bee Health and Longevity
Principal Investigator: Dr. Diana Sammataro, USDA, 2007

Dr. Sammataro and colleagues from the Carl Hayden Bee Research Center in Tucson, AZ took part in the first ever PAm-sponsored research grant. The team researched contamination and adverse affects on honey bee health and longevity in the use of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) bee feed. The research provided beekeepers with guidelines for the use of HFCS as a supplemental feed for honey bees.

Supplemental carbohydrates are commonly fed to managed honey bee colonies in times of inadequate food storage. Longevity, productivity and physiology were compared between individual worker honey bees and between honey bee colonies fed HFCS or sucrose syrup. Worker honey bees tended to live longer when maintained on sucrose syrup in laboratory analysis. Productivity comparisons between colonies maintained in a closed foraging arena were inconclusive in terms of brood production; however, trends towards increased wax production and food storage were observed in colonies supplied with sucrose syrup. Free-foraging colonies supplemented with sucrose trended towards significantly greater brood production when compared to those supplemented with HFCS. Though sucrose syrup appears to sustain a slight increase in productivity over HFCS in apiculture, the mechanism and economic impact for this effect remain unresolved.
The researchers also surveyed hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) contamination of HFCS supplied by manufacturers and HFCS stored by beekeepers. HMF is a problematic contaminant for beekeepers, and though the mechanism of its toxicity is unknown, it has been shown to cause dysentery in honey bees. This is particularly an issue in beekeeping because HMF is known to form in both honey and HFCS. HFCS supplied directly from manufacturers did not have substantial HMF contamination, and on average was found to be well below the international standard for allowable amounts of HMF contamination in honey. On the other hand, HMF contamination of HFCS stored by beekeepers was found to be, on average, above the acceptable level according to international standards. It seems highly likely that variable successes and failures that beekeepers are experiencing when using HFCS as a supplemental feed are attributable to this variable rate of contamination. Most likely during the steps of procurement and storage of HFCS there are opportunities for high heat exposure which is rendering the syrup unsuitable as a feed for bees. Beekeepers should reflect on their manner of procurement and storage of HFCS.

Click here for more information on HFCS Storage Guidelines for Beekeepers.

Project to Determine the Effect of Essential Oil Treatments on Viral Loads in Honey Bees
Principal Investigator: David Wick, BVS, Inc., 2009

The focus of this study is to establish whether the essential oils in the LeFore patty are effective as a virus management tool in honey bees. For this project we will be evaluating the individual oils used in the patties as well as the total combination of essential oils to determine if any one specific oil are more effective at controlling the viruses or whether the synergy of the oils together is more effective in controlling the viral load. Treatment colonies will be compared to the control colonies and to each other in an evaluation of the efficacy of these essential oils.

Microbes and Anti-Viral Defense
Principal Investigator: Laura Brutscher, Montana State University, 2013

View Research Publication: "Abiotic and biotic factors affecting the replication and pathogenicity of bee viruses"

View Research Publication: "RNAi and Antiviral Defense in the Honey Bee"

View Research Publication: "Antiviral defense mechanisms in honey bees"

Bees are important pollinators of plants in both agricultural and non-agricultural landscapes. Recent losses of both managed and wild bee species have negative impacts on crop production and ecosystem diversity. Therefore, in order to mitigate bee losses, it is important to identify the factors most responsible. Multiple factors including pathogens, agrochemical exposure, lack of quality forage, and reduced habitat affect bee health. Pathogen prevalence is one factor that has been associated with colony losses. Numerous pathogens infect bees including fungi, protists, bacteria, and viruses, the majority of which are RNA viruses including several that infect multiple bee species. RNA viruses readily infect bees, yet there is limited understanding of their impacts on bee health, particularly in the context of other stressors. Herein we review the influence environmental factors have on the replication and pathogenicity of bee viruses and identify research areas that require further investigation.