Bee Feeding Research Articles

Exploring the impact of protein diets on the honey bee (Apis mellifera L): a study on intestinal tissue health and royal jelly protein level

The growth and development of a honey bee colony fundamentally rely on proper nutrition, leading beekeepers to nourish their hives to maintain the health and productivity of their colonies. Nevertheless, the substances utilized in honey bee nutrition vary widely, necessitating thorough research to evaluate their effects on the performance and health of honey bees. Herein, the supplemental diets commonly used by beekeepers for feeding bee colonies including soybean (Glycine max), maize pollen grains (Zea mays L), and a mixture of soybean and pollen grains, in addition to sugar solution as control group are evaluated. This study was conducted on both intestinal tissues as the main place of digestion and absorption and royal jelly (RJ) proteins as a final product that reflects physiological reactions within the insect’s body. Soybean has been observed to have detrimental effects on both the health of the intestinal tissue, causing atrophy of the epithelial cells and weakening of the stomach muscles. Additionally, a decrease in the secretory vesicles (SV) and the gelatinous layer (GL) within the intestine was noted. However, when honey bee colonies were fed on pollen, it helped maintain the molecular balance and high molecular weight proteins in RJ. Bee pollen diet also resulted in an increased production of SV. Conversely, feeding honey bees a mixture of soybean and pollen had catastrophic effects on both the intestinal tissue and RJ proteins. It also led to coagulation in the peritrophic membrane (PMb), which is crucial for protecting the intestinal walls and performing other physiological functions. This, in turn, impacted the absorption of proteins, the levels of SV, and GL. Consequently, it is suggested to incorporate bee pollen as a dietary supplement in the feeding plan of honey bees.

Measuring honey bee feeding rhythms with the BeeBox, a platform for nectar foraging insects

In honey bees, most studies of circadian rhythms involve a locomotion test performed in a small tube, a tunnel, or at the hive entrance. However, despite feeding playing an important role in honey bee health or fitness, no demonstration of circadian rhythm on feeding has been performed until recently. Here, we present the BeeBox, a new laboratory platform for bees based on the concept of the Skinner box, which dispenses discrete controlled amounts of food (sucrose syrup) following entrance into an artificial flower. We compared caged groups of bees in 12 h-12 h light/dark cycles, constant darkness and constant light and measured average hourly syrup consumption per living bee. Food intake was higher in constant light and lower in constant darkness; mortality increased in constant light. We observed rhythmic consumption with a period longer than 24 h; this is maintained in darkness without environmental cues, but is damped in the constant light condition. The BeeBox offers many new research perspectives and numerous potential applications in the study of nectar foraging animals.

Impact of copper and zinc oral chronic exposure on Carniolan honey bee survival and feeding preference.

Honey bees are important plant pollinators and honey producers. Contamination of the environment with metals can lead to a decline in honey bee populations. Copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) salts are commonly used as fungicides and foliar fertilizers. In this study, we investigated the effects of 10-day chronic oral exposure to different concentrations of Cu (CuSO4) and Zn (ZnCl2) on survival and feeding rates of Carniolan honey bees in laboratory conditions. We found that mortality in honey bee workers increased in a concentration-dependent manner and that Cu (lethal concentration [LC50] = 66 mg/l) was more toxic than Zn (LC50 = 144 mg/l). There was no difference in the feeding rate of Cu-treated bees for the different concentrations tested, but the feeding rate decreased with the increase in Zn concentration. To determine feeding preference or avoidance for Cu and Zn, we conducted 2-choice 24-h feeding experiments. We demonstrated that honey bees preferred Zn-containing solutions compared to the control diet. A two-choice experiment with Cu showed a tendency for honey bees to be deterred by Cu at high concentrations; however, it was not statistically significant. In summary, our results suggest that honey bee workers may suffer adverse effects when exposed to ecologically relevant concentrations of Cu and Zn.

The Effect of Feeding Formula in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) Using Flow Hive Technology on Honey Production and Quality at PT Kembang Joyo Sriwijaya

Bee feeding has long been known and applied in honey bee farming. One way of feeding bees is to give sugar syrup mixed with water. This study aims to determine the effect of supplementary feeding on bees that have been formulated on the production and quality of honey produced. This study also applies one of the artificial hive technologies, namely flow hive. This study also observed how the adaptation of bees and the added value of the flow hive using Apis mellifera honey bees which is known for its high production rate and high adaptability. This research was conducted from September to December 2023 at PT Kembang Joyo Sriwijaya, Malang Regency. The experiment was conducted using 3 flow hives with the same feed formula. The study showed good feed consumption in stup 1 and decreased feed consumption in stup 2 and stup 3. Honey obtained in stup 1 was 1.5 kg from 1 flow frame. Laboratory test results showed pH levels of 3.4, moisture content of 18.2 %, reducing sugar levels of 55.44 % and 56.71 % and diastase enzyme activity of 3.18 DN and 3.19 DN. In conclusion that formula feeding did not show high honey production when compared to the time taken to reach harvest and also did not show fulfilling reducing sugar content and diastase enzyme activity test results.

Impact of bee bread supplementation on Japanese quails: laying performance, eggshell chemical composition and serum biochemistry

Bee bread is exceptional product of the beehive by its composition and a unique production by honeybees. Since the legislation prohibits the use of growth stimulants in animal husbandry, there is a growing interest in improving the yield of meat and eggs, and its quality parameters after applying various natural products. The impacts of bee bread supplementation on laying performance, eggshell chemical composition, serum biochemical parameters of Japanese quails were studied. Antioxidant activity, polyphenols, flavonoids, phenolic acids from bee bread, feeding mixture and combination was determined. A total of 45 female quails were involved in the experiment. The quails were divided into three groups as follows: group with 0.2% addition of bee bread into feeding mixture (E1, n = 15), group with 0.6% addition of bee bread into feeding mixture (E2, n = 15), and the control without additives (C, n = 15). The groups were kept under the standard conditions. After 180 days the animals were slaughtered, blood samples were collected. Addition of 0.6% bee bread in group E2 significantly decreased TAG level compared to group E1, without affecting laying performance. We noticed significant increase in Cd, Pb levels in eggshell in group E1 compared to control group. On the other side, 0.6% addition of bee bread caused significant reduction in Pb, Cd levels in eggshell compared to group with 0.2% addition of bee bread. The incorporation of bee bread into feeding mixture added improved antioxidant activity along with polyphenols and flavonoids. The results indicate that the effect of bee bread was dose dependent. The effective dosage estimation of additives used in feed for Japanese quails plays important role.

FEEDING BEES IN THE SPRING PERIOD

For the intensive development of beekeeping, the creation of new preparations is of particular importance, as they stimulate the growth of bee colonies and contribute to increased productivity. The research aims to assess the impact of the CobalRibo biostimulator (aqueous solution of hexamine cobalt (III) chloride and Rebaudioside A glycoside) on the growth of bee colonies, early developmental stages, and overall productivity. It has been determined that the optimal dose of the CobalRibo biostimulator for early spring bee feeding, in the absence of a maintenance nectar-pollen crop, is 3 ml/L of sugar syrup. Early spring bee feeding with a mixture of 50% sugar syrup and 3.0 ml/L of CobalRibo biostimulator, in a quantity of 1.0 L per bee colony, administered once every 6 days starting from April until the beginning of white acacia flowering, enhances queen prolificacy, promotes the growth of the number of capped brood, and increases honey yield. Pentru dezvoltarea intensivă a apiculturii, o deosebită importanță are elaborarea noilor preparate, care stimulează creșterea și contribuie la sporirea productivității albinelor. Scopul cercetărilor constă în evaluarea impactului biostimulatorului CobalRibo (soluție apoasă de clorură de hexamină de cobalt (III) și glicozida Rebaudioside A) asupra creșterii familiilor de albine, dezvoltării timpurii și productivității. S-a stabilit că doza optimă a biostimulatorului CobalRibo, administrat albinelor primăvară devreme în absența unei recolte nectaro-polenifere de întreținere, este de 3 ml/L sirop de zahăr. Alimentația albinelor cu un amestec de sirop de zahăr de 50% și cu 3,0 ml/L de biostimulator CobalRibo, în cantitate de 1,0 L per familie de albine, odată la 6 zile începând cu luna aprilie până la începutul înfloririi salcâmului alb, sporește prolificitatea mătcilor, favorizează creșterea numărului de puiet căpăcit și a producției de miere.

The amount of antioxidants in honey has a strong relationship with the plants selected by honey bees

As one of the main sources of natural antioxidants, flowering plants play a role in the prevention and treatment of many diseases directly and indirectly. Honey is considered as an important nutrient in the supply of natural antioxidants, the amount of which is directly dependent on the plant origin and geographical location of the bee feeding place. The existence of valuable communities of native and endemic plant species has turned Alborz, Zagros and Azerbaijan into the most important hubs of honey production in Iran. In this study, we collected samples of honey from more than 90 regions in Alborz, Zagros and Azerbaijan during the years 2020 to 2021. We evaluated the samples using melissopalynology method and measuring the amount of antioxidant activity. The rise of antioxidant activity in honey is dependent on the abundance of some plant families as well botanical origins. The abundance of plant families Rosaceae, Amaranthaceae, Fabaceae and Asteraceae showed a higher influence on the amount of antioxidants in honey than other plant families. Also, the abundance of plant families Rosaceae and Fabaceae increased with increasing altitude. In general, the amount of antioxidant activity of honey samples shows a different percentage under the influence of ecological and geographical changes.

An overview of artificial nutrition in apiculture

Artificial nutrition in apiculture is a long-term subject of discussion and investigation. The maintenance and boosting of bee colonies in apiculture depends on synthetic food around the globe to overcome the suppressing factors, including dearth periods. The information on types of food components and their combinations used is haphazard and hardly helpful in determining the advancements in the artificial feeding of bees. This study aimed to extract the available information on artificial feeding on honeybees and arrange it most scientifically. The information in the form of research or review articles available on every platform, viz., soft portals, printed journals, books and scientific proceedings, were collected and analyzed to produce a comprehensive and informative review article on the artificial nutrients in apiculture. Compilation of the available information revealed that artificial feeding of bees depends on food components and their combinations. Based on this, it can be suggested that nectar and pollen are basic foods of honey bees, and based on this, the food components were further categorized as nectar supplements and pollen supplements. These supplements were fed to bees as natural nutrients and food components. The natural nutrients include proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, yeasts, antibiotics, amino acids, enzymes, antioxidants, etc. Meanwhile, under natural food components, cereal grains, pulses, beans, fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants, spices, condiments, and some non-traditional/ miscellaneous kinds of stuff have been included in the bee diets. On the other hand, many diet categories have been prepared using the abovementioned nutrients and food components in various forms and proportions. In general, the pollen and nectar, the main food of bees, have been supplemented under different diet combinations. These diet combinations used pollen and nectar substitutes or combined with other nutrition, drugs, antibiotics, etc. The present investigation provides an updated overview of the food categories and their combinations used in the artificial feeding of bees to date. These findings can help explore new food items and their effective diet combinations.

REPRODUCTIVE ABILITY OF BEE QUEENS AND PRODUCTIVITY OF BEES FEEDING MAGNESIUM CITRATES

The research was conducted on two groups of bees families-analogs, three families in each group. Bees of the control (I) group were fed with 60% of sugar syrup (s.s) in the amount of 2 l / family / week. Bees of the II (experimental) group with 2 l of s.s. received 4 mcg/ml of Mg in the form of citrate obtained by the nanotechnology method from LLC Nanomaterials and Nanotechnologies, Kyiv. Indicators of bee queens egg laying intensity was determined by the method of counting the amount of number of sealed brood. Samples of bee body tissues and honey were investigated, in which the content of individual heavy metals (Fe, Сu, Zn) was determined on an atomic absorption spectrophotometer SF-115 PC, as well as the qualitative indicators of honey. According to the results of the researches during the entire research period bee queens of the control (1st), 2nd research groups oviposited 47783 and 49721 eggs, respectively. Probable inter group differences of egg laying were marked at feeding bee families pure sugar syrup and with adding to it citrates Mg. Amount of oviposited eggs in the 2nd research groups during the research period was higher accordingly by 1,4 % in comparison to the control group. Research results specify on expediency of application of citrates of Mg for stimulation of vital functions of bee colony and increasing the reproductive ability of queen bees during their intensive egg laying
 Researches have shown changes in the correlation of trace elements in body tissues of bees with an increase in the content of Fe, Cu and a decrease in the concentration Zn. Feeding of bees with Mg citrates caused an increase parameters of honey, as evidenced by the probable increase in diastasis number and proline content in honey of bees of the experimental groups. Organoleptic characteristics of honey when feeding bees with Mg citrates did not change significantly in the experimental groups compared with the control and met the current standards of DSTU 4497: 2005. It is concluded that feeding bees with the addition to sugar syrup Mg nanotechnological citrates stimulates the intensity of egg laying by queen bees, mineral exchange in their organism and optimizes the content of trace elements and quality indicators in products.

Influence of the food protein on the development of hypopharyngeal glands, fat body, quality and lifespan of honeybees

Research on the anatomical and physiological characteristics of bees (the state of fat body, hypopharyngeal glands) in connection with changes in natural and climatic conditions (soil composition, prolonged droughts, prolonged rains, cold weather, environmental disasters) impoverishment of fodder base for bees due to the decrease of sown areas of honey crops leading to the use of bees’ feeding, is relevant. The research aims to study the influence of food protein on the development of hypopharyngeal glands, fat body and life expectancy of honeybees. The zootechnical (the setting of the scientific research, the feeding of the bee families, the power of the bee families, productivity), ethological (orientation in the bee-entrance area), micrometrical (physiological and morphological characteristics of the parts of the bee’s body), microscopic (analysis of hypopharyngeal glands and fat body of bees) and statistical (biometric data processing) methods were used in the study. The significant difference in their degree of development depending on the carbohydrate or protein feeding was identified. After feeding sugar syrup to bees, signs of protein malnutrition and the state of development of hypopharyngeal glands corresponding to the І-ІІ degrees were noted. Alveoli of hypopharyngeal glands were reduced, and underdeveloped, with marked spaces, whereas after feeding protein food in the form of sugar syrup with bee pollen the bees had well-developed hypopharyngeal glands. The alveoli of the hypopharyngeal glands of the researched bees filled out, grew milky, with no space between them, and were able to produce larval food. Such a state of the glands’ development corresponds to the ІV degree of the development of hypopharyngeal glands. The research results indicate that the development of the fat body of bees happens at a young age when bees consume protein food the most. It has been proven that protein feeding of the bee colonies of experimental groups contributed to the better development of hypopharyngeal glands in both old and young bees, which resulted in better provision of food for larvae and more active development of the bee colonies. Protein feeding of bees in early spring under conditions of limited supply of protein food contributes to the production of larger larvae, which in turn contributes to the production of more complete bees

Effect of Probiotic Microorganisms on Catalase Activity, Fractional Composition of Soluble Proteins, and Intestinal Microbiota of Honey Bee

Recently, there has been a trend toward the use of new effective natural preparations to fight diseases and improve the health of honey bees. It is also known that a well-balanced structure of the intestinal microbiota of honey bees is the basis for their growth, development, strengthening of the immune response, and resistance to infections. It has been established that some strains of lactic acid bacteria that have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties, are promising for the development of broad-spectrum probiotic preparations based on them. Therefore, the aim of the work was to determine the effect of probiotic strains Lactobacillus сasei IMV B-7280 and L. plantarum IMV B-7679 on catalase activity, protein content and protein profile of hemolymph, as well as microbiota spectrum of different parts of the intestines of Apis mellifera honey bees. Methods. To conduct the research, a control and two experimental groups of 60-90 bees each were formed. The bees of the control group were fed 60% sugar syrup + 1 mL of distilled H2O for 28 days. The experimental group of bees D1 received 1 mL of 60% sugar syrup + 1 mL of aqueous suspension containing cells of the L. casei IMV B-7280 strain at a concentration of 1 ∙ 106 CFU/mL every day; experimental group of bees D2, in addition to 1 mL of 60% sugar syrup, received 1 mL of aqueous suspension containing cells of L. plantarum IMV B-7976 strain at a concentration of 1 ∙ 104 CFU/mL. Catalase activity of the whole organism tissues was determined using the ability of hydrogen peroxide to form a stable colored complex with molybdenum salts on a spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 410 nm against water. The amount of protein in the whole organism tissues was determined by the Lowry method. The content of total protein in the body of bees was carried out according to the Kjeldahl method. Determination of the content of individual fractions of soluble proteins of the hemolymph was carried out by the method of vertical electrophoresis in a 7.5% polyacrylamide gel. The relative content of protein fractions was determined using the TotalLab TL120 program and expressed as a percentage of the total pool. To determine the qualitative and quantitative spectrum of the gut microbiota of bees, the hindgut and midgut were sampled (separately) from bees of control and experimental groups. The obtained samples were plated on eight selective solid media for cultivation of different groups of microorganisms. Results. A tendency to increase the catalase activity of bee tissues after 28 days of L. casei IMV B-7280 strain use and a consistently higher activity of this enzyme throughout the experimental period under the action of L. plantarum IMV B-7679 strain was established. In the control group of 28th days, the content of bees and catalase activity remained at a constant level. It was shown that on the 14th day and total protein in the body of bees that received L. casei IMV B-7280 strain increased signifi cantly. Water-soluble fractions of hemolymph proteins were found in bees of both groups: γ-globulins, β-globulins, α2-globulins, and α1-globulins. It should be noted that the albumin fraction was not detected. It has been shown that the hindgut contains a much larger number of microorganisms than the midgut. The use of L. casei IMV B-7280 strain led to an increase in the number of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria in both parts of the gut, as well as to a decrease in the number of staphylococci, streptococci, and microscopic fungi. The use of L. plantarum IMV B-7679 strain had a similar effect, but the changes in the composition of gut microbiome were less pronounced. Conclusions. The use of probiotic strains L. casei IMV B-7280 and L. plantarum IMV B-7679 for feeding bees under the conditions of a laboratory thermostat led to quantitative changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiota of bees, namely an increase in the number of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria, as well as a decrease in the number of some other groups of microorganisms in the gut. Probiotic strains stimulated catalase activity of bee’s body tissues, increased the level of total protein, and did not significantly affect the ratio of hemolymph protein fractions.

Effect of honey bee forage plants in Tunisia on diversity and antibacterial potential of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria from Apis mellifera intermissa and its products.

Lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria (LAB and Bifido), isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of Apis mellifera intermissa (BGIT), honey (H), propolis (P) and bee bread (BB) of hives set in different vegetations (wildflowers, caraway, orange blossom, Marrubium vulgare, Eucalyptus and Erica cinerea), were subjected to analysis of their antibacterial potential. Isolates able to inhibit Staphylococcus aureus were selected and identified with MALDI-TOF MS leading to 154 strains representing 12 LAB and Bifido species. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Pediococcus pentosaceus and Enterococcus faecalis were predominantly found in all matrices. BGIT showed the highest LAB and Bifido diversity with exclusive occurrences of five species (including Bifidobacterium asteroides and Limosilactobacillus fermentum). Honey was the second origin harboring an important variety of LAB species of which Apilactobacillus kunkeei and Enterococcus mundtii were characteristic of both H and BGIT. Principal components analysis revealed associations between antibacterial activities of LAB and Bifido, matrices and honey bee forage plants. Inhibition trends of S. aureus and Citrobacter freundii were highlighted with: L. plantarum from BGIT, P, H of bees feeding on E. cinerea; Pediococcus pentosaceus from BGIT, P, BB associated with E. cinerea; and Bifidobacterium asteroides from BGIT/orange blossom system. However, Enterococcus faecium associated with BGIT/Eucalyptus system antagonized Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. Our findings highlighted noteworthy effects of bee forage plants on the antibacterial activity of LAB and Bifido. Our approach could be useful to identify multiple conditions promoting antibacterial potency of LAB and Bifido under the combined effects of feeding plants and living matrices.

Honey bees switch mechanisms to drink deep nectar efficiently

The feeding mechanisms of animals constrain the spectrum of resources that they can exploit profitably. For floral nectar eaters, both corolla depth and nectar properties have marked influence on foraging choices. We report the multiple strategies used by honey bees to efficiently extract nectar at the range of sugar concentrations and corolla depths they face in nature. Honey bees can collect nectar by dipping their hairy tongues or capillary loading when lapping it, or they can attach the tongue to the wall of long corollas and directly suck the nectar along the tongue sides. The honey bee feeding apparatus is unveiled as a multifunctional tool that can switch between lapping and sucking nectar according to the instantaneous ingesting efficiency, which is determined by the interplay of nectar-mouth distance and sugar concentration. These versatile feeding mechanisms allow honey bees to extract nectar efficiently from a wider range of floral resources than previously appreciated and endow them with remarkable adaptability to diverse foraging environments.

Individual integrated approach to honey identification using instrumental methods of analysis and statistical processing of results

Bee honey is a valuable highly nutritive natural product; it is widely consumed among the population. Due to its high cost the natural honey often becomes the object of adulteration. The authenticity of honey is the most important criterion of quality, as on the one hand it ensures the biosecurity of honey, and provides the healthy market competition on the other hand. In this regard, the issue of honey identification is quite acute in all countries with developed beekeeping culture. The authors provide an overview of domestic and foreign regulatory documents regarding the authenticity of honey, as well as its status as a product with a controlled designation of origin. Based on the analysis of scientific literature, the most significant studies aimed to a method of honey authenticity confirmation were selected and brought out. These studies were carried out in the countries of the European Union, China, Brazil, the USA, Mexico and other countries. These studies showed that chromatographic methods and the method of isotope mass spectrometry are the most effective for detection of added sugars in honey, as well as for revealing the fact of feeding bees with various syrups. The authenticity of the botanical and geographical point of honey origin is usually determined by the principle of “fingerprints”. The principle involves collecting the values of an array of indicators and processing them by means of statistical analysis methods. To form a database, in addition to the above methods, methods of NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, PCR, ICP-MS and some others have become widely used. When determining the authenticity of the botanical and geographical origin of honey, it is also necessary to consider the specific features of local melliferous plants, bee species, soil composition and climatic conditions. Thus, an individual yet integrated approach to the identification of honey by means of the instrumental methods of analysis and statistical processing of results will become a powerful and reliable tool in determining its authenticity, including its botanical and geographical origin.

Study of the toxic effect of insecticides on the honey bee: methodological recommendations

Goal. Improving the methodology for assessing the toxicity and potential safety of insecticides for the honey bee.
 Methods of determining the toxicity of insecticides for bees — laboratory and field. Laboratory experiments determine the toxicity of insecticides for bees, and field experiments determine the degree of danger of drugs at the concentrations used in production, with the establishment of the terms of detoxification in plants and the nature of the danger for insects. To evaluate the gastric and combined toxicity of insecticides, the principle of group feeding of bees with poisoned feed was used. Contact toxicity of insecticides was assessed using the etched screen method.
 Results. A methodology for studying the toxicity of insecticides is proposed. It provides an opportunity to study the contact, gastric and total toxicity of insecticides for the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.). Experiments were conducted to study the toxicity of biological preparations for honey bees. The speed and duration of the toxic effect of insecticides and their repellent activity on bees were established. The method of processing material for toxicological studies has been improved. Methods for calculating the toxicity criteria of insecticides have been developed.
 Conclusions. Improved methods of determining the contact, gastric (oral) and combined poisoning of honey bees with chemical preparations are given, and the method of assessing the level of toxicity of insecticides for insects is improved.

Development of an automatic solar powered honey bee feeding system in a movable multi shelves apiary

Keeping bee colonies is one of the most important sectors of investment in the global agricultural field. Internationally, beekeepers are interested in improving bee feeding methods to maximize the productivity and quality of their products. Whereas the current study aims to develop and evaluate an automatic feeding system that works with solar energy. This technique increases the vertical expansion of beekeeping by designing a multi-shelf mobile apiary for easy transportation as desired. The development process included the inclusion of automated feeders that operate electronically using sensors to provide a nutritional solution for bee colonies without human intervention. Also, the automatic apiary was provided with a sugar solution tank that was equipped with a continuous stirring system that works with a timer. Also, the automatic apiary contains an alarm system and remote mobile contact with the beekeeper in case of depletion of the sugar syrup. The variables under study included three levels of nutritional level volumes of 500, 750, and 1000 ml, respectively, with two stirring periods (3 and 6 times/day) at two concentrations for sugar solution of 50 and 67%. The evaluation process was done during the critical winter period of the year, from December to March. The main results showed that the colonies’ strength had an increment ratio over control hives of 30.23% when using the highest variable levels. Also, the seasonal energy consumption ranged from 1.25–2.81 kWh per season. Therefore, beekeepers can benefit from this novel feeding approach.

СРАВНЕНИЕ ОРГАНОЛЕПТИЧЕСКИХ И ФИЗИКО-ХИМИЧЕСКИХ ПОКАЗАТЕЛЕЙ НАТУРАЛЬНОГО И ФАЛЬСИФИЦИРОВАННОГО МЕДА

Currently, such falsifications of honey as «sugar honey» (obtained by feeding bees with sugar syrup during the honey collection time) and «artificial honey» (obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of sucrose) are the most common and difficult to detect. To identify them, the comprehensive assessment of organoleptic and physicochemical parameters is carried out. It’s a labor- and time-consuming process, and, unfortunately, doesn’t always guarantee obtaining objective results. The paper presents the results of palynological, organoleptic and physicochemical analyzes of these falsifications, as well as samples of natural linden tree honey. It has been established that both falsifications were characterized by a low content of pollen grains. The analysis of their organoleptic parameters didn’t reveal significant deviations from the standards. The reliable data have been obtained as the result of a comprehensive assessment of physicochemical parameters, both regulated by State Standards and some additional ones. The determination of hydrogen peroxide content (H2O2 ) is the most promising additional indicators.

Preservation of the honeybee population as a pollinator of entomophilous plants under climatic and anthropogenic impacts

The anthropogenic impact on the flight activity of bees in the conditions of the Lipetsk region was studied. The effect of pesticides on bee colonies was assessed. The characteristics of the effect of pesticides of different hazard classes on the viability and productivity of bee colonies are given. An analysis of the impact of beekeepers on bees is made. Recommendations for improving the condition of the apiary through the influence of beekeepers are outlined. The best methods of treatment and feeding of bees for better development and strength building are summarized. A comparison was made of queens of natural and artificial mating. The difference between queens of artificial insemination and queens of natural mating in their behavior, egg production, honey productivity, survival rate and malice was assessed. The necessity of using the method of instrumental insemination of queen bees in the apiary to preserve the breed and improve the economic and useful characteristics of bees is substantiated. Conclusions are drawn based on the results obtained.

Harmlessness, biostimulating and antiviral action of probiotic “Apinormin” for honey bees

Viral diseases of bees, in particular the sac brood, are an urgent problem of the industry, which brings great losses. The situation worsens in the case of parallel infestation of insects by the Varroa mite. Today, a complex approach is used for the treatment of viral diseases of bees, which is based on a connection of antiviral and antiparasitic measures in combination with drugs that have general strengthening and biostimulating effects. Nevertheless, the issue of developing ecologically safe and effective schemes for the prevention and treatment of bee diseases, in particular viral ones, is relevant today. In this work, the positive effect of using a specific probiotic for bees “Apinormin” for sac brood was investigated. Research in laboratory conditions was carried out on bees of the summer generation, selected into cages. The oral effect of the drug was determined by feeding bees with sugar syrup, the contact effect by spraying the body of insects with an aqueous solution in concentrations of 0.4; 0.8; 4.0; 8.0 %. Under natural conditions, the therapeutic effectiveness of a 4 % solution of “Apinormin” compared to the creation of an infertile period for the period of removal of queens for bee sac brood was determined. In laboratory conditions, the drug was proven to be harmless for bees when used orally in all tested concentrations. It has been established that “Apinormin” significantly increases the life expectancy of insects. Thus, feeding an 8 % probiotic solution slowed down the process of natural dying of bees from 7.24 to 27.75 % in the dynamics of observations. Under natural conditions, the drug did not show an antiviral effect. The effectiveness of the infertile period in the treatment of this viral disease is shown. The obtained positive effect of “Apinormin” on the life extension of bees and the presence of a number of biologically active compounds in its composition serve as a basis for the use of the drug to increase the strength and productivity of families, in case of stress, protein starvation, various technological violations of maintenance and the development of schemes for the prevention and treatment of bacterial diseases of bees. The expediency of using the infertile period for the period of removal of the queens in the following studies, both for self-administration and for working out the schemes of complex therapy of infectious diseases of bees together with the appropriate veterinary drugs, is substantiated.

Nutritional stress exacerbates impact of a novel insecticide on solitary bees' behaviour, reproduction and survival.

Pesticide exposure and food stress are major threats to bees, but their potential synergistic impacts under field-realistic conditions remain poorly understood and are not considered in current pesticide risk assessments. We conducted a semi-field experiment to examine the single and interactive effects of the novel insecticide flupyradifurone (FPF) and nutritional stress on fitness proxies in the solitary bee Osmia bicornis. Individually marked bees were released into flight cages with monocultures of buckwheat, wild mustard or purple tansy, which were assigned to an insecticide treatment (FPF or control) in a crossed design. Nutritional stress, which was high in bees foraging on buckwheat, intermediate on wild mustard and low on purple tansy, modulated the impact of insecticide exposure. Within the first day after application of FPF, mortality of bees feeding on buckwheat was 29 times higher compared with control treatments, while mortality of FPF exposed and control bees was similar in the other two plant species. Moreover, we found negative synergistic impacts of FPF and nutritional stress on offspring production, flight activity, flight duration and flower visitation frequency. These results reveal that environmental policies and risk assessment schemes that ignore interactions among anthropogenic stressors will fail to adequately protect bees and the pollination services they provide.