scholarly journals Effects of various sugar feeding choices on survival and tolerance of honey bee workers to low temperatures

Author(s):  
H.F. Abou-Shaara

Beekeepers usually supply their colonies with alternatives to nectar (i.e. sugar feeding) during dearth periods of the year, especially cold times of winter. The objective of the study was to determine the best substances to feed bees to enhance the tolerance and survival of honey bees (<em>Apis</em> <em>mellifera</em> L.) to low temperatures. Seven feeding choices were compared under laboratory conditions. These feeding choices were: sugar syrup, liquid honey, creamed honey, honey candy, sugar candy, honey jelly, and honey/sugarcane juice jelly. The results showed that the number of bees attracted to each feeding choice was influenced significantly by feeding type. Worker bees were attracted to all feeding choices and showed a high preference to creamed honey, honey jelly or honey/juice jelly. The tolerance of honey bees to low temperature was enhanced when bees were fed on creamed honey, sugar syrup or honey candy. The mean time at which 50% of bees were able to survive ranged from 3 days (unfed bees) to 15.8 days (honey candy group). The survival rate of worker bees was highest when they fed on honey candy, creamed honey or sugar candy. In light of this study, creamed honey or honey candy can be considered the best feeding choices for bee colonies during winter to enhance their survival and tolerance to low temperatures.

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 638
Author(s):  
Ivana Tlak Gajger ◽  
Josipa Vlainić ◽  
Petra Šoštarić ◽  
Janez Prešern ◽  
Jernej Bubnič ◽  
...  

Several negative factors contribute to a decline in the number of insect pollinators. As a novel approach in therapy, we hypothesize that the EM® for bees could potentially have an important therapeutic and immunomodulatory effect on honey bee colonies. The aim of our study was to evaluate its impact on honey bees at the individual and colony level. This is the first appliance of the commercial probiotic mix EM® PROBIOTIC FOR BEES in honey bees as economically important social insects. The sugar syrup with 10% of probiotic was administered by spraying or feeding the honey bee colonies in the field conditions, in order to evaluate the infection levels with spores of Nosema spp. and colonies’ strength. Moreover, in laboratory-controlled conditions, in the hoarding cages, adult workers have been fed with sugar syrup supplemented with 2.5, 5, and 10% of EM® for bees for biochemical and immunological analyses of hemolymph, and with 5 and 10% for measuring the size of hypopharyngeal glands. It was found that following the EM® for bees administration the Nosema spp. spore counts in colonies were significantly reduced, and colonies’ strength was increased. The results at the individual level showed significant positive physiological changes in treated groups of adult bees, revealing at the same time a higher mortality rate when feeding sugar syrup supplemented with the probiotic.


1994 ◽  
Vol 126 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken Naumann ◽  
Rob W. Currie ◽  
Murray B. Isman

AbstractA standardized, oil-free neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) seed extract (NSE) was tested for repellency to honey bees using a feeding-dish choice bioassay, and to honey bees and other pollinators in field applications on blooming canola. Foraging honey bee workers were able to discriminate between untainted sugar syrup and syrup containing formulated NSE at concentrations as low as 0.1 ppm azadirachtin, the principal active ingredient of NSE. However there were no significant differences in the numbers of foraging bees collected in neem-treated, solvent-treated, or untreated canola plots. Other pollinator. species present were similarly unaffected. Our results suggest that honey bees may be successfully utilized in blooming crops that have been treated with doses of NSE sufficient to control phytophagous insect pests. The results of this study also suggest that using feeding-dish bioassays to screen potential repellent compounds, although demonstrating the ability of honey bees to detect compounds, may not yield similar results in the field.


Author(s):  
KR Neupane ◽  
RB Thapa

An experiment was conducted at Gorkha Bee Farm, Yagyapuri, Chitwan during rainy season of 2005 to investigate alternative to sugar supplement feeding and reduce cost feeding during off- season. Apis mellifera L. honeybee colonies were prepared with 5 frames of covering bees and 3.5 frames of broods and a queen of similar quality each of five different supplemental feedings: i) sugar syrup (1:1 sugar and water); ii) rice bran syrup (100 gm rice bran soaked in 1 lit water and after 4 hours blended, filtered and added 200 gm sugar + 20 gm honey and required water to make 1 lit); iii) maize syrup (100 gm maize flour soaked in 1 lit water and after 4 hours blended, filtered and added 200 gm sugar + 20 gm honey and required water to make 1 lit); iv) banana syrup (100 gm ripen peeled banana mixed in 1 lit water, blended, filtered and added 200 gm sugar + 20 gm honey and required water to make 1 lit); and v) pumpkin syrup (100 gm boiled pumpkin after removing outer hard core mixed in 1 lit water, blended, filtered and added 200 gm sugar + 20 gm honey and required water to make 1 lit) was placed inside the hive in a division board feeder @ 30 ml per frame of honeybees per day at an interval of 3 days. Feeding honeybees with sugar syrup increased number of brood cells by 53.5%, brood frames by 37.1% and frames covered by bees by 32.0%. Honeybee colonies when fed with banana and pumpkin syrup increased brood cells by 16.3% and 2.8%, brood frames by 17.1% and 8.6% and bees covered number of frames by 12.0% and 3.2%, respectively. Number of brood cells, brood frames and covered frames by bee remained almost constant when honeybees fed with pumpkin syrup. On the other hand, feeding bee colonies with maize and rice bran syrup decreased the number of brood cells by 11.2% and 35.2%, brood frames by 11.4% and11.4% and bees covered frames by 24.0% and 24.0%, respectively. The cost of off-season feeding was the highest (Rs. 247.0) for sugar syrup followed by maize syrup (Rs. 140.4), banana syrup (Rs. 117.4), rice bran (Rs. 113.4), and pumpkin syrup (Rs.105.4). All of the feeding materials were safe to bee feeding. Banana syrup feeding was found superior to others, and therefore, its supplementation can reduce the cost of sugar feeding by more than 50% and increase brood production during off-season. Key words: Off- season, honeybee feeding, sugar supplement J. Inst. Agric. Anim. Sci. 26:77-81 (2005)


Author(s):  
I. I. Dvylyuk ◽  
I. I. Kovalchuk

Experimental data of the lipid composition of the honey bees and bee bread in the spring period under the conditions of feeding sugar syrup with Ag and Cu citrates are presented in the article. The studies were conducted on 3 groups of bee colonies, three bee colonies each. Control group (I) received sugar syrup at a concentration of 1:1 (1000 ml per week), experimental (II) group received under similar conditions with sugar syrup 0.2 mg of Argentum and 0.2 mg of Cuprum in citrate form. The third experimental group was fed with sugar syrup Ag and Cu citrates at doses of 0.5 mg each per 1000 ml of sugar syrup per week. The study was lasted 36 days. Samples of tissues of the whole organism of honey bees in the amount of 30–35 pieces were selected for the study. from each bee colony and bee bread to determine the total lipid content by the Folch method and their separate fractions: phospholipids, mono- and diacylglycerols, free cholesterol, non-esterified fatty acids, triacylglycerols, esterified cholesterol glycol cholesterol using thin layer chromatography using silica gel plates Sorbfil. According to the results of the research, we found intergroup differences of total lipid content in the tissues of whole organism of the honey bees and bee bread of experimental groups in comparison with the control group. Higher levels of phospholipids, esterified cholesterol, and lower levels of free cholesterol, mono- and diacylglycerols and triacylglycerols were found in the tissue of bees II and III of the experimental group. Introduction of Ag and Cu citrates into the components of bee feeding in the bee bread the level of phospholipids (P ˂ 0.01), mono and diacylglycerols (group III), triacylglycerols increased against the decrease of free cholesterol (P ˂ 0.05) and esterified cholesterol (P ˂ 0.01).


2020 ◽  
pp. 26-28
Author(s):  
Olesya V Strelbitskaya ◽  
◽  
Vladimir I. Kravchenko ◽  

Basic biological laws that govern the life of the bee family, as well as considering it as a whole organism, are necessary instruments for implementing effective methods of beekeeping and increasing the productivity of the industry. The study of the exterior features of bees must be carried out from different points of view for the concept of the complex activity of the bee family and in order to recommend methods for improving the preparation of bees for winter. Study of the mass of working bees and their rectum began to be used as the main indicator that affects the nature of the preparation of bee individuals for wintering. From the point of view of both theory and practice, filling the rectum with excrement in the autumn period will be an important indicator of an effective wintering in terms of preserving and further developing bee colonies. Effect of two kinds of liquid top feeding acidified with apple cider vinegar on the rectum congestion with excrement in working bees in the autumn, and the safety of bee colonies after winter was discussed in the article. The results of the indicators of the mass of working bees and intestinal mass when feeding two types of top dressing in the form of sugar syrup and honey solution with the addition of apple cider vinegar for the purpose of acidification are presented. The dynamics of rectal congestion in this group of bees is less compared to the group of bees receiving food in the form of sugar syrup. After wintering, during the spring audit, it was found that the safety of bees fed the autumn top dressing in the form of a honey solution with the addition of apple cider vinegar was 95% compared to bee families that received sugar syrup, the safety was 80.5%, with the detection of liquid excrement on the walls of hives and honeycombs


2019 ◽  
Vol 112 (6) ◽  
pp. 2993-2996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn Underwood ◽  
Brian Breeman ◽  
Joseph Benton ◽  
Jason Bielski ◽  
Julie Palkendo ◽  
...  

Abstract The spotted lanternfly, Lycorma delicatula, is an introduced plant hopper that causes significant damage to host plants in the United States. Because of its affinity for tree of heaven, Ailanthus altissima, control efforts have focused on the use of the systemic insecticide, dinotefuran, in designated trap trees. There is concern about exposure to this pesticide by non-target species, especially honey bees, Apis mellifera, via lanternfly honeydew. Therefore, honey bee colonies were established in areas of high densities of trap trees and samples of honey, bees, and beeswax were collected in May, July, and October of 2017 for analysis. Samples were extracted by the QuEChERS method and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry to determine the presence and quantity of dinotefuran. Additionally, honeydew from lanternflies was analyzed for dinotefuran and informal observations of trap tree visitors were made. None of the worker bee, wax, or honey samples indicated detectable levels of dinotefuran; however, honeydew samples collected did contain dinotefuran above the detection limit with amounts ranging from 3 to 100 ng per sample. The lack of dinotefuran in honey bee products matches the general absence of honey bees at trap trees in informal observations.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. e36285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Coby van Dooremalen ◽  
Lonne Gerritsen ◽  
Bram Cornelissen ◽  
Jozef J. M. van der Steen ◽  
Frank van Langevelde ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
J. L. Kevill ◽  
K. C. Stainton ◽  
D. C. Schroeder ◽  
S. J. Martin

AbstractDeformed wing virus (DWV) has been linked to the global decline of honey bees. DWV exists as three master variants (DWV-A, DWV-B, and DWV-C), each with differing outcomes for the honey bee host. Research in the USA showed a shift from DWV-A to DWV-B between 2010 to 2016 in honey bee colonies. Likewise, in the UK, a small study in 2007 found only DWV-A, whereas in 2016, DWV-B was the most prevalent variant. This suggests a shift from DWV-A to DWV-B might have occurred in the UK between 2007 and 2016. To investigate this further, data from samples collected in 2009/10 (n = 46) were compared to existing data from 2016 (n = 42). These samples also allowed a comparison of DWV variants between Varroa-untreated (feral) and Varroa-treated (managed) colonies. The results revealed that, in the UK, DWV-A was far more prevalent in 2009/10 (87%) than in 2016 (43%). In contrast, DWV-B was less prevalent in 2009/10 (76%) than in 2016 (93%). Regardless if colonies had been treated for Varroa (managed) or not (feral), the same trend from DWV-A to DWV-B occurred. Overall, the results reveal a decrease in DWV-A and an increase in DWV-B in UK colonies.


Apidologie ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 180-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Rodney ◽  
Vincent J. Kramer

AbstractRecent concerns regarding potential effects of pesticides on pollinators have prompted regulatory agencies to estimate dietary ingestion rates for honey bees (Apis mellifera). The task is difficult because of the complex caste and food storage systems in honey bee colonies. Considerable data on the nutrition and energetics of honey bees have recently been collated. These data were used to parameterize a probabilistic model estimating nectar requirements of nectar foragers. Median estimates were more than 6× lower than the recommended median value from the North American government agencies, of 292 mg nectar/bee/day. The distribution of estimates had much greater variability than those of the agencies. The differences are due primarily to the disparate assumptions regarding how much time nectar foragers spend flying and foraging. Risk assessors considering honey bee dietary exposure should take account of current and emerging data providing insight into nectar forager dietary requirements, foraging activity, and feeding behavior.


1999 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geraldo Moretto ◽  
Leonidas João de Mello Jr.

Different levels of infestation with the mite Varroa jacobsoni have been observed in the various Apis mellifera races. In general, bees of European races are more susceptible to the mite than African honey bees and their hybrids. In Brazil honey bee colonies are not treated against the mite, though apparently both climate and bee race influence the mite infestation. Six mixed colonies were made with Italian and Africanized honey bees. The percentage infestation by this parasite was found to be significantly lower in adult Africanized (1.69 ± 0.44) than Italian bees (2.79 ± 0.65). This ratio was similar to that found in Mexico, even though the Africanized bees tested there had not been in contact with varroa, compared to more than 20 years of the coexistence in Brazil. However, mean mite infestation in Brazil on both kinds of bees was only about a third of that found in Mexico.


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