WSU Research Indicates Replacement Feed Strengthens Honeybee Colonies

A new study led by Washington State University finds a man-made food source can help honeybees stay healthier through winter.  The research, published in the journal Insects, followed five large commercial beekeeping operations in California and Idaho over two winter seasons from fall 2022 through spring 2024.

Scientists tested a nutritionally complete feed developed by Belgium-based biotech company APIX Biosciences.  The feed, which looks like a thin granola bar, is designed to replace pollen when natural food sources are limited.

Positive Changes For Colonies That Received Food Source

Colonies that received the new feed had stronger populations during California’s almond pollination season and were more likely to qualify for premium pollination contracts  Researchers say winter mortality dropped from nearly 29% with standard diets to about 15% with the new feed, and almost 50% reduction.  WSU researchers added by spring, those colonies also had about 36% more adult bees and 40% more brood.

“Healthy nutrition helps colonies thrive,” said Brandon Hopkins, WSU’s P.F. Thurber Endowed Distinguished Professor of Pollinator Ecology . “Malnutrition leads to greater pest and disease susceptibility, one of the biggest contributors to colony loss. In addition, good forage areas with a variety of pollen availability are becoming more rare and more crowded with bees. This feed helps alleviate those pressures.” 

“The current mortality rate for honey bees is not sustainable,” said Thierry Bogaert, chairman at APIX Biosciences and corresponding author on the paper. “While these findings demonstrate a clear survival benefit, our feed is not a silver bullet that can resolve every challenge bees face, such as varroa mites and pesticides.” 

“Beekeepers experience such high environmental variation, so the only way to show the impact is with huge sample sizes,” Hopkins said. “It’s very difficult, which is why it’s never been done before. But this makes the study commercially relevant to both APIX, as the feed producers, as well as beekeepers, who now know this can help their colonies.” 

The company expects its first commercial shipments of the bee feed to reach U.S. beekeepers by mid-June.

Honey Bees Are Vital For Our Food System

“Pollinators in general, and honey bees in particular, play a vital role in our food systems,” said Raj Khosla, the Cashup Davis Family Endowed Dean of WSU’s College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences. “Scientists like Brandon are advancing the field by tackling its toughest challenges and delivering solutions that make a real difference for beekeepers and growers nationwide. 

Click Here to read that research.

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