Science updates: Survival of honey bees & effects of pollen and beebread

 

Science updates:

Survival of honey bees & effects of pollen and beebread

 

The study involved feeding worker bees six different diets: sucrose solution (control), sucrose solution with amino acids, sucrose solution with rapeseed pollen, artificial rapeseed beebread, sucrose solution with willow pollen, and artificial willow beebread. After 17 days, the survival rates were highest in bees fed diets containing pollen or beebread, with the lowest mortality observed in bees consuming sucrose solution with willow pollen or artificial beebread.

 

Biomarkers of oxidative stress, such as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyl groups (PCG), catalase (CAT), and lysozyme activities, were evaluated. Bees fed pollen or beebread showed increased levels of oxidative stress biomarkers, particularly lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation. However, this increase was not detrimental to survival, suggesting that the biomarkers reflect changes in redox balance rather than oxidative damage.

 

The study concludes that the consumption of certain dietary components, particularly pollen and beebread, can enhance honey bee survival despite an increase in oxidative stress biomarkers. This suggests that the antioxidant system of bees is capable of effectively compensating for the pro-oxidant intake. The findings also indicate that a balanced diet, including essential amino acids, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, is crucial for the health and longevity of honey bees.

 

The research contributes to the understanding of the nutritional requirements of honey bees and the role of oxidative stress in their survival. It emphasizes the importance of diverse and nutritionally rich diets for maintaining healthy bee populations, which are vital for pollination in both natural and agricultural ecosystems.

 

Reference:

Yazlovytska, L. S., Karavan, V. V., Domaciuk, M., Panchuk, I. I., Borsuk, G., & Volkov, R. A. (2023). Increased survival of honey bees consuming pollen and beebread is associated with elevated biomarkers of oxidative stress. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 11, 1098350.

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