A Comparative Assessment of Three Pollen Substitutes for Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera L.) During Winter and Spring

Abstract

Pollen satisfies the nutritional requirements for developing honey bees, and without pollen, there is no brood development. Beekeepers feed colonies pollen substitutes or pollen supplements to stimulate brood rearing in the winter and early spring, or when pollen from blooming plants is scarce. The performance of honey bee colonies has been enhanced by supplementation with pollen substitutes. The current study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of three pollen substitutes in maintaining the colony strength during winter and improvement of colony performance during the winter and spring seasons. The three diets consisted of 30 g peeled white lupine flour + 20 g brewer’s yeast + 20 g casein milk powder + 20 g honey + 10 g sugar powder (diet 1), 30 g fenugreek flour + 20 g brewer’s yeast + 20 g casein milk powder + 20 g honey + 10 g sugar powder (diet 2), and 30 g defatted soybean flour + 20 g brewer’s yeast + 20 g casein milk powder + 20 g honey + 10 g sugar powder (diet 3), and were provided to the experimental colonies in a paste form and compared with the unfed colonies. Diet 1 was the most accepted and consumed diet by honey bee workers during the winter and spring seasons. Colonies fed on diet 1 stored pollen, reared worker brood, and had adult population sizes larger than colonies fed on diet 2, diet 3, and unfed colonies. Colonies fed on diet 1, diet 2, and diet 3 produced more honey than the unfed colonies by 125.00%, 95.00%, and 70.00%, respectively. Diet 1 could be recommended to feed honey bee colonies during winter and spring to sustain the strength of the colonies and improve their productivity.