The Effects of starch and Protexin feeding on honey bees feed consumption, population and mortality

Document Type : (original research)

Authors

1 Department of animal science, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of animal science, University college of agriculture and natural resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

Abstract

This study was aimed to investigate whether bee colonies can use the starch and how the Protexin can influence the feed consumption, hive population and mortality at farm and cage conditions. For this purpose, 36 hives were randomly allocated into six different groups and fed with one of the experimental treatments as the first experiment. The control group have only received sugar syrup, the 2nd group received sugar syrup supplemented with one g/L of Protexin (P), the 3rd group received sugar syrup supplemented with 10% of the starch (S10), the 4th group fed with sugar syrup supplemented with 20% of the starch (S20), the 5th group received sugar syrup supplemented with 10% starch and 1g/L of the Protoxin (S10P) and the 6th group fed with sugar syrup supplemented with 20% of starch and 1g/L of the Protoxin (S20P). In the second experiment, the newly emerged bees were kept in a cage and incubated for 21 days. After hatching they were also fed with the above-mentioned experimental treatments. At the end of both experiments, feed intake hive adult and larvae population were evaluated before and after overwintering. In the 2nd experiment the consumption of sugar syrup, sugar paste and the rate of bee losses during the cage storage period. The results of 1st experiment showed that the group S20P1 has the higher egg production and feed intake when compared to the other groups (P≤0.05). Moreover, the feed intake of S20P and S10P was statistically higher than S20 and S10 respectively (P≤0.05). The sugar consumption of S10P and S20P was statistically higher than control (P≤0.05) but have not significant differences with other the groups (P≥0.05). Cumulative consumption of sugar syrup was higher in S10P and S20P groups than the control group (P≤0.05). Honey bee losses in the third week and cumulative mortality (total losses in the first to third weeks) were the lowest in the S20P group compared to S20 group (P≤0.05). It is concluded that, the use of Protexin improves feed intake and reduces bee mortality.

Keywords

Main Subjects


  1. Eilers, E.J., Kremen, C., Greenleaf, S.S., Garber, A.K. and Klein, A.M., 2011. Contribution of pollinator-mediated crops to nutrients in the human food supply. PLoS ONE. 6(6): 1-6.
  2. Ellis, A.M., Myers, S.S. and Ricketts, T.H., 2015. Do pollinators contribute to nutritional health? PLoS ONE. 10(1): 1-10.
  3. Brodschneider, R. and Crailsheim, K., 2010. Nutrition and health in honey bees. Apidologie. 41(3): 278-294.
  4. Papežíková, I., Palíková, M., Syrová, E., Zachová, A., Somerlíková, K., Kováčová, V. and Pecková, L., 2019. Effect of Feeding Honey Bee (Apis mellifera Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies With Honey, Sugar Solution, Inverted Sugar, and Wheat Starch Syrup on Nosematosis Prevalence and Intensity. Journal of Economic Entomology. Xx:: 1-8.
  5. Somerville, D., 2000. Honey bee nutrition and supplementary feeding. Agnote. : 1-8.
  6. Naug, D. and Gibbs, A., 2009. Behavioral changes mediated by hunger in honeybees infected with Nosema ceranae. Apidologie. 40(6): 595-599.
  7. Semkiw, P. and Skubida, P., 2016. Suitability of starch syrups for winter feeding of honeybee colonies. Journal of Apicultural Science. 60(2): 141-152.
  8. Seifi Jamadi, A., Kohram, H., Zhandi, M. and Van Soom, A., 2020. Effect of artificial heat stress on Belgian blue bull’s semen quality after thawing. Journal of Animal Environment. 12(4): 85-94. (In Persian)
  9. Vakili, M.H., Chamani, M., Nehzati, G. and Sadeghi, A.A., 2020. Impact of Protexin® on digestibility of corn starch by honey bee, Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Journal of Entomological Society of Iran. 40(2): 135-149.
  10. Severson, D.W. and Erickson, E.H., 1984. Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colony Performance in Relation to Supplemental Carbohydrates. Journal of Economic Entomology. 77(6): 1473-1478.
  11. Hrassnigg, N., Brodschneider, R., Fleischmann, P.H. and Crailsheim, K., 2005. Unlike nectar foragers, honeybee drones (Apis mellifera) are not able to utilize starch as fuel for flight. Apidologie. 36(4): 547-557.
  12. Hrassnigg, N., Leonhard, B. and Crailsheim, K., 2003. Free amino acids in the haemolymph of honeybee Amino Acids. 24: 205-212.
  13. Black, J., 2006. Honeybee nutrition: review of research and practices. Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. Canberra. Australia.
  14. Asadi Dizaji, A., Araghi, M. and Moeini Alishah, H., 2006. The effect of different sugars on laying behavior of brood and the rate of honey production in honeybee colonies. Agrioecology Journal. 2(4): 15-23. (In Persian)
  15. Herbert, E.W. and Shimanuki, H., 1976. Effects of early and late feeding of wheats diets on honey production. Am. Bee, J. 116(10): 492-494.
  16. Sammataro, D. and Weiss, M., 2013. Comparison of Productivity of Colonies of Honey Bees, Apis mellifera , Supplemented with Sucrose or High Fructose Corn Syrup . Journal of Insect Science. 13(19): 1-13.
  17. Barker, R.J. and Lehner, Y., 1978. Laboratory comparison of high fructose corn syrup, grape syrup, honey, and sucrose syrup as maintenance food for caged honey bees. Apidologie. 9(2): 111-116.
  18. Borges, D., 2015. Control of the intestinal parasite Nosema ceranae in Apis mellifera using nutraceuticals, prebiotics and probiotics. University of Guelph (M.Sc thesis).
  19. Klassen, S., 2018. Effects of Prebiotics and Probiotics on the Parasitic Microsporidium Nosema ceranae and Honey Bee (Apis mellifera ) Health at the Individual and lolony Levels. University of Guelph (MSc thesis).
  20. Wang, J. and Ji, H., 2019. Influence of Probiotics on Dietary Protein Digestion and Utilization in the Gastrointestinal Tract. Current Protein and Peptide Science. 20(2): 125-131.
  21. Brodschneider, R., Gratzer, K., Kalcher-Sommersguter, E., Heigl, H., Auer, W., Moosbeckhofer, R. and Crailsheim, K., 2019. A citizen science supported study on seasonal diversity and monoflorality of pollen collected by honey bees in Austria. Scientific Reports. 9(1): 1-12.