Feedbee Balances Growth; feeding colonies with a nutritious pollen suppliment is beneficial

Abstract

During the shortage or complete absence of pollen, or in the presence of only poor quality pollen, beekeepers often feed colonies of honey bees with either pollen substitute (with no pollen) or supplement (with pollen) diets. These are ideally materials that provide required nutrients to bees. Most researchers have thought any protein source such as dried egg yolks, meat scraps, milk products e.g. whey and wheast, and soy products could be used as a substitute for pollen without considering the issues of palatability, nutritional content, nutritional requirements of bees, and biological effectiveness of the propsed materials. Some animal feed ingredients such as, soybean products, have been so popular that even after their failure (Flores 2003, Nabors 2000, Rana et al 1996, Chhuneja et al. 1993, Zaytoon et al. 1988, Kulincervic 1982) to be of any benefit to honeybees. Investigators and beekeepers still use them simply because they are the most cheaply available feedstuffs. Pollen supplements or substitutes can be evaluated by a variety of means, the relationships between which are often obscure. To be of nutritional value for animals and insects, the diet must be a collection of various potential feed ingredients as alternative sources of required nutrients similar to their natural food sources, proper texture and consistency, and then be accepted by the animal. Once ingested, the diet must be digestible by that particular animal or insect, be free or freed from any toxins or anti-nutritional factors, have a long shelf life in various conditions, be easily available, and be economical. Considering all these issues Feedbee was formulated to accomodate balanced nutrition, palatability and low cost.