Effects of Vitamin Supplements in a Pollen Substitute on Some Characteristics of Bee Nucleus Colonies

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of vitamin supplementation in a pollen substitute on the performance of honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera mellifera). Twenty nucleus colonies housed in Langstroth-Ruth hives were randomly selected and fed a basic diet consisting of corn gluten, sugar, and brewer`s yeast residuals, yielding 21.0% crude protein, 7.1% crude fat, and 2.6% crude ash. This diet was enriched with a vitamin mixture at doses of 1, 2, and 3 grams. Control group I received a sugar-water syrup (1:1, w/v), while control group II received the basic diet without vitamin supplementation. The three experimental groups were given the diet with varying amounts of the vitamin mixture. Results indicated that experimental group II demonstrated colony strength comparable to experimental group I but significantly higher than the control group by 14.6-49.4%, and 34.3% higher than experimental group III (P<0.05). Queen bee egg yield increased significantly, with control group II showing a 27.5% increase, experimental group I showing 52.1% increase, experimental group II showing 67.6% increase, and experimental group III showing 28.5% increase on July 28th. Similar trends were observed on August 28th, with respective increases of 30.2%, 32.5%, 37.4%, and 14.7% compared to control group I. Additionally, honey yields for experimental group II were significantly higher by 25.8-57.9% compared to the control groups and 46.8% higher than experimental group III (P<0.05). These findings suggest that vitamin-enriched pollen substitutes positively impact colony strength, queen bee egg laying, and honey production, underscoring the potential benefits of such supplementation in beekeeping practices.

Keywords

• Vitamin supplementation
• Colony strength
• Queen bee egg yield
• Honey production

Supporting Institution

This research; has not received any funding grants from public, commercial or non-profit organisations.

Ethical Statement

There are no ethical issues with the publication of this article.

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