Developing an Artificial Diet for the Honey Bee Apis Mellifera

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Annually, millions of honey bee colonies are taken into fields, orchards and bogs to pollinate America's fruit, seed and fiber crops. With the ravages of two parasitic mites, small hive beetle, bacterial and fungal pathogens, and the pervasive use of pesticides, the colonies expected to pollinate these crops are under more stress than ever. Often, the bees are not as populous as needed to adequately pollinate the crops. Given adequate protein (pollen) and carbohydrate (honey) the bees will start producing brood, thus building the colony population. To stimulate brood production when natural pollen is not available, beekeepers will feed their colonies with a pollen substitute. Usually this is a mixture of defatted soy flour, brewer's yeast and sugar with enough water to produce a stiff patty. Pollen substitutes currently available will generally stimulate brood production for a short period of time, then, if natural pollen is not available, brood production will cease and the bees will stop eating the substitute. This is a generally acknowledged phenomenon. The goal is to develop a product that beekeepers can use to boost colony populations prior to pollination, to prepare for a honey flow, or generally improve hive vigor. This one step feeding will streamline supplemental feeding for many commercial bee operations and improve productivity. Following the successful completion of phase I, phase II will include a semi-solid supplement patty based on the components of the liquid diet.