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Beata Madras - Majewska, Zygmunt Jasinski, Jakub G^bka ©
Bee Division, Department of Animal Science, Agriculture University of Warsaw
EFFECT OF EARLY SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING HONEYBEE COLONIES WITH A SUBSTIUTE OF BEE BREAD MADE OF POLLEN AND HONEY
ON COLONY STRENGH
The experiment was run in a stationary apiary, at Otrqbusy, Pruszkow region in the spring of 2005. The trial involved nineteen honeybee colonies divided into two groups.
group I - 10 honeybee colonies were fed candy mix made of pollen and honey
group II - 10 colonies fed honey-and-sugar candy
The development of colonies was assessed based on brood area measurements. The experiments furnished evidence that early spring feeding of honeybee colonies with a mix of powder suger and honey raised brood number in the colonies but generally when the bees were unable to forage for pollen. Later in the season, i.e. in April feeding with pollen - honey candy not failed so intensive to increase colony strength.
Key words: colony strength, pollen, colony development
Introduction
Colony strength before the nectar flow is a critical factor behind honey yield. Of particular importance is to bring the colony up to a high strength early in the spring which allows an effective use of early flows nowadays prevailing in this country. A frequently used method to hasten colony development is to feed the colonies with bee bread (Maurizio 1950, Standifer 1967, Campana and Moeller 1977), candy or with other substances. Hayes (1984) and Loper and Berder (1980) hold the opinion that pollen is an indispensable food to be given to honeybee colonies in the spring. According to them, with the absence of pollen honeybee colonies can be fed substitutes which stimulate egg-laying and maintain brood rearing under less-than-optimum conditions. Hayes (1984) recommends soybean flour and yiest added to candy as the food to be given to colonies in the spring. Cook and Wilkinson (1986) believe that pollen substitute diets produce inconsistent results and not always stimulate egg-laying. Konopacka (1986) was also sceptical about the use of substitutes. She found that feeding soybean meal and yiest to honeybees failed to have a clear positive effect on colony development and performance. Likewise, Zmarzlicki and Marcinkowski (1980) failed to find a clear effect of early spring feeding a hydrocarbon diet on the number of reared brood. Baryczko and Szymas (2001) found a higher average degree of pharyngeal gland development in bees that were fed bee bread. Likewise, they found fresh body weight to be higher by 8% in bees that were fed pollen from pollen loads. The rate of ingestion of food given to the
© Beata Madras - Majewska, Zygmunt Jasinski, Jakub G^bka, 2009
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bees increases with decreasing external temperature and with increasing temperature inside the hive (Lagowska, Szymas 2001). Rogala and Szymas (2001) determined the effect of non-protein diet on the content of amino acids in honeybee bodies. After two weeks on such a diet they found a lower content of essential amino acids in bee bodies as compared to that in one day-old bees. The effect of early-spring cold spells on bee activity was found by Dustmann and Ohe (1988). Pollen and honey mix was used in that study .
The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of early supplemental feeding of honeybee colonies with pollen - honey candy on colony strength expressed in terms of brood area.
Material and methods
The study was conducted in the spring of 2005 in a stationary apiary at Otrebusy, Pruszkow region. The Carniolan queens used in the experiment were siblings; they were inseminated naturally by drones of unknown origin.
The experiment area was dominated by medium early nectar flows mainly from different willow species as well as from bass, acacia, maple, dandelion and sycamore.
The experiment was carried out in Wielkopolski type hives. Two colony groups of similar strength were formed.
group I - 10 honeybee colonies were fed candy made of pollen and honey
group II - 10 colonies fed honey-and-sugar candy
The candy was made of tree ingredients: pollen (kept for over half a year in a drying), suger powder and honey in a weight ratio of 1:1:0,5. The candy was placed on the escape board and was replenished as the colonies consumed it. A single candy portion weighed 0.5 kg It was in the form of a pat 1.5 cm thick wrapped in thin plastic sheet and placed on the escape board. Honey and sugar candy was served in a similar fashion. The candy was replenished as the bees used it up. The rate of consumption per colony was 1.5 kg of candy.
Three weeks after the supplemental feeding was started brood area in each colony was measured. The first measurement was done on March 13, 2005. The next two measurements were done at 21-day intervals, on April 06, 2005 and on April 27, 2005. Brood area was measured using a modified ellipse area formula and expressed as square decimeters:
P=0,7854XDXD
where P = ellipse area, D = the longer diameter, d = the shorter
diameter
Results of researches
Following the first period of the diet, the colonies fed the cake enriched with sugar powder showed an increase of brood area by 6,49 dm2 as compared to the colonies that were fed pollen-honey candy. (Fig. 1).
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However, three weeks later, during the second measurement, the brood area in colonies fed pollen - honey candy was found to be smoller as 19 dm2 than that of the control group being 24,12 dm2.
However, three weeks later, during the second measurement, the brood area in colonies fed pollen - honey candy was found to be smoller as 36,77 dm2 than that of the control group being 49,05 dm2. (Fig. 1).
50 n 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0
□ candy pollen - honey □ candy honey - sugar
49 05
16.03.05
06.04.05
27.04.05
Fig. 1. Average brood area in colonies
The measurement data allowed the assessment of brood area growth rate
In the first study period i.e. from 22.02.05 to 16.03.05 a greater brood area growth rate was found in colonies fed suger powder - honey candy.
Similarly, during the next measurements made in April and in May a greater brood growth rate was found in colonies fed suger powder - honey candy.
The data revealed that early supplemental feeding of colonies with candy enriched with pollen protein brought brood area. The brood area in colonies fed suger powder - honey candy was, on average, greater by 42% than that in pollen-honey colonies.
Another three weeks passed, the colonies fed suger powder - honey candy showed brood area greater by 19 % than that of supplementally colonies fed power powder - honey candy.
In the last study period i.e. from April 06, 2005 to April 27, 2005 a greater brood area growth rate was found in colonies fed suger powder - honey candy. This colonies showing 9% more brood than the colonies fed honey - sugar candy.
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Conclusions
2. Early spring supplemental feeding of honeybee colonies with candy made of suger powder and honey become a promoter of egg-laying by the queens and an enhancer of the amount of brood in the colonies
3. Later in the season, i.e. in April feeding of pollen - honey candy does not enhance so intensive colony strength
4. Feeding bee bread substitutes in April is not warranted.
Reference
2. Baryczko M., Szymas B. (2001) - Wartosc odzywcza pierzgi i pylku kwiatowego z obnozy dla robotnic pszczofy miodnej. XXXVIII Naukowa Konferencja Pszczelarska Pulawy, 13-14 marca:107-108.
3. Campana B., Moeller F.E. (1977) - Honey bees: Preference for and nutritive value of pollen from five plant sources .J. Econ. Ent. 70, 1:39:41
4. Cook V.A., Wilkinson P.H. (1986) - Pollen feeding boosts brood in colonies. Brit Bee. J. 114, 1190; 223-226
5. Dustmam J.H., Ohe V. (1988) - Einfluss von Kâltieinbruchen auf Fruhjahrsentwickung von Bienenvolkern (Apis mellifera L.). Apidologie 19, 3:245-254
6. Hayes J.,V. (1984) - Supplemental feeding of honeybees. Am Bee. J. 1: 35-37
7. Konopacka Z. (1968) - Wplyw wczesnowiosennego dokarmiania namiastkami pylku na wydajnosc produkcyjn^ rojow. Pszczelarstwo 19 (5): 4-6.
8. Kazimierczak - Baryczko M., Szymas B., - Zastosowanie preparatow probiotycznych w zywieniu pszczoly miodnej (Apis mellifera L.) namiastkami pylku kwiatowego. XLI Naukowa Konferencja Pszczelrska Pulawy 9-10 marca: 9-10.
9. Loper G., M, Berdel R, L. (1980) - The effects of nine pollen diets on brood rearing of honeybees. Apidologie 11, 4:351-359
10. Langowska A., Szymas B. (2001) - Zaleznosc spozycia pokarmu przez rodziny pszczele od temperatury zewnçtrznej oraz temperatury wewnçtrznej ula w okresie letnim. XXXVIIINaukowa Konferencja Pszczelrska Pulawy 13 - 14 marca: 118.
11. Maurizio A. (1950) - The influence of pollen feeding and brood rearing on the length of life and physiological condition of the honeybee. Bee World 31: 9-12
12. Rogala R., Szymas B. (2001) - Wplyw zywienia diet^ bezbialkow^ na zawartosc aminokwasow w cialach pszczol. XXXVIII Naukowa Konferencja Pszczelarska Pulaw, 13-14 marca: 122-123.
13. Standifer L.N. (1967) - A comparison of the protein quality of pollens for growth stimulation of the hypopharyngeal glands and longevity of honey bees, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Ins .Soc. 14: 415-426
14. Szymas B., Przybyl A. (1996) - Physiological condition of worker bees Apis mellifera L. after consumption of pollen substitute. Pszczeln. Zesz. Nauk., 40:109117
15. Zmarlicki C., Marcinkowski J. (1980) - Wplyw wiosennego podkarmiania na przyspieszenie rozwoju rodzin i produkcjç miodu. Pszczelarstwo 31 (3): 2-4
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Summary
The experiment was run in a stationary apiary, at Bee Division, Faculty of Animal. Science, Agriculture University of Warsaw in the spring of 2004. The trial involved nineteen honeybee colonies divided into two groups.
group I - 10 honeybee colonies were fed candy mix made of pollen and honey group II - 10 colonies fed honey-and-sugar candy
The development of colonies was assessed based on brood area measurements. The experiments furnished evidence that early spring feeding of honeybee colonies with a mix of pollen and honey raised brood number in the colonies but generally when the bees were unable to forage for pollen. Later in the season, i.e. in May feeding with pollen - honey candy not failed so intensive to increase colony strength. Thus feeding that kind of bee bread substitute in and May is unwarranted since at that time the bees can feed the brood with the food made of freshly harvested pollen and with bee bread made thereof.
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