Effect of Probiotic Feed Additives on Honeybee Colonies Overwintering

Abstract

The paper presents the study on the effect of two types of probiotic feed additives of different composition on the quality of honeybee colonies during wintering. Feed additive called SpasiPchel contains 2 strains of bacteria Bacillus subtilis anfeed additive PcheloNormosil contains Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains and arabinogalactan (prebiotic isolated from Siberian larch needles). If honeybees received Spasipchel and Pchelonormosil during the feeding in cages their lifespan increased. Honeybee colonies that received Spasipchel in autumn exceeded the control group by 21.3% in colony strength and by 58.7% in the number of sealed brood in spring. Food consumption in these colonies per honeybee frame during the winter period was 22% lower. Honeybee colonies, that received PcheloNormosil feed additive, were slightly behind in strength compared to the control colony during spring, but surpassed it by 23.5% in the number of sealed brood. Further research should be made to identify optimal composition of probiotics that are better at preserving honeybee colonies under the conditions of the continental climate characterized by long cold winters.

Feeding stimulates functional abilities of queen bees of the Carpathian subspecies

“…The data obtained by us on the effect of stimulating fertilizing on the x functional activity of queen bees are consistent with the materials of a number of domestic and foreign researchers [11][12][13][14][15][16]. Scaling up the results of apiary research in the future opens up new opportunities for strengthening the immunity of bees, reducing the effects of adverse environmental factors, increasing the yield of marketable products and the transition of this industry to an ecological path of development.…”

“…The presented facts lead to a gradual reduction in the global population of subspecies (Apis mellifera mellifera, Apis mellifera carpatica, Apis mellifera ligustica etc.) of the honey bee, and this, in turn, leads to a decrease in the numerical and species composition of agricultural and wild flora in countries and states [7][8][9].…”

Beneficial bacteria as biocontrol agents for American foulbrood disease in honey bees (Apis mellifera)

“…It is worth mentioning that some commercial probiotics for animals and humans have demonstrated beneficial effects on tested honey bees ( Kaznowskia et al 2005 , Mishukovskaya et al 2020 ), while others, even hbs-LAB, have been reported to increase pathogen susceptibility ( Schmidt and Engel 2016 ) and bee mortality ( Borges et al 2021 ), and fail to reduce background loads of P . larvae spore in honey bee colonies ( Lamei et al 2020 ).…”

Продуктивність Бджолиних Сімей У Період Підготовки До Головного Медозбору За Впливу Пробіотика

“…Mishukovskaya G. та ін. досліджували вплив двох типів пробіотичних кормових добавок різного складу на якісні показники зимівлі бджіл (Mishukovskaya et al, 2020). Ними встановлено, що використання восени SpasiPchel та PcheloNormosil сприяло кращій підготовці бджіл до зимівлі, підвищувалися ступінь розвитку жирового тіла та тривалість життя бджіл і відповідно зростала кількість вирощеного розплоду навесні.…”