New Bee Pollen Source Changing Beekeeping

Worker bees leave the hive daily to find sources of pollen and nectar. As some bee species continue to struggle, there is a new bee pollen source that could change beekeeping significantly. Scientists have discovered a new pollen source that may help colonies sustain themselves without pollen found in nature. The scientific trials of the new pollen source have shown promise and have been deployed in some commercial crops in Washington state, where bees are thriving.

The pollen source is similar to a man-made livestock and pet diet, with nutrients found in honey. This innovative source for bees may be a staple for many beekeepers in the future. Due to growing concerns over collapsing colonies, scientists continue to look for ways to help bees and address high rates of colony collapse. The pollen source is in a bar form and placed in the colony so young bees can process and pass along the nutrients to adult bees and larvae.

Addressing the Lack of Nutrition for Bees

A growing challenge for private and commercial beekeepers is a lack of nutrition for the bees. In the natural environment, bees may or may not have enough pollen and nectar to get what the colony needs to thrive. This pollen bar ensures adequate nutrition and does not rely on the weather or other uncontrollable environmental factors. Urban expansion is plaguing bee colonies, and more extreme weather with global warming will adversely impact bees and other pollinators.

Honeybees are the most affected because they need multiple sources of nutrition. They require variety in their diet, which becomes increasingly more difficult as a continuous supply is not available in their immediate environment. Although bees can travel great distances, most forage closer to their colony.

Bees are considered livestock, and before this new pollen source, they were the only ones that could not be sufficiently supplemented by something man-made. Although this scientific breakthrough is showing promise in commercial crops, this innovation, ten years in the making, will undoubtedly impact beekeepers worldwide.

A Ten-Year Discovery

Scientists have been working to find the critical nutrients bees need to survive for the last ten years. Isofucosterol plays a significant role in this finding because it is naturally found in pollen and is a vital nutrient for bees. Colonies provided with isofucosterol-enriched food survive seasons where they do not have access to pollen outside the hive. This innovative mixture consists of several nutrients that bees need to survive and would get in their natural environment. Without enough pollen and nutrients, colonies will continue to collapse because of reduced larvae production and adult paralysis.

Field trials of the pollen source allowed real-world application in stressed crop fields that yield low and poor quality pollen. The bees with access to the new pollen source thrived and showed increased survival rates, and colonies grew!

Seasoned beekeepers have stopped pollinating blueberries because their pollen is low and nutrient-deprived, causing colonies to suffer and ultimately die. However, if bees have access to this nutrient-rich source, they have a higher chance of pollinating blueberries and diversifying the number of healthy crops.

The innovation will be released in 2026 for beekeepers everywhere, and many look forward to it as a way to improve the health of their bee colonies.