L’Alimentació artificial de les abelles és una eina indispensable actualment?

Abstract

In recent decades there has been an increase in unusual losses of bee colonies due to multifactorial causes such as malnutrition. Malnourished bees are more susceptible to environmental changes and pathogens, which results in a greater tendency to collapse and a decrease in honey production. This work has been performed from a professional beekeeping perspective, with the aim of investigating the effect of artificial feeding on the growth of the colony and the subsequent production of rosemary honey. In addition, an economic assessment has been included to determine the viability of artificial feeding in the management of the bee farm. The study was carried out in an apiary where 30 hives were sampled at three different times (initial, intermediate and final) during 64 days. The beehives have been divided into three study groups, where each has received a different feeding treatment; one based on protein and carbohydrates (TA), one based on carbohydrates (TB) and the control that did not receive any artificial feeding (TC). The results show that in the period between the initial and intermediate time, considered a time of nutrient deficiency in the environment, artificial feeding based on proteins and sugars has a positive effect on honey reserves and on the rearing area of the beehives. It is also observed that the total occupation of the frames is greater among the artificially fed beehives compared to the control. At the end of the study, all the beehives complete the rearing chamber. This advance in the growth of TA hives is reflected in an increase of honey production, almost doubling the honey production compared to TB and TC. In addition, if we compare this results with the economic assessment, we obtain that feeding with protein and carbohydrates brings an additional benefit of approximately €18 per beehive. In conclusion, this study shows that in times of scarcity, feeding the beehives with protein and carbohydrates for 5 weeks before bloom is a recommended practice to obtain a greater colony growth and an increase in honey production. This practice, in addition, increases the benefits of the bee farm compared to natural feeding. Future studies could assess how artificial feeding affects other scarcity periods during the year, such as summer in the Mediterranean region