Report: Setting new standards for honey bee nutrition in Australian bee stock

Managed honey bees are essential to Australian agriculture because they pollinate crops and support food production.

However, land-use change, intensive farming and climate variability have reduced access to reliable pollen sources. To help colonies cope during drought, winter and pollination periods, many beekeepers use artificial pollen supplements.

This project examined why artificial diets do not match the benefits of natural pollen. Researchers compared natural pollen with a range of artificial feeds in laboratory and field studies.

They measured brood production, bee health, feed intake and nurse bee development.

The results showed that bees reared and capped brood only when they had access to natural pollen. Artificial diets failed to support full development of the glands that nurse bees use to produce royal jelly and feed larvae. Increasing levels of amino acids, vitamins and minerals did not solve this problem.

The study found that amino acids, vitamins and minerals are not the main missing factors. Instead, pollen-derived lipids, sterols and volatile compounds appear to play a key role in brood rearing and colony growth. Artificial diets can support adult bee health and foraging activity, but they cannot replace natural pollen.

Future research should focus on identifying these missing compounds and improving bee feed products.

Read the project snapshot for Setting new standards for honey bee nutrition in Australian bee stock here.