METHODS OF FEEDING
Pail feeding
The small bucket lid is poked with the finishing nails, and the bucket is filled with sugar syrup. It is placed upside down on the inner cover with the hole. The empty box around the pail is placed with a heavy lid with a rock on top. With this method, 5L of syrup could be fed at a time.
Hive top feeding
Hive top feeders are the commercial type of hive feeder, which is placed at the top of the hive. A straw was placed in the feeder to help the bees avoid drowning.
Baggie feeding
The syrup is filled in a resealable plastic bag and is used for feeding honeybees. It is placed at the top of the beehive, and a hole is made in the plastic bag for easy access to the honey bees. To prevent the bag from squishing, a rim is placed underneath the inner cover.
Barrel feeding
The barrel feeding method is used to maintain a higher number of colonies. The barrel is placed in the yard. A sufficient amount of straw is placed in the barrel to prevent the drowning of the honey bees.
SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING
SUGAR SYRUP
When it becomes necessary to prevent famine, beekeepers feed sugar (sucrose) syrup to their colonies, especially in the autumn, to supplement their winter storage. The common belief is that feeding colonies will increase the number of broods raised. However, experiments with syrup feeding revealed varying effects on brood rearing, and they proposed that these variations might have been related to the season and the amount of syrup fed. We examined the amount of sugar syrup consumed by colonies in the spring, summer, and autumn, as well as its impact on colony weight, brood raising, and pollen collecting. We supplied both diluted and concentrated sugar syrup to the colonies (J. B. Free and Yvette Spencer Booth,1960). Sugar syrup was prepared by dissolving the beet sugar in water at a ratio of 1:1. During this sugar syrup preparation, et al. boiled potable water is used (Erkan Topal et al., 2022), for artificial feeding, Sugar Syrup is prepared by mixing 200g of Sugar and 20g of honey in 1 Liter of water, resulting in a solution with high glucose content. The result of the observation of artificial feeding is complete utilization of the feed and increased cells filled with honey (K. R. Neupane and R. B. Thapa, 2005). The combination for preparing the sugar syrup is 1000ml of water and 1000g of sugar, which results in the increased production of honey (Azza T. Ashour, 2008). The sugar syrup is fed in a thicker consistency, which contains 70% sucrose. The ratio of sugar syrup is 2:1 with sugar and water. It could help in the development of the brood chamber in the beehive. Sugar syrup, which is fed to the honeybees, contains 50% sucrose. The sugar syrup is made in a 1:1 ratio of sugar and water, which helps increase the nutrient content in honey bees (Zachary Huang, 2018). The study analyzed 29 royal jelly samples from May to August 2012, comparing the composition of royal jelly from bees fed sugar and honey. Results showed no significant differences in water content, proteins, fructose, glucose, sucrose, pH, total acidity, and electrical conductivity between the two types of feeding. These findings are crucial for beekeepers producing royal jelly and have practical applications in the field (R. Balkanska et al., 2013).
RICE BRAN SYRUP
An alternative to off-season sugar supplement feeding of honeybees is sugar syrup (sugar and water at a ratio of 1:1), rice bran syrup (100g rice bran in 1 Liter of water is soaked for 4 hours, which is filtered through a muslin cloth. Filtered 1 Liter of rice syrup is added with 200g sugar and 20g honey (K. R. Neupane and R. B. Thapa.,2005). Honey's fermentation is limited or delayed due to a shortage of nitrogen, which also stimulates the development of unpleasant sensory chemicals such as sulfur derivatives. Natural supplements have been researched as low-cost alternatives, primarily to correct the nutritional shortage of nitrogen in honey during mead production. An experimental method. The rice bran and soybean meal extracts were first physicochemically characterized. The fermentation of three yeasts (Saccharomyces bayanus Premier Blanc, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Montrachet, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Safbrew T-
58) In honey, 30 g/L rice bran or soybean meal extracts were tested. The studies compared must fermentations with commercial supplements (30 g/L) as well as control trials. Except for reducing sugars, the examined attributes of the extracts differed significantly. Soybean meal extract fermentations had the highest cell densities and consumed the most glucose, fructose, and ethanol. When soybean meal extract and a commercial supplement were combined, glycerol concentrations increased marginally. The control trials using Saccharomyces strains Premier Blanc, Montrachet, and Safbrew T-58 yielded the highest levels of succinic and acetic acids. No formic or lactic acids were generated. The results suggested that the extracts might be utilized as low-cost alternatives for rectifying the nutritional shortfall of nitrogen in honey since their effect was comparable to that of synthetic supplements (Geiza Suzart Araujo et al., 2021).
MAIZE SYRUP
Maize syrup (100g of maize white powder in 1 litre of water, soaked for 4 hours and filtered through a muslin cloth. Filtered 1 liter of maize syrup is added with 200g sugar and 20g honey (K. R. Neupane and R. B. Thapa, 2005). High fructose corn syrup is a maintenance food for caged honeybees. Corn syrup is produced using the glucose isomerase process, which converts glucose from hydrolyzed corn starch into a mixture containing glucose and a high level of fructose. The high fructose corn syrup is called an economic sweetener. The advantages of high fructose corn syrup are lower cost and feeding convenience. Its sugar composition closely resembles of honey (Roy
J. Barker and Yolanda Lehner, 1978). The combination of Maize flour + Vitamin B complex, Maize flour + Vitamin B complex + Egg Yolk, Maize flour + Vitamin B complex + Methionine is fed as the artificial feed for the honeybees. The feed was prepared by mixing each combination mixture with the sugar syrup in a ratio of 11:21. The result of this feed was an increased number of brood chambers (Arshed Makhdoom et al., 2000). The decline in honeybee populations has led to a need for a better understanding of key factors impacting their health. Malnutrition in honeybees is linked to immune system impairment and increased pesticide susceptibility. Beekeepers often feed high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) or sucrose after harvesting honey or during periods of nectar dearth. Chronic feeding of these carbohydrate sources elicited hundreds of differences in gene expression in the fat body, a peripheral nutrient-sensing tissue. These differences included genes involved in protein metabolism, oxidation-reduction, tyrosine and phenylalanine metabolism, and carbohydrate and lipid metabolism (Marsha M. Wheeler and Gene E. Robinson,2014). A study found that bees rely on alternative crops like maize during periods of pollen deficiency. Maize pollen has a low concentration of histidine but more essential amino acids than mixed pollen. Consuming pure maize pollen diets reduced brood rearing and lifespan, but no immunological effects were observed. This supports the assumption that bees rely on alternative crops for food (Nicole Höcherl et al., 2012). This study analyzed the carbohydrate composition of high-fructose corn syrups (HFCS) and sucrose syrups (SS) using GC-MS. Fructosyl-fructoses and unknown carbohydrates were detected in HFCS, while SS was characterized by high sucrose content. Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content in beekeeper samples was more variable. Fructosyl-fructoses were found mainly in HFCS-fed honey (Ana Isabel Ruiz-Matute et.al,2010). A study aimed to improve the nutritional value of corn pollen by mechanically crushing its external pollen wall. The results showed that crushing corn pollen increased diet digestibility and hemolymph protein content while decreasing pollen consumption by 39.88%. However, it did not affect HPG size or thorax weight. The findings could be beneficial for beekeepers in areas with corn monoculture (Eslam M. Omar et.al.,2022)
FRUITS SYRUP
Banana syrup (100g ripened banana is soaked in water and blended, filtered using a muslin cloth. Filtered banana syrup is added with 200g of sugar and 20g of honey), Pumpkin syrup (100g of boiled and hard core removed pumpkin in 1 Liter of water is blended and filtered using a muslin cloth. Filtered syrup is added with 200g of sugar and 20g of honey. The honeybees utilized 99.5% pumpkin syrup and 96.7% banana syrup, resulting in an increased number of filled honey cells and no brood frames in the colonies (K. R. Neupane and R. B. Thapa, 2005). Grape syrup and grapes contain so much fructose that it is commonly referred to as ‘Grape sugar.’ Bees are attracted to the ripened and crushed grapes. Grape juice was toxic to the bees, but commercially available grape syrup was attractive and nutritious for bees. For the experiment, they used High fructose corn syrup (Isomerase 100 brand), Grape syrup (White Grape juice with 68 brix concentration), Sucrose (Table sugar), Honey (Unfiltered, unhealed from mixed flora) (Less than 1 year old). The results from feeding different types of syrup show the various levels of sugar content (Roy J. Barker and Yolanda Lehner, 1978). The combination was prepared with fruits to feed the honeybee colonies during the off-season period. The preferred fruits for making the mixture were Plum (Prunus persica), Apricot (Prunus armeniaca), and Apple (Malus sp.), resulting in the consumption and acceptance of the honeybee colonies being 100%, which also helps in the increased production of honeybees (Pande Rachna and Karnatak A. K.,2013). During the dry months of June and July, the beekeeping business suffers from a lack of nectar and pollen. Ripe neem fruits are in season, and their pulp is available; yet, as the pulp is discarded in nature, we have been tempted to feed the bee colony during this time of year. The pulp of neem fruits was removed and combined with sugar syrup (1:2:1, ripe neem fruit pulp: water: sugar) to create a syrup that honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies could consume. This syrup served as a natural food source and a nectar and pollen substitute for the bee colony during the flower shortage. Approximately 2.42 and 2 times greater than sugar syrup-fed colonies, respectively, were detected in the highest enhanced brood and honey storage areas of the neem fruit pulp syrup and sucrose syrup-fed colonies, which were 64.67% and 58.41% and 26.67 and 28.02%, respectively. In comparison to control and sugar (sucrose) syrup-only fed colonies, the feeding of ripe neem fruit pulp mixed with the sugar syrup enhanced honey production and bee colony multiplication by approximately two and three times, respectively (Akhilesh Singh et al.,2012)
FLORAL SYRUP
The syrup, which was made from the extract of the flower mahua (Bassia latifolia), contains both fructose and protein. The result observed in the feeding is increased honey and propolis production (Ramesh P Singh,2015).
SOYBEAN SYRUP
For honey production during the dearth period, artificial feeding is provided as soybean meal (60 mesh size) is autoclaved at 15Psi for 30 mins, and 250g of sugar and 50g of yeast are added and blended. With this mixture , add 100ml of water and 50g of skim milk powder, and make it a smooth dough. The result from this box is 7.12kg of honey (Tahir Abbas et al., 1995). The experimental study explained that feeding soy Flour (16.7%), parched gram (16.7%), brewer’s yeast (16.7%), sugar (33.3%), and glucose (16.7%) as the diet for the honeybees. The result observed an increased number of sealed brood chambers in honeybee colonies, and the number of frames in the super chambers has also increased due to the increased honey production (Rajesh Kumar et al., 2013). The mixture for artificial feeding is soybean flour + Vitamin B-Complex, Soyabean flour + Vitamin B-Complex + Methionine, which results in the increased production of honey and the increased number of brood chambers (Arshed Makhdoom et al., 2000). An experiment was carried out to create a low-cost, adequate pollen substitute for managing honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies during lean periods. Six different pollen substitutes were given to bee colonies: full-fat soy flour (FFSF), roasted full-fat soy flour (RFFSF), germinated soybean flour (GSF), defatted soy flour (DFSF), roasted defatted soy flour (RDFSF), and soy protein concentrate (SPC). The effects of these substitutes were compared to the control group, which received no feeding, to ascertain their effect on the desired characteristics of the bee colonies. The percentage of each diet that was deemed palatable was over 60%, according to the results. After feeding in every diet combination—SPC first, then GSF, DFSF, FFSF, and RDFSF—a progressive rise in brood area, honey store, and pollen store was noted. The study found that RFFSF had the least desirable parameters, but all diets were significantly superior. Bees' foraging activity increased in colonies fed pollen substitutes, and SPC was the best substitute during the dearth period (Rachna Pande.et.al.,2011). This study investigates the impact of various supplemental diets on honeybee health and colony development. The research found that honeybees consumed significantly more Diet 1(45 g soybean flour + 15 g Brewer’s yeast + 75 g powdered sugar + 7.5 g skimmed milk + 7.5 g date palm pollen + 200 mL sugar syrup supplement with Vitamin C) compared to other supplemented diets. This diet significantly improved pollen load, worker-sealed brood area, population strength, and honey yield. The study also found that the control group had fewer biological parameters. The findings suggest that supplemental diets can improve bee health and colony development in situations of insufficient pollen availability and diversity (Saboor Ahmad et al., 2021).
PULSES SYRUP
Black gram flour (550g) is mixed with 250g of sugar and 50g of yeast. To this mixture, 100ml of water and 50g of skim milk powder are added, forming a smooth dough. The result from the box is 8.62kg within a 3-month period. They also observed an increase in the number of frames for honey production (Tahir Abbas et al., 1995). Artificial feeding was provided to the honeybees by grinding chickpeas, green gram, germinated horse gram, and germinated pea into flour. This feeding results in the finding that pulse flour was the protein substitute for the honeybees in the scarcity of natural pollen (Rachna Pande and A. K. Karnatak,2014). The different types of combinations were based on the mixtures of the various flours. The combinations were oats flour (Avena sativa) 50% + Rice flour (Oryza sativa) 25% + Anise flour (Pimpinella anisum) 25% + Honey, Fennel seeds flour (Foeniculum vulgare) 50% + Gram flour (Cicer arietinum) + Honey, Rice flour (Oryza sativa) 25% + Pea seeds flour (Pisum sativum) + Fennel seeds flour (Foeniculum Vulgate) 25% + Fenugreek seeds flour (Foeniculum vulgare) 10% + Honey, Mixture of Beans flour (Vigna mungo) 50% + flour of fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgare) + Honey, Mixture of dried White Kidney Bean seeds (Phaseolus vulgaris) 50% + Bean seeds flour (Vigna Mungo) 35% + Coriander flour (Coriandrum sativum) + Honey, Gram flour(Cicer arietinum)50% + Fenugreek flour ( Trigonella foenumgraecum) 10% + Cumin seeds flour 40% + Honey(Mohammed Z. Aly.,2014). The study evaluated sprouted pulses as pollen substitutes for Indian honeybees to enhance colony strength and honey production. Six different pulses were tested, with horse gram showing higher acceptance and a gradual increase in colony parameters. All diets were found to be significantly superior to control, with data on cost and shelf life provided (V. MARY FLORET AND S. MANICKAVASAGAM,2022).
FISH MEAL SYRUP
Pacific herring meal is the cheapest type of artificial feeding given to the bees. We need to dilute the protein level to 23%, which is suitable for the broods. It contains high amounts of amino acids 1-lysine and 1-arginine, which are used for the development of brood food glands and elaboration of brood food. The food contains moisture-7.7, Protein-71.6, Fat-7.9, and Ash-11.0, where fish meal was readily acceptable by honeybees. Fish meal syrup contains high levels of protein. (W. T. Chalmers.,2016).
SYRUP WITH MICROORGANISMS
In the experiment, the diet given for the honey is Spirulina (16.7%) + Honey (83.3%), Defatted Soy Flour (20.7%) + Brewer’s Yeast (20.7%) + Spirulina (8.3%) + Sugar (33.3%) + Glucose (16.7%). Through this artificial feeding, the strength of the bee population has increased in the colonies (Rajesh Kumar et al., 2013). Liquid yeast (Candida tropicalis) + 750ml of water + 1000g of sugar provides the lowest number of queen colonies. A mixture of 1000g of Sugar + 250g of dried brewer’s yeast (Saccharomyces sp.) + 750ml of water is used for artificial feeding. The result of the process was the development of colonies with an increased number of brood chambers (Azza T. Ashour, 2008). Bee disease is a significant concern for apiculture.
Researchers, as it can cause colonies to disappear due to rapid disease transmission. A study using sugar syrup feeds with prebiotics and probiotics, Enterolactis Plus, for three weeks showed a significant reduction in bacteria in bee digestive tracts, while intestinal colonization with beneficial bacteria improved health status and bioproductive index in the studied colonies (S. Pătruică and D. Mot.,2012). Nosema ceranae, a microsporidian fungus, affects honey bees' midgut epithelial cells. Food supplementation with prebiotics and probiotics may help control N. ceranae. Tests on dietary fiber prebiotics acacia gum, inulin, and fructooligosaccharides, as well as commercial probiotics Vetafarm Probiotic, Protexin Concentrate single-strain, and Protexin Concentrate multi-strain, showed significant reductions in spore numbers and mortality. Protexin Concentrate single-strain was promising for reducing N. ceranae proliferation and increasing bee survivorship, even compared to healthy, non-infected bees (Daniel Borges et.al,2021). The European Union's ban on Fumagillin-B has prompted researchers to explore sustainable strategies to control Nosema ceranae, a microsporidium affecting bee health. Gut microbial symbionts, including bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, are being studied for their potential to protect bees. A study comparing four treatments showed that dietary supplementation of gut bacteria, including bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, significantly reduced the level of Nosema ceranae in bees eight days after infection. This marks the first attempt at applying bifidobacteria and lactobacilli against Nosema ceranae in honeybees (L. Baffoni et.al,2022).
ARTIFICIAL FEEDING OF POLLEN
Substitution for the pollen by artificial feeding. Where 50g of bee bread with 20ml of water to form a paste. Again, the mixture was added to the 200g of honey and ground in the mortar. Cotton seed meal and dry skim milk are mixed in a 4:1 ratio, and 40g of this mixture is then combined with 200g of honey. Additionally, 20 ml of water is added, and the mixture is ground using a mortar (MYKOLA H. Haydak, 1939). In bee colonies, protein flow was maintained by the artificial feeding of pollen during periods of fluctuation. The components for making artificial feeding of pollen are soya flour, beer yeast Steen(3 parts), calcium caseinate flour and whey protein flour (3.2 parts), sucrose solution (50%), and 10 parts of linseed oil (J van der Steen, Steen, 2007). Pollen substitute diets were followed in the artificial feeding of the honey bees. The protein pollen substitute is a mixture of bread yeast powder, powdered beet sugar, inverted sugar syrup (70% water and 30% sugar), sunflower honey, sunflower seed oil, and soybean flour (Oskay, D., 2021). C. criticus (Pink rock-rose) pollen
Sugar Syrup + Water, P. somniferum (Opium Poppy) pollen, Sugar Syrup + Water, Mixed Pollen, Sugar Syrup + Water, Commercial Bee Cake, and Sugar Syrup + Water were fed as artificial diets to honey bees (Erkan Topal et al., 2022). Fresh pollens of Acer, Castanea, Cistus, Erica, Quercus, Salix, and Taraxacum were blended and made into pellets (Cedric Alaux, 2010). A study in Saudi Arabia tested the effects of alternative protein feeding on honeybee performance, feed consumption, brood-rearing activity, and bee bread storage. The study found that honeybees preferred the commercial product Feedbee®, followed by date paste and mesquite diets. The highest consumption was recorded in colonies fed Feedbee®, compared to date paste, mesquite, and corn gluten diets. The study recommends using mesquite pod flour and date paste as pollen substitutes during dry seasons to enhance honeybee colonies' performance (Abdulraouf Mohamed,2020). Honeybee colonies rely on floral resources for nutrition, particularly pollen. However, intensification of agriculture and landscape alteration are affecting foraging areas, leading to disparities in floral resource abundance, type, and diversity. A study tested the impact of pollen diet quality and diversity on young nurse bees' physiology and tolerance to the microsporidian parasite Nosema ceranae. Results showed that pollen quality affected both nurse bee physiology and tolerance to the parasite, while diversity had no effect. The study suggests that pollen quality and diversity can shape bee physiology, helping to understand the impact of agriculture and land-use intensification on bee nutrition and health (Garance Di Pasquale,2013).
EFFECT OF ARTIFICIAL FEEDING
Honeybees were fed with artificial feeding and maintained their diet with protein-rich feeds. The commercial artificial feeds were Healthy Bees, Ultra Bee, Global, Bulk Soft, Mega Bee, and AP23. In this experiment, they observed that artificial feeding could increase the colony performance and health of commercially managed bees (Vincent A. Ricigliano et al., 2022). Honeybees were fed artificial feed, including sugar syrup and pollen, to the queen bees. The result was observed in the queen bees at the colony, where the size of the queen cells increased, along with their length and weight (Slobodan Dolasevic et al., 2019). Honeybees were fed sugar and water at a 3:1 ratio, supplemented with vitamin C (Biofactor, Poland) at a rate of 1.8 mg per kilogram of syrup. As a result of artificial feeding of vitamin C, the weight of the honeybee larvae increased, and swarming of bees during the dearth period decreased by 33% (Marek Farjan et al., 2012). By providing supplementary feeding and quality artificial pollen to the honeybees, it shows the results of a healthy honeybee
