The Effects of starch and Protexin feeding on honey bees feed consumption, population and mortality

This study was aimed to investigate whether bee colonies can use the starch and how the Protexin can influence the feed consumption, hive population and mortality at farm and cage conditions. For this purpose, 36 hives were randomly allocated into six different groups and fed with one of the experimental treatments as the first experiment. The control group have only received sugar syrup, the 2nd group received sugar syrup supplemented with one g/L of Protexin (P), the 3rd group received sugar syrup supplemented with 10% of the starch (S10), the 4th group fed with sugar syrup supplemented with 20% of the starch (S20), the 5th group received sugar syrup supplemented with 10% starch and 1g/L of the Protoxin (S10P) and the 6th group fed with sugar syrup supplemented with 20% of starch and 1g/L of the Protoxin (S20P). In the second experiment, the newly emerged bees were kept in a cage and incubated for 21 days. After hatching they were also fed with the above-mentioned experimental treatments. At the end of both experiments, feed intake hive adult and larvae population were evaluated before and after overwintering. In the 2nd experiment the consumption of sugar syrup, sugar paste and the rate of bee losses during the cage storage period. The results of 1st experiment showed that the group S20P1 has the higher egg production and feed intake when compared to the other groups (P≤0.05). Moreover, the feed intake of S20P and S10P was statistically higher than S20 and S10 respectively (P≤0.05). The sugar consumption of S10P and S20P was statistically higher than control (P≤0.05) but have not significant differences with other the groups (P≥0.05). Cumulative consumption of sugar syrup was higher in S10P and S20P groups than the control group (P≤0.05). Honey bee losses in the third week and cumulative mortality (total losses in the first to third weeks) were the lowest in the S20P group compared to S20 group (P≤0.05). It is concluded that, the use of Protexin improves feed intake and reduces bee mortality.