Experiment 5

Section 4: Evaluation of non-chemical methods for Varroa and Nosema management

Deliverable 4.1: Correlation between the amount of pollen collected by bees and hive parameters

Implementing body of the Deliverable: PAGROTOP Laboratory, ELMEPA

Purpose of the experiment

In this experiment, 10 colonies were selected in which pollen traps were installed. The colonies were monitored for population, brood, and pollen across 5 sampling occasions, and honey production was also measured. The aim was to investigate whether there is a correlation between the amount of pollen a colony collects and the parameters measured. Additionally, for the long-term effect of the amount of pollen collected by a colony, a measurement of the weight of newly emerged bees and Nosema spores before winter was recorded.

Conclusion

From the results it appears that the amount of pollen collected by a colony correlates significantly with the population and brood that it has. This information is important for beekeepers, indicating how crucial pollen feeding is and underscoring the need for beekeepers to intervene by feeding bees with protein-rich food when needed. Also, the amount of pollen positively affects the weight of bees, which in turn is linked to longer lifespan and vigor. Nosema infection negatively affects brood quantity and bee weight. Both are linked to feeding during the larval stage, where workers feed the brood. Nosema has a negative effect on the function of the hypopharyngeal glands of worker bees and this, in turn, leads to insufficient nourishment of the queen and brood.