They identified six key sterols that dominate bee biology: 24-methylenecholesterol, campesterol, isofucosterol, β-sitosterol, cholesterol, and desmosterol.
Beekeepers often use artificial pollen substitutes made from protein flour, sugars, and oils. These provide calories but lack the sterols bees need, leaving colonies nutritionally deficient.
And only when the bees only had access to the new artificial food...
The article mentions supplementing hives in the wild, but the drones will always make a b line to the "best" food. Meaning they'll go for this over pollen, and if they're doing that, they're not pollinating.
This can be useful to help a struggling colony or get one started, but it's not the miracle fix articles keep acting like
If you're in a temperate area, incomplete artificial food is all bees get at this time of the year. Every apiary discussion on overwintering bees has another plan for how you're supposed to supplement feed to get through winter. Bringing some hard science to the discussion is welcome because most of what you see cited is anecdotal.
These winters with wild temperature swings really stress hives. They're more active when they should be dormant, but there's no food to be found.
You've also the issue that bees hives on a monoculture need supplemental feeding as it's not the rounded diet they need.
11 Comments
pulsewidth@lemmy.world · 29 pts · 140d
The secret?
Plant more flowers and get rid of cultivated grasslands.
SeductiveTortoise@piefed.social · 7 pts · 140d
But if us humans try to stay alive on supplements, of course we want that for the bees as well. Everything but a change of our way of life! 😭😭😭
artifex@piefed.social · 3 pts · 140d
I’m looking forward to seeing the next generation of swole, lift-maxing honeybees.
SeductiveTortoise@piefed.social · 2 pts · 140d
Making fun of other bees for not taking beeroids. Losers!
artifex@piefed.social · 0 pts · 140d
The hive bouncer looking down on some lowly drone who hasn’t been bulking and going “do you even lift, bruhzzz?”
swade2569@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 140d
Bees crave electrolytes
SeductiveTortoise@piefed.social · 2 pts · 140d
They need it for their bee's knees.
celeste@kbin.earth · 19 pts · 140d
Bad news, though: It's not vitamin B
Alas.
WILSOOON@programming.dev · 3 pts · 140d
I guess weve BEEn had. HA!
givesomefucks@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 140d
15x an incomplete artificial food...
And only when the bees only had access to the new artificial food...
The article mentions supplementing hives in the wild, but the drones will always make a b line to the "best" food. Meaning they'll go for this over pollen, and if they're doing that, they're not pollinating.
This can be useful to help a struggling colony or get one started, but it's not the miracle fix articles keep acting like
SpruceBringsteen@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 140d
If you're in a temperate area, incomplete artificial food is all bees get at this time of the year. Every apiary discussion on overwintering bees has another plan for how you're supposed to supplement feed to get through winter. Bringing some hard science to the discussion is welcome because most of what you see cited is anecdotal.
These winters with wild temperature swings really stress hives. They're more active when they should be dormant, but there's no food to be found.
You've also the issue that bees hives on a monoculture need supplemental feeding as it's not the rounded diet they need.
Raffster@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 140d