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Beefriendly
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Increased honey yields by feeding bees Lactobacillus salivarius- thought to be antimicrobial and allows bees to live longer.
Interestingly it's available from Amazon and other good health shops....
Honey yield of commercial apiaries treated with a bee-probiotic lactobacillus strain.
The Argentinean Republic is an important international honey producer (3rd position, after China and Turkey) and exporter (2nd place, after China). This is why we have focused on finding natural and safe alternatives to improve beehive health and strength and, furthermore, to control honeybee diseases. In this work, the impact of Lactobacillus salivarius A3iob, a honeybee-gut associated strain, was evaluated on honey yield from different commercial apiaries located in the province of Jujuy, Northwestern Argentina. Trials were done from May to September 2015. Local Apis mellifera L. bees were kept in standard Langstroth hives. Different commercial apiaries were studied: Tilquiza, El Carmen and Yala. In each case 5 hives were fed, once a month, with viable lactobacilli cells, which were delivered to the bees through a Doolittle-type feeder in 125 g sucrose/L syrup, at a final concentration of 1x10^5 CFU/mL); other 5 hives only received the syrup and were used as controls. The main honey harvest was done in December in all groups (treated and control), and the yield of the whole apiary was determined. Cell administration during 5 consecutive months (from May to September) to the productive apiaries revealed, with the exception of those hives located in Tilquiza, a significant increment in honey yield. At Yala, 106.4 ± 0.1 kg of honey were registered in treated colonies, more than a 26% higher than the controls (78.6 ± 0.1 kg). Interestingly, at El Carmen two honey harvests were determined: one of them in winter and the other in summer (July and December 2015, respectively). This unexpected result arose from the particular flora, mainly Tithonia tubaeformis, which spontaneously grow in this place. The lactobacilli-treated hives produced a similar amount of honey in both harvests (71.8 ± 0.1 kg in winter and 75.1 ± 0.1 kg in summer). While, control groups yielded more honey in winter (32.8 ± 0.1 kg) than in summer (23.7 ± 0.1 kg). These results indicate more than a 100% higher honey production in those hives that received L. salivarius A3iob at El Carmen. This natural and ecofriendly alternative may positively impact on apiculture economy, mainly by a higher honey yield per colony.
Interestingly it's available from Amazon and other good health shops....
Honey yield of commercial apiaries treated with a bee-probiotic lactobacillus strain.
The Argentinean Republic is an important international honey producer (3rd position, after China and Turkey) and exporter (2nd place, after China). This is why we have focused on finding natural and safe alternatives to improve beehive health and strength and, furthermore, to control honeybee diseases. In this work, the impact of Lactobacillus salivarius A3iob, a honeybee-gut associated strain, was evaluated on honey yield from different commercial apiaries located in the province of Jujuy, Northwestern Argentina. Trials were done from May to September 2015. Local Apis mellifera L. bees were kept in standard Langstroth hives. Different commercial apiaries were studied: Tilquiza, El Carmen and Yala. In each case 5 hives were fed, once a month, with viable lactobacilli cells, which were delivered to the bees through a Doolittle-type feeder in 125 g sucrose/L syrup, at a final concentration of 1x10^5 CFU/mL); other 5 hives only received the syrup and were used as controls. The main honey harvest was done in December in all groups (treated and control), and the yield of the whole apiary was determined. Cell administration during 5 consecutive months (from May to September) to the productive apiaries revealed, with the exception of those hives located in Tilquiza, a significant increment in honey yield. At Yala, 106.4 ± 0.1 kg of honey were registered in treated colonies, more than a 26% higher than the controls (78.6 ± 0.1 kg). Interestingly, at El Carmen two honey harvests were determined: one of them in winter and the other in summer (July and December 2015, respectively). This unexpected result arose from the particular flora, mainly Tithonia tubaeformis, which spontaneously grow in this place. The lactobacilli-treated hives produced a similar amount of honey in both harvests (71.8 ± 0.1 kg in winter and 75.1 ± 0.1 kg in summer). While, control groups yielded more honey in winter (32.8 ± 0.1 kg) than in summer (23.7 ± 0.1 kg). These results indicate more than a 100% higher honey production in those hives that received L. salivarius A3iob at El Carmen. This natural and ecofriendly alternative may positively impact on apiculture economy, mainly by a higher honey yield per colony.
