Volume 72 (2022) Issue: 2022 No#3

Impact of the plant-based natural supplement IMМUNOSTART HERB on honey bee colony performance

Author(s): Rositsa Shumkova, Ralitsa Balkanska, Delka Salkova, Peter Hristov

Keywords:Apis mellifera; herbal extract; colony strength; overwintering

Winter is the season that poses the greatest challenges for honey bee colonies. Therefore, the main approach in beekeeping practice is aimed mainly at providing sufficient quality food supplies for bee colonies in early autumn. We conducted the present study to test the influence of the natural plant extract IMМUNOSTART HERB on population strength, stored pollen area, capped worker brood area, and honey yield. The experimental groups were supplied with IMМUNOSTART HERB 4 times at 7-day intervals, whereas sugar syrup was given to the control groups. The obtained results showed that the applied supplemental diet affected all investigated biological parameters, with the most noticeable effect after the second application. In all measurements, the honey bee colony parameters in the treated groups showed higher values in comparison to the control groups. These results highlight the potential of herbal supplements to effectively improve bee colonies’ development during the period of scarce bee forage, as well as to provide suitable conditions for successful overwintering.