A Break For Pollen-Starved Bees

I knew that we need to increase flowers for bees to help them but I had no idea how bad the issue is. Without that pollen to give them the nutrition nature offers, there would be a gradual collapse since the next generations would be nutrient-deficient.

I myself have increased flowering products in my garden to ensure constant offerings all season long. One plant in particular that tends to flower come early September is Golden Rod and I am always amazed how many flyers it attracts.

But there is hope on the horizon for bees in colonies where honey producers have been offering artificial pollen. What has been used in the past is still not quite doing the trick and so this new development with yeast is proving to be inspiring.

The trials are complete and were done in greenhouse environments to keep bees contained and to ensure results. The indications are that bees are rearing new larvae at the rate of 15 times what the old method delivered and these bees are much healthier.

Having that proper nutrition allows the bees to continue rearing young much longer as well since the energy needed is there. And bees tend to ensure their young get the best possible chance with the pollen they have to feed them.

This study was in the August 20 publication of the ‘Nature’ journal. It was held by the University of Oxford along with the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, University of Greenwich and the Technical University of Denmark.

Along with these positive results, the engineered food supplement is cost-effective and a sustainable solution. Hopefully this is the answer to a serious problem affecting our food supply. But I also encourage others to help them by planting flowers as varied as possible. This might also be a great project for kids.