New Food Powers Hungry Bees Through Pollination

Scientists have created a special food that could be a game-changer for saving honey bees – and it works just like the protein bars humans eat when they need energy!

Researchers from Washington State University and Belgium’s APIX Biosciences have developed a complete artificial diet that can keep bee colonies healthy even when they don’t have access to flower pollen. This breakthrough could help fight the worrying trend of colony collapse that threatens both wild bee populations and the crops they pollinate.

The new food looks like a protein bar and contains all the nutrients bees need to survive. Beekeepers can place these “power bars” directly into honey bee colonies, where young worker bees process and share the nutrients with larvae and adult bees.

“Changes in land use, urban expansion, and extreme weather all negatively impact nutrition for honey bees and other pollinators,” explained Brandon Hopkins, Professor of Pollinator Ecology at WSU and one of the study’s authors. “Honey bees need variety in their diet to survive but find it increasingly difficult to find the continuous supply of pollen they need.”

Until now, honey bees were the only livestock that couldn’t be maintained on artificial feed alone. Most animals raised by humans – from chickens to cows – can thrive on carefully designed diets, but bees required natural pollen to survive. The new development changes this completely.

The research team discovered something particularly important: a molecule called isofucosterol that’s found naturally in pollen is absolutely essential for bee health. When this specific nutrient was missing from test diets, bee colonies showed reduced larval production, adult paralysis, and eventually collapsed entirely.

To prove their food worked in real-world conditions, scientists tested it with honey bee colonies placed in blueberry and sunflower fields – both known for having poor-quality pollen for bees. The results were impressive – colonies receiving the new food thrived while those without it struggled or died.

“Some beekeepers don’t pollinate blueberries anymore because colonies suffer or die,” Hopkins noted. “Blueberry pollen isn’t very nutritious for honey bees. But if they have this supplemental food source, beekeepers may return to pollinating those fields since they know their bees are more likely to survive.”

The timing couldn’t be more critical. Bee populations face enormous challenges worldwide, including habitat loss, pesticide exposure, and climate change. When bees don’t have access to diverse, nutritious pollen sources, their immune systems weaken, making them more vulnerable to diseases and parasites.

The research team is working to make their bee supplement commercially available by mid-2026. Until then, they’re collaborating with beekeepers across the USA to develop the best methods for incorporating this new tool into standard beekeeping practices.

For young animal lovers concerned about bee conservation, this development offers real hope. By ensuring honey bees receive proper nutrition, we might help reverse the alarming trend of colony collapse, protecting these vital pollinators and the food systems that depend on them.

Remember – about one-third of the food we eat relies on pollination, mostly from honey bees! By developing better ways to keep these tiny but mighty creatures healthy, scientists are helping secure food supplies for generations to come.