Pavlović Ratko, Crailsheim Karl, Petrović Miloš, Goessler Walter, Zarić Nenad M
Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
Department of Biology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
J Econ Entomol. 2025 Feb 11;118(1):37-44. doi: 10.1093/jee/toae303.
Pollination by insects is vital for global agriculture, with honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) being the most important pollinators. Honey bees are exposed to numerous stressors, including disease, pesticides, and inadequate nutrition, resulting in significant colony losses. This study investigates the use of drone brood to mitigate these problems. Drone brood, which is normally discarded during varroa mite (Varroa destructor, Anderson and Trueman) management, is rich in proteins, fats, and essential minerals. We compared drone brood with an already suggested pollen supplement (Tenebrio [Tenebrio molitor L.] flour). The results indicate that drone brood flour is a viable source of proteins, fats, and minerals and is potentially antimicrobial due to its high content of elements with known antimicrobial properties. It meets the nutritional needs of honey bees while mitigating the effects of varroa mites. The use of drone brood flour can provide high-quality beeswax, surplus of pollen, and improve bee health, which promotes sustainable beekeeping.
昆虫授粉对全球农业至关重要，其中蜜蜂（西方蜜蜂）是最重要的传粉者。蜜蜂面临着众多压力源，包括疾病、杀虫剂和营养不足，导致蜂群大量损失。本研究调查了利用雄蜂蛹来缓解这些问题。雄蜂蛹通常在防治蜂螨（狄斯瓦螨）过程中被丢弃，但其富含蛋白质、脂肪和必需矿物质。我们将雄蜂蛹与一种已被推荐的花粉补充剂（黄粉虫粉）进行了比较。结果表明，雄蜂蛹粉是蛋白质、脂肪和矿物质的可行来源，并且由于其富含具有已知抗菌特性的元素，可能具有抗菌作用。它满足了蜜蜂的营养需求，同时减轻了蜂螨的影响。使用雄蜂蛹粉可以提供高质量的蜂蜡、多余的花粉，并改善蜜蜂健康，从而促进可持续养蜂。
