Impact of Protexin on digestibility of corn starch by honey bee Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the ability of bees to consume starch as a substitute for nectar and influence a commercial probiotic namely Protexin® on starch absorption. In the first experiment, 36 honey bee hives were randomly allocated into six similar groups and fed using one of the diets, first group received sugar syrup as control treatment, second group received sugar syrup supplemented with 1 g/L of Protexin® (P), third group received sugar syrup supplemented with 10% of the starch (S10), fourth group fed using sugar syrup supplemented with 20% of the starch (S20), fifth group received sugar syrup supplemented with 10% starch and one g/L of Protexin® (S10P) and sixth group fed using sugar syrup supplemented with 20% of starch and one g/L of Protexin® (S20P). In the second experiment, newly emerged worker bees were kept in laboratory cages and fed using the above-mentioned experimental treatments for 21 days (at 34 ± 1 ˚C and 50% R.H.). At the end of both experiments, 100 worker bees from each treatment were selected to evaluate the starch absorption, the microbial population at the bee’s digestive tract, body weight, body protein, and lipid content. The results indicated that the starch absorption in the colonies fed by S20P treatment was significantly higher than that in the rest of the treated colonies (P≤0.05). The supplementation of diet with starch significantly enhanced their body weight, protein, and lipid content in both of the experiments (P≤0.05). Moreover, Protexin® increased the bee’s gut microbial population at colony and cage conditions (P≤0.05). It is concluded that the dietary supplementation of the corn starch and Protexin® could have a beneficial effect on the health and strength of the bee colonies.

Keywords

• microbial population
• probiotic
• starch absorption
• worker bees