Beneficial effect of honeybee-specific lactic acid bacteria on health and activity of Apis mellifera L. colonies

Abstract

Abstract Background Objective of this work was to investigate the impact of isolated honeybee-specific-lactic acid bacteria (Hbs-LAB) that isolated from worker's bee intestinal tracts on bee health as well as bee colony activity parameters. Independent assays were conducted from February to July, 2021 in apiary yard of Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt. Colonies were allocated to 2 experimental groups each of 10 colonies, Control colonies were fed with sugar syrup, while the treated colonies were fed with sugar syrup supplemented with mixture of Hbs-LAB (Lactobacillus brevis-HBE2, Lactobacillus casei-HBE5, and Enterococcus Faecalis-HBE1, 3 gm bacterial belts (1:1:1) mixed with 1.5 L of sugar syrup. Results The treated colonies recorded high significant differences in all activity parameters (worker's and drone's brood areas, amount of honey and pollen stored, and no. of combs covered with bees) than controlled colonies. In addition, total protein in workers hemolymph samples of treated colonies showed more number of protein bands and the hemolymph molecular low weight protein bands was 99.24 ± 0.3, whereas the high weight protein bands reached 183.87 ± 0.3 KDa, while for untreated colonies the hemolymph molecular low weight protein bands (KDa) were 70.99 ± 0.3 and the high weight protein bands reached 171.57 ± 0.2 KDa. Conclusions The Hbs-LAB proved to be a natural protocol that will positively impact the beekeepers’ economy by providing a higher yield of bee products as well as improve the protein values in worker’s hemolymph which is a superior tool for colonies resistance against several diseases that attack their hives.