NEW NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR BEES DURING DEFICIENT HARVESTING PERIODS

Valentina Cebotari, I. Buzu, Olesea Gliga, Olga Postolachi

Abstract
   The purpose of this study was to test in the bee's feed the biomass of aquatic microalgae Oocistis borgei Snow, hereinafter referred to as bioactive supplement "Borgesnow" and elaboration on its basis of a process of feeding of bee families during the end of winter and start of spring (february-march), deficient harvesting period in nature. The researchers were conducted on the Apis mellifera Carpatica bee families at the experimental apiary of the Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences. For testing of biomass in bee's feed at the end of February, they were formed three batches of bees families, to which once for each frame with bees were administered 200 g of nutritional paste, prepared by mixing the powdered sugar with honey in proportion 7:3. The batch I - control, bees have received only nutritional paste, prepared by mixing the powdered sugar with honey. The batch II - the bees have received paste enriched with nutritional supplement "Apispir+Fe" in quantity of 200 mg of active substance per 1 kg of paste. The batch III - bees have received nutritional paste enriched with bioactive supplement "Borgesnow" in a quantity equivalent to 200 mg of dry substance per 1 kg of paste. Research results have shown that feeding of bee families with nutritional supplement enriched with biomass of aquatic microalgae Oocistis borgei Snow help to increase, compared to the control batch, queen prolificacy up to 132 eggs or 8.3%, the amount of capped brood with 15.4 hundreds cell or 8.0%, family power by 0.26 kg or 8,1%, the amount of bee bread accumulated in nest with 20.4 hundreds cells or 22,6%, the amount of wax increased by 0.09 kg or 30,0%, resistance to disease by 3.1 points or 3,5%, brood viability with 1.5 points or 1,7% and the amount of honey in the harvesting 4.16 kg, or 38,7%. The result is due to increasing nutrient assimilation and accessibility of biomass, given the fact that the microalgae Oocistis borgei Snow is covered with a thin protective membrane and the biomass is rich in biologically active substances, in particular proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, essential amino acids, micro - and macro elements, antioxidants, which have a catalytic role in the metabolism of nitrogenous substances to worker bees, participates in the synthesis of some enzymes, improves the qualitative composition of royal jelly and stimulates its secretion by nurse-bees, so indirectly influence (by feeding with royal jelly of the queen) on the reproductive system of the queen, intensifiing the ovogenesis and egg-laying. All of these largely determines the queen prolificacy, development of the larvae and brood from the nest, contributing to the increased family strength and their productive potential as a whole.

Key words: bees, nutritional supplement, biomass, microalgae, Oocistis borgei Snow