Pollinator Power Bars

The sweet solution: A miracle for beekeepers facing historic hive losses has emerged from the fields at Washington State University and Belgium’s APIX Biosciences NV after almost a decade of research.

Researchers developed a new food source to sustain bees without pollen: basically a Power Bar for bees.

No stings attached: This pollen-replacing diet serves as a complete supplement for bees living in an environment where pollen is scarce, and could even indefinitely replace the need for natural pollen.

Essential ingredients: Although there are existing “pollen patties” to supplement bee nutrition, these products are missing a key ingredient: the molecular component isofucosterol (a name that sounds more like a wizard than a nutrient, but trust us, it’s vital).

Incorporating this secret sauce makes the new food totally sustainable for bees in need of a little extra je ne sais quoi on their plate.

Truth bee told: Extreme weather conditions, changes in land use, and urban expansion are flipping the table of natural pollen buffets that meet bees’ dietary needs.

Field tests of the product were conducted in colonies that pollinate crops with lackluster nutritional content, such as sunflowers and blueberries.

Expert perspective: “Until this study, honey bees were the only livestock that could not be maintained on a man-made feed. … Our product has the potential to change the way honey bees are managed.” — Dr. Patrick Pilkington, CEO of APIX Biosciences U.S.

The quest to save the bees is not over, but science continues to deliver a taste of the future to apiaries and their sweet-and-stripey workers.