The effect of dietary supplements in spring top dressing on the fertility of queen bees and honey productivity of bee colonies

Relevance. The research is conditioned by the need to find biologically active additives of a new generation to improve the reproductive function of queen bees and increase the honey productivity of bee colonies. Methods. The research was conducted in 2022–2023 at the experimental apiary of the Federal Scientific Center for Bast Crops of the Pskov region. Control group I received a 40% sucrose solution as a top dressing. Experimental group II received a 40% sucrose solution with additional administration of 98.7% “Arabinogalactan” and 1.3% silver at a dose of 2 mg/kg of live weight of bees. Experimental group III received a 40% sucrose solution with additional administration of the biologically active additive “ExtraCor” at a dose of 2 mg/kg of live weight of bees. The quality assessment of natural bee honey was carried out in accordance with the requirements of GOST 19792-2001 and GOST R 52451-2005. Results. As a result of the conducted studies, it was found that the addition of experimental dietary supplement “Arabinogalactan” (98.7%) with silver (1.3%) to a 40% sucrose solution significantly affected the increase in the egg production of queens by 12.9%, which affected the faster development of families and the yield of commercial honey, which increased by 36.8%. The addition of the biologically active additive “ExtraCor” to a 40% sucrose solution led to an increase in the egg production of queens by 13.4%, an increase in the yield of commercial honey was 32.7%.