The efficiency of feed paste consumption affects wintering success and subse-quent colony development in honey bees

Efficient winter-feeding strategies play a critical role in ensuring the survival and productivity of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies. One of the most commonly used supplementary feeds in beekeeping is “Kandy” paste, a sugar-based formulation designed to sustain bee colonies during periods of food scarcity. However, inconsistencies in colony wintering success, despite the use of similar feeding protocols, have raised concerns regarding the quality and physical properties of commercial feed pastes. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of feed paste composition, particularly sugar particle size, on winter survival and subsequent colony development. The experiment was conducted during the winter of 2023–2024 at the agricultural service cooperative “Dnipro Beekeeper” (Ukraine). Three groups of bee colonies (n = 10 per group) were studied: the first group received self-produced “Kandy” feed paste containing 70 % finely ground powdered sugar and 30 % fructose-glucose syrup, the second group received a commercially available “Kandy” paste, and the third group served as a control, overwintering solely on honey reserves. The colonies were monitored for feed consumption, winter survival rates, and spring brood development. The results showed that sugar particle size significantly influenced feed consumption efficiency. Colonies in the first group consumed 5.29 ± 0.14 kg of feed paste during winter, while those in the second group consumed only 4.83 ± 0.12 kg, with a higher proportion of undissolved sugar crystals found in hive debris (P < 0.05). The second group exhibited a greater colony weakening rate (21.28 ± 3.21 %) compared to the first (17.71 ± 2.31 %) and control (17.52 ± 3.45 %) groups, indicating poorer feed digestibility in the commercial paste. Furthermore, spring brood development was slower in the second group, with statistically significant differences observed in the second and third monitoring periods (P < 0.05). These findings confirm that the physical characteristics of feed paste, particularly sugar particle size, directly affect its accessibility and digestibility for bees. The use of finely ground sugar improved feed utilisation, resulting in better colony survival and accelerated post-winter development. The study underscores the necessity of stricter quality control for feed formulations, ensuring optimal particle refinement to enhance the efficiency of supplemental feeding. Future research should explore the effects of additional dietary components, such as proteins and organic acids, on honey bee metabolism and resilience under varying environmental conditions.