Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

ayleidanthropologist t1_iwcf77d wrote

Reply to comment by redcoat777 in The lifespans of honey bees living in laboratory environments has dropped about 50% over the last 50 years, hinting at possible causes for the worrisome trends across the beekeeping industry, according to new research by University of Maryland entomologists. by Wagamaga

You can raise them on sugar water though right?

0

redcoat777 t1_iwck2ig wrote

Once they are adult they can survive off pure sugar water, but they need high quality protein when they are larvea. Their carbs come from nectar (honey), and their fats and proteins come from pollen. We have artificial pollen substitutes, but it isnt as good as the real stuff.

4

GrayMatters50 t1_iwcstqw wrote

Then combining hives & greenhouses could be a good thing. It would certainly protect hives from attacks.

3

redcoat777 t1_iwddaj0 wrote

Yes, though it would be very hard to have enough consistent food supplies for a single hive within one greenhouse, and greenhouses seem to mess up their intenal navigation

1

GrayMatters50 t1_iwe1h13 wrote

I know she was working with NY Botanical Garden & a couple of top notch Universities. There's birds living in a conservatory.

2

redcoat777 t1_iwe9je9 wrote

Then i dare say they have reduced the losses to an acceptable level. it generally surprises people how many bees die every day in a healthy colony.

1

Tuts36 t1_iwcjuis wrote

Yes, and it's probably as good for bees nutritionally as a lifetime of fast food would be for us.

3

kevshea t1_iwcj666 wrote

And our water sources are increasingly polluted as well.

1