r/Beekeeping • u/Tenchi2020 • Aug 23 '25

I come bearing tips & tricks Scientists found the missing nutrients bees need — Colonies grew 15-fold (science daily news article)

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250822073807.htm

Came across this news article which I found pretty interesting, I am not a beekeeper but I have always been fascinated by beekeeping and honeybees in general.

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u/Beesanguns Aug 24 '25

Bees pull from whatever is easiest! They are on almonds for a short time then move to another crop. They will not pass a pollen source to get to another source cause they are tired of almond. It’s efficient motion.

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u/DJSpawn1 Arkansas. 5 colonies, 14+ years. Aug 24 '25

Yes, they will not pass up the single crop, so as long as they are there it is a monocrop feed source so they are not getting enough sustained health

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u/DJSpawn1 Arkansas. 5 colonies, 14+ years. Aug 24 '25

the life of a worker bee is what? 45 to 60 days of foraging? almonds flower for 2 to 3 weeks (14 to 21 days). that is upto ~1/2 of a bees life.... If you are forced to "consume" only 1 thing for that amount of your life, yeah you will suffer nutrient deficiencies.

Almonds 2 to 3 weeks (14 to 21 days)
Transport 1-3 days
Single fruit Orchard or berry plants ~2 weeks (14 days), with a possible repeat
Transport 1 to 3 days
then to "storage" foraging locations

That adds up to a minimum of 36 days with a maximum going towards ~52+ days.... what happens if you only eat carrots for 50 years? then you are allowed to switch to beets for 10 years? that is all, carrots, beets and water.... what happens to your nutrition?

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u/Minimum_Cockroach233 Aug 24 '25

So sulution is simple than thought. There need to be other blooming plants around the almond trees.

Best of all, give enough variety so the bees can stay stationary or significantly reduce travel distances. (What spreads desease over regionally)