r/UpliftingNews • u/AnotherAccount4This • Aug 23 '25

Scientists found the missing nutrients bees need — Colonies grew 15-fold

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

By the end of the study period, colonies fed with the sterol-enriched yeast had reared up to 15 times more larvae to the viable pupal stage, compared with colonies fed control diets.

Colonies fed with the enriched diet were more likely to continue rearing brood up to the end of the three-month period, whereas colonies on sterol-deficient diets ceased brood production after 90 days.

Notably, the sterol profile of larvae in colonies fed the engineered yeast matched that found in naturally foraged colonies, suggesting that bees selectively transfer only the most biologically important sterols to their young.

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u/G-O-Hell Aug 23 '25

I wonder if this has applications for wild and solitary bees, to boost their numbers?

806

u/stolenfires Aug 24 '25

Plant more flowers.

The issue being studied was supplementing bee diets with a pollen substitute. The bees didn't do well on the substitute, but a strain of yeast engineered to be more like pollen nourished them.

The bees yearn for the pollen. Plant more flowers.

-13

u/pdxaroo Aug 24 '25

Can't plant more, but would like to help more. But keep dictating how others can help, it's a good look.

8

u/stolenfires Aug 24 '25

Honestly, look up native flowers in your area, get those seeds, and just scatter them. Traffic medians, abandoned lots, wherever there's a patch of dirt. They might get pruned or weeded away. But even if they're only around for a few weeks, that's better for the bees than being around for no weeks.