Storage of Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated form Honey Bees in Inverted Sugar Syrup
Abstract
Honey bee hives are influenced by many different biotic and abiotic f actors. Several studies demonstrate that the presence of the lactic acid producing bacteria such as Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Leuconostoc in honey bee intestinal tracts has a positive effect on a beehive’s health. Bee hives which are lacking beneficial microflora could be supplied with it through a carrier media. The aim of this study was to evaluate several concentrations of inverted sugar syrup’s suitability for carrying lactic acid bacteria for possible enhancement of honey bee microflora by using lactic bacteria strains previously isolated from honey bee gastrointestinal tract in Latvian apiaries. Since sugar syrup is commonly used for feeding honey bees during the wintering it was decided to use it as a carrier media. There were five isolates of lactic acid bacteria used to test three concentrations of sugar syrup and it was found out that the inverted sugar syrup concentration of 25% is most suitable for carrying tested isolates judged by their growth dynamics and attraction from the bees.
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Introduction
Health state of honey bee hives (hive interior, bee bread, bee intestinal tracts, etc.) are determined by many different biotic and abiotic factors such as good beekeeping practice, geographic location of the apiary, honey bee genetics, seasonal conditions and others. Microbial composition of the bee hives is considered as once such factor [1]. Honey bee hive can harbor a great variety of microorganisms inside it and the bees themselves are a biota of countless populations of microbes. Microorganisms associated with honey bees can be classified as pathogenic and non -pathogenic [2], and potentially beneficial [3]. While pathogenic microflora gets the most attention due to its importance on revenues, non -pathogenic and beneficial microorganisms may turn out to be as much as important. Several studies are showing that presence of lactic acid bacteria from genera Lactobacillus , Bifidobacterium and Leuconostoc in honey bee intestinal tracts can increase immune response of honey bee larvae [3].
Inverted sugar syrup is well known feed stuff in beekeeping. It is added to bee hives during preparation for wintering in the cold climate areas. Usually inverted sugar is dissolved in water to prepare 73 -75% (w/w) solution of inverted sugar syrup and fed to bees afterwards. Sugar syrup acts as an energy source and thus ensures successful wintering for the bee hives in cold climate areas [4]. It was decided to use exactly inverted sugar syrup in this study because of its well known application in beekeeping and ability of the lactic acid bacteria to ferment it and tolerate increased levels of sugar rich media [5].
This study was focused on lactic acid bacteria survival in inverted sugar syrup and will describe a potential use of it as a carrying media for lactic acid bacteria strains previously isolated from apiaries in Latvia.
Conclusion
The inverted sugar syrup solution is a suitable carrier media for lactic acid bacteria previously isolated from honey bee intestinal tracts and can be us ed as a supplement for bee hives. A 25% concentration of inverted sugar syrup solution gives significantly better growth and survival dynamics than 30% solution while difference in 20% and 25% solutions is insignificant. Honey bees are attracted for higher sugar syrup concentrations therefore the 25% solution could be the best compromise between attraction for the bees and survival of the lactic acid bacteria over longer period of time.