Flemish Agrotech Company offers hope for honeybees in difficult times
Agrotech company Apix Biosciences from Wingene in West Flanders has a world first to its name. It produces alternative bee food that compensates for the declining quantities of natural pollen. This has numerous benefits; stronger colonies, lower mortality, better pollination, higher yields, and better food security for humans and animals alike.
Our honeybees are finding it increasingly difficult to get enough food, mainly due to climate change, toxic pesticides on agricultural crops, and encroaching urbanisation which put the supply of natural pollen at risk. Bee populations are beginning to suffer from food stress, which is weakening them and making them more susceptible to disease. Their vital role in the sustainable pollination of agricultural crops is far from secure, and winter mortality rates are increasing.
Fortunately, Apix Biosciences, in collaboration with various universities, has recently developed a high-quality alternative natural product that can turn the tide. Experiments, reported in a renowned scientific journal, have confirmed its efficiency in commercial bee colonies. Colonies receiving the Apix supplement were found to perform 2.5 times better, and winter mortality was half that of colonies on the best currently available diets for bees.
This is hopeful news for the reproduction of many plant species, and thus for the food supply of humans and animals.