Composite natural plant bee feed additive and application thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a composite natural plant bee feed additive and application thereof, and relates to the technical field of bee feed additives. The rosemary powder and the thyme powder are combined to serve as the composite natural plant bee feed additive, and the prepared bee feed additive has multiple functions of nutrition supply, immunoregulation, antibiosis, antivirus, efficient mite killing and the like; the compound application of the rosemary and the thyme provides a new thought for solving the technical bottleneck of'nutrition-health-safety 'collaborative management of the bee colony. The rosmarinus officinalis and the thyme are combined to be used as the bee feed additive, and have a synergistic effect on inhibiting parasitism of the large bee mites and the small bee mites and improving the yield of the royal jelly.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of bee feed additives, and in particular to a compound natural plant bee feed additive and its application. Background Technology

[0002] bee( Apis mellifera Bees are not only one of the most important pollinators in the global agricultural ecosystem, but also major producers of various high-value-added bee products such as honey, royal jelly, bee pollen, and propolis. The health of bee colonies directly determines the yield and quality of bee products and profoundly affects crop pollination efficiency and the level of sustainable agricultural development. Among them, royal jelly, a natural active substance secreted by the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of nurse bees, is rich in protein, 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), vitamins, lipids, and various bioactive peptides. It has physiological functions such as regulating immunity, anti-oxidation, and anti-aging, and has important application value in the fields of health products, medicine, and cosmetics.

[0003] The synthesis of royal jelly is highly dependent on the physiological state of nurse bees aged 6-12 days, and their secretory capacity is closely related to the nutritional levels ingested by worker bees. Studies have shown that protein is a key limiting factor in royal jelly synthesis; nurse bees must ingest sufficient and balanced amino acids to maintain gland development and efficiently synthesize royal jelly. Under natural conditions, bees obtain the necessary protein by collecting pollen. However, due to factors such as seasonal changes, climate change, and uneven distribution of nectar-producing plants, the supply of external pollen is often intermittent or insufficient, leading to limited protein intake by bee colonies and thus significantly inhibiting the yield and quality of royal jelly. Therefore, modern beekeeping commonly uses plant-based pollen substitutes (such as extruded soybean meal, extruded corn, and peanut protein isolate) as pollen substitutes or supplements to feed bee colonies to ensure stable royal jelly production.

[0004] However, traditional pollen substitutes primarily focus on nutritional supply, with relatively simple feed ingredients, lacking a synergistic regulatory function on the overall health of bee colonies. Meanwhile, bee colonies have long faced challenges from mites such as Diswaa mites (…). Varroa destructor Varroa (also known as "Varium moniliforme") and Radiata (Varium scintillans Tropilaelaps spp Ectopic mites, such as the "Vessel mite" (also known as the "small varroa mite"), pose a serious threat to bees. These mites attach to the surface of bees or parasitize inside capped cells, feeding on the bees' hemolymph, causing physiological damage, decreased flight ability, and shortened lifespan. They also act as a vector for amoebae viruses (Vessel mite). Deformed Wing Virus The transmission vectors of various pathogenic viruses such as DWV can induce colony collapse disorder (CPD). Colony Collapse Disorder Varroa mites have become a key biological stressor restricting the sustainable development of the beekeeping industry. Currently, the control of varroa mites mainly relies on chemically synthesized acaricides such as deltamethrin and amitraz. Although these agents have a certain acaricidal effect in the short term, long-term use has revealed many drawbacks: on the one hand, mites gradually develop resistance to various chemical agents, leading to a continuous decline in control efficiency; on the other hand, drug residues easily accumulate in bee products such as honey, royal jelly, and beeswax, which not only endangers consumer health but may also have toxic effects on bees themselves, interfering with their homing behavior, learning and memory abilities, and immune response systems, thereby indirectly inhibiting the glandular development and royal jelly secretion function of nurse bees. Therefore, developing a new type of bee feed additive that combines nutritional supply, immune enhancement, antibacterial and antiviral functions with highly effective acaricidal effects, and is safe, residue-free, and not prone to inducing resistance, has become a key technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in the field of beekeeping science and technology.

[0005] In recent years, plant-derived bioactive substances have received widespread attention due to their naturalness, low toxicity, multi-target mechanisms of action, and environmentally friendly characteristics. Among them, rosemary (a fragrant plant of the Lamiaceae family) Rosmarinus officinalis L.) and thyme ( Thymus vulgaris L. (L.) has shown broad application prospects in the field of bee health management due to its rich content of various bioactive components.

[0006] In the prior art, CN117678682A discloses the use of honeysuckle, isatis root, and andrographis paniculata as bee feed additives to improve the antiviral and antibacterial capabilities of bee colonies. CN120436257A discloses the preparation of bee feed additives using stemona root, sophora flavescens, and areca nut as raw materials to improve the bees' resistance to bee mites. CN105795167A discloses a bee feed additive that can increase royal jelly production, including: shepherd's purse, cornus officinalis, potasper, terminalia oleracea, raspberry, sedum, dandelion, elm bark, pseudobulb of cremastra, cinnamon root, fig, centella asiatica, calamus, radish seed, sea buckthorn, rice sprout, citrus aurantium, polygonatum, emblica, chicken gizzard lining, tung tree seed, hops, knotweed, tamarisk, and tamarisk. Currently, there are no reports on the use of rosemary and thyme in combination as bee feed additives. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In view of the above-mentioned prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide a compound natural plant bee feed additive and its application. This invention uses a combination of rosemary powder and thyme powder as a compound natural plant bee feed additive, enabling the bee feed additive to possess multiple functions such as nutritional supply, immune regulation, antibacterial and antiviral properties, and highly effective acaricide effects. The combined application of rosemary and thyme provides a new approach to solving the technical bottleneck of synergistic management of bee colony "nutrition-health-safety". This invention, through the combined use of rosemary and thyme as a bee feed additive, has a synergistic effect in improving bees' resistance to Varroa mites and Varroa mites, and increasing royal jelly production.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a compound natural plant bee feed additive, comprising rosemary powder and thyme powder; wherein the mass ratio of rosemary powder to thyme powder is (1-40):(1-40).

[0009] Preferably, the rosemary powder is made by pulverizing dried rosemary, and its particle size is ≥100 mesh.

[0010] Preferably, the thyme powder is made by pulverizing dried thyme, and its particle size is ≥100 mesh.

[0011] As a preferred option, the mass ratio of rosemary powder to thyme powder is 3:2.

[0012] In a second aspect, the present invention provides the application of the above-mentioned compound natural plant bee feed additive in the preparation of bee feed.

[0013] A third aspect of the present invention provides a bee feed, said bee feed being prepared by the following method: Add the above-mentioned compound natural plant bee feed additive to the basic bee feed, mix well, and you will get bee feed.

[0014] As a preferred option, the mass ratio of compound natural plant bee feed additive to basic bee feed is (20-800) g: 1 kg.

[0015] A fourth aspect of the invention provides the use of the above-mentioned bee feed in the following (1) and / or (2): (1) Inhibits Varroa mite parasitism; (2) Increase royal jelly production.

[0016] Preferably, the mites include *Deswathes spp.* and *Deswathes spp.*

[0017] The beneficial effects of this invention are: This invention uses a combination of rosemary powder and thyme powder as a bee feed additive, possessing multiple functions including nutritional supply, immune regulation, antibacterial and antiviral properties, and highly effective acaricide. Its combined application provides a new approach to solving the technical bottleneck of coordinated management of bee colonies' "nutrition-health-safety." Therefore, developing a compound natural plant-based bee feed additive with rosemary and thyme as the main ingredients not only aligns with the development trend of green, ecological, and organic beekeeping but also provides a safe, efficient, and innovative technical path to improve royal jelly yield and quality and achieve sustainable development in the bee industry. It has significant scientific research value and broad industrialization prospects.

[0018] Rosemary is rich in terpenoids and phenolic acids such as rosmarinic acid, 1,8-cineole, α-pinene, and camphor, exhibiting significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. Studies have shown that rosemary extract can enhance the oxidative stress defense capabilities of bees by scavenging free radicals and inhibiting lipid peroxidation, thereby improving immunity and survival rate. Its volatile components have inhibitory effects on various bacteria and viruses, helping to reduce the pathogen load in bee colonies. Simultaneously, rosemary essential oil shows good contact and fumigation activity against Varroa distemper mites, with the mechanism of action possibly involving interference with nerve conduction or disruption of their spiracles. Due to its complex chemical composition, mites are unlikely to quickly develop resistance. Furthermore, rosemary powder contains 12%-15% crude protein, serving as a high-quality plant protein source and providing nurse bees with the amino acid basis required for the synthesis of royal jelly.

[0019] The main active components of thyme are thymol, carawayol, p-cymene, and γ-terpinene, which possess broad-spectrum antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic activities. Thymol has been proven to effectively inhibit *Apis cerevisiae* (a type of bee colony). Melissococcus plutonius This helps prevent infectious diseases in bee colonies, such as American foulbrood. More importantly, thymol, as a natural fumigation acaricide, has been successfully applied in commercial formulations. It can penetrate and seal capped cells through volatilization to kill mites during the breeding season, and it is highly safe for adult bees and larvae, with low residues, meeting organic beekeeping standards. At the same time, thyme powder has a crude protein content exceeding 14%, and is rich in essential amino acids such as lysine, which helps optimize the amino acid balance in feed and promotes protein metabolism in nurse bees and royal jelly synthesis.

[0020] While both rosemary and thyme have potential in terms of nutritional supply and health regulation, long-term use of a single component still carries the risk of mite adaptation or resistance development. Combining the two may achieve complementary functions and synergistic effects: thymol primarily exerts its acaricidal effect by disrupting the cell membrane structure of mites, while the monoterpenes in rosemary may act on the nervous system; this multi-target combined action can significantly delay the development of drug resistance. Functionally, thyme focuses on exogenous pathogen control and acaricidal action, while rosemary focuses on endogenous antioxidant and immune support; their combination can form a comprehensive health management strategy of "external prevention and internal regulation." Nutritionally, both can serve as sources of plant protein, synergistically meeting the nutritional needs of nurse bees for royal jelly synthesis. Detailed Implementation

[0021] It should be noted that the following detailed descriptions are illustrative and intended to provide further explanation of this application. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains.

[0022] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0023] In this invention, the basic bee feed was purchased from Longkou Fengyuan Bee Feed Co., Ltd.; the amitraz solution was produced by Shanxi Weipeng Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., and the product name was Weipeng Bee Mite Killer.

[0024] The experimental materials used in the embodiments of this invention are all conventional experimental materials in the art and can be purchased through commercial channels.

[0025] Example 1: A compound natural plant-based bee feed additive After mixing rosemary powder and thyme powder in a mass ratio of 3:2, a compound natural plant bee feed additive is obtained.

[0026] Example 2: A compound natural plant-based bee feed additive After mixing rosemary powder and thyme powder at a mass ratio of 1:40, a compound natural plant bee feed additive is obtained.

[0027] Example 3: A compound natural plant-based bee feed additive After mixing rosemary powder and thyme powder evenly at a mass ratio of 40:1, a compound natural plant bee feed additive is obtained.

[0028] Example 4: A type of bee feed The compound natural plant bee feed additive prepared in Example 1 is mixed evenly with the basic bee feed at a mass ratio of 5:95 to obtain bee feed.

[0029] Comparative Example 1: Mix rosemary powder and bee basal feed at a mass ratio of 5:95 to obtain bee feed.

[0030] Comparative Example 2: Mix thyme powder and bee basal feed at a mass ratio of 5:95 to obtain bee feed.

[0031] Experiment 1: Test to Eliminate Varroa Mites In this experiment, 20 colonies of Italian honeybees were selected as test animals and randomly divided into 4 groups of 5 colonies each. The experiment aimed to test the effectiveness against Varroa mites and to record royal jelly production. The specific experimental steps were as follows: Different feeds were used to feed each group of Italian honeybees, with each treatment group being tested five times to ensure repeatability. Before use, the dry feed powder, honey, and water were mixed evenly in a mass ratio of 10:5:4 and left at room temperature for 24 hours to obtain the feed, which was then used to feed the honeybees.

[0032] The specific details of each processing group are as follows: Treatment group 1: Control group (CK), bees were fed basal feed as dry powder; Treatment Group 2: The bee feed prepared in Comparative Example 1 was used as feed powder; Treatment group 3: The bee feed prepared in Comparative Example 2 was used as feed powder; Treatment group 4: The bee feed prepared in Example 4 was used as feed powder; During the feeding process, each bee colony was fed 500g of bee feed each time, and the feed was changed every 5 days to ensure that the feeding management of bee colonies in each treatment group was consistent.

[0033] Before feeding, clean the bottom of the beehive thoroughly. On the 6th and 15th days of feeding, clean up any fallen mites from the bottom of the hive, sort and count the large and small Varroa mites, and record their numbers as A. 大蜂螨（第6天） A 小蜂螨（第6天） B 大蜂螨（第15天） B 小蜂螨（第15天） On day 16, a chemical acaricide—amycin solution—was used. The solution was diluted with water to a concentration of 0.001% (v / v) to treat the bee colony. Treatment was administered every 3 days for 3 consecutive treatments. After each treatment, the bottom of the hive was cleaned to remove any fallen mites, and the number of large and small Varroa mites was counted and recorded as C. 大蜂螨 C 小蜂螨 The mortality rates of Varroa macrocarpa and Varroa microcarpa were calculated based on the statistical counts of their numbers after 6 and 15 days of feeding. The results are shown in Table 1. Mortality rate of Varroa mites on day 6 of feeding (%) = [A 大蜂螨（第6天） / (A 大蜂螨（第6天） + B 大蜂螨（第15天） +C 大蜂螨 ]×100%; Mortality rate of Varroa mites on day 15 of feeding (%) = [(A) 大蜂螨（第6天） + B 大蜂螨（第15天） ) / (A 大蜂螨（第6天） +B 大蜂螨（第15天） +C 大蜂螨 ]×100%; Mortality rate of Varroa mites on day 6 of feeding (%) = [A 小蜂螨（第6天） / (A 小蜂螨（第6天） + B 小蜂螨（第15天） +C 小蜂螨 ]×100%; Mortality rate of Varroa mites on day 15 of feeding (%) = [(A) 小蜂螨（第6天） + B 小蜂螨（第15天） ) / (A 小蜂螨（第6天） +B 小蜂螨（第15天） +C 小蜂螨 )]×100%.

[0034] In addition, the royal jelly yield of each treatment group was measured during the experiment. The specific operation was as follows: royal jelly was taken from the bees of each treatment group every 3 days, and the weight was measured after the last collection. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0035] Table 1. Mortality rates of Varroa mites in different treatment groups (mean ± standard deviation) Note: Different lowercase letters after the data in the same column indicate significant differences (P<0.05).

[0036] Table 2 Royal jelly yield of different treatment groups (mean ± standard deviation) Note: Different lowercase letters after the data in the same column indicate significant differences (P<0.05).

[0037] Table 1 shows that, compared with the control group (CK, fed only with basic bee feed), feed treatments with added rosemary, thyme, and their compounds significantly increased the mortality rates of both Varroa macrocarpa and Varroa mites, with the mite-killing effect significantly increasing with prolonged treatment time. On day 6, the mortality rate of Varroa macrocarpa was highest in treatment group 4, significantly higher than other groups (P<0.05); the mortality rates of Varroa macrocarpa in treatment groups 2 and 3 did not differ significantly, but were both significantly higher than in treatment group 1. On day 15, the mortality rates of Varroa macrocarpa in all additive treatment groups increased significantly, with treatment group 4 reaching 98.55 ± 0.61%, significantly higher than treatment groups 2 and 3, while there were no significant differences between the latter two groups; treatment group 1 was significantly lower than all additive treatment groups. For Varroa mites, on day 6, the mortality rate in treatment group 4 was extremely significantly higher than other groups; the mortality rates in treatment groups 2 and 3 did not differ significantly, but were both significantly higher than in treatment group 1. On day 15, the mortality rate of Varroa mites in treatment group 4 was significantly higher than that in treatment groups 2 and 3, while that in treatment group 1 was significantly lower than that in all other treatment groups. Table 2 shows the mortality rates of Varroa mites and Varroa mites on day 6, indicating that the combination of rosemary and thyme as a bee feed additive has a synergistic effect in inhibiting Varroa mites in bees.

[0038] Table 2 shows that the royal jelly yield of all treatment groups fed with rosemary and thyme was significantly higher than that of the control group (CK) (P<0.05); there was no significant difference between treatment group 2 (rosemary only) and treatment group 3 (thyme only); however, treatment group 4 (rosemary + thyme) achieved a yield of 188.24 g ± 13.73 g, significantly higher than the CK group, treatment group 2, and treatment group 3 (P<0.05), showing the best performance among all treatments. The results indicate that adding rosemary or thyme extract to the basal diet can effectively increase royal jelly yield, and the combined treatment of adding both rosemary and thyme (treatment group 4) has a significant synergistic effect on yield increase, with royal jelly yield increasing by approximately 53.4% ​​compared to the CK group, significantly better than the single-component treatment.

[0039] In summary, rosemary and thyme, as natural plant additives, not only significantly improve the mortality rate of both large and small Varroa mites but also effectively increase royal jelly production. Specifically, the combined use of rosemary and thyme (treatment group 4) showed significantly better mite-killing effects and royal jelly production than single-component treatments, demonstrating a clear synergistic effect. This indicates that the compound additive has broad application prospects in bee colony health management and production performance improvement. Therefore, the compound natural plant bee feed additive provided by this invention has both anti-mite and production-increasing effects, making it suitable for healthy beekeeping.

[0040] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A compound natural plant-based bee feed additive, characterized in that, Including rosemary powder and thyme powder; The mass ratio of rosemary powder to thyme powder is (1-40):(1-40).

2. The compound natural plant-based bee feed additive as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The mass ratio of rosemary powder to thyme powder is 3:

2.

3. The compound natural plant-based bee feed additive as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rosemary powder is made by pulverizing dried rosemary, and its particle size is ≥100 mesh.

4. The compound natural plant-based bee feed additive as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The thyme powder is made by grinding dried thyme into powder with a particle size ≥100 mesh.

5. The application of the compound natural plant bee feed additive according to any one of claims 1-4 in the preparation of bee feed.

6. A bee feed, characterized in that, It is prepared by the following method: Add the compound natural plant bee feed additive as described in any one of claims 1-4 to the basic bee feed, mix evenly, and obtain bee feed.

7. The bee feed as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The mass ratio of compound natural plant bee feed additive to basic bee feed is (20-800) g: 1 kg.

8. The use of the bee feed according to claim 6 or 7 in the following (1) and / or (2): (1) Inhibits Varroa mite parasitism; (2) Increase royal jelly production.

9. The application as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The varroa mites include *Deswathes spp.* and *Deswathes spp.

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