Scientists create "superfood" for bees - New supplement significantly improves reproduction in colonies
A study led by the University of Oxford has developed a specially designed food supplement for bees that could help reverse the worrying decline in their populations. The supplement, designed to mimic key substances in plant pollen, significantly improved colony reproduction, according to findings published in the journal Nature.
Bees, critical pollinators for over 70% of global crops, face increasing threats from climate change and industrial intensification of agriculture, which are reducing floral diversity. Pollen provides specific lipids called sterols, which are essential for bee development, but commercial pollen substitutes often lack these components. This new “superfood” is not just a sugar, which beekeepers typically use during periods of food shortage, but contains all the ingredients needed to create healthy generations.
Professor Geraldine Wright from the Department of Biology at the University of Oxford described this compound as “complete food for bees.” The research team, in collaboration with other institutions, modified a microorganism to produce the six main sterols identified in bee tissues.
"By using these microorganisms to produce sterols, we can create a pollen substitute that can sustain bee colonies indefinitely. And that's a huge achievement for beekeepers. They haven't historically had a tool like that," Wright said.
In three-month experiments in controlled environments, colonies fed the sterol-enriched supplement produced up to 15 times more larvae than colonies not fed the supplement. They also maintained more consistent egg production.
This innovation has the potential to reduce competition for wild pollen, increasing bee resilience and supporting global food security.
Large-scale field trials are planned to confirm the long-term benefits. Belgian company Apix Biosciences has partnered with the Oxford team to begin commercial production of this "food" in 2026. With bee populations at risk worldwide, Wright believes this could be the key to stopping them from going extinct.
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