An Overview of the Nutritional Requirements of Honey Bees (Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758)

Honey bees are known for their wide global distribution, their ease of handling, and their economic and ecological value. However, they are often exposed to a wide variety of stress factors. Therefore, it is essential for beekeepers to maintain healthy bee colonies. In this context, a balanced diet is recommended to support the growth of strong and healthy honey bee colonies. The purpose of this review is therefore to provide an overview of the nutritional requirements of Apis mellifera and their importance for the maintenance of healthy bee colonies. An adequate diet includes the consumption of sufficient amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, water, and essential sterols, and a diet based on multi-floral pollen is desirable. However, when honey bee colonies are located near agroecosystems with lower resource diversity, both brood rearing and colony longevity may decrease, making them more susceptible to parasites and diseases. On the other hand, efforts have been made to improve the health of honey bee colonies with the help of nutritional supplements consisting of a variety of components. Nevertheless, studies have shown that even with these supplements, a lack of nutrients can still be an issue for honey bee colonies. Furthermore, future research should focus on identifying nutritional supplements that can better replicate natural diet diversity and assessing long-term effects on honey bee colony resilience, especially in low-flowering areas. This review discusses the interaction between nutrient requirements and the effects of supplements on colony health.