Galenics: studies of the toxicity and distribution of sugar substitutes on Apis mellifera

Eva Rademacher , Anja Fahlberg , Marlene Raddatz , Saskia Schneider , Kathrin Voigt

The aim of this study was to find a substitute to sugar water in medicinal treatments of honey bee colonies with the same properties but without being ingested by bees or being toxic to them. Tylose MH, sorbitol and glycerol were tested for their attractiveness to Apis mellifera, their application ability, toxicity via individual application and distribution in small groups respectively a small colony. Neither of the substances proved attractive or toxic. All had good application ability except sorbitol. Glycerol showed the best distribution compared to tylose and sugar water (chi-square test, f = 1, P ≤ 0.01). So the distribution of glycerol within a colony was shown by macro-computed tomography: it was quick and even (comparing density values before and after treatment, Mann–Whitney rank sum test, P ≤ 0.001). Glycerol can be recommended as a substitute for sugar water in medicinal treatments. Yet, its use with active ingredients should be investigated for combinatory effects.

Mots clés: galenics; sugar substitutes; Apis mellifera; distribution; toxicity

Domaines: Zoologie des invertébrés; Biodiversité; Ecologie, Environnement; Science des productions animales

Eva Rademacher, Anja Fahlberg, Marlene Raddatz, Saskia Schneider, Kathrin Voigt. Galenics: studies of the toxicity and distribution of sugar substitutes on Apis mellifera . Apidologie, 2013, 44 (2), pp.222-233. ⟨10.1007/s13592-012-0174-5⟩. ⟨hal-01201291⟩