Bee Feed Boosts Blueberry Crops

Blueberry growers rely on honey bee colonies for crop pollination, but many beekeepers hesitate due to concerns about bee health and potential disease exposure. A recent small study, led by Washington State University professor Lisa DeVetter, investigated a powdered supplement called Nano-B-Feed. This supplement, containing minerals and organic compounds, was tested on commercial blueberry farms in Mount Vernon, Washington, during spring 2025.

The trial involved 30 honey bee colonies. Fifteen colonies received the powdered supplement twice weekly, while the other fifteen did not. Researchers measured colony size using a standard cluster count before and after the bloom period. The results indicated that colonies receiving the supplement grew by an average of 6.6 units, compared to 2.3 units in the unfed colonies, suggesting significant colony growth and potentially more raised young.

While the supplement showed promising colony growth, initial observations of foraging bees did not reveal clear differences between the fed and unfed groups. The researchers suggest that the supplement might help bees break down pesticides they encounter, a concern given the presence of various agricultural chemicals in pollen. The study's findings are considered exploratory due to limitations, including the close proximity of colonies and the involvement of some authors in the supplement's development.

Further larger-scale trials are planned to assess the supplement's effectiveness more broadly. These future studies aim to determine how Nano-B-Feed impacts bees at a molecular level and whether these changes translate to improved pollination and honey production. The goal is to provide beekeepers with more data to decide on the supplement's use during critical pollination periods.