Honeybee Feed Boosts Colony Size in Study

Washington State University researchers and H4Bees found a powdered supplement increased honeybee colony numbers compared with a control group.

Updated on Nov. 8, 2026 in Nutrition

Honeybee Feed Boosts Colony Size in Study

Live Poll

Should the government fund research to protect honeybees that pollinate our food?

Washington State University researchers and the Israeli company H4Bees published a study in the journal Entomological Communications showing that feeding honeybees the powdered supplement Nano-B-Feed led to a statistically significant increase in bee numbers. The findings address difficulties blueberry farmers face in obtaining bees for pollination.

Why it matters

The State of Washington produces more blueberries than any other state, yet beekeepers have been reluctant to supply bees to blueberry farms because of increased, unexplained colony losses after pollination. A feed that strengthens colonies could help growers secure pollinators and support beekeepers in the state.

The study compared colonies fed Nano-B-Feed against a control group and found a statistically significant increase in bee numbers, following nearly a decade of field trials used to develop the powder. Whether the feed can counter pesticide and fungicide residues remains unproven, and a larger study is still being discussed.

The players

Washington State University

A public research university in Pullman, Washington, whose researchers conducted the honeybee feed study.

H4Bees

An Israel-based company that developed Nano-B-Feed and is testing it on coffee in Vietnam, avocados and blueberries in Peru, and other crops in Africa.

The details

Nano-B-Feed is a powdered supplement combining minerals, organic compounds and powdered sugar, placed at a colony entrance for bees to consume without opening the hives. According to Washington State University, each ingredient is listed as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Moving forward: a larger study is under discussion by DeVetter and H4Bees.

Big Picture

The findings extend H4Bees' nearly decade-long field-trial program for Nano-B-Feed into a peer-reviewed setting. The product is now being tested across several crops and regions, positioning it as a potential tool for pollination-dependent agriculture.

For Washington blueberry growers and beekeepers, the feed may eventually offer a practical way to strengthen colonies without opening hives. The product has not yet been shown to change pollination outcomes for consumers.

The takeaway

Pollinator health depends on both colony strength and crop protection, and the feed is one approach still being tested. Readers should watch for results from the larger study before drawing conclusions about its effects.