Scientists tested whether adding oyster mushroom powder to the food that farmed bumble bees eat could help them grow better. They fed some bumble bee colonies regular pollen and others pollen mixed with mushroom powder. The bees that ate the mushroom-enhanced food had babies that grew faster, weighed more, and had more body fat than the other groups. This discovery could help farmers who raise bumble bees for crop pollination by giving them healthier, stronger colonies that produce more offspring.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether adding oyster mushroom mycelium (the root-like part of mushrooms) to bumble bee food would help the bees develop better and produce more offspring.
  • Who participated: Small laboratory colonies of bumble bees (Bombus impatiens), which are commonly raised on farms for pollinating crops. The researchers tested two different types of oyster mushrooms mixed into the bees’ pollen diet.
  • Key finding: Bumble bee colonies fed pollen mixed with one type of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus columbinus) produced more babies that grew faster, weighed more, and had higher fat content compared to colonies eating regular pollen or pollen with a different mushroom species.
  • What it means for you: If you’re involved in farming or beekeeping, this suggests that adding mushroom supplements to bumble bee food could create healthier, more productive colonies. However, this is early-stage research, and more testing is needed before farmers should change their feeding practices.

The Research Details

Researchers created small bumble bee colonies in a laboratory setting and divided them into three groups. One group received regular pollen (the control group), while the other two groups received pollen mixed with one of two different oyster mushroom varieties at a 1% concentration. The scientists then observed and measured how the baby bees developed over time, tracking things like how fast they grew, how much they weighed, and how much body fat they had.

This type of study is called a controlled experiment because the researchers kept everything the same except for the type of food the bees received. This helps them figure out whether the mushroom addition actually caused the differences they observed, rather than other factors being responsible.

The researchers chose oyster mushrooms because they’re easy to grow, renewable, and contain good nutrition. They specifically tested whether adding mushrooms would make the pollen diet more appealing to bumble bees and provide better nutrition than regular pollen alone.

This research matters because bumble bees raised on farms are fed pollen that was originally collected by honey bees. However, bumble bees and honey bees have different nutritional needs and food preferences. By testing whether mushroom supplements could fill nutritional gaps, scientists are trying to improve the health of farmed bumble bee colonies. Healthier colonies mean better pollination for crops, which benefits farmers and food production.

This study was published in the Journal of Economic Entomology, a respected scientific journal focused on insects and agriculture. The researchers used a controlled laboratory design, which is a reliable way to test cause-and-effect relationships. However, the study was conducted with small laboratory colonies, which may not perfectly reflect how bumble bees behave in larger, commercial-scale operations. The exact number of colonies tested wasn’t specified in the abstract, which would be helpful information for evaluating the study’s strength.

What the Results Show

The most important finding was that bumble bee colonies fed pollen mixed with Pleurotus columbinus mushroom mycelium produced more offspring than the other groups. The baby bees from these colonies also developed faster—meaning they reached adulthood more quickly—compared to bees in the control group and those fed the other mushroom species.

When researchers measured the baby bees’ bodies, they found that bees from the P. columbinus group were heavier and had more fat stored in their bodies. Fat is important for insects because it provides energy and helps them survive and reproduce. This suggests that the P. columbinus mushroom supplement provided better nutrition than regular pollen alone.

Interestingly, the second mushroom species tested (Pleurotus djamor) did not show the same benefits. The colonies fed P. djamor pollen performed similarly to the control group, suggesting that not all mushroom types are equally beneficial. This indicates that the specific type of mushroom matters for improving bumble bee nutrition.

The research revealed that the nutritional quality of pollen varies depending on which mushroom species is added to it. This finding is important because it shows that simply adding any mushroom supplement won’t necessarily help—the choice of which mushroom to use matters significantly. The fact that P. columbinus worked better than P. djamor suggests that different mushroom species have different nutritional profiles that may be more or less suitable for bumble bee needs.

This research builds on the understanding that farmed bumble bees don’t receive ideal nutrition from honey bee-collected pollen alone. Previous research has shown that bumble bees and honey bees prefer different types of pollen because they have different dietary needs. This study is one of the first to test whether mushroom supplements could bridge that nutritional gap. The positive results align with growing interest in finding sustainable, renewable food supplements for farmed insects.

The study was conducted in laboratory conditions with small colonies, which may not perfectly represent how bumble bees behave in larger, commercial farming operations. The researchers didn’t specify exactly how many colonies they tested, which makes it harder to judge how confident we should be in the results. Additionally, the study only tested two mushroom species, so we don’t know whether other mushroom varieties might work even better. The research also didn’t examine whether the mushroom supplement affects other important factors like disease resistance or how long the bees live. Finally, the cost-effectiveness of adding mushroom supplements to commercial bumble bee operations wasn’t evaluated.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, there is moderate evidence suggesting that adding Pleurotus columbinus mushroom mycelium to bumble bee food may improve colony health and productivity. However, this is early-stage research, and the findings should be confirmed in larger, commercial-scale studies before farmers make changes to their feeding practices. If you’re involved in bumble bee farming, consider monitoring this research area, but don’t implement changes based solely on this single study.

This research is most relevant to commercial bumble bee farmers and producers who raise colonies for crop pollination. Agricultural scientists and entomologists studying insect nutrition should also find this valuable. Home gardeners or hobbyists who keep bees may find it interesting but shouldn’t attempt to apply these findings without professional guidance. Consumers who care about sustainable agriculture and pollinator health may appreciate the potential benefits of healthier farmed bee colonies.

If mushroom supplements were adopted by farmers, the benefits would likely appear within a single bee colony cycle (typically several weeks to a few months for bumble bees). However, it would take multiple growing seasons to fully evaluate whether the practice improves overall farm productivity and profitability. Researchers would need additional time to conduct larger-scale studies before widespread adoption could be recommended.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • If you manage bumble bee colonies, track the number of offspring produced per colony and the average weight of developing bees weekly. Compare colonies fed standard pollen versus those receiving mushroom-supplemented pollen to monitor for differences in development speed and colony growth.
  • If implementing this finding, gradually introduce P. columbinus mushroom mycelium at a 1% concentration into your colony’s pollen diet. Monitor colony behavior, food consumption, and offspring development over several weeks to assess whether the supplement improves your specific operation’s results.
  • Establish a baseline measurement of your current colony productivity (offspring count, development time, bee weight) before introducing any supplements. Continue measuring these same metrics weekly or bi-weekly after adding the mushroom supplement for at least one full colony cycle. Document any changes in colony health, food preferences, or pest/disease issues that might be related to the dietary change.

This research describes laboratory findings in bumble bee colonies and has not yet been tested at commercial scale. The study was conducted with small laboratory colonies, which may not reflect results in larger farming operations. Before making any changes to bumble bee feeding practices or colony management, consult with a professional entomologist or agricultural extension specialist. This information is for educational purposes and should not replace professional agricultural or veterinary advice. Individual results may vary based on local conditions, bee species, and farming practices.