Landmark Study Shows First Nutritionally Complete Honey Bee Feed Dramatically Improves Colony Survival and Strengthens Commercial Beekeeping
Multi-year field trial across commercial operations demonstrates that fall and winter feeding with a pollen-replacing feed produces stronger colonies, nearly halves winter mortality, and generates over $12,000 in additional annual revenue per 100 hives
WINGENE, Belgium – March 12, 2026 — A peer-reviewed study published in Insects (MDPI) demonstrates that feeding honey bee colonies a nutritionally complete Pollen-Replacing Feed (PRF-1) over fall and winter nearly halves winter colony mortality, produces significantly stronger colonies, and generates substantial economic returns for beekeepers—all under real-world commercial conditions. The research is a collaboration between Washington State University (WSU) and APIX Biosciences NV.
The findings come at a critical juncture. The winter of 2024–2025 saw the highest recorded colony losses in U.S. history. Despite being one of agriculture’s most economically vital livestock species, honey bees have never had access to a nutritionally complete manufactured feed. Current commercial protein supplements lack multiple essential nutrients and are not balanced. PRF-1, developed by APIX Biosciences and based on more than 20 years of research, is the first feed formulated to meet all nutrient requirements of honey bees as previously demonstrated by its ability to sustain brood production in colonies in tented enclosures where, they only receive PRF-1 and sugar water from May to October. .
What sets this study apart is its scale, duration, and real-world design. This is the largest and longest-running feeding trial ever conducted entirely under commercial beekeeping conditions — comparable to a phase III clinical trial for honey bee nutrition. Previous studies of protein supplements have typically been small-scale, short-term, or conducted under controlled laboratory or cage conditions that do not reflect the realities of commercial beekeeping.
The trial tracked hundreds of colonies across five commercial operations in California and Idaho over two consecutive seasons (2022–2024). Each operation manages more than 2,000 colonies. The beekeepers themselves managed the colonies and delivered the feeds as part of their normal daily operations. Colonies were divided into two groups: one receiving PRF-1 and the other receiving each beekeeper’s chosen commercially available protein supplement. All other management — Varroa treatment, sugar syrup feeding, colony movement — remained identical. Colonies faced the full range of real-world stressors, and the benefits of PRF-1 were consistent across all operations, regardless of location, climate, or management style.
The results were clear at every measurement point:
Entering almond pollination (January): PRF-1-fed colonies were 16% larger on average. The difference was decisive at the contract level: 68% of PRF-1 colonies met the 8-frame strength threshold that almond growers require for premium pollination contracts, compared to just 57% of the control group or nearly 20% more colonies qualified for full-rate rental.
After almond pollination (March): PRF-1 colonies came out of almonds with 36% more adult bees and 40% more brood, giving beekeepers significantly more biological capital heading into the rest of the season. Winter colony mortality was nearly halved — a 48% reduction (15% vs. 29%).
Spring recovery: In a separate test where colonies of both groups were matched to the same starting size in January, PRF-1-fed colonies still grew 12% faster through spring. This shows that PRF-1 produces healthier, higher-quality winter bees — bees with greater physiological reserves that are more effective at rebuilding the colony when spring arrives.
“This study demonstrates that providing colonies with complete nutrition during the critical fall and winter months has long-lasting effects on colony health and productivity,” said Prof. Brandon Hopkins, Associate Professor of Entomology at Washington State University and co-corresponding author. “The benefits persist well beyond the feeding period, translating into stronger colonies in spring and tangible economic gains for beekeepers.”
For beekeepers, each of these biological improvements translates directly into revenue. The study’s economic analysis modeled a hypothetical 100-colony operation and traced the financial impact through the entire annual cycle:
Higher almond pollination income. Almond pollination is the single largest revenue event of the year for most commercial U.S. beekeepers, with growers paying an average of $181 per hive in 2024 but often only for colonies that meet the 8-frame minimum. By qualifying nearly 1 in 5 additional colonies for full-rate contracts, PRF-1 generates an additional $1,931 in almond pollination fees per 100 hives.
Avoided replacement costs. Every dead colony must be replaced, typically at $150–$250 for a package or nucleus colony, and replacements rarely reach full productivity in their first season. The 14 additional colonies saved per 100 hives by PRF-1 represent $2,100–$3,500 in avoided replacement costs—before accounting for the revenue those surviving colonies go on to generate.
More splits, more downstream income. The real multiplier comes in March. Colonies emerging from almonds with more bees and brood can be divided into five-frame nucleus colonies (“splits”) for further pollination, honey production, or sale. PRF-1-fed operations produced 194 five-frame splits per 100 starting colonies, compared to just 143 under conventional feeding—an additional 51 splits, a 36% increase in productive assets. Each split that goes on to apple pollination and honey production generates roughly $197 in combined revenue, adding approximately $10,100 in downstream income. Alternatively, five-frame nucs typically sell for $150–$225 on the open market, representing $7,700–$11,500 in direct sales. Most operations use a mix of both strategies.
Compounding returns. Because each surviving colony can be split, the benefits don’t just repeat—they compound. A PRF-1-fed operation starting with 100 colonies enters the second fall with roughly 149 colonies, versus 109 under conventional feeding. By Year 5, the gap is dramatic: PRF-1-fed operations are projected to generate over $246,000 in annual gross revenue — nearly five times the $55,000 projected for a conventionally fed operation of the same starting size.
In total, PRF-1 generates an additional $12,066 in gross revenue per 100 colonies in the first year alone — from higher almond fees, increased apple pollination capacity, and greater honey production combined.
“This study demonstrates that a nutritionally complete approach not only improves colony health but fundamentally strengthens the economics of commercial beekeeping operations.”, said Jan Bogaert, CEO of APIX Biosciences and co-author.
The national average winter colony loss rate for U.S. commercial operations reached 40.7% in 2024–2025 — the worst year on record. Even the conventionally fed control colonies in this study performed better than that average, because participating beekeepers were experienced professionals who selected healthy colonies at the outset. Yet PRF-1 still delivered a significant survival advantage on top of already above-average practices. The 15% winter mortality observed in PRF-1-fed colonies is roughly one-third of the national average.
The survival benefit was consistent across all participating operations and was not influenced by year or location, confirming that the nutritionally complete diet — not any particular management practice or environmental condition—was the driver. The study also found no differences in Varroa mite loads or viral pathogen levels between treatment groups, indicating that PRF-1 works through improved overall colony fitness rather than direct effects on parasites or pathogens. Better-nourished colonies are simply more resilient against the combination of stressors that drive winter losses. While these findings demonstrate a clear survival benefit, PRF-1 is not a silver bullet that can resolve every challenge bees face, such as varroa mites and pesticides. However, consistent use of the product whenever colonies require supplemental feeding represents the most effective nutritional strategy to support colony strength and long-term resilience.
Honey bees pollinate more than $15 billion worth of U.S. crops annually and are the single most important managed pollinator worldwide — the FAO estimates that 75% of the world’s leading food crops depend at least in part on animal pollination. Declining colony health threatens not only beekeeper livelihoods but food security for billions of people. As climate change shifts flowering patterns, reduces natural forage, and intensifies nutritional stress events, a validated tool that meaningfully reduces colony mortality has implications far beyond any single country or beekeeping model.
Although this study was conducted in the U.S., colony losses and nutritional challenges are reported worldwide — across Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia. PRF-1 is manufactured from ingredients approved for livestock feed in both the EU and the U.S., making it deployable internationally. The research offers a scalable, practical solution for operations of all sizes, from large migratory outfits in the Americas and Australia to smaller operations across Europe, Africa, and Asia that sustain local food production and rural livelihoods.
Dr. Thierry Bogaert, Chairman and CTO of APIX Biosciences, commented: “Although European beekeepers generally move their colonies less than in the U.S., the biological challenges are strikingly similar. Colonies across Europe are increasingly exposed to fragmented landscapes and periods of pollen dearth at precisely the moment when they must produce resilient winter bees. Our findings demonstrate that improving nutritional completeness in fall and winter feeding can significantly strengthen colony robustness. For European apiculture, this represents a practical, science-based lever to improve overwintering success and long-term colony stability in an increasingly challenging environment.”
In intensive agricultural regions across Europe, flowering periods are often shorter and less diverse, creating nutritional bottlenecks in late summer and autumn. Even in non-migratory systems, prolonged pollen dearth can weaken immune function and increase susceptibility to parasites and pathogens. Nutritionally complete fall and winter feeding may offer European beekeepers more stable overwinter survival, reduced replacement costs, stronger spring colonies, and greater resilience against the interacting stressors that characterize modern beekeeping across the continent.
Patrick Pilkington (APIX, USA): “We are pleased to announce that PRF-1, marketed as APIX Pollen (www.APIXPOLLEN.com), will be commercially available to beekeepers in the United States as of June 2026. After years of research and rigorous field validation, we are ready to put this tool into the hands of the beekeepers who need it most—in time for the fall feeding season that is so critical to overwinter success.”
In Europe parties interested in purchasing the product, can register their interest at info@apixbiosciences.com.
The study, titled “Enhanced Honey Bee Colony Strength and Economic Returns from Fall and Winter Feeding with a Complete Pollen-Replacing Feed,” is published in Insects (2026, 17, 243) and is freely available as an open-access article under a Creative Commons (CC BY) license at https://doi.org/10.3390/insects17030243. The open-access publication ensures full transparency and accessibility of the research findings to the global scientific and beekeeping communities.
The research was led by Dr. Kelly Kulhanek and Dr. Brandon Hopkins of Washington State University’s Department of Entomology, one of the foremost U.S. institutions in honey bee research and pollination science. Co-author Anne Marie Fauvel is affiliated with Vitality LLC. Jan Bogaert and Dr. Thierry Bogaert of APIX Biosciences NV (Belgium) are co-authors and co-developers of PRF-1.
APIX Biosciences NV is a Belgian agrotechnology company developing science-based nutritional solutions to support honey bees and other pollinators. Founded on more than 20 years of research, APIX’s mission is to restore ecological balance and contribute to biodiversity and global food security through innovation. APIX developed PRF-1 (marketed as APIX Pollen), the first nutritionally complete pollen-replacing feed for honey bees, formulated from livestock-grade ingredients approved in the EU and U.S.
Media Contacts:
www.APIXPOLLEN.com | www.APIXBiosciences.com
APIX Business inquiries:
Jan Bogaert — CEO APIX Biosciences NV
Email: Jan.Bogaert@apixbiosciences.com
Telephone: +32 495 57 75 33
Patrick Pilkington — CEO APIX Biosciences US
Email: Patrick.Pilkington@apixbiosciences.com
Telephone: +1 317 671-1595
Scientific inquiries:
Dr. Brandon Kingsley Hopkins — Associate Professor at Washington State University – Department of Entomology
Email: bhopkins@wsu.edu
Telephone: +1 509 868 1250
Dr. Thierry Bogaert — APIX Biosciences NV
Email: Thierry.Bogaert@ApixBiosciences.com
Telephone: +32 475 28 23 68
Press Contact:
Wim Goemaere — CFO APIX Biosciences NV
Email: Wim.Goemaere@apixbiosciences.com
Phone: +32 475 95 12 04
