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- Title
Effect of oral administration of lactic acid bacteria on colony performance and gut microbiota in indoor-reared bumblebees ( Bombus terrestris).
- Authors
Billiet, Annelies; Meeus, Ivan; Cnockaert, Margo; Vandamme, Peter; Oystaeyen, Annette; Wäckers, Felix; Smagghe, Guy
- Abstract
In this study, we investigated if oral administration of lactic acid bacteria could increase the colony performance of reared bumblebees. We found that a continuous administration of Lactobacillus kunkeei LMG 18925 and Lactobacillus crispatus LMG 9479 could partly compensate the effects of low nutritional pollen, but a permanent colonization in the gut was not detected with Illumina MiSeq 16S rRNA sequencing. Contrary to expectations, a single administration of L. kunkeei LMG 18925 to a high nutritional pollen led to a lower total drone mass. A Bombus-specific strain, Bifidobacterium actinocoloniiforme R-53049, showed potential to colonize the gut permanently after three administrations. Our study represents a first screening for the potential use of probiotic strains in bumblebees. We conclude that both diet and host specificity of bacteria might have an effect on colony performance of indoor-reared bumblebees and play a role in the gut colonization success.
- Subjects
LACTIC acid; BEE colonies; BUMBLEBEES
- Publication
Apidologie, 2017, Vol 48, Issue 1, p41
- ISSN
0044-8435
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s13592-016-0447-5