Infections in Honey Bees () Treated with Pre/Probiotics and Impacts on Colonies in the Field.

Alternatives to the antibiotic fumagillin for the control of , a gut parasite of the honey bee, are needed. The prebiotics eugenol, chitosan, and naringenin and the probiotic Protexin () provided in sugar syrup or protein patty either in spring or fall were evaluated for their effects on infection, colony population, honey yield and winter survivorship using field colonies. In the first year, spring treatments with eugenol, naringenin, and Protexin significantly reduced infection and increased honey production, while Protexin also increased adult bee populations and chitosan was ineffective.