Feed supplementation with molybdenum complexes improves honey bee health

Arcadie Fuior; Loïc Colin-Duchevet; Valentina Cebotari; Amélie Noël; Isabelle Ribaud; Isabelle Gérard; Olga Garbuz; Mathieu Fregnaux; Xavier López; Virginie Larcher; Michael A. Shestopalov; Anastasiya O. Solovieva; Tatiana N. Pozmogova; Olesea Gliga; Nadejda Railean; Précillia Cochard; Benjamin Poirot; Leonidas Charistos; Fani Hatjina; Andrea Somogyi; Kadda Medjoubi; Sébastien Gaumer; Aurelian Gulea; Ion Toderas; Jean-Christophe Sandoz; Sébastien Floquet

doi:10.1039/D5QI00878F

Feed supplementation with molybdenum complexes improves honey bee health†

Arcadie Fuior,

^ab Loïc Colin-Duchevet,

^c Valentina Cebotari,

^d Amélie Noël,

^c Isabelle Ribaud,^e Isabelle Gérard,

^a Olga Garbuz,

^d Mathieu Fregnaux,

^a Xavier López,

^f Virginie Larcher,^c Michael A. Shestopalov,

^g Anastasiya O. Solovieva,

^h Tatiana N. Pozmogova,

^gi Olesea Gliga,

^d Nadejda Railean,

^d Précillia Cochard,

^j Benjamin Poirot,

^j Leonidas Charistos,

^k Fani Hatjina,

^k Andrea Somogyi,

^l Kadda Medjoubi,

^l Sébastien Gaumer,

^m Aurelian Gulea,

^b Ion Toderas,

‡^d Jean-Christophe Sandoz

‡^c and Sébastien Floquet

‡^a

Author affiliations

^a Institut Lavoisier de Versailles, Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, CNRS, UMR 8180, 78000 Versailles, France
E-mail: sebastien.floquet@uvsq.fr

^b State University of Moldova, MD-2009 Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

^c Evolution Genomes Behaviour & Ecology, University Paris-Saclay, CNRS, IRD, 91198 Gif Sur Yvette, France
E-mail: jean-christophe.sandoz@cnrs.fr

^d Institute of Zoology, MD-2028 Chisinau, Republic of Moldova

^e Université Paris Saclay, CNRS, IN2P3, IJCLab, 91403 Orsay, France

^f Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Departament de Química Física i Inorgànica, Marcel·lí Domingo 1, 43007 Tarragona, Spain

^g Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia

^h Research Institute of Clinical and Experimental Lymphology – Branch of the ICG SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia

ⁱ Novosibirsk State University, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia

^j Apinov S.A.S, 17140 Lagord, La Rochelle, France

^k Department of Apiculture, Institute of Animal Science, ELGO ‘DIMITRA’, Nea Moudania, Greece

^l Nanoscopium beamline, Synchrotron SOLEIL, L'Orme des Merisiers, Saint-Aubin, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette, France

^m Genetics and Cell Biology Laboratory, Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, 78180 Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of dietary supplementation with molybdenum-based compounds on honey bee health. Among a series of dinuclear Mo(V) complexes, the most stable and non-toxic complexes were selected and tested over an extensive eight-year field campaign involving more than 700 beehives across diverse environmental conditions in Moldova, France, Greece and the United States. In a first part, we established that the administration of a few milligrams of the compounds Na-Mo₂O₄-EDTA or Li-Mo₂O₄-EDTA in spring or autumn enhanced colony performance: queen fecundity, hygienic behaviour, and honey production increased, while Varroa destructor infestation rates and winter losses were substantially reduced. A second part of the work focused on understanding these effects in beehives. Hive monitoring showed that the Mo-containing syrup can be consumed over 1.5 months and is well assimilated by larvae and workers. In particular, Mo levels increased significantly in the head of the bees. X-ray fluorescence measurements demonstrated that Na-Mo₂O₄-EDTA increases Mo levels in the brain, neurolemma and hypopharyngeal glands, which play a crucial role in honey bee health. The metabolism of Mo complexes was addressed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) on bee fæces, which revealed that the complexes are oxidized into Mo(VI), suggesting that Mo complexes may function as antioxidant agents in bees. These findings offer promising solutions for the beekeeping industry, struggling with weakening honey bee colonies.

Inorganic Chemistry Frontiers

Feed supplementation with molybdenum complexes improves honey bee health†

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Feed supplementation with molybdenum complexes improves honey bee health

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