Giving honeybees pro- and prebiotics might keep them buzzing in a warming world

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2026-07-16 04:00

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Iranian and Canadian scientists say giving honeybees (Apis mellifera) prebiotics and probiotics may help them survive as the world warms, making colonies more resilient to climate change. The team gave worker bees dietary supplements consisting of a commercial probiotic (Progen®) and the prebiotic Inulin for 21 days, then exposed them to four different temperature regimes - 4, 15, 35, and 40°C - to see how they coped. They noted how many bees survived and also looked at key enzymes the insects produce in response to stress. They found the bees on the highest dose of the supplement were the most likely to survive the higher temperatures, with each additional supplement dose improving survival. Bees on the highest dose also produced the lowest levels of stress enzymes, and had the richest gut bug communities. For comparison, the team also looked at bees that had not been given supplements, finding they had the lowest chances of survival and produced the highest levels of stress-related enzymes. The findings suggest probiotics and prebiotics could be used to buffer honey bees against the stress of rising temperatures.