Effects of Acetylsalicylic Acid, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, and Vitamin C On Survival, Immunity and Performance of Honey Bees

From late autumn until the end of winter conditions, bees are exposed to many stress factors including low air temperature and several pathogens.This study aimed to estimate the effects of three commercial materials (acetylsalicylic acid, Echinacea purpurea extract, and vitamin (C) mixed with sugar feeding on some parameters related to stress tolerance using laboratory and field tests.The laboratory tests supported the potential role of vitamin C and Echinacea purpurea extract to enhance the tolerance ability of bees to low temperatures.The most promising results for the recovery time of bees after exposure to low temperatures, survival rates after narcosis, and hemocyte count were recorded with these two materials.After winter the strength of bee colonies fed on sugar feeding mixed with vitamin C and Echinacea purpurea extract were approximately equal to the strength before winter.However, the contrary was obtained with acetylsalicylic acid and the control group.Thus, using vitamin C or Echinacea purpurea extract as safe additives can boost the survival of bee colonies during the winter period.