D3091: The role of soybeans and supplemental plantings in the nectar diet of honey bees

The agricultural landscape in the Midwest is composed of various sources of honey bee forage, including crops, weeds, and supplemental pollinator plantings. Currently, the complementarity of these resources in the honey bee diet, as well as potential benefits of access to supplemental habitat plantings are poorly understood. This study aims to identify the flowers associated with periods of colony weight gain and honey production in agriculturally intense regions of Ohio, with a focus on identifying the role of soybeans as a mid-season nectar resource and establishing the relationship between supplemental habitat plantings and colony overwinter survival. Colonies at apiaries in Northern Ohio were monitored in 2020 and 2021. Broodminder hive scales were used to track colony weight continuously and nectar samples were collected for pollen DNA metabarcoding to identify the plants contributing most to honey production. Preliminary results show that colonies gained weight at all sites during soybean bloom in 2020, with nectar samples composed largely of pollen from Glycine (soybeans) and Trifolium (clovers). This study provides insight into nectar resources used by bees in a Midwestern agroecosystem for honey production. In addition, using colony weight data, we identify periods of resource dearth for bees in this region and suggest periods when supplemental pollinator forage could fill these gaps in the honey bee diet.