Significant Reduction in
Nosema ceranae.
Proven Across 40 Commercial Manuka Hives.
Funded by a Callaghan Innovation Grant and independently run by Plant & Food Research, this trial tested AgriSea Bee Nutrition at 30ml/L of sugar syrup across a commercial manuka apiary in the Waikato over an autumn-to-spring feeding programme. The result: a statistically significant reduction in Nosema ceranae – one of the most damaging pathogens in modern beekeeping.
Why Nosema Matters – and What AgriSea Did to It
Nosema ceranae is one of the most significant threats facing managed honey bee colonies today. It attacks the gut lining of bees, can shorten individual lifespans by up to 78%, causes queens to stop laying, and pushes young bees into becoming premature foragers before the colony is ready. In commercial manuka operations, the consequences are directly financial.
In this independently run trial, hives fed AgriSea Bee Nutrition at 30ml per litre of sugar syrup showed a statistically significant reduction in N. ceranae populations compared to the control group fed sugar syrup only. A similar positive reduction was also seen for N. apis, though this did not reach statistical significance.
Understanding Nosema – The Gut Disease Costing Beekeepers
Nosemosis is caused by two spore-forming microsporidians that attack the gut lining of honey bees. Both species are now present in New Zealand. N. ceranae – originally a pathogen of the Asian honeybee – is now the more prevalent and more damaging of the two, capable of killing infected bees significantly faster than N. apis.
How Nosema Infects and Damages a Colony
How Infection Spreads
Bees ingest spores through contaminated food, water, frames, hive equipment or robbing of infected hives. Spores pass through the honey sac and are released into the midgut.
What Happens Inside the Bee
Upon ingestion, spores germinate and rapidly invade and grow within midgut cells until large enough to sporulate – releasing more spores and further damaging the gut lining.
Colony-Level Consequences
Infection at a young age prevents bees from producing brood food secretions, forcing them into premature foraging. Individual lifespans can be shortened by up to 78%.
Queen and Brood Impact
Infected queens have reduced lifespans and often stop laying entirely. The combination of premature foragers, shortened worker lifespans and a failing queen can rapidly collapse a colony.
Trial Design
The trial was independently run by Plant and Food Research at a commercial manuka apiary in the Waikato. Forty hives were fed four times across the autumn-to-spring period. Live bee samples were taken following the final feeding round and sent to DNature Diagnostics for independent laboratory analysis of both Nosema species populations.
Results – Nosema Populations at Final Assessment
Bee samples taken in September following the final feeding round were analysed for both Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae populations. The results showed a reduction in both species in the AgriSea-treated hives, with the N. ceranae result confirmed as statistically significant.
Nosema ceranaeStatistically Significant ✓
Nosema apisPositive Trend
What This Means for Beekeepers
N. ceranae is now the dominant Nosema species in New Zealand and globally. It is harder to detect than N. apis, spreads more quickly, and causes colony losses at a faster rate. A proven, statistically significant reduction from a simple addition to the sugar syrup feed programme is a meaningful result for any commercial or hobbyist beekeeper.
Reduced Lifespan Risk – Up to 78% Shorter
N. ceranae infection can shorten individual bee lifespans by up to 78%. Reducing population levels in the hive directly reduces the proportion of bees facing this accelerated mortality – supporting stronger, longer-lived colonies heading into the production season.
Protecting Queen Laying Performance
Infected queens reduce laying rate and often stop entirely. With N. ceranae populations significantly lower in treated hives, queen health and laying longevity are better protected through the demanding autumn-to-spring period.
Better Brood Rearing Bees
Young bees infected with Nosema skip the brood-rearing phase and become premature foragers, weakening hive development. Lower infection rates mean more bees completing their natural development cycle – directly supporting brood build-up.
Simple Addition to an Existing Feed Programme
The dose used in this trial – 30ml per litre of sugar syrup – is straightforward to implement alongside any existing feeding routine. No change to equipment or protocol is required beyond measuring the addition into the syrup.
What's in AgriSea Bee Nutrition?
AgriSea Bee Nutrition is a cold-fermented seaweed product made from New Zealand's native Ecklonia radiata kelp. The cold fermentation process preserves the full spectrum of bioactive compounds – trace elements, amino acids, vitamins and phytochemicals – in a naturally balanced, bioavailable form that bees can use immediately through their feed.
Trace Elements & Minerals
Supporting immune system function and gut integrity – the mechanisms most directly relevant to resisting and recovering from Nosema infection in the midgut.
Pre & Probiotics
Supporting the gut microbiome of individual bees, which plays a central role in nutrient absorption, immune response and resistance to gut pathogens like Nosema.
Amino Acids & Vitamins
A near-complete amino acid profile supporting protein synthesis, healthy brood food secretion and the full developmental lifecycle of nurse bees – disrupted by Nosema infection.
Phytochemicals & Long-Chain Sugars
Anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating plant compounds that may support the bee's ability to resist and limit the spread of spore-based infections like Nosemosis.
Recommended Products
AgriSea Bee Nutrition was used in this research trial to achieve a statistically significant reduction in Nosema ceranae populations.
Bee Nutrition
Cold-fermented seaweed nutrition that supports bee gut health, immune function, and has been proven to significantly reduce Nosema ceranae populations in commercial hives
Learn MoreFunded by Callaghan Innovation Grant – 40 hives – 4 feeds: April, July, August (×2)
Sample analysis: DNature Diagnostics | Dose: 30ml AgriSea Bee Nutrition per litre of sugar syrup
Protect Your Hives This Season
Add AgriSea Bee Nutrition to your sugar syrup feed programme at 30ml per litre – autumn through spring. Talk to your local AgriSea consultant or order direct.
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