Question 1

How do I use SuperDFM-HoneyBee?

Accepted Answer

Feed SuperDFM-HoneyBee dry every time you provide supplemental feeding for the bees. Alternatively, inoculate the hives using MicroCloud attachment without opening the hive.

Question 2

How often should SuperDFM-HoneyBee be used?

Accepted Answer

SuperDFM-HoneyBee is recommended monthly during the colonies' active time. At the least, administer SuperDFM every time supplemental feeding is needed.

Question 3

How do I apply SuperDFM in a top bar hive?

Accepted Answer

Dust the DFM on top of the bees near the brood.  One tablespoon every 30 days will be a fine dose cadence.  Just get it in the hive.

Question 4

Can SuperDFM® be applied too frequently?

Accepted Answer

SuperDFM®-HoneyBee™ is safe to use and there are no adverse effects if you use more than recommended application. SuperDFM® contains powdered sucrose or sugar, but it is not a substitute for bee feed.

Question 5

Can I over apply SuperDFM-Honeybee?

Accepted Answer

No, there is no such thing as too much probiotic and there are no reported adverse effects to the bees.

Question 6

When is the best time to use SuperDFM-HoneyBee?

Accepted Answer

The most important time is when the queen starts to lay winter bees and the second is first thing in the spring.

Question 7

Can SuperDFM-HoneyBee be applied right on the top bars?

Accepted Answer

SuperDFM-HoneyBee can be placed right on top bars or any dry surface inside the hive where the nurse bees can consume it easily and quickly.

Question 8

Can I apply SuperDFM-HoneyBee onto the honey supers?

Accepted Answer

Yes, SuperDFM-HoneyBee can be put at the top of the bars of honey supers, as long as bees have access to it.

Question 9

Should a nucleus colony get less than the recommended application?

Accepted Answer

No, SuperDFM® application size does not change whether the bee colony is small or large. If the colony is rapidly growing or you are splitting the colony, feed SuperDFM® more frequently (ex. 2-3 weeks apart).

Question 10

How can I apply SuperDFM® to many hives quickly?

Accepted Answer

Our compressed air MicroCloud™ Applicator allows for easy SuperDFM® injection without opening the hive! Simply add SuperDFM® to the MicroCould™ scoop and insert it into the hive entrance. Press the applicator firmly against the front boardand give the trigger a short squeeze. Then you're done! Your hive will be efficiently inoculated.

Question 11

What pressure should the air compressor be set at for the MicroCloud™?

Accepted Answer

Using a portable air-tank such as this one makes using the MicroCloud™ fast and easy! SuperDFM® can be distributed effectively with a one-second blast of air at 120-60 psi pressure. An 11-gallon tank provides hundreds of one-second air blasts.

Question 12

Can I mix SuperDFM-HoneyBee in sugar syrup?

Accepted Answer

No. Moisture activates DFMs. Once activated, they require an anaerobic environment (without oxygen) with the proper light, temperature, and food sources to prevent them from perishing.

Question 13

Can I mix SuperDFM-HoneyBee in a pollen patty?

Accepted Answer

No, we do not recommend mixing SuperDFM® in any prepared food for honey bees, as moisture will lower the efficacy of lactic acid bacteria in the product.

Question 14

Can I use the Formic Acid and SuperDFM-HoneyBee at the same time?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can use formic acid and microbials at the same time, as long as the two treatments are not touching each other.

Question 15

Can I use ApiVar and SuperDFM-HoneyBee at the same time?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can use ApiVar and microbials at the same time, as long as the two treatments are not touching each other.

Question 16

Can I use Honeybee Healthy and SuperDFM-HoneyBee at the same time?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can use Honey Bee Healthy and SuperDFM at the same time, as long as the two treatments are not touching each other.

Question 17

How do SuperDFM-HoneyBee Microbials work?

Accepted Answer

Microbes are a part of the hive and honey bee digestive system. Microbes are active in digestion, including digestion of supplemental (artificial) feed, manipulating other microbes, breaking down toxins and pesticides. Probiotic bacteria create a hospitable environment for other beneficial microbes.

Question 18

Do bees really need microbial supplements? What studies prove this?

Accepted Answer

Loss of beneficial bacteria was first noted in CCD hives in "A Metagenomic Survey of Microbes in Honey Bee Colony Collapse Disorder" by Diana Cox-Foster et al.

Question 19

Why should we give probiotics to bees? Are microbes natural?

Accepted Answer

SuperDFM®-HoneyBee™ ingredients are naturally occurring microbes, produced using fermentation of natural ingredients. In nature, honeybees naturally acquire billions of microbes in their gut and ingest naturally occurring microbes in resources they collect (water, nectar, and pollen). Microbes ferment and preserve bee bread and help digest proteins and carbohydrates in the honeybee gut. Additional microbes acquired through probiotic supplementation support healthy balance in the gut and provide nutritional benefits.

Question 20

Bee receive probiotics from pollen, right? Why do I need SuperDFM-HoneyBee if they receive the same probiotics from pollen?"

Accepted Answer

Yes, correct, pollen and nectar naturally contain many probiotic bacteria. Bees need probiotic supplementation when the pollen and nectar producing plants are exposed to non-organic pesticides or antibiotic, when fresh pollen and nectar are scarce (dearth period), and bees receive supplemental feeding of pollen substitute, pollen patty, and sugar syrup. Prepared, processed feed for bees lacks beneficial microbes.

Question 21

Are bee probiotics much like human probiotics?

Accepted Answer

Yes, they help bees in the same way they help humans, a healither gut will lead to overall improvement in nutrition, digestion, and life.

Question 22

Is SuperDFM-HoneyBee safe?

Accepted Answer

Yes, there are no adverse reactions of bees to the probiotics.

Question 23

How fast will I notice the benefits from feeding my bees SuperDFM-Honeybee?

Accepted Answer

The earlier you use it when you see a problem, the better a strong hive will be able to suppress the pathogen.

Question 24

Can I freeze SuperDFM® over the winter to use next year?

Accepted Answer

Yes, freezing SuperDFM® will preserve it very well. Make sure to seal the bag firmly before freezing.

Question 25

What is the shelf life of SuperDFM-HoneyBee and how do I store it properly?

Accepted Answer

SuperDFM-HoneyBee should be stored in a cool, dry place; it could also be stored in a freezer. Shelf life is 5 years from the date of manufacturing.

Question 26

Is SuperDFM-HoneyBee a preventative supplement?

Accepted Answer

SuperDFM-HoneyBee is used to prevent dysbiosis.

Question 27

Is SuperDFM-HoneyBee safe for humans to eat?

Accepted Answer

SuperDFM-HoneyBee contains only food-grade ingredients and is manufactured in and FDA certified U.S. facility, but SuperDFM-HoneyBee is not labeled for and not intended for human consumption.

Question 28

Is SuperDFM-HoneyBee safe for honey?

Accepted Answer

Testing honey from colonies supplemented with SuperDFM-HoneyBee monthly did not identify any foreign or regulated substances in honey.

Question 29

Your ingredients list only bacterial “fermentation products”. What does that mean? Usually microbial fermentation products are alcohol, carbon dioxide, and organic acids."

Accepted Answer

What an excellent question! You understand correctly "fermentation products" as products of cellular metabolism. That's not what is meant in this case, however! In the case of product labeling, the term "fermentation product" refers to the complete product of a fermentation batch (the process of growing live bacteria in a fermentation tank in industrial fermentation). The origin of this particular term lies within the Official Publication of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), under Section 36 Fermentation Products, which defines animal feed ingredients derived from spent fermentation processes, and under Section 96 Yeast, defines yeast products. For regulatory purposes, Direct-Fed Microbial (DFM) products are considered a subclass of fermentation or yeast products because they are similarly produced. Therefore, labeling law requires live bacteria in Direct-Fed Microbial products to be listed as "Genus species fermentation product." In the case of live microorganisms (when fermentation product is dried without killing the cells), the statement "contains a source of live (viable) naturally occurring microorganisms" is required to clarify this. These DFM products are relatively new to beekeeping, but they have been used in other animal livestock for decades. So, the terminology may be a little archaic…However, I think everyone in the industry is so used to it that they are not noticing it. Anyway, the term "fermentation product" in the case of SuperDFM refers to live bacteria. We can't call it anything else. This is the correct terminology - the Wisconsin Department of Trade and Consumer Protection reviews our labels on behalf of the FDA monthly to ensure strict compliance with the labeling law. They specifically require this exact wording.

Question 30

Can I mix SuperDFM® with syrups or liquids?

Accepted Answer

No. Moisture activates DFMs. Once activated, they require an anaerobic environment (without oxygen) with the proper light, temperature, and food sources to prevent them from perishing.

Question 31

Can I mix SuperDFM®-HoneyBee™ in a pollen patty?

Accepted Answer

No, we do not recommend mixing SuperDFM® in any prepared food for honey bees, as moisture will lower the efficacy of lactic acid bacteria in the product.

Question 32

Is SuperDFM® sensitive to extreme heat?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If you happen to leave your bag of DFMs in your vehicle on a hot day, they would likely die in temperatures above 130°F. They will not all die at once. A higher percentage of them will be likely to die as they are exposed longer and at higher temperatures.

Question 33

Will antibiotics kill the microbes in SuperDFM®?

Accepted Answer

Yes, they will. Do not apply DFMs at the same time as feeding antibiotics or other antimicrobial products as these products are designed to kill microbes.

Question 34

Is SuperDFM® used for nosema/bee dysentery?

Accepted Answer

Yes, SuperDFM®-Honeybee™ is recommended for mitigating nosema. Many of our customers successfully control Nosema spores below an economic threshold of 1 million spores per bee and prevent nosemosis outbreaks, with an application of SuperDFM®-Honeybee™ every 30 days.

Question 35

Does SuperDFM-HoneyBee help with EFB?

Accepted Answer

Laboratory studies show probiotic bacteria inhibiting growth of EFB-causing pathogen.

Question 36

Does SuperDFM-HoneyBee help with Chalkbrood?

Accepted Answer

Laboratory studies show probiotic bacteria inhibiting growth of Chalkbrood-causing pathogen. Field studies show that hives supplemented with SuperDFM-HoneyBee have 70% lower incidence of Chalkbrood compared to control hives.

Question 37

Does SuperDFM-HoneyBee help with AFB?

Accepted Answer

Laboratory studies show probiotic bacteria inhibiting growth of AFB-causing pathogen.

Question 38

What’s the best practices to keep small hive beetle under control?

Accepted Answer

Avoid using screened bottom boards. When bees are trying to chase them out, beetles will hide on the underside of the screen then re-enter the hive when the bee has moved on. Clean hive walls of excess wax and bridge comb as beetles use these places to hide. Push frames away from the walls to clear the wax. Pollen patties also provide shelter and food for small hive beetles. Cut pollen patties into half-dollar size pieces to ensure they are consumed quickly. Place a Swiffer towel on the top bars and in the back corners of the hive. The beetles’ legs will get caught in the fibers as bees are chasing them. Check, remove, and replace these towels often. Use beetle jails, modified special hive guard entrances. Keep your hives queenright! Queenless hives have a scent that attracts beetles. Keep your hives strong. Combine weak hives. A weak hive will have less ability to guard against small hive beetles.

Question 39

Can I stop using antibiotics if I use SuperDFM-HoneyBee (a probiotic)?

Accepted Answer

Using antibiotics for honey bees should always have been the last resort. Since the use of medically relevant antibiotics for honey bees is now regulated and requires veterinarian prescription, prophylactic use of antibiotics has already diminished and the use of antibiotics to treat a diagnosed disease remains. However, honey bee colonies supplemented with SuperDFM-HoneyBee are healthier and have fewer veterinary visits and need for prescriptions.

Question 40

Does SuperDFM-HoneyBee help if bees encounter pesticides? Are there any studies on this?

Accepted Answer

There are several studies on the beneficial impacts of probiotic bacteria during exposure to pesticide, summarized in a review "Characterization of Apis mellifera Gastrointestinal Microbiota and Lactic Acid Bacteria for Honeybee Protection—A Review" by Nowak et al.

Question 41

What happens if bees encounter fungicides?

Accepted Answer

Toxicity of fungicides to hive varies greatly, but similar to pesticides, many bacteria are involved in neutralizing their effect on the hive microbiome.

Question 42

Is SuperDFM-HoneyBee considered a treatment?

Accepted Answer

SuperDFM-HoneyBee is a probiotic supplement that is intended to be used regularly to achieve greatest benefit.

Question 43

Is SuperDFM-HoneyBee a medicine?

Accepted Answer

SuperDFM-HoneyBee is not a drug. It is a supplement of live probiotic microorganisms to support bees' digestive system.

Question 44

Is SuperDFM-HoneyBee a cure?

Accepted Answer

SuperDFM-HoneyBee is not a drug and is not intended to cure a disease.

Question 45

Does SuperDFM-HoneyBee help with nosema?

Accepted Answer

Field studies show that hives supplemented with SuperDFM-HoneyBee recover faster and better from natural and induced Nosema infection.

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