Bee bread (sometimes called perga) is a fermented food produced by honeybees that serves as the primary protein and micronutrient source for the colony. It is a dense, preserved mixture stored within honeycomb cells, fundamentally different from the honey that provides the colony’s energy. Bee bread sustains the hive’s growth and development, especially when fresh pollen is scarce.
Raw Ingredients Used
Pollen is the core component of bee bread, collected by worker bees in specialized structures on their hind legs called pollen baskets. Pollen provides the majority of the protein, lipids, minerals, and vitamins the colony requires. The final composition depends heavily on the diverse floral sources the foraging bees visit.
The collected pollen is combined with a liquid binder, typically nectar or honey, which adds moisture and simple sugars. This sugary mixture acts as a preservative and provides the initial food source for the microorganisms. The ratio is often estimated to be around 70% pollen and 25% honey or nectar, with the remainder being glandular secretions.
The Fermentation Process
The creation of bee bread begins with house bees packing the raw pollen mixture into the wax cells of the comb. They use their heads to tightly tamp down the material, creating an anaerobic, or oxygen-free, environment.
As the pollen is packed, the bees introduce glandular secretions, including saliva, which contain enzymes and beneficial bacteria and yeasts. This inoculation initiates lactic acid fermentation, similar to how humans make yogurt or sauerkraut.
The lactic acid bacteria metabolize the simple sugars and produce lactic acid, which significantly lowers the mixture’s pH. This acidic condition acts as a natural preservative, preventing the growth of harmful molds and microbes. The cell is then sealed with a thin layer of honey or wax to maintain the anaerobic state.
Final Composition and Purpose
Fermentation transforms the raw pollen into a more biologically valuable food source by increasing the bioavailability of its nutrients. The enzymatic action and acidity help to weaken the pollen grain’s protective layer, allowing the bees to more easily access the amino acids, vitamins, and other compounds trapped inside.
The finished bee bread is a protein-rich substance and a source of B-complex vitamins, vitamins C, D, E, and K, and various minerals like iron, calcium, and magnesium. The primary purpose of this stored food is to nourish the growing colony.
Nurse bees consume bee bread to produce protein-rich royal jelly, which is fed to the youngest larvae. Older larvae and young adult bees rely on bee bread as their main source of protein for tissue and gland development. Bee bread ensures that the colony can sustain continuous brood rearing, even when fresh foraging material is limited.