According to a new study published in the Journal of Apicultural Research, sucrose appears better than different types of invert sugars for honey bee health.

Researchers examined five types of carbohydrate feeds—sucrose, invertase-hydrolysed invert sugar, acid-hydrolysed invert sugar, algae-derived invert sugar, and honey as a control—on caged honey bees in the laboratory.

Results showed that sucrose performed best in terms of survival rates, lower rectal weights, and minimal lactic acid accumulation, reflecting efficient digestion and a stable gut microbiome. Algae-derived and acid-hydrolysed invert sugars yielded the worst results for physiological effects and palatability. In contrast, invertase-hydrolysed invert sugar and honey showed good results, though with moderate gut fermentation levels.

Go to the scientific paper here