Honey in insect nutrition: composition, functions, and applications
Tang, Liang- De; Ramírez-Romero, Ricardo; Wang, Su; Ali, Asad; Zang, Lian-Sheng
published online: Sep 3, 2026
manuscript accepted: Jul 7, 2026
final revised version received: Jun 24, 2026
manuscript revision requested: Nov 14, 2025
manuscript received: Oct 10, 2025
Open Access (paper may be downloaded free of charge)
Abstract
Effective insect rearing is fundamental to advancing entomological research, improving biological control programs, and supporting pollination services. Most rearing systems rely on artificial diets that must provide balanced nutrition to ensure optimal development, reproduction, survival, and overall insect fitness. Honey, a natural product produced by bees, is far more than a carbohydrate source; it is a complex matrix containing diverse nutrients and bioactive compounds with potential functional benefits for insects. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the role of honey in insect nutrition and artificial rearing systems. We examine its nutritional composition, emphasizing major carbohydrates, enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols, and discuss the biological and environmental factors responsible for its compositional variability. We further evaluate the functional effects of honey on insect performance, with particular attention to longevity, fecundity, survival, behavior, and other key biological traits across taxa relevant to biological control and mass-rearing programs. In addition, we summarize current applications of honey in rearing systems, ranging from model organisms such as Drosophila to parasitoids, predators, pollinators, and other economically important insects. Finally, we critically examine the major limitations associated with honey use, including high cost, compositional variability, nutritional imbalance, and risks of chemical and biological contamination, and discuss future research priorities aimed at developing standardized, cost-effective, and functionally optimized alternatives for insect nutrition. By integrating evidence across diverse insect groups, this review highlights honey as both a valuable dietary component and a model for designing next-generation functional diets for sustainable insect rearing.
Keywords
honey products •
insect diet •
nutrition •
antimicrobial •
antioxidant •
artificial diet •
biocontrol •
Drosophila
•
parasitoid •
carbohydrate feeding •
mass rearing