Effect of artificial feeding on carbohydrate and-or protein on some activities of honeybee colonies Apis mellifera L. in Assiut region, upper Egypt

Abstract EN

During 1997, feeding colonies was carried out from January to May on carbohydrate diet (sugar syrup 1:1), resulted a maximum increase of: sealed drone brood, stored honey, unsealed queen cells and queen cups.

A maximum mean number of constructed queen cells was observed in protein fed colonies.

Feeding colonies on carbohydrate plus protein diet resulted a maximum increase of: sealed or unsealed worker brood, stored pollen, total number and mean weight of emerged virgin queens, and honey yield (kg).

Ranking descending order of three tested diets was as follow: carbohydrate, protein and carbohydrate plus protein.

Throughout 1998, feeding colonies was accomplished from January to May on carbohydrate, resulted a maximum increase of: sealed worker brood and stored pollen.

In proteinfed colonies, a maximum of: drone brood, total mean number of emerged virgin queens, stored honey, constructed and unsealed queen cells, and queen cups, were observed.

In carbohydrate plus protein-fed colonies, a maximum of adult population, honey yield, unsealed worker brood, total number and weight (mg) of virgin queens, were noticed.

Ranking descending order of three tested diets was: protein, carbohydrate, and carbohydrate plus protein.

During 1997 and 1998, a maximum mean total number of unsealed queen cells and queen cups, and a maximum mean of area of stored honey or pollen, was found in carbohydrate-fed colonies.

A maximum of drone rearing and total number of constructed queen cells were observed in protein-fed colonies.

A maximum of worker rearing, adult population and consequently honey yield were found in colonies fed with carbohydrate plus protein.

Sealed and unsealed worker brood and sealed drone brood, in carbohydrate and carbohydrate plus protein-fed colonies,were significantly greater than this of control.

Adult population of colonies was significantly higher than control, in carbohydrate plus protein- fed colonies.

Queen cells were significantly higher than control, in carbohydrate, and protein-fed colonies.

Queen cups were significantly higher than those of control, in carbohydrate-fed colonies .

Stored food, honey and pollen, were significantly higher in colonies fed on all three tested diets.

The average of honey yield (kg) was significantly higher than control in those colonies fed on carbohydrate plus protein diet.

The total number of emerged virgin queens was 36, 31, 22, and 18 queens, in colonies fed upon carbohydrate plus protein, protein, and carbohydrate diets, and control, respectively.

The mean weight of virgin queens in colonies fed on carbohydrate plus protein, and protein-fed colonies was significantly higher than control of virgin queens.