Effects of Three Kinds of Sugar Syrups on Colony Development of Bumble Bee (Bombus terrestris L.)

Abstract

The effects of three kinds of sugar syrups on colony development were studied. Weekly sugar syrup consumption of the Bombus terrestris dalmatinus colonies were investigated. A total of 60 queens were separately placed in standard nest boxes and randomly divided into three groups. We tested high fructose corn syrup (HFCS - fructose 42-45%, glucose 50-54%), sucrose syrup (SS - sucrose 99%), and industrial bee feeding sugar syrup (BFSS - fructose 37-40%, glucose 27-30%, sucrose 30-36%). All queens and colonies were fed with the same fresh pollen and reared under standard laboratory conditions (28 ± 1oC, 60 ± 5% RH). Pollen and sugar syrups (approximately 1:1 water:sugar) were provided ad libitum. Colony development traits, weekly syrup consumption, total syrup consumption, and total pollen consumption of each colony were recorded during periodic observations. The highest egg laying rate, colony production rate and saleable colony production rate (90, 75, and 50%, respectively) were found in the BFSS treatment. However, no significant difference was found among treatments in terms of examined colony characteristics. Until the colonies were large enough for sale (50-60 workers), the consumption of sugar syrup and pollen per one colony varied from 461 to 546 ml and from 164 to 190 g, respectively.