Determination of minimum quantity of pollen and nutritive value of different carbohydrates forscaptotrigona depilis Moure (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Abstract

Two experiments were performed to determine some aspects of nutrition in Scaptotri-gona depilis. This minimum quantity of pollen necessary for suitable development of hypopharyngeal gland and oocytes was determined to be ≈ 8.0 mg/bee/d. With respect to carbohydrates, no differences in longevity were found between groups fed sucrose (w/v) at 10, 30 or 50%. With different carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltose) no differences were detected between groups fed all carbohydrates at 1 %; groups fed sucrose, maltose and glucose were similar to groups fed su-crose; the sucrose group was similar to the maltose and glucose groups; the maltose and glucose groups were similar. For all carbohydrates, 10% concentration showed superior results to 1% concentration .