EFFECTS OF THIAMINE-OR RIBOFLAVIN-DEFICIENT DIET FED TO NEW EMERGED HONEY BEES, APIS MELLIFERA L.

Abstract

Newly emerged honey bees, Apis mellifera L., were fed pollen, vitamin-free casein fortified with ten B-vitamins, or vitamin-free casein fortified with B-vitamins but lacking thiamine or riboflavin. The longevity, hypopharyngeal gland development and total body nitrogen was determined for each treatment. The hypopharyngeal gland development of bees fed the complete vitamin mixture nearly equalled that of pollen-fed bees. The glands of bees fed the diets deficient in thiamine and riboflavin failed to develop beyond the stage found in newly emerged bees. The total nitrogen content of bees fed the vitamin-deficient diets was substantially less than the nitrogen content of bees fed either pollen or casein fortified with the complete vitamin mixture. Longevity studies showed that 95 % of bees fed the diets deficient in either thiamine or riboflavin died by 20 days after emergence. A 35 % mortality rate was recorded for those bees fed the complete vitamin diet. The lowest percentage of mortality after 20 days was recorded in those bees fed the pollen diet. This study clearly demonstrated the requirements of newly emerged bees for riboflavin and thiamine.