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Journal of Entomology

Year: 2013 | Volume: 10 | Issue: 3 | Page No.: 120-135
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Authors

Ram C. Sihag

Manisha Gupta

Keywords

Research Article

Testing the Effects of Some Pollen Substitute Diets on Colony Build up and Economics of Beekeeping with Apis mellifera L.

Ram C. Sihag and Manisha Gupta
To help the honeybee colonies to tide over harsh summer dearth period in South-Western region of Haryana (India), the efficacy of four pollen substitute diets viz. diet-1 (Soybean flour+yeast extract+honey), diet-2 (diet-1+NaCl salt), diet-3 (diet-1+salt+vitamins and minerals) and diet-4 (diet-1+vitamins and minerals) was tested on the reproduction and build up of colonies of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.). The diet-1 could induce reproduction and build up in the treated colonies. But, the diet-2 proved counterproductive as all the attributes of the colonies receiving the latter diet declined markedly. The diet-3 could marginally increase the values of colony attributes. However, these values remained significantly lower than those achieved under diet-1. The diet-4 proved to be the best among the four artificial pollen substitute diets. The colonies receiving the latter diet showed maximal unsealed brood area, sealed brood area, bee strength and pollen and honey stores. All the control colonies had extremely low values of these parameters, could not survive the summer dearth period and vanished by late October. The colonies receiving diet-4 could give maximal economic returns followed by, in descending order, those receiving diet-1, diet-2 and diet-3. The control colonies receiving no artificial diet died during the dearth period thus causing a complete loss of the invested capital amount. The diet-4, therefore, seems to make a sufficient pollen substitute feed for sustaining reproduction and brood rearing in honeybee (A. mellifera) colonies during dearth period.
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