Pollen Diet-Properties and Impact on a Bee Colony
Affiliations
Diet is an important factor in the proper development of the individual and the entire colony. A pollen diet affects honey bees in a number of ways. It can stimulate the number and type of hemocytes, the total number of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, affect the histology of the middle intestine, and ensure the correct ontogenesis of the larvae. Moreover, selected single-flower diets can stimulate the development of the pharyngeal glands that produce royal jelly, thus conditioning the development of secretory immunity. Selected single-species pollen may also increase the phenol oxidase concentration, which contributes to the humoral response. A honey bee diet based on multi-flower pollen is more desirable than a mono-flower diet, but must be properly balanced.
An Overview of the Nutritional Requirements of Honey Bees ( Linnaeus, 1758).
Ansaloni L, Kristl J, Domingues C, Gregorc A Insects. 2025; 16(1).
PMID: 39859678 PMC: 11766133. DOI: 10.3390/insects16010097.
Ferrari A, Caccia S, Polidori C Conserv Physiol. 2024; 12(1):coae073.
PMID: 39669006 PMC: 11636627. DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coae073.
Mechanistic exploration of royal jelly production in caged honey bees (Apis mellifera).
Peng Z, Hung Y, Wu M Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1):30277.
PMID: 39633060 PMC: 11618386. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-82094-3.
Nguyen V Access Microbiol. 2024; 6(8).
PMID: 39148688 PMC: 11325843. DOI: 10.1099/acmi.0.000793.v3.
Brys M, Staniec B, Strachecka A Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1):15177.
PMID: 38956174 PMC: 11219722. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64598-0.