Brood-Rearing Capability of Caged Honeybees Fed Synthetic Diets

Abstract

SummaryA chemically defined diet that contained 18 amino acids and 10 water-soluble vitamins supported brood rearing when it was fed to newly emerged honeybees. Another diet supplemented with cholesterol was poorly consumed and supported only low levels of brood rearing. Diet containing higher concentrations of amino acids did not support brood rearing. A diet supplemented with higher concentrations of vitamins and a salt mixture supported brood rearing, but less than a diet containing higher levels of vitamins without the salt mixture.