Abstract
Two components of the lipid fraction of royal jelly, 10-hydroxy-trans-2-decenoic acid and a sterol(s) are important for growth and development of the immature stages of the honeybee. Removal of the lipids by extraction with ether has been known for several years to have an accelerating effect on growth of laboratory-reared larvae; the readdition of 10-hydroxydecenoic acid to the diet before larvae are 72 h of age has now been found to prevent this effect. The slow growth and development of laboratory-reared larvae compared with larvae reared in the honeybee colony may be due to a higher than optimal level of the fatty acid in the diet of older larvae. A dietary level of at least 100 ppm of sterol was essential for larval growth and development. This was extremely low compared with the actual sterol content (about 3000 ppm) of whole royal jelly. The dietary sterol requirement for normal success in pupation was more than 400 ppm. The addition of 10-hydroxydecenoic acid to a diet containing not more than 100 ppm of sterol enabled normal pupal development and the emergence of adults to take place. The possible role of 10-hydroxydecenoic acid in honeybee growth and development is discussed.
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