The hypopharyngeal glands development in Iranian honey bee workers (Apis mellifera meda) fed with different levels of thiamine

Document Type : Research Paper

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Abstract

Honey bees need a range of elements to provide their nutritional requirements for normal growth and development. There is currently little information about the vitamin requirements in honey bees. Three trials were carried out at Honey Bee Department of Animal Science Research Institute of Iran.The experiments were carried out under natural condition to assess potential impacts of thiamine nutrition on the development of hypopharyngeal glands (HPGs) in honey bee workers (Apis mellifera meda) during different seasons. In this study, twenty honey bee colonies were divided into 5 experimental groups with 4 replications. Control groups (group 1) were fed sugar syrup (1:1). The experimental colonies in groups 2 and 5 were fed in the same manner but with syrup were supplemented with different levels of thiamine (100, 200, 300 and 400 ppm). The experiments were repeated for 45 days through the summer (Jul. 5, 2012 and Aug. 20, 2012), winter (Feb. 20, 2013 and Apr. 5, 2013) and spring (Apr. 27, 2013 and Jun. 13, 2013) seasons. To investigate the development of HPGs, length and width of ten acini for five worker bees in each replication with 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 days were measured using a stereomicroscope and micrometer. The results showed that thiamine in diet affected the size of acinal area in HPGs. In summer, acini size was greater in honey bees (3 and 6 days) fed low level thiamine but in winter (9, 12 and 15 days) and spring (all ages) inverse effects were observed (P<0.05). Hypopharyngeal glands development was high in different seasons at the age of 6 or 9 days.

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References

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Animal Sciences Journal
Volume 29, Issue 110
June 2016
Pages 203-212

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