Impact of Pollen Supplements and Vitamins on the Development of Hypopharyngeal Glands and on Brood Area in Honey Bees

The test consisted of a study of pollen supplements and vitamins in the diet of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies in the drought seasons of 2001 and 2002 in northern Iraq. The impact of five different kinds of food on the hypopharyngeal gland of 8-day-old workers, and the area of brood in the nests was examined. The results showed that in 2001 bees fed with vitamin C had an acini of hypopharyngeal glands wider in comparison to bees given other feedings. The other feedings in 2001 were with multi-vitamins, soya bean flour and skim milk. Bees fed with vitamin C mixed with soya bean flour, and vitamin C mixed with skim milk had an acini of hypopharyngeal glands wider in comparison to other treatments in 2002. In bees fed with multi-vitamins and vitamin C the main ducts of the hypopharyngeal glands were longer than those fed with other supplemental diets in 2001. In 2002 there were no significant changes found on the length of the main duct in bees fed with supplemental diets. Colonies fed with vitamin C, soya bean flour and multi-vitamins produced more brood in the summer of 2001. Colonies fed with vitamin C mixed with soya bean flour and vitamin C mixed with skim milk showed a significant increase in workers’ brood in 2002. It can be concluded that vitamin C mixed with soya bean flour can be used as the best choice of supplemental food during a drought seasons.