-We examined the consumption rate of protein diets in caged and free-flying honey bees, amino acid composition of diets, and diet effects on gland development. The effect of seven different diets (sugar solution only, Feedbee®, Helianthus pollen, Sinapis pollen, Asparagus pollen, Castanea pollen, and mixed pollen diet) on the development of the hypopharyngeal (HPG) and acid glands (AG) was tested in caged honey bees. Caged bees consumed the protein diet mainly at the age of 1-8 days, with the highest consumption rate on day 3. Different diets affected the development of both glands. The acini of HPG attained their maximum size in caged bees at an age of 5 days. Bees fed with Castanea sp., Asparagus sp., or mixed pollen had the largest glands among all test groups of this age. The AG sacs of caged bees grew in size between 5 and 12 days and were at day 18 less affected by different protein diets. Castanea sp. and mixed pollen diets were preferably consumed in free-flying colonies.hypopharyngeal glands / acid gland sacs / monofloral pollen / protein / nutrition

The study was carried out in apiary at Sohag region during the period from December, 2006 to March, 2007. The influence of supplemental feeding at different periods on activity and build up of honey bee colonies was studied. The feeding periods under experiment were 13week, 11-week, 9-week, 7-week, 5week and 3-week. The total consumption of supplemental feeding was recorded for all feeding periods. The greatest rate of consumed food was recorded at 13-week feeding period. Positive correlations were found between supplemental feeding and both of bee population size and brood-rearing activity. Bee colonies fed supplemental feeding at different periods produced significantly more bees and bee brood than unfed control colonies. The maximum average of both of bee population size (7047.3 bee/colony) and brood area (229.5 inch 2 /colony) was resulted by bee colony fed for 13-week period. The 13-week feeding period resulted 68.4% increment in bee population size and 121.1% increment in brood area. It can be recommended the beekeepers in Sohag region usage of supplemental feeding during the period of 13-week, for achieving the maximum development of honey bee colonies. This supplemental feeding benefit to increase the food storage of bee colonies, which important to build up colony populations for pollination and honey production, artificial swarm and queen rearing.

In the first hybrid of Carniolan bees, feeding preference on different types of bee bread from monofloral sources was studied in the apiary of Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University. In the tests of feeding preference, newly emerged bee workers were given a choice among seven types of bee bread from maize, coriander, canola, caper, broad bean, Egyptian clover and fennel plants. Generally, in the period of 1-3 days, bees consumed the highest percentage of total pollens (51.36%) followed by the period of 4-6 days (36.25%) then the pollen consumed sharply decreased at the period of 7-9 days (9.22%). There were significant differences in pollen consumption of bee workers among all pollen types. The total consumption of pollen was 16.9, 14.4, 11.2, 9.7, 8.0, 5.4 and 0.6 mg/bee/18 days for bees fed on maize, coriander, canola, caper, broad bean, Egyptian clover and fennel pollens, respectively.The results indicated that honey bee workers exhibit a preference for pollen types more than the others. The present results suggested to divide the pollen consumed into three groups dependant on preference level of pollen feeding by bee workers. The first group (more preferred), pollen consumption was more than 20% from total pollen consumed, included maize (25.53%) and coriander pollen (21.75%). The second (considerably preferred), the pollen consumption ranged from 10-20%, included canola (16.92%), caper (14.65%) and broad bean pollen (12.08%). Whereas, the third (slightly preferred), the consumption percentage was less than 10%, included Egyptian clover (8.16%) and fennel pollen (0.91%). It can be summarized that the maize and coriander pollens were the most favourable and best attractant pollens than other tested pollens. While fennel pollen was less favourable and bad attractant.

The effect of seven types of bee-stored pollen (bee bread) from monofloral sources on ovarian development and egg-laying workers formation during queenless condition was studied in the apiary of Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University.Pollens play an important and main role in the ovaries development of bee workers. All pollen types under experiment occurred well development in worker ovaries, in comparison with control (undevelopment). Broad bean pollen gave the highest effect on ovarian development, whereas coriander pollen gave the lowest effect. Workers fed on broad bean pollen gave the maximum value of ovarian development index (2.5), on the 15 th day, followed by canola pollen, the index was 2.55, on the 18 th day. Whereas, all workers fed on each of caper, maize, clover, fennel and coriander pollen gave the maximum value of index (2.45, 2.35, 2.35, 2.05 and 2.05, respectively), on the 21 st day. Appearance of egg-laying workers was sooner in workers fed on broad bean and canola pollen than others, (latency period = 9 days), followed by caper pollen (12 days). While the latency period was 15 days for workers fed on maize, fennel and clover pollens.The slowest appearance of egg-laying worker was observed on the 18 th day for workers fed on coriander pollen.