Comparative Value of Pollen and Pollen Substitutes: II. Bee Bread and Soy Bean Flow1

Abstract

Colonies consisting of young bees which have never eaten pollen were kept under controlled conditions and fed bee bread, various brands of soy bean flour, and soy bean flour-dry skim milk mixture respectively. The development of bodies of the bees in the exptl. colonies proceeded normally, except in the colony which was fed the soy bean flour of high fat content and low temp. treatment, where the development was retarded. Mortality in the colonies fed pollen substitutes was, on an average, higher than that in the control colonies. The number of bees reared by the exptl. colonies varied considerably, being lower in the colonies fed soy bean flour and higher than that in the control in the colony which was supplied with soy bean flour-dry skim milk mixture. The wts. of emerging bees produced by the exptl. colonies, on an av., compared favorably with those of the control.