Pollen Preference in Bumblebees

Abstract

The study examined the feeding preferences of Bombus terrestris bees for pollen with different compositions and origins. In the experiment conducted at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Beekeeping Research Center, micro-colonies of ten bumblebees each were fed with poppy and sunflower pollen mixed with syrup and prepared as perga. The amount of food consumed after 20 days was determined. According to the results, among the dietary groups of poppy syrup (PS), poppy perga (PP), sunflower syrup (SS), and sunflower perga (SP), the highest consumption was observed in the PS group. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in the average food consumption among the treatment groups (p < 0.05).The Duncan multiple comparison test showed that worker bumblebees had the highest food consumption in the PS group. Findings from the study, which also evaluated the protein and fat contents of the pollen, demonstrated that protein content influenced the feeding preferences of bumblebees. This information could be utilized in developing nutritional strategies for bumblebee colonies.

Keywords

• Bombus terrestris
• Pollen preference
• Poppy pollen
• Sunflower pollen
• Syrup
• Perga

Bombus Arılarında Polen Tercihi

Abstract

Çalışmada, Bombus terrestris arılarının farklı içerik ve orjine sahip polenleri tüketim tercihleri incelenmiştir. Van Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Arıcılık Araştırma Merkezi’nde yürütülen denemede, haşhaş ve ayçiçeği polenlerinin şurup ile karıştırılmış formları ile pergaları hazırlanarak onar adet mikro bombus kolonisi beslenmiştir. 20 gün sonundaki besin tüketim miktarları belirlemiştir. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre haşhaş şurup (HŞ), haşhaş perga (HP), ayçiçeği şurup (AŞ) ve ayçiçeği perga (AP) olarak oluşturulan besinler içerisinde en fazla tüketimin HŞ grubunda olduğu belirlenmiş, verilere uygulananAraştırma sonuçlarına göre haşhaş şurup (HŞ), haşhaş perga (HP), ayçiçeği şurup (AŞ) ve ayçiçeği perga (AP) muamele grupları için besin tüketim ortalamaları arasındaki fark önemli bulunmuştur (p<0.05). Duncan çoklu karşılaştırma testi sonucuna göre Bombus işçi arılarının en fazla besin tüketiminin HŞ grubunda olduğu belirlenmiştir Polen (% protein-yağ) içeriklerinin de değerlendirmeye alındığı çalışmadan elde edilen bulgulara göre protein içeriğinin bombus arılarının besin tüketim tercihlerini değiştirdiği ortaya çıkmış ve kolonilerin beslenme stratejilerin geliştirilmesinde bu bilginin kullanılabileceği sonucuna varılmıştır.

Keywords

• Bombus terrestris,
• polen tercihi,
• haşhaş poleni
• ayçiçeği poleni,
• şurup,
• perga

Ethical Statement

Bu çalışma için etik kurul izni gerekmemektedir.

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