Development of pollen substitute diets from medicinal plants for Apis mellifera colonies and their impact on colony development

Abstract: The study aimed to develop pollen substitute diets using medicinal plants for Apis mellifera colonies to satisfy their pollen and nectar requirements during drought conditions. A full-fledged pollen substitute diet plays a vital role during the floral dearth period and helps maintain the honey bee’s health and strength from April to June 2023. Eight different pollen substitute diets were fed to 8 treatment groups of honeybee colonies. Diet-1, containing only sugar syrup (50 %) was used as a control. Pollen Diet-2 to 8 containing leaf and fruit powders of locally available medicinal plants and other contents with sugar syrup (50 %). The study parameters such as feed consumption rate, foraging activity, pollen storage, capped brood area, and population strength of bees were studied. The honeybee colonies fed with Diet-8, with mixed contents, showed the highest consumption rate, foraging activity, pollen storage, capped brood area and total strength of bees as compared to other treatment groups of colonies. The result showed high potential of a pollen substitute diet to improve the overall health of honeybee colonies under adverse conditions of nectar and pollen sources.