Effects of Different Pollens on Colony Population and Survival Rate of Overwintering Honey Bees

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of different pollens on colony population and survival rate of overwintering honey bees. Eighteen overwintering honey bee colonies of local Italian honey bees( Apis mellifera L.) were selected in western Yunnan during blooming season of Elsholtziarugulosa hems L. in winter,when there was fewpollen sources. The selected honey bee colonies were randomly divided into 2 experimental groups( groups A and B) and a control group( group C),and each group contained 6 colonies of honey bees. The honey bees in groups A and B were supplied natural pollen and pollen substitute,respectively, while those in control group were not supplied pollen. The experiment lasted for 120 days. The results showed as follows: honey bees showed feeding behavior to natural pollen and pollen substitute,but honey bees prefer natural pollen to pollen substitute. Both natural pollen and pollen substitute could promote colony population growth and increase survival rate of honey bees( P 0.05),and natural pollen was superior to pollen substitute,but differences were not significant( P 0. 05). In conclusion,both natural pollen and pollen substitute can be as a diet for overwintering honey bees to promote breeding of honey bee colonies and to prolong individual life of honey bees.