EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF STIMULATIVE FEEDING WITH SOME POLLEN SUBSTITUTES ON BROOD REARING ACTIVITY AND ROYAL JELLY PRODUCTION OF HONEYBEE COLONIES

This study was carried out at the apiary of Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafr El-Sheikh region, Egypt during two dearth periods, the first period extended from March, 1^st to April, 30^th 2008, the second one from September, 1^st until December, 31^st 2008. Results indicated that the sealed brood area was the highest in the colonies fed on diet (B) (895 in²/group) and followed by diets (C), (A), (F), (E) and (D), the values of sealed brood area were 835, 801 725, 711 and 708 in²/group during the first period, respectively. In the second one, also the sealed brood area was highest in the colonies fed on diet (B) comparing with the other diets. Significant differences were found between the mean brood areas during the two tested periods in the colonies fed on diet (B) and the other diets. On the other hand, royal jell was highest in colonies fed on diet (B) (92 gm/group) comparing with the other diets, (C), (A), (F), (E) and (D) which were represented by 80, 68, 55, 41 and 35 g/group during the first period, respectively. Also, in the second one, the amount of royal jelly produced from colonies fed on diet (B) was highest compared with the other diets. Significant differences were found between the mean amount of royal jelly during the two tested periods in the colonies fed on diet (B) and the other tested diets. It could be suggested that beekeepers can use diet (B) and solution (F) to induce the colonies to rear more amounts of sealed workers brood and produce royal jelly during two dearth periods of flowering plants before main nectar flow of clover at Kafr El-Sheikh region.