EFFECT OF STIMUAL TIVE FEEDING WITH SOME POLLEN SUBSTITUTES ON BROOD REARING ACTIVITY OF HONEYBEE COLONIES

Study was conducted in the apiary of Sakha Agricultura! Research Station.
Kafr EI-Sheikh. The Arab Republic of E~yPt during two dearth periods. the first period
elapsed from March t" until April 25¹ , 2002, the second one Irom September 201~,
2002 to January 18¹¹¹• 2003. Resulls indicated Significant differences between the
mean broad areas in the colonies led on diet (C) and the other diets except with diet.
II could be arranged means of brood areas in the following descending order, (C) >
B» (A) (814) in the first period. In the second one, statistical analysis reveated
significant differences between the mean brood areas In the colonies fed on diet (C)
and the other diets. At the sample period, the mean value of sealed brood area
(192.9/in²) in colonies fed on diet (A) was least comparing with Ihe other diets. II
could be noticed that measurements of sealed brood area in the first period were
higher than those in the second one. On the other hand, Increase of brood production
in colonies fed on diet (C). (B) and (A) comparing with control were 36.64,25.99 and
18.83% in the fIrst period while in the second cne, they were 66.35, 31.42 an 18.42%
in colonies fed on the same dlets, respeclively,f;1 could be concluded that beekeepers
can use diet (C) as pollen substilute during two dearth periods of flowering plants in
Kafr El-Sheikh region to build up brood areas 01 colonies before main nectar flow of
dover.