Digestibility of pollen of grains by worker honeybees, Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Apini) in the microregion of Viçosa, MG, Brazil

Vieira Oliveira, GlaucoEduardo Serrão, JoséMessage, Dejair

The digestibility of pollen grains consumed by Apis mellifera workers during one year in the microregion of Viçosa, MG, Brazil was analyzed. In total 80% was digested, 5% was undigested and 15% was broken pollen. Therefore the useful rate by bees was high and there was not significant difference among the three hives sampled suggesting that there is not relationship between the low honey flow period with the use of protein resources at Viçosa microregion. The predominant pollen species during the year were of families Myrtaceae and Poaceae. Sometimes the pollen consumed by worker bees were different from those found in the flowers on a determined year period which is to be expected as young bees feed on pollen grains stored in the hive.