<abstract xml:lang="en" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The aim of this investigations was to assess morphological changes in the midgut epithelium of bees nourished with pollen substitute or pollen substitute enriched with a probiotic preparation. One-day old worker bees were kept in cages placed in a temperature controlled environment. During the two-week feeding period workers were fed beebread (control), pure pollen substitute or pollen substitute fortified with three different doses of probiotic preparations: Biogen or Trilac (experimental groups). The assessment of histological changes of the bee midgut was carried out in bees feed for 8 and 14 days. Slight changes in the epithelium as well as strong merocrine-type secretion were recorded in bees nourished pollen substitute supplemented with probiotic preparations. Differences were observed, primarily, in quantities of the developed peritrophic membranes. Their quantities were particularly high after 14 days of feeding with the pollen substitute fortified with probiotic preparations. The development of numerous peritrophic membranes could have contributed to better utilization of nutrients contained in feed and better condition of bees.</p></abstract>

The aim of this investigations was to assess morphological changes in the midgut epithelium of bees nourished with pollen substitute or pollen substitute enriched with a probiotic preparation. One-day old worker bees were kept in cages placed in a temperature controlled environment. During the two-week feeding period workers were fed beebread (control), pure pollen substitute or pollen substitute fortified with three different doses of probiotic preparations: Biogen or Trilac (experimental groups). The assessment of histological changes of the bee midgut was carried out in bees feed for 8 and 14 days. Slight changes in the epithelium as well as strong merocrine-type secretion were recorded in bees nourished pollen substitute supplemented with probiotic preparations. Differences were observed, primarily, in quantities of the developed peritrophic membranes. Their quantities were particularly high after 14 days of feeding with the pollen substitute fortified with probiotic preparations. The development of numerous peritrophic membranes could have contributed to better utilization of nutrients contained in feed and better condition of bees.

Histological structure of the Midgut of honey bees (<italic>Apis Mellifera</italic> L.) Fed Pollen Substitutes Fortified with Probiotics

Institute of Zoology, Department of Apidology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71c, 60-635 Poznań, Poland

Journal of Apicultural Science

Histological structure of the Midgut of honey bees ( L.) Fed Pollen Substitutes Fortified with Probiotics

The aim of this investigations was to assess morphological changes in the midgut epithelium of bees nourished with pollen substitute or pollen substitute...

Histological structure of the Midgut of honey bees (Apis Mellifera L.) Fed Pollen Substitutes Fortified with Probiotics

Published Online: Jun 19, 2012

Page range: 5 - 12

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10289-012-0001-2

Keywords
honey bee feeding, probiotics, midgut, histological picture, peritrophic membranes

This content is open access.