The relationship between level of pollen in the diet, vitellogenin and juvenile hormone titres in Africanized Apis mellifera workers

The relationship between the amount of pollen consumed and vitellogenin (Vg) and juvenile hormone (JH) titres in the haemolymph of Africanized honey bee workers (Apis mellifera) was studied. Analysis of haemolymph from young workers fed on diets differing in pollen content revealed that Vg, but not JH titre, is dependent on pollen consumption. Workers fed on a 50% pollen diet had higher Vg levels than workers fed on a 15% pollen diet. A 0% pollen diet severely impaired the increase in Vg titre normally observed during the first days of adult life. However, the quantity of pollen in the diet was not reflected in the measured JH titre, which was not significantly different in bees fed on the various diets. The results are discussed in terms of regulation of Vg synthesis.