Development, gut health, and longevity of European bee on the provision of biosugar syrup

Syrup containing monomeric sugars was prepared from banana-peel waste by hydrolyzing it with cellulose as well as pectinase to feed honeybees instead of using sucrose syrup in the period when there is no nectar in flowers. This syrup was provided to the caged workers with and without the addition of monomeric sugars (glucose, fructose) for a period of two weeks. It was observed that worker bees belonging to experiment No. 2 (pollens + 25% w/v glucose in BPW sugar syrup) had a significant increase in longevity. In addition to this, morphometric and histological analyses were also done. Morphometric studies confirmed reasonable increases in different body parame-ters of worker bees. Their hypopharyngeal gland became developed with a mean acinal surface value of 0.019 +/- 0.0 mm2 as compared to the control's 0.0124 +/- 0.0 mm2. Sections of the midgut (stomach) and small intestine up to 8 mu m were prepared and observed under camera fit-ted microscope. Bees of experiment No. 2 had peritrophic membranes in close contact with rab-dorium-like control bee's midgut, nuclei stained hyper chromatic, considerable increase in gastric cells discharging, and compact and homogeneous mass of semi-digested pollens in the central part of the intestinal lumen which indicates the improved digestion. The mean midgut lumen di-ameter was 450 +/- 34.6 mu m2 as compared to the control's 240.0 +/- 30.5 mu m2 and the mean in-testinal lumen diameter was 223.3 +/- 33.3 mu m2 as compared to the control's 113.3 +/- 38.4 mu m2 which is an indication of tissue development. In the end, it is concluded that the use of biosugar syrup is good alternative to sucrose sugar syrup for honeybees.

Automated summary

A syrup containing monomeric sugars was prepared from banana-peel waste and used to feed honeybees. The workers fed with syrup containing glucose and fructose showed increased longevity, and morphometric and histological analyses supported this result. Therefore, the use of biosugar syrup is a good alternative to sucrose syrup for feeding honeybees.