›› 2018, Vol. 61 ›› Issue (5): 620-626.doi: 10.16380/j.kcxb.2018.05.012

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Research progress in bumblebee nutrition and feed

WANG Huan, XU Xi-Lian*   

  1.  (Institute of Plant and Environment Protection, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing 100097, China)
  • Online:2018-05-20 Published:2018-05-20

Abstract:   Bumblebees are one group of the most important commercial pollinators. Domestication and utilization of bumblebee would make up for the decline of natural bee-pollinators and meet the demands of modern agriculture pollination. Nutrition and feed is one of the key issues to realize the domestication and industrial production of bumblebees. In this article, we reviewed how natural pollen, artificial diet with single or mixed pollen gathered by honeybee, feed with different ratios of protein and fat, feed with different amino acid levels, and feed with nutrient elements or royal jelly added affect the bumblebee development. The mixed pollen has promoting functions on larval weight as compared to the single pollen. The optimal ratio of protein to fat ingested by Bombus terrestris is 14∶1. High amino acid level can promote the oviposition of queens and maturity of larvae. Carbohydrates with nutrient elements added can promote the oviposition of queens and foundation of colonies. The royal jelly added in feed can enhance the survival and spawning rate of queens. We proposed that the future research should focus on the feed meeting the nutrient needs of different developmental stages of the local bumblebees and the intestinal symbiotic bacteria which may affect the metabolism and development of bumblebees.

Key words: Bumblebee, nutrition, feed, carbohydrates, protein, fat, development