• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2005

We investigated possible effect of different concentration of sugar solution and addition of antiseptic in the solution on oviposition and colony development of Bombus ignitus and B. terrestris. The rates of oviposition, colony foundation and progeny-queen production of B. ignitus were 1.2-3.0 fold higher in the 40$\%$ sugar solution than those of the 50$\%$ sugar solution. The rates of oviposition, colony foundation and progeny­queen production were 1.1-2.6 fold higher in the 40$\%$ sugar solution added in 0.3$\%$ sorbic acid as antiseptic than those of the 40$\%$ sugar solution. Further, the death rate within one month was 1.7 fold lower in the 40$\%$ sugar solution added in 0.3$\%$ sorbic acid than that of 40$\%$ sugar solution alone. In the comparison of the colony development tested using imported sugar solution, the Beehappy???, the 40$\%$ sugar solution added to antiseptic and the 40$\%$ sugar solution with­out antiseptic, the 40$\%$ sugar solution added to antiseptic was about equal to the Beehappy??? in colony development of B. terrestris. Further, the number of adults produced was 1.2-3.0 fold higher in the 40$\%$ sugar solution added to antiseptic than that of the Bee­happy???. Therefore the 40$\%$ sugar solution was more effective than the 50$\%$ sugar solution, and the 40$\%$ sugar solution added to antiseptic was the most effective in colony development and mass rearing of bumblebee.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2012

Bumblebees are widely used to pollinate various crops, especially tomato, in greenhouses and fields. Here, we investigated whether different sugar solutions have any effects on the oviposition and colony development of Bombus terrestris queens. The types of sugar solution used were a white sugar solution, brown sugar solution, dark brown sugar solution, and prepared sugar solution; all solution contained with a 40% sugar concentration and 0.3% sorbic acid. Among these sugar solutions, B. terrestris queens reared on the white sugar solution exhibited the best results; the rates of oviposition, colony foundation and progeny-queen production were $75.0{\pm}11.0$, $33.0{\pm}9.6$ and $21.7{\pm}7.3$, respectively, which corresponded to 1.1-33.0-fold increases over the results of other sugar solutions. Queens reared on the prepared sugar solution did not found any colonies. The death rate within one month was lowest for the queens reared on the white sugar solution at $26.1{\pm}10.9%$, which was 1.2-2.0-fold lower than the rate for the other sugar solutions. Furthermore, the numbers of progeny produced by queens reared on the white sugar solution, $131.4{\pm}38.8$ workers and $51.0{\pm}40.6$ queens, were also higher, corresponding to 1.1-1.2-fold increases compared to queens raised on the other sugar solutions. Therefore, the white sugar solution was the favorable sugar solution for the egg-laying and colony developmental characteristics of B. terrestris queens.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.23-31
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• 2017

Bumblebees, more efficient than honeybees, provide important services for pollination especially in tomato, pepper, cucumber, strawberries and other crops grown under tunnel farming or glasshouse conditions to yield maximization. These bees require pollen and nectar to meet their dietary needs and maintain their colony structure, development and reproduction. Keeping in view their economic importance, the effect of five concentrations of sugar and honey solutions (1:1, 1:1.5, 1:2, 2:1,1.5:1) each as alternative to nectar were used to observe their effect on life history parameters of Bombus terrestris. The 1:1 ratio of sugar solution was found most effective followed by 1.5:1, 1:1.5, 1:2 and 2:1 and also more effective of all five concentrations of honey solutions on all three stages of colony development i.e., at colony initiation, colony development and colony maturation stages. At colony initiation stage, early pre-oviposition period ($6.40{\pm}0.97$ days), early emergence of first worker in the first batch ($25.40{\pm}1.21$ days) and maximum numbers of workers ($6.20{\pm}0.24$) emergence in the first batch were observed at 1:1 ratio of sugar solution. Colonies reared on 1:1 ratio of sugar solution reached earlier ($52.13{\pm}1.28$ days) at colony foundation stage with minimum mortality ($3.27{\pm}0.54$ workers). At colony maturation stage, maximum numbers of workers, sexual (males, queens) and maximum mother queen longevity was observed at the same 1:1 ratio of sugar solution. It can be suggested from present study that sugar solution as alternative of nectar at 1:1 ratio was better than other sugar concentration levels and also from those of honey solution.