Usually, I defend primary research on this forum.
However the following is an example of a study that I, as a physiologist, do not understand. It seems painfully obvious to me that evaluating fat body status is not a way to estimate the protein content of a bee. But this study asks that very question. And it got published...why???? There is nothing novel in it.
Reminds me of a seminar I attended long ago. A "behavioral physiologist" presented her work. The question was: "Why do horses drink?" After many expensive tests and experiments, the answer was "Because they are thirsty."
Christina
Conversion of High and Low Pollen Protein Diets Into Protein in
Worker Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
M. BASUALDO,1,2 S. BARRAGA?N,1,3 L. VANAGAS,4 C. GARCI?A,5 H. SOLANA,1 E. RODRI?GUEZ,1 AND E. BEDASCARRASBURE4
J. Econ. Entomol. 106(4): 1553?1558 (2013); DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1603/EC12466
ABSTRACT Adequate protein levels are necessary to maintain strong honey bee [Apis mellifera (L.)] colonies. The aim of this study was to quantify how pollens with different crude protein contents influence protein stores within individual honey bees. Caged bees were fed one of three diets, consisting of high protein-content pollen, low protein-content pollen, or protein-free diet as control; measurements were made based on protein content in hemolymph and fat body, fat body weight, and body weight. Vitellogenin in hemolymph was also measured. Bees fed with high crude protein diet
had significantly higher levels of protein in hemolymph and fat bodies. Caged bees did not increase pollen consumption to compensate for the lower protein in the diet, and ingesting 4 mg of protein per bee could achieve levels of 20 g/l protein in hemolymph. Worker bees fed with low crude protein diet took more time in reaching similar protein content of the bees that were fed with high crude protein diet. The data showed that fat bodies and body weight were not efficient methods of measuring the protein status of bees. The determination of total protein or vitellogenin concentration in the hemolymph from 13-d-old bees and protein concentration of fat bodies from 9-d-old bees could be good indicators of nutritional status of honey bees.
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