Dear b-line members, The fat body in insects including honey bees is composed of cells. Protein and glycogen are stored as granules in the fat body. The insect fat body is equivalent to the vertebrate liver. Like the vertebrate liver, the insect fat body synthesizes, stores and mobilizes lipids, proteins and glycogen. Variations in the food reserves of the fat body depend on the state of nutrition, activity and starvation. Do you know that the fat body in honey bee queens is the a major site for production of the vitellogenin (egg proteins)? This egg protein is released to the haemolymph. Then, the ovaries will absorb the protein to produce eggs. This information shows the importance of the fat body to insects including honey bees. Medhat important Medhat Nasr, Ph.D. Research Scientist, Ontario Beekeepers' Association Dept. Environmental Biology University of Guelph Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1 Tel: (519) 824-4120 Fax:(519)837-0442 e-mail: [log in to unmask]