- Adult weights were lowest when larvae were reared in pollen-limited
colonies
 - Adult lifespan was shortest when larvae were reared in pollen-limited
colonies
- Foraging activity was reduced when reared in pollen-limited colonies
- Dance activity and precision were reduced when reared in pollen-limited
colonies

Thanks for this paper!  A take-home message in there especially worth repeating was: "Proportionally fewer stressed workers were observed foraging and those who did forage started foraging sooner, foraged for fewer days, and were more likely to die after only a single day of foraging. Pollen-stressed workers were also less likely to waggle dance than their unstressed counterparts and, if they danced, the information they conveyed about the location of food was less precise. These performance deficits may escalate if long-term pollen limitation prevents stressed foragers from providing sufficiently for developing workers."

Sounds like "slow builder" to me.

Does anyone have an up-to-date reference text for insect nutritional requirements?
What I am looking for is not "bees need pollen" but information on essential nutrients and metabolism.

Christina

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