From my admittedly elementary knowledge, I understood that high levels of vitellogenin in workers corresponds to longevity (as in queens and diutinus workers) whereas low levels and increased levels of junior hormone relate to early death of workers. That implies for diutinus bees, high levels of protein intake from pollen and under-use of the hypopharyngeal gland (i.e. no/low brood feeding). So autumn (ahem, excuse meā¦fall) feeding of pollen patties would seem beneficial if there is little foraged pollen coming in.
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