I think this discussion and the science quoted involve two separate subjects, but only one is being addressed.  One being the dietary effect of protein on the longevity of adult bees and the other, not being addressed, on the dietary needs of diutinus bees. It may be that pollen in fall is only consumed by the waning population of nurse bees or the emerging population of young diutinus bees while the adult bees only consume enough pollen for somatic needs. 

It occurred to me that by feeding concentrations of EAAs in sugar syrup and thereby forcing the uptake of proteins in adult bees,  Paoli et al. used a feeding technique that doesn't occur naturally and one that could not be refused by the adults. Although it seems to demonstrate that adults fed a high EAA diet die sooner, it may not reflect anything that occurs in a colony where dietary nutrients are preferentially consumed based on polyethism. 


Bill Hesbach
Cheshire CT. 
Northeast US

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