Journal of Entomological Research
SCOPUSWeb of Science
  • Year: 2023
  • Volume: 47
  • Issue: 3

Effects of honey bee larvae age on royal jelly yield under field conditions

  • Author:
  • Wen-Hsing Huang, Suwimol Chinkangsadarn1, Ju-Yi Hsu2, Lekhnath Kafle1,*
  • Total Page Count: 4
  • Page Number: 569 to 572

1Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, 912, Taiwan

2Department of Food Science, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, 912, Taiwan

International Master’s Degree Program in Food Science, International College, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, 912, Taiwan

*Corresponding authors’ E-mail: kafle@mail.npust.edu.tw

Online published on 13 September, 2023.

Abstract

Royal jelly production depends on several factors, including honey bee species, nutritional status of the colony, colony health, and age of larval grafting. In this study, the effects of Italian honey bee (Apis mellifera ligustica) larvae age on the royal jelly yield and 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA) content were investigated under field conditions. It was found that the production of royal jelly was significantly higher when 1st to 3rd instar larvae were grafted than the 4th instar. However, 10-HDA content of the 4th instar larvae grafted was the highest among all larval stages. The age of larvae has remarkable effects on the yield and 10-HDA content of royal jelly.

Keywords

10-HDA, Apis mellifera, Larval grafting, Royal jelly production