Dyeing but not dying: Colourful dyes as a non-lethal method of food labelling for in vitro-reared honey bee (Apis mellifera) larvae

摘要

Several environmental factors (e.g. food source, pesticides, toxins, parasites and pathogens) influence development and maturation of honey bees (Apis mellifera). Therefore, controlled experimental conditions are mandatory when studying the impact of environmental factors: particularly food quality and nutrient consumption. In vitro larval rearing is a standard approach for monitoring food intake of larvae and the labelling of food is necessary to quantify intake in controlled feeding experiments.