Pollen preference of honeybees depending on protein contents

This study was carried out in the spring period of 2013 and 2015 in Turkey. Pollen traps were attached to the colonies when the flight activity starts, in the flowering period of March, April, and May. The reference pollen slides were prepared, and pollens collected by bees were determined using reference pollen slides by microscopic examination. The protein contents of the bee pollens were also evaluated. Protein contents of pollens varied between 7.27%-24.90% in 2013 and 7.47%-21.82% in 2015. The highest protein content was determined in Lamium purpureum L., while the lowest protein was found in Carex sp. Honeybees preferred mostly the pollens of Laurocerasus officinalis R., Ornithogalum sp. and Taraxacum officinale W. in March, Juglans regia L., and Bellis perennis L. in April, Diospyros lotus L., and Trifolium repens L. in May.