Who is royal jelly intended for?
- For the queen during the six days preceding capping
- For the workers
- For the drones
- For all larvae
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Correct answer: 4
Royal jelly is a secretion produced by the cephalic glandular system (hypopharyngeal glands and mandibular glands) of so-called nurse worker bees between the fifth and fourteenth day of their life. It is a whitish substance with a pearly sheen, a gelatinous consistency, and a sour, very pungent taste, which constitutes the exclusive food:
for all larvae of the colony, from hatching until the third day of life;
for larvae selected to become queens, until the fifth day of life;
- for the queen of the colony throughout her entire lifespan, from the day she leaves the royal cell.
It is composed of
lipids: 4.5 %
proteins: 13 % (amino acids in free or combined form)
carbohydrates: 14.5 %, mainly glucose and fructose, and in much smaller proportions sucrose, maltose, erlose, trehalose, and melibiose
water: approximately 66 %.
It also contains vitamins (B group), trace elements, and various compounds active in the cellular differentiation of reproductive organs and ovarian stimulation. Workers do not store royal jelly; it is produced solely according to the needs of the brood and the queen.
The techniques involved in the commercial production of royal jelly are complex, and a professionally managed hive can yield up to 1,000 g of royal jelly per year.
For further reading:
► Royal cells
► Food quantity is decisive
► https://www.miel-direct.fr/produire-la-gelee-royale/
► https://www.miel-direct.fr/composition-gelee-royale/
► http://www.mon-abeille.com/gelee_royale.php