Effects of Pollen-Derived Nutrient Supplementation and Honey Type on Sucrose Responsiveness, Associative Learning, Memory, and Survival in Honey Bees

Dietary composition may influence honey bee sensory responsiveness, learning, and memory. We evaluated sucrose responsiveness, associative learning, memory recall, and survival in Apis mellifera using two separate comparisons: bee bread with 30% sucrose syrup vs. syrup alone, and acacia honey vs. sugar-fed honey. Newly emerged workers received the diets for 15 days in three cages per treatment, initially containing 60 honey bees each. Proboscis extension response assays assessed six sucrose concentrations, six acquisition trials, and recall at 1 h and 24 h. Survival was analyzed through Day 12. The honey samples differed in physicochemical characteristics and sugar composition. Neither comparison showed significant differences in overall sucrose responsiveness. Bee bread supplementation yielded higher mean acquisition responses (p < 0.001) and 1 h recall (62.18% vs. 32.97%; adjusted p = 0.015). Acacia honey likewise yielded higher acquisition responses (p = 0.009) and 1 h recall (34.18% vs. 4.94%; adjusted p = 0.0379). Neither comparison showed significant differences in 24 h recall or restricted mean survival time. These findings may inform feeding strategies supporting honey bee learning and 1 h memory recall, with potential implications for colony functioning and resilience that require validation under field conditions.