author(s)
Mahesh Kumar, DP Abrol, Uma Shankar, Devinder Sharma, Vikram and Amit K Singh

abstract
The study was conduct to determine the effect of artificial diet on colony build and resistance to bee diseases and enemies when enough floral resources were not available. Six diets were prepared which included Black gram (20)+ Yeast (20gm) + Pollen (20g) + Honey (20gm) + glucose (20gm), Soybean flour (60 g) + Honey (35 g) + Yeast (4g) + Vitamins (1 g/kg) HAU Diet, Defatted soya flour 20gm + skimmed milk powder 25gm + sugar 5gm + pollen (5g)+glucose 10gm + h, Soybean flour (25 g) + Yeast (10 g) + Pollen (15 g) + Skimmed milk powder (5 g) + Honey (22.5 g) + Sugar (22.5 g) GBPUA&T diet, Brewer’s yeast (42 g) + Gram (4g) + Skimmed Milk Power (4g) + Sugar (50g) + Pollen (10 g) PAU Diet and Control (sugar feeding). The studies revealed that Apis mellifera bees exhibited differential consumption pattern during different weekly intervals throughout the season as per the needs of the colony. The preference of different diets was in the order 3 >4>2>5>1>6. Diet 3 was most preferred followed by 4, 2, 5, 1 and 6 respectively.