The objective of this research was to study toxic effects of alternative feeds for honeybees Apis mellifera. The average mortality time and the mortality index of cagged honeybees were assessed to evaluate any possible toxic effect of: (a) cassava hay (Manihot esculenta); (b) leucaena hay (Leucaena leococephala); (c) mesquite pod meal (Prosopis juliflora); (d) "bordão-de-velho" pod meal (Pithecellobium cf. saman); (e) babassu bran (Orbygnia martiana) and (f) succedaneous for calfskin from Purina®. The mortality time average varied from 4.46 to 11.74 and the mortality index varied between 4.58 and 12.80. It was obseved that honeybees fed with "bordão-de-velho" pod meal got involved by stichy layer of food and died asphyxiated. Results showed that the flour of Pithecellobium cf. saman should not be used for feeding honeybees, considering the early mortality of workers fed with this meal. The other food studied did not show any toxic effect.
Apis mellifera; toxic effect; alternative feeding
