Effect of Lithium Chloride on Hemolymph Components, Hypopharyngeal Glands, Ovarian Development, and Oxidative Stress in Honey Bee ( Apis Mellifera L.) Workers under Controlled Conditions

One hundred and fifty newly emerged worker bees were transferred into Pain-type cages. The experiment included five replicates per batch: five cages for the control, five for bees treated with 10 mM lithium chloride (LiCl), and five for bees treated with 25 mM LiCl. Pollen paste and syrup consumption were measured at 7 and 14 d. Worker bees were sampled at 0, 7, and 14 d for hemolymph extraction (to measure protein, lipid, and sugar content) and for dissection of hypopharyngeal glands (HPGs) and ovaries. Oxidative stress marker levels were also quantified. The results revealed that LiCl treatment did not significantly affect food consumption (pollen paste and syrup). Protein, sugar, and lipid levels in the hemolymph increased with age (p < 0.001) without any effect from LiCl. HPGs development was significantly reduced by 25 mM LiCl at 7 d (p = 0.003) and by both concentrations at 14 d (p < 0.001). Ovarian development was significantly inhibited by 25 mM LiCl at 7 d (p < 0.001) and 14 d (p = 0.016), whereas 10 mM had no significant effect. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and antioxidant capacity were not affected by LiCl but varied with age. These results suggest that a high dose of LiCl (25 mM) disrupts HPG and ovarian development in honey bees without inducing measurable oxidative stress.