Effect of Honey Bee Hybrid, Season and Position of Collecting Plate Inside the Hive on the Quantity of Harvested Dry Venom in Egypt

Abstract

This research was conducted to evaluate the biological effect (bees hybrids), environmental (collection season) and technical method (location of collecting plate within the hive) on the amounts of harvested dry venom using electrical chock method in Giza, Egypt. Ninety-six honeybee colonies in homogenous strength were selected from Carniolan and Italian hybrids (48 colonies each). Each hybrid group was equally divided into six subgroups, which were distributed from March to August. The venom was collected only once from each subgroup. The results showed that the upper frame position of collecting plate was the best with significant amounts of venom (29.4 mg/col.), higher than putting the plate beneath the frames (14.6 mg/col.). The colonies of Carniolan hybrid produced significant quantity of dry venom (26.5 mg /col.) compared with Italian hybrids (17.6 mg /col.). Also, the mean amount of harvested venom during spring season was significantly higher (23.1 mg/col.) than that produced during summer season (20.8 mg/col.). A pronounced quantity of dry venom could be monthly produce throughout the period from March to August, ranging from 21.4 to 34.1 mg/col., with the upper frames collecting plate.