Impact of Arid Land Conditions on Biological Activities of Honeybee Colonies

Abstract

Background: The study carried out to evaluate the biological activities of three honeybee races namely: Apis mellifera lamarckii (indigenous race), Apis mellifera carnica (Carniolan race) and Apis mellifera ligustica (Italian race) under the environmental conditions of arid lands. Material and Methods: Three colonies of each race kept at the experimental farm of arid lands Cultivation Research Institute, city for Scientific Research and Technology Applications, New Borg El-Arab city, Alexandria, Egypt, from March, 2012 to April, 2013. Results: Number of frames covered with bees showed highly significant differences between tested honeybee races (F = 9.00, p<0.0009). Obtained results showed no significant differences for sealed worker brood, stored honey and stored pollen. Apis mellifera lamarckii produced the highest sealed drone brood (8.08±2.79 inch2), number of queen cups (7.39±2.21) and number of queen cells (6.06±2.07). Generally, stored honey and stored pollen had positive significantly correlations with sealed worker brood and number of frames covered with bees (r = 0.88, p = 0.000; r = 0.66, p = 0.004) and (r = 0.92, p = 0.000; r = 0.64, p = 0.005), respectively. Conclusion: Under the arid land conditions, there are positive correlations between stored honey area and stored pollen area and temperature. Therefore, beekeepers can wintering their colonies in arid land and managed them for the next foraging season.