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Foraging Behavior and Honey Production of Apismellifera L.

Md. Ektarul Islam
Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

Md. Jamil Hossain Biswas
Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh.

Kazi Shahanara Ahmed
Department of Entomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

Faruki Shabia Maraj
Faculty of Agriculture, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Honeybee, Apismellifera L. was reared and maintained in bee box and placed in around Bangladesh Agricultural University campus in Mymensingh to study its life cycle, behaviour, pollen gathering activity, honey production and its effect on yield of mustard. There was no relationship between sunrises, sunset, first out from the box and last entrance into the box. But positive relationship was found with day temperature to first out and last entrance. The highest number of bees collected pollen in the 3rd week of March. Maximum pollen gathering activities were found at 12.00 to 1.00 p.m. The highest amount of honey production was 4.00 kg per box in mustard and there was positive correlation between percent pollen gathering activity and honey production. The highest number of queen cell was found in the month of March. The results showed that honey bee pollination had significant effect on increase in all the plant parameters and yield.

Keywords: Foraging behavior; Honeybee; Honey production

Location: Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) campus and in the field of Sutiakhali and Bhabakhali village near BAU campus, Mynemsingh, Bangladesh. The studies were carried out from November 2013 to April 2014.

Start Date: 00-11-2013

End Date: 00-04-2014

Program Area: Quality and Nutrition

Commodity: Honey

Objectives:

To estimate the yield of honey per box in litchi and mustard.

Methodology:

The experiment was conducted at three different places, such as Sutiakhali and Bhabakhali in Mynemsingh, when mustard flowers were available in the field during November 2013 to January 2014 and Horticulture farm, BAU, Mynemsingh, when litchi flowers were available in the farm during February to April 2014. The experiment was carried out in subtropical climate, which is characterized by temperature, high humidity and heavy precipitation with occasional gusty wind in March to April 2014 and moderately low temperature during November 2013 to April 2014. The average monthly air temperature, rainfall and relative humidity. The bee box is a wooded box of 51 cm x 41 cm x 27 cm. which is set on a stand of 30 cm height. Each bee box contains the brood chamber, the super chamber and the upper cover. The invention of comb foundation for use with movable frames marks another milestone in the history of beekeeping. Comb foundation is a thin sheet of bees wax stamped with a pattern of hexagons of size equal to the base of natural brood cell. Providing of beeswax foundation accelerates comb construction, thus making better honey harvests possible. It also leads the bees to construct comb with cells of uniform size. The smoker consists of a container made of tin for blowing air into the base of the fire pot and thus smoke come out from the funnel of the smoker. It is used to drive away the bees from the comb when needed. Other equipment such as Bee veil, hand glove, bee brush, knife, and hand netare very important for the culture of bee. Feeding pot is used to feed the colonies with sugar syrup as a food supplement during dearth period and to medicate them far and treatment of the diseases. The feeder pot is a rectangular container whose length and width as like as a frame. The feeder pod is placed into the box with the replacing a frame. The honey production of Apismelliferawas studied in both mustard and litchi fields. In case of mustard, the honey yield was recorded 15th November 2013 to 15th December 2013. In case of litchi the data were recorded from 3rd March to 2nd April 2014. The data for various parameters were analyzed statistically using MSTAT-C software for analysis of variance. The means were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT).

Source of Information: Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. 2015, 1 (2), 359-366; doi: 10.3329/ajmbr.v1i2.25630 (Asian Journal of Medical and Biological Research); ISSN 2411-4472.

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Honeybee, Apismellifera L. was reared and maintained in bee box and placed in around Bangladesh Agricultural University campus in Mymensingh to study its behavior, pollen gathering activity, honey production and its effect on yield of mustard. There was no relationship between first out of bees and sunrises but it was observed positive relationship between first out and day temperature. When day temperature increased bees were out from the box earlier but when day temperature low bees were out from the box lately. When day temperature increased, bee entrance in the box was delayed. The highest percentage of pollen carrying activity was recorded at the time of 12.00 to 1.00 p.m. The lowest pollen gathering activity was recorded at the time of 7.00 to 8.00 a.m. In 1st and 4th week of March pollen gathering activities were lowest. Highest amount of honey production was found in 1st week of December 2013 (4.00 kg box^-1) in mustard crop. The lowest amount of honey was harvested in the 2nd week of December and 3rd week of November, 2013 (3.30 kg per box). The highest number of queen cell was found in the month of March 2014 (25.5) because maximum amount of pollen and nectar were found at that time. The lowest number (2.25) of queen cell was found in the month of November. The yield of mustard in bee box setted and without bee box setted field were calculated 1450 kg per ha and 1150 kg per ha respectively.

Knowledge Management: Journal, Online Circulation