Effect of comb wax age on brood performance or population of honey bee, Apis melifera

Subject Areas : Agroecology Journal

Abolfazl Asadi Dizaji ¹ , naser Maheri Sis ² , ahad Shaddel Tili ³ , abolfazl Aghajanzadeh Golshani ⁴

1 - Scientific Board of Islamic Azad University, Shabestar Branch,
2 - Scientific Board of Islamic Azad University, Shabestar Branch,
3 - Scientific Board of Islamic Azad University, Shabestar Branch,
4 - Scientific Board of Islamic Azad University, Shabestar Branch,

Received: 2007-11-28 Accepted : 2009-02-23 Published : 2009-04-21

Keywords: Population, Honeybee, Honey production, Apis mellifera, Comb wax, Brood performance,

Abstract :

Using long lasting combs have deleterious effects on honey bee larval development due to pathogenic contamination and toxins. In this research,  old combs with unknown age and dark colour and new maked ones were obtained and bee reproduction and  population were compared in old and new bee waxes. Old combs were placed in strong bee colonies to clean them of debris. Brood performance and population of  honey bee were then measured for each colony on days 14 and 21 at reproduction season. Results revealed that queen reproduction and body weight of young adults were significantly higher in new combs (p<%1). Accumulated debris and numerous contaminants caused smaller mean cell diameters in older combs  and  resulted in decreased  weight of young adults. Also, thoset had deleterious effects on bee health. Bees reared in new combs weighted about 8.3% more those reared in old ones. Results showed the effectiveness of new combs on brood performance and honey production. Thus, elimination of  very old brood combs by bee keepers were recommended.   

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