A Comparative Study between Four Different Hybrid Local Races of Honey Bee in Some Biological Activity

1.INTRODUCTION

              Honeybee colonies are essential for agriculture and the environment, they ensure plant reproduction by pollination, whilst beekeeping contributes to the development of rural areas. Pollen is the powder found in the flowers. This powder is attached to the hair in the body of the bee and there are pockets in the back legs of the bee called the pollen basket. The bee collects this powder in its body and brings it to the hive. The hive also has traps for pollen grains in which the latter collects and is extracted from the hive.  It is considered an ideal food, as it contains 18 vitamins, more than 25 minerals and thirty percent of amino acids and the same amount of sugars. Bees collect nectar, transform it by combining with specific substances of their own deposit, dehydrate, store and leave the honey in the combs to be ripened and matured according to the international standards of honey products .The amount of pollen and brood in the colony can be used to expect the honey yield produced at the end of the season.  Nabros (2000); Hegazi et al. (2001) and Taha (2005).

It is well known that there are three seasons of honey yield in many parts of Egypt according to blooming of plant species that can be available for bees to collect their food (nectar and pollen). For example, citrus honey (first yield of the season) is produced by honey bee workers form the nectar of flowers of different citrus trees at the beginning of spring until the end of flowering period of citrus species. Citrus honey has a light yellowish or golden color with light consistency, light acidic taste and aroma of citrus flavour. Clover honey (second yield) is being produced by honey bee workers throughout the period of May-June during the flowering of clover. Cotton (Gossypium barbadense) honey is also produced at the mid of August (as third yield).  Elaidy Waleed et al.  (2017).

Therefore, the present work was initiated to study pollen& Honey gathering activity of the honeybee colonies (four races) under the prevailing local environmental conditions of El-Sabaheia. Region of 2017 till 2018.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              2.MATERIALS AND METHODS

Honey stored yield:

Honey and pollen grains stored were measured during two seasons of 2017, 2018.The honey stored in cells of wax frames was measured by using a typical langstroth frame which is sub-divided into square inches by means of wire (Al-Tikrity et al., 1971 and Hassona, 2006) Fig (1) for twenty colonies during two seasons of 2017, 2018 to denote the total amount of honey in wax cells per season Figs. (2&3)

Fig.(1) Measuring Inch square             Fig. (2) pollen grains                Fig.(3) Honeyin wax cells

Evaluation of stored pollen grains :

The stored pollen in cells of wax frames that has been measured by subdivided langstroth frame in square inches was calculated and the area of stored pollen by workers in the twenty colonies were compared Fig (4).

            Fig. (4)  Measuring pollen by inch square

Statistical analysis

Using "F" and "L.S.D." tests were performed for the comparison and evaluation of the tested materials. Data were subjected to the analysis of variance test (ANOVA) with mean separation at 5% levels of significance. Computer programs IRRISTAT and Duncan's Multiple Range test were used to compare the averages of detected results according to the method of Snedecor and Cochran (1967).

3.RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Biological activities of honey bee colonies during seasons 2017 and 2018 

Pollen grains measured during season 2017 and 2018

The collected pollen grains of the selected races were measured during season 2017. Table (1) showed that the highest mean of pollen grain was recorded in Egyptian Alexandria 142.77 ( inch²) followed by Egyptian upper Egypt 109.31(inch²) then hybrid Carniolan local 108.07 (inch²)  and the lowest mean of pollen grains was recorded in hybrid Italian local strain 87.82  (inch²)/colony . 

Table (2) showed that the highest general mean of pollen grain during season 2018 was recorded in hybrid Italian local 202.84 followed by Egyptian upper Egypt 221.32 then hybrid Carniola local 190.08 and the lowest general mean was recorded in Egyptian Alexandria 183.04 (inch²)/colony .

It could be revealed from these cited results that the highest detected quantities of collected pollen grains in the following months of June and July , was in parallel with the higher estimated areas of sealed brood or/ and honey production .

These results are close to those reported by Bobrzeeki and Wild (1991) who found that the brood area was reduced in colonies of small amount of pollen grain

On the other hand, Ghazala and Nowar (2014) indicated that mean amounts of pollen trapped during citrus season were 247.66 g/ colony. They also concluded that the mean amount of pollen trapped was 355.00 and 1043.33 g/colony during the whole season of clover and corn seasons.

Honey yield measured during seasons 2017 and 2018  

Honey is produced by honey bees from the nectar of plants, secretions of living parts of plants and excretions of plant sucking insects (honey dew). Bees collect nectar, transform it by combining with specific substances of their own deposit, dehydrate, store and leave the honey in the combs to be ripened and matured according to the international standards of honey products . Sugden and Furgala (1982) stated that the variation of honey production between colonies in the same apiary might be due to variation of genetic makeup of the colony. Kathy and Hultgren (1985) indicated that Carniolin bees can be considered as a good honey production insect which have a good reputation as honey gatherers and they are very prolific.It is well known that there are three seasons of honey yield in many parts of Egypt according to blooming of plant species that can be available for bees to collect their food (nectar and pollen). The apiary of El-Sabahia Research Station in Alexandria , the main flowering season occurs from September to October or November, all the hives produce considerable amounts of honey and pollen grains are collected from Schinus terebinthifolia in October and the average honey yield is about 6.85 kg per colony 

Table (3) showed that the highest mean of honey yield during the season of 2017 was hybrid Carniolan local 1040.85 (inch²)/colony followed by Egyptian Upper Egypt 1013.65 (inch²)/colony , then hybrid Italian local 487.33(inch²) and the lowest mean was Egyptian Alexandria 453.33  (inch²)/colony. These results are in accordance with that reported by the above mentioned authors.

            Table (4) showed that the highest mean of honey yield during the season of 2018 was Egyptian Upper Egypt 418.88(inch²)/colony followed by hybrid Italian local 367.84 (inch²) then Egyptian Alexandria 303.16 (inch²) /colony and the lowest mean of honey yield during season 2018 was hybrid Carniola local 294.80 (inch²)/colony

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Table (1): Comparison between the four races in collecting pollen grains in the season of 2017

LSD at 0.05=31.34

Table (2): Comparison between the four races in collecting pollen grains in the season of 2018

LSD at 0.05 = 35.25

Table (3): The measured Honey yield of the  es in the season of 2017

LSD 0.05 = 149.045