scholarly journals BIRDS AND HONEY BEES: A BRIEF OVERVIEW ON THIS ANTAGONISTIC RELATIONSHIP AND ITS POTENTIAL IMPACT ON BEEKEEPING

Redia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 103 ◽  
pp. 65-67
Author(s):  
IGNAZIO FLORIS ◽  
MICHELINA PUSCEDDU ◽  
ALBERTO SATTA

The human-wildlife conflict between beekeeping and wild birds is complicated, and further detailed studies are needed for a deeper understanding of the role and possible impact of predation by wild birds on honey production and bee colony health. Another potentially negative effect of birds on bees could be the dissemination of pathogens, such as Nosema ceranae. However, other important aspects of the complex relationship between bees and wild birds should be considered. First, honey bees have developed behavioural defences against the pressure of native predatory birds. Second, the ethology of some of these predators is fascinating like the interesting mutualistic relationship established between the so-called honeyguides and beekeepers. Finally, predatory birds could be important in the biocontrol of other bee enemies such as the invasive Asian hornet. Taking these additional aspects into consideration would provide a better insight into the conflict between wild animal conservation and human activity.

Author(s):  
Brandon K Hopkins ◽  
Priyadarshini Chakrabarti ◽  
Hannah M Lucas ◽  
Ramesh R Sagili ◽  
Walter S Sheppard

Abstract Global decline in insect pollinators, especially bees, have resulted in extensive research into understanding the various causative factors and formulating mitigative strategies. For commercial beekeepers in the United States, overwintering honey bee colony losses are significant, requiring tactics to overwinter bees in conditions designed to minimize such losses. This is especially important as overwintered honey bees are responsible for colony expansion each spring, and overwintered bees must survive in sufficient numbers to nurse the spring brood and forage until the new ‘replacement’ workers become fully functional. In this study, we examined the physiology of overwintered (diutinus) bees following various overwintering storage conditions. Important physiological markers, i.e., head proteins and abdominal lipid contents were higher in honey bees that overwintered in controlled indoor storage facilities, compared with bees held outdoors through the winter months. Our findings provide new insights into the physiology of honey bees overwintered in indoor and outdoor environments and have implications for improved beekeeping management.


2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 223-232
Author(s):  
Dylan Cleary ◽  
Allen L. Szalanski ◽  
Clinton Trammel ◽  
Mary-Kate Williams ◽  
Amber Tripodi ◽  
...  

Abstract A study was conducted on the mitochondrial DNA genetic diversity of feral colonies and swarms of Apis mellifera from ten counties in Utah by sequencing the intergenic region of the cytochrome oxidase (COI-COII) gene region. A total of 20 haplotypes were found from 174 honey bee colony samples collected from 2008 to 2017. Samples belonged to the A (African) (48%); C (Eastern Europe) (43%); M (Western Europe) (4%); and O (Oriental) lineages (5%). Ten African A lineage haplotypes were observed with two unique to Utah among A lineage haplotypes recorded in the US. Haplotypes belonging to the A lineage were observed from six Utah counties located in the southern portion of the State, from elevations as high as 1357 m. All five C lineage haplotypes that were found have been observed from queen breeders in the US. Three haplotypes of the M lineage (n=7) and two of the O lineage (n=9) were also observed. This study provides evidence that honey bees of African descent are both common and diverse in wild populations of honey bees in southern Utah. The high levels of genetic diversity of A lineage honey bee colonies in Utah provide evidence that the lineage may have been established in Utah before the introduction of A lineage honey bees from Brazil to Texas in 1990.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 13-22
Author(s):  
Safrin Edy ◽  
Laode Al Hemawan Ardi

This study aims to analyze the feasibility of the business and analyze the opportunities and threats of Trigona Ongka farm in Laompo Village, Batauga District, South Buton Regency. The research was conducted from January to February 2020 in Laompo Village, Batauga District, South Buton Regency. The sample in this study was 1 (one) honeybee breeders (Trigona sp). The method used is the independent sample t-test and the R / C feasibility analysis. Business opportunities and threats are analyzed qualitatively. The results showed that the business feasibility of Trigona sp honey bee livestock through the STUP and topping method was 1.5, (R/C > 1), meaning that each additional cost incurred resulted in a larger increase in revenue as much as IDR 1,400,000 for the STUP method and IDR 1,500,000 for the topping method instead of additional costs or simply profitable business activities. The honey bee livestock business opportunity of Trigona sp, namely honey as a favorite that is popular, relatively stable price, partially known production of the community, the location is easy to reach by vehicles, the availability of large land for business development. While the threat of Trigona sp honey bee livestock, namely: lack of environmental carrying capacity, so that environmental improvements and increasing the number of bee colonies are needed to increase honey production, do not have a product brand to be widely commercialized, product quality standardization is still poorly understood by breeders, there is no internal coordination between breeders to strengthen institutions and lack of access to assistance from capital institutions in terms of capital.  Keywords: Prospects, Business Feasibility, Honey Bees


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamiat . ◽  
Iskandar A M ◽  
M Idham

Local wisdom is one of the characteristics national culture that deserves to be explored and developed in the future. Honey production is carried out by maintaining traditional nest making that utilizes natural materials are local wisdom that is still applied. The purpose of this study is to (1) reveal the local wisdom in natural forest honey management, (2) the amount of natural forest honey produced by the community from periau using tikung techniques in the area of Siawan Belida, Nanga Tuan Village, Bunut Hilir Subdistrict, Kapuas Hulu Regency. The method used a survey with interview techniques, the selection of respondents are choosing all Nanga Tuan periau. The results of the study revealing local wisdom in preserving natural honey bees with tikung techniques in the Siawan Belida area, namely; tikung, making tikung, selecting trees for installation of tikung, agreement on division of territory in lakes (suak), sanctions for tree destroyers, sanctions for tikung hives burglars, pre-harvesting ceremonies, conditions of harvesting natural forest honey, harvesting honey bees process, honey treatment after harvesting at home. Tree preservation efforts of tikung honey bee techniques based on local wisdom, including; stipulation of forest lake areas in the management of tikung honey, types of feed for Apis dorsata bees. The amount of natural forest honey is 5- 8 tons / year with planting done twice / year.Keywords : local wisdom, natural honey bees, Siawan Belida, tikung techniques


2021 ◽  
pp. 215-234
Author(s):  
Robert N. Wiedenmann ◽  
J. Ray Fisher

This chapter relates the history of the well-known Western honey bees Apis mellifera, just one of 20,000 species of bees. It relates how honey bees originated in Asia, where they nested in tree cavities, from which humans robbed honey. Beekeeping arose as a mutualistic relationship, providing shelter for bees in exchange for consistent access to their products and was prominent in ancient Egypt, from where the practice moved to Western Asia and Europe. Honey bees were taken to North America in 1622 by colonists needing pollinators of food crops. The chapter explains the major roles honey bees play as pollinators of crops, enabling a diversity of food in modern diets and providing billions of dollars in economic benefit. Uniting flowering plants with pollinators means we raise honey bees as six-legged livestock, manipulating and moving the bees to meet human needs. Honey bees face modern threats, and threats to bees are threats to our food supply.


1991 ◽  
Vol 331 (1260) ◽  
pp. 123-129 ◽  

Based on population dynamics, tracheal mite ( Acarapis woodi ) parasitism of colonies of honey bees ( Apis mellifera ) appears to be, potentially at least, regulatory and stable. Empirical and theoretical considerations suggest, however, that intracolony population dynamics of mite-honey bee worker seem to be unstable in managed situations where honey bee worker population is allowed to grow unchecked. Experimental studies showed that tracheal mite population levels increased in a managed honey bee colony but were impaired in one in which brood rearing was interrupted by loss of the queen. Mite densities but not prevalence were lowered in experimental swarms kept from rearing brood. We propose that swarming reduces mite density within a colony, therefore implicating modern techniques of hive management in the sudden historical appearance of the mite on the Isle of Wight.


2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lanting Ma ◽  
Ying Wang ◽  
Xiaobo Hang ◽  
Hongfang Wang ◽  
Weiren Yang ◽  
...  

AbstractAlpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), influences honey bee feed intake and longevity. The objective of this study was to research the effect of six dietary ALA levels on the growth and development of Apis mellifera ligustica colonies. In the early spring, a total of 36 honey bee colonies of equal size and queen quality were randomly allocated into 6 groups. The six groups of honey bees were fed a basal diet with supplementation of ALA levels at 0 (group A), 2 (group B), 4 (group C), 6 (group D), 8 (group E), and 10% (group F). In this study, there were significant effects of pollen substitute ALA levels on the feeding amounts of the bee colony, colony population, sealed brood amount, and weight of newly emerged workers (P<0.05). The workers’ midgut Lipase (LPS) activity of group C was significantly lower than that of the other groups (P<0.01). The worker bees in groups B, C, and D had significantly longer lifespans than those in the other groups (P<0.05). However, when the diets had ALA concentrations of more than 6%, the mortality of the honey bees increased (P<0.01). These results indicate that ALA levels of 2 ~ 4% of the pollen substitute were optimal for maintaining the highest reproductive performance and the digestion and absorption of fatty acids in honey bees during the period of spring multiplication. Additionally, ALA levels of 2 ~ 6% of the pollen substitute, improved worker bee longevity.


Apidologie ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 523-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar Zárate ◽  
Chavier De Araujo-Freitas ◽  
Luis A. Medina ◽  
Alfonso Velásquez ◽  
J. Javier G. Quezada-Euán

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 687-695 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.C. Audisio ◽  
D.C. Sabaté ◽  
M.R. Benítez-Ahrendts

Lactobacillus johnsonii CRL1647, isolated from the intestinal tract of a worker-bee in Salta, Argentina, was delivered to Apis mellifera L. honey bee colonies according to two different administration schedules: 1×105 cfu/ml every 15 days (2011) or monthly (2012). The effect of each treatment on the bee-colony performance was monitored by measuring honey production, and the prevalence of varroasis and nosemosis. Worker bees from each assay were randomly captured 3 days after administration and assayed for the following intestinal culturable and defined bacterial populations: total aerobic microorganisms, Bacillus spp. spores, Lactobacillus spp., Enterococcus spp. and enterobacteria. Interestingly, both treatments generated a similar increase in honey production in treated colonies compared to controls: 36.8% (every 15 days) and 36.3% (monthly). Nosema index always exhibited a reduction when lactobacilli were administered; in turn, Varroa incidence was lower when the lactobacilli were administered once a month. Moreover, the administration of L. johnsonii CRL1647 every 15 days produced an increase in the total number of aerobic microorganisms and in bacteria belonging to the genera Lactobacillus and Enterococcus; at the same time, a decrease was observed in the number of total spores at the end of the treatment. The number of enterobacteria was constant and remained below that of control hives at the end of the assay. On the other hand, the delivery of lactobacilli once a month only showed an increase in the number of bacteria belonging to the genus Lactobacillus; meanwhile, viable counts of the remaining microorganisms assayed were reduced. Even though it seems that both treatments were similar, those bee colonies that received L. johnsonii CRL1647 every 15 days became so strong that they swarmed.


2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (9) ◽  
pp. 1542-1545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn M Underwood ◽  
Michael J Lewis ◽  
James F Hare

Although kin selection is commonly regarded as a major force in the evolution and maintenance of social behaviour in eusocial insects, recent controversy regarding whether honey bee (Apis mellifera L., 1758) workers can discriminate close kin from more distant relatives casts doubt on the extent to which cooperation among individuals within honey bee colonies is controlled by genetic relatedness. We contrasted brood and honey production in colonies where we diluted worker relatedness with those elements of productivity in colonies where relatedness was unmanipulated. Relatedness manipulation did not affect overall brood production, worker or drone brood production, the worker to drone brood sex ratio, or the volume of honey produced. Thus, there is no evidence that honey bees discriminate close from distant relatives or, more importantly, that dilution of the coefficient of relatedness within a colony has any impact on the efficiency of that colony.


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