RESUMO

We examined the abiotic factors and co-specific competition for food resources that regulate the foraging activity of Oxaea flavescens bees on Styrax camporum flowers. Foraging records were gathered during 20 min. periods at the beginning of each hour between 05:00h and 18:00h during three nonconsecutive days. Pearson correlation and linear regression tests indicated that the foraging activity of O. flavescens was associated with abiotic factors during the day. O. flavescens represented 89.9% of the observed foraging visits to S. camporum flowers. On the first day of sampling, when environmental conditions were stressful, the foraging activity of O. flavescens was significantly negatively correlated with light intensity, wind speed, and temperature, and positively correlated with relative humidity. Under those conditions, optimal foraging was little affected by the availability of floral resources. On the second and third days, however, when environmental conditions were more favorable, the principal limiting factor of O. flavescens foraging activity was nectar depletion. The maximum peak of foraging under those conditions occurred before the abiotic conditions were fully favorable, however, as the eventual depletion of floral resources resulted in unfavorable cost/benefit implications for foraging during the otherwise most adequate daylight period.(AU)

Assuntos

RESUMO

ABSTRACT: The objective of this research was to evaluate the honey production per hive and the egg laying rates of queens produced in 2007, 2008 and 2010. Thirty colonies initiated with a queen per colony at each climatic season were used during the three years. The years, started on January (summer), April (autumn), July (winter) and October (spring) and ended 12 months later, at the same periods related to each season of the later years. Honey supply were weighed before and after centrifugation to evaluate the quantity of the stored honey. Colonies with queens introduced during autumn and winter in the three years produced 57.2±6.0kg and 60.7±7.5kg of honey, respectively. In the first year of production activity, after the introduction of queens in the initial colonies, values were significantly higher than those obtained in colonies with queens introduced in the summer (39.3±7.6kg) and spring (41.8±3.7kg). Egg laying rates of queens were higher in spring (98.2±3.9%) and summer (88.4±7%), indicating greater food flow (flowerings) in these seasons compared to the averages in autumn (30.3±8.1%) and winter (24.5±7.2%). Produce and introduce queens of Africanized Apis mellifera in colonies initiated during autumn and winter was found to be economically feasible. Honey production of colonies initiated in these periods were higher and they had greater population stability in times of scarcity of flowerings.

RESUMO: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a produção de mel por colmeia e as taxas de postura de ovos das rainhas produzidas nos anos de 2007, 2008 e 2010. Foram utilizadas 30 colônias iniciadas com uma rainha/colônia por estação climática, durante os três anos. A cada ano, iniciou-se em: janeiro (verão), abril (outono), julho (inverno) e outubro (primavera) e encerrou-se doze meses depois, nos mesmos períodos referentes a cada estação dos anos posteriores. As melgueiras foram pesadas antes e depois da centrifugação para avaliar a quantidade do mel estocado. As colônias com rainhas introduzidas durante o outono e o inverno nos três anos produziram 57,2±6,0kg e 60,7±7,5kg de mel, respectivamente, no primeiro ano de atividade de produção após a introdução das rainhas nas colônias iniciais, valores significativamente superiores aos obtidos para as colônias com rainhas introduzidas no verão (39,3±7,6kg) e na primavera (41,8±3,7kg). As taxas de postura de ovos das rainhas foram mais altas na primavera e no verão (98,2±3,9% e 88,4±7%, respectivamente), indicando maior fluxo de alimento (floradas) nessas épocas, quando comparadas às médias do outono e inverno (30,3±8,1% e 24,5±7,2%, respectivamente). Constatou-se que é economicamente viável produzir rainhas e introduzir em colônias iniciais de Apis mellifera africanizada durante o outono e inverno. Além da produção de mel das colônias iniciadas nesses períodos ser superior, elas terão maior estabilidade populacional em épocas de escassez de floradas.

RESUMO

The objective of this research was to evaluate the honey production per hive and the egg laying rates of queens produced in 2007, 2008 and 2010. Thirty colonies initiated with a queen per colony at each climatic season were used during the three years. The years, started on January (summer), April (autumn), July (winter) and October (spring) and ended 12 months later, at the same periods related to each season of the later years. Honey supply were weighed before and after centrifugation to evaluate the quantity of the stored honey. Colonies with queens introduced during autumn and winter in the three years produced 57.2±6.0kg and 60.7±7.5kg of honey, respectively. In the first year of production activity, after the introduction of queens in the initial colonies, values were significantly higher than those obtained in colonies with queens introduced in the summer (39.3±7.6kg) and spring (41.8±3.7kg). Egg laying rates of queens were higher in spring (98.2±3.9%) and summer (88.4±7%), indicating greater food flow (flowerings) in these seasons compared to the averages in autumn (30.3±8.1%) and winter (24.5±7.2%). Produce and introduce queens of Africanized Apis mellifera in colonies initiated during autumn and winter was found to be economically feasible. Honey production of colonies initiated in these periods were higher and they had greater population stability in times of scarcity of flowerings.(AU)

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a produção de mel por colmeia e as taxas de postura de ovos das rainhas produzidas nos anos de 2007, 2008 e 2010. Foram utilizadas 30 colônias iniciadas com uma rainha/colônia por estação climática, durante os três anos. A cada ano, iniciou-se em: janeiro (verão), abril (outono), julho (inverno) e outubro (primavera) e encerrou-se doze meses depois, nos mesmos períodos referentes a cada estação dos anos posteriores. As melgueiras foram pesadas antes e depois da centrifugação para avaliar a quantidade do mel estocado. As colônias com rainhas introduzidas durante o outono e o inverno nos três anos produziram 57,2±6,0kg e 60,7±7,5kg de mel, respectivamente, no primeiro ano de atividade de produção após a introdução das rainhas nas colônias iniciais, valores significativamente superiores aos obtidos para as colônias com rainhas introduzidas no verão (39,3±7,6kg) e na primavera (41,8±3,7kg). As taxas de postura de ovos das rainhas foram mais altas na primavera e no verão (98,2±3,9% e 88,4±7%, respectivamente), indicando maior fluxo de alimento (floradas) nessas épocas, quando comparadas às médias do outono e inverno (30,3±8,1% e 24,5±7,2%, respectivamente). Constatou-se que é economicamente viável produzir rainhas e introduzir em colônias iniciais de Apis mellifera africanizada durante o outono e inverno. Além da produção de mel das colônias iniciadas nesses períodos ser superior, elas terão maior estabilidade populacional em épocas de escassez de floradas.(AU)

Assuntos