engleski

Foraging activity of honey bees (Apis mellifera carnica Poll. 1879) on mint (Mentha spp.) nectar flow

Biodiversity of nectariferous plants from different climatic and geographical regions of Croatia (Pannonian, Mountain and Adriatic) provides a great potential for the production of specific (rare) unifloral honey types. However, investigation of the honey bees’ foraging activity on many less represented nectariferous plant species have not yet been carried out. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the behavior of honey bees on mint nectar flow by monitoring their foraging activity. The study was conducted on five experimental colonies of Carniolan bee (Apis mellifera carnica Pollmann, 1879) placed in standard Langstroth-Root (LR) hives situated at selected locations in the mint field (Croatia, Pannonian region). Foraging activity of the honey bee colonies was conducted by counting the foragers on five separate 1 m² plots on mint field for six days during August. Counting of the honey bees was carried out for 1 min on each side of the plot three times a day (at 10:00, 13:00, and 18:00). Analysis of the honey sac content and pollen loads was carried out according to the method of Soehngen and Jay (1974). Statistically significantly higher (p=0, 008) number of foragers with nectar and pollen load was determined at foragers collected at 14:00 (nectar: n=632 ; pollen load: n= 424) compared to those collected at 9:00 (nectar: n=582 ; pollen load: n=397), and 18:00 (nectar: n=560 ; pollen load: n=369). Statistically lower (p<0, 0001) average weight of the honey sac content (9.02 mg) was determined in the samples of foragers collected at 9:00 compared to samples collected at 14:00 (12.04 mg) and 18:00 (11.06 mg). The results have also revealed statistically significantly lower (p<0, 0156) average pollen load weight (7.73 mg) in the group of foragers collected at 9:00 in comparison to those collected at 14:00 (8.63 mg). No statistically significant difference of the pollen lead weight was determined between the groups of foragers collected at 9:00 and 18:00, and between 14:00 and 18:00.

foraging activity, Apis mellifera carnica, mint (Mentha spp.), honey sac content, pollen load

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