Vol.54 No.2 2010 Content Piotr Semkiw, Piotr Skubida - Evaluation of the economical aspects of Polish beekeeping 5 Beata Bąk, Jerzy Wilde, Maciej Siuda - Comparison of hygienic behaviour between five honey bee breeding lines 17 Adam Roman, Adriana Mirecka, Ewa Popiela - An influence of chosen feed additives on the life-span of laboratory held drones and the possibility of semen collection 25 Maria Josiane Sereia, Vagner de Alencar Arnaut de Toledo, Patrícia Faquinello, Fabiana Martins Costa-Maia, Satilla Emanoeli da Silva de Castro, Maria Claudia Colla Ruvolo-Takasusuki, Antonio Claudio Furlan - Lifespan of Africanized honey bees fed with various proteic supplements 37 Evgeniya N. Ivanova, Plamen Petrov, Maria Bouga, Nicholas G. Emmanouel, Rahsan Ivgin Tunca, Meral Kence - Genetic variation in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) populations from Bulgaria 51 Abdolreza Saffari, Peter G. Kevan, James L. Atkinson - Palatability and consumption of patty-formulated pollen and pollen substitutes and their effects on honeybee colony performance 63 Tadeusz Pawlikowski - Pollination activity of bees (Apoidea: Apiformes) visiting the flowers of Tilia cordata Mill. and Tilia tomentosa Moench in the urban environment 73 Anna Wróblewska, Zofia Warakomska, Magdalena Kamińska - The pollen spectrum of bee bread from the Lublin region (Poland) 81 Jerzy Szymula, Wojciech Skowronek, Małgorzata Bieńkowska - Use of various morphological traits measured by microscope >or by computer methods in the honeybee taxonomy 91 Elżbieta Weryszko-Chmielewska i Dagmara Sadowska - The phenology of flowering and pollen release in four species of Linden (Tilia L.) 99 Beata Panasiuk, Wojciech Skowronek, Małgorzata Bieńkowska, Dariusz Gerula, Paweł Węgrzynowicz - Age of worker bees performing hygienic behaviour in a honeybee colony 109 Evaluation of the economical aspects of Polish beekeeping Piotr Semkiw, Piotr Skubida Summary The purpose of this research was to evaluate the beekeeping sector in Poland. The research was done in the Apiculture Division of the Research Institute of Pomology and Floriculture in Pulawy, Poland. The research material was obtained from a variety of sources: the Veterinary Inspectorate, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and also the authors' own studies and analyses. At the end of October 2009, 1 122 396 honeybee colonies were present in Poland. The average number of colonies per square kilometre was 3.68 and there were 44951 beekeepers. The majority of the beekeepers were middle aged or older. Beekeepers over 50 comprised 60.7% of the total number. Beekeepers between 35 and 50 years old were 29.5%, while the youngest group, under 35, were only 9.8%. In recent years, there has been a fall in honey production resulting from unfavourable changes in regional climatic conditions, altered land management and cases of mass die-offs of honeybee colonies in apiaries. In 2008, honey production was about 18 thousand tonnes. In the season of 2009, only 14 thousand tonnes of honey were produced. It was the poorest in Polish honey production in the last few years. The proportion of prices to costs of production was still unfavourable. Poor financial results of apiaries, resulting from this discrepancy, posed a serious barrier to the development of Polish beekeeping. Keywords: economy, beekeeping, sector condition, Poland. Full text PDF Back to the top Comparison of hygienic behaviour between five honey bee breeding lines Beata Bąk, Jerzy Wilde, Maciej Siuda Summary The experiment was carried out to compare hygienic behaviour of five honeybee breeding lines kept in Poland. The lines evaluated in this experiment were: two lines of Carniolan bees (Kortówka and Dobra), Caucasian bees (Woźnica line), Mellifera bees (Augustowska line) and hybrids of the two bee subspecies - A. m. capensis x A. m. carnica. Mellifera bees of the Augustowska line and also bees of the Carniolan Dobra line showed the highest ability for cleaning dead brood from comb cells. Bees of these two lines removed an average of 10% killed brood, and within twenty four hours cleaned the cells of dead brood which had been reintroduced into the colony. Keywords: honeybee, breeding lines, hygienic behaviour. Full text PDF Back to the top An influence of chosen feed additives on the life-span of laboratory held drones and the possibility of semen collection Adam Roman, Adriana Mirecka, Ewa Popiela Summary The aim of the study was to determine the influence of selected food components on the length of the survival period of drones held in a laboratory, and the reproduction abilities of the drones. The drones were kept in cages equipped with a comb, placed in an incubator at a temperature of?33-35°C. The food in the form of honey diluted with water (1:1) was given directly into comb cells using a syringe with a needle. Seven groups were formed: I - 1.25g of lyophilizated royal jelly in 100 g of food, II - 2.5 g of lyophilizated royal jelly in 100 g of food, III - 5 g of lyophilizated royal jelly in 100 g of food, IV - 0.5 g of grapefruit extract in 100 g of food, V - 10 g of pollen in 100 g of food, VI - 20 g of pollen in 100 g of food, and VII - the control in which drones were fed with honey diluted with water without any additives. After 2, 4 and 6 days of the experiment, an attempt at endophallus eversion and a collection of semen from drones of groups I, II and VII was made (an?assessment on?a?0-4 point scale). The highest survivability was observed in drones from group I. They even lived until the eighth day in good condition. In group I, the mean drone mortality after 6 days, was 35.9%, and the quality of endophallus eversion (mean score 3.1 pts) and possibility of semen collection (mean score 2.4?pts) were the highest. The best results for those features were obtained in June (3.7 pts on average), while the worst in August (2.3 pts on average). Drones from the control group (VII) were in a very poor condition, the mean mortality after 2 days was 34.5%, and it reached up to 98.5% after 4 days. The?vigour and liveness of drones were the best in June, and the poorest in August. Other feed additives for drones kept in a laboratory did not exhibit any positive influence. Keywords: drones, survivability, semen, endophallus, reproductive organ, royal jelly. Full text PDF Back to the top Lifespan of Africanized honey bees fed with various proteic supplements Maria Josiane Sereia, Vagner de Alencar Arnaut de Toledo, Patrícia Faquinello, Fabiana Martins Costa-Maia, Satilla Emanoeli da Silva de Castro, Maria Claudia Colla Ruvolo-Takasusuki, Antonio Claudio Furlan Summary This research was carried out to evaluate the nutritional quality of five supplements elaborated with linseed oil, palm oil, isolated soy protein and beer yeast. The study was performed about the life span of Africanized honey bees, confined into experimental cages maintained in incubator, at 32°C and relative humidity of 70% for 76 days. The supplements containing a mixture of polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids with linseed oil, palm oil and/or isolated soy protein and beer yeast were frequently used, resulting in a larger life span and smaller mortality rate than supplements elaborated only with sources of polyunsaturated or saturated fatty acids. Variations of fatty acid sources are expected and desirable in supplements to Africanized honey bees. Keywords: Apis mellifera, beer yeast, isolated soy protein, linseed oil, palm oil, supplementation. Full text PDF Back to the top Genetic variation in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) populations from Bulgaria Evgeniya N. Ivanova, Plamen Petrov, Maria Bouga, Nicholas G. Emmanouel, Rahsan Ivgin Tunca, Meral Kence Summary Genetic variation of honey bee populations from 9 different locations of Bulgaria was studied using 4 enzymic systems (MDH, ME, EST and ALP) corresponding to 4 genetic loci and PCR-?RFLP's analysis of 16s rDNA, COI, and ND5 gene segments of mtDNA. Allozyme analysis revealed that all loci were polymorphic in almost all studied populations. The observed heterozygosity was found to range from 0.146 to 0.258, and Nei's genetic distance between 0.006 and 0.057 among the populations. Bulgarian honey bees are clustered into three groups in neighbor-joining and UPGMA dendrograms. The Pomorie and Slivovik populations are in a separate clade while all other populations are grouped together. The mtDNA analyses revealed no variation in the Bulgarian honey bees. A comparison was made of the results of similar analyses on honey bees from the neighboring countries of Greece and Turkey. The results showed that honey bee populations from Bulgaria and Greece considered to belong to A. m. macedonica subspecies are discriminating, which means the bees show differences. Keywords: honey bee, Apis mellifera, allozymes, mtDNA, genetic variation, Bulgaria. Full text PDF Back to the top Palatability and consumption of patty-formulated pollen and pollen substitutes and their effects on honeybee colony performance Abdolreza Saffari, Peter G. Kevan, James L. Atkinson Summary Honeybee health is of grave concern to the apicultural industry and to agriculture generally. The quality of diet influences colony health and strength, especially for colonies preparing for over-wintering or starting population build-up in early spring. The palatability of four feeds to honeybees and their effects on colony performance were assessed by three independent feeding experiments made in late fall and early spring with experimental and commercial honeybee colonies in southern Ontario, Canada. The colonies were supplied with patties of bee-collected pollen, Bee-Pro®, TLS Bee food, or Feedbee® or no supplementary feed as the control. The first trial in late fall 2003 used 21 equalized experimental colonies receiving Feedbee®, pollen, or Bee-Pro® for 33 days. The feed consumption for Feedbee® and pollen were both higher than for Bee-Pro®. The second trial used 24 equalized experimental colonies in early spring 2004 for 30 days. Then, feed consumption for Feedbee® and pollen were again both higher than for Bee-Pro®. Also measured in these trials were capped brood area, bee population, and honey production. Results for all three response variables were similar between Feedbee® and pollen, and significantly higher than Bee-Pro® and controls. The third trial used 33 commercially operated colonies (in 2 independent apiaries) that received Feedbee®, Bee-Pro® and TLS Bee food in fall 2004 for 30 days. The results showed Feedbee® had greater consumption than the other two feeds. In all three experiments and for all parameters there were no significant differences between feeding Feedbee® and pollen. The results indicate the potential of Feedbee® for improving colony maintenance and health, build up and production during a shortage or absence of natural pollen. Keywords: pollen, substitute diet, bees, consumption, brood, population, honey production. Full text PDF Back to the top Pollination activity of bees (Apoidea: Apiformes) visiting the flowers of Tilia cordata Mill. and Tilia tomentosa Moench in the urban environment Tadeusz Pawlikowski Summary The pollination activity of bee communities was studied on the flowering linden trees Tilia cordata and Tilia tomentosa in the urban environment of the city of Toruń, Poland. In?2002, the activity of bees while visiting the flowers of Tilia cordata and Tilia?tomentosa was similar. During 2002, there was a cooler flowering period for the Tilia?cordata species and a bit warmer period for the Tilia tomentosa species. In 2003, during the warmer season with thermally similar flowering periods, flowers of Tilia tomentosa were visited twice as often as compared to flowers of Tilia cordata. It was found that toxic properties of Tilia?tomentosa nectar are stronger for bumblebees than for Apis mellifera. During the warmer flowering period, bumblebees were being intoxicated almost twice as often compared to the cooler period. The contribution of intoxicated bumble bees did not significantly increase (from 5% to 8%) even though there was a tenfold increase in the contribution of all bumblebees visiting the flowers during the studied seasons from 2002 to 2003. Keywords: Apiformes, bees, Tilia cordata, Tilia tomentosa, pollination activity. Full text PDF Back to the top The pollen spectrum of bee bread from the Lublin region (Poland) Anna Wróblewska, Zofia Warakomska, Magdalena Kamińska Summary The proper development of a bee colony depends on the availability of nectar and pollen producing plants during the entire growing season. In order to identify pollen sources in the Lublin region (Lubelszczyzna - Poland), 121 bee bread samples were collected over a period of 8 years. This bee bread came from individual beekeepers, singled out by the Regional Beekeeping Association in Lublin, Poland, as well as from the apiaries of the Technical Secondary School for Beekeeping in Pszczela Wola near Lublin. The samples were collected in 17 districts within 4 Lublin regions. These were as follows: Valley of Pobuże, the Sandomierska Valley, Volhynian Polesie, and the Lubelska Upland. Pollen analysis was performed based on the guidelines of Smaragdova (1956) and of the International Commission for Bee Botany (IUSB) (Louveaux et al., 1978). The pollen accumulated in the bee bread primarily originated from meadow plants, including among others, Anthriscus and Rumex, Trifolium spp. as well as from cultivated species of the family Brassicaceae. The pollen from Fagopyrum, fruit trees, weeds, Papaver, Sinapis, Raphanus, and Solidago also reached significant proportions. Trees and bushes were represented by pollen grains of Acer, Aesculus, Juglans,Frangula and Salix. As far as exclusively wind-pollinated herbaceous plants are concerned, the pollen of Artemisia, Carex, Chenopodium, Plantago, Secale, and Zea was noted. The natural conditions in the Lublin region provide adequate pollen flows for apiaries from spring to late summer. Keywords: bee bread, pollen analysis, Lublin Region, Poland. Full text PDF Back to the top Use of various morphological traits measured by microscope or by computer methods in the honeybee taxonomyJerzy Szymula, Wojciech Skowronek, Małgorzata Bieńkowska Summary Morphological traits were evaluated in 289 samples of honeybees (Apis mellifera) belonging to three races: Middle European (A. m. mellifera), Carniolan (A. m. carnica) and Caucasian (A.?m.?caucasica). The microscope method was used to measure the length of the proboscis, the width of tergite IV and cubital index, while computer analysis was applied to measure 32 traits on the honeybee wing. Discriminant analysis of the results demonstrated that both measuring methods differentiate the races to a similar degree. Out of all traits compared, the greatest discrimination strength was attributed to the length of the proboscis measured with the microscope method. The other traits displayed various discrimination strengths, yet they all contributed to the discrimination of the races. Morphological measurements performed with the microscope method are twice as time-consuming than the respective measurements conducted with the computer method. Keywords: morphological traits, trait measurements, computer method, discrimination of races, Apis mellifera. Full text PDF Back to the top The phenology of flowering and pollen release in four species of Linden (Tilia L.) Elżbieta Weryszko-Chmielewska i Dagmara Sadowska Summary Linden trees belong to important forage plants that provide nectar and pollen for insects. The?aims of the present study were to determine correlations between the flowering stages of four linden species that are frequently found in urban plantings in the city of Lublin, and the dynamics of occurrence and abundance of airborne pollen grains. The species under study included the following: Tilia cordata Mill., T. platyphyllos Scop., T. x europaea L., T. tomentosa Moench. The flowering phenophases were studied in the 2010 growing season. The pollen season patterns were studied in the 2005 - 2010 seasons. Aerobiological monitoring was carried out using the volumetric method to investigate the linden pollen content of the air. Tilia platyphyllos, T. x europaea, T. cordata, and T. tomentosa bloomed successively during the 2010 growing season. The flowering duration of the first three species was 16 days, while for T.?tomentosa it was 12 days. The total flowering duration for the four abovementioned species was 38 days, which largely corresponded to the duration of the pollen season period. Our study showed that the four abovementioned species provided forage for insects over a period of about 6?weeks. The maximum airborne linden pollen concentration occurred during the full bloom period of Tilia?x?europaea and T. cordata (26 June). Annual pollen counts of airborne linden pollen significantly varied between years. In the year in which the highest airborne pollen content was recorded (2006), four times more pollen grains were observed compared to the year in which a small amount of airborne pollen was recorded (2005). During the period in question, we found no clear phenological response of the linden species to air temperature increase. Further research may allow definite correlations to be demonstrated. Keywords: Tilia, flowering phenology, pollen seasons, pollen abundance, pollen monitoring, Lublin. Full text PDF Back to the top Age of worker bees performing hygienic behaviour in a honeybee colony Beata Panasiuk, Wojciech Skowronek, Małgorzata Bieńkowska, Dariusz Gerula, Paweł Węgrzynowicz Summary Hygienic behaviour of honey bees is the recognizing and removing of diseased or dead brood from the combs. The behaviour is a mechanism against brood diseases and limits the growth of parasite populations. The behaviour of individual bee workers, of different ages, in dealing with freeze-killed brood was observed in the beekeeping season of 2006. Observations were conducted in a single frame hive with glass walls. Shortly after emergence, young worker bees of carniolan race, GR1 line were marked with different shaped dorsal marks and put into the colony. Bee workers of different ages were involved in removing dead brood from cells, but the greatest activity was observed in the group of bees that were 6 days old at the beginning of the experiment. Some bees performed only certain tasks, while many of them participated in several activities. Keywords: hygienic behaviour, freeze-killed brood, age of worker bees. Full text PDF Back to the top Homepage