Foraging performance of Indian honey bee Apis cerana indica (F.), during winter in Madurai district of Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

Honey bees harvest pollen and nectar from the flowers and while foraging they are exposed to broad range of weather conditions viz., temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, wind speed etc. These weather parameters have influence on the foraging activity of the Asiatic honey bee, Apis cerana indica (F.) Each weather parameters have marked effect on honey bee foraging activity. The present study indicated that the maximum temperature alone has positive relationship with foraging activity of bees outgoing, incoming bees with nectar and pollen (r = 0.117, r = 0.188, r = 0.120 respectively). Average weather parameters prevailed during the study period was as follows, air temperature minimum of 18.85 °C to maximum of 32.31 °C, relative humidity of 67.79%, rainfall of 3.75 mm and wind velocity of 4.97 kmph. During winter season 3rd, 4th and 5th standard weeks had recorded maximum foraging activity of 10.30%, 9.91% and 9.26% respectively. During 1st (47.69%) to 5th (48.61%) standard weeks the outgoing bee population outnumbered the necar gatherers. In 6th standard week the population of nectar gatherers reached the peak (47.69%). Nectar gatherers are contributed 43% of the foraging activity and the pollen gatherers contribution was only 16%. The pollen gatherers never exceeded the nectar gatherers and outgoing bee population.