Study of nesting pattern of stingless bee in Konkan region of Maharashtra

Abstract

A total of 50 stingless bee colonies were surveyed for its natural habitats, nest entrance directions, height of nest, guard bees on gate. Among these most of the colonies found in electrical poles and wall cavities than in tree cavities with maximum (44.0%) circular (round) nest entrance was, followed by elliptical (38.0%) and irregular shape (18.0%). The nest of stingless bees were found higher preference to the East direction, followed by West, South, North, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest. The height of hive entrance from ground level of stingless bees ranged from 1.5 ft to 21.0 ft with an average height of 5.59 ft, observed that 66 per cent of stingless bee colonies were found with lower elevation zone comprising of 0.0-5.0 ft. The length and width of hive entrance tube ranged from 0.1 cm to 3.5 cm and 0.2 cm to 1.5 cm, respectively. The number of guard stingless bee were observed at colony entrance ranged between 0 to 17 with an average of 3.97 bees.