ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF A BREEDING PROGRAMME FOR SETTING UP TWO HIGH PERFORMANCES BEE LINES
This study aimed to evaluate costs, incomes and financial results related to the creation of two Apis Mellifica Carpatica lines, based on a specific Breeding Programme within a closed population. The two beelines have been carefully selected for the bee populations living in two areas of Romania: North Moldavia and South Muntenia. A new selection technology is set up in order to produce high performance queen bees, well adapted to the environmental conditions mainly to picking. Genetic gain will be get by selling the mated selected queens belonging to the two lines to various beekeepers interested to obtain more and high quality bee products.
Laboratory measurement of honey production in the honeybee. 3. Pupal weight of the worker.
SummaryThe relationship between the pupal weight of workers and honey production by their colony was examined for 14 honeybee colonies headed by instrumentally inseminated queens. The mean weight of pink-eyed pupae and colony weight gain during a 19-week test period were significantly correlated (r = 0·680, P<0·01). An analysis of variance on individual pupal weights from progeny of groups of 7 and 9 queens revealed highly significant differences between source colonies (P<0·001). The results support the feasibility of selection of honeybees for increased colony honey production based on the pupal weight of the worker.
Laboratory Measurement of Honey Production in the Honeybee I. A Model for Hoarding Behaviour by Caged Workers
SummaryThe relationship was examined between honey production by 14 colonies and hoarding behaviour by workers from these colonies in laboratory cages. Hoarding of sugar syrup in the test cages (wt/bee/day) on days 5–15 after emergence seemed to be correlated with honey production. Hoarding on days 7–9 was highly correlated with colony weight gain (r = +0·684, P < 0·01), on days 5–6 and 10–15 less so, and on days 1–4 and 16–20 not at all. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences between source colonies for hoarding on days 7–9 (P < 0·001). These results provide the basis for a model of hoarding behaviour, in which hoarding in the cage on days 5–15, and particularly days 7–9, is related to honey production. Workers held for their first 7 days in a colony hoard syrup during the next 3 days similarly to newly emerged workers, not like workers 8–10 days old. The correlation for days 7–9 in the cages was apparently due to adjustment to life in a cage, after which amount of syrup they hoard ...