Performance of Apis mellifera L. in thermocol hive during spring and summer seasons in Chitwan, Nepal.

Sahu, R. C. , R. B. Thapa, C. K. Mandal, S. M. Shrestha and M. Sapkota. 2007. IAAS Research Advances Vol. 1. Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal. pp. 151-153.

Keywords: Apis mellifera, thermocol hive, performance  

Performance of Apis mellifera L. was observed in thermocol hive and wooden hive kept in backyard kitchen garden, during spring and summer seasons of 2002 at IAAS, Rampur, Chitwan. Two sets of honeybees, having five frames of bees with a queen in each were introduced in the hives on January 20, 2002. Bee flora were available during spring (January to March), therefore, supplementary diet was not necessary. After spring, from April to July when bee flora were in scarcity at IAAS and its vicinity, supplement diet (sugar syrup in the ratio of 1:1) was given to the bees @ 150 g of sugar per day per colony for six days with an interval of four days. Results showed that performance of honeybees was better in wooden hive as compared to thermocol hive as indicated by various biological parameters, such as brood frames (9 vs 8 frames), brood population (11284 vs 10421 cells), number of out-going (13.2 vs 11.8 workers) and in-coming (12.9 vs 12.1 workers) foragers, and storage of pollen (232 vs 217 cells). Thus, the performance of wooden hive was superior to thermocol hive during spring and summer seasons under Chitwan condition.