Regulation of Pollen Foraging Activity in Apis mellifera Africanized Honeybees Colonies  

作　　者：Erica Gomes de Lima Simone Cristina Camargo Pedro da Rosa Santos Jose Washington Santos Oliveira Vagner de Alencar Arnaut de Toledo Erica Gomes de Lima;Simone Cristina Camargo;Pedro da Rosa Santos;Jose Washington Santos Oliveira;Vagner de Alencar Arnaut de Toledo(Universidade Estadual de Maringa, Maringa, Brazil;Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Sergipe, Brazil;Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual de Maringa, Maringa, Brazil)

机构地区：[1]Universidade Estadual de Maringa, Maringa, Brazil [2]Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Sergipe, Brazil [3]Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual de Maringa, Maringa, Brazil

出　　处：《Agricultural Sciences》2016年第6期335-340,共6页农业科学（英文）

摘　　要：Efficient honey production requires knowledge about the behavior of the workers and the parameters that influence the strength of the colony. In this study, the objective was to analyze the interaction between the foraging behavior of worker honeybees and pollen storage levels in Africanized honeybees colonies. Colonies with low pollen storage increased pollen intake rates, but this value was 15% lower than colonies with high pollen storage, demonstrating a direct relationship between the pollen storage levels and foraging activity. The difference in pollen intake rates varied according to the number of foraging honeybees and pollen load collected by each individual. Under both high and low pollen storage, colonies returned pollen storage to initial level within 16 days, suggesting that honeybees regulate pollen storage levels around a homeostatic set point. Relationship between pollen storage levels and colony brood production was also found, indicating how alterations in the behavior of each individual can affect the strength of the colony.Efficient honey production requires knowledge about the behavior of the workers and the parameters that influence the strength of the colony. In this study, the objective was to analyze the interaction between the foraging behavior of worker honeybees and pollen storage levels in Africanized honeybees colonies. Colonies with low pollen storage increased pollen intake rates, but this value was 15% lower than colonies with high pollen storage, demonstrating a direct relationship between the pollen storage levels and foraging activity. The difference in pollen intake rates varied according to the number of foraging honeybees and pollen load collected by each individual. Under both high and low pollen storage, colonies returned pollen storage to initial level within 16 days, suggesting that honeybees regulate pollen storage levels around a homeostatic set point. Relationship between pollen storage levels and colony brood production was also found, indicating how alterations in the behavior of each individual can affect the strength of the colony.

关 键 词：Comb Mapping Honeybee Nutrition Management in Beekeeping Behavior 

分 类 号：Q94[生物学—植物学]