A study of undertaking behaviour of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) by use of different bee traps

摘要

In this study the efficiency of three types of bee traps (Gary-Trap (Gary 1960), a modified Gary-Trap, and the IPSAB-Trap) used in practise and their influence on undertaking behaviour was tested comparably at twelve colonies of Apis mellifera L. Theuse of different bee traps leads to different and uncomparable results. In the glasses of the Original-Gary-Trap a lot of strayed and exhausted bees died. Bees clear the modified Gary-Trap from dead bees, especially during good flight conditions. Dead bees disappear from the IPSAB-Trap because of predators and wind. Both Gary-Traps have a negative effect on undertaking behaviour. The number of different behaviours was large and the undertaking took a long time. By use of the IPSAB-Trap bees showed thesame kinds of undertaking behaviour and needed similar times compared to the control. Based on these results an "optimal bee trap" with an easy hive entrance and a collecting box for dead bees with a way-out for strayed bees was created.