FORAGING BEHAVIOUR OF ASIATIC HONEY BEE APIS CERANA INDICA (F.) DURING SUMMER IN AAADURAI, TAMIL NADU

摘要

The present study was conducted at the Insectary, Department of Agricultural Entomology, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The seasonal and diurnal variations in foraging activity of Apis cerana indica (F.) during summer, from March to May of 2017 was analysed. The activity was observed to be maximum in morning hours (188.3 incoming bees/5 min). This is due to the optimal air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and flower availability. Each group of workers differently responded to the weather parameters. The minimum temperature of 21.56°C and maximum of 37.30 deg C, relative humidity of 64.97%, rainfall of 5.94 mm and wind velocity of 1.65 kmph were the weather parameters in the study period. Maximum temperature was observed to have a negative correlation with all the foraging bee groups viz., outgoing bees, incoming bees with nectar and pollen, respectively (correlation coefficients being -0.309, -0.062 and -0.197, respectively). Wind velocity too exhibiteda negative influence on foraging activity (r values being -0.096, 0.052 and -0.080, respectively for outgoing, incoming bees with nectar and pollen). In summer from 13th standard week onwards the foraging activity of A. cerana indica gradually increased. While the pollen gatherers were low by 60 to 95/5 min, the nectar gatherers were to the tune of 80 to 140/5 min approaching the hive.