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Subject: Agricultural Entomology × Author: Ajithkumar, T N × Author: KAU × Start date: 1996 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Biology and biometric studies on Apis cerana indica F. and Apis mellifera ligustica Spin.
    (Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, 1998) Ajithkumar, T N; KAU; Rajan Asari, P A
    With a view to generate detailed basic information on the biology, biometrics and natural enemies of Indian and Italian bees in Kerala an experiment was carried out at the Apiary of Kcrala J\gricultural University, College of J\gricultUf'e, Vcllayani, lrom September 1995 to August 1996. The yellow strain of Italian bees, Apis mellifera linguistica L and Indian bees Apis ceraua indica were used for the study. An abstract of the result is given below. III all the castes the egg period took almoxt :1 days The larval period of 11. niellifera workers ranged from 582 to 5.93 days, the pupal period ranged from 10.55 to 11.15 days and total developmental period from 19.6 to 20.66. The larval period of drones took 6.96' to 7. 17 days, pupal period took 13. 14 to 13.28 days and total developmental period took 23.54 to 25.53 days. The mean larval period of A. cerana indica workers varied nom 5.86 to 5.91 clays, pupal period varied from 1017 to 10.20 days and total developmental period varied from 18.89 to 19.11 days The larval period of drones ranged lrom 6.95 to 7.09 days, pupal period ranged Irom 12.99 to 13.23 days and total developmental period ranged from 2277 to 23J4 days The mean larval, pupal and total developmental period in case of A tnellifcra queens were 4.66, 7.2 and 14.54 days and in case of A. cerana indica 484, 7.12 and 14.74 days respectively. The egg size of different castes of both the bees remained the same throughout the egg period. The sizes (length x breadth) of I, 2, 3, 4 and 5 days old worker larvae ------------ were 2.06 x 0.59,4.67 x 1.22, 7.63 x 2.41, 10.58 x 3.64 and 13.75 x 5.01 for A. mellifera and 1.93 x 0.55, 5.46 x 1.78, 7.98 x 2.34, 7.98 x 3.79 and 8.81 x 4.22 mm for A. cerana indica respectively. The sizes of larvae increased from 3.4 x 0.83 mm in the very first day of hatching to 16.68 x 7.21 mm in the sixth day in drones of A. mellifera and from 2.58 x 0.7 mm to 11.75 x 6.97 mm in case of drones of A. cerana indica. The size increase continued upto first day after capping in both the castes. Mean average eggs laid by A. mellifera ranged from 162 in December to 7] 8 in August. The average annual performance was 184430 eggs. A. cerana indica queens laid on an average 247 eggs daily and 88086 eggs in an year. The mean longevity of A. mellifera workers ranged from 28.22 days for April 10 born bees to 30.97 days for June 16 born bees. The longevity of A. cerana indica workers ranged from 33.46 days for April 11 born bees to 33.32 days for June 16 born bees. The mean longevity of A. cerana indica drone bees born on April 11 was 34.58 days. Among the natural enerrues, hornets, mite, bee eater birds and death head moths were observed in A. mellifera colonies. Hornet (Vespa orientalis)attack was more during May to December between 7 AM and 10 AM of the day. Few wax moth (Galleria mellonellai larvae were observed during brood rearing season though no damage was noticed. Death head moth ( Acherontia sryx) were observed from September to November. Brood mite (Tropilaeps darae) was observed throughout the year though it was more severe during major brood rearing season. The bee eater birds (Merops orientalis) were seen active during the months of October to February. In A. cerana indica colonies hornets, wax moth and Thai sac brood disease were observed. Hornet and wax moth incidence followed the same pattern as in A. mellifera. Thai sac brood virus disease was more severe during September to November.