Standard Methods For Behavioral Studies Of Honey Bees

Abstract

The present paper deals with the methods for quantifying honey bee behavior. Productive efficiency of the apicultural industry depends upon improvements in bee breed, bee management and bee forage. The behavioral traits such as pollen carrying capacity, pollen and honey stores and colony population were compared for black and yellow strains of Indian honey bee Apis. cerana indica F. Observations of honey bees showing maximum activity support the conjecture that pollen foragers carry relatively little fluid during the hottest periods and pollen foraging decreased at high ambient temperatures. The notable difference in the activity between the species may occur due to availability of pollen source, variation in genetic character, preference for pollen, foraging efficiency, foraging distance and competition for pollen. The final outcome of the study interprets that black strain has higher pollen carrying capacity, maximum area under pollen and honey stores and relatively high population when compared with the yellow strain.