Формирование современного облика медоносных пчел и их воспроизводство в Республике Дагестан

Abstract

Grey mountain Caucasian bees are of great interest for the selection, as a valuable gene pool of different populations of this race is supported by high mountains and inaccessible gorges of Dagestan, while serving as an isolated mountainous natural breeding areas. The studies were conducted in three different climatic conditions of the republic: the plains, foothills and mountainous areas. In the area of natural dispersal of gray mountain Caucasian bees in Dagestan released several local populations and different backgrounds. Characteristics of the main morphological features of honey bees are the length of proboscis, wing and width of the third tergite and others. These features bees vary, depending on the habitat population. Numerous studies of Dagestan honeybees showed, that the longest proboscis inherent in bees of mountain zone (6.85 ± 0.03 mm). The plain bees have a smaller proboscis (up to 6.71 ± 0.01 mm), and in the foothills bees the proboscis occupies an intermediate position (from 6.69 ± 0.01 to 6.83 ± 0.01 mm). Two other peculiarities (wing length and the third tergite) are subject to variation, depending on the altitude above sea level.