Abstract
We investigated the annual movements of feral Africanized honey bee (Apis melliferaL.) colonies in the state of Ceará, Brazil, aiming to understand seasonal variations in their population. Arrival and absconding of Africanized honey bee (AHB) colonies in the semiarid municipality of Canindé and the coastal humid city of Fortaleza (120 km apart) were recorded weekly from January 1999 to December 2001, and the data compared to rainfall records in both areas. Results showed that AHB colonies only nest in the semiarid during the rainy season and abscond during the dry season, the opposite from observations taken in Fortaleza. Only 5% of colonies remained in the semiarid area for the entire year due to ant (Camponotus sp.) attacks and shortage of nectar and water during the dry season, with most colonies migrating to coastal areas where the weather is milder and many plant species bloom at that time of year. Excessive rainfall probably pushes AHB colonies back to the semiarid during the rainy season. We concluded that absconding and migration are strategies that allow AHB colonies to survive in the semiarid NE of Brazil, contrary to European honeybees, which have never succeeded in establishing wild colonies in the region.
Highlights
The honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) is an exotic bee species introduced to Brazil in the mid 1800’s by Portuguese settlers
European honeybees (EHB) never succeeded in establishing feral colonies in NE Brazil due to the semiarid climate prevailing in most parts of this region
In order to study the movements of Africanized honey bee (AHB) colonies within the state of Ceará and their role in the ability of AHB to survive wildly in the semiarid NE Brazil, we made observations in the cities of Fortaleza (03°43’02” S and 38°32’35” W) and Canindé (04°21’32” S and 39°18’42” W)
Summary
The honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) is an exotic bee species introduced to Brazil in the mid 1800’s by Portuguese settlers. European honeybees (EHB) never succeeded in establishing feral colonies in NE Brazil due to the semiarid climate prevailing in most parts of this region. Because of this fact, Acta Sci. Biol. Kerr (1971) suggested that AHB colonies could migrate from caatinga to areas where environmental conditions are less inclement during the leanest period of the year. Behaviors such as swarming, absconding and migration have been largely used in bee literature and frequently employed as synonyms, though they mean distinct events. Little is known about the survival strategies of AHB in the semiarid NE Brazil, which allowed them to colonize and thrive in caatinga, whereas EHB – despite its earlier introduction to the area – failed to get established
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