Effect of Mixed Species with Apis mellifera and Apis cerana for Maintaining Temperature and Moisture in Same Hive

Abstract

Beekeeping is an important industry in Korea. Sacbrood virus is the cause of sacbrood disease, the most important infectious disease in honeybee Apis cerana. Sacbrood disease can cause a collapse of a bee colony and even the whole apiary. Sacbrood disease was first reported in Korea in 2009. The occurrence of sacbrood disease symptom can be caused by several reasons such as genetic (immune system), climate change, weak colony etc. We have many experiences about the relation with climate conditions and sacbrood disease. The occurrence of sacbrood disease was defendant of humidity and temperature. Weak honeybee colony cannot resist the disease. In this study, we investigated the effects of mixing honeybee colonies of A. mellifera and A. cerana vis-`a-vis occurrence of sacbrood disease at different humidity and temperature. The mixed colony was consisted super hive (Top hive: A. cerana and bottom hive: A. mellifera). Our results of temperature and humidity variable in mixed colony were: am 9:00-35.3°C and 57.3%, pm 12:00-35.6°C and 52.3%, pm 15:00-35.8°C and 50.3%, pm 18:00-35.7 and 50.5%, respectably. Single species colonies were destroyed by scabrood virus (SBV). So, Heat stress and humidity variable, A. cerana colonies are more sensitive and initiate fanning of hive earlier than after mixing them with A. mellifera mixed colonies. Our data show a strong impact of environment on the development of colonies. The results further suggest that in A. mellifera colony can be helped benefited by A. cerana colony which controls hive temperature and humidity.