Abstract
Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the variations in the stored food resources and in the number of immature bees in Apis mellifera hives used for apple (Malus domestica) pollination. The study was conducted in the municipality of Vacaria, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, with 40 hives, over two consecutive harvests. The evaluations were done in the hive brood frames before, during, and 45 days after a pollination period, by interpreting photographic field records. Before being transported to the orchards, the bees foraged primarily in areas with native forest or canola (Brassica napus) crop, in 2014/2015, and with native forest or eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sp.) reforestation, in 2015/2016. In both harvests, the percentage of food resources (honey and pollen) stored in the hives reduced significantly between the pre- and post-pollination periods, but there was no significant difference between the pollination and post-pollination periods. The greatest reduction in the storage of these resources was observed in the hives from the canola crop, which had a large supply of floral resources compared with the apple orchards. The hives most susceptible to population variations within the apple orchards are those from the canola crop, whereas those from areas with a lower food supply (forest and eucalyptus) show population gains in the apple orchards.
Highlights
In less than 40 years, Brazil has become selfsufficient in the production of apples and has started exporting a part of its production (Fioravanço, 2009; Bittencourt et al, 2011)
There was a significant reduction in the percentage of stored honey between the prepollination and pollination periods, but no significant difference was observed between the pollination and post-pollination periods (Figure 1 C and D)
The percentage of capped brood in the hives from the canola crop decreased significantly between the prepollination, pollination, and post-pollination periods, but no significant difference was observed between the pollination and post-pollination periods (Figure 1 G)
Summary
In less than 40 years, Brazil has become selfsufficient in the production of apples and has started exporting a part of its production (Fioravanço, 2009; Bittencourt et al, 2011). In order to maintain the achieved economic status, several production factors of this crop require further investigation, including the management of bee hives used for pollination services. Honeybees are the most important pollination agent in this crop, accounting. A. mellifera swarms are easy to handle, the hives carry high populations, the swarms can be transferred from the apiaries to the orchards, and the pollination of apple trees is highly efficient (Freitas & Alves, 2008). There are aspects that still need to be addressed to better manage the swarms in the orchards, with respect to hive maintenance for different bee populations
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