Hoarding behaviour and lifespan of workers ofApis melliferaandApis cerana

Abstract

SUMMARYWooden cages (10×8×8 cm), each containing 50 cm2 of empty comb and 50 newly emerged workers of either Apis mellifera or A. cerana, and equipped with feeders supplying 50% sugar syrup and water, were kept in an incubator at either 15°C, 20°C, 27°C or 35°C (n = 6 cages/treatment). Hoarding, the amount of syrup consumed plus syrup stored, was measured by weighing the syrup feeders every 24 h and was expressed as a 6-day average for days 1–6, 7–12, 13–18, 19–24 and 25–30 of the experiment. Dead bees were counted and removed from the cages. Hoarding was maximal between days 7 and 12, e.g. at 27°C it was 80.68 ± 1.55 mg/bee/day for A. mellifera and 60.80 ± 1.29 mg/bee/day for A. cerana. Hoarding decreased steadily after this, reaching 49.98 ± 0.87 and 41.08 ± 0.83 mg/bee/day for A. mellifera and A. cerana, respectively, after 25–30 days (at 27°C). A. mellifera bees hoarded significantly more syrup (P < 0.01) than A. cerana, probably because of their larger size. Hoarding was maximal at 35°C for both spec...