The Effects of Time and Beehive Entrance on Colony Establishment of African Honeybees, Apis mellifera adansonii

Abstract

The issue of poor colony establishment of the African honeybees (Apis mellifera adansonii) is one of the major challenges facing the apicultural sector. In this study, three top bar beehives assigned treatments A (with one entrance on the right edge of the base of the beehive); B (with one flight entrance at the middle of the beehive wall) and C (with two beehive entrances on the beehive wall and right edge of the base of the beehive) were constructed and installed on 31st May, 2016 in the apiary in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka for the first time. Each treatment was replicated three times in a completely randomized design. Colonization, absconding, beehive weight gain, population of honeybees and number of combs constructed were monitored during the study period. Our results revealed that August to October were the colonization months in the study area. The result of the hypothesis tested revealed that monthly colonization rates of the colonies were not significantly different (P0.10). Also, the modified beehive entrances (4x1cm) did not significantly affect percentage of colonization (P=0.18), mean time of colonization (P0.05), absconding rate (P0.05), beehive weight gain (P0.05) and the mean number of combs constructed (P0.05). However, the beehive entrances significantly affected the population of the African honeybees (P0.05). It was recommended that beekeepers within Awka, South-eastern, Nigeria should install swarm trap in their apiaries prior to the month of August. The beehive with two entrances on the beehive wall and right edge of the base of the beehive were first colonized by honeybees and significantly enhanced the population of African honeybees hence recommended.