EJPAU 2006. Roman A. , Kulik A. STUDIES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FLORAL FIDELITY AND QUANTITY OF POLLEN HOARDED BY HONEYBEE (<I>APIS MELLIFERA</I> L.) COLONIES

Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.

2006
Volume 9
Issue 2

Topic:

Animal Husbandry

ELECTRONIC
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES

Roman A. , Kulik A. 2006. STUDIES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FLORAL FIDELITY AND QUANTITY OF POLLEN HOARDED BY HONEYBEE (APIS MELLIFERA L.) COLONIES, EJPAU 9(2), #22.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume9/issue2/abs-22.html

STUDIES ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FLORAL FIDELITY AND QUANTITY OF POLLEN HOARDED BY HONEYBEE (APIS MELLIFERA L.) COLONIES

Adam Roman, Anna Kulik
Department of Animal and Environmental Hygiene, Agricultural University in Wrocław, Poland

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to learn the strength of floral fidelity of honeybee colonies and to find what is the relationship between this trait and the amount of collected pollen. The observations were carried out in 2003 and 2004 on 10 honeybee colonies. The pollen was gathered from pollen loads collected using a pollen trap with a 5-mm screen mesh. A scanning electron microscope was used to view pollen grains in order to determine the number of plant species visited by the bees. The mean values of floral fidelity estimated individually for each experimental colony ranged from 40.1 to 75.7% in the first year, and from 45.1 to 67.3% in the second year of the studies. Correlation between floral fidelity and the quantity of collected pollen was observed in 60% of the colonies in the first year and in 70% in the second year. Recurrence of this relationship over the period of two years was found in only 30% of the studied honeybee colonies.

Key words: floral fidelity, honeybee colonies, pollen loads, pollen yield.

Adam Roman
Department of Animal and Environmental Hygiene,
Agricultural University in Wrocław, Poland
Chełmonskiego 38C, 51-630 Wrocław, Poland
Phone +4871 3205862 ext. 24
fax +4871 3205866
email: adamr@ozi.ar.wroc.pl

Anna Kulik
Department of Animal and Environmental Hygiene,
Agricultural University in Wrocław, Poland
Chełmonskiego 38C, 51-630 Wrocław, Poland
Phone +4871 3205862 ext. 24
fax +4871 3205866

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