Number of brood combs and development of a new hive of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.)

Rivera Airahuacho R.J.; Rubina Airahuacho S.C.; Pujada Abad H.N.; Contreras-Liza S.; Velásquez Vergara C.R.; Airahuacho Bautista F.E. · Revista Brasileirade Ciencias Agrarias (2025) · DOI: 10.5039/agraria.v20i1a3466

Resumen

In Peru, the increase in agro-export crops has generated a greater demand for beehives for pollination, which needs to be satisfied. Therefore it is necessary to improve beekeeping technology. The study’s objective was to evaluate the effect of the number of brood combs on the development of new bee hives (Apis mellifera L.). The treatments were: an adult hive with six brood combs and a six-month-old queen (control), a new hive with one brood comb and a newly fertilized queen, and a new hive with two brood combs and a freshly fertilized queen. All hives received one litre of sugar syrup every seven days. Data were submitted to analysis of variance and Tukey test form means separation. New hives formed with one brood comb had similar performances to those formed with two brood combs in daily bee weight gain (5 vs 7 g), the number of bees (46 vs 64), pollen reserve (3.3 vs 5.9 cm2) and honey reserve (60 vs 59 cm2); but two brood combs had a higher brood area about single brood combs (74 vs 45 cm2) (p = 0.002). Developing new hives with a single brood comb could be an alternative when a rapid multiplication of hives is required.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional José Faustino Sánchez Carrión