A bionic comb foundation for honeybee hives
Author of the article:JIANG Wu-Jun;ZHANG Jin-Ming;XIA Xiao-Cui;ZHANG Chuan-Lian;HAN Bing-Geng;LOU Wen;XI Fang-Gui
Author's Workplace:Apicultural Research Institute of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang 330052, China;Apicultural Research Institute of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang 330052, China;Apicultural Research Institute of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang 330052, China;Apicultural Research Institute of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang 330052, China;Apicultural Research Institute of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang 330052, China;Apicultural Research Institute of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang 330052, China;Apicultural Research Institute of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang 330052, China
Key Words:honeybee; bioniccomb foundation; reproductivity; honey production
Abstract:
[Objectives] Comb foundation is
artificially manufactured for bees to build their combs on. However, commercial
comb foundations have many disadvantages, such as monotonicity in structure and
unevenness in quality. To address these problems, the Honeybee Research
Institute of Jiangxi Agricultural University developed a bionic comb foundation (Zl.201420569243.2). This study aims to evaluate the
feasibility of using this bionic comb foundation in commercial beekeeping. [Methods] The effects of the bionic comb
foundation on colony size, honey production and Varroa destructor resistance, of the honeybee Apis mellifera, were measured. [Results]
Worker bees quickly accepted and
built comb on the bionic foundation. Moreover, the bionic comb foundation
significantly increased colony size and honey production relative to the
commercial worker comb foundation. The number of Varroa mites in the
bionic colony was, however, higher than in the control colony. [Conclusion] The bionic comb foundation increased both
colony size and honey production and therefore has the potential to benefit
commercial beekeeping.