Resource hoarding and defensive behaviours of African honey bees (apis mellifera L.) in Kenya

Abstract

This thesis is an investigation of patterns of foraging, hoarding food, rearing brood, colony defence and absconding behaviours of 3 African honey bee races in their native habitats in Kenya. The behavours varied both temporally and spatially, with unimodal diurnal foraging and defence patterns. Colonies of A. m. scutellata reduced their foraging intensities when moved to Kilifi and Mt Kenya but they became more defensive at Kilifi. There were no significant differences in the numbers of foragers between colonies of A. m. scutellata and A. m. littoria in the same habitat at Kilifi but the numbers of foragers from colonies of A. m. scutel1ata were significantly higher than those of A. m. monticola on Mt Kenya. There was a tendency of honey bees to decrease their foraging intensity and increase their defensive behaviour with decrease in altitude and increase in temperature. defensive behaviour with decrease in altitude and increase in temperature. Colonies hoarded food and reared brood throughout the year, with two peaks following the annual patterns of rainfall. During the main nectar flow period, the comb fill was 75 %, and comprised about 10 % hoarded pollen, 55 % honey, 25 % worker brood and 10 % drone brood. The range increased from 75-to 92 % during the brood rearing period from June to December. During this period, the comb fill was comprised of hoarded pollen (13-21 %), honey (26-35 %), worker brood (49-60 %) and drone brood (5-10 %). When colonies were disturbed by transportation and transfers, about 75 % of them absconded, and 60 % of them absconded within the first 20 days. Provision of food, shade, hives of different volumes, queens and her restraining in the hive and length of colony establishment had little effect on absconding. These results suggest that although African honey bee races forage throughout the year, they hoard little honey which they consume within a short time. The colonies are sensitive to disturbance and they will defend their colonies with prolonged stinging and will abscond readily if the disturbing forces persist.