Foraging difference, potential competition, and resource overlap between Western honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) and Asian honey bees (Apis cerana F.)
Issue Date
2018-12-31Author
Bhatta, Chet Prasad
Publisher
University of Kansas
Format
175 pages
Type
Dissertation
Degree Level
Ph.D.
Discipline
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
Rights
Copyright held by the author.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The anthropogenic introduction of Apis mellifera Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Apini) to the endemic range of Asian honey bees (Apis cerana Fabricius) began in the late 19th century. This human-induced movement of the non-native species to Asia has caused major repercussions. The number of managed colonies of A. mellifera in Asia has continued to increase. It is certainly a problem for the conservation of its Asian counterparts. The key concerns include abrupt displacement of A. cerana by A. mellifera in the apicultural industry, competition between A. mellifera and A. cerana for floral resources, and the introduction and exchange of pests and novel diseases. The field work for this research was conducted in Nepal, where four species of honey bees are native and where A. mellifera has been introduced for apicultural practices less than 30 years ago. This dissertation compares the foraging behavior of A. mellifera and A. cerana in relation to environmental variables, potential competition, and resource overlap. The last chapter presents for the first time data on nesting biology, distribution, and traditional uses of the stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponini) in Nepal. Extensive literature review in the first chapter warns that steep replacement of Asian honey bees by managed colonies of A. mellifera might cause local or small regional extinction of A. cerana from many regions of Asia. Moreover, there is continuous risk of exchange of diseases from one species to the other. In the second chapter, foraging differences between A. cerana and A. mellifera in relation with time of the day, ambient temperatures, light intensity, and relative humidity are presented. I found that A. cerana colonies have longer foraging hours than A. mellifera colonies, and start foraging earlier in the morning and keep working later in the evening, at lower temperatures and with less ambient light. A. mellifera’s foraging peaked only once per day, at local noon, when temperatures and ambient light are high. In contrast, A. cerana foraging peaked twice once earlier in the morning and again later in the afternoon, before and after A. mellifera’s peak foraging. A. cerana foraged at lower temperatures and light intensities than A. mellifera. A. cerana colonies also maintained their brood nest at temperatures significantly lower than did A. mellifera. The third chapter compares floral resources —pollen and nectar—used by these two honey bees species to explore resource overlap and competition. Results show that A. cerana collects significantly greater pollen loads when they are in a single-species apiary than in mixed-species apiary with A. mellifera. Nectar volume, nectar concentration, and mg of sugar in nectar collected by A. cerana are also significantly higher in single-species apiary than mixed-species apiary. In contrast, A. mellifera does not show significant differences in the volume and concentration of nectar or weight of pollen loads collected when in single-species and mixed-species apiaries. Pianka’s index of niche overlap between A. mellifera and A. cerana from this study is 0.73. This indicates that there is extensive overlap in the resources used by the two species. Nesting biology, local indigenous nomenclature, and traditional practices of stingless bees management in Nepal are documented for the first time. Eighteen specific uses of stingless bees’ products in food, medicine, crafts, and religious beliefs are documented. Ecological niche models suggest Tetragonula iridipennis Smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae, Meliponini) is broadly distributed in southern Nepal. In combination with my field data, niche model suggests areas where it may be locally extinct and areas where it may have been introduced by humans. Finally, the conservation status and future directions for the sustainable use of this bee species in Nepal are discussed.
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