Techniques to increase queen production in Bombus terrestris L. colonies

B. terrestris kolonilerinde ana arı üretimini artırmak için ilk işçi arıları çıktıktan sonra koloniler, her birinde dört adet koloni olacak şekilde rast gele dört gruba ayrılmıştır. Kontrol grubunu (grup 1) oluşturan kolonilere farklı bir koloniden işçi arı veya pupa eklenmemişken, 2. gruptaki kolonilere başka bir koloniden 60 adet pupa, 3. gruptaki kolonilere farklı bir koloniden 60 adet işçi arı eklenmiştir. 4. gruptaki koloniler ise tek bir yuvada iki ana arının (koloninin) birleştirilmesiyle oluşturulmuştur. Birbirlerine karşı saldırgan davranışlardan dolayı iki ana arılı koloniler geliştirilememiştir. Koloni başına üretilen ortalama ana arı sayısı kontrol grubu, 2. grup ve 3. grup kolonilerinde sırasıyla 56.3±35.9 adet, 72.5±25.0 adet ve 145.3±61.8 adet bulunmuştur. Elde edilen sonuçlar, farklı bir koloniden işçi arı ilavesinin bombus arısı ana arı yetiştiriciliğinde faydalı bir yöntem olarak kullanılabileceğini göstermiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler:

Bombus terrestris, koloni, pupa, Hymenoptera

Bombus terrestris L. kolonilerinde ana arı üretimini artırma teknikleri

To increase the production of queens in B. terrestris colonies, after the emergence of the first workers, colonies were randomly allocated to four groups as comprised 4 colonies in each of them. Colonies in control group (group 1) were formed without adding workers or pupae from a different colony, while colonies in group 2, group 3 and group 4 were designed by adding 60 pupae from a different colony, adding 60 workers from a different colony and placing two colonies (queens) together in the nest box, respectively. The two- queen colonies could not be developed because of aggressiveness towards each other. The average number of queens produced per colony in control, group 2, and group 3 colonies were 56.3±35.9, 72.5±25.0 and 145.3±61.8, respectively. The results showed that adding workers from a different colony can be used as a useful method in the rearing of bumblebee queens.

Keywords:

Bombus terrestris, colonies, pupae, Hymenoptera,

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