EVALUATION OF PRODUCTIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF HONEYBEE COLONIES (Apis mellifera monticolla) IN SOUTH WOLLO, AMHARA, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Despite the country's potential for apicultural resources, native races, productive and reproductive performances are at relatively low levels. Numerous factors, including environmental factors and honeybee races, may be to blame for this. As a result, this study was carried out to assess local honeybee race performance and choose the best colonies in the various agro ecologies of the study area. For this purpose, 90 colonies of Apis mellifera monticolla (30 colonies per agro ecology under on farm) were kept in improved box hives and assessed for egg area, larvae area, pupae area, nectar and honey area, as well as honey yield and swarming tendency. Egg sizes in the research area range from 519.25cm 2 to 1343.80cm 2 , while larvae and pupae have respective sizes of 574.07cm 2 to 1407.05cm 2 and 618.76 to 1471.83cm 2 . Dessie zuriya district had the highest pollen area, nectar area, honey area, and honey yield (15.28cm 2 , 343.17cm 2 , 386.13cm 2 , and 22.13cm 2 ), followed by Kalu (8.97cm 2 , 236.02cm 2 , and 18.88cm 2 ), and Tehuledere (6.01cm 2 , 142.54cm 2 , 150.39cm 2 , and 12.83cm 2 , correspondingly). The development of queen cells and swarming behavior were unaffected by agro ecology. In general, compared to other ecotypes and races in the country, honeybee colonies in the study area generally performed better in terms of both productive and reproductive aspects. In this study, colonies located in the zone's highland performed better than colonies located in the study area's midland and lowland.