Rates of swarming and absconding in the giant honey bee,Apis dorsata F.

Abstract

The frequency and timing of swarming and absconding of the giant honey bee Apis dorsata F. at 5 perennial nesting sites located in and around Bangalore district during 1986-88 are determined. The percentages of swarming and absconding are very high and both these migratory activities occur regularly and at definite times of the year. Swarming was noticed both during October-November and in April, while absconding was observed during May to July. Swarming and absconding together caused migration in Apis dorsata.

Phenology of Migration and Decline in Colony Numbers and Crop Hosts of Giant Honeybee (Apis dorsataF.) in Semiarid Environment of Northwest India

“…In the latter locations, the colonies of this honeybee arrive to the mountains at the beginning of dry season (October-December) and to the plains at the beginning of the rainy season (May-July). Frequency and the timing of migration depended on the climatic rhythm of the region [1][2][3]. The differences in the migration schedule seemed to be due to differences in the local weather and climatic conditions.…”

“…In June and July, they migrated to the Up Country, which they left again in October-November. In Bangalore (India), this honeybee showed short and long distance migrations [3]. Short distance migrations seemed to be the local absconding occurred in response to internal disturbances in the colonies.…”

“…Short distance migrations seemed to be the local absconding occurred in response to internal disturbances in the colonies. The long distance migrations were the real migrations occurred due to floral dearth and inclement climatic conditions of the area [3]. Woyke et al [4] too reported that swarms of the giant honeybee did not migrate directly to the seasonal alternative nesting sites but established new colonies in the areas around.…”

“…For the utilization of this honeybee as a pollinator and honey gatherer; knowledge about its seasonal migration schedules is important. Some earlier researchers studied the latter ecological phenomenon of the giant honeybee in the tropical climates of South and Southeast Asia [2][3][4][5][6][7]. The reports reveal that seasonal migration in this honeybee varied from place to place depending on the local climatic and floral conditions.…”

From molecules to societies: mechanisms regulating swarming behavior in honey bees (Apis spp.)

“…While all Apis species must reproductively swarm (because queens are incapable of independently founding a nest and workers cannot mate), simple absconding and migration are rarely observed in temperate Apis mellifera subspecies, but are quite common in tropical A. mellifera subspecies, as well as other tropical Apis species, including A. dorsata, A. florea, A. cerana, A. andreniformis, and A. laboriosa (reviewed in Matsuka et al 1998;Hepburn 2006;Duangphakdee et al 2012). Seasonal migration occurs regularly in tropical Apis species, with the majority of colonies relocating nest sites throughout the year (Venkatesh and Reddy 1989;Schneider 1990a;Sihag 1998).…”