The influence of cultivation of drone larvae on honey productivity of bee colonies

Abstract

Homogenate is a source of a huge amount of biologically active substances. However, it is produced in a small number of apiaries, since the cultivation of drone brood negatively affects honey productivity. This paper aimed to study the influence of rearing drone larvae on the power and honey productivity of bee colonies since these issues are not widely addressed in scientific literature. Three groups (control, experimental 1, and experimental 2) of 10 bee colonies were formed by the method of pairs-analogs. One brood frame was placed in the bee colonies of the first experimental group, and two frames were placed in the colonies of the second experimental group. The brood frames were placed on June 12, the clipping was done on June 30, and the honey was collected on July 12. The power of colonies was taken into account after wintering (in March) and at the end of the pre-wintering season (in November). As a result of the research, it was revealed that the homogenate of drone brood can be obtained in apiaries of the Primorsky Krai. It was proved that when adding one brood frame to obtain a homogenate, the main production of the apiary - honey, does not decrease, and a negative effect on honey productivity was observed when adding the second brood frame.