M.M. Morais, T.M. Francoy, R.A. Pereira, D. De Jong, L.S. Gonçalves
Published: June 23, 2009
Genet. Mol. Res. 8 (2) : 718-724
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4238/vol8-2kerr020
Cite this Article:
M.M. Morais, T.M. Francoy, R.A. Pereira, D. De Jong, L.S. Gonçalves (2009). Africanized honey bees are efficient at detecting, uncapping and removing dead brood. Genet. Mol. Res. 8(2): 718-724. https://doi.org/10.4238/vol8-2kerr020
About the Authors
M.M. Morais,T.M. Francoy,R.A. Pereira,D. De Jong,L.S. Gonçalves
Corresponding author
M.M. Morais
E-mail: mmanfrini@rge.fmrp.usp.br
ABSTRACT
The hygienic behavior of honey bees is based on a two-step process, including uncapping and removing diseased, dead, damaged, or parasitized brood inside the cell. We evaluated during periods of 1 h the time that hygienic and non-hygienic colonies of Africanized honey bees spend to detect, uncap and remove pin-killed brood using comb inserts with transparent walls placed in observation hives. We observed that hygienic colonies are significantly faster in detecting, uncapping and removing dead brood in the cells (P 0.001).
Key words: Apis mellifera, Hygienic behavior, Africanized honey bee, Observation hives.