Menos Asaad(1)* Malek Oumran(2) , Nouraldin Daher Hjaij(1) and Khalil Moukayees(2)
(1). General Authority for Scientific Agricultural Research, Syria.
(2). Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tishreen, Lattakia, Syria
(*Corresponding author: Menos asaad , E-Mail: menos.asaad@hotmail.com).
Received: 13/04/2023 Accepted: 19/07/2023
Abstract:
This research was conducted in the apiary of the Agricultural Scientific Research Center in Latakia in June 2022 on twelve bee colonies with a strength of eight combs. Each assay was repeated three times with an interval of 24 hours in order to evaluate the defensive behavior of honeybee hybrid colonies using three assays (ball, flag, testing honeybee colony). The results of ball assay indicated that the average time for the first sting ranged between 9.66 and 39.33 seconds, and one colony needed only 18.66 seconds to become aggressive, while another colony exceeded one minute (69 seconds) to become aggressive without leaving any stinging needles in the tester’s gloves. The pursuit distance does not exceed 1m. The difference in the results between the colonies is due to the genetic mixing resulting from the introduction of foreign bees and queens. The colonies have also shown similar defensive behavior with regard to flag assay, with no significant differences between the two assays for the same colony. As for their evaluation according to the Ruttner scale, the tested colonies ranged from very aggressive to medium aggressive, and all assays were able to separate between colonies to assess their defensive behavior.
Keywords: Honeybee colonies, defensive behavior, ball assay, flag assay, Syria
Full paper in Arabic: pdf