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4 January 2017 Dynamics of Weight Change and Temperature of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies in a Wintering Building With Controlled Temperature
E. Stalidzans, A. Zacepins, A. Kviesis, V. Brusbardis, J. Meitalovs, L. Paura, N. Bulipopa, M. Liepniece
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Abstract

Honey bee wintering in a wintering building (indoors) with controlled microclimate is used in some cold regions to minimize colony losses due to the hard weather conditions. The behavior and possible state of bee colonies in a dark room, isolated from natural environment during winter season, was studied by indirect temperature measurements to analyze the expression of their annual rhythm when it is not affected by ambient temperature, rain, snow, wind, and daylight. Thus, the observed behavior in the wintering building is initiated solely by bee colony internal processes. Experiments were carried out to determine the dynamics of temperature above the upper hive body and weight dynamics of indoors and outdoors wintered honey bee colonies and their brood-rearing performance in spring. We found significantly lower honey consumption-related weight loss of indoor wintered colonies compared with outdoor colonies, while no significant difference in the amount of open or sealed brood was found, suggesting that wintering building saves food and physiological resources without an impact on colony activity in spring. Indoor wintered colonies, with or without thermal insulation, did not have significant differences in food consumption and brood rearing in spring. The thermal behavior and weight dynamics of all experimental groups has changed in the middle of February possibly due to increased brood-rearing activity. Temperature measurement above the upper hive body is a convenient remote monitoring method of wintering process. Predictability of food consumption in a wintering building, with constant temperature, enables wintering without oversupply of wintering honey.

© The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com
E. Stalidzans, A. Zacepins, A. Kviesis, V. Brusbardis, J. Meitalovs, L. Paura, N. Bulipopa, and M. Liepniece "Dynamics of Weight Change and Temperature of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Colonies in a Wintering Building With Controlled Temperature," Journal of Economic Entomology 110(1), 13-23, (4 January 2017). https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/tow282
Received: 13 May 2016; Accepted: 28 October 2016; Published: 4 January 2017
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KEYWORDS
bee colony monitoring
bee colony temperature and weight dynamics
indoors wintering
precision apiculture
precision beekeeping
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