Role of insectivorous vertebrates and other predators in the establishments of an apiary in an agroforest environment: Sariaya, Quezon, Philippines

The role of some insectivorous vertebrates in apiculture in agroforestry was studied by observing their feeding habits. Non-vertebrate bee enemies have been observed while some bee plants were identified thru pollen analysis. Crop and stomach content analysis revealed that four of the 16 dissected were bee predators. These were Bufo marinus L., Chaetura gigantea gigantea (Temminck), Monticolo solitarius philippines (P.I.S. Muller), and Artamus leucorhynchus leucorhychus Linnaeus, having the following percentage of the fragments examined in their crops and stomach: 0.26%, 66.46%, 5.56%, and 10.71%, respectively. In the latter part of the study, Merops philippinus philippinus L. was seen feeding on bees during the study. Among eight bird populations studied, only Lanius cristatus lucionensis Linnaeus was significantly correlated with population density of foraging honey bees. Population fluctuations between C.g. gigantea and foraging honey bees demonstrated the "predator-prey" interaction that was described by the Lotka-Volterra models. C.g. gigantea (Temminck) was observed in the study area from October 1988 to January 1989. They visited the apiary in groups of 3-39 individuals, usually early in the morning until late in the afternoon. Consumption of bees by C.g. gigantea ranged from 299 to 449 bees per day. All leucorhynchus was seen preying on queen bees and drones that are mating in the air. Merops philippinus philippinus L. was considered dangerous to the bees only when present in big groups. Foulbrood diseases, Varroa jacobsoni Qudemans and Galleria mellonella (L.) were found the most important enemy of the bees in the area. Eleven species of pollen were determined as food sources of the honey bees. Cocos nucifera L. was the dominant source in six consecutive months, accounting for 91.59% of the pollen sample in August 1988, 97.12% in September 1988, 86.72% in October 1988, 63.45% in November 1988, 71.68% in December 1988, and 94.25 % in January 1989