The raciality and external features of bees in Estonia
2002
Nommisto, I. (Academical Agricultural Society, Tartu (Estonia))
The Italian (Apis mellifera ligustica Spin) Carniolan (A. m. carnica Pollm.) and local Nigra (A. m. mellifera L.) bees are kept in Estonia. In 1997...2000 the external features of bees and honey production were determined in 8 aparies and swarms. The number of investigated bees was 1025. The raciality of bees was determined by the coloration of tergites and the cubital index (per cent). The cubital index was found as the ratio measurements of neighbour obstructions of cubital obstructions in percentes on the first wing. The length of proboscis and wing, the width of wing and tergite, the width and length of the first paw on posterior leg were measured with a gauge. The tarsal index was found the ratio of width and length of paw in percents. The cubital and tarsal indexix had the greatest variations (V=13.9...20.4 per cent). The length of wing had the smallest variation (V=5.7...8.9 per cent). The Italian bees had longer proboscis by 0.6...0.9 mm (P0.001), wider wings by 0.6...0.9 mm (P0.001) and shorter wings by 0.2...0.4 mm (P0.01...0.001) as the Carniolan, Nigra and crossbreed bees. The Italian bees had the greatest surface of wings, what guaranteed the good flying ability and the greatest tarsal index, what characterized the ability for carring of the pollen. These properties of the Italian bees conceded good honey production (38 kg) per swarm. The crossbreed bees in first generation(F1) had the longest wings, the other external features did not differ from the other breeds and they produced 43 kg honey per swarm. The Carniolan bees gave 30 kg honey per swarm, the Nigra bees 18 kg and the crossbreed bees F2 only 13 kg. The correlations between external features there were weak (r
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