| dc.description.abstract | This thesis is an investigation of patterns of
foraging, hoarding food, rearing brood, colony defence and
absconding behaviours of 3 African honey bee races in their
native habitats in Kenya.
The behavours varied both temporally and spatially,
with unimodal diurnal foraging and defence patterns.
Colonies of A. m. scutellata reduced their foraging
intensities when moved to Kilifi and Mt Kenya but they
became more defensive at Kilifi. There were no significant
differences in the numbers of foragers between colonies of
A. m. scutellata and A. m. littoria in the same habitat at
Kilifi but the numbers of foragers from colonies of A. m.
scutel1ata were significantly higher than those of A. m.
monticola on Mt Kenya. There was a tendency of honey bees
to decrease their foraging intensity and increase their
defensive behaviour with decrease in altitude and increase
in temperature.
defensive behaviour with decrease in altitude and increase
in temperature.
Colonies hoarded food and reared brood throughout the
year, with two peaks following the annual patterns of
rainfall. During the main nectar flow period, the comb fill
was 75 %, and comprised about 10 % hoarded pollen, 55 %
honey, 25 % worker brood and 10 % drone brood. The range
increased from 75-to 92 % during the brood rearing period
from June to December. During this period, the comb fill was
comprised of hoarded pollen (13-21 %), honey (26-35 %),
worker brood (49-60 %) and drone brood (5-10 %).
When colonies were disturbed by transportation and
transfers, about 75 % of them absconded, and 60 % of them
absconded within the first 20 days. Provision of food,
shade, hives of different volumes, queens and her
restraining in the hive and length of colony establishment
had little effect on absconding.
These results suggest that although African honey bee
races forage throughout the year, they hoard little honey
which they consume within a short time. The colonies are
sensitive to disturbance and they will defend their colonies
with prolonged stinging and will abscond readily if the
disturbing forces persist. | en |
