Seasonal Cycles of the Honey Bee Colony: Genetical ... · Genetics of the bees Starting and...

Seasonal Cycles of the Honey BeeColony: Genetical, Environmental and

Seasonal Aspects

Dr. Medhat NasrBee Culture Solutions

Former Alberta Provincial ApiculturistSt Albert, Alberta, Canada

[email protected]

Bee Culture Solutions

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The

Bee Hive

Mind


Three casts of honey bee:ØThe queen (One queen)ØThe Drone ( Several hundreds/thousands)ØThe worker (Majority of the colony)

§ 10,000- 15,000 bees (Winter)§ 60,000-80,000 bees (Summer)

Worker (Sterile female)Queen (Fertile female)

Drone (Male)

The Honey Bee Colony


Let us do the math

The Developmental Stages of the Honey Bee

w,rtcer: 21

I Egg Spins ~PG Pupa Adult

0.ee■: 1&

Adult

Spina Prt--pupo Pul)8 Adult


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6mJ7e5YmnE

http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv=f6mJ7e5YmnE

88 ~ ~ ~ ~ TI~lf (UJ [Q) ~~ 99 Blessed

are for they pollinate our crops. produce our honey. and are fascinating to watch. •u, .... ,,.

-~

,:


Factors Affect Colony Development

Bees• Prolific queen• Bee population

Resources

• Adequate resources• Favorable climate

Space&

Time

• Space • Time


Colony Population of Steady State in the Absence of Seasonal Effects

Torres DJ, Ricoy UM, Roybal S (2015) Modeling Honey Bee Populations. PLOS ONE 10(7): e0130966. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0130966https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0130966

M A M J J A

X 104

2 .5 e Egg e Larvae B Pupae

2 Hive v1 Foragers

(J) Q) Q)

1.5 ..c -0 ,._ Q) ..c E 1 ::J z

60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200

Days


https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article%3Fid=10.1371/journal.pone.0130966


Colony Development Under Good Conditions

M A M J J A S O

X 104

2.5 0 Egg

~ Larvae I Hive

2 'v Foragers

Cl) Q) Q) .n 1.5 ~

0 ~

Q) .n E ::J z

0.5

60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260

Days



https://www.syfy.com/sites/syfy/files/2017/07/ahs_cult_poster_edit.jpghttps://www.syfy.com/sites/syfy/files/2017/07/ahs_cult_poster_edit.jpg

The M

ind


Factors Annual Cycle affectedLatitude and geographical factors Climate

Latitude Day length

Climate and weather • Plant species & growth• When bees can fly and forage• Winter

Native and wild plants Nectar and pollen flow ( series or one flow

Agricultural crops Additional major flow

Genetics of the bees Starting and stopping brood production/ swarming

Acclimatization of bees Adaptation of bees Bee management Queen age/ making split/

Factors Having Influence on the Annual Cycle of Bee Population, Brood Rearing and

Colony Weight in Honey Bee Colonies*

* Colonies are healthy and have adequate hive space, food and water



M A M J J A S O N D

Comparison of Experimental Data with Model Data for Bee Population Dynamics (Geographical Locations)

X 104

4 .5 r-------r-------,,--------r------,,--------.---~

4

Cl) 3 .5 Q) Q)

..0 3 ~ ::J ~ cu 2.5

~

0 2 :i.... Q)

..0 E 1.5 ::J z 1

0.5

0 50


0 Buhlman n 1985 9- Omholt 198 6 D Fukuda 1983 0 To rres et al.

100 150 20 0

Days 250 300



Comparison of Experimental Data with Model Data for Bee Brood Production Dynamics (Geographical Location)

M A M J J A S O N D

X 104

3.5 ,-------,,--------,,-------------------

3

-o 2.5 0 0 ~

.0 2 ~

0 ~

Q) .O 1.5 E ::::, z 1

0.5

□ Bodenheimer 1937 0 Kunert and Crai lsheim \7 Bretsckho 1985 0 Kunert and Crai lsheim 0 Torres et al.

0 L--- B:::::I~ '---------L-------'--------'----___,I,_ ~ ~ ~~ 0 50 100


150

Days 200 250 300


Effects of Latitude on Bee Colony Population, Brood and Weight


PRIME M RJOIAN o·


Effects of Latitude on Bee Colony Weight Change (Weekly Weight Change in Kg)

Crane, E, 1990. Bees and Beekeeping.

60⁰N 32⁰S

40⁰N

35⁰S

5⁰S

22⁰S

--

-

c ........ .... - .--------------.~~-,. - -

Understanding Bee Forage Regions

https://honeybeenet.gsfc.nasa.gov/Honeybees/Forage.htm

Bee Forage Regions


Al a ka inse1 (not 10 scale)

./

Region 3 - South and Central California Region 2 -Western Mountains Region 5 - lntermountain Region Region 4 - Interior Northwest Region 6 - Southwest Deserts Region 8 - Great Plains Region 7 -Aspen Parkland and Peace River Valley Region 14 - Boreal Forest

.---, Region 9 - Northern Great Lakes and Southern Canada Region 10 - Agricultural Interior Region 11 - Appalachian-Ozark Upland Region 12 - Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain Region 13 - New England and Atlantic Canada Region 1 - Alaska

https://honeybeenet.gsfc.nasa.gov/Honeybees/Forage.htm

Honey flow

Dand

elio

n

Alfa

lfa Cano

la

Clov

ers

Alfa

lfa ?

Aste

r10

20

30

40

50

60

70

March April May June July August September October November December

Bee

Pop

ulat

ion

(X10

00)

Understanding Bee Forage and Bee Population Dynamics in Alberta

Clov

ers

This

tles

Modified from Harris, L. 2016. Bee Culture June 2016

fppt .com

Colony Gain Weight in Beaverlodge, AB

- .,,,,,

- ~

-~ .,,,,,

- ~ .,,,,,.

-~ ,---1 -

~ ~ __,,,,, ~ .,,,,, .,,,,, .,,,,,.

~ I I I I I I I I I

~


Harris, L. 2016. Bee Culture June 2016

Understanding Bee Forage and Bee Population Dynamics in Western Canada

24 48 72 DG 120 144 168 1D2 216 60 - ---.--+----.--+----+----.--+----+----+----4----+----+--

fiO

'10

20

0

1 MAY


1 ,JU

1 JUL.

1

J\UG. 1

SEfYr.

■ Worker Bees (1975) -0 Scaled Brood (1975)

-e- Wo1·kc1· B<'<', (1976) -( Scaled Brood (197G)

1 0 'I'.

1 ov.

J\pproximalc Calendar Dal<'

1 DEC.

Colony C

onditions Contributing to B

ee Population D

ynamics and the Initiation of Sw

arming

Genetics

Old queen

Congested adult

population

Bee C

ulture Solutions

Hive space -

overcrowded

Large brood population

Poor ventilation

,. .~.

.. ··(i::;;,:-


Mean Frames of Bees (±SD) in Russian, Ontario and Hybrid Colonies Measured Each 14d for 126d

0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

30.00

35.00

0 14 28 42 56 70 84 98 112 126Day

Num

ber o

f fra

mes

of b

ees

o

or

r

ro

■

----J;.----

--•-----♦---

Building Bee Population and Starting to Store Honey in Honey Supers


Bee Genetics and Impacts of Population Dynamics Wilson 2004-2005


* Differences are noted by different letters α = 0.05

StockHoney

production(Kg)

Over-wintering

Ontario 77.5 ± 37.39 1.8 ± 0.26a

Ontario X Russian 95.7 ± 30.23 1.8 ± 0.43ab

Russian X Ontario 61.5 ± 15.26 1.4 ± 0.43ab

Russian 56.6 ± 16.21 1.3 ± 0.54b

Swarming Impacts on Seasonal Cycles of the Honey Bee Colony: Starting Time, Feeding


Num

ber o

f Bee

s Honey flow

Num

ber o

f Bee

s Honey flow

A

B

C

Start of the season End of the season

Swarming

Summary of Seasonal Cycles of the Honey Bee Colony: Genetical, Environmental and Seasonal

Aspects


Bro

od A

rea

Spring

Winter bee brood

Summer

Bee.s

Autumn Winter

Summary of Genetical, Environmental and Seasonal Factors That Impact Seasonal Cycles of the Honey

Bee Colony

Bees

• Genetics- Prolific queen• Bee population

Resources

• Adequate resources: Native plants and agriculture crops

Management

• Management (Space, feeding, swarming, queen age, etc.)

Locations

• Latitude• Geographic location

Climate• Favorable climate

Time• Acclimatization of bees


0

20

40

60

80

100

Perc

ent S

urvi

val

0 12 24 36 48 60 72

Time (days)

7

12

34

56

Cohort

Seasonal Cycles of the Honey Bee Colony in Canadian Parries (Worker Longevity and Survival Through Winter)

Harris, L. 2016. BEE CULTURE June 2016

August -September



Seasonal Cycles of the Honey Bee Colony in Canadian Parries (Worker Longevity and Survival Through Winter)

9 b C d e f g h

f ~ ~

~ @-

~ ®

31 Aug. 12 Sept. 24 Sept. 18 Oct. 30 Oct. 11 Nov. 23 Nov. SDcc.

Calendar Date

Bee Colony Development Plant Phenology

Soil

Rainfall

Temperature

Plant Communities

Ø Colony development:Ø Initial colonyØ Birth rate (egg laying

rates) Ø Death rates (natural

and diseased bees)Ø DriftingØ Swarming

Ø SeasonalityØ ClimateØ Food Sources

When Do Pant and the Bee Seasonal Cycle Meet?


Bee Food Supply§ Less Varity§ Less quantity

In hive used acaricides

§ Acaricides§ Antibiotics and

other agents

Residues in bee hives and bee

products

Beneficial microbes

§ Susceptible to antibiotics

§ Competition with pathogens

Beekeeper practices

§ Attitudes§ Pest management§ General care§ Pollination

services

Pests and Pathogens§ Varroa mites§ Nosema§ Viruses & Bacterial § Small hive beetle

Farmer practices§ Monoculture§ Field size§ Pest management

Climate and Weather

§ Planting season§ Bee cycle § Spring timing§ Winter severity

Pesticides§ Application

process§ Types

(Systemic vs contact)

The Honey Bee Real World


Ø Cc

Ø Many variables control the development and bee population cycle:Ø Bee genetics Ø Latitude and geographical locationØ ClimateØ Food sources

Ø Acclimatization of bees and bee management are important for bee population development

Ø Honey bees live for 4-6 weeks in summer, but in winter they live for several months

Ø Winter bees are important for colony survivorship through the winter. These bees develop in late august through September

Ø Many factors are involved in colony health and survivorship

Summary


Seasonal Cycles of the Honey Bee Colony: Genetical ... · Genetics of the bees Starting and...

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