The study was carried out in District Nowshera at 10 different locations namely; Nizampur, Akora khattak, Pirsabaq, Khat kaly, Azaa kheel, Chirrat, Khweshgi, Behraam kaly, Rashakai, Pabbi, and Kaka sahib through questionnaire in order to gather the information from beekeepers to investigate the predators and parasites of honey bee that causes the losses of honey production and on honey bees. The results show that mites caused severe loss of honey production (35.21%) followed by bee-eaters (21.69%), wax moth (21.63%), black aunts (14.79%) and hornets (6.77%) respectively in the study area.
This research was conducted to determine the bee predators and parasites that causes the loss of honey production and honey bees in Nowshera District, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa.
Abstract
The study was carried out in District Nowshera at 10 different locations namely; Nizampur, Akora khattak, Pirsabaq, Khat kaly, Azaa kheel, Chirrat, Khweshgi, Behraam kaly, Rashakai, Pabbi, and Kaka sahib through questionnaire in order to gather the information from beekeepers to investigate the predators and parasites of honey bee that causes the losses of honey production and on honey bees. The results show that mites caused severe loss of honey production (35.21%) followed by bee-eaters (21.69%), wax moth (21.63%), black aunts (14.79%) and hornets (6.77%) respectively in the study area.
This research was conducted to determine the bee predators and parasites that causes the loss of honey production and honey bees in Nowshera District, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa.
Corresponding Author: Zeb.Alam
INTRODUCTON
General Background
Beekeeping or apiculture is the science of rearing honey bees in hives under semi-natural conditions for the production of honey and other useful products. A location where honey bee colonies are kept is called Apiary. Honey bees are also used by farmers to pollinate their crops, particularly oil seed and fruit crops.
Apiculture, once considered a cottage occupation, has now emerged a profitable industry in the world. Europe, America, Australia, China, and Japan produce a large quantity of honey and other bee products such as pollen, royal jelly, wax, portfolios and bee venom that have been export worldwide and earn handsome foreign exchange. Many countries imports queens from Australia, because these queens produced bees that are gentle in nature and produced high yield (Ruben, 2006).
Pakistan has ideal climatic conditions for beekeeping in different zones indicating bright chances for the development of beekeeping. Khyber Pukhtonkhwa is the hub of beekeeping due to the presence of important bee flora yielding high quality honey of shain, ber and phullai. Shain honey is produced in Swat valley and has higher medicinal value. Ber honey is produced in Kohat, Karak and Bannu, and exported to Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates due to high economic price. Similarly, phullai honey is produced in Chirat, Khairabad and Nizampur hills and used locally (Steven, 2008).
Importance of Beekeeping
Beekeeping has many uses; it produces food in the form of honey. It assists in the production of food by increasing yield of fruit and seed crops. It produces basic raw materials, beeswax, for which there are over 200 different uses. It helps in the regeneration of the forest, the reclamation of eroded land and the improvement of pasture. It gives a profitable and healthy form of livelihood to large number of people, and it is of considerable importance in the economy of the country (Pourta, 2009).
Systematic position of Honey Bee
Honey bees belong to:
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Hymenoptera
Family: Aphidea
Genus: Apis
Species: sp.
Morphology of Honey Bee
The body of honey bee is divided in to head, thorax and abdomen. It has a pair of antennae, three pairs of legs and two pairs of wings (Figure 1).
Abbildung in dieser Leseprobe nicht enthalten
Source: http://www.insct-morphology.seql.eda.bee.html
Honey Bee Species Occurs in Pakistan
Four species of honey bee occurs in Pakistan, which as as under;
Apis dorsata F. (Rock bee)
This species is of the large size and produces plenty of honey. It constructs a single large combe, sometimes four feet long, on tall forest and shade trees, walls, parts of buildings and in rocks etc. it is unfit for domestication because of its peculiar habit of single combe building, migrations and bad temper.
Apis florea F. (Small bee)
This is the smallest species of all and is often called the little bee. It builds single combe in bushes and hidden places and cannot de domesticated. The combe is small is size and produces littgle honey.
Apis cerana indica F. (Indian bee)
It is small in size thanA.dorsataandA.melliferabut larger thanA. florea.Members of this speices produce combs in parallel rows inside natural hollows in the trees, walls, almirahs and other similar protected places. Honey yield from this species is higher and the bees are eomaratively miled in temper. It is found in the plains and mountains. This is the species that has successively been domesticated and is normally reared in most of the apiaries.
Apis mellifera F. (European bee)
It is successively reared in hives in Europe, America, Australia and Africa. A number of strains of this bee exist in various continents. The italian variety is quite common. It has been introduced in Pakistan, India, China, Japan, and many other countries. It is a bit larger in size thanA. ceranaand is high in honey production.
Casts of honey bees
Honey bees are social insects and there is division of labors among them. An average colony ofApis melliferaconsists of 50,000-80,000 bees and there are three kinds of individuals such as workers, drones and the queen.
i. Workers:
Frequently asked questions
What is the study about?
The study investigates the predators and parasites of honey bees in District Nowshera, Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, and their impact on honey production.
Where was the study conducted?
The study was conducted at 10 different locations in District Nowshera: Nizampur, Akora Khattak, Pirsabaq, Khat Kaly, Azaa Kheel, Chirrat, Khweshgi, Behraam Kaly, Rashakai, Pabbi, and Kaka Sahib.
How was the data collected?
Data was gathered from beekeepers through questionnaires.
What were the main causes of honey production loss?
According to the study, mites caused the most significant loss of honey production (35.21%), followed by bee-eaters (21.69%), wax moths (21.63%), black ants (14.79%), and hornets (6.77%).
What is beekeeping or apiculture?
Beekeeping, also known as apiculture, is the practice of rearing honey bees in hives under semi-natural conditions to produce honey and other valuable products.
Why is beekeeping important?
Beekeeping provides food (honey), increases the yield of fruit and seed crops, produces beeswax for various uses, aids in forest regeneration, and offers a profitable livelihood.
What are the different species of honey bees found in Pakistan?
The four species of honey bees found in Pakistan are: Apis dorsata (Rock bee), Apis florea (Small bee), Apis cerana indica (Indian bee), and Apis mellifera (European bee).
What are the casts of honey bees?
Honey bee colonies consist of three types of individuals: workers, drones, and the queen.
What are the roles of worker bees?
Worker bees, which are sterile females, are responsible for gathering nectar and pollen, building combs, rearing brood, defending the colony, and attending to the queen.
- Quote paper
- Alam Zeb (Author), Dr. Reipar Nawaz (Author), 2010, Effect of insect attack on the production of honey & honey bees in Nowshera District, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/201204
