1Department of Entomology, Sugarcane Research Institute, Rajendra Agricultural University, Bihar, Pusa - 848 125, Samastipur, Bihar, India
2Department of Zoology, B.R.A., Bihar University, Muzaffarpur (Bihar).
During two year study total developmental periods of worker and drone of Apis mellifera L. and Apis cerana indica F. from egg to adult were found to vary signifcantly between breeding and dearth season. The developmental periods being of 20.31 ± 0.351; 19.99 ± 0.428 days (breeding season) and 21.22 ± 0.426; 21.21 ± 0.518 days (dearth season) during 1st and 2nd year, respectively, were recorded for worker of Apis mellifera. In case of drone of this species the said periods were found to be 23.58 ± 0.251 & 23.76 ± 0.493, 23.72 ± 0.337 & 24.16 ± 0.570 days during breeding and dearth season, respectively, during both the years of study. The total development period for queen bee of A. mellifera was 15.85 ± 0.144 days in 1st year and 16.20 ± 0.414 days in 2nd year. The similar pattern was found in worker and drone of Apis cerana India which took less days for development in breeding season as compared to dearth season.
