Dryland Agriculture Research Institute Rangrath, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar Campus, Srinagar-190 025, Jammu & Kashmir, India
*Corresponding authors’ E-mail: jabarimuneer@gmail.com, Orchid: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4073-3412
Online published on 21 April, 2023.
The Apis cerana works under low temperatures in Kashmir valley. Two new constructed and designed hives made of wood with different dimensions were evaluated in SKUAST-Kashmir, India during 2018–19. The influence of these hive types on bee colony establishment was monitored for colony development parameters. Factors of hive weight, brood development area, honey area, pollen area bee flight activity, temperature of hives, and honey yield were selected markers of hive development. Statistically, each hive type produced significant variation (p < 0.05). The design-1 with fixed center recorded mean of 826.44 sq cm brood area in all four seasons while as 838.99 sq cm of honey area and 80.82 sq cm pollen area with p value less than (p < 0.5) means statistically significant. The pollen area indesign-1 recorded 80.82 sq cm as compared to design-2 which recorded mean of 82.08 sq cm pollen area with (P < 0.05).
Apis cerana, Behavior, Colony performance, Design, Hive, Kashmir
