Thermoregulation in colonies of Africanized and hybrids with Caucasian, Italian and Carniolan Apis mellifera honey bees

Abstract

This experiment was carried out to study the internal temperature regulation of a colony of Africanized honey bees (AFR), compared with hybrid Caucasian (CAU), Italian (ITA), and Carniolan (CAR) bees, during the period of one year and different size hives located in a sub-tropical region. The instant internal temperature, 33.7 +/- 1.5 degrees C for the AFR, 33.5 +/- 1.4 degrees C for the CAU, 33.7 +/- 1.5 degrees C for the ITA and 33.8 +/- 1.4 degrees C for the CAR, did not show any significant difference (P>0.05). The maximum temperature (36.1 +/- 2.3 degrees C) was statistically different (P<0.05) from the minimum (27.6 +/- 5.3 degrees C). There was no difference (P>0.05) in the mean internal temperature, between the nucleus (31.7 +/- 6.3 degrees C) and the brood nest (32.1 +/- 5.3 degrees C) measured between two and four o'clock in the afternoon.