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Journal of Entomology

Year: 2012 | Volume: 9 | Issue: 5 | Page No.: 274-281
DOI: 10.3923/je.2012.274.281
Preliminary Study of a Method of Stimulating Propolis Collection by Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) (Hymenoptera:Apidae) in Bee Hives
A.A. Osipitan, O.Y. Babalola and O.A. Lawal

Abstract: The study evaluated a method termed “top bar spacing” in Kenya top bar hives to stimulate propolis collection by worker bees from tree buds at University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (UNAAB). Ogun State, Nigeria and Olupakun village, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. There were four treatments: hives with top bars spaced at 0.2, 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 cm. Hives with closely-spaced top bars served as control. The studies were conducted between August 2008 and March, 2009 and repeated between August 2009 and March, 2010. The honey yield, propolis yield, weight of dry pressed comb, number of ripe harvested combs and number of unriped combs were significantly (p<0.05) higher in year 2010. Likewise, the honey yield, propolis yield, weight of dry pressed comb, number of ripe harvested combs and number of unriped combs were significantly(p<0.05) higher in Olupakun village. The propolis collected in hives with spaced top bars were significantly (p<0.05) higher than propolis in hives with closely-spaced top bars. The honey yield, weight of dried pressed comb and number of ripe harvested combs were significantly (p<0.05) lower in hives with differently-spaced top bars. The study shows that a method of “top bar spacing” could stimulate collection of propolis from botanical sources by worker bees. This method could therefore be used by bee keepers with bias for propolis marketing to gather propolis.

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How to cite this article
A.A. Osipitan, O.Y. Babalola and O.A. Lawal, 2012. Preliminary Study of a Method of Stimulating Propolis Collection by Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) (Hymenoptera:Apidae) in Bee Hives. Journal of Entomology, 9: 274-281.

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