Effect of Different Types of Boxes on Rearing of Bumble Bee, Bombus terrestris
Effect of Different Types of Boxes on Rearing of Bumble Bee, Bombus terrestris
Muhammad Imran*, Munir Ahmad, Muhammad Naeem, Muhammad Farooq Nasir, Imran Bodlah, Muhammad Nasir and Umer Ayyaz Aslam Sheikh
ABSTRACT
Life history parameters of bumblebee Bombus terrestris (L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) were investigated by using rearing boxes of wood, cardboard and polycarbonate materials on three developmental stages i.e., colony initiation, development and maturation stages under controlled laboratory conditions. Queen oviposition rate was 1.4-fold higher in polycarbonate box compared to wooden and cardboard materials. Early start of egg-laying (first oviposition period) and earlier emergence of first worker were found in polycarbonate box as compared to others. Similarly, colony foundation stage in polycarbonate box took 58.3 days which was about 7-10 days shorter than others box types. Early emergence of sexual were observed in polycarbonate box with maximum numbers of daughter queens and males emerged 1.7-4.0 fold higher than from cardboard and wooden material boxes. Foundation queen (mother queen) survival duration was the lowest in cardboard box (64.6 days) while highest in polycarbonate box (109.5 days). Mortality of workers and males was 2.1-fold less in polycarbonate as compare to cardboard and wooden materials. Such important abiotic affect of rearing environment suggests polycarbonate boxes the most suitable on all three developmental stages of bumblebees for efficient commercial mass rearing.
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