Effects of Hive Patterns on Storage Pot Arrangement of Stingless Bees, <I>Tetragonula laeviceps</I> Species Complex

Abstract

Stingless bees, Tetragonula laeviceps species complex, are beneficial to agriculture and ecosystem. They are efficient pollinator of many flowers and produce honey with nutritional value and good price. However, the harvest of stingless bee honey is difficult because it is arranged in overlapping to brood colonies in the standard wooden hive. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate the effects of different hive patterns on stingless bee storage pots arrangement. The study was composed of 3 parts. First, four wooden stingless bee hive patterns 1) Standard wooden hive (SH) 2) Standard size with cross shaped wood hive (SCH) 3) Standard size with parallel shaped wood hive (SPH) and 4) Long wood hive (LH) were used to evaluate the arrangement pattern. The result showed that the hive pattern 2, 3 and 4 honey pots were arranged separated to brood colonies. Second, Five wooden stingless bee hive patterns were used in this study including 1) Standard wooden hive (SH), 2) Standard  crossed and netted wooden hive (SCNH), 3) Longer wooden hive connected with double layer small wooden hive (LCDH), 4) Three partitions in longer wooden hive connected with double layer small wooden hive (TLCDH), and 5) Double layer wooden hive (DH). The brood colonies and storage pots of stingless bee were equally divided and put in each hive as initial colony. Observations on development of the colony structure were recorded every week by weighing and every month by photographing. The result showed that brood colonies and storage pots in four patterns of hive (SH, LCDH, TLCDH and DH) were overlapping arrangement whereas those in SCNH was clearly separated. The brood chambers were found on net and storage pots located under the net. This pattern of hive showed the highest final weight of stingless bee cells at 1.13 kg while those of SH, LCDH, TLCDH and DH were 0.66, 0.66, 0.69 and 0.20 kg, respectively. Third, the study on the suitable size of SCNH revealed that the size of 21x30x20 cm was the most appropriate hive due to the weight of stingless bee cells was maximum when compared to the other sizes.