<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> Over a 37-year period, we observed 1011 active bee nests and abandoned combs of Apis dorsata and Apis laboriosa in Nepal, India, the Philippines, and Bhutan. This article focuses on the reasons for the different shapes of the nests. We discovered that differing ambient conditions were the reasons for the following three shapes of symmetrical nests: vertical semi-ellipse, semicircle, and the horizontal semi-ellipse. We noted that asymmetrical nests were constructed when there was lack of space to extend the comb equally in both external directions. An asymmetrical nest also appeared when remnants of a previous comb remained on one edge of the nest. Convex nests were constructed to avoid excess sun exposure. Concave nests appeared as a result of low temperatures during the night and part of the day (Nepal). An L-shape nest was constructed when there was lack of space available to extend the nest in a straight direction. The shape of the nests also determines the way the combs fall.</p></abstract>

Over a 37-year period, we observed 1011 active bee nests and abandoned combs of Apis dorsata and Apis laboriosa in Nepal, India, the Philippines, and Bhutan. This article focuses on the reasons for the different shapes of the nests. We discovered that differing ambient conditions were the reasons for the following three shapes of symmetrical nests: vertical semi-ellipse, semicircle, and the horizontal semi-ellipse. We noted that asymmetrical nests were constructed when there was lack of space to extend the comb equally in both external directions. An asymmetrical nest also appeared when remnants of a previous comb remained on one edge of the nest. Convex nests were constructed to avoid excess sun exposure. Concave nests appeared as a result of low temperatures during the night and part of the day (Nepal). An L-shape nest was constructed when there was lack of space available to extend the nest in a straight direction. The shape of the nests also determines the way the combs fall.

The reasons for the different nest shapes of Megapis bees

Division of Apiculture, University of Life Sciences (SGGW), 166 Nowoursynowska, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland

Apiculture Division, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, 48 Słoneczna, 10-957 Olsztyn, Poland

Honey bee Breeding Centre, Gryzliny, 11-034 Stawiguda, Poland

Journal of Apicultural Science

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

{"article-title":"The reasons for the different nest shapes of Megapis bees"}

Over a 37-year period, we observed 1011 active bee nests and abandoned combs of Apis dorsata and Apis laboriosa in Nepal, India, the Philippines, and Bhutan....

The reasons for the different nest shapes of Megapis bees

Published Online: Jun 03, 2016

Page range: 121 - 134

Received: Nov 25, 2015

Accepted: Feb 27, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jas-2016-0001

Keywords
A. dorsata, A. laboriosa, bee nests, nest shape, Megapis

© by Jerzy Woyke

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

The reasons for the different nest shapes of Megapis bees

Published Online: Jun 03, 2016

Page range: 121 - 134

Received: Nov 25, 2015

Accepted: Feb 27, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/jas-2016-0001

KeywordsA. dorsata, A. laboriosa, bee nests, nest shape, Megapis

© by Jerzy Woyke

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
A. dorsata, A. laboriosa, bee nests, nest shape, Megapis