Effect of the internal size and thermal insulation of the hive on bee colonies strength and productivity [electronic resource].

Includes references.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of the internal size and thermal insulation of the hive on bee colonies strength (sealed brood area) and productivity (honey area, pollen area). Hives from Langstroth type were used containing honeybee colonies of equal strength from the species of hybrid carniolan. This study included three internal sizes of bee hives (0.024, 0.031 and 0.038 m3); three insulation cases (without, with sackcloth and with foam); and three hive entrance direction (East, Southeast and South). The lowest mean hive temperatures recorded in the middle of January to be 18.3, 16.8 and 11.8°C with foam, sackcloth and without insulation, respectively. Average lower temperature were 20, 16.7 and 13.6 °C for internal hive sizes of 0.024, 0.031and 0.038 m3, respectively.

Summary in Arabic.

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