Production Performance, Defensive, Hygienic, Swarming, and Foraging Behavior of Apis mellifera scutellata bee race

Abstract Honey bee colonies exhibit a wide range of behavior variations depending on genetic origin and environmental factors. Therefore, the performance evaluation of honey bee races is critical to laying a foundation for future selection and improvement in Ethiopia. Thirty colonies of Apis mellifera scutellata (A.m.scutellata) were kept in improved box hives and their difference in performance was evaluated through reproductive swarming tendency, absconding behavior, defensive behavior, hygienic behavior, brood population, and foraging activity during the active season (October to December and April to May. This study showed that the A.m.scutellata race has a higher swarming tendency, with up to 3.24 queen caps per hive prepared per year. The result also revealed that A.m.scutellata was very aggressive, taking time below 1 minute after disturbances and following up to a 400-meter distance from the hive. The A.m.scutellata exhibited an absconding tendency was 34.5% if any disruption. The yielding honey performance of the race per frame ranged from 1.3 kg to 1.5 kg, and an average of 14 kg per harvest. A.m. scutellata showed good performance in hygienic behaviors (93.65%), but undesirable behaviors in defensive behavior and swarming tendency make it difficult to manage honey bees. Overall, our results demonstrate that A.m.scutellata honeybee colonies show a higher defensive and absconding tendency. In addition to this, the honeybees have a high tendency for swarming. However, the race has good performance in foraging and hygienic behaviors. Further, studies of the honey bee race through selection and breeding could be conducted to reduce the higher aggressiveness and swarming tendency of A. m. scutellata to improve production performance.