Defensive behaviour of Africanized and European honeybees at two elevations in Colombia
Author(s)
Jose D. Villa
Abstract
The defensive behaviour of Africanized (10) and European (8) honeybee colonies was compared at 520 and 2450 m above sea level (34° and 17°C, respectively) by measuring the time to the first sting on a moving leather patch and the total number of stings received by the patch 30 seconds after the first sting. Considering results from both locations, Africanized colonies were, on average, twice as fast to sting and left eight times more stings (P<O·O1). Considering the responses of both geographical types, the average time to first sting was doubled and average number of stings was halved at the higher site (0.01 <P<0·05). Interactions between site and geographical type were not significant.
Keywords
Bee behaviour, defensive behaviour, Africanized bees, European bees, Altitude, Columbia
