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Nest site selection by the honey bee,Apis mellifera

Kriterien für die Nestwahl bei der Honigbiene,Apis mellifera

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Summary

  1. 1.

    Honey bees exhibit preferences in several nest site properties. The following preferences were identified («>» means «preferred to»): nest height, 5>1 m; entrance area, 12.5>75 cm2; entrance position, bottom >top of nest cavity, entrance direction, southward>northward; nest cavity volume, 10<40>100 liters.

  2. 2.

    The data also suggest preferences exist for previously inhabited nest cavities and for nest sites beyond 300 m from the parent colony.

  3. 3.

    Nest sites with high exposure and visibility were occupied more rapidly than sites with low exposure and visibility. However, this difference probably reflects differential ease of nest site discovery rather than a preference for exposed nest sites.

  4. 4.

    No preferences were found in the following variables: entrance shape (slit vs. circle), nest cavity shape (cube vs. tall parallelepiped), cavity draftiness (sound vs. drafty), and cavity dryness (wet vs. dry). Cavity draftiness and dryness are probably important to bees, but because bees can seal and waterproof their nests, they may be less demanding about these two nest site variables than about those they cannot modify.

  5. 5.

    The complex process of nest site selection apparently benefits a honey bee colony in several ways, including facilitation of colony defense and hygiene, simplification of nest construction and microclimate control, and reduction of foraging competition with the parent colony.

Zusammenfassung

  1. 1.

    Honigbienen bevorzugen bestimmte Nistplatzeigenschaften. Die folgenden Bevorzugungen wurden herausgefunden («>» bedeutet «bevorzugt gegenüber»): Höhe des Nestes, 5>1 m; Fläche des Eingangs, 12,5>75 cm2; Lage des Eingangs, Boden>Spitze; Richtung des Eingangs, nach Süden>nach Norden; Raum der Nesthöhle, 10<40>100 Liter.

  2. 2.

    Die Daten deuten darüber hinaus an, dass Honigbienen Nesthöhlen bevorzugen, die vorher bewohnt waren, oder die weiter als 300 m vom Mutterstock entfernt sind.

  3. 3.

    Exponierte und gut sichtbare Nistplätze werden schneller bezogen als weniger exponierte und weniger gut sichtbare Plätze. Wahrscheinlich hat dies aber seinen Grund darin, dass diese Plätze leichter entdeckt werden, nicht weil sie echt bevorzugt werden.

  4. 4.

    Keine Bevorzugung wurde für die folgenden Variablen gefunden: Form des Eingangs (Schlitz vs. Kreis), Form der Nesthöhle (Quader vs. hohe Rechtecksäule), Zugigkeit der Höhle (zugfrei vs. zugig) und Trockenheit (feucht vs. trocken). Wahrscheinlich sind Zugigkeit und Trockenheit der Höhle für die Biene wichtig. Da die Bienen jedoch ihr Nest abdichten und wasserdicht machen können, sind sie — was diese Nistplatz-Variablen angeht — nicht so wählerisch als gegenüber jenen, die sie nicht ändern können.

  5. 5.

    Dieser komplexe Prozess der Nistplatzwahl kommt der Honigbiene offensichtlich in verschiedener Weise zugute, z. B. zur Erleichterung der Verteidigung und Hygiene des Stockes, der Vereinfachung beim Nestbau und bei der Kontrolle des Mikroklimas, sowie zur Minderung der Futterkonkurrenz mit dem Muttervolk.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Museum of Comparative Zoology Laboratories, Harvard University, 02138, Cambridge, Massachusetts, (U.S.A.)

    Thomas D. Seeley & Roger A. Morse

  2. Department of Entomology, Cornell University, 14853, Ithaca, New York, (U.S.A.)

    Thomas D. Seeley & Roger A. Morse

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  1. Thomas D. Seeley
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  2. Roger A. Morse
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Seeley, T.D., Morse, R.A. Nest site selection by the honey bee,Apis mellifera . Ins. Soc 25, 323–337 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02224297

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