Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Honeybees of Asia pp 109–131Cite as

Biology of Nesting

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Abstract

This chapter is a comprehensive review of nesting and the nests of Asian honeybees. The peculiarities and constraints of open-nesting and cavity-nesting are considered as are the structures of the combs of the different species. Comb building approaches and problems are illustrated and compared with comb construction in mixed-species colonies, and unusual nests and man-made nesting sites are enumerated. Particular attention is devoted to the building materials, waxes and resins, and the chemical and physical properties of the waxes fully documented. Comparisons are given for the compound composition of derivatised comb waxes and their weighted frequency distributions for carbon chain length variation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Aichholz R, Lorbeer E (1999) Investigation of combwax of honeybees with high-temperature gas chromatography and high-temperature gas chromatography-chemical ionization mass spectrometry. I. High-temperature gas chromatography. J Chromatogr A 855:601–615

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Aichholz R, Lorbeer E (2000) Investigation of combwax of honeybees with high-temperature gas chromatography and high-temperature gas chromatography-chemical ionization mass spectrometry. II. High-temperature gas chromatography-chemical ionization mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 883:75–88

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Aichholz R, Lorbeer E, Pechhacker H, Hüttinger E (2000) The chemical compounds of beeswax from Apis species. In: Proceedings of 4th Asian apiculture association conference, Kathmandu, pp 152–154

    Google Scholar 

  • Akratanakul P (1977) The natural history of the dwarf honey bee, Apis florea F. in Thailand. Thesis, Cornell University, Ithaca

    Google Scholar 

  • Akratanakul P (1987) Honeybee diseases and enemies in Asia: a practical guide. FAO Serv Bull 68(5):1–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Alexander BA (1991) A cladistic analysis of the genus Apis. In: Smith DR (ed) Diversity in the genus Apis. Westview, Boulder, pp 1–28

    Google Scholar 

  • Arias MC, Sheppard WS (2005) Phylogenetic relationships of honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apinae; Apini) inferred from nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Mol Phylogenet Evol 37:25–35

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bakker DR (1999) Foraging and habitat selection by two species of honey bee near Lore Lindu national park in Sulawesi. Thesis, University of Guelph, Indonesia

    Google Scholar 

  • Bellier J (1906) Beeswax from Annam. Ann Chem Anal 11:366–368

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Booncham U, Wongsiri S, Thirakupt K (1995) Niche differences between A. florea and A. andreniformis in dry-evergreen forest, Thailand. In: International conference on tropical bees environment, Pedu Lake, Kedah, p 33

    Google Scholar 

  • Brand-Garnys EE, Sprenger J (1988) Beeswax new aspects of a classic raw material for cosmetics. Seifen, Öele, Fette, Wachse 114:547–552 (in German)

    Google Scholar 

  • Breed MD, Williams KR, Fewell JH (1988) Comb wax mediates the acquisition of nest-mate recognition cues in honey bees. Proc Natl Acad Sci 85:8766–8769

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Breed MD, Garry MF, Pearce AN, Hibbard BE (1995) The role of wax comb in honey bee nestmate recognition. Anim Behav 50:489–498

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Büchner G (1906) On Indian Ghedda-wax. Chem-Ztg 43:528–529 (in German)

    Google Scholar 

  • Buchwald R, Breed MD, Greenberg AR, Otis G (2006) Interspecific variation in beeswax as a biological construction material. J Exp Biol 209:3984–3989

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Butani DK (1950) An Apis dorsata colony in New Delhi. Indian Bee J 12:115

    Google Scholar 

  • Butler CG (1954) The world of the honeybees. Collins, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Crane E (1993) Current status of research on Asian honey bees. In: Connor LJ, Rinderer TE, Sylvester HA, Wongsiri S (eds) Asian apiculture. Cheshire, Connecticut, pp 19–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Deodikar GB, Ghatge AL, Phadke RP, Mahindre DB, Kshirsagar KK, Muvel S, Thakar SS (1977) Nesting behaviour of Indian honeybees. III. Nesting behaviour of Apis dorsata Fab. Indian Bee J 39:1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Douglas JC (1886) The hive-bees indigenous to India and the introduction of the Italian bee. J Asiatic Soc Bengal II Nat Sci 55:83–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Duangphakdee O (2006) Biologically active compounds worker bees use to repel ants. Thesis, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok

    Google Scholar 

  • Duangphakdee O, Koeniger N, Deowanish S, Hepburn HR, Wongsiri S (2005a) Ant repellent resins of honeybees and stingless bees. Insect Soc 56:333–339

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duangphakdee O, Koeniger N, Koeniger G, Wongsiri S, Deowanish S (2005b) Reinforcing a barrier – a specific social defense of the dwarf honeybee (Apis florea) released by the weaver ant (Oecophylla smaragdina). Apidologie 36:505–512

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dutton RW, Free JB (1979) The present status of beekeeping in Oman. Bee World 60:176–185

    Google Scholar 

  • Free JB (1981) Biology and behaviour of the honeybee Apis florea, and possibilities for beekeeping. Bee World 62:46–59

    Google Scholar 

  • Grün A, Halden W (1929) Analysis of fats and waxes. von Julius Springer, Berlin (in German)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hadisoesilo S (1997) A comparative study of two species of cavity-nesting honey bees of Sulawesi. Thesis, University of Guelph, Indonesia

    Google Scholar 

  • Hadisoesilo S, Otis GW (1998) Differences in drone cappings of Apis cerana and Apis nigrocincta. J Apic Res 37:11–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Hepburn HR (1986) Honeybees and wax. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Hepburn HR, Kurstjens SP (1988) The combs of the honeybee as composite materials. Apidologie 19:25–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hepburn HR, Radloff SE (1998) Honeybees of Africa. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Hepburn HR, Chandler HD, Davidoff MR (1979) Extensometric properties of insect fibroins: the green lacewing cross-beta, honeybee alpha-helical and greater waxmoth parallel-beta conformations. Insect Biochem 9:69–77

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hepburn HR, Bernard RTF, Davidson BC, Muller WJ, Lloyd P, Kurstjens SP, Vincent SL (1991) Synthesis and secretion of beeswax in honeybees. Apidologie 22:21–36

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hepburn HR, Radloff SE, Duangphakdee O, Phiancharoen M (2009) Interspecific utilization of wax in comb building by honeybees. Naturwissenschaften 96:719–723

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hepburn R, Duangphakdee O, Phiancharoen M, Radloff S (2010) Comb wax salvage by the red dwarf honeybee, Apis florea F. J Insect Behav 23:159–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hooper D (1904) Indian bees’-wax. Agric Ledger 7:201–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Ikuta H (1931) The investigation of Japanese beeswax. Anal Chem 3:430–437

    Google Scholar 

  • Ikuta H (1934) The investigation of Japanese beeswax (III): composition of hydroxy fatty acid. Analyst 59:161–162

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Inoue T, Adri S, Salmah S (1990) Nest site selection and reproductive ecology of the Asian honey bee, Apis cerana indica, in Central Sumatra. In: Sakagami SF, Ohgushi R, Roubik DW (eds) Natural history of social wasps and bees in equatorial Sumatra. Hokkaido University Press, Sapporo, pp 219–232

    Google Scholar 

  • Joshi SR, Ahmad F, Gurung MB (2004) Status of Apis laboriosa populations in Kaski district, western Nepal. J Apic Res 43:176–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Koeniger N, Koeniger G (2000) Reproductive isolation among species of the genus Apis. Apidologie 31:313–339

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lindauer M (1957) Communication among the honeybees and stingless bees of India. Bee World 38(3–14):34–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu F, Roubik DW, He D, Li J (2007) Old comb for nesting site recognition by Apis dorsata? Field experiments in China. Insect Soc 54:424–426

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mehta VK (1948) Apis florea. Indian Bee J 10(79):81

    Google Scholar 

  • Mol GA (1933) Collecting wax and honey in the lake region of Western Borneo. Landbouw Buitenzorg 2:80–86 (in Dutch)

    Google Scholar 

  • Morse R, Laigo FM (1969) Apis dorsata in the Philippines. Philippine Association of Entomologists, Laguna

    Google Scholar 

  • Mossadegh MS (1990) Nesting behaviour of Apis florea F. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Khuzestan, Iran. In: Proceedings of the 11th international congress, IUSSI, Bangalore, pp 669–670

    Google Scholar 

  • Muttoo RN (1956) Facts about beekeeping in India. Bee World 37:125–133

    Google Scholar 

  • Narayana N (1970) Studies in Indian honeys and bees waxes. Central Bee Research Institute, Poona

    Google Scholar 

  • Neumann P, Koeniger N, Koeniger G, Tingek S, Kryger P, Moritz RFA (2000) Home-site fidelity in migratory honeybees. Nature 406:474–475

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Oldroyd BP, Wongsiri S (2006) Asian honey bees. Harvard University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Otis GW, Hadisoesilo S (1996) Apis nigrocincta, a previously unrecognized honey bee species from Indonesia: lessons in speciation. In: Proceedings of 3rd Asian apiculture association conference, Hanoi, pp 2–6

    Google Scholar 

  • Paar J, Oldroyd B, Kastberger G (2000) Giant honeybees return to their nest sites. Nature 406:475

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Phadke RP, Nair KS, Nandekar KU (1969) Indian beeswaxes. I. Their physico-chemical constants. Indian Bee J 31:52–55

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Phadke RP, Nair KS, Nandekar KU (1971) Indian beeswaxes. II. The nature of their chemical constituents. Indian Bee J 33:3–5

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pirk CWW, Crous KL, Duangphakdee O, Radloff SE, Hepburn HR (2010) Economics of comb wax salvage by the red dwarf honeybee, Apis florea. J Comp Physiol (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Raffiudin R, Crozier RH (2007) Phylogenetic analysis of honey bee behavioral evolution. Mol Phylogenet Evol 43:543–552

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ramachandran S (1939) Beekeeping in South India. Superintendent Government Press, Madras, Bull 37:1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Reddy SM, Reddy CC (1993) Studies on the distribution of nests of giant honey bee (Apis dorsata F.). Indian Bee J 55:36–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Rinderer TE, Wongsiri S, Kuang BY, Liu JS, Oldroyd BP, Sylvester HA, de Guzman LI (1996) Comparative nest architecture of the dwarf honey bees. J Apic Res 35:19–26

    Google Scholar 

  • Rinderer TE, Oldroyd BP, de Guzman LI, Wattanachaiyingcharoen W, Wongsiri S (2002) Spatial distribution of the dwarf honey bees in an agroecosystem in southeastern Thailand. Apidologie 33:539–543

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts OD, Islip HT (1922) The constants of Indian beeswax. Analyst 47:246–251

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roubik DW, Sakagami SF, Kudo I (1985) A note on distribution and nesting of the Himalayan honey bee Apis laboriosa Smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae). J Kans Entomol Soc 58:746–749

    Google Scholar 

  • Sakagami SF, Yoshikawa K (1973) Additional observations on the nest of the dwarf honeybee, Apis florea (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Kontyû 41:217–219

    Google Scholar 

  • Salamone JC (1996) Polymeric materials encyclopedia. CRC, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  • Sasaki M, Fujiwara M, Numaguchi Y (2000) Proboscis extension reflex (PER) for bee odour and non-volatile surface wax components: analysis of nestmate discrimination. In: Proceedings of the 4th Asian apiculture association conference, Kathmandu, p 37

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwarz HF (1948) Stingless bees (Meliponidae) of the western hemisphere. Bull Am Mus Nat Hist 90:1–536

    Google Scholar 

  • Seeley TD (1985) Honeybee ecology: a study of adaptation in social life. Princeton University Press, Princeton

    Google Scholar 

  • Seeley TD, Seeley RH, Akratanakul P (1982) Colony defense strategies of honeybees in Thailand. Ecol Monogr 52:43–63

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh S (1947) The honeybees of India: the abc and xyz of bee culture. AI Root Company, Medina, Ohio, pp 560–562

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh S (1962) Beekeeping in India. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Tan NQ (2007) Biology of Apis dorsata in Vietnam. Apidologie 38:221–229

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thakar SS, Tonapi KV (1961) Nesting behaviour of Indian honeybees. I. Differentiation of worker, queen and drone cells on the combs of Apis dorsata Fab. Bee World 42:61–62, 72

    Google Scholar 

  • Thakar SS, Tonapi KV (1962) Nesting behaviour of Indian honeybees. II. Nesting habits and comb cell differentiation in Apis florea Fab. Indian Bee J 24:27–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Tingek S, Koeniger G, Koeniger N (1996) Description of a new cavity nesting species of Apis (Apis nuluensis n. sp.) from Sabah, Borneo, with notes on its occurrence and reproductive biology (Insecta: Hymenoptera: Apoidea; Apini). Senckenbergiana Biol 76:115–119

    Google Scholar 

  • Tulloch AP (1980) Beeswax – composition and analysis. Bee World 61:47–62

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ueno S (1915) Corean beeswax. Analyst 40:343–344

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Underwood BA (1986) The natural history of Apis laboriosa Smith in Nepal. Thesis, Cornell University, Ithaca

    Google Scholar 

  • Underwood BA (1990) The seasonal cycle of nesting and migration by the Himalayan honey bee, Apis laboriosa. In: Proceedings of the 11th international congress, IUSSI, p 117

    Google Scholar 

  • van Lijnden OWC, Groll J (1851) Observations on the Kapuas River basin area. Naturk Tijdschr Nederlandsch-Indie 2:537–636 [in Dutch]

    Google Scholar 

  • Viswanathan H (1950) Note on Apis dorsata queen cells. Indian Bee J 12:55

    Google Scholar 

  • Wattanachaiyingcharoen W, Wongsiri S, Oldroyd BP (2008) Aggregations of unrelated Apis florea colonies. Apidologie 39:531–536

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Whitcombe RP (1984) The biology of Apis spp. in Oman with special reference to Apis florea Fab. Thesis, University of Durham, Durham

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilde J, Woyke J, Wilde M (2001) Rearing honey bee queens on cups of Apis mellifera and Apis dorsata wax. In: Proceedings of the 7th international conference on tropical bees, Chiang Mai, pp 207–220

    Google Scholar 

  • Wongsiri S, Thapa R, Oldroyd BP, Burgett MD (1996) A magic bee tree: Home of Apis dorsata. Am Bee J 136:196–199

    Google Scholar 

  • Wongsiri S, Lekprayoon C, Thapa R, Thirakhupt K, Rinderer TE, Sylvester HA, Oldroyd BP, Booncham U (1997) Comparative biology of Apis andreniformis and Apis florea in Thailand. Bee World 78:23–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Wongvilas S, Deowanish S, Wongsiri S (2009) Habitat of red dwarf honeybee (Apis florea) and the black dwarf honeybee (Apis andreniformis) in Kanchanaburi Province. The King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology, Ladkrabang Academic Conference and Exhibition, Thailand, pp 28–35

    Google Scholar 

  • Woyke J, Wilde J, Wilde M (2001) A scientific note on Apis laboriosa winter nesting and brood rearing in the warm zone of the Himalayas. Apidologie 32:601–602

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang MX, Tan K, Radloff SE, Phiancharoen M, Hepburn HR (2010) Comb construction in mixed species colonies of honeybees Apis cerana and Apis mellifera. J Exp Biol 213:1659–1664

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ratchaburi Campus, King Mongkut’s University of Technology, Thonburi, Bangkok, 10140, Thailand

    Mananya Phiancharoen & Orawan Duangphakdee

  2. Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa

    H. R. Hepburn

Authors
  1. Mananya Phiancharoen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Orawan Duangphakdee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H. R. Hepburn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mananya Phiancharoen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa

    H. Randall Hepburn

  2. , Department of Statistics, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa

    Sarah E. Radloff

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Phiancharoen, M., Duangphakdee, O., Hepburn, H.R. (2011). Biology of Nesting. In: Hepburn, H., Radloff, S. (eds) Honeybees of Asia. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-16422-4_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation