Seasonal Cycles of the Honeybee Colonies

Abstract

“In Europe major geographic individuality is determined by structure ... in Africa climatic zones replace orographic regions: desert zone, savanna, forest.... When one speaks of Africa one must constantly remember the pre-eminence of climate.... On the one hand, there is desert where nothing, not even vegetation, lives, and on the other hand the equatorial forest where nothing except vegetation lives.” (Weulersse, cf. van Chi-Bonnardel 1973). These contrasts are striking and their applicability to honeybee biology is encapsulated in the observations of Ruttner (1976a,b). He noted that all honeybees show in a very clear way specific adaptations to conditions in their regions of origin where they developed during long periods of natural selection. As will be seen, the bees of Europe and of Africa illustrate this principle, each in very different, even opposite ways.