EFFECT OF WINTER STORES ON COLONY DEVELOPMENT IN Apis cerana F. AT KATRAIN AREA OF KULLU VALLEY IN INDIAN HIMALAYAN REGION

NIRUPMA SHARMA¹*, J.K. GUPTA², HARISH SHARMA^3
1Department of Entomology and Apiculture, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, 173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
²Department of Entomology and Apiculture, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, 173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
³Department of Entomology and Apiculture, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, 173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
* Corresponding Author : nirupamasharma999@gmail.com

Received : 05-08-2018     Accepted : 11-08-2018     Published : 15-08-2018
Volume : 10     Issue : 15       Pages : 6853 - 6855
Int J Agr Sci 10.15 (2018):6853-6855

Keywords : Over wintering, colony built up, honey store, colony strength
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : The authors are thankful to the DST- New Delhi for funding under Women Scientist Scheme. Authors are also thankful to Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, 173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
Author Contribution : All author equally contributed

Successful over wintering of bee colonies depends on large number of factors including the amount of winter stores. These stores are equally important for the colony built up during spring season. In the upper Himalayan region, bees experience severe winter from November to March, and as much as 30 per cent of colonies are lost annually due to poor wintering. It is, therefore, important to know as to how much winter store should be available to colonies at the fall so that they over winter as well as build up in the spring to an appropriate strength. Observations were recorded on the effect of different amounts of winter stores kept in the colonies (1 to 3 kg per colony) on bee population, brood area and food stores, on three groups of colonies during the months of February to April at Katra in situated at 32.1ºN and 77.2ºE longitude with altitude of 1473. The results confirmed that A cerana colonies should have at least 3 kg of honey store per colony at the fall under Katra in conditions of Himachal Pradesh.

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