Determination of the Effects of Bee Venom Production on Aggression Behaviour and Colony Development Parameters in Honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) Colonies

Melis Şevval Bahar; Banu Yücel

Article Details

Determination of the Effects of Bee Venom Production on Aggression Behaviour and Colony Development Parameters in Honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) Colonies

Authors:

Melis Şevval Bahar | Banu Yücel

Publisher:

Tekirdag Namik Kemal University

Main Topics:

Arı ve İpek Böceği Yetiştiriciliği ve Islahı

Journal:

Tekirdağ Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.22 Issue 4, pp.1035-1045

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

3/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358539

pISSN:

1302-7050

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Honeybee venom is a high value-added bee product obtained from honeybee colonies, which has therapeutic properties due to its high biological activity. However, there are limited studies on the bee venom production process. In this study, behavioural characteristics of colonies in bee venom production were examined bidirectionally to reveal the behavioural effect in the production process. It was found that the level of aggression of the colonies affected the quantity of bee venom produced and that aggressive behaviour changed before and after production in colonies used in venom production. During the research, the development of the colony population and the effectiveness of environmental factors were evaluated before and after the venom production period. In the experiment, 20 honeybee colonies with the same queen age and similar size in terms of worker bee population were divided into 15 treatment groups and 5 control groups. The research was conducted between the months of July-October. Bee venom production in the treatment colonies was performed using a bee venom production machine operating on the electroshock principle. In all experimental colonies, three aggression tests were performed: pre-production, post-production and 24 hours after production while control group colonies were tested for aggression at parallel times. Colony growth parameters were measured during the study period. The results of the study indicated a negative correlation between the level of aggression displayed by the colonies in bee venom production and the amount of venom produced. The results showed that bee venom production led to an increase in aggression behaviour the colonies and resulting in a statistically significant p0.05 difference in colony population development. The results of the study showed the importance of planning the colony management practices considering that the aggressive behaviour will increase during the venom production process. In addition, the results of the study reveal that colony development varies with the effect of environmental factors and seasonal cycle.

 Honeybee venom is a high value-added bee product obtained from honeybee colonies, which has therapeutic properties due to its high biological activity. However, there are limited studies on the bee venom production process. In this study, behavioural characteristics of colonies in bee venom production were examined bidirectionally to reveal the behavioural effect in the production process. It was found that the level of aggression of the colonies affected the quantity of bee venom produced and that aggressive behaviour changed before and after production in colonies used in venom production. During the research, the development of the colony population and the effectiveness of environmental factors were evaluated before and after the venom production period. In the experiment, 20 honeybee colonies with the same queen age and similar size in terms of worker bee population were divided into 15 treatment groups and 5 control groups. The research was conducted between the months of July-October. Bee venom production in the treatment colonies was performed using a bee venom production machine operating on the electroshock principle. In all experimental colonies, three aggression tests were performed: pre-production, post-production and 24 hours after production while control group colonies were tested for aggression at parallel times. Colony growth parameters were measured during the study period. The results of the study indicated a negative correlation between the level of aggression displayed by the colonies in bee venom production and the amount of venom produced. The results showed that bee venom production led to an increase in aggression behaviour the colonies and resulting in a statistically significant p0.05 difference in colony population development. The results of the study showed the importance of planning the colony management practices considering that the aggressive behaviour will increase during the venom production process. In addition, the results of the study reveal that colony development varies with the effect of environmental factors and seasonal cycle.

 Honeybee venom is a high value-added bee product obtained from honeybee colonies, which has therapeutic properties due to its high biological activity. However, there are limited studies on the bee venom production process. In this study, behavioural characteristics of colonies in bee venom production were examined bidirectionally to reveal the behavioural effect in the production process. It was found that the level of aggression of the colonies affected the quantity of bee venom produced and that aggressive behaviour changed before and after production in colonies used in venom production. During the research, the development of the colony population and the effectiveness of environmental factors were evaluated before and after the venom production period. In the experiment, 20 honeybee colonies with the same queen age and similar size in terms of worker bee population were divided into 15 treatment groups and 5 control groups. The research was conducted between the months of July-October. Bee venom production in the treatment colonies was performed using a bee venom production machine operating on the electroshock principle. In all experimental colonies, three aggression tests were performed: pre-production, post-production and 24 hours after production while control group colonies were tested for aggression at parallel times. Colony growth parameters were measured during the study period. The results of the study indicated a negative correlation between the level of aggression displayed by the colonies in bee venom production and the amount of venom produced. The results showed that bee venom production led to an increase in aggression behaviour the colonies and resulting in a statistically significant p0.05 difference in colony population development. The results of the study showed the importance of planning the colony management practices considering that the aggressive behaviour will increase during the venom production process. In addition, the results of the study reveal that colony development varies with the effect of environmental factors and seasonal cycle.

 Arı zehri, bal arısı kolonilerinden üretilen, sahip olduğu yüksek biyolojik aktivitesiyle terapötik özelliklere ve yüksek katma değere sahip bir üründür. Ancak arı zehri üretimi süreciyle ilgili çalışmalar kısıtlı düzeyde bulunmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, arı zehri üretiminde kolonilerin davranışsal özelliklerinden hırçınlık davranışı çift yönlü bir şekilde incelenerek üretim sürecinde davranışsal etkinin ortaya konulması hedeflenmiştir. Bu amaçla, arı zehri miktarına kolonilerin hırçınlık seviyelerinin etkisi, zehir üretiminde kullanılan kolonilerin üretim öncesinde ve sonrasında hırçınlık davranışı değişimi ele alınmıştır. Araştırma süresince, zehir üretim dönemi öncesi ve sonrasındaki süreçlerde koloni popülasyon gelişimleri ile çevresel faktörlerin etkinliği değerlendirilmiştir. Denemede, aynı ana arı yaşına sahip ve işçi arı popülasyonu bakımından benzer büyüklükte 20 adet bal arısı kolonisinin 15i uygulama grubu, 5i kontrol grubu olarak ayrılmıştır. Temmuz-Ekim ayları arasında zehir üretimi yapılarak veriler elde edilmiştir. Uygulama kolonilerinde elektroşok yöntemi prensibiyle çalışan kovan üstü arı zehri üretim makinesi kullanılmıştır. Deneme kolonilerinin hepsine üretim öncesi, üretimin hemen sonrası ve üretimden 24 saat sonra olacak şekilde üçer kez hırçınlık testi uygulanmıştır. Kontrol grubu kolonilerinde zehir üretimi yapılmadan uygulama grubu kolonileriyle paralel zamanlarda hırçınlık testi uygulanmıştır. Deneme sürecinde koloni gelişim parametreleri kaydedilmiştir. Çalışmadan elde edilen sonuçlara göre, arı zehri üretiminde kolonilerin hırçınlık düzeyleri ile zehir miktarları arasında negatif bir korelasyon bulunduğu ortaya konulmuştur. Arı zehri üretiminin kolonilerde hırçınlık davranışını artırdığı ve koloni popülasyon gelişimlerinde istatistik olarak önemli p0.05 düzeyde farklılığa yol açtığı saptanmıştır. Elde edilen sonuçlar, zehir üretim sürecinde kolonilerde artan hırçınlık davranışı dikkate alınarak kolonilerin bakım ve yönetim uygulamalarının planlanmasının önemini, koloni gelişimlerinin çevresel faktörler ve mevsimsel döngünün etkisiyle farklılık gösterdiği ortaya koymaktadır.

Article Details

Determination of the Effects of Bee Venom Production on Aggression Behaviour and Colony Development Parameters in Honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) Colonies

Authors:

Melis Şevval Bahar | Banu Yücel

Publisher:

Tekirdag Namik Kemal University

Main Topics:

Arı ve İpek Böceği Yetiştiriciliği ve Islahı

Journal:

Tekirdağ Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.22 Issue 4, pp.1035-1045

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

3/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358539

pISSN:

1302-7050

Honeybee

Bee venom production

Electroshock method

Colony defence

Colony developmentBal arısı

Arı zehri üretimi

Elektroşok yöntemi

Koloni savunması

Koloni gelişimi

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Melis Şevval Bahar | Banu Yücel

Publisher: Tekirdag Namik Kemal University

Main Topics: Arı ve İpek Böceği Yetiştiriciliği ve Islahı

Journal: Tekirdağ Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.22 Issue 4, pp.1035-1045

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 3/2025

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001358539

pISSN: 1302-7050

Issues

Authors:

Melis Şevval Bahar | Banu Yücel

Publisher:

Tekirdag Namik Kemal University

Main Topics:

Arı ve İpek Böceği Yetiştiriciliği ve Islahı

Journal:

Tekirdağ Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi Vol.22 Issue 4, pp.1035-1045

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

3/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001358539

pISSN:

1302-7050