Thesis
A comparison of hygienic and flight behavior among different strains of honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2018
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/103107
Abstract
The honey bee (Apis mellifera L.), is the world's most economically valuable insect pollinator and they contribute approximately $15 billion to agriculture annually in North America. Unfortunately, honey bee populations in the United States suffer from a consistently high level of annual colony losses. The Washington State University (WSU) bee program began work in 2000 to develop a honey bee stock that is resistant to pathogens and parasites and generally exhibits improved performance under Pacific Northwest conditions. The purpose of this study was to compare the hygienic and flight behavior among strains of honey bees. In Chapter 1, I compare the hygienic behavior of four strains: "WSU Program," A. m. caucasica, "Carniolan," and commercial "Italian." I evaluated whether strain differences and population sizes affected hygienic behavior. In Chapter 2, I compare the flight performance of three strains: "WSU Program," A. m. caucasica, and "Italian" bees. I evaluated whether differences in flight behavior existed between these strains and investigated the influence of abiotic factors on honey bee flights.
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Details
- Title
- A comparison of hygienic and flight behavior among different strains of honey bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
- Creators
- Megan Caye Asche
- Contributors
- Walter S. Sheppard (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Entomology, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Identifiers
- 99900525282601842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis