Thermoregulation and performance of <i>Melipona scutellaris</i> Latreille in beehives made of different types of wood

Abstract

In this research was evaluated the temperature of the nest and hive, production and biometry of Melipona scutelaris hives made with pine and macaúba wood, and macaúba trunk. Twenty-four hives were used consisting of eight of macaúba, eight of pine, and eight of macaúba trunk to collect the productive and biometric data of M. scutellaris bees. Four collections were carried out with intervals of 30 days, evaluating each colony considering the following variables: number, size, and volume of honey pots, estimate of honey production, number of combs, average diameter of combs, height of combs, height of cell brood, number of combs, and number of wax coat on pups. The air temperature had a higher value (28.8 °C) at 5:00 p.m. and lower at 8:00 a.m. (20.5 ºC), with a thermal amplitude of 8.3 ºC. The relative air humidity reached the highest value at 9 a.m. (93.7%) and the lowest (49.4%) at 5:00 p.m. The temperature black globe and humidity index (TBGHI) had the highest values ??(80.2) between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. and the lowest (71.2) at 5:00 p.m. The materials used to built the hives (pine, macaúba, and macaúba trunk) had a significant impact on temperature regulation. The beehive made of macaúba trunk promoted the temperature reduction on average of 0.5 °C in comparison to beehives made with pine. The insulating effect of wood reduced temperature variations in the nest in relation to the ambient temperature. The colonies of M. scutellaris had the production of honey influenced by the type of wood used to build the hives.