Cold room thermoregulation, store consumption, and survival of Africanized and European honey bees (Apis mellifera L)

Abstract - The potential of Africanized honey bees to survive winters was evaluated by comparing them in groups (40 g, 1.0 kg, 1.5 kg or whole colonies) to European bees in cold rooms. Africanized workers caged in 40-g groups at 15°C aggregated in different positions and in tighter conformations, removed significantly lower amounts of sucrose syrup from feeders, and had higher mortalities than European workers. Africanized bees in 1.0-kg groups also had lower rates of syrup removal but were similar to European groups in aggregation and core temperatures. Groups of 1.5 kg showed similar temperature profiles inside the hives. Whole colonies of both types exposed to temperatures ≈ 0°C died before 10 wk, and did not differ significantly in amounts of recovered dead workers, or in weight loss. These results suggest that some of the important behavioral components of overwintering are present in Africanized honey bees.