The effect of the smart system enhancing the overwintering performance of bees on overwintering index and honey production traits of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies

Articles in Press

Document Type : Paper, Persian

Authors

1 Animal Science Research Department, Kurdistan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Sanandaj, Iran

2 Department of honeybee, Animal Science Research Institute of Iran, Agricultural Research, Edcucation and Extention Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran

10.22117/jesi.2025.367372.1672

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of the smart system enhancing the overwintering performance of bees on in overwintering index and honey production traits of honey bee colonies in the climatic conditions of Kurdistan province from February 2022 to May 2024. This research was designed and implemented in the form of a completely randomized design with three treatments (including: the first treatment of honeybee colonies with the smart system enhancing with a wooden protector, the second treatment of honeybee colonies with the smart system enhancing with a concrete protector and the third treatment of honeybee colonies without the smart system enhancing as a control) and 7 replications. Experimental colonies were homogenized in terms of queen age, population (adults and brood) and hive type in April to September 2022 before conducting the experiment. Variance analysis results of the data obtained from the present study showed that the installation of the smart system enhancing the overwintering performance of bees had a significant effect on overwintering index and honey production trait of the studied honey bee colonies (p<0.01). Based on the mean comparison results, the highest average wintering index and honey production traits with an average of 6.11 and 20.26 kg, respectively, are related to honey bee colonies with the smart system enhancing the overwintering performance of bees with a concrete protector, and the lowest with an average of 65. 2 and 7.98 kg were related to the control treatment. According to the findings of the present research, the use of the smart system enhancing the overwintering performance of bees with a concrete protector can be suggested to reduce winter losses, increase colony production and also reduce temperature fluctuations in the early months of the year inside the colony in Kurdistan province and other neighboring provinces with similar climatic conditions.

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The effect of the smart system enhancing the overwintering performance of bees on overwintering index and honey production traits of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies

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Journal of Entomological Society of Iran

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 17 July 2025

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