Investigation and Study on the Biology and Morphology of <i>Apis florea</i> and <i>Apis dorsata</i> in Southern China.

ABSTRACT: Honey bees are crucial pollinators that play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance. The colonies of managed honey bees in China increased rapidly in the past 20 years. Whether the rapid increase in managed bee populations would affect the survival of wild honey bees deserves attention. There are four species of the genus Apis in Guangxi, China, including Apis florea, Apis dorsata, Apis mellifera ligustica, and Apis cerana. This study conducted an investigation on the biological characteristics of the four species and measured 40 morphological characteristics. The results showed that for the four species, their swarming periods, mating periods, the emergence of drones, and the nectar and pollen source plants highly overlap. This leads to potential

SUBMITTER: Qu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11943900 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature