Abstract:
Honey bees (Apis mellifera Linn.) were placed in a rubber plantation during the blooming period. Nectar was collected from the extrafloral nectaries of rubber trees each hour from 6 am. To 6 pm. The dissolved solids concentration was 62.23±23.45 percent at 30.14 ±3.55 degrees Celsius and 59.50±16.20 percent relative humidity. The coefficient of variability of the hourly nectar concentration was 37.68 percent. In the rubber plantation, nectar flow periods were between Jan. and Mar. from the normal secretion of extrafloral nectaries on the stalks of the trifoliate, compound leaves and in Dec. from the secretion of stomata of the lower side of the leaves. The 1983 honey yields of 2 groups of 5 hives each, weighing an average of 26.40 ±0.48 and 18.80±2.10 kgs per hive, were 13.22±2.70 and 6.20±2.45 kgs per hive, respectively, during the 42-day nectar flow period. Honey from capped cells was light amber in color with a typical honey taste and smell and with a 19.43±4.00 percent water content. During the rest of the year, Nephelium lapaceum Linn. (SAPINDACEAE) (2 varieties) and Durio zibethinus Linn. (BOMBACACEAE) were the main nectar sources and Peltophorum dasyrachis Kerz (CAESALPINIACEAE), Xyris indica Linn. (XYRIDACEAE) and Zea mays Linn. (GRAMINEAE) were the main pollen sources, the blooming periods of which were Jan., Mar.-Apr., Jan.-Feb., mar.-May, Nov. Jan. and May-Sep. respectively. Seven of 10 hives were lost to enemies during the first ten months of the introduction. The most abundant and constantly recorded species of enemies were Vespa affinis indosinensis Perez, Vespa tropica Linn, Vespa sp. (HYMENOPTERA : VESPIDAE), Phidologiton diversus Jerdon, Oecophylla smaragdina Fabr. (HYMENOPTERA : FORMICIDAE), Tropilaelaps clareae Del. & B. (ACARINA : LAELAPIDAE), Varroa jacobsoni Oude, (ACARINA: VARROIDAE) Cypsiurus parvus Litchtenstein, Apus affinis J.E. Gray (APODIFORMES : APODIDAE), Dicrurus macrocercus Vieillot, D, leucophaeus Vieillot, (PASSERIFORMES : DICRURIDAE), Merops leschenaultia Vieillot, M. orientalis Latham, and M, viridis Linn (CORACIIFORMES : MEROPIDAE). During the second year, precautions were taken against these enemies and none of the 10 hives used was lost.