Resumen

THIMANN, Rafael  y  MANRIQUE, Antonio J. Propolis harvest from hives of Africanized bees during the raining season in Guanare, Venezuela. Zootecnia Trop. [online]. 2002, vol.20, n.4, pp.493-499. ISSN 0798-7269.

At the apiary of the UNELLEZ, Guanare, Venezuela (09° 04´ N; 69° 48´ O) eighteen hives, collected in adult africanized honey bees colonies (hybrids of Apis mellifera scutellata) with different strength, were selected randomly during the rainy season to measure the yields on propolis. A propolis collector frame (CF) was placed on top of the last super of nine hives. The treatments under studied were T₁: three hives with one super (weak) and CF; T₂: three hives with two supers (middle strong) and CF; T₃: three hives with three supers (strong) and CF; T₄: three hives with one super (weak), without (WCF); T₅: three hives with two supers (middle strong) and WCF and T₆: three hives with three supers (strong) and WCF. To compare propolis yields (in one harvest) a split plot design was applied (2x3) with a completely randomised distribution, with three repetitions. The frames were placed from May-2000, at the beginning of the rainy season or post-harvest until October-2000. No propolis was collected in treatments with CF (T₁, T₂ and T₃). Results showed differences (P<0.01) for the average propolis collected in the treatments T₄ (12.8 g), T₅ (17.4 g) and T₆ (23.4 g). The percentage of propolis collected in the hive components was: 56,6% in the entrance, 22,7% in the frame’s crossbar, 12,3% was comb lean, and 8,4% in the border of the boxes. Yields obtained point out that propolis collection could potentially produce an extra income for the beekeeper during the post-harvest season.

Palabras clave : Africanized bees; propolis; collector frames; Venezuela.