Resumen

CASTRO, Adela V; MEDICI, Sandra K; SARLO, Edgardo G  y  EGUARAS, Martín J. Effects of Paraffin Incorporation in Beeswax Foundations on Comb-building and Brood Survivorship in Apis mellifera Colonies. Zootecnia Trop. [online]. 2010, vol.28, n.3, pp.353-361. ISSN 0798-7269.

Paraffin is the most widely used adulterant in beeswax foundation manufacture, in order to reduce costs, and it is also responsible to exert some adverse effects in the development of bee colonies. Our aim was to assess the consequences on Apis mellifera colony development by using beeswax sheets adulterated with increasing concentrations of paraffin. This research was conducted during January-February of 2007, lasting 43 days, and carried out in 12 colonies located in General Pueyrredón District, Buenos Aires, Argentina. For this purpose, we performed an assay using three different beeswax sheets (with 0%, 20% and 40% paraffin contents); two combs were placed in each hive, each one consisted of two sections of beeswax foundation containing 0% and 20% or 0% and 40% paraffin concentrations. The percentages of built area and brood survivorship index were measured for each beeswax section, resulting in no significant differences between areas built in pure and adulterated beeswax (P>0,05), notwithstanding a tendency to develop a larger built area in pure beeswax combs was observed. Survivorship brood index was greater in beeswaxes with 40% paraffin content versus 0% paraffin (0,78±0,06 and 0,65±0,08 respectively; P=0,036). Apis mellifera colonies tolerate percentages up to 40% of paraffin in combs and, taking in mind that beeswax recycled from bee-combs contains lipo-soluble contaminants, paraffin probably plays a role as diluting agent to drop their concentration, and hence favoring brood survivorship of bees in them. However, it is important to notice that quality of adulterated beeswax it is not apt for other industries

Palabras clave : Apis mellifera; beeswax; adulteration; paraffin; comb-building; survivorship.