Comparative Study Between Subspecies of Apis mellifera for Egg Hatching and Sealed Brood Percentage, Brood Nest Temperature and Relative Humidity

Apis mellifera yemenitica (Indigenous bee), Apis mellifera carnica and Apis mellifera ligustica (Both exotic bees) were compared for percentage of egg hatching, sealed brood percentage and brood nest temperature and relative humidity during May, 2001 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Apis mellifera yemenitica presented the highest percentage of egg-hatching (69.17) and sealed broods percentage (62.06) followed by Apis mellifera carnica (67.44 and 46.67) in the middle part of the comb whereas Apis mellifera ligustica presented maximum egg hatching and sealed brood percentages (65.5 and 59.9) in the lower part of the comb, respectively. Apis mellifera yemenitica also showed a good percentage of egg hatching in all parts of the comb but other two races more concentrated in middle and lower parts of the comb. A positive correlation was recorded between colony strength and egg hatching and sealed brood percentage in all three-honeybee races. Egg hatching and sealed brood percentage presented a negative correlation with temperature and a weak positive correlation was recorded for relative humidity.