COLD ROOM THERMOREGULATION, STORE CONSUMPTION, AND SURVIVAL OF AFRICANIZED AND EUROPEAN HONEY-BEES (APIS-MELLIFERA L)

The potential of Africanized honey bees to survive winters was evaluat ed by comparing them in groups (40 g, 1.0 kg, 1.5 kg or whole colonies ) to European bees in cold rooms. Africanized workers caged in 40-g gr oups at 15-degrees-C aggregated in different positions and in tighter conformations, removed significantly lower amounts of sucrose syrup fr om feeders, and had higher mortalities than European workers. Africani zed bees in 1.0-kg groups also had lower rates of syrup removal but we re similar to European groups in aggregation and core temperatures. Gr oups of 1.5 kg showed similar temperature profiles inside the hives. W hole colonies of both types exposed to temperatures almost-equal-to 0- degrees-C died before 10 wk, and did not differ significantly in amoun ts of recovered dead workers, or in weight loss. These results suggest that some of the important behavioral components of overwintering are present in Africanized honey bees.