Abstract:

Beekeeping activity that has started with honey collection continued with honey harvesting from rock and tree cavities and gained a new dimension with the invention of modern hive. Humankind continues to contribute to the development of the beekeeping sector by manufacturing hives from different materials with the developing technology. Depending on the material used for manufacturing, different types of bee hives can have a direct impact on many factors such as colony productivity, bee biology and bee health. This preliminary study consisted of four groups: wood, plastic, hybrid (plasticbase - wooden body), and styrofoam (foam). A total of 32 hives, eight hives from each group, were used. All colonies were maintained and fed under equal conditions. The aim of this study was to determine the possible effects of different hive materials on the number of bee frames and the stress protein in honey bees. According to the results of the research, while there was no significant difference among the groups in terms of stress protein (HSP70), we found a significant difference in the number of bee frames at different dates and in different hive types. In conclusion, honeybees, which can survive in climatically challenging conditions, may tolerate the stress caused by the climate inside and out side hives depending on the types of materials used to make hives.

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