Influence of the honey bee colony strength on collecting bee venom by electro stimulation method

Proizvodnja meda u posljednje vrijeme postaje sve upitnija zbog češćih ekstremnih klimatskih promjena. Zbog navedenog se razloga nameće potreba razvijanja proizvodnje i drugih pčelinjih proizvoda. Jedan od pčelinjih proizvoda, koji zaslužuje pozornost, svakako je pčelinji otrov. Stoga je potrebno upotpuniti saznanja o mogućnostima proizvodnje pčelinjeg otrova suvremenom metodom elektrostimulacije radilica. Istraživanje je bilo provedeno na području Daruvara na ukupno 18 pčelinjih zajednica, koje su bile podijeljene u dvije skupine od po devet pčelinjih zajednica. Liebefeld metodom izdvojene su po tri ujednačene podskupine s tri pčelinje zajednice različite snage. Skupljanje se pčelinjeg otrova provodilo pomoću devet uređaja metodom elektrostimulacije radilica. Postupak se skupljanja provodio tijekom tri uzastopna dana na tri zajednice različite snage s razmakom od tjedan dana sa skupljačima postavljenim na ulazu u košnicu (leto košnice) i unutar košnice (na satonošama). U istraživanju su bile utvrđene statistički značajne razlike u masi pčelinjeg otrova između jakih (0,193 g) i srednje jakih (0,164 g) te između srednje jakih i slabih (0,111 g) pčelinjih zajednica. S obzirom na položaj skupljača pčelinjeg otrova bila je utvrđena statistički značajna razlika u masi pčelinjeg otrova kod skupljača postavljenih na satonošama (0,165 g) u odnosu na leto košnice (0,148 g). Također, statistički značajna razlika utvrđena je u količini skupljenog otrova u jutarnjim (0,173 g) u odnosu na količinu skupljenu u popodnevnim satima (0,131 g), kao i u količini skupljenog između predvečernjih (0,166 g) i popodnevnih sati, dok između jutarnjih i predvečernjih sati nije bilo statistički značajne razlike.Honey production has become more and more questionable lately because of more frequent extreme climate changes. For this reason, it’s necessary to develop production and other bee products. One of the bee products that deserves attention is certainly bee venom. Therefore, it’s necessary to complete the knowledge on the possibilities of producing bee venom by a modern method of electro stimulation. The study was conducted in Daruvar area. The experiment was carried out on a total of 18 honey bee colonies divided into two groups of nine colonies. Three unified subgroups with three beehives of different strength was separated by Liebefeld method. Collection of bee venom from worker bees was carried out by nine electro stimulation devices. The collection process was carried out over three consecutive days to three different strength colonies with a spacing of one week with the collectors placed at the entrance of the hive and into the hive (on frames). The study showed statistically significant differences in bee venom weight between strong (0.193 g), medium strong (0.164 g) and between medium strong and weak (0.111 g) honey bee colonies. Considering the position of the collector, a statistically significant difference in the weight of bee venom was found with the collectors on frames (0.165 g) compared to collector on entrance of the hive (0.148 g). A statistically significant difference was also found in the amount of collected bee venom in the morning (0.173 g) compared to the amount collected in the afternoon (0.131 g), as well as the amount in the early evening (0.166 g) and afternoon hours. There were no statistically significant differences between the morning and the early evening hours in the amount of collected bee venom