
Ecological Entomology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 49(6), P. 869 - 880
Published: July 5, 2024
Abstract Nest sites are often considered to limit wild honey bee, Apis mellifera , colonies in Europe where colony densities low (mean 0.26/km 2 ). site availability can be challenging quantify directly, especially urban areas and farmland nest different substrates. Here we assess indirectly across large (78.5 km ) of mixed habitat (67% farmland, 25% 8% woodland) by decoding 3310 waggle dances produced scouts on swarms. During summers 2021 2022, 14 artificial swarms were set up two study East Sussex, England. Swarms advertised three nine locations 5.5) at distances 0.1–11.2 (median 1.2 km) all within 0.4–15.2 daylight hours after dancing commenced 2.7). We estimated the total number locations, including those not advertised, quantifying overlap (a form mark–recapture), which gave a mean density approximately per . The probability advertising calculated using simulations dance variation, was an average 42% higher (0.018/km ), 78% woodland (0.023/km 12% lower (0.011/km than random expectation. After controlling for distance, still more likely expected advertise but only one area. Our results indicate that do given our conservative estimate (3/km exceeds nearby landed estates (2/km other (0.26/km
Language: Английский