Do Glycogen Content and Thermal Preference in Worker Bees Vary Depending on Geographical Origin? A Comparison of Carniolan Honeybees, Central European Honeybees and Caucasian Honeybees

Abstract

Among the honeybee subspecies, Polish beekeepers most commonly rear three of them, i.e., Apis mellifera carnica, A. m. mellifera and A. m. caucasica. They differ in morphological and physiological features. Our goal was to find a linkage between their thermal behaviour and body glycogen content that could be decisive for their wintering perspective. We compared the temperature preference and body glycogen concentration in six honeybee groups of three subspecies obtained from hives in two seasons, on 12 May 2021 (summer bees) and on 20 September 2020 (autumn bees preparing for wintering). In the Carniolan and Central European honeybees, the glycogen content in worker bodies was higher in autumn bees preparing for wintering than in summer bees. The Caucasian honeybee deviated from this pattern. The choice of ambient temperature by a given subspecies depended neither on the season nor the geographical race.

Keywords

• <i>Apis mellifera</i>
• glycogen
• subspecies
• thermoregulatory behaviour