Nesting biology and Social behaviour of Paper wasp (Polistes flavus) and Honey bee (Apis mellifera) in District Mansehra, Pakistan
Paper Details
Nesting biology and Social behaviour of Paper wasp (Polistes flavus) and Honey bee (Apis mellifera) in District Mansehra, Pakistan
Abstract
In the present study, nesting and social behaviour were carried out of Polistes flavus (Cresson) and Apis mellifera (Smith) from district Mansehra. Nest of paper wasps were found among bunches of leaves in the tree with 1-5 flat steps layers containing hundreds of hexagonal cells in one sided hanging to downward. Hive of the honey bee were pouched like containing double sided hexagonal cells one for eggs while in other stored food materials. X-ray diffraction was used for elemental analysis of P. flavus nests showed Ca with the highest amount of element while K with the lowest amount in descending order a: P. flavus: Ca>Al>Si; A. mellifera: Ca>Si>Mg. Social behaviour of A. mellifera showed strong defensive behaviours, pseudoattack, subsequent erratic flight, wing buzzing, mandibular pecking, abdominal pumping and abdominal twisting while P. flavus showed week defensive behaviour as compared to A. mellifera. Parental care was highly developed in A. mellifera. By disturbing, they try to protect their larvae in their nest by high defensive behaviour.
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Muzafar Shah, Mian Sayed Khan, Muhammad Ather Rafi, Sardar Azhar Mehmood, Muhammad Farooq , 2013. Nesting biology and Social behaviour of Paper wasp (Polistes flavus) and Honey bee (Apis mellifera) in District Mansehra, Pakistan. Int. J. Biosci., 3(2), 80-86.
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