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Abstract -The investigation was carried out in an apiary at Manshia, Beiala, Kafr El-Sheikh during two successive seasons (from November 1987 to October 1989) with the aim of embracing the following concepts: 1. Survey of nectar and pollen plants. 2 . Flight activity of honeybee workers. 3. Foraging activity and nectar/pollen gathering activity on different nectar and pollen crops. 4. Broad rearing activity. 5. Fluctuation in colony weight. The fol1owing results were obtained; x- F1ight ~nd f~ragins ~ctiyity 1. Flight activity of workers from April to August exceeded those from Septmeber to March. Two peaks of flight activity observed, in May (52-13 & 52-27 bees/colony/minute for the first and second season, respectively) and the second in --July- (44.64 -and -- 44.73- bees/col-ony/minute for the .. first .and the second season, respectively). 2. Greatest activity generally occurred inbetween 10 hOO a.m. to 16 hOO p.m. the peak of flight activity was at noon time for the period from October to May. During the hot months of the summer season two peaks of flight activity was recorded, the first at 10 hOO a.m. and the and the second at 16 hOO p.m. 3. The maximum flight activity on broad bean was at 15 hOO p.m. (6 and 5 bees/m2 /min for the first and the second season, respectively). 111 Activity on Bre>a..d bean. Vicia faba: 1. The . average weight of ho.ney stomach inc.rease-d to reach a peak at 11 hOO a.m. (6.72 and 7.05 mg/bees for the first and the second season, respectively). The weight of the honey stomach of forageres collecting nectar surpassed that of workers foraging nectar and pollen together (5.56 and 3.64 mg/bees in the first season and 5.53 and 3.73 mg/bees in the second season, respectively). 2. Sugar concentration of the honey stomach content reach its maximum at 13 hOO p.m. (20.58%) in the first season and 12 hOO a . m. (21.61%} in the second season. Sugar concentration of the honey stomach contents of nectar foragers was higher (17.28 and 17.85% for the first and the second season, respectively) than those of bee workers collecting nectar and pollen (16.57 and 16.46% for the first and the second season, respectively). Act:i.v:i..ty e>n ce>tte>n. Gossipium ba.rbadense 1. The maximum activity of honeybee workers on cotton flowers had two peaks at 8 hOO and 16 hOO p.m. (5.00 and 4.00 bees/m2 /min for the first and the second ~eason, respectively). 2. The amount of nectar secreated fluctanted at the different day times and had two peaks, the first at the early morning ( 42.01 and 44.10 rng/flower for the first and the second season, respecively) and the second peak at 16 hOO p.m. (4.05 and 5.20 mg/flower for the first and the second season respectively). 3. The total amount of nectar yielded from one flower was 77.19 and 81 . 48 mg for the first and the second season, 112 respectively). The estimated amount of nectar produced per one feddari of cotton averaged 312· k~ secreted by 3 ~ 83; 4·oo · flowers. The total amounts of collected nectar irrigated plants was higher (77.19 mg and 81 . 48 mg/flower/day for the first and the second season, respectively) . Activity or. Egyptian c1ove:r,. trifolium alexsndrinum: 1. The highest average of bee visits occurred at 15 hOO p.m. ( 5. 00 bees/m2 /min) and at 3 p.m. ( 600 bees/m2 /minute) for the first and the second season respectively. 2 . The number of workers collecting pollen grains reached its maximum at 10 and 11 hOO a.m. for both season of study (4 bees from 50 in the first season) and (6.80 and 6.20 bees from soin the second year for 10 aand 11 hOO a.m., respectively). The number of workers collecting nectar had two peak, the first in the early morning at 8 bOO a.m. (46 and 46 bees for the first and second season, respectively). The second or minor peak occurred at 18 hOO p.m. (31.25 and 30.50 bees from 50 bees for the first and the second season, respectively). 3. The weight of honey stomach reached a peak (minor peak) at 11 hOO aa.m. (21.85 and 20.55 mg/bee for the first and the second season, respectively), The second peak (major peak) was recorded at 15 hoo p.m. (27.16 and 22.00 mg/bee for the f irst and the s e cond season, respectively). The sugar concentration of honey stomach reached its maximum at midday (24.46 and 25.31% for 12 hOO a.m. and 14 hOO p.m . for the f irst season and 25.22% a t 14 hOO p.m. for the second season). 113 4. The largest collecting nectar gathered more nectar with high - -- -. -- level of sugar concentration (21.61 and 23.99 mg/bees and 22.72% and 22.45% sugar concentration for the first and the second season, respectively) than those collecting nectar and pollen (18.25 and 17.51 mg nectar/bee and 22.28% and 21.00% sugar concentration for the first and the second season, respectively). II. P~11~n gather~ns actiyity: 1. The major pollen sources were Egyptian clover, (Trifolium alexandrinum), Maize ( Zea mays) , broad bean ( Vicia faba), wild mostard ( Bras sica kober) , sunflower ( Helianthus ann us) , Eucalyptis ( Eucalyptis glaucs), yellow sweet clover ( Melilotus siculus) and Egyptian willow (Salix safsaf). 2. The amount of gathered pollen per year was 438319 pellets or 3302.7 gram/colony and 404491 pellets or 3115.5 gram, respectively. 3. The Egyptian clover contributed to most (36.2%) of pollen supply followed by ma~ze ( 10%), broad bean ( 9, 3%), wild mostard (7.7%), sunflower (5.0%), eucalyptus (4.1%), yellow sweet clover (2.9%) and Egyptian willow (2.2%). The contribution of the unidentified minor sources was estimated at 22.6%. 4. The highest amount of pollen gathered was recorded during May, the mean was 1262.3 grams and 1252.7 grams for the first and the second season, respectively, while the smallest amount of pollen was recorded during October, with averages of 16.5 and 20.10 gram/colony for the first and the second season, respectively. 114 5. The peak of pollen collection in Egyptian clover happened during the period from 1-16 hOO p.m. (344.85 graam/colony) in the first season and 12-14 hOO p.m. (334.50 gram/colony) in the second season, in the maize this peak was from 8 h00- 10 hOOO a.m. (137.70 and 166.12 gram/colony for the first and the second season respectively). While the largest amount of brood bean was collected during the period from 14 hOO to 16 hOO p.m. (161.09 and 70.06 gram/colony) for the first and the second season, respectively. 6. The amount of stored pollen in colonies throught out one year were 1206 . 79 and 3158.73 square inch for the first and the second season respectively. 7. In the presence of pollen traps, stored pollen was reduced by 68.71% and 56.58% for the first and the second season, respectively. Also the amounts of worker brood areas were reduced by 44.00 and 31 . 85% for the first and the second season, respectively. The drone brood area was reduced by 31.78 and 38.54% for the first and the second season respectively. rrr. Brg~d rearins activity: 1. Brood rearing activity reach a major peak in May (1715.74 and 1536.36 square inch/colony. A minor peak took place during July (1234.56 and 957.35 inch/colony for the first and the second season, respectively. 2. The drone brood areas reached a major peak in May (32.18 and 49 . 49 inch/colony for the first and the second season, respectively). 115 xv. F1uctyation ~D co1gpy weight:- .. 1 . Results revealed the presonce of two periods of gains or less. The first period represented the activity of honeybee workers to collect a surplus provision (from march to August) while the second period represented the consumption of an amount of food then that collect by workers (from September to February). 2. The foraging workers collected the largest amount of food during May (9.42 kg/colony and 9.52/kg/colony in the first and the second season, respectively, |