Tóm tắt Luận án Nghiên cứu một số đặc điểm sinh học, sinh sản của loài ong Apis Cerana nuôi tại Thái Nguyên

e time conducted on 16 queens in different age 
groups (≤ 6 months old: 5 queens, 7 - 12 months old: 5 queens, at the 
age of13-18 : 3 queens and > 18 months old: 3 queens). Sampling, 
sample preservation of thequeens were similar to the indicators 
mentioned above. 
* Content 3:Some biological and reproductive characteristicss 
of queen bees 
- Rate of natural colony division with place and season: Direct 
monitoring was conducted in 140 colonies in two places in Thai 
nguyen city, Dong Hy district in Spring - Summer and Winter - 
Spring, in each place70 colonieswere used. 
8 
 - Number of queen cells built according to season and colony 
size: 140 colonies that had 3-6 honycombs in 2 seasons Spring - 
Summer and Autumn - Winter were monitored. 
- Time of practising oriented flight and mating flight of queens: 
20 queens were monitored for 2 years on the sunny days in spring - 
summer. A self-observing instrument with holes drilled having size 
of 7mm in diameter was used. The direct observation instrument was 
put at the door of beehive that had queens having emerged for 2-3 
days. When the queens were seen in the observed box, the box was 
picked up and the queens were released to fly away and the box was 
put in the original location. The time of releasing queens was 
recorded and monitoring was continued until the queens flied back, 
When flying back to the hive they crawled around the box to find 
ways to get into the box. 
- Number of tímes a queen bee mates with drones: These queen 
were continued monitoring in the following 3 days, method of 
monitoring was the same as the one presented in the indicator “Time of 
orientation flight and mating flight of queen bees”. 
- Number of eggs laid by the queen: 25 queens from 3 different 
origins were selected(queens from natural colony division, artificially 
raised queens and supercedure queens). These queens were born in 
two different seasons (Spring - Summer and Autumn - Winter),For 
each source and season, 05 queens were monitored. Steel frames 
were placed in squares with area of 4.5 cm x 4.5 cm (corresponding 
to 100 cells per comb). Two surfaces of comb and all honeycombs in 
the colony were measured. Number of Caped combs in each square 
was estimated to. count number of pupal cells. Total number of 
capped pupae/day and night was calculated using the formula: 
Number of pupae 
(pupae/day/night) 
= 
Number of pupa square x 100 
11 
(Where: The number 11 is the number of days of pre-pupae and 
pupae night in the capped comb; 100: the number of pupa combs in 
the pupal area with size of 4.5× 4.5 cm) 
- The relationship between the age of the queen with number of 
eggs laid: 16 queens in different age groups were moniored the first 
time (≤ queens, from 13-18 months old 3 queens and > 18 months 
old: 3 queens). Counting number of eggs laid by the queen was 
similar to the way as having been shown in the indicator "Number of 
the queen's eggs". 
9 
* Content 4: Some biological and reproductive characteristics 
of drones 
+ Number of drones in different seasons: 60 bee colonies were 
directly monitored in 4 seasons: Spring - Summer; Summer - 
Autumn; Autumn - Winter and Winter - Spring. Calculating number 
of drones by direct examinating number of drones presenting in each 
colony. 
+ Number of spermatozoa produced by drones: 20 bee colonies 
weremonitored in the mating season and other seasons rather than the 
mating season of Apis cerana. Method of testing: 25 drones of each 
colony were caught and each drone was confined in a vial without 
food within a few hours to weaken the drone. Small needles of a 
surgical instrument for insect were used to separate reproductive 
organs of drones, seminal vesicle of drone was orange. Then, each 
seminal vesicle was soaked in 1 ml of 0.9% NaCl solution, a clamp 
was used to break the seminal vesicle and 1 ml of distilled water was 
added to disperse sperm in the solution, a microscope was used to 
count spermatozoa of drones in a newbauer chamber. This was 
conducted in the Life Science Institute of Thai nguyen university of 
Agriculture and Forestry. 
+ The relationship between weight of drones and number of 
spermatozoa of drones: 25 drones with different weight were 
monitored at the same time (≤ 120 mg, 121-123 mg; 124 - 126mg; 
127-129 mg and> 129 mg), 05 drones were used for each group. The 
way of performing was the same as the one shown in the indicator 
"Number of spermatozoa of drones " that. Was conducted in the Life 
Science Institute of Thai Nguyen university of agriculture and forestry. 
* Content 5: Some biological and reproductive, 
characteristics of worker bees: 
+ Size of ovary and number of oviducts of worker bees: 
Monitoring was carried out in 10 worker bees. The way of oviduct 
storing was the same as in the queen samples. The experiment was 
caried out in the central centre of bee research and Development. 
+ Time of eggs laid by worker bees after separating queen: 20 
bee colonies in 4 different seasons were monitored, each season 5 
colonies were used. time of worker bee laying were calculated from 
time of separating queen from bee colony to the time. 
of presenting eggs in the combs. 
10 
* Contents 6: Lifespan of three types of bees 
3 types of honey bees were marked with acetone emulsifier, for 
each colony, a different colour was used. The lifespan of three types 
of bees were calculated since time of their emerging until time they 
were not present in the colony. 
2.3.2. Methods of data processing: 
The data was processed by study methods in animal science 
byNguyen Van Thien et al (2002) and Minitab version 14 software, 
including statistical parameters: mean values; Deviation of the average; 
Coefficient of variation: CV (%); Comparison of the average difference; 
The regression equation and corelation coefficient. 
Chapter 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 
3.1. Identifying Apis cerana subspecies of domestic bees in 
Thai Nguyen using methods of molecular genetic, Apis cerana bee 
subspecies that was being kept and exploited in Taiyuan of Apis 
cerana indica in Thai Nguyen was of Apis cerana indica subspecies, 
this subspecies has lower yield than Apis cerana cerana subspecies. 
3.2. Anatomical features and comb of Apis cerana 
3.2.1. Weight size of bee comb of 3 bee typesThe weight and size of 
bee comb of the bee types is given in Table 3.1a 
Table 3.1a. Volume, size of 3 kinds of bee hive 
Indicator n 
Volume (ml) 
Size (mm) 
Lenght Width 
xmx 
Cv 
(%) x
mx Cv 
(%) x
mx Cv 
(%) 
1. Qeen cell cell 
- Thai Nguyen city 15 0,50a 0,18 12,38 16,60a 0,11 12,20 7,14a 0,04 12,64 
- Dong Hy district 15 0,68b 0,26 11,04 17,32b 0,14 11,42 7,48b 0,06 11,86 
Average 0,56 16,96 7,31 
2. Drone Comb colony 
-Thai Nguyen city 5 0,28a 0,02 12,74 11,64a 0,14 11,26 5,27a 0,18 11,12 
- Dong Hy district 5 0,34b 0,04 11,42 12,45b 0,21 11,72 5,42b 0,24 11,56 
Average 0,31 12,05 5,35 
3. Worker bee Comb colony 
- Thai Nguyen city 5 0,21a 0,01 10,34 9,60a 0,12 10,20 4,53a 0,08 9,89 
- Dong Hy district 5 0,24b 0,02 10,51 11,00b 0,17 11,54 4,67b 0,10 10,78 
Average 0,22 10,03 4,60 
* In the same column,with the same indicator group the numbers carrying 
different letters were different in statistical signifficance with P<0,05 
11 
The data in table 3.1a reveals that The volume and size of queen 
cells of Apis cerana bee reared in Thai Nguyen had the following 
dimensions: 16.60 - 17.32 mm in length; 7.14 - 7.48 mm in width. The 
average volume was 0.56 ml (varied from 0.50 to 0.68 ml). The 
volume and size of drone comb was from 11.64 to 12.45 mm in length 
and 5.27 - 5.42 mm in width The volume ranged from 0.28 to 0.34 ml 
(theaverage was 0.31 ml). The volume and size of worker comb was 
9.60- 11.00 mm in length and 4.53 - 4.67 mm in width. The volume 
ranged from 0.21 to 0.24 ml (the average was 0.22 ml). 
3.2.2. Weight of 3 bee types 
Weight of 3 bee types was given in table 3.2. 
Table 3.2. Weight of 3 bee types 
Indicator 
Newly hatched bees Adults 
xmx 
(mg)
Cv 
(%) 
Comparat
on (%) 
xmx 
(mg)
Cv 
(%) 
Comparat
on (%) 
1. Queen bees, n = 30 
1. Naturally raised 
queen n=5 
158,04a 1,42 10,12 181,05 202,15a 1,53 11,25 293,40 
2. Artificial raised 
queen n=5 
157,30a 1,51 11,04 180,20 201,67a 1,84 10,54 292,70 
3. Supersedure queen 
n=5 
151,34b 1,14 10,76 173,38 198,78b 1,65 11,06 288,50 
Average 155,56 178,21 200,87 
2. Drones, n = 10 102,18 1,82 12,07 117,06 114,02 1,62 11,73 165,49 
3. Worker bees, n = 10 87,29 3,42 11,83 100 68,90 3,03 11,42 100 
* In the same column,with the same indicator group the numbersr carrying 
different letters were different in statistical signifficance with P<0,05 
The result in table 3.2 shows that weight of the queen bee of 
young Apis cerana reared in Thai Nguyen ranged from 151.34 mg - 
158.04 mg, average weight was 155.56 mg. Weight of adult queen 
(laying queen) of Apis cerana bees reared in Thai Nguyen ranged from 
198.78 mg - 202.15 mg, average weight was 200.78 mg, 44 mg, 31 mg 
(29.13 %.) higher than the young queen. Comparing the weight of 3 
types of queen bees from different sources, we found that the weight of 
naturally raised queen and artificially raised queen nearly equal at 
hatching and adult (P> 0.05). As for the supersedure from hatching to 
adult, the weight was 2.89 to 6.70 mg smaller than naturally raised 
queens and artificially raised queens, equivalent to 1.43 to 4.24 %. 
3.2.3. Relationship between origin, season with number of queen’s 
oviducts 
The results were given in table 3.3. 
12 
Table 3.3. Relationship between origin, season with number of 
queen’s oviducts 
Origin 
n 
Number of oviducts Comparison 
Autumn - 
Winter/ Spring 
- summer (%) 
Spring - summer Autumn - Winter 
xmx 
(ống) 
So sánh 
(%) 
xmx 
(ống) 
So sánh 
(%) 
1. Naturally raised 
queen 
10 95,11a 3,21 100 93,06a 2,66 100 97,68 
2. Artificial raised 
queen 
10 93,82b 2,44 98,86 91,64b 2,20 98,47 97,84 
3. Supersedure 
queen 
10 89,16c 2,76 93,74 87,27c 2,52 93,79 97,88 
Average 92,70 90,67 97,81 
* In the same column,with the same indicator group the numbersr carrying 
different letters were different in statistical signifficance with P<0,05 
The results in table 3.3 shows that the origins of the queen and 
season were factors that directly affected number of the queen's 
oviduct. In the Spring - Summer, supersedure queen had the lowest 
number of oviducts (89.16), followed by artificially raised queen 
(93.82) and naturally raised queen had the highest (95.11). Similarly, 
in Autumn - Winter, supersedure queen had the lowest number of 
oviducts (87.27), followed by artificially raised queen (91.64) and the 
naturally raised queen had the highest (93.06). The queens that had 
the same origin but were born in different seasons, number of 
oviducts was significantly different. Specifically, the naturally raised 
queen in spring - summer had 2.05 more oviducts than those in 
Autumn - Winter (2.20%). Similarly artificial raised queen had 2.18 
oviducts higher than those in Autumn - Winter and supersedure 
queen had number of oviducts 1.89 higher in spring - summer than 
those in Autumn - Winter, *2,39% and 2.16% respectively). 
3.2.4. Relationship between weight of laying queen with number of 
oviducts 
The results are given in table 3.4. 
Table 3.4. Relationship between weight of laying queen with 
number of oviducts 
Index Weight of queen (mg) n Number of oviducts; 
xmx 
1 < 190 5 93,62a 0,65 
2 191 - 195 5 95,23b 2,46 
3 196 - 200 5 97,46b 3,21 
4 201 - 205 5 99,18c 2,17 
5 > 205 5 102,54c 2,74 
Coeficiencen (r) 0,73 
* In the same column,with the same indicator group the numbers carrying 
different letters were different in statistical signifficance with P<0,05 
13 
The results in table 3.4 show that number of oviducts of queen 
was in direct ratio to its body weight, the higher the body weight, the 
higher the number of oviducts (P <0.05). Specifically, the queen that 
weighed <190 mg, number of oviducts was 93.62; group of queens 
weighed from 191-195 mg, number of oviducts was 95.23; queen 
weighed from 196-200 mg, number of oviducts was 97.46; queen 
weighed from 201-205 mg, number of oviducts was 99.18 and queen 
weighed > 205 mg number of oviducts was 102.54. 
3.2.5. Volume and size of spermatheca 
The results are given in table 3.5. 
Table 3.5. Volume and size of spermatheca 
Origin, season n 
Volume 
(µl) 
Cv 
(%) 
Size of spermatheca (mm) 
Lenght
xmx 
Cv 
(%) 
Width 
xmx 
Cv 
(%) 
Origin 
1. Naturally 
raised queen 
5 35,04a 0,66 
11,43 
0,067a 0,003 
13,02 
0,041a 0,002 
12,91 
2. Artificial 
raised queen 
5 34,89a 0,74 
12,04 
0,065a 0,002 
12,64 
0,040a 0,003 
12,40 
3. Supersedure 
queen 
5 31,76b 0,12 
11,28 
0,052b 0,003 
12,76 
0,036b 0,004 
12,22 
Average 15 33,56 0,061 0,039 
season 
1. Spring - 
summer 
5 34,96a 0,35 10,65 0,066a 0,002 12,68 0,040a 0,003 11,87 
2. Autumn - 
Winter 
5 33,14b 0,41 
11,47 
0,050b 0,003 
12,70 
0,034b 0,003 
12,56 
Average 10 34,05 0,058 0,037 
* In the same column,with the same indicator group the numbers carrying 
different letters were different in statistical signifficance with P<0,05 
The data in table 3.5 reveal that length of spermatheca of Apis 
cerana queen ranged from 0.055 to 0.067 mm, its width was 0.034 to 
0.041 µl, and its volume was from 31.76 to 35.04l, average was 
33.56 to 34.05. 
Seasonally, the study results show that spermatheca of the queen 
that was born in Spring - Summer was larger than that of the queen 
born in Autumn - Winter (34.96 versus 33.14 µl). There was also 
significant difference in body size between two seasons and this was 
statistically significant with P < 0.05. 
3.2.6.Number of spermatozoa stored in spermatheca 
The results are given in table 3.6. 
14 
Table 3.6. Relationship between origin of queen and season with 
number of spermatozoa in spermatheca 
Index Origin, season n 
Number of spermatozoa in 
spermatheca of queen <12 
spermatozoa (million) 
xmx Cv (%) 
I 
Origin 
1. Naturally raised queen 5 3,52a 0,20 11,81 
2. Artificial raised queen 5 3,20b 0,12 12,03 
3. Supersedure queen 5 2,86c 0,34 11,78 
Average 3,19 
II 
Season 
1. spring - summer 5 3,45a 0,16 12,05 
2. Autumn - Winter 5 2,96b 0,38 11,86 
Average 3,21 
* In the same column,with the same indicator group the numbers carrying 
different letters were different in statistical signifficance with P<0,05 
The data in table 3.6 indicate that: For the queen in good 
reproductive period (at the age of < 12 months), number of 
spermatozoa stored in spermatheca ranged from 3.19 to 3.21 million. 
This number was dependent on origin and season when 
the queen was born, regarding the origins of the queen: stored sperm 
in naturally raised queen was the highest (3.52 million), followed by 
artificially raised queen (3.20 million) and the lowest was that of 
emergency queen: 286 million spermatozoa (with statistical. 
 significance (P < 0.05). With regard to seasons: The queen that was 
born in Spring - Summer had higher number of spermatozoa than that 
of the queen born in Autumn - Winter (3.45 versus 2.96), and this 
difference was significant with P < 0.05). 
3.2.7. Relationship between weight of queen and number of spermatozoa 
in spermatheca 
The study results of this issue are given in table 3.7. 
Table 3.7. Relationship between weight of queen and number of 
spermatozoa in spermatheca 
Index 
Weight of queen 
(mg) 
n 
Number of spermatozoa in 
spermatheca (million); 
xmx 
Comparison 
(%) 
1 ≤ 190 5 2,85a 0,10 100,00 
2 191 - 195 5 3,10b 0,05 108,78 
3 196 - 200 5 3,32c 0,12 116,49 
4 201 - 205 5 3,41d 0,20 119,65 
5 > 205 5 3,50e 0,34 122,80 
Correlation coeficient (r) 0,58 
* In the same column,with the same indicator group the numbers carrying 
different letters were different in statistical signifficance with P<0,05 
15 
following-up of 25 naturally raised queens at the age of under 12 
months that were divided into 5 groups according to the criterial 
weight, the group with smallest weight (≤ 190mg/ queen) and the 
group with the largest weight (> 205mg /queen). As a result, number 
of spermatozoa in the spermatheca of queen varied from 2.85 to 3.50 
million and was positively correlated with the weight of the queen. 
Specifically, in the group with the weight ≤190mg number of 
spermatozoa was only 2.85 million, increasing to 3.32 million in the 
group with the weight from 196 to200 mg/ queen and the highest was 
in the group with body weight > 205mg/ queen (3.50 million 
spermatozoa). Thus,there are significant differences in number of 
spermatozoa stored in spermatheca of queen among various groups 
with different weight (P <0.05). 
3.2.8. Relationship between age of queen and number of spermatozoa in 
spermatheca of queen 
Results of monitoring 12 queens at the different age are given in 
table 3.8. 
Table 3.8. Relationship between age of queen and number of 
spermatozoa in spermatheca of queen 
Index Queen age (tmonth) n 
Number of spermatozoa in 
spermatheca (million); 
xmx 
1 ≤ 6 5 3,52a 0,16 
2 7 tt - 12 5 3,15b 0,12 
3 13 - 18 3 2,46c 0,07 
4 > 18 3 1,24d 0,03 
* In the same column,with the same indicator group the numbers carrying 
different letters were different in statistical signifficance with P<0,05 
From table 3.8 we found that like the relationship between the 
weight of queen with number of spermatozoa stored, the age of queen 
was closely related to the number of spermatozoa stored. In the group 
of queens aged ≤ 6 months number of spermatozoa stored, reached 
3.52 million, reducing to 3.15 million at the age of 7-12 months and 
only 1.24 million spermatozoa when the queen was at the age of 
more than 18 months. The difference in number of spermatozoa 
stored between 4 age groups was significant with stasstical sigificant 
level (P < 0.05). In our opinion, this is an important evidence 
supporting viewpoint of queen's associated with colony’s potential, 
The bee colony potential was also expressed by number of crowded 
healthy worker bees. The queen at the appropriate age not only laid 
well but also laid the fertilized eggs, producing worker bees. In 
contrast unfertilized eggs will produce drones. 
16 
3.3. Several biological and reproductive characteristics of queen bee 
3.3.1. separation rate of colony with season 
The results are given in table 3.9. 
Table 3.9. Rate of colony separation with season and place 
Place, season 
Number of colonies 
monitored (colony) 
Number of colonies 
separated (colony) 
Rate 
(%) 
1. Place 
- Thai Nguyen city 70 63 90,00 
- Dong Hy 70 64 91,42 
2. season 
- Spring - Summer 70 64 91,42 
- autumn- winter 70 22 32,42 
From table 3.9 we found that there was no significant difference 
between the rate of division in the 2 places,varying from 90.00 to 
91.42%. Comparing two seasons showed that in Spring - Summer 
division rate reached over 91.42 while in Autumn - Winter was only 
32.42%. The reason for the difference between the two seasons was 
that during Spring - Summer, the weather is favourable, rich flowers, 
bees accumulated a lot of food, queens laid a lot of eggs, bees were in 
large number, the potential of colon’s development was the highest, 
therefore in this season division rate of bee colony reached 90.67%. 
In contrast in Autumn - Winter, the conditions needed for the 
development of bees were not as favorable as in Spring - Summer, 
only the strongest potential colony (in large number, a lot of honey 
combs) could divide. 
3.3.