How the environment changes inside hives in relation to the material of construction: effects on temperature variability and honeybee biological parameters

In recent years, the productivity and survival of honeybee populations are at risk due to anthropogenic and environmental factors. The effects of these inputs on the colony cause its progressive weakening, with consequences on queen fecundity, worker foraging capabilities, homeostasis (e.g the ability to thermoregulate in summer). Therefore, the influence of hive construction material on bee survival needs consideration. The effect on honeybees of classical wooden Dadant Blatt hives was compared with that of an alluminium hive with cork insulation. Hives were placed in an experimental fruit farm in Montanaso Lombardo (Lodi province). Monitoring started in March 2022 and ended in September 2023, with periodical observations of biological parameters and productivity. At least fortnightly, honey, pollen and brood present in the combs were estimated, the presence/absence/replacement of the queen and mortality in the underbasket verified. Analysis of the results showed an effect of the hives on daily mortality trends: in the wooden hives, the highest mortality was observed in spring with a decline over the summer and a recovery at the end of August. In the alluminium hive, the average worker mortality was lower at the beginning of the season and peaked between July and August. Finally, considering the data of temperature inside the hives the alluminium hive presented lower fluctuation throughout the monitoring period. The results obtained from these first two years of research seem to confirm the effectiveness of the alluminium and cork hive (Dadant Blatt) in honeybee rearing and an alternative to classical ones.