Summary

The project presented here intent to pursue 3 objective:
Objective 1 will allow to determine if whether or not it is possible to improve spontaneous visit rate of feeding station by giving them more flower like characteristic. It will allow for the determination of what modifications need to be introduced to limit access to Apis cerana to the exclusion of Apis melifera.
Objective 2 will determine if the use of odorant from Lychee, Mad Hatter or Coral Vine can improve spontaneous visitation and recruitment rate of baited station.
Objective 3 will determine the attractiveness of Cymbidium Floribundum and its hybrid Miss Muffet to Apis cerana javana. Objective 3 will also allow the determination of the chemical composition of the semiochemical produced by this orchids and thus allow the development of new trapping methods and improvement of the spontaneous attractiveness of the baited station.

Program

Honey Bee

Research Organisation

The University of Newcastle

Objective Summary

1. Trial of coloured Fipronil bait stations with flower-like characteristics to increase the number of spontaneous visits by Apis cerana at the exclusion of Apis mellifera.
2. Test the efficiency of odorants from Lychee, Mad Hatter or Coral Vine as an attractant for Apis cerana to bait station.
3. Evaluate the attractiveness of Cymbidium Floribundum and its hybrid Miss Muffet to Apis cerana javana
Throughout our experimentation we will examines whether or not chemical lures are attractive to native bees and other non target species and whether grids would be useful at keeping them away from the baited stations.