A Suitability Map for Keeping Honey Bees Under Harsh Environmental Conditions Using Geographical Information System

Abstarct: Heat stress becomes a problem in different parts of the world and recently was considered as a threat to apiculture. Many countries suffer from extreme heat during certain periods of the year. There is a great diversity in the weather of Saudi Arabia throughout the year but the most extreme conditions occur during the summer season, when apiculture copes with extreme heat. Not all regions of Saudi Arabia are suitable for keeping honey bees and many beekeepers complain of annual honey bee colony losses especially during summer months. Therefore, identifying the most suitable regions for keeping honey bees is very important for beekeepers to avoid losing honey bee colonies. Geographical Information System (GIS) was employed to create a suitability map for managing honey bees under harsh environmental conditions. The most important factors affecting beekeeping were incorporated into the spatial analysis of the suitability map. The datasets were prepared as five raster layers; temperature, humidity, vegetation, land cover and water resources. The suitability map can guide beekeepers to suitable regions for keeping honey bees during the harsh environmental conditions of summer. Moreover, the described model here could be used elsewhere as a guide for creating general suitability maps. Key words: Apis mellifera GIS Conservation Beekeeping