Hygienic behavioral response of Apis mellifera Ligustica against pin-killed and infectious brood

The present investigations were carried out in apiary, Department of Entomology, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) India. Evaluation of colonies for the hygienic behaviour was done by using “pin killed” methodology. Twenty colonies were selected for this study. These colonies were divided into two categories: healthy colonies (HC) and European foul brood infected colonies (IC). Three frames of brood were taken out from every colony and killed by entomological pin. The pin killed brood cells were marked for the purpose of identification and the observations were recorded at 24 h and 48 h. The pin killed brood assay revealed the removal if killed cells within 24 h and 48 h. The mean removal of killed cells by worker bees in IC is significantly higher than in HC. Our study provides a clue of the importance of this behaviour in removal of pest and diseases infected brood from colony.