HONEY BEE SELECTION FOR COLLECTING COCONUT POLLEN

Abstract

In order to obtein more efficient coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) pollination honey bees (Apis mellifera L.), some col-onies were evaluated and selected for their coconut pollen collecting preference, for two cycles. No significant correlation was found among total pollen collected, coconut pollen percentage and honey yield. The selected colonies for their coconut pollen preference in the first year, kept the same performance in the second year, but some new colonies obtained from selected ones had a better performance.