The Discrimination of Artvin and Ardahan Honeybees (Apis Mellifera L.) Using Morphological Characteristics

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the morphological characteristics and to identify the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) genotypes husbanded in the Artvin and Ardahan cities of the northeastern Anatolia Region. A total of 84 worker bee experimental samples were collected from 8 apiaries; in different locations. From each sample 20 workers were used and 19 morphological characteristics were measured biometrically. Samples used were collected from 3 regions of Ardahan (Ardahan-Center, Posof-Yenikoy and Posof-Sungulu) and from 5 different regions of Artvin province (Hamurlu, Kaikci, Borcka-Camili, Savsat-Kocabey and Muratli). As a result of discrimination analysis there was found to be no variation between bees from deffirent areas in T-4 and cubital vein length a on the front wing. Though 7 discriminant functions were analysed, the first three functions accounted for 84.1% of the total variation. The 24 samples taken from Artvin Borcka-Camili and 10 samples from Ardahan-Center and 10 samples from Ardahan Posof-Yenikoy were completely classified into their real groups. Artvin Borcka-Camili, Ardahan-Center, Posof-Yenikoy samples were distinguished from other groups and formed a distinct group. Whereas, in the Hamurlu, Kaikci, Savsat-Kocabey and Muratli populations the samples overlapped.