Study on Optimal Spawning Materials for Honeybee Colonies

Abstract

In S. collaris, females highly preferred craft paper over other materials. Without any oviposition materials, eggs were laid on container surface, such as lid and sidewall. A similar observation was found in Coleomegilla maculate. Muslin gauze covered on container lid was used as an oviposition substrate in mass rearing of P. plagipennis. Although there was no evidence about S.collaris oviposition site selection in the literature, it appeared from the present study that sites with air ventilation and ability to adhere to eggmass were hypothesized to explain why S. collaris chose craft paper and rearing container lid as oviposition sites rather than plastic ones under laboratory conditions.