Apis florea Fabricius, 1787

Pauly, Alain & Hora, Zewdu Ararso, 1787, Apini and Meliponini from Ethiopia (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Apidae: Apinae), Belgian Journal of Entomology 16, pp. 1-35 : 32-34

Apis florea Fabricius, 1787

(Figs 35-39)

DISTRIBUTION. A. florea , the Asian, or Dwarf Honeybee, is extremely widespread, extending some 7000 km from its eastern-most extreme in Vietnam, southeastern China and southern Thailand, across mainland Asia along and below the southern flanks of the Himalayas, westwards to the Plateau of Iran and southerly into Oman ( HEPBURN et al., 2005; HEPBURN & RADLOFF, 2011). It has also been discovered recently in Sudan ( LORD & NAGI, 1987; MOGGA & RUTTNER, 1988) and Jordan ( HADDAD et al., 2009). It is spreading rapidly along the irrigated areas beside the Nile and has been located to Gerry (50 km N. Khartoum), Khartoum, Madani et El-Dender ( OMER, 2007). It is discovered here for the first time in northern Ethiopia.

a - dorsal habitus b - lateral habitus

Fig. 35. Apis florea , specimen collected in Ethiopia, Zarima.

a - distribution in Africa

Fig. 36. Distribution maps of Apis florea .

b - distribution in Ethiopia

The nests of A. florea as well as foragers on flowers of Zizyphus , Guizotia scabra and Caylusea were discovered from altitude ranges of 742m to 1400m in the North West Tigray and North Gondar (Metema). These nests were discovered in a woodland vegetation consisting largely of Acacia species, Zizyphus and grasses.

This bee species constructs a single rounded comb which is larger at the top. Honey is stored in the upper swelled part of the comb. An amount of 265.3g and 205.8g of honey was harvested from the nest of two colonies. The cells close to the honey storage site were filled with pollen. Most part of the comb was occupied by worker brood. Some cells at the lower edges were occupied by drone brood and queens.

NEW MATERIAL.

ETHIOPIA. AMHARA. Zarima river , 1261m, 13°20’N 37°53’E, 19.X.2011, 1D, Persicaria setosula , leg . Z. A. Hora ( ZMUA). – North Gondar, Metema District , 2 stations 12°46.782’N 036°24.318’E, 792m and 13°15.423’N 037°53.065’E, 1858m, X.2013, leg . Z. A. Hora ( HBRC) .

TIGRAY. North West Tigray, Kefta Humera District , 13°59.143’N E 36°51.020’E, 742m, X.2013. – Tegede District , nest1, 13°32.372’N 37°03.604’E, 837m ; nest 2, 13°30.711’N 37°10.679’E, 907m, X.2013. – Tselemti District , nest, 13°38.058’N 38°11.690’E, 1400m, X.2013, leg. Z.A. Hora ( HBRC) .