Adaptabilidade e produção de abelhas (Apis mellifera) em colmeias de concreto leve com vermiculita expandida.

Abstract

Beekeeping is an agricultural activity in which Langstroth wood hives are used for honey production. These hives can be made with alternative materials, one of which is concrete. The research aimed to analyze the physical, mechanical and thermal properties of concretes with different percentages of expanded vermiculite and wood in the production of Langstroth hives with a view to adaptability and production of Apis mellifera bees. For the analysis of mechanical properties, a completely randomized design with four treatments was carried out: concrete, more vermiculite concrete (33.3, 66.6 and 100% vermiculite replacing natural sand) and ten replications. For the second stage, a randomized block design with five treatments and six replications was performed. In the construction of Langstroth hives, the increase in the percentage of vermiculite in the concrete trait provided an increase in water absorption and void content percentage and a reduction in axial compressive strength and specific mass. This increase reduces the thermal conductivity of the concrete. Simple concrete hives can replace wooden ones, and the use of vermiculite has reduced the weight of the hives, and the use of concrete with or without vermiculite reduces the costs of manufacturing hives. There was a reduction in the number of cubs and, consequently, in the population size of Apis bees, in hives built of concrete with vermiculite, with minimal or no honey production, mainly due to the excessive relative humidity present inside the hives.