Techniques to increase queen production in bombus terrestris L. colonies [Bombus terrestris L. kolonilerinde ana ari{dotless} üretimini arti{dotless}rma teknikleri]

To increase the production of queens in b. terrestris colonies,after the emergence of the first workers,colonies were randomly allocated to four groups as comprised 4 colonies in each of them. colonies in control group (group 1) were formed without adding workers or pupae from a different colony,while colonies in group 2,group 3 and group 4 were designed by adding 60 pupae from a different colony,adding 60 workers from a different colony and placing two colonies (queens) together in the nest box,respectively. the two- queen colonies could not be developed because of aggressiveness towards each other. the average number of queens produced per colony in control,group 2,and group 3 colonies were 56.3±35.9,72.5±25.0 and 145.3±61.8,respectively. the results showed that adding workers from a different colony can be used as a useful method in the rearing of bumblebee queens.