Investigation of quality features of Türkiye commercial honey bee queens (Apis mellifera L.) in different seasons

In addition to determining the effect of season and breeds on the quality attributes of queen bees, the focus of this thesis was to assess the current state of the queens sold in Türkiye in terms of the investigated qualities. In field tests conducted under standard breeding settings, neither race nor time period emerged as an influential variable. It was demonstrated that weight features, exterior morphological characteristics, and particular dissection characteristics are influenced by time period in particular. In this study, multiple advantages of the queen bees of Yığılca Ecotype over other breeds were not deemed substantial enough to suggest their usage in beekeeping enterprises. To be able to make this suggestion, it was determined that it is important to perform similar research in various years and to assess colony growth in places that migratory beekeepers favor and utilize extensively throughout the winter. In the vein length measurements the d_1 was significant difference in the Carniolan bee during the month of July, and in the Black Sea Ecotype throughout the months of April-May and July (P<0.05). It was determined that the vein length results were more likely due to seasonal and human-induced stress factors.