— The stages of preimaginal development of the Africanized worker honey bee (Apis mellifera... more — The stages of preimaginal development of the Africanized worker honey bee (Apis mellifera L) were characterized. Body weight and head diameter were used as characters with which to differentiate among the first 4 instars, and additional traits such as apolysis, defecation and tibiotarsal length of the hind legs were used to characterize the subdivision of the 5th and last instar. Pupal stages were determined on the basis of eye and thorax pigmentation. The duration of each stage was also determined from these characteristics. The post-embryonic development period of Africanized bees is ≈ 24 h shorter than that in Apis mellifera carnica, and 18 and 24 h longer than in African bees. Africanized honeybee / preimaginal development / duration of development / larval instar * Correspondence and reprints
— Africanized honey bee populations are genetically heterogeneous across their extensive ne... more — Africanized honey bee populations are genetically heterogeneous across their extensive new world range. Over 35 years have elapsed since the introduction of A m scutellata to southeastern Brazil and we hypothesized that populations from this region should have achieved the highest degree of genetic equilibrium following the perturbation of introduction. We report here the results of a population genetic study of honey bees sampled near the origin of neotropical Africanization combining analyses of morphological, allozyme and mtDNA characters. Data from this study support previously reported allozyme frequency estimates and support the expectation that populations from this region are comparatively stable in genetic composition; and further, that significant polymorphism of European origin persists in the Africanized population of the region. Morphological and mtDNA data from these neotropical populations reveal the strong influence of the African race, A m scutellata. Apparent discordance among data sets from the several analytical methods reflects variation in selection and population size on the inheritance or persistence of such characters and indicates the importance of multiple character analysis. Africanized honey bee / Brazil / population genetics / morphometry / mt DNA / enzyme polymorphism
Most stingless bee species build their nests inside tree hollows. In this paper, we present trap-... more Most stingless bee species build their nests inside tree hollows. In this paper, we present trap-nest containers which simulate nesting cavities so as to attract swarms of stingless bees. Although regularly used by stingless bee beekeepers in Brazil, this technique to obtain new colonies has not yet been systematically studied. We used two different types of trap-nests (plastic and cardboard) of four different sizes (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 L) containing propolis extract and wax. Over a period of 2 years, 61 swarms of nine different stingless bee species were attracted to the trap-nests. Most swarms chose the largest container (3 L); swarms were collected mostly in springtime (October-December). The plastic containers were more successfully occupied than others by stingless bee swarms. Trap-nests are a viable tool for stingless beekeepers, researchers and conservation biologists to obtain and study stingless bee colonies. stingless bees / trap-nest / swarming / Meliponini
Queen, worker, and male production was studied for 1 year in three queenright colonies of Tetrago... more Queen, worker, and male production was studied for 1 year in three queenright colonies of Tetragonisca angustula (Latreille). We sampled brood combs monthly and noticed that the number of brood cells and production of individuals were similar among colonies. Although the production of queens did not vary significantly, the frequencies of workers, males, and the number of cells among the combs varied over time. The production of males was highly seasonal, occurring mostly from February to April, coinciding with the period of intense brood cells production, when colonies produced more males and less workers, resulting in a negative correlation. Although the frequency of queens has not varied in time, the seasonal availability of males affected the mating frequency and the time spent since emergence until fertilization of queens. In the T. angustula colonies studied, the population dynamics was highly seasonal and the mating success depended of male production, according to the season.
Currently, there is growing interest in the modeling of high concentrator photovoltaic modules, d... more Currently, there is growing interest in the modeling of high concentrator photovoltaic modules, due to the importance of achieving an accurate model, to improve the knowledge and understanding of this technology and to promote its expansion. In recent years, some techniques of artificial intelligence, such as the Artificial Neural Network, have been used with the goal of obtaining an electrical model of these modules. However, little attention has been paid to applying Fuzzy Rule-Based Systems for this purpose. This work presents two new models of high concentrator photovoltaics that use two types of Fuzzy Systems: the Takagi-Sugeno-Kang, characterized by the achievement of high accuracy in the model, and the Mamdani, characterized by high accuracy and the ease of interpreting the linguistic rules that control the behavior of the fuzzy system. To obtain a good knowledge base, two learning methods have been proposed: the "Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system" and the "Ad Hoc data-driven generation". These combinations of fuzzy systems and learning methods have allowed us to obtain two models of high concentrator photovoltaic modules, which include two improvements over previous models: an increase in the model accuracy and the possibility of deducing the relationship between the main meteorological parameters and the maximum power output of a module.
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