关键词: 小蜜蜂, 巢脾, 巢房结构, 巢房直径, 巢房模型

Abstract: 【Aim】 The aim of this study is to quantitatively analyze the cell structures of the dwarf honeybee, Apis florea, distributed in Honghe and Baoshan regions, Yunnan, southwestern China with significantly different natural environmental conditions, so as to reveal the structural differences of A. florea cells between these two regions. 【Methods】 The thickness of the comb and the width of 10 successive worker cells of A. florea were measured. The cell was filled with epoxy resin to make a cell model. Based on the cell 
model, we measured the differences in the cell diameter, side length on the mouth, edge length, depth, volume and inclination angle of single worker and drone cell of A. florea between the two regions. 【Results】 The thickness of brood comb of worker and drone of A. florea in Honghe was significantly smaller than that in Baoshan. The width of 10 successive worker cells in the direction of 0° was significantly greater than those in the 60° and 120° directions in the two regions, and there was no significant difference in the width 
of 10 successive worker cells between the 60° and 120° directions. The diameter of a single worker cell also showed significant difference in three directions between the two regions, while there was no significant difference in the diameter of a single drone cell 
in three directions between the two regions. The diameter of worker cell in each corresponding direction in Honghe was significantly smaller than that in Baoshan, while the diameter of drone cell in each corresponding direction had no significant difference between the two regions. The side length on the mouth, edge length, depth and volume of single worker and drone cell in Honghe were extremely significantly smaller than those in Baoshan, and there was no significant difference in the inclination angle of worker cells 
between the two regions. 【Conclusion】 There are regional differences in the structure of A. florea cells, and the cell size in high altitude and low temperature region is obviously larger than that in low altitude and high temperature region. The results of this study not only enrich the biology knowledge of A. florea, but also provide ideas for further studying the correlation between cell structure indexes and morphological indexes of A. florea.

Key words: Apis florea, honey comb, cell structure, cell diameter, cell model