No abstract

The Environment is one of the factors influencing the development and productivity of the bee colony. Favourable environment will significantly support bee productivity. The factors which influence the bees activity include temperature, humidity, light intensity, wind speed, rainfall, and food availability. The aims of this study are to know the influence of environmental factors on activity and propolis production of stingless bees. This study used six colonies of Tetragonula laeviceps into two different locations, monoculture and polyculture nutmeg farm. The method used is a direct observation of the activities and propolis production of stingless bee and analyzed by t-test. The study results of T. laeviceps in monoculture and polyculture farms showed that the activity of the bees was influenced by environmental factors influencing propolis production. The activities would start when the temperatures ranged from 22-23 oC, humidity 70-88%, and light intensity 183-4344 lux. The peak activity of the bees occurred at the temperatures of 26-28 oC, humidity 55-71%, and light intensity 46.875-91.347 lux. The propolis produced by T. laeviceps was 27.79 g in the monoculture farm and 48.80 g in the polyculture farm. The significant difference was predominantly due to the environmental factors.

S<span lang="IN">urvey of stingless bee diversity, nesting preferences, and </span>forage<span lang="IN"> plants </span>was conducted in <span lang="IN">West Halmahera across 134 collection sites. </span>This research was<span lang="IN"> aimed to </span>determine species diversity, nesting preference and habitat, and domin<span lang="IN">a</span>nt for<span lang="IN">a</span>ge pl<span lang="IN">a</span>nts. There were three species found, <span lang="IN">the most common species being </span><span lang="IN">Tetragonula clypearis (Friese), followed by T. sapiens (Cockerell), and last T. biroi (Friese).</span> Based on the morphology characters of each species, the key identification was provided. The most colonies were found in public houses <span lang="IN">(80.39%)</span>, <span lang="IN">followed by plantations (13.73%), and the community forest (5.88%), respectively.</span><span lang="IN">Most colonies nested in stone cavities, parts of the ho</span>us<span lang="IN">es, wooden materials, tree trunks, logs, tree roots, bamboo, and sometimes iron cavities.</span> The forage plants consist of forage plantation, crops, fruits, vegetables, ornamental flowers, wild plants and shrubs. The three species found were new record in West Halmahera. Bees lived in various hollow places that were safe for their colony. Bees made use of a variety of flowering plants and secrete resins around the nest site.

Tetragonula is one of stingless bees genus widely spread in Indo-Pacific with various species, including Indonesia. This genus is also found in West Halmahera, but it does not have a unique character as the marker, so it is difficult to identify. The best way to identify is by measuring the body part from each individual. This research was conducted to analyze morphometry to know the diversity of stingless bee in West Halmahera. Three hundred thirty-two (332) stingless bees from 51 colonies of three different species were used, namely Tetragonula clypearis, 40 colonies (252 bees), T. sapiens, 10 colonies (72 bees), and T. biroi, one colony (eight bees). Morphometry of stingless bees were analyzed based on principal component analysis (PCA), visualized into scree plot, score plot, loading plot and biplot. The results showed that only two principal components (PCs) on eigenvalue have a score more than one with the total proportions are 85.8%. All the species were not correlated because they appeared in different quadrants. Morphometry variables have a positive correlation with T. sapiens, but negative correlation with T. clypearies, while T. biroi has a weak correlation with the variables of T. sapiens. T. sapiens can only be found in the highlands, T. clypearis is mostly found in medium elevations but can also be found in highlands, while T. biroi can only be found in lowlands.