Evaluación de cuatro porcentajes de cera estampada en la etapa de producción de miel de abeja Apis mellífera L. en finca Chitalón Mazatenango, Guatemala

Abstract

Tradicionalmente, los guatemaltecos en busca de ingresos económicos para sus familias desarrollaron e impulsaron la apicultura de manera empírica, sin darle importancia a la investigación. La cera es una sustancia que las abejas producen a través de sus glándulas ceríferas. La investigación se centró en el análisis del rendimiento de la miel con base en la cera estampada colocada en marcos de madera. Se utilizó cera estampada en porcentajes de 25%, 50%, 75% y 100%. El proyecto se llevó a cabo desde noviembre de 2023 hasta enero de 2024, durante la floración del café de la finca Chitalón. El análisis buscaba establecer la rentabilidad y eficacia derivadas del uso de proporciones específicas de cera estampada en el volumen de la producción apícola. Los resultados identificaron que el uso de cera estampada en un 100% aumenta la producción de miel en comparación con los demás tratamientos, a su vez optimizan el tiempo y mejoran la rentabilidad económica. Por lo tanto, el uso del 100% de cera estampada es recomendable.

Traditionally, Guatemalans, in search of economic income for their families, developed and promoted beekeeping empirically, without giving importance to research. As a result, studies emerged aimed at enhancing knowledge about production based on foundation wax, which provided greater speed in honey production and increased resistance to diseases. However, despite these benefits, foundation wax generates an additional cost for beekeepers. Wax is a substance that bees produce through their wax glands, located in the abdomen. When wax is secreted, it is in liquid form and over time it hardens. Beeswax is used exclusively for the construction of honeycombs (DADANT, 1975). The research focused on analyzing honey yield based on foundation wax placed in wooden frames, where bees deposited the honey. Economic performance and time factors were taken into account. Foundation wax was used in percentages of 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%, the latter being the relative control referring to the traditional method in current beekeeping. Cut wax sheets were implemented in Apis mellifera L. bee colonies. The project was carried out from November 2023 to January 2024, during the coffee flowering season at Chitalón farm, taking advantage of the production cycle, which avoided the need to provide artificial feeding. This research was conducted in the apiary of Chitalón Farm, located in Mazatenango. The apiary had double-super hives, and only boxes with these characteristics were used to meet the requirements of a completely randomized experimental design that demands homogeneity in study conditions. This methodological approach allowed the comparison of variations in the honey production process in relation to different intervention modalities or percentages of foundation wax usage. The analysis aimed to determine the profitability and effectiveness derived from using specific proportions of foundation wax in the volume of beekeeping production. The results identified that the use of 100% foundation wax increases honey production compared to other treatments, while optimizing time and improving economic profitability. Therefore, the use of 100% foundation wax is recommended.