MORPHOLOGICAL COMPARISON OF THREE ASIAN NATIVE HONEY BEES (APIS CERANA, A. DORSATA, A. FLOREA) IN NORTHERN VIETNAM AND THAILAND

Three species of Asian native honey bees  (Apis cerana, A. florea and A. dorsata)  from northern
Vietnam and Thailand were morphologically analyzed for investigations on their geographic variations and
relations. In Vietnam, samples were collected from feral and managed colonies. In Thailand, the
collections were from feral colonies or from field bees on flowers. Morphological analysis was carried out,
using measurements common to honeybee taxonomy. Measured characters were done under
stereomicroscope with an ocular micrometer. ANOVA  program and multivariate statistical analyses were
applied for treating the data. Overall,  A. cerana  populations in northern Vietnam are significantly
morphologically different than from those in Thailand. It may be due to their different geographic
locations between the Thai and Vietnamese populations of A. cerana. A. florea bees from Vietnam are
generally bigger in size than those from Thailand, but the differences are uncertain. In contrast, the body size
of A. dorsata populations from Thailand are bigger than those from Vietnam. However, these differences
are also not significant. It is necessary to take further comparative investigations of these bee species from
both countries.
Key words: Honey bee/Apis cerana/Apis dorsata/ApisJlorea/moif>ho\ogy