Abstract

This research was conducted during the period of February 2011 to October 2014 at the apiary of the Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Balqa Applied University in Jordan. Honeybee queens of Apis mellifera carnica and Apis mellifera syriaca were raised to investigate some morphological and reproductive characteristics and to determine the most suitable race and hybrid to be reared under Jordan apiaries conditions. Honeybee races and the hybrid between them affected the queens’ weight, pre-oviposition period, volume of spermatheca, number of ovarioles in both ovaries, the length of ovary, beside the lasting of the colony (oviposition period) and the honey production. The hybrid bee race gave the largest queen cell size, the longest queen abdomen, the largest number of ovarioles of both ovaries, and the longest right ovariole, the long lasting colonies with the highest honey production for both the first and second year.