author(s)
Shakib Vaziritabar and Sayed Mehdi Esmaeilzade

abstract
The aim of this study was to describe how Iranian honey bees Apis mellifera meda are able to defend their colonies against skirmish two horents Vespa orientalis and Vespa crabro in Iran; Identification differential reaction and defensive tactics that operate at the colony level during predation, and are Iranian honey bees Apis mellifera meda able to kill the hornets and effective struggle or retreat under attack hornets? The present study analyzed hornet predatory behavior and collective response of colonies under attack. The results showed that Iranian honey bee A. mellifera meda in Iran exhibit an inefficient and unorganized defense against European hornet Vespa crabro. In some colonies, when attacked, the numbers of guards at the hive entrance increases rapidly to attack, engulf, and kill invading hornets. In other colonies, guards avoid conflicts with hornets by retreating gradually and by forming a defensive line of honeybees at the hive entrance.