Difference between revisions of "Hive Management"

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== Swarm prevention: ==  
 
== Swarm prevention: ==  
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Swarming may occur as either '''reproductive swarming''', where the colony divides itself or as '''absconding''', where the honey bee colony leaves its nest site if an environmental stress becomes high.  While reproductive swarming is triggered by the size of the colony, <ref>Crane, E. (1999). The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting. Gerald Duckworth & Co. Ltd, London. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203819937</ref> absconding is related to various factors like drought, overgrazing, deforestation, honey bee diseases and pests, shortage of water, poor hive management, a lack of protection against bad weather, or a shortage of melliferous plants (pollen, nectar), etc. <ref>Haftom, G., Zelealem, T., Girmay, M., & Awet, E. (2013). Seasonal honeybee forage availability, swarming, absconding and honey harvesting in Debrekidan and Begasheka Watersheds of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Livestock Research for Rural Development 25 (4). HTML-Version.</ref> <ref>Tesfaye, K.,  & Tesfaye, L. (2007). Study of honey production system in Adami Tulu Jido Kombolcha district in mid rift valley of Ethiopia. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 19(11), 1-9.</ref>
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Swarming may occur as either '''reproductive swarming''', where the colony divides itself or as '''absconding''', where the honey bee colony leaves its nest site if an environmental stress becomes high.  While reproductive swarming is triggered by the size of the colony, <ref>Crane, E. (1999). The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting. Gerald Duckworth & Co. Ltd, London. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203819937</ref> absconding is related to various factors like drought, overgrazing, deforestation, honey bee diseases and pests, shortage of water, poor hive management, a lack of protection against bad weather, or a shortage of melliferous plants (pollen, nectar), etc. <ref>Haftom, G., Zelealem, T., Girmay, M., & Awet, E. (2013). Seasonal honeybee forage availability, swarming, absconding and honey harvesting in Debrekidan and Begasheka Watersheds of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Livestock Research for Rural Development 25(4). HTML-Version.</ref> <ref>Tesfaye, K.,  & Tesfaye, L. (2007). Study of honey production system in Adami Tulu Jido Kombolcha district in mid rift valley of Ethiopia. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 19(11), 1-9.</ref>
  
  

Revision as of 16:05, 13 June 2018

Hive management, performed by beekeepers, is defined as active manipulation of a honey bee colony, to augment honey bee production and to ensure the survival of the colony. Common hive (see: hive types) management practices include: disease prophylaxis and treatment of infested colonies, swarm prevention/control, supplementary feeding, removing queen cells for swarm prevention, etc. [1] Due to fragmentary published data, it has to be mentioned, that none of the provided information is representative for the whole country, but for regions only.


Ethiopia: A survey on beekeeping techniques in the Jijiga Zone revealed, that 13%, 14% and 23% of respondents inspect their hives internally every week, every fifteenth day, or once in a month, respectively. A greater amount (15% weekly, 23% every fifteenth day and 28% once in a month) inspect their hives externally. [2] There is no further description on the detailed process of "internal" and "external inspection" (manipulating the hive, or just observation of the colonies).

Indonesia: There is no official information available on hive inspection, but a local scientist (Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia) claims, that the number of hive inspections vary between once in a week and once in a month, depending on the forage availability, the urge of harvest, and on the beekeeping level of the beekeeper (main income, or additional income). Further, beekeepers who start the inspection, clean the area surrounding the hive, followed by opening the hive and assessing the status of the colony (honey bee health status, queen presence, ...). If necessary, experienced, and high skilled beekeepers even expand their hives.


Feeding:

Especially, during periods of forage unavailability, supplementary feeding is essential to avoid absconding and to ensure the survival of the colony. The suitable supplement must be chosen depending on the type of food shortage (pollen, nectar or water). [3]


Ethiopia: A study in 2006 revealed, that the best time to offer additional food (A. mellifera bandasii) is the occurrence of 4-5 sealed brood combs and freshly secreted, white beeswax on top of the frames at the base of the hive. [4] An assessment on beekeeping practices in the Jigjiga Region (2015) revealed that interviewed beekeepers are aware of the importance of water availability for their honey bees. They provide water in form of waterholes, ponds, or rivers/streams near the apiaries. [2] To provide carbohydrates, Ethiopian beekeepers feed sugar-, or honey solution, or flour of roasted grain (barley and maize). Due to various climate conditions, there are regional differences on the time of additional feeding. Beekeepers of the Tigray region offer supplementary food mostly in the months February to May. According to Fichtl and Adi (1990), there are some regions, where it is common to offer “freshly slaughtered meat scraps” as a supplementary protein source. However, this method seems to be questionable regarding the possible human pathogens that may be enriched in the bee products. [5] More common pollen substitutes are chickpeas and peas. [5] [6] In a study by Zaghlou et al. (2017) three different supplementary diets were compared (soy bean, chickpeas and yellow corn) resulting in an increase of honey yield, laid eggs/day and area of brood, while a supplementary diet on chickpeas led to the lowest increase. [7]


Indonesia: Feeding of honey bee colonies is not common in every part of the country. Flowering occurs throughout the year, and therefore it is often believed, that honey bees have enough forage (plants in flower may produce pollen but not nectar and vice versa). [3] There is no published data available on supplementary feeding in Indonesia, but a local scientist (Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia) claims, that additional nourishment is practised among beekeepers during the dry season. The most common supplementary carbohydrate source is sugar solution due to its easy availability and affordability. Beekeepers place the supplement inside the hive (small branch is placed inside the solution to provide protection). Widowati et al. (2013) compared local pollen substitutes with different composition. They found, that a mixture of soy flour, skimmed milk, yeast, honey and sugar syrup was preferred by A. cerana colonies and its consumption led to the highest productivity. [8] The study showed, that locally available ingredients can be used to produce a high quality protein source for honey bees.

Swarm prevention:

Swarming may occur as either reproductive swarming, where the colony divides itself or as absconding, where the honey bee colony leaves its nest site if an environmental stress becomes high. While reproductive swarming is triggered by the size of the colony, [9] absconding is related to various factors like drought, overgrazing, deforestation, honey bee diseases and pests, shortage of water, poor hive management, a lack of protection against bad weather, or a shortage of melliferous plants (pollen, nectar), etc. [10] [11]


Ethiopia: To prevent reproductive swarming, the beekeepers cut parts of the brood combs, remove queen cells, enlargen the volume of the hives, or provide instantly available new nesting sites in form of empty hives. [2] [12]


Indonesia: There is no information available on management practices to prevent swarming, but in the regions of Pager Ageung, Tasikmalaya, Bawean Island and Gresik, beekeepers do not avoid swarming, instead, they let their colonies abscond during the drought season and recapture feral colonies during the flowering season. [13] According to a local scientist (Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia), beekeepers eliminate drone and queen cells, place "bee traps" nearby their hives, or produce offshoot colonies to prevent swarming events.

Bee health management:

Ethiopia: According to a local scientist (Holeta Bee Research Center, Ethiopia), beekeepers, recognizing health issues within their bee colonies, have to report to the district livestock offices (chapter: "Dealing with honey bee health issues"). If a beekeeper is not able to recognize the disease, the district livestock offices will help with the identification and offer advice on treatment methods.


Indonesia: According to a local scientist (Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia), the beekeepers of disease affected apiaries do not pass on the information to a governmental office, nor to a beekeeping association, but informally exchange their observations with other beekeepers who already gathered experience with the particular honey bee health issue (see: "Dealing with honey bee health issues").

References

  1. ↑ Carrol, T. (2006). A Beginner’s Guide to Beekeeping in Kenya. Legacy Books Press, Nairobi, Kenya.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Fikru, S. (2015). Review of Honey Bee and Honey Production in Ethiopia. J. Anim. Sci. Adv., 5(10), 1413-1421. https://doi.org/10.5455/jasa.20151019083635
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Crane, E. (1990). Bees and beekeeping: science, practice, and world resources. Ithaca, N.Y. : Comstock Pub. Associates.
  4. ↑ Kibebew, W., & Dereje, W. (2006). Investigating indicative conditions for supering the honey bee colonies at central highlands of Ethiopia. In: Proceedings of 5th National Annual Conferences of The Ethiopian Beekeepers Association. 52-61.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Fichtl, R. & Adi, A. (1994). Honeybee Flora of Ethiopia. Margraf Verlag Germany.
  6. ↑ Solomon, B. (2009). Indigenous knowledge and its relevance for sustainable beekeeping development: a case study in the Highlands of Southeast Ethiopia. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 21(11), 1-12.
  7. ↑ Zaghloul, A . O., El-Sayed, N. A., Hassona, N. M., Mourad, A. K., & Abdel-Razek, B. A. (2017). Enhancement of Honey Production of Apis mellifera L. Colonies in Egypt. Alexandria Science Exchange Journal, 38(3), 426-432.
  8. ↑ Widowati, R., Basukriadi, A., Oetari, A., Anwar, E., & Sjamsuridzal, W. (2013). The Effect of Pollen Substitutes on the Productivity of Apis cerana in Indonesia, Bee World, 90(3), 72-75. https://doi.org/10.1080/0005772X.2013.11417550
  9. ↑ Crane, E. (1999). The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting. Gerald Duckworth & Co. Ltd, London. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203819937
  10. ↑ Haftom, G., Zelealem, T., Girmay, M., & Awet, E. (2013). Seasonal honeybee forage availability, swarming, absconding and honey harvesting in Debrekidan and Begasheka Watersheds of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Livestock Research for Rural Development 25(4). HTML-Version.
  11. ↑ Tesfaye, K., & Tesfaye, L. (2007). Study of honey production system in Adami Tulu Jido Kombolcha district in mid rift valley of Ethiopia. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 19(11), 1-9.
  12. ↑ Solomon, B. (2009). Indigenous knowledge and its relevance for sustainable beekeeping development: a case study in the Highlands of Southeast Ethiopia. Livestock Research for Rural Development, 21(11), 1-12.
  13. ↑ Kahono, S., Chantawannakul, P., & Engel, M. S. (2018). Social Bees and the Current Status of Beekeeping in Indonesia. In book: Asian Beekeeping in the 21st Century. Springer, Singapore. 287-306. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8222-1_13
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