There are many varieties of bees today. Some breeds bred by breeders can be bred even in areas with the most adverse climatic conditions. With the correct selection of the type of insects and the observance of all the required technologies, the beekeeper can make an apiary a very profitable business even in a region as unfavorable with respect to weather as, for example, the Leningrad Region.
The main difficulties of keeping apiaries
Beekeeping in the Leningrad Region refers to the risky type of management primarily because here:
unstable weather prevails;
in winter, frequent thaws occur;
lingering cold spells in spring.
The bezlebotny period in bees in the region usually lasts from the end of September until the last decade of April. In October, insects have the ability to collect nectar only in rare years.
Difficulties for beekeepers in the Leningrad Region are not only adverse weather conditions. Almost all beekeeping farms in this region, unfortunately, are infected with varroatosis.
It is believed that the southwestern regions and Gatchina are most suitable for organizing apiaries in the Leningrad Region. However, here the content of the economy of such specialization is associated with all kinds of risks.
Beekeeping in the Leningrad Region: breeds
Thus, the climate in this region for organizing apiaries, unfortunately, is not very favorable. Therefore, beekeepers of this region can receive a sufficient amount of honey to cover costs mainly only if they contain the most hardy insect breeds. Most often in the Leningrad region bees are bred:
Central Russian;
Gray Caucasian Mountain.
It is believed that an apiary in the Leningrad Region can become the most cost-effective when choosing as an amateur or professional one of these two bee breeds. However, such varieties of insects as the Carpathian and Karnika are considered quite promising for breeding in this region. Many beekeepers in the region breed bees of these species.
Apiaries on wheels
In the Leningrad Region, as in many other regions of Russia, there exists, among other things, its own legal society of beekeepers. Its chairman is A. Dmitriev. According to this experienced beekeeper, the most promising for the region are beekeeping farms on wheels. For their organization, in addition to the basic equipment, a small van is also purchased. Further, several hives are installed in the body of the latter. Nomad of such an apiary in the region to get the desired effect should last from June 20 to July 25, that is, in the main period of honey collection.
According to Dmitriev, such an organization of farms will make beekeeping in the Leningrad region much more profitable. Transportation of beehives in the summer, in his opinion, can lead to an increase in the productivity of each family up to 60 kg. In particular, wandering may be in cold and damp years.
Beekeeping in Russia has been developing quite intensively lately. And similar apiaries on wheels are already in many regions of the country. According to Dmitriev, this technique is very suitable for the Leningrad region. The most promising, in his opinion, for the organization of mobile apiaries are the Luga, Boksitogorsky, Vsevolzhsky and Tikhvin districts of the region.
Statistics
The average honey collection in the Leningrad Region is about 11-27 kg per year. However, in some well-organized farms, this indicator can reach up to 157 kg per family in a good summer. In total, for 2013 in the region, according to statistics, there were about 33,525 hives. About 3 thousand amateur beekeepers were actually engaged in beekeeping.
Product quality
Beekeeping in the Leningrad region, therefore, is a rather risky business. However, the honey itself from this region is very much appreciated by consumers. It is believed that in taste it is often significantly superior to products from many other areas of the country. Also, the advantage of honey sold by Leningrad beekeepers, according to consumers, is its diversity. There are a huge number of honey plant varieties in this area. Planting of genetically modified crops in the region is practically absent. Forbs here are dominated by forbs. Therefore, local beekeepers sell a lot of types of environmentally friendly, healthy honey.