Honey is a unique product rich in many vitamins, minerals and trace elements. It is worth going to the market to make sure that you have to pay a considerable amount of money for quality. People who live in private houses or visit cottages a lot, it makes sense to think about their own apiary. However, it should be remembered that it is necessary to properly care for bees all year round. Only in this case will it be possible not only to enjoy delicious and healthy honey, but also to make good money.
Spring work in the apiary
Many avid beekeepers recommend starting to work in the apiary precisely on the eve of the first warm days. At this time, bee colonies begin growing brood. That is, there are resources to get a good amount of honey. The success of the functioning of the entire apiary depends on how the beekeeper behaves. The uterus can begin to lay the first testicles on cold days, before the first flyby. Therefore, bee colonies are recommended to be acquired in late February or early March. At the same time, it is worth studying in advance how the exhibition of bees in the spring occurs.
Every beekeeper should know that the appearance of brood in bee colonies leads to numerous changes. First of all, this is displayed on the temperature regime inside the hive. In order for future bees to feel comfortable, it is worth taking care of the temperature inside the nest in the region of 33-35 degrees Celsius. Bees can fulfill such conditions on their own. Only a little help from the beekeeper is required. The fact is that insects are forced to eat several times more honey to maintain the desired atmosphere in the nest. This leads to the formation of a large amount of feces in the hives, which can hamper the movement of bees. The task of the beekeeper is to clean the insects as often as possible so that they can fully grow their offspring. In this case, the exhibition of bees from the winter hut will happen without any problems.
Choosing a place for an apiary
You should think about where the hives with bees will be in advance. The best option is a fruit or flower garden. So that insects can maximize their benefits, they should be settled away from busy places. Bees can be distracted by passers-by or animals. Therefore, the apiary should not be near the highway or other busy areas. Therefore, when it is time to put the bees out of the winter hut, it is worth preparing the optimal space for flying around insects. It is also worth considering where they will be able to take raw materials for future honey. The apiary should be close to the sources of early spring bribe.
An exhibition of bees from wintering near wide rivers or large lakes is highly undesirable. The fact is that insects can fly far enough behind prey. But not everyone succeeds in returning home with nectar. Many bees die in the water. To make the apiary profitable, it is worth planning at a distance of at least 500 meters from the reservoir.
Narrow streams or small lakes may turn out to be useful for hives. Near such places there is usually good vegetation. Bees can bring a lot of nectar to the apiary. It is good if the pond is in a closed area. In the fields there is often a strong wind that blows insects. Once in the water, the bees can no longer get out of it.
The exhibition of bees in the spring after wintering should not be carried out near the factories or plants that manufacture or process sweets. A pleasant aroma always attracts insects. However, this is only a hoax for bees. Many of them, falling into the closed space of enterprises, die. As a result, the production of quality honey will be significantly reduced.
Setting apiary near people and livestock houses
Bees are insects that only care about food for their families and do not try to harm anyone. However, they can consider humans and animals as enemies for their hives. Therefore, the exhibition of bees in the spring should not be carried out next to food or clothing markets. It is also undesirable to do this in the immediate vicinity of pastures. It is likely that people and animals will suffer from insect bites. As a result of complaints, the apiary will have to be closed altogether.
If the exhibition of bees from the winter hut in the spring away from civilization is impossible, the apiary must be fenced with a high fence (at least two meters). Bees will feel protected and will not attack passers-by. If the farmyard and apiary must be located on the same territory, a fence should also be installed. It is advisable that the bees and animals are on different sides of the apartment building. In this case, both livestock and insects will be able to develop normally, as well as benefit people.
Wind and damp are enemies for bees
The exhibition of bees from the winter hut should be carried out in a dry area. In damp, bee colonies do not develop well, practically do not breed, and also have poor immunity. Insects often get sick and die quickly. In deep beams, installing an apiary is also undesirable. There are cold air currents, fog settles. And this is the first sign of damp terrain. Many bees intuitively feel the atmosphere unfavorable for themselves and can leave the apiary forever.
If the dates of the exhibition of bees from wintering are already suitable, it is worth carefully choosing a place protected from the winds. It has already been proven many times that on windy terrain, bees produce much less honey. In addition, the spring development of bee colonies is significantly reduced. Apiary productivity may decrease daily and gradually fade away. In order to protect the apiary from adverse weather conditions, it is necessary to use farm buildings, as well as wooden plantings. In addition, the yard can be fenced. Bees feel great in gardens with many trees or in forest glades.
Apiary vegetation
A favorable effect on the development of bees has a calm between the hives. On the site under the apiary may be low dense vegetation. Shrubs with flowers or sweet fruits are great. Too tall trees should not be planted. Hives should not be in the shade around the clock. Bees in hives that do not get warmed up by the sun develop very poorly in the spring. In the sun, an apiary should also not be installed. High temperature conditions adversely affect the work of insects. They become slow and unproductive.
The vegetation in the apiary not only helps to regulate the temperature regime. Various trees and shrubs act as landmarks for insects. They easily find their hives after flying around. Therefore, if the dates of the exhibition of bees from the winter hut are already approaching, it is necessary to choose the ideal place, protected from winds and dampness, with a minimum number of low stands.
The space between the hives
It is necessary not only to carefully choose a place to place the apiary, but also to prepare it well. Close installation of hives is highly undesirable. In this case, the insects will be poorly oriented after flights. Bees should find their home as quickly as possible. Wrong setting of beehives leads to bees flying. Insects from weak families join stronger ones. As a result, the apiary begins to function unevenly. Weak families die quickly, while strong ones grow and can no longer fit within one hive.
If the hives are placed too closely, the probability that the uterus enters a strange house rises. As a rule, insects kill representatives of other families. As a result, the offspring of apiary decreases, as well as productivity decreases. In addition, the movement of ordinary bees along the hives leads to the spread of infectious diseases. It is necessary to carry out the prophylaxis of the health of all bees in the apiary at once, if only one family is sick. You do not need to do this if the hives are at a considerable distance from each other (at least one meter).
How to place hives?
In order for apiary breeding to work as efficiently as possible, hives must be placed in regular chess rows. Also, houses for bee families can be painted in various colors. Thanks to this, insects can quickly reach their destination. Letches of all beehives should be directed in the same direction. The exhibition of bees after wintering is thus considered the most successful. Insects can return to hives as comfortably as possible after flying around.
If the apiary is large enough, the hives can be placed in small groups (2-4 each). The distance between them should not be less than 0.5 meters. Too much space is also undesirable. Between the bee houses the wind can walk. The distance between separate groups of hives can be 5-10 meters. There should be low green spaces or flower beds. Along the entire apiary, you can draw several paths and install hives on both sides. When it is time to exhibit bees from wintering, it will be possible to complete the work much faster. In addition, this placement of hives greatly facilitates the daily work of caring for insects.
How to fix a beehive?
In order for the apiary to function correctly, the hives must be correctly and securely fastened. Wooden houses for bee colonies should be prepared long before the exhibition of insects from the winter house. Beehives are installed on pegs driven into the ground to a depth of 30-40 cm. They can also be placed on the ground. In this case, it is worth preparing a special warming lining. It is also necessary to ensure that during the rain no water enters the hive.
The walls and ceiling of the hives must be carefully insulated. This is especially important when you need to exhibit bees from the winter hut in early spring. Small straw or old hay is stuffed into the space between the planks. Additionally, in specialized stores for beekeepers, you can buy insulation and water-repellent material. It is fixed on the outside of the hive. The bottom of the room for bees is insulated by placing on a box or a stool. You can put some dry grass under the hive. It is worth making sure that the bottom of the house for insects is not wet.
When to exhibit bees from the winter house?
It is necessary to begin preparing the terrain for inserting bees long before the onset of the first heat. In those places where bee colonies will be located, snow should be thoroughly cleared. This is especially important in those regions where during the winter there is a lot of rainfall and snow is collected in large snowdrifts. To melt faster, sprinkle snow with sawdust or ash. Huge snowdrifts must be scattered, otherwise the damp in the apiary will not go away until mid-spring. After the snow on the site is completely removed, it is necessary to prepare the ground for future hives. Only on warm ground is an exhibition of bees. When it is time to expose the hives, it is necessary to prepare a warming pad or firmly install the pegs in the ground.
The exhibition of bees should be carried out when ice completely melts on the rivers, and the temperature in the shade is established within 11-13 degrees Celsius. Under such conditions, the bees will be able to productively perform the first spring flyby. In some cases, hives can be set a little earlier. If the wintering room warms up quickly and a moist atmosphere prevails in it, the bees are placed in fresh air already at 8–9 degrees Celsius.
The first spring departure of bees
In order for the bees to be able to make the first flight faster, they remove the roofs and insulation pads from the hives. Insects excited by bright light and a sharp change in temperature quickly leave the room. The beekeeper has a few hours to check the condition of the hives and eliminate existing deficiencies. It is necessary to carefully check the setting of cells. They should be strictly vertical. Otherwise, honey will not accumulate well.
If the temperature is too low, after the first flyby the bees can be put back into the winter house. This method allows you to start the productive work of the apiary a few weeks ahead of schedule, which is traditional for the area. When to exhibit bees from the winter hut optimally? It is better to do this in the morning, when the sun is the brightest. Preliminary it is worth studying the weather forecast. On a cloudy day, insects are not always ready to leave a warm hive.
Some beekeepers prefer to leave bees for wintering in summer places. Care for insects is significantly complicated. It is necessary to constantly maintain a suitable temperature regime for the normal functioning of bees.