In some areas, beekeeping is gaining scope. Many experienced beekeepers specialize in different areas of bee breeding.
An apiary is an interesting activity that requires clear knowledge. Before you start it, you need to think through everything in detail. This article provides general information about the biological characteristics of bees and the management of this kind of economy.
What is an apiary
It is worth noting that an apiary is a fairly profitable business that requires certain costs. Initially, an apiary called a forest strip reserved for a log house. Usually hives for bees were placed on it. Not every region has forests. Therefore, later people began to form apiary estates on their land plots or in nearby fields. In addition to beehives, beekeepers build utility rooms. These include beekeeping workshops, winter houses, and storage facilities.
Bee lands are nomadic and stationary. Given its capabilities, the novice beekeeper chooses what kind of apiary to stop for. The design of the hives will also depend on this choice.
Stationary apiary. If possible, bee houses are located on their own site or inaccessible territories. The main condition is the abundance of honey plants.
Nomad apiary. The special design of the hives involves the export of houses to remote places. Bees have the opportunity to "migrate" to where they can realize themselves as beneficial insects.
Types of beekeeping
Beekeeping is an agricultural industry aimed at breeding and using bees. The occupation of bee breeding is not limited only to the maintenance of the apiary. Beekeeping has the following branches:
- Beekeeping for the production of honey.
- Growing natural pollinators.
- Specialization of breeding bee families and queens.
Each of these areas requires certain knowledge and skills. In most cases, beekeepers want to get honey from the apiary by moving the hives nomadically.
Where to start breeding and keeping bees
For those who want to have their own business and have not yet decided on the occupation, the apiary may be the best option. Beekeeping for beginners is not an easy task. Many things in a lesson are sometimes mastered by people through trial and error. This approach is not good here. It is unlikely that anyone would want to lose money, time and effort, and not get anything in return. Therefore, thorough preparation is needed. It is important to immediately calculate all the costs, then carefully familiarize yourself with the features of the bee family.
Biological features of bees
Bees can be compared with people living in apartment buildings. In the bee house there are honeycombs - “separate apartments”, for isolated families of honey bees. The family consists of the following individuals:
- Uterus. It has a developed reproductive system and is the main source of reproduction. It is called fetal only after the process of mating with a drone or instrumental insemination. Otherwise, the uterus is considered infertile. A bee with a lost reproductive function bears the label - hardened. She is not able to lay fertilized eggs.
The spare uterus is saved for spring mating, after which it is transferred to a new hive, where it will become the "mistress".
The tribal uterus is a thoroughbred bee with a highly productive ability. These individuals are more stable and transmit their characteristic features to offspring.
The uterus has the ability to adjust the behavior of its "household". It secretes a substance that affects other bees.
- Bee. Underdeveloped female. It is not considered inactive, as it supports the active life of the entire bee family.
- Tindering. A bee that has developed egg tubes, but at the same time lays unfertilized eggs.
- Drone. A male, having reproductive abilities.
Brood species
Larvae, eggs, and pupae in cells are called broods. Both bees and drones lay them.
Open brood can be seen in cells with open cells.
Printed brood is found in combs under sealed wax caps.
Obviously, an apiary is the care and scrupulous care of insects, which should be well known and loved.
Bee behavior
Perhaps the most difficult thing in an apiary and bees is their behavior. One of the unpredictable moments in the behavior of bees is a swarm. During the breeding season, the bees can leave their family and settle in a different place with the uterus. The beekeeper’s task is to prevent “riot”.
The reason for the rapid departure is the replenishment of the family with a large number of young individuals. Another reason is that the old uterus is in the hive. She does not secrete enough pheromones; as a result, tinder fungi appear. A tight and overheated nest provokes swarming.
Catching bees is too tedious work. To solve this problem, there are methods. Some experienced beekeepers return bees artificially. Empty clues with bee bait are put in the old place.
This is just one example of how important it is to know about the behavior of bees. When the question arises about the apiary and where to start, the first thing to do is to master the secrets of the life of future insect wards.
There is a wide variety of literature and videos on this topic. It would be nice to get acquainted with experienced beekeepers and watch for some time how they keep their apiary. Bees are quite generous in return if they find comfortable conditions for their life.
Some tips from experienced beekeepers
- Bee lovers are closely monitoring productivity gains. Selection of individuals is carried out regularly so that bee colonies remain strong.
- Beehives are disinfected in time and nest cells are renewed.
- They try to prevent starvation in order to avoid the loss of families.
- They maintain optimal temperature conditions and maintain proper humidity in the nest.
- When the brood is killed, the uterus is immediately replaced.
- Caring beekeepers prepare in advance for the new season.
Apiary placement
After familiarizing yourself with some of the features of keeping a beekeeping farm, a novice should decide where to choose a place for an apiary and where to start the placement of hives.
It’s not so difficult for beginner beekeepers to find a territory, because it is recommended to start small:
- The main thing is that it should not be close to the roadway.
- Bee dwellings should be protected from drafts and direct rays of the sun.
- The designated area is planted with shrubs or low trees.
- It is necessary to pay attention to where there are hives in the neighborhood. Avoid crossing with alien bees.
- Stands are placed on a flat surface in a checkerboard pattern and hives are placed on them.
Everyone had to see how apiary looks bright because of the variety of hives. They are painted in different colors for a reason. Bees have the ability to remember and distinguish their own hive. Before arranging them, it is necessary that they dry well after painting.
The health of the bees and the amount of honey collected will depend on the proper placement of the apiary.
Useful properties of honey
Apiary honey is a fragrant product obtained as a result of the activity of the bee family. Bees extract nectar from flowers or insects that live on plants. Then they bring the collected material to the cells, mix it there with their own derivatives and leave until ripening.
Honey contains glucose and fructose, which is easily absorbed by the human body. The product is enriched with a large number of minerals and vitamins. Honey is recommended in the treatment of diseases of the stomach and to strengthen the immune system. For the treatment of certain diseases, this product is selected according to various classifications. Honey from the apiary, obtained personally, will be much more useful than bought on the market.
Conclusion
Beekeeping is able to add zest to a person’s life and feed it a useful product. An apiary is a tempting and fascinating affair, but only for those who like to work hard and are not indifferent to the life of insects. For those who are thinking of doing this, they should study the information on breeding and keeping bees in more depth.