Threats to Honeybees
Lately there was been a renewed interest in beekeeping as honey bee populations have been declining. Beekeepers first sounded the alarm about disappearing bees in 2006. Seemingly healthy bees were simply abandoning their hives en masse, never to return. Researchers call the mass disappearance Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), and they estimate that nearly one-third of all honey bee colonies in the country have vanished. (Cite this) Scientists studying the disorder believe a combination of factors could be making bees sick, including pesticide exposure, invasive parasitic mites, limited space, an inadequate food supply, and a new virus that targets bees' immune systems.
Attacks from Animals and Other Insects:
The honey that is stored in beehives is a desired treat for many animals and insects. In India and Africa the common raider of the hive is the honey badger, who devours comb, honey, pollen, and brood oblivious to the bees sting. Elsewhere in the world, bears, rats, ants, mice, hedgehogs, lizards and other small creatures enter the hive, destroy honey comb, and kills bees and their food supplies.
Wax moths cause major damage in hives. The caterpillars bore through the comb, feeding on honey, pollen, and brood, and leave behind thick tangled masses of messy silk tubing.
Mites and Parasites:
Honeybees are prone to parasitic mites such as the tracheal mite and Varroa mite. The tracheal mite lives inside of the trachea in the breathing tubes in the thorax and abdomen of the bees, reducing the foraging ability of the bees. Varroa mites pierce the skin of the prepupae, pupae, and adult bees and act as vectors for disease organism.
The honey that is stored in beehives is a desired treat for many animals and insects. In India and Africa the common raider of the hive is the honey badger, who devours comb, honey, pollen, and brood oblivious to the bees sting. Elsewhere in the world, bears, rats, ants, mice, hedgehogs, lizards and other small creatures enter the hive, destroy honey comb, and kills bees and their food supplies.
Wax moths cause major damage in hives. The caterpillars bore through the comb, feeding on honey, pollen, and brood, and leave behind thick tangled masses of messy silk tubing.
Mites and Parasites:
Honeybees are prone to parasitic mites such as the tracheal mite and Varroa mite. The tracheal mite lives inside of the trachea in the breathing tubes in the thorax and abdomen of the bees, reducing the foraging ability of the bees. Varroa mites pierce the skin of the prepupae, pupae, and adult bees and act as vectors for disease organism.
Bee Technology
Beekeeping technology took a huge jump between 1850 and 1875 with the invention and development of the movable frame hive, the centrifugal honey extractor, and the modern hand-held bee smoker. These are the primary technologies that modern-day beekeeping is built on and continues to rely upon.
Bee hives:
Throughout the world, the Langstroth hive is commonly used. The Langstroth was the first successful top-opened hive with movable frames, and allows beekeepers to inspect the colony, easily honey extraction, and transport the hive. Straw skeps, bee gums, and unframed box hives are now unlawful in most US states, as the comb and brood cannot be inspected for diseases.
Throughout the world, the Langstroth hive is commonly used. The Langstroth was the first successful top-opened hive with movable frames, and allows beekeepers to inspect the colony, easily honey extraction, and transport the hive. Straw skeps, bee gums, and unframed box hives are now unlawful in most US states, as the comb and brood cannot be inspected for diseases.
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Throughout the world there are many types of hives. In Great Britain, the National of Modified National hive is favored. Top bar hives have been becoming popular in the United States, as they allow the bees to naturally build their comb, attaching it to a slate bar laid across the top of the hive.
Primitive hives still exist and can be made of logs, mud shaped pots, pipes, corn stalks, reed, and scraps of wood. These hives generally do not use frames, and the extracting honey can be destructive to the hive. With the new interest in beekeeping has come an interest in beehive design. Hives are being designed for urban and rural settings to allow amateurs and hobbyist to harvest honey. |
Clothing:
The Veil: On opening up a hive to inspect a colony, bees tend to be attracted to a beekeepers face and eyes. Wearing a veil helps to protect bees from attacking the face, while allowing the beekeeper to still see out. Many modern veils are of hood type, made of cloth in the back, and a wire mesh over the front. Protective Overalls:
It is advised to use some form of protective clothing while checking on the colony. The clothing keeps the beekeeper clean, and the thickness of the material helps to protect from stings. Some bees react strongly to dark colors, so it is usually better to wear lighter color clothing. Gloves: Many beekeepers like to wear gloves when they inspect a colony. Glove should be lightweight and flexible as you need to be able to lift out and replace frames smoothly avoiding disturbing the bees. Basic Equipment:
The two most important tools for beekeeping are the smoker and the hive tool. For thousands of years, beekeepers have used smoke to calm bees during hive inspections and at other times when the bees might be disturbed. A modern smoker consists of a firebox and bellows and comes in various sizes and pattern. Bees react to smoke by going to honey storage cells and engorging. This response is the bees instinctive fear of fire as they prepare for flight to a new home. A bee with a crop full of honey finds it more difficult to bend her abdomen around in order to use her stinger. The other essential tool, is the hive tool. This tool is made from stainless steel and allows a beekeeper to pry boxes apart, lift frames, and scrap unwanted material from the comb. |
Commercial Beekeeping
"Some commercial beekeepers take their hives to the road each year, relying on pollination contracts rather than a honey crop in order to create revenue. These keepers will typically load their hives onto a trailer and travel between crops just as they begin to bloom. This mobile pollination setup allows for much greater crop yields than reliance on local pollination sources alone could allow.A year in the life of a migratory beekeeper can take them to the almond crops of California in January, to apple or cherry crops in March, and then to a honey production rich area during the summer. During late fall hives can be moved to a temperate climate for overwintering" (Empire Apiaries) |