Learning the fundamentals of beekeeping is essential for both novice and experienced beekeepers. While many consider themselves seasoned, even experienced beekeepers can benefit from revisiting these basics. A rich source of such knowledge is the website “The Apiarist“, where invaluable information on beekeeping is shared without opinion or guesswork.
Beekeeping involves understanding certain facts, like life cycles, biology’s variability, and effective hive management. For example, biology’s natural fluctuations mean that beekeeping isn’t an exact science. Therefore, it’s crucial to learn core concepts, such as the importance of observation over theoretical learning. Real learning often comes from observing bees firsthand rather than reading charts and tables, and even beginners should check brood frames regularly to understand the colony’s health.
Understanding the Honeybee Life Cycle
Knowing the life cycle stages of bees—queen, worker, and drone—is foundational. Surprisingly, even experienced beekeepers sometimes overlook the details of these life cycles. The queen’s life cycle, for instance, is crucial. Eggs become larvae in three days, the cell is sealed after eight days, and the queen emerges on the 15th day. This cycle impacts everything from managing swarms to nurturing colonies. A simple way to remember these stages is to note that eggs take three days to hatch, and from there, use the multiples of three to follow each stage.
Honey Bee Life Cycles
| Stage | Queen | Worker | Drone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hatches into larva | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Cell sealed | 8 (9) | 9 | (9) 10 |
| Emerges | 15 (16) | 21 | 24 |
Why Some Beekeepers Struggle
Neglecting the basics can lead to repeated mistakes, like losing swarms or failing to prevent disease. Successful beekeeping involves understanding these fundamentals and applying them consistently, which helps develop a personalized management system. This system includes observing details, like whether a queen is laying eggs, which can tell you if she has stopped laying and for how long. Knowing these stages can help diagnose the hive’s health accurately and make informed management decisions.
Where to Learn the Basics
Observing inside a hive can reveal patterns and behaviour in bees, but sometimes what’s observed can seem inconsistent with established knowledge. For more complex insights, looking to credible sources, such as specialist books and reputable websites, is essential. Dave Cushman’s site, for example, is recommended because it provides well-researched information free from embellishment, allowing beekeepers to compare and confirm their observations.
Hive Management, Brood, and the Importance of Healthy Nutrition
Beekeeping requires knowledge of hive management techniques and hive nutrition. Proper nutrition prevents issues like European foulbrood and chalkbrood, diseases that can impact hive health if bees lack good nutrition. Foraging conditions can affect this, especially during seasons when pollen or nectar sources are limited. Watching for signs of well-fed brood, like the presence of royal jelly, can indicate that your bees are receiving the nutrients they need.
Swarm Control: Techniques and Timing
Swarm control involves either preventing or managing a swarm after the colony shows signs of swarming. Preventive methods, such as adding extra supers early in the season, can help avoid congestion, one of the primary triggers for swarming. Timing and understanding the seasonal flow of nectar are crucial for anticipating swarming. Experienced beekeepers learn to monitor queen cells and remove them when necessary to disrupt the swarming cycle.
Recognizing Diseases and the Importance of Observing Adult Bees
Regular inspection for common bee diseases, like American foulbrood (AFB) and European foulbrood (EFB), is vital. AFB affects the sealed brood stage and creates sunken, perforated cappings, while EFB impacts unsealed larvae, which can lose colour and become twisted. Observing healthy bees, with full wings and shiny bodies, will alert beekeepers to potential diseases early. Using a camera to document observations is helpful for beginners and seasoned beekeepers alike, providing a visual record to refer back to.
The Lifecycle of Varroa Mites
Understanding the varroa mite’s life cycle helps in managing treatments, as these pests can parasitize both larvae and adult bees. Regular varroa checks and management are necessary to prevent the spread of diseases like deformed wing virus, which can harm colonies if untreated. Mites generally lay their first egg as male, followed by female eggs. Ensuring a thorough understanding of this cycle allows beekeepers to time treatments effectively and reduce infestations.
Foulbrood: Prevention and Control
Both AFB and EFB are bacterial diseases that are uncommon, but when they appear, they are serious. While these diseases are rare, they are notifiable by law. Beekeepers who have never seen these diseases may not know how to identify them, increasing the risk of spread. Disease prevention involves controlling the transfer of combs between colonies and careful observation of colony health to spot early signs of disease.
American foulbrood
American Foulbrood is caused by a spore forming bacterium called Paenibacillus larvae. These spores are the infective stage of the disease and infection begins when food contaminated with spores are fed to larvae by the nurse bees. Once in the gut of the larva the spores germinate, bacteria move into the larval tissues, where they multiply quickly. Infected larvae normally die after the cell is sealed and millions of infective spores form in the larval remains. P. larvae spores remain viable for many years and are very resistant to extremes of temperature and to many disinfectants.
European foulbrood
European Foulbrood is caused by the bacterium Melissococcus plutonius. Larvae become infected by consuming contaminated food fed by the nurse bees. The bacteria multiply within the larval gut, competing with it for food. They remain in the gut and do not invade larval tissue; larvae that die from the disease do so because they have been starved of food. This normally occurs shortly before the cells are capped.
If you suspect that you have Foulbrood, you must contact us or your local Inspector.
Conclusion
Beekeeping fundamentals are a blend of learning, observation, and proactive management. Whether you’re new to beekeeping or have years of experience, revisiting these basics and developing a keen sense of observation will enhance your skills and help ensure a thriving apiary.