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Introduction to Beekeeping
In the wonderful world of beekeeping, we may get in touch with nature while creating premium honey and other all-natural goods for personal or professional use. The first year of involvement is introductory, just like with any other agricultural or livestock activity, and one can make the essential first steps, trial and error, as well as estimates for a higher investment (in time and money) for the following second year. Please be aware that before opening a beekeeping business, you may need to gain state clearance, complete training, and/or obtain a formal license. Please be aware that a bee sting can be fatal to someone who is allergic to them. At your own risk, exercise.
Bees are essential for the pollination of plants because they move pollen from the male parts of a flower to the female parts of a flower of the same species, which is necessary for the reproduction of many plants. Bees also produce honey and other products like royal jelly, propolis, wax, and other things (vegetables, nuts, seeds, forage etc.). Bees account for at least 80% of all pollinator insects, thus farmers frequently place beehives next to agricultural crops (particularly cotton, tomato, pepper, almond farms, etc.) for the sole purpose of crop pollination.
Understanding Bee Social Structure and Organization
The queen, the sole sexually mature female in the bee population, the worker bees, and the drones make up the bee social structure. There is just one queen each colony. The reproduction process is the queen's main goal. The mating occurs in the first few days of the queen's existence, and she only mates once or twice (albeit with several drones). She stores the drones' sperm in a specific part of her body after mating with them in the air, allowing her to continue producing eggs for the remainder of her life (3-5 years). The second function of the queen is to coordinate and inspire workers to finish the hive's job by using pheromones. About all of the hive's necessary heavy labour is performed by workers (females who are sexually undeveloped). This entails keeping watch over the hive, creating comb, tending to the queen, cleaning, polishing, feeding the young, storing, gathering nectar, pollen, and water, chewing nectar to turn it into honey through the action of enzymes, regulating the temperature inside the hive by fanning with their wings, and many other activities. Drones' only function is to fertilize unmarried queens. As drones lack a stinger, they are unable to defend the hive against intruders. Except from mating with virgin queens, they don't take part in any other colony activities.
How Honey is made by Bees
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| How Honey is made by Bees |
The bees that generate honey go through a laborious process, and they make up at least 98% of the population of beehives. The production of honey requires a large number of worker bees; no one honeybee can do it alone. Simply put, "transport bees" take nectar from flowers and store it in their second unique stomach (made specifically for storing honey) while flying back to the hive. They distribute the nectar to the "chewing" bees after they get to the hive. The nectar is collected by the chewing bees, who chew it for roughly 30 minutes. Enzymes change nectar into a mixture that includes honey and water while it is being chewed. Following chewing, the material is diffused into honeycombs by the worker bees, allowing the water to evaporate and reducing the water content of the honey. As other bees fan the water with their wings, the evaporation of the water quickens. Other bees are in charge of sealing the honeycomb cells with wax when the honey production is complete to preserve the finished product.
For their own consumption, bees manufacture and preserve their goods (honey, royal jelly, propolis, etc.). Throughout the winter and other seasons when pollen is scarce, they can survive by eating honey. When beekeepers harvest honey, they literally "take" a piece of this emergency stock. But, if harvesting is carried out sensibly, bees will produce enough honey to compensate for the amount that has been taken from people, and they will be able to continue their life cycle without any additional issues.
How to choose Beehive – What does a beekeeper need
With the purchase of our first hives, we begin beekeeping. For the first year, we only need 2-4 beehives to test our resolve and strength. Our beehives will be able to double or perhaps grow next year. It is preferable to purchase the hives in the spring so that you may observe the full bee development cycle from the egg to the harvest and appropriately prepare for the winter. Only hives with a current health certificate should be purchased from trusted vendors (the specifications and the legal framework vary across countries). We pick healthy hives with at least 4-5 frames in each colony. They must unavoidably have young, vigorous queens and brood. When they are in their third year of life, queens typically stop laying eggs at a good pace. The majority of novice beekeepers prefer to begin by buying a "nuc." A nuc (or nucleus) is a little bee community that resembles a strong colony but on a smaller scale. A nucleus colony often has 4-5 frames instead of 8 or 10, but it also has brood, pollen, sealed and unsealed honey, adequate workers, and a young, healthy queen who the workers have accepted and who they follow commands from. It is unlikely that a rookie beekeeper will be able to gather honey during the first summer, but he or she can keep a close eye on how the nucleus grows into a healthy, full colony, which is very instructive and illuminating. A nuc may cost between $120 to $250.
We do not need to invest a lot of money on beekeeping equipment in the first year of instruction. On the other side, we incur the risk of contracting numerous infections when we use someone else's equipment. In addition to the beehives, we need proper clothing for the job, protective mask and gloves, a straightforward scraper, a bee smoker (which is intended to quiet the bees but may not be legal in some countries), a brush, and a tool bag (hammer, assorted nails, screwdriver, angle screws, knife, pliers, wire, cell clips, cell handles). Also, we will require a location to collect, store, maintain, and restore cells. We only require a modest space with adequate ventilation, provided it is kept tidy. Wire, pins, an electric knife for cutting through bee wax, a burner (which sanitizes the hive's frames and floors), and shallow plastic plates to feed the colony may also be required. We will require a car for the transporting of beehives if we are convinced that we wish to do beekeeping professionally (this is required by law for more than 25-30 beehives in many countries).
Beehive Placement – Where to place beehives
The quantity and caliber of the honey we choose will be greatly influenced by the region in which we will set up our hives. Before installing the hives, we must take into account the local flora because the nearby plants offer our bees with the pollen and nectar they need to survive. In general, we choose shadowy spots in the summer, while in the winter we favor sunny, well-drained areas that are shielded from high winds. Because ground moisture will influence the hive, we shouldn't put our hives directly on the ground. Many beekeepers choose to set their hives on gently sloping soils, while others use old, huge truck wheels. We never position our hives next to those of other apiarists or in the vicinity of pesticide-intensive fields. We might not have a set location for our apiary in order to have a significant amount of production. In regions with flowering, the hives might need to be relocated twice a year. When moving hives, make sure to pick a location that is at least 3 miles (4,8 km) away from the original position since if reorientation techniques are not employed, foraging bees may become confused and return to the original area (ask local experts). Finally, remember that in order for honeybees to survive and grow, they must always have access to fresh, clean water. So, the location you choose must have a nearby natural or artificial water source.
It goes without saying that the type of plant (or combination of plants) that predominates where we will install the hives will ultimately dictate how we classify our honey. Because of this, we categorize the honey according to the dominant plant in the region (orange honey, fir honey, sage honey, pine honey, oak honey etc.). Placing our hives adjacent to a few orange trees is not sufficient if we want to gather orange honey because the bees will also browse on hundreds of other plants. During the orange trees' blossoming season, we must place our beehives in the middle of an orange orchard that is at least 3 to 4 acres in size. All other instances will result in the bees gathering nectar from various plants, and this honey will be referred to as wildflower honey.
Lavender, thyme, cotton, almond, alfalfa, orange, chestnut, acacia, arbutus, fir, oak, linden, and others are some of the most popular bee plants.
How to feed Bees
For their life and development, bees require particular nutrients. They have their needs met by eating plant nectar and pollen. Nevertheless, as bees cannot normally meet those plant demands in the fall and particularly in the winter, they must alter their life cycle: They increase in size in the spring (during their lengthy flowering period), gather pollen and nectar in the summer, decrease in number in the fall, and overwinter with small populations and substantial winter supplies, ensuring their survival until the next spring.
For their own consumption, bees manufacture and store their products (honey, wax, propolis, etc.). Throughout the winter and other seasons when pollen is scarce, they can survive by eating honey. When beekeepers harvest honey, they literally "take" a piece of this emergency stock. But, if harvesting is carried out sensibly, bees will produce enough honey to compensate for the amount that has been taken from people, and they will be able to continue their life cycle without any additional issues. The typical healthy beehive may consume up to 130 pounds of honey per year and gathers roughly 160 pounds (73 kg) of honey per year under ideal circumstances (59 kg). Hence, there is a surplus of 30 pounds (14 kg) or more that beekeepers can collect.
Bee feeding is the beekeeper's involvement in the nutritional needs of colonies through the provision of natural goods (honey) or processed foods (sugar). The intervention's major goals are to encourage brood rearing and balance out the supply of colonies (what we subtract) throughout the winter. As we introduce a new queen to the hive, we also supply food. In months when there is not enough blossoming, we provide nourishment (such as early spring or late summer).
The sugar syrup is the preferred bee food. Brown sugar and sugar with additions are never used by beekeepers since they may result in diarrhea. The ideal solution for promoting brood rearing is a thin sugar syrup with a 1/1 ratio of granulated sugar to water. Many beekeepers begin feeding their hives with thin sugar syrup for 10 days at quantities of 7-9 ounces each day (200-250g). This dose plan is experimental, and the apiarist will regularly monitor it and continually improve it. When making the syrup, there is no need to boil the water; instead, heat it to a temperature between 120 and 140 °F (50-60oC). Two parts sugar and one part water make up the thick sugar syrup. Colonies shouldn't be fed during honey collecting and storage with heavy syrups. Thin sugar syrups are typically utilized in the spring and summer, whereas thick summer sugar is typically used in the late fall as a beehive preparation measure for the winter. Several beekeepers also utilize mixtures of two parts sugar to one part water, with the addition of thyme essential oils (ask local experts). Sugar syrups are frequently placed on shallow plates that also contain a variety of tiny pieces of wood. We do this to prevent bees from drowning while they stand in the floating pieces of wood and consume the syrup.
Other fondants and sugar pies are used by other apiarists. Remember that all of these syrups and fondants must be carefully placed inside the hives to prevent them from luring predators and other insects. Some beekeepers claim that as a last resort to prevent bee starvation and death over the winter, they will occasionally put 5 pounds (2,2 kg) of dry granulated sugar within the hive. Some beekeepers in Canada, where it frequently gets below -22°F (-30°C), routinely place 50 pounds (22 kg) of sugar inside the hive. Remember that adding sugar to foods can cause dysentery. A weak beehive with 5 frames is thought to require 3 pounds (1,3 kg) of food to last for 2 weeks throughout the winter. If there is not enough pollen in the hive, many beekeepers substitute candy mix with pollen powder. Despite the fact that genuine pollen is the best, you may buy pollen alternatives at reasonable prices in specialty stores. They frequently contain brewer's yeast, dry milk, vitamin C, and soy flour.
Also keep in mind that in order for honeybees to survive and develop, they must always have access to fresh, clean water. So, the location you choose must have a nearby natural or artificial water source. In order to aid honeybees in standing on those floating pieces and drinking water without drowning, the majority of beekeepers place little pieces of wood or other material inside water buckets.
Honey Bee Swarming
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| Honey Bee Swarming |
Swarming is the term used to describe the apiary's natural expansion and reproduction. Swarming typically occurs in the spring or early summer (April – June). In a nutshell, the queen leaves the apiary with a number of workers to look for a new nest. Most likely, the queen and her devoted worker bees will rest in a nearby tree branch, but they will soon choose a new nest, settle in, and restart their life cycle. There are enough bees and some queen cells in the hive to raise new queens in the interim. The strongest of these queens will eventually prevail (by stinging and killing all competing queens) and become the new queen if the beekeeper does not step in. There is no need to blame the bees or the beekeeper for swarming. When the right circumstances arise, bees are genetically predisposed to swarm. Before being domesticated by humans, honeybees would not have survived the thousands of years without swarming. Uncontrolled swarming does, however, cause issues for the beekeeper because the population of the hive (and hence, productivity) is reduced by at least 50%. Every beekeeper must investigate the best strategies to stop swarming or use one under regulated circumstances. Every year, some bees swarm, even for the most seasoned beekeepers.
There are many anti-swarm strategies. Some beekeepers clip the queen's one wing, preventing it from flying (an old technique but with fanatic supporters even today). Others reorganize the hive and reduce the number of bees in order to improve the queen's ability to communicate with all of the workers via pheromones. The decrease in pheromone production by an aged queen is one of the most frequent causes of swarming. As a result, a lot of worker bees ignore or reject the queen's commands. When the bees are crammed into the hive and the ventilation is inadequate, this is frequently made worse. As the queen becomes irritated with its inability to lead and inspire the hive, it flees and establishes a new, smaller society made up of of "faithful" worker bees who are few in number. Having a young (up to 2 years old) and healthy queen in our hive would therefore once more spare us a lot of difficulty. So that the beekeeper can be proactive and prevent swarming, other required tactics include preventing bee overcrowding and congestion and boosting airflow inside the hive.
Swarming hives typically do not store enough honey for the apiarist to harvest, nor do they provide effective pollination services for neighboring crops. Also, there is a chance that the beekeeper won't see or catch the swarm. We may deliberately construct the ideal conditions that will promote the split of a single colony in two, under controlled settings and before natural swarming takes place, rather than waiting for the flock to swarm and then chasing it. By splitting the colony in this instance, we will profit from the controlled swarming while minimizing the hazards. To divide a colony, we can carefully install an empty hive close by. We transfer the previous hive's half of the frames (but not the one containing the queen) to the new hive (there should be 2 to 3 frames with open and sealed broods as well as broods of the same day). Honey, pollen, and brood must be arranged from outside to inside. The door is left open as we move the new "orphan" hive to its new position. We search for "queen cells" for five days, and we only leave two. We include food. We observe how the former hive—where we left the queen—is progressing. These instructions are obviously simplified, and such intricate handlings call for some experience. For your initial split attempts, it is best to have an experienced apiarist beside you.
How to prepare beehives for winter
The most challenging time of year for bees is winter, particularly if the hives weren't properly set up by the beekeeper. The majority of losses happen during this season of the year. Colonies' ability to successfully mature and produce honey in the spring and summer is directly tied to how well they overwintered and prepared for the previous winter. Don't be discouraged by a loss, according to some beekeepers who claim that a 20–40% loss of colonies is typical during a difficult winter. Being proactive rather than reactive is the key.
The preparation for winter beehives varies greatly from location to another. No one can provide you with 100% accurate advise unless they have lived and worked as a beekeeper in your particular area for a number of years. The majority of beekeepers' routine actions and safety precautions, which must be taken from fall (often from September to October), are listed below:
1.) In the winter, we might need to move our hives to sunny, well-drained locations that are shielded from high winds. If you decide to move them, make careful to pick a position that is at least 3 miles (4,8 km) distant from the original location since if reorientation techniques are not employed, the foraging bees may become disoriented and return to the original area.
2. Inspect for mites in the fall (September-October in most areas). You might need to take serious steps if the mite population is increasing (ask a local expert). Mother Nature purposefully lowers the number of honeybees in a colony during the winter so that the colony has less energy requirements and has a better chance of surviving. The number of mites may not be declining at the same rate, though. You risk having a high "mites to bees" ratio over the winter if you neglect this stage.
3.) Do the routine hive inspection and check to see if the hive has a fresh, productive queen. For strong growth during the fall and colony survival over the winter, a young, healthy queen is required. The queen is predicted to lay a large number of eggs during the fall, from which thousands of workers will hatch. These workers, who typically live 4-5 months instead of the 6 weeks that spring-emerging workers do, will be responsible for the hard lifting of heating the hive and maintaining the queen's warmth. The ability of the queen to lay eggs during the fall may be the most crucial aspect for the colony's survival because she is genetically hardwired to stop doing so until the following spring at some time in late fall. You might need to replace her right away if you notice that she is not performing her duties effectively.
4.) As a general rule, we need less space than hive population in areas with lengthy and harsh winters. Our goal is to reduce the amount of space per hive so that honeybees use less energy to heat their home. Also, by doing this, trespassers will find less area and will be deterred from approaching a hive. From late October, the majority of beekeepers remove all empty supers.
Combine weak colonies with stronger ones in option number five. An old beekeeper's saying goes, "Two robust colonies in the spring are preferable than four dead ones." Fall is the season when you might need to merge weak and strong colonies (never combine two weak colonies).
6. Remove the unfinished honey-filled frames since they could give bees diarrhea.
7.) Regularly check for sufficient food supplies. The honey they have produced and stored is the ideal food for wintering. The bare minimum amount of honey needed for overwintering is hotly contested. Beekeepers extract between 44 pounds (20 kg) to 130 pounds (60 kg) or more per hive in areas with harsh winters. The duration of the winter has a big impact on consumption. Several beekeepers also employ the well-known sugar syrups, which are different handmade mixtures comprised of 2 parts sugar and 1 part water and frequently contain thyme essential oils (ask local experts). Several apiarists employ unique fondants. Remember that all of these syrups and fondants must be carefully placed inside the hives to prevent them from luring predators and other insects. Some beekeepers claim that as a last resort to prevent bee starvation and death, they will occasionally add 5 pounds (2,2 kg) of dry granulated sugar within the hive. Some beekeepers in Canada, where it frequently gets below -22°F (-30°C), routinely place 50 pounds (22 kg) of sugar inside the hive. Remember that adding sugar to foods can cause dysentery. A weak beehive with 5 frames is thought to require 3 pounds (1,3 kg) of food to last for 2 weeks throughout the winter. When the hive's supply of pollen is insufficient, many beekeepers substitute candy mix with pollen powder.
8.) It is useful to arrange a large sugar pie on the inner section of the roof in regions with lengthy, harsh winters (this ensures the presence of adequate food stock and insulate against cold).
9. Block hive entrances, particularly low ones, to prevent mice and other potential intruders from getting inside. But, as bees need on proper air to survive, you should leave a small window. Special wired mouse protectors are an option. Many beekeepers also narrow the upper entrance.
10.) To prevent the hive from moving in the event of severe winds in your location, you can lay a large stone in the upper half.
11.) Many beekeepers also wrap their hives with basic ceiling paper or specialized tarpaper to insulate them. Naturally, they always leave a decent entry since bees require good ventilation to survive. Unfortunately, in some regions, using this strategy causes the moisture level inside the hive to rise quickly. Consult with local apiarists for suggestions and look to see if other beekeepers wrap their hives.
12.) Despite your anxiety, avoid opening the hive during the chilly winter months. The heat will quickly dissipate, and the bees will expend a great deal of energy to produce it once more. Use common sense. Only when the temperature has increased above a specific point should it be left open for longer than a minute (ask local experts).
13.) It is a good idea to frequently inspect and clear the area around the beehives of trash and unwelcome weeds. For instance, the fragrance will undoubtedly draw many potential intruders to our colonies if a cat, small hedgehog, or raccoon has died nearby and has not been removed (mice, insects etc.). A tidy environment promotes hygiene and eliminates any hiding places for possible intruders. While this holds true all year round, the winter months are when our colonies are most at risk of invasion.
Harvesting Honey - Honey Extraction Basics
Comb and extracted honey are the two main varieties of honey that can be obtained. Comb honey is the only kind of honey that is taken out of the bees' hives exactly as they made it. The honeycomb is taken out by the beekeeper. The entire honeycomb is tasty, delectable, and nutritious, and it can be sold for a great price. The presence of a strong colony, particular management, experience, and significant nectar production in the area are all requirements for harvesting this sort of honey. As a result, young beekeepers frequently practice the traditional method of honey extraction for a few years before attempting to produce comb honey.
Honeycombs sealed with mature honey are harvested through a process called honey extraction. To put it simply, we carefully choose the frames that are prepared for harvest. We remove the bees and relocate the frames to a room with no access for honeybees or other insects. We then delicately remove the frame's wax using a hot knife or another specialized equipment. Our frames are then placed in the honey extractor. The pure honey from the frames pours into our jars as a result of the honey extractor's utilization of centrifugal force.
In our region, honey is often extracted in the summer and fall, always following the peak nectar production of the plants. The beekeeper chooses which honeycombs will be removed and how many. Beekeepers remove between 44 pounds (20 kg) and 130 pounds (60 kg) per hive in warm temperatures and very severe winter regions, respectively, to ensure that the colony can endure issues brought on by a lack of food, inclement weather, or drought. Experience is necessary to decide which frame to choose for extraction. Beekeepers often select a frame when the honeycomb is sealed, completely covered with bees, or covers 75% of the frame surface. Because it is not properly dehydrated and has not gone through the entire enzyme biochemical process, honey that has more than 1/4 of the comb surface exposed is likely not ready for harvest. If we continue with the extraction of such a frame, the final product will resemble less honey and more watery syrup in appearance and flavor. After many years of experience, some beekeepers can detect mature honey in a few unsealed cells and take those frames, but inexperienced beekeepers are highly discouraged from taking a chance.
Before we start removing the frames from the hive, we should be aware that honeybees are extremely protective of their honey during harvest and are thus very hostile toward intruders. The smell of strong scents and odors makes the bees even more aggressive. Being fragrance-free is a good idea for beekeepers, especially on the day of honey harvest. Beekeepers always dress fully equipped on that day (gloves included). With a bee smoker, we begin by smoking the hive (this may not be allowed in some countries). We carry out this action to quiet the bees. The smoker can only include fir leaves; nothing harmful. Because it prevents honeybees from swiftly spreading the "alarming" pheromones, which warn that "we have an invader in our colony and we must attack," the smoker has been found to calm bees. As a result, the majority of bees are perplexed, they do not understand the message, and they remain quiet, allowing the beekeeper to inspect the hive or harvest honey without encountering too many difficulties.
The majority of the bees then fly away as we shake the box within the jail. We sweep the others under the beekeeping rug (which we may have first moistened with water). That might not be as simple as it seems. Honeybees may be persistent because they are highly aware that the beekeeper is about to "take" a valuable commodity. As honey is being harvested, there are numerous methods for getting rid of bees.
The frame is then carefully placed in an empty hive and covered. The same is done with each frame, and they are then brought inside (where the honey extraction will take place). It is crucial that our home is tidy, equipped with electricity and running water, properly lit and ventilated, and, of course, sealed off from honeybees and other insects. Due to the fact that they lack their own place, several new beekeepers frequently collect honey outside, some of them even close to the hives. This should obviously be avoided as it will undoubtedly result in many issues. Only indoors can honey be extracted safely.
Before we extract the honey, we can leave the frames in the empty hives for a few days.
A peeling knife, a wooden or plastic fork for antiscaling, a double-sieve honey filter, a maturation cauldron with tap, and of course cans or jars to store our honey are the basic tools we need to keep on hand for the honey extraction. Electrical honey extractors cost between $400 and $1,000, while manual ones cost $250. The honey extractor and the rest of the supplies might be borrowed from a friend or the neighborhood beekeeping group.
Our frames are set up on the antiscaling bench. The honey is then "sealed" inside the cells and cannot be removed, so we must cut the wax cappings off the frames. To remove the wax without damaging the honeycomb's cells, we can use an electric uncapping knife or another equipment. The entire wax removal process will go more easily and smoothly if the knife is heated.
We carry out the same procedure for every frame before transferring them to the honey extractor. We progressively increase the speed of the extractor after it starts to spew out a lot of honey, then we stop, turn the frames to the opposite side, and repeat the process.
As soon as the honey extraction process is complete, we open the tap and allow the honey to flow through the strainer into the honey pots. A strainer is used to filter raw honey from any remaining impurities, such as minute wax fragments. The honey can be kept in storage until use or sale. Honey should always be kept in airtight containers since it can ferment if it picks up moisture from the air.
Common Bee Diseases and Pests
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| Beekeeping for beginners A serial for Honey Farm |
Regrettably, a variety of pests and diseases frequently affect honeybees. Even after they have spread, some of them are mild and manageable. They won't therefore pose a threat to the colony's survival. Others can destroy hundreds of colonies in a region if they go unchecked and are catastrophic. Every beekeepers must develop a competent pest and disease control strategy, which can vary greatly depending on the country, legal system, philosophical outlook, production methods, target market, etc. The management of honeybee pests and diseases varies greatly from region to region, just like it does in almost all other facets of beekeeping. A beekeeper should consult local experts, local beekeeping unions and associations, and of course state authorities to develop a sound pests and disease management strategy. You can conduct local research to learn how and when other seasoned beekeepers manage their colonies' pest and disease problems (from prevention to intervention and from non-chemical to chemical methods). Nonetheless, keep in mind that you must use extreme caution when giving out antibiotics or other medications. The majority of beekeepers stop taking any medications about two months prior to the main honey flow since doing so puts them at danger of harvesting contaminated honey.
Varroa destructor is the most prevalent bee pest. American foulbrood, European foulbrood, and Nosema are common bee illnesses. Finally, beekeepers frequently struggle with chemical toxicity.
The major Honeybee Pests
The most frequent issue facing beekeepers today is varroa since these parasite mites are present almost everywhere. The parasite mite Varroa destructor, which feeds on the hemolymph (blood) of honeybees, is the cause of varroa. A beekeeper can typically see it with the naked eye. The pathogen may potentially contain viruses that infect bees in addition to harming bees on its own. The disease impacts adult bees as well as larvae and pupae. It may cause the colony to gradually deteriorate and eventually perish. Adult bees frequently have short bellies and deformed or atrophying wings during and after a varroa infestation. In addition to dead bees in sealed cells, dead larvae, and dead bees with emerging heads and protruding proboscis, the colony exhibits signs of cannibalizing nymphs or larvae. Because the disease can intelligently adjust its lifecycle and behavior to the biology and social structure of bees, varroa poses a serious threat to honeybees. For instance, female mature mites frequently cling to drones. Because the drones leave the hive, there is a greater risk that these mites may enter other colonies, deposit their eggs, and infect them as well. The mites have started to develop resistance against various chemicals as a result of the widespread chemical treatment that was utilized in the previous decades. Today, numerous non-chemical techniques have been developed.
Major Honeybee Diseases
U.S. Foulbrood
Known as the sickness of the sealed brood, Paenibacillus larvae is a spore-forming bacteria. The bacterium has no effect on adult bees. Adult worker bees unknowingly aid in the spread of the disease, nevertheless, by feeding young larvae contaminated honey (honey containing AFB spores). A healthy colony has continuous, bright yellow-brown brood cells; in contrast, diseased colonies have a mixture of capped and uncapped cells, some of which are discolored. Novice beekeepers frequently lack the expertise necessary to detect AFB, and they frequently unknowingly contribute to the disease's spread by swapping infected frames for healthy colonies while attempting to split their colony. Being assisted by seasoned beekeepers throughout your first year's hive inspection and colony split attempt might again again spare you from a lot of trouble. However, the spores of AFB can survive for decades and can pass from hive to hive via the tools and other equipment used by beekeepers.
European Plague
The majority of the larvae die before the cells are sealed, making European foulbrood the disease of the unsealed brood. It is brought on by the bacterium Melissococcus plutonis, which unlike Paenibacillus larvae does not produce spores. The infection is therefore less tenacious than the one in AFB, and infected colonies rarely die. The number of the colony, and thus the amount of honey produced, can be significantly impacted. Infected colonies may occasionally see less disease spread after the introduction of a new queen.
Nozema
The most dangerous condition affecting adult bees is nozema, which can damage the queen bee in addition to worker and drone bees. The protozoa Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae are the culprits. Adult bees eat the spores that the diseases produce along with their meal. The majority of diseased bees then get acute dysentery and may urinate inside the hive, which under normal circumstances would not occur to such a significant degree. The transmission of the disease is aided by defecation within the hive. Because they are so weak, infected worker bees are incapable of carrying out the hive's demanding workload. Before returning to the hive, foraging bees frequently become too weary and pass away. The bees crawl or are attached to the ground, there are evidence of diarrhea outside or inside the cell, and there is a population decrease during and after the attack by Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae.
Bee Poisoning from Pesticides
The poisoning of their bees by chemicals is a regular issue that many beekeepers deal with. It is the responsibility of the beekeeper to prevent his or her bees from foraging on plants that have just received a chemical application. If there are industrial farms next to your beehives, you might need to maintain regular touch with the farmers to find out whether and when they spray. Remember that chemical spraying is also an option for urban backyard allotments and grass gardens. To stop foraging bees from visiting the plants during spraying, you can either move your hives to a new location or block the entrance for a day (ask local experts and beekeeping unions).
There is a potential that the bees have foraged in plants that have recently been sprayed with pesticides if you see a large number of dead bees outside the hive, bees unable to leave blossoms, crawling instead of flying, and/or a very small number of foraging bees during a high season flowering period. You must consult local authorities, the beekeeping association, and the state authorities for guidance. Your colony may or may not survive the poisoning.