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Depiction:
Deciduous tree or occasionally evergreen, monoecious and wind-pollinated, with inconspicuous, greenish and unisexual flowers. The male flowers are pendulous and grouped in catkins, whereas the female flowers are rounded and hardly visible, developing into acorns (nut fruits).
The Asian hornet is poorly named, since the vast majority of hornets (including our European hornet) originate from Asia. Scientists are more precise and refer to it as Vespa velutina nigrithorax. This Latin designation could be translated as “large wasp, covered with numerous short, silky hairs, with a black thorax”. It belongs to the hymenopteran insects (bearing 4 membranous wings that couple in flight via a series of small hamuli) Apocrita (with a narrow wasp waist). Its portrait is clearly less poetic...
Among the various goldenrod species with invasive characteristics are the late or giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) and the Canadian goldenrod (Solidago canadensis). It is rather difficult to distinguish between these two invasive species originating from North America, especially as they readily hybridise with one another.
Neonicotinoids are extremely ecotoxic pesticides. By infiltrating all environmental compartments, they indiscriminately kill both vertebrates and invertebrates. Despite their ban in 2018, traces of these substances persist in the environment at lethal concentrations.
Dioecious tree or shrub with deciduous leaves. The male flowers have yellow anthers; the female flowers are inconspicuous, greenish, and develop at maturity into capsules rich in seeds.
Although the wax moth has a very bad reputation, beekeeping manuals often underestimate the damage caused by the larvae of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella and the lesser wax moth Achroea grisella, which consume everything that comes within reach of their mandibles (wax, food reserves, pollen stores, wood, polystyrene—not to mention the brood!). It is commonly assumed that strong colonies can defend themselves very easily against wax moths … but this is not always the case. In fact, wax moths reproduce very rapidly, and the larvae of the greater wax moth feed on capped brood, sheltered from counter-attacks by worker bees. As a result, the bee population may decline, as may the colony’s defences against this formidable pest. Selection for overly gentle bees and the pheromonal mimicry of the wax moth, which imitates queen pheromones, can ultimately lead to colony collapse.
Despite these harmful effects, it should be emphasised that wax moths fulfil an important hygienic function, especially in the context of “poor” beekeeping practices. They destroy abandoned bee nests and return the recovered materials to the natural cycle. In this way, pathogens responsible for diseases such as American foulbrood and European foulbrood are also eliminated.
by DALILA BOVET
Personality in animals can be discussed when consistent individual differences are observed over time and expressed across different contexts. Some bees prove to be more attracted to novelty than others. These behavioural differences are based on genetic variations. Can we therefore conclude that bees have a personality?
Good beekeeping practice: Every beekeeper should try to rear a few queens in order to maintain and improve the quality of their stock. In this short course, I will attempt to present a queen-rearing technique that incorporates certain tips used by royal jelly producers. This method requires only minimal investment, and no queen is lost.
Under the screened bottoms of our hive floors, it is advisable to place a drawer. Various debris, poorly stored in the cells, end up on this board and can sometimes provide information without having to open the hive.
Last year, the publication of specialised articles on the contamination and adulteration of beeswax shook the beekeeping community. Among beekeepers, awareness has grown regarding the importance of the condition of wax: indeed, both the quality of our products and, of course, the health of our colonies depend on it (1).
Today, many so-called “probiotic” products are available on the market, intended to improve our health or sometimes even that of our livestock, such as bees1. Probiotics are formulations based on microorganisms that maintain beneficial relationships with their host. The purpose of this article is to provide elements for reflection in order to understand how such products might potentially contribute to combating diseases of the honey bee.
In the honey bee, as in all insects, the haemolymph fills the entire internal cavity protected by the cuticle. This cavity is called the haemocoel. There is no network of veins and arteries: the organs are bathed in the haemolymph, which supplies the organism with the necessary components. It is referred to as an extracellular fluid. A long tubular vessel, the heart, pumps the haemolymph and ensures the circulation of the fluid throughout the organism.
Most bee races do not leave the hive if the outside temperature is below 10 to 12 °C.
Hives should not be opened if the temperature is below 15 °C. If an inspection lasts too long, there is a risk of chilling the brood, which can lead to its death or to diseases. Calm movements are essential, and one should never lose control of the situation!
The black locust or false acacia, known by its scientific name Robinia pseudoacacia, is an exotic plant that was introduced from North America in the 17th century. This tree, which can reach up to 25 metres in height and live for as long as 300 years, has spread easily throughout Switzerland, as it adapts to all types of soil and is resistant to pollution, to the point of sometimes being considered invasive; however, it is not found above 800 metres in altitude.
The Geneva-based naturalist became one of the greatest specialists on bees of his time without being able to see them: he was blind and conducted his research through the eyes and hands of his faithful assistant, François Burnens.
The question comes up every year: should colonies be fed at the end of winter or not? The answer needs to be nuanced. Food reserves have a direct impact on the queen’s egg-laying activity. It is well known that generous reserves and regular nectar inputs clearly stimulate egg laying, and when pollen is abundant, nurse bees operate at full capacity.
(by Janine Kievits)
A drone-laying colony normally has no future. It can raise only males, either because its queen has lost the ability to fertilise the eggs she lays, or because there is no queen at all and laying workers have taken over. And yet, from time to time—very rarely, but it does happen—a beekeeper is surprised to discover a fine brood developing in a hive whose frames he was about to shake out. How can this be possible?
Castanea sativa Miller is the scientific name of the chestnut tree. It is a majestic, long-lived tree that can reach up to 40 metres in height and 15 metres in circumference. As it does not tolerate calcium and its salts, in particular carbonates (limestone), it is found on acidic soils; this explains why it is not evenly distributed in Valais.
The search for a suitable apiary location is subject to several conditions, including access to nectar and pollen resources. It is therefore important to be able to identify the different local plant species in order to assess the availability of these resources, or even to increase them if possible.
The quality of syrups used for winter feeding of bees is very often at the centre of lively discussions.
What should be the main qualities of a syrup:
- A composition close to that of honey
- Easily assimilated by the bee
- Requiring minimal energy for conversion and storage
- Good solubility (no crystallisation)
- Good stability (no fermentation)
- High purity and appropriate viscosity
In Switzerland, beekeeping is considered a leisure activity. Today, around 17,500 beekeepers look after approximately 188,000 colonies, with an average of 11 colonies per person. In Germany, an operation with more than 30 colonies is regarded as a hobby activity, while a professional beekeeper manages more than 300 colonies.