Platform for beekeeping practice and know-how

The drone is the male of the honey bee and the largest insect in the colony. It has a stocky build, with a thorax covered in hair. It is recognisable by its head topped with two large, globular eyes and a pair of antennae; its abdomen is rounded, and its flight is relatively loud and ungainly. Its primary role is to transmit its mother’s genetic heritage during mating.

October, the month of winter preparation

Autumn is the period of active preparation for wintering, both on the part of the bees and of the beekeeper, who is concerned about the well-being of the colonies.

A first treatment was carried out after the harvest, in the absence of honey supers, using formic acid or strips. A second treatment was administered at the beginning of September. Varroa drop was counted and does not exceed 1 per day. The objective is to overwinter colonies with fewer than 50 varroa mites per hive.

 

Winter is undoubtedly the most demanding period for bees. However, nature has provided so-called “winter bees” with characteristics that enable them to withstand the rigours of the cold season. Winter bees have larger fat reserves than summer bees, they possess a more developed hair covering that provides natural insulation, and the contraction of the thoracic muscles generates a significantly greater release of heat than in summer bees. Their constitution, together with their behaviour, allows them to live longer and to cope with the harsh conditions of winter.

The behavioural regulation of thirst, water collection and water storage in honey bee colonies.

This study examined how a honey bee colony detects and quenches its collective thirst when brood hyperthermia (>36°) is observed.

Like any living organism, the bee is prey to various parasites and pathogenic germs: every colony contains a broad and diverse range of microbes. Yet not every colony becomes ill as a result! This is because, like all living beings, bees have developed various means over the course of evolution to resist them: this is what is known as immunity. Bees, like humans, possess an immune defence system, but with some differences.

The queen’s primary function is to lay eggs, enabling the emergence of all individuals that make up the population of a bee colony. The queen’s many other functions are not addressed in this brief article.

A diverse and continuous food supply is very important for the health of honey bee colonies. In nature, the availability of food varies greatly over the course of the year. Particularly problematic are the pre-spring period beginning in mid-February (reduced pollen availability for feeding larvae) and the phase following the first honey harvest (nectar shortage from approximately mid-May to mid-July).

Researchers have observed that on the island of Gotland in Sweden, honey bee colonies that were abandoned and left untreated for ten years led to the emergence and selection of spontaneously varroa-resistant strains. Subsequently, several other naturally resistant colonies were discovered in other parts of the world. This article presents the state of the literature on the three phenomena influencing resistance behaviours of the honey bee in response to the varroa mite.