Register for newsletter
Depiction:
advocate,arbitrage,arbitration,attorney,authority,background,balance,bronze,business,concept,court,courthouse,courtroom,crime,criminal,equality,ethic,figure,figurine,god,goddess,government,guilt,honest,honesty,innocence,judge,judgment,judicial,judiciary,j
Beekeeping in Switzerland is not regulated by a single law, but is subject to several areas of law, in particular animal disease law and—in the case of honey sales—food law, as well as other regulations such as animal welfare or building and environmental law. This article presents the core obligations under federal law in a practical and legally precise manner and clarifies questions regarding registration, documentation, disease outbreaks, and sales. A concluding checklist enables systematic self-assessment of legal compliance.
This article provides a structured synthesis of current scientific knowledge on the factors influencing honey quality. It is based exclusively on a recent literature review, examining honey composition, quality criteria, the impact of beekeeping and environmental practices, as well as the links between colony management, honey processing, and biological properties.
The insulation of beehives during winter has long been the subject of debate within the beekeeping community. While some studies emphasize its beneficial effects on reducing energy consumption and improving colony survival (St. Clair et al., 2022; Alburaki & Corona, 2021), others highlight its limitations and potential side effects, particularly when it disrupts the natural thermoregulation mechanisms of the superorganism (Mitchell, 2023; Minaud et al., 2024).
It sticks, it stains, and we sometimes curse it when inspecting our beehives; yet it gives beekeeping one of the fragrances that contribute to its charm and is also an increasingly sought-after product, representing a growing source of income for beekeepers. Although omnipresent in our hives, propolis is the result of a harvest and a processing effort that is anything but simple for the bee. A demanding but indispensable task; for this resinous substance, whose medicinal properties have been appreciated since Antiquity, fulfils multiple functions within the colony.
Im չափfect clones without sons, males without fathers but with a maternal grandfather, twins through their fathers, sisters through their mothers, daughters as full or half-sisters …
Let us get straight to the point: honey bee genetics is truly unusual! With bees, one must set aside what is known from human reproduction, where each parent contributes half of the chromosomes—the mother via the egg, the father via the sperm. This is not the case in bees!
When a beekeeper looks at the head of his bees and sees the two large, immobile compound eyes positioned on either side of the head, as well as the three ocelli located on the forehead or vertex, he inevitably asks himself the question: with these two large eyes, can my bees see the same things as I do, or do they perceive the world differently? And why are there additional eyes on the head?
Part 1
This article provides a structured introduction to queen rearing for beekeepers who want to become self-sufficient in their apiary. It presents, in an educational manner, the necessary equipment, rigorous planning of the rearing schedule, and a simple, proven method suitable for an annual series. The aim is to enable everyone to produce their own high-quality F1 queens, while drawing on the selection work carried out by the Breeding Instructors.
Part 2
This article provides a structured introduction to queen rearing for beekeepers who want to become self-sufficient in their apiary. It presents, in an educational manner, the necessary equipment, rigorous planning of the rearing schedule, and a simple, proven method suitable for an annual series. The aim is to enable everyone to produce their own high-quality F1 queens, while drawing on the selection work carried out by the Breeding Instructors.
Deutsche Wespe (Vespula germanica) | Feldwespe | Garten | Haus-Feldwespe (Polistes dominula) | Insekten | Insektensterben | Nest | Polistes | Polistinae | Sommer | Wabe | allergie | angst | artensterben | beine | bestäubung | blütenpflanzen | gefahr | gif
© Lothar Lenz lotharlenz@gmx.de
This article provides an accessible overview of the main issues surrounding wild bees in Switzerland. For a more in-depth discussion, with greater scientific detail, references, and further analysis of ecology, threats, and conservation measures, please refer to the main feature article. This condensed version summarizes the key points in a shorter, more practical format.
by Yves Martignoni and Julien Balet
What do breeding instructors do? What is breeding? Is it something within my reach? These are some of the questions we will attempt to address in this article.
Metamorphosis is a major transformation of the body and way of life during the development and life cycle of certain animals, such as amphibians and some insects. It represents an evolutionary adaptation of an organism to its respective environmental conditions. In zoology, it refers to the transformation from the larval form to the adult, sexually mature animal.
While the bee amazes us with its highly social behaviour, its anatomy and multifunctional organs are truly awe-inspiring.
The bee is equipped with two antennae attached to the upper part of its head, composed of three main segments: the scape, the pedicel, and the flagellum. The antennae are in constant motion thanks to four muscles located in the head capsule that enable rotation of the scape; the latter contains two groups of muscles responsible for the movements of the flagellum and the pedicel. The motor neurons involved in activating these muscles (nine for the scape, six for the flagellum) have their cell bodies located in the dorsal lobe, which constitutes the motor and mechanosensory system of the antennae. The antennae thus serve as the bee’s central organs for perceiving its environment and, through thousands of sensilla, transmit an enormous amount of information linking it to the external world. The antennae therefore support the senses of smell, taste, touch, hearing, and the perception of electric fields.
Every beekeeper is required to indicate the following information on each jar of honey sold (ODAIOUs Art. 26, food labelling ordinance, OEDAI):
(By Jean Riondet)
The question of feeding is recurring: in spring to stimulate colonies and to have strong populations at the time of the first nectar flows, then during the season in periods of dearth, and finally to ensure winter stores.
Any decision to feed colonies must be carefully considered, taking the season into account, have a specific purpose, and the ingredients must be well chosen so as to answer the questions properly: when ?, why ?, how ?
The expression may come as a surprise and calls for some clarification. “Insemination with a single male” refers to the insemination of a queen using the semen of a single drone, instead of the 12 to 20 males involved in natural mating or conventional instrumental insemination. This article presents this specific technique and its contexts of use. An overview of our current knowledge regarding the benefits and the present limitations of this technique!
The developmental cycles of Varroa destructor and the honey bee are closely linked. Since the emergence of the varroa mite in Europe in the early 1980s, numerous chemical treatments have been recommended and applied to control varroosis. Residues of synthetic chemicals and persistent compounds have accumulated in beeswax over the years, contributing to the selection of varroa populations with increased resistance. It is therefore possible to manage varroa populations by intervening in the bee’s developmental cycle. Caging the queen to obtain a brood-free colony is an example of an interesting biotechnical method for controlling varroosis.
The economic benefit for beekeeping operations of removing drone brood as a complementary measure
to control varroa
Since the first article, we have received a large number of requests for clarification regarding the practical implementation
in the hive, followed by many very positive comments on the effects of this “mechanical treatment,” which poses no risk to bees or the queen. After recalling the context of the study and the way it was conducted, we now present the complete results over a two-year period.
When a honey bee colony reaches a certain level of development, part of the population may leave the hive to form a new colony. This division is called swarming.
This is the natural reproduction of the colony viewed as a superorganism. It enables reproduction and thus the survival of the species, and has done so for millions of years. However, beekeepers aim for colonies that develop well and become strong without swarming. What methods can be used to prevent swarming?
A nightmare for some, an opportunity for others, an incredible hope for visionaries, the wax moth is an insect that intrigues all those interested in its evolution and its perfect adaptation to the hive and its superorganism. There are therefore three ways of viewing the wax moth: the beekeeper fears the damage it causes in hives; the entomologist marvels at the undertaker role played by the insect; researchers, for their part, focus on its highly ecological ability to digest highly polluting plastic. So what is this curious moth?
The location of the apiary is undoubtedly the most important choice. It will determine, of course, the harvest, the amount of time you will spend with your bees, and the various savings you will be able to make.
nymph | Hatching bee | hatch | be hatching | bee | honey | outdoor | pollinator | agriculture | beeswax | farm | sting | frame | rural | country | honeybee | wax | comb | hive | pollination | fear | beekeeping | insect | beekeeper | apis | nature | animal
The drone is the male of the honeybee. Its caste depends on the type of egg, the larval diet, and the type of cell. It develops from an unfertilized egg laid in a drone cell. It is the largest insect in the colony, recognizable by its stocky body, hairy thorax, very large eyes, and noisy flight. Its primary role is to transmit its mother’s genetic material during fertilization.