Platform for beekeeping practice and know-how

To rear drones or not to rear drones – that is the question posed to our bees with the return of the favourable season. Within a colony, males are indeed a luxury: they are far more costly to rear than workers. And the expense does not end at emergence: as adults, drones largely remain dependent on their sisters. In addition, they contribute nothing to foraging activities and very little to hive maintenance. Yet this luxury is necessary: the sole function of males, the transmission of genes, lies at the very heart of the biological meaning of life. Maximising the chances of reproduction while preserving those of survival – it is this subtle balance, to which both the queen and her workers contribute, that we propose to explore today.

The ITSAP (http://blog-itsap.fr/) participated in a European trial on the brood interruption technique in varroa control, which aimed to quantify efficacy, the impact on colony development, and the practicality of different approaches, whether combined or not with the use of oxalic acid. Here is a summary of the results and discussion of the scientific article (Büchler et al.) published this year in the Journal of Apicultural Research.

Unlike social insects, which include our honey bee Apis mellifera, wild or solitary bees have a different way of life. They do not share their nests, do not cooperate in brood rearing, show no overlap of generations, do not store honey, work independently, are not aggressive, and often lack a sting.

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.

Hawthorn is a very good melliferous plant, whose fragrant flowers are visited by a wide range of insects collecting nectar and pollen. Its fruits also attract many birds.

Sea buckthorn, whose scientific name is Hippophae rhamnoides, is an evergreen plant belonging to the botanical family Elaeagnaceae. This hardy and highly ornamental shrub, which can reach a height of up to 4 metres, has a densely branched stem with thorny shoots on which small, fleshy, orange-coloured berries develop, resulting from the development of the floral receptacle after fertilisation.

Based on the videoconference by Prof. Joseph Hemmerlé on 11.01.2025, School of Agriculture Châteauneuf / Sion

Swarming is a natural phenomenon at the core of honey bee colony dynamics. Through this process, part of the colony, led by the old queen, leaves the hive to establish a new nest. For beekeepers, swarming represents a challenge, but it also constitutes an opportunity for colony renewal. Thanks to the in-depth research and careful observations conducted by Professor Joseph Hemmerlé, it is possible to gain a better understanding of the biological, ethological, and environmental mechanisms underlying this fascinating behaviour.

Watch the video

Bees do not close their eyes throughout their lives. Nevertheless, their activities are influenced by an intracerebral protein (pigment-dispersing factor, PDF), which enables them, among other things, to orient themselves in relation to the position of the sun.

It may happen, for example during the first spring inspection, that one encounters a moribund colony with no food reserves, with frames showing scattered brood of the male type … What has happened?

Figure 1: Drone-laying colony: very small population, scattered drone brood, no worker brood, low food reserves, no visible queen, deformed combs, drone cells.

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.

Nature ensures the multiplication of colonies through swarming, but beekeepers prefer colonies that develop well and become strong without swarming. A colony that intends to swarm (swarming fever) stops building comb and collects little nectar. Swarms are often lost, especially for beekeepers whose apiaries are far away. In addition, a parent colony that has swarmed requires special attention and care. What can the beekeeper do?