Platform for Professional Beekeeping Knowledge and Practice

There are several circumstances in which this beekeeping operation is required; however, the most serious case, which calls for the greatest precautions, is American foulbrood. The content of this information sheet therefore focuses on this specific disease.

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Crowded hives are not only a matter of apiary layout: they may also increase drifting and the spread of varroa between colonies. The study by Seeley and Smith shows how spacing, robbing and reinvasion can influence overwintering success. For beekeepers, the practical message is clear: good apiary organisation can reduce risk, but it never replaces rigorous varroa monitoring and control.

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.

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.

What is the legal status of beekeepers in Switzerland? When does a beehive become a structure requiring a permit? This article summarizes the legal opinion drafted in 2023 by Prof. Thierry Largey (University of Lausanne), whose conclusions shed light on beekeeping practices without, however, replacing a legal analysis of a specific case.

Every May 20, World Bee Day returns to the calendar. Behind this date lies a broader question: Why have we dedicated a day to pollinators? What is its specific purpose, and what does science tell us about the actual status of these species? The following provides some context based on the available evidence  (See the official website: World Bee Day).

A hive inspection should be prepared in advance to avoid omissions and to improve efficiency. Any inspection, even a brief one, disturbs the colony, which perceives it as an intrusion; the resulting stress causes the bees to consume between 0.5 and 1 kg of honey. Inspections should therefore only be carried out when necessary. The following tips make inspections more effective:

Some acaricides used in alternative control strategies against Varroa, such as formic acid or essential oils, do not always provide sufficient efficacy. As complementary measures, we recommend the removal of drone brood or the establishment of young colonies in spring. These interventions aim to slow the development of Varroa populations and thereby reduce infestation pressure. They have the advantage of being applicable during the main beekeeping season, whereas the use of chemotherapy would entail significant risks of contaminating honey harvests.

The Institute of Apicultural Research at the University of Hohenheim has discovered an active substance against varroa: lithium chloride.

This is very good news, although the active substance—before being placed on the market as a medicinal product for bees—must of course undergo further testing to determine the optimal dosage and to rule out side effects for bees and users as well as the risk of residues. It will therefore still take some time before varroa control can be optimised.

The beekeeping calendar presented below was created by a hobby beekeeper using his own approach. The tasks to be carried out each month depend strongly on the region, altitude, type of hive, type of bees, and many other factors. This calendar was designed to help beginners in our association and our region manage their first hives throughout the year and to provide answers to the questions they may have from month to month.