The honeybee colony is a complex and fascinating society with a highly organized structure and division of labor.
The Queen in the Honeybees.
At the center of the colony is the queen bee, the only reproductive female responsible for laying eggs. She is the mother of the bees in the hive and the only female bee that mates.
The work bee
Surrounding the queen are the worker bees, all female, who perform the majority of the tasks in the hive, including foraging for nectar and pollen, caring for the brood, building beeswax comb, defending the hive, and cleaning the hive. Worker bees do not mate or lay eggs.
The Drones
The drones, all male honey bees, have the sole purpose of mating with a queen from another colony. They are brothers to worker bees and sons of the queen. Their role is to leave the hive and wait for the queen to fly over and mate with her. If a drone doesn’t mate with the queen, the worker bees kick him out of the hive. However, the queen does not mate with the drones in her hive (her sons). Once the drone mates with the queen, they die. Additionally, if there is a food shortage in the hive, the worker bees kick out the drones so that they don’t feed on the precious honey. Drones are not necessary for hive survival.
The hive.
The hive is a masterpiece of natural engineering, constructed from beeswax produced by the worker bees. It consists of hexagonal cells arranged in honeycomb, where the bees raise their young, store honey, pollen, and royal jelly, and carry out various hive activities. The comb is carefully designed to maximize storage space and provide structural stability. The intricate inner workings of the colony and hive reflect the remarkable adaptability and intelligence of honeybees as a species.
The apiary.
The bee farm, also known as the bee yard, is an area where beekeepers maintain their beehives. Typically, a farmer can manage up to a hundred bee colonies in such a yard, assuming there is sufficient forage for the honeybees. However, it is generally recommended to maintain about 10 hives per square kilometer. This practice helps minimize food competition among the bees, ensuring that each colony has access to the resources it needs to thrive.
Honeybees require pollen and nectar from flowers. To ensure your apiary thrives, plant a variety of flowering plants to provide ample forage for bees. This helps to increase the food sources for honeybees and aids in the cross-pollination of your garden plants. Farmers are recommended to plant trees within a radius of 2 to 3 km to provide enough forage for bees.
Consideration for site selection.
When choosing the location for your beehives, it’s important to find a spot that’s away from public areas and your livestock. However, you should also consider the distance to your living area. This is crucial because when it comes time to harvest the honey, especially for commercial purposes, lugging heavy boxes of honey back to your home can be quite a hassle. This challenge can be even more daunting if your apiaries are set up in hilly areas. Furthermore, if your apiaries are too far away, it can make regular inspection and management more difficult.
Where to place your hive on your farm.
Given the land challenges in Kenya, it is important to place beehives on infertile land where other agricultural activities, such as farming, cannot be conducted. It is advisable to place the hives in areas unsuitable for cultivation, such as rocky terrain or the least fertile parts of the farm. Additionally, it is important to keep the beehives at a distance from the farming area to prevent any disruption to farming activities caused by the bees.
The ideal site for a bee hive should be.
Away from Human and animal traffic.
African honeybees are docile, but they can get aggressive if tampered with. As a result, to avoid sting injuries on animals and humans, the apiary should be at least 200 to 300 meters away from human and animal traffic. Moreover, this reduces disturbance of the bee hives which causes the bees to migrate. Bees like a quiet place and more importantly, fence your apiary to avoid the disturbance.
Proper Lightning for the Honeybees.
Bees are calm creatures and they prefer a cool, shaded environment with minimal exposure to sunlight. In cool areas, farmers should provide some shade for the hives, while in hot areas, good shade is necessary. If the apiary does not receive enough sunlight, the bee hives may become damp and the bees inactive, leading to the growth of mold, diseases, and pests. The ideal light for the apiary is in the morning, afternoon, and evening to ensure maximum sunlight exposure.
Good Source of food for the Honeybees.
Honeybees require pollen and nectar from flowers. To ensure your apiary thrives, plant a variety of flowering plants to provide ample forage for bees. This helps to increase the food sources for bees and aids in the cross-pollination of your garden plants. Farmers are recommended to plant trees within a radius of 2 to 3 km to provide enough forage for bees.
Adequate Water source for the Honeybees.
When setting up your apiary, it’s essential to keep in mind that honey bees need a reliable water source to thrive. As you probably know, water is vital for their life cycle. So, when scoping out the perfect location for your hive, be sure to consider nearby water sources like ponds, rivers, or lakesides. It’s all about giving your honey bees the best environment to flourish!
Easy Accessibility.
The bee hive should be accessible to beekeepers for easy hive inspection and management. Place your hive in considerable height not too high to reduce the tedious task of climbing during harvesting. Make sure your apiary is accessible for your equipment to pass through. This is an easy task when harvesting honey in bulk. Furthermore, ensure your hives are in proximity to all you pass through while inspecting the hives.
Protected and fenced
Colonies need protection, so farmers must ensure their apiaries are well-fenced. Honey bees are vulnerable to many predators, such as the honey badger, which can be highly destructive if not effectively controlled. Additionally, humans can pose a threat to apiaries as they may attempt to steal honey. Therefore, farmers must take adequate measures to safeguard their bees and hives from potential threats.
Proper drainage.
The area should not be waterlogging to avoid the rotting of hives, and posts will hold the apiary. Well-drained area is therefore ideal to avoid absconding due to high humidity.
Avoid Pesticides near the Honeybees.
Unfortunately, much research is revealing that pesticides have become the greatest threat to honey bees and honey production. Avoid spraying your plants on the flowering stage when bees are busy collecting pollen and nectar. Instead, use alternative options such as biological control or organic insect-friendly pesticides.
Honey is a high-value product as it fetches favorable prices in the market. Therefore production calls for careful planning and management.
