Bees and beekeeping

The honeybee belongs to the class of Hymenoptera insects that includes thousands of species of bees, wasps, ants and similar species are not interested at the moment. Its main feature is that it has a pair of membranous wings, being much larger than the posterior front pair. Like many members of his class, keep their young in narrow cells, have an abdominal stinger with which many species can inject a powerful poison in the body of their enemies or victims, this weapon is more common in bees and wasps

Beekeeping is a branch of animal husbandry which is a great source of wealth for the many benefits that can be obtained through artisanal or industrial exploitation. Apart from providing honey as the main product, beekeeping can also produce pollen, beeswax, royal jelly, propolis and bee venom (SALAS, 2000) and can earn additional income on the sale of nuclei, hives, queens and rent beehives for pollination.
Beekeeping can be initiated without significant capital; the most humble and very knowledgeable person in this area can become a hobby beekeeper, a swarm capturing lost or placing a box trap.


Community Life of Bees


A swarm may contain a varying number of individuals from 5-30000, but strictly speaking, it is a single entity, even though the parties may be separated from the whole and return to it. Each and every one of the members of a bee colony and depend on the other can not exist separately. The colony behaves as a unit because:
Regulates the interior temperature
Controls humidity inside the hive.
Develop a hygienic behavior allows the colony to maintain its health.
The members of a colony are distinguished from each other by their smell (pheromones).
The behavior of each individual within the colony is determined by:
The genetic endowment.
The state of maturity and functioning of your body.
External stimuli to the bee family.
Organization of bees
In a hive, there are three classes . The Queen Drones The Workers

The queen or mother


For however great a swarm is useless unless you have a fertile queen (MACE 1991) is the only female fertilized by what becomes the center and family life. If he dies, the colony will have to create another or otherwise disappear. No decision of the government of the colony and its main function is to lay eggs to ensure the continuity and survival of society (SALAS, 2000) Outstanding Features of the Queen:


Abdomen longer than their wings.
It is the only female fertilized.
It is the center and life of the hive.
Controls the population by actual pheromones.
Its mission is oviposition from 2000 to 3000 eggs per day.
The queen is building workers.
Experience 3 - 4 years
It sting, only to fight other queens
When it is very old appear in the hive more offspring than normal drones
the workers

1 Nodrizas: They feed the children or larvae from the hive, at first with a milky glandular substance known as royal jelly and later with a mixture of honey and pollen
2 Aseadoras: They clean the hive, take out the dead larvae and bees removed from the hive any rare object found therein.
3 ventilators: Ventilate the hive to maintain stable humidity and temperature inside the hive. The pups need to develop between 34 and 36 ° C and humidity of 65-75%.
4 Construction: They make honeycombs. The honeycomb construction has two stages: by capping the young construction workers and building honeycombs by older workers. The construction of honeycombs wax is produced by the body of bees.
5. Guardians: Protect the hive. It is a stage prior to foraging, its function is to prevent the entry of bees from other hives, insects and other animals outside the hive.

6 foragers: foraging He is out of the hive to collect pollen, nectar, water and propolis. Pollen and Propolis carry it in a small basket located in the rear legs and nectar in their stomach.
7 Scout: Looking for sources of food and new houses, are the oldest working hive. When they find food, water or new home, return to the hive and warn their neighbors through dance.



Drones or Males
This has no sting, no defense and their only function is to mate with new queens (Encarta, 2002).
Factors to consider installing an apiary
the Beekeeper
Modern beekeeping undoubtedly requires a very personal interest. Although it is far from requiring the attention they require other animal species, which generally have to feed or water at least once a day, it is essential to address them properly. To be a successful beekeeper, it takes courage, patience and dedication. With these qualities, anyone can keep bees with a reasonable prospect of success (MACE 1991)
Apiary location
Two factors, comfort and convenience bees beekeeper are taken into account but both have limits depending on the breed of bees exploit in this manual will refer only to the Africanized bee.

The general location requirements are:
1 Access: Due to the movement in and out of boxes full or empty a place where I can get some kind of transportation is recommended.
2 Locate apiaries 200 meters of houses, roads, highways. This will prevent future possible attacks on animals and humans.
3 beekeeping Flora plentiful. Plants for bees are the most important because of its flowers to obtain nectar they convert to honey and pollen used to feed the larvae; they are also in the resins become propolis to cover the cracks in the hive. Consider that the smallest plant size can be very good producer of pollen or nectar, this indicates that all plants in beekeeping are important exception of some poisonous plants that are very rare cases. It is also important to know which plants are environment apiary honey and dates that come into bloom; for this, it is recommended to record them on a calendar. Beekeeping calendar data are very supportive in subsequent years.
4 Source of clean water: The bees need plenty of clean water, which used to regulate the temperature inside the hive in the summer and to use as drinking water. Each hive need 1-2 bottles of water per day.
5 The Plot: You must select an area with a slight slope without much moisture, or strong winds, but the wind can be countered by installing hedgerows.
6 Protective Equipment: As regards protection, the conventional beekeeping equipment market is mentioned and which can be manufactured at home: Coveralls, gloves, mask or veil, boots and smoker.
Acquisition of swarms
Bees can be obtained from purchasing hives, cores or capturing wild swarms and hives:
a) Purchase of cores: One core is half a Langstroth hive body is a box containing five frames. Care to buy cores: The cores can be purchased at the apiary of a beekeeper experienced and serious, must contain a medium body (half of a simple hive), 5 frames of which at least 2 containing honey and pollen and the rest bees and chicks of all ages with their respective reigns.
b) Purchase of hives: A very quick way to start an apiary, but it means having enough money to invest in it. Care to buy hives.


It is the best way to start an apiary, as the bees are ready to work but need to make a good investment because the price is getting high. Hives for sale consist of a single body or brood chamber, with 10 frames with their respective food and young, you need to order them in advance so that the supplier has some time to prepare and buyer may receive a healthy hive and complete .
SWARM CAPTURE
When a group of bees hanging from a tree, it means that they are looking for a new home. A swarm consists of the queen bee and half of the workers who were in the newly swarming hive and some drones; These swarms can be captured and taken as a new beehive apiary.
Steps for catching swarms:
a) Catching the Swarm: There are two ways; The first is using a hunting bag swarms, which can be made of the same fabric of the veil. The other way is to drop the swarm directly into the box that is the brood chamber; this requires striking the object of which the same so that most of the bees are inside hangs. If the queen entered, all the bees will.
b) If the operation is performed during the day, leave the box in the place where it was hanging the hive to foraging bees and scout bees to return and join the new hive, not allowed in beekeeping leave abandoned foragers, for this is the force that gives birth to it.
c) It is noted that the queen to be elusive try to leave the new house. To prevent leakage, it is necessary to place a trap preventing queen exit, it can be manufactured from a queen excluder.
d) In the evening is the best time to move them to the apiary. When bees move is necessary to close the entrances of the hives cover and use a conveyor to allow free air circulation.
e) The swarm must provide stamped frames with wax. Provide, brood, pollen and honey bees instinctively never leave the children, providing young is a good idea to accept the new, as well as honey and pollen if they have them or make use of artificial feeding.


Installation, maintenance and management of apiaries and hives
a) Installation of an apiary: apiary is considered the set of two or more hives, up to thirty in one place and in an area of collecting up to three square kilometers. You can have more hives but competition for collecting pollen and nectar high serious decay and production per hive. Having acquired what it takes to manage an apiary, subtraction only installation and the following factors should be considered:
b) Cases for hives: emphasis on Langstroth hive will be made as this is the most widespread in the international arena.


c) Parts of modern Langstroth hive or:
a. Base jumper or floor: On the floor lies the body of hives
b. Brood chamber: Go over the floor and placed her brood and queen remains, is the first case from the bottom up.
c. Queen Excluder: Va placed above the brood chamber, this prevents the queen rise to rising production oviposition.
d. House or boost for honey are one or two and are placed on top of the brood chamber, one above another, are the same size of the brood chamber and contain ten marks each.
e. Piquera: This is the entrance of the bees to the hive, is a small ramp that serves airstrip bees and stands in front of the hive.
f. Prints, frames and racks: These bees build honeycombs must be mobile and independent.
g. Entretapas: A waterproof cover, will placed above the last boost, can be plastic.
h. Top: The roof of the hive, should preferably take a sheet of zinc to prevent entry of rainwater into the hive
d) The provision or organizational design of hives
To know that provision is necessary to take account of the topography and also the convenience or taste of the beekeeper. There are three ways to have the hives: Circular, in groups and online.


The distance between hives


For the Africanized bee is considered a distance of two meters or more viable.
Banks or burritos
Each hive must stand on a bench, stand or donkey to prevent soil moisture in the brood chamber and the entry of some animals. The minimum allowable height is 50 inches. There are a variety of types of banks but selecting one depends solely on the beekeeper and needs. The following figures show various types of banks that can be used is



Management practices beehives and apiaries
It is advisable to make an inspection of each hive at least every 15 days. The aim of the review is to ensure the Beehive State; when the review should carry the full protective equipment and make good use of it.


Steps in a review of hives:
Placed to one side of the runner.
Apply smoke into the hive.
Open the hive.
Check frame by frame, but starting with one of the bank.
Observe in each frame or honeycomb food availability, eggs, hatchlings of all ages, presence of disease, pests or parasites.
At the time of the review should be avoided for that tilt the panels would help spilling honey or larvae are evolved.
Return the combs to the hive in the same order in which they were.
Smoke repel every attack of bees.
Write down everything observed in the hive in the log sheet.
Close the hive.
Cleaning the apiary
The apiary should stay clear of weeds, cleaning allows foraging bees reach their hive with less difficulty. To perform the cleaning work is necessary to cover with a piece of Maya the entrance of a colony in the early morning hours to avoid the attack of all hives on the person doing the clearing the land. When cleaning is finished you have to remove the bees maya to work
artificial feeding
The only reason that induces working bees to die is to save or store food to survive during the lean season of pollen and nectar which generally coincides with the winter. Beekeepers not previously harvested honey from the last gathering before winter because of the food life depended hive, beekeepers now choose to harvest all the honey of the season and provide artificial bee forage. The explanation is rooted in power that is cheaper to leave some honey because the price has reached the latter.
Care to feed:
Prepare mixtures apiary outside, as if done in this promote a strong bee activity around the person doing the activity.
At the time of application must avoid food spillage thereof on the hive, this will cause a strong pillage.
The food must be provided within the hive.
Types of feeders
1. collective Feeders
These are used outside the apiary and large containers are used for large numbers of bees to stock several hives. Inside the container should be placed floating objects prevent bees die by drowning.
2 Individual Feeders
Feeders four types of these features are identified:
Food is a camera modified to contain some type of food, this requires line a framework will become a container frame leaving a space of about two inches below the ribbon frame frame for the bees to enter the draw food. After modified the frame, it is necessary to coat the inside of the chamber with a bath of food beeswax to seal cracks and keep in good food, you need to enter a float for the bees from drowning.
Plastic bag is used for feeding syrup and consists of a transparent plastic bag which is filled with syrup to which you also have to make holes with the tip of a needle so that the food comes out the same. The bag is placed in the brood chamber that is necessary to remove one or two frames to provide space to the bag.
Panela cane sugar (rapadura) The brown sugar can be very useful and cheaper and can be used as purchased in the market without any modification, you can place the brown sugar on the floor of the brood chamber.
Using plastic containers
Types of artificial feeding of bees
a) Liquids: Sugar syrup, molasses, cane juice
b) Solids: Sweet brown sugar white or brown sugar, fresh fruits (watermelon, cantaloupe, mango, etc.)
The season of Food
Lean period: In this period urgent maintenance or supply is needed. Beehives for some reason do not have reserves of honey (one part sugar to one part water) served
Pre-flowering period: The period of scarcity queens posture and reduce hive population is drastically reduced to the new bloom where nectar and pollen foragers entering and becomes Queen normalize posture But, for purposes of performance of a hive should be artificially fed with an advance of 40 days before the great flowering; thus the queen to feel that food has entered the hive begins posture and end of the 40 days when flowering has begun; there is also a powerful force in the hive pecoreadora for maximum use of the honey flora. The food that is provided during this period is known as a stimulant supply (two parts sugar to one part water).
Pests and diseases affecting bees
pests
1 Varroa: a mite of a tick size cream color, brown to orange.

Damage caused: Parasitic body larvae and adult bees, feeding on the hemolymph, weakening and killing these.
Playing: playing inside the cells of the brood combs especially cells of zanganeras, new born parasitized bees.
prevention:
Always keep hives strong.
Keep only drones pups when necessary.
Avoid contact with healthy hive boxes, combs, frames and other objects used in infested hives.
Make an acceptable control looting.
In infested areas avoid using feeders or collective feeders.
Rapid diagnosis of Varroa
Revise adult bees from the top of the chest and abdomen.
In pups desopercularlas necessary and then blot on white paper, which fall in the offspring of bees and varroa if any.

Varroa Control application of some chemical that exists in the market such as formic acid, Folbex (brompopilato) Perizin (caumaphos), Apistan (fluvalinate) and apitimol Bayvarol (flumethrin), the latter two used to be little more contaminants. To use any of the products is necessary to consult a technical beekeeping or the seller thereof.
2 The Wax Moth

They are the larvae of butterflies galleridae family that feed on wax, honey, pollen, debris bee larvae and cocoons. The white worms are moving very quickly, there are two types of moths that attack the hives and differ in their adult and larval size.
Damage caused by the wax moth:
Forman galleries within the combs and covered with wire like the spider web.
They feed on the honeycomb and what they find inside.
Loss of mass destruction hive honeycombs.
Reproduction: Adults live outside the hive but lay their eggs on or near developing lospanales where the larval stage.
prevention:
Maintain strong hives.
Reduce the size of the input orphan, new or weak hives.
Remove and store the combs that the bees do not use during the period of scarcity.
Control.
The more effectively controlled by using chemical products such as alcohol sulfur mixed with combustion gas produced by burning kills larvae, this is done without the presence of bees. Can also be used to cure the tablet kernels which is introduced together with the combs affected in sealed containers. Another option that can be used in the hive is the ball of naphthalene in quantities of one per hive.
3 Wasps
Wasps can disrupt the tranquility of hive they always lurk and attack weak to steal their hives few reserves, reducing the entrance to the hive ends with this evil.

diseases
Honeybees are attacked by different types of pathogens in all states of life. Diseases usually attack in times of food shortage or when the hives are very weak, can also get sick by consuming contaminated food or water.
The bee diseases attack different anatomical and physiological systems and found that bees with respiratory problems, digestive, locomotor, circulatory, etc. All pathogens problems are difficult to identify with certainty because of laboratory support required, but an experienced beekeeper can exercise control diseases by attacking their symptoms.
Disease prevention:
Renew 5-10 diapers per hive per year, very old combs can be a source of infection.
Check hives every 15 days and regularly disinfect equipment.
Provide safe food to maintain strong hives.
Buy nuclei and hives with health guarantee.
Protect ruffles rain wet inside hives are more likely to get sick.
Prevent looting.
Predisposing factors and means of spread of disease
Changing diapers of infected hives healthy.
Queens very old.