scholarly journals Innovative method for optimizing the microclimate of the winter hive for bees in the conditions of the cryolithozone

2021 ◽  
Vol 282 ◽  
pp. 07022
Author(s):  
V.K. Evsyukova ◽  
M.S. Savvinova ◽  
V.V. Sysolyatina ◽  
F.V. Nikolaeva ◽  
A.Ya. Fedorov

The article discusses the practical significance of the use of infrared scanning method for optimizing the microclimate of winter hives and monitoring bee colonies in extreme conditions of cryolithozone. When monitoring the microclimate by generally accepted zoohygienic methods, the devices record specific indicators of a particular parameter (temperature, humidity, air velocity, pressure, noise, light), while the reason for the deviation from the standard indicators for microclimate optimization is not always possible to find out. When using the infrared scanning method with the Irtis 2000SN thermal imager, it was possible to determine the reasons for the deviation of the parameters of the winter hive microclimate. The targeted elimination of defects in the enclosing structures detected by infrared scanning made it possible to quickly optimize the parameters of the winter hive microclimate. Contactless monitoring of the state of bee colonies during the winter dormancy. This early informative diagnosis without stress allows to identify a problem bee colony and take timely rescue measures. The analysis of the wintering results showed that the proportion of successful wintering in 2019 was 90%, which is 20% more than in 2018 and 30% more than in 2017.

Author(s):  
V.K. Evsyukova

The article discusses the practical significance of using the infrared scanning method to optimize the microclimate of wintering grounds for bee colonies in extreme conditions of the cryolithozone. When monitoring the microclimate by generally accepted zoohygienic methods, the devices record specific indicators of a particular parameter (temperature, humidity, air velocity, pressure, noise, light), while the reason for the deviation from the standard indicators for optimizing the microclimate is not always possible to find out. When using the infrared scanning method with the Irtis 2000SN thermal imager to determine the reasons for the deviation of the microclimate parameters from the standards, the following results were obtained: defects of enclosing structures were found: joints of walls and floor and joints of floor boards with a minus temperature of up to -21°C; the entrance group with a defect of heat leakage, warming the outdoor air to -36°C at an outdoor temperature of -48°C; the reason for the deviation of the air velocity of 0.18 m/s deviation from the standard by 0.08 m/s are defects of enclosing structures (Fig.7,8,12). The targeted elimination of the defects of the enclosing structures detected by infrared scanning made it possible to quickly optimize the parameters of the microclimate of the winter garden, thereby increasing the results of successful wintering of bee colonies. The analysis of the wintering results showed that the proportion of successful wintering in 2019 was 90%, which is 20% more than in 2018 and 30% more than in 2017


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
William G. Meikle ◽  
John J. Adamczyk ◽  
Milagra Weiss ◽  
Janie Ross ◽  
Chris Werle ◽  
...  

AbstractThe effects of agricultural pesticide exposure upon honey bee colonies is of increasing interest to beekeepers and researchers, and the impact of neonicotinoid pesticides in particular has come under intense scrutiny. To explore potential colony-level effects of a neonicotinoid pesticide at field-relevant concentrations, honey bee colonies were fed 5- and 20-ppb concentrations of clothianidin in sugar syrup while control colonies were fed unadulterated syrup. Two experiments were conducted in successive years at the same site in southern Arizona, and one in the high rainfall environment of Mississippi. Across all three experiments, adult bee masses were about 21% lower among colonies fed 20-ppb clothianidin than the untreated control group, but no effects of treatment on brood production were observed. Average daily hive weight losses per day in the 5-ppb clothianidin colonies were about 39% lower post-treatment than in the 20-ppb clothianidin colonies, indicating lower consumption and/or better foraging, but the dry weights of newly-emerged adult bees were on average 6–7% lower in the 5-ppb group compared to the other groups, suggesting a nutritional problem in the 5-ppb group. Internal hive CO2 concentration was higher on average in colonies fed 20-ppb clothianidin, which could have resulted from greater CO2 production and/or reduced ventilating activity. Hive temperature average and daily variability were not affected by clothianidin exposure but did differ significantly among trials. Clothianidin was found to be, like imidacloprid, highly stable in honey in the hive environment over several months.


Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 737
Author(s):  
Tania Ivorra ◽  
Martin Hauser ◽  
Van Lun Low ◽  
Jeffery K. Tomberlin ◽  
Natasha Azmi Nur Aliah ◽  
...  

Meliponiculture, the keeping of domesticated stingless bees such as Geniotrigona thoracica (Smith, 1857) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), is an increasingly popular agricultural industry in Malaysia. This study reports the soldier fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) species of the genus Hermetia colonizing stingless bee colonies in Malaysia. The larvae were reared in the laboratory to the adult stage and identified through molecular and morphological approaches. Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758) and Hermetia fenestrata de Meijere, 1904 (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) were identified from the sample provided. Earlier records of stratiomyids in stingless bee nests were misidentified as H. illucens. This paper represents the first identified record of H. fenestrata colonizing a “spoiled” stingless bee colony. In addition, adult and larval morphological differences between both species and the roles of both species in bee nest decomposition are discussed.


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
pp. 687-695 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.C. Audisio ◽  
D.C. Sabaté ◽  
M.R. Benítez-Ahrendts

Lactobacillus johnsonii CRL1647, isolated from the intestinal tract of a worker-bee in Salta, Argentina, was delivered to Apis mellifera L. honey bee colonies according to two different administration schedules: 1×105 cfu/ml every 15 days (2011) or monthly (2012). The effect of each treatment on the bee-colony performance was monitored by measuring honey production, and the prevalence of varroasis and nosemosis. Worker bees from each assay were randomly captured 3 days after administration and assayed for the following intestinal culturable and defined bacterial populations: total aerobic microorganisms, Bacillus spp. spores, Lactobacillus spp., Enterococcus spp. and enterobacteria. Interestingly, both treatments generated a similar increase in honey production in treated colonies compared to controls: 36.8% (every 15 days) and 36.3% (monthly). Nosema index always exhibited a reduction when lactobacilli were administered; in turn, Varroa incidence was lower when the lactobacilli were administered once a month. Moreover, the administration of L. johnsonii CRL1647 every 15 days produced an increase in the total number of aerobic microorganisms and in bacteria belonging to the genera Lactobacillus and Enterococcus; at the same time, a decrease was observed in the number of total spores at the end of the treatment. The number of enterobacteria was constant and remained below that of control hives at the end of the assay. On the other hand, the delivery of lactobacilli once a month only showed an increase in the number of bacteria belonging to the genus Lactobacillus; meanwhile, viable counts of the remaining microorganisms assayed were reduced. Even though it seems that both treatments were similar, those bee colonies that received L. johnsonii CRL1647 every 15 days became so strong that they swarmed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-246
Author(s):  
R. Shumkova ◽  
R. Balkanska

Abstract. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of Baikal EM1 on the productive parameters of the bee colonies (Apis mellifera L.) during spring and autumn feeding and the chemical composition of the worker bee bodies. Two groups of bee colonies were formed (1 experimental group and 1 control group). During the spring feeding the experimental group was fed with Baikal ЕМ1 at a dose of 5 ml/0.500 L added in the sugar syrup (sugar:water 1:1) for 4 consecutive days at the start of the experiment. Each bee colony received 5 L sugar syrup. During the autumn feeding the experimental group received Baikal ЕМ1 at a dose of 20 ml/10 L sugar syrup. Each bee colony received 10 L sugar syrup. The control group received only sugar syrup. The spring and autumn feeding of the group fed with Baikal EM1 significantly increases the strength of the bee colonies and the amount of the sealed worker brood compared to the control group. According to the results obtained for the strength of the bee colonies and the bee brood supplementary feeding with Baikal EM1 is very effective in the autumn feeding. For these two parameters there are significant differences between the experimental and control on 29.08. (p<0.01), 10.09. (p<0.05) and 22.09.2018 (p<0.01). Statistically significant differences were reported for the strength of the bee colonies (p<0.01) and the amount of sealed worker brood (p<0.001) in the experimental group receiving Baikal EM1 before wintering compared to the control group. It can be expected to reveal a tendency for better spring development in the next year. Feeding with Baikal EM1 does not affect the chemical composition of worker bee bodies.


EDIS ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
James D. Ellis ◽  
Mary C. Bammer ◽  
William H. Kern Jr.

Climate, plant communities, and timing of floral resources differ significantly across Florida, which means that management of European honey bee colonies in Florida differs as well. This 8-page fact sheet written by James D. Ellis, Mary C. Bammer, and William H. Kern and published by Department of Entomology and Nematology outlines a management calendar created for Florida beekeepers. It is specific to region (north, central, and south Florida) and month and includes recommendations for major management considerations like when to treat for parasites or pathogens and when to feed colonies or harvest honey. This management calendar, while not exhaustive, is a valuable reference or starting point for honey bee colony management in Florida. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in848


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Odemer ◽  
Peter Rosenkranz

ABSTRACTIn the last decade, the use of neonicotinoid insecticides increased significantly in the agricultural landscape and meanwhile considered a risk to honey bees. Besides the exposure to pesticides, colonies are treated frequently with various acaricides that beekeepers are forced to use against the parasitic mite Varroa destructor. Here we have analyzed the impact of a chronic exposure to sublethal concentrations of the common neonicotinoid thiacloprid (T) and the widely used acaricide τ-fluvalinate (synthetic pyrethroid, F) - applied alone or in combination - to honey bee colonies under field conditions. The population dynamics of bees and brood were assessed in all colonies according to the Liebefeld method. Four groups (T, F, F+T, control) with 8-9 colonies each were analyzed in two independent replications, each lasting from spring/summer until spring of the consecutive year. In late autumn, all colonies were treated with oxalic acid against Varroosis. We could not find a negative impact of the chronic neonicotinoid exposure on the population dynamics or overwintering success of the colonies, irrespective of whether applied alone or in combination with τ-fluvalinate. This is in contrast to some results obtained from individually treated bees under laboratory conditions and confirms again an effective buffering capacity of the honey bee colony as a superorganism. Yet, the underlying mechanisms for this social resilience remain to be fully understood.


PeerJ ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. e1329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa A. Horton ◽  
Randy Oliver ◽  
Irene L. Newton

One of the best indicators of colony health for the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) is its performance in the production of honey. Recent research into the microbial communities naturally populating the bee gut raise the question as to whether there is a correlation between microbial community structure and colony productivity. In this work, we used 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to explore the microbial composition associated with forager bees from honey bee colonies producing large amounts of surplus honey (productive) and compared them to colonies producing less (unproductive). As supported by previous work, the honey bee microbiome was found to be dominated by three major phyla: the Proteobacteria, Bacilli and Actinobacteria, within which we found a total of 23 different bacterial genera, including known “core” honey bee microbiome members. Using discriminant function analysis and correlation-based network analysis, we identified highly abundant members (such asFrischellaandGilliamella) as important in shaping the bacterial community; libraries from colonies with high quantities of theseOrbaceaemembers were also likely to contain fewerBifidobacteriaandLactobacillusspecies (such as Firm-4). However, co-culture assays, using isolates from these major clades, were unable to confirm any antagonistic interaction betweenGilliamellaand honey bee gut bacteria. Our results suggest that honey bee colony productivity is associated with increased bacterial diversity, although this mechanism behind this correlation has yet to be determined. Our results also suggest researchers should not base inferences of bacterial interactions solely on correlations found using sequencing. Instead, we suggest that depth of sequencing and library size can dramatically influencestatistically significantresults from sequence analysis of amplicons and should be cautiously interpreted.


2011 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 1757-1760
Author(s):  
B. Andjelkovic ◽  
G. Jevtic ◽  
M. Mladenovic ◽  
M. Petrovic ◽  
T. Vasic

The strength of honey bee colonies during year depends on wintering and on biologic development of colonies during spring period. To ensure satisfactory colony development in spring period, it is necessary to add stimulative feed. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of different types of spring feed on the honey bee colony strength. Twenty honey bee colonies were selected for this experiment. Colonies were divided into five groups, and each group received different stimulative feed. The first group was fed with sugar syrup, and the second with sugar syrup with added microelements and with vitamin complex. The third group received sugar candy without additives, and the fourth group received sugar candy with addition of microelements and vitamins. The fifth group was fed with honey. The experiment was conducted on the apiary of the Institute for forage crops in Krusevac.


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