FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Can you suggest the bee types that can be reared commercially under South Indian conditions?
Indian hive bee which is also called as Asian bee (Apis cerena indica) can be reared successfully for commercial production of honey under South Indian conditions.
2. What are the materials that can be used to induce smoking in bee hive?
Rags of cloth, wood shavings, charcoal, coconut husk, chicken feathers or any material can be burnt to induce smoking.
3. Mention the suitable site for placing the beehive.
For bee keeping, the site should be dry without dampness. High relative humidity is not preferable since it will affect bee flight and ripening of nectar. Natural or artificial source of water should be provided. The site should have few trees that serve as wind belts in cool areas. Hives can be kept under shade of trees. Artificial structures can also be constructed to provide shade.
4. What are the special cares that should be taken during rainy season?
During rainy season,
- Avoid dampness in apiary site.
- Provide proper drainage
- When bees are confined to the hive due to rain, provide sugar syrup feeding.
5. How can we prevent the entry of ant in the bee hive?
By providing ant pans around the bases of the stand or oil bands over the stands, ants can be kept away. Underground ant nests are eliminated by dusting of Methyl parathion or carbaryl or pouring 0.1% chlorpyriphos solution.
6. Will it possible to identify the adulterated honey?
The adulterated honey can be easily identified by measuring the specific gravity using hydrometer. If the specific gravity is between 1.25 to 1.44, it is recognized as pure honey.
7. How can we manage the bee hive during summer season?
Bees have to survive intense heat and dearth period during summer season by following means.
- Provide sufficient shade, under trees or artificial structure
- Increase relative humidity and reduce heat by sprinkling water twice a day on gunny bag or rice straw placed on hive
- Increase ventilation by introducing a splinter between brood and super chamber
- Provide sugar syrup, pollen supplement, substitute and water
8. What is the nutrition composition of ripened honey?
The nutrition composition of fully ripened honey is as follows
| Constituents |
Per cent (Approx.) |
Levulose
Dextrose
Sucrose
Dextrins
Minerals
Water
Undetermined (Enzymes, vitamins, pigments, etc.) |
41.0
35.0
1.9
1.5
2.0
17.0
16.0 |
9. Is bee venom, a beneficial compound?
Yes, bee venom is a beneficial compound. It contains histamine, apamine, acithinase, hydrochloric acid, formic acid, orthophosporic acid, sulphur, calcium, copper and magnesium sulphate. Bee venom is commercially obtained by the use of electric shock. One Mellifera colony yields about 50mg of venom.
Bee venom can be used as sub-cutaneous injection for treating rheumatism. It has stimulating effect on heart muscles and decreases cholesterol level and lowers blood pressure. It can cure neurosis, endoarteriosis, endoarthritis and neuralgia.
10. What are the symptoms of bee poisoning?
Bee poisoning can be identified by
- Presence of dead bees near the entrance of hive or colonies
- Presence of dead bees on the top of frames or bottom board
- Lack of recognition of guard bees
- Aggressiveness
- Fighting among bees
- Paralyzed bees crawling on nearby objects
- Sudden decline in food storage and brood rearing
- Dead and deserted brood in the hive
- Poor recognition of pollen and nectar by bees
- Depleted population of the colony
- Contamination of bee products
11. How can we protect honey bees from pesticide poisoning?
The basic principle in the management of bee poisoning is to avoid the exposure of honey bees to toxic effects.
- Bee colonies should be maintained where use and drift of pesticide is minimum
- Close co-operation with farmers to avoid irrational use of pesticides
- Feeding of colonies with sugar syrup at the time of pesticide application to reduce bee foraging
- Need based use of pesticides
- Informing the bee keepers in advance about the spray programme
- Use of less hazardous, selective and repellent (Methyl Salicylate, R-874) insecticides
- Spraying in the evening when the bee activity subsides
- Granules, EC are preferred compared to dusts
- Avoid formulations with attractants like Sevimol during crop bloom period
- Development of bee strain resistant to toxic effects of pesticides
- Addition of adjuvant Sylgard 309 silicone surfactant to reduce the bee mortality.
12. How much profit can be obtained by honey bee rearing?
During the first year, approximately Rs.14,300 can be obtained as net income. It will get increased from the second year onwards as the subsequent years do not require any non-recurring materials. Apart from this, the value of pollination service by the bees is 10 times more money value than that contributed from the honey and bees wax.
13. Whom should I contact for getting more details regarding honey bee rearing?
For further clarifications regarding honey bee rearing, you may please contact:
The Professor and Head,
Department of Agricultural Entomology,
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,
Coimbatore 641 003,
Phone: 0422-431222 Extn.287.
14. Do honey bees help in yield increase of the crops?
In addition to providing man with very valuable materials as honey and beeswax, the honey bees are also useful to him in aiding in pollination of many of his crops. In fact, it has been claimed that the value of bees in pollination of crops is ten to twenty times the value of honey and wax they produce. Certain crops like apples, alfalfa and clover almost entirely depend upon bees for their pollination. Even among some regularly self-pollinated crops, the yield is considerably increased after visit of bees. |
