Bee Forage Management: Feeding Bees Across Seasons

Bee forage management involves the cultivation and care of forage plants specifically for bees. Here, we delve into different types of forage plants, their blooming periods, and the importance of artificial feeding in various beekeeping situations.

Types of Forage Plants in Beekeeping:

1. Attractant Plants:

These plants, such as calliandra and mango flowers, emit a pleasing scent that serves as a natural lure for bees. The fragrance not only attracts foragers but also enhances the overall pollination process.

2. Repellant Plants:

Plants with spring mechanisms, such as alfalfa and Cassia Siamea, produce odors that deter bees. Understanding these plants helps beekeepers strategically place hives to avoid interference with their foraging patterns.

3. Nocturnal Plants:

Flowers like jasmine, which bloom exclusively at night, cater to nocturnal pollinators like bats and moths. Recognizing these plants is essential for understanding the broader ecological context of bee foraging and their role in supporting other pollinator species.

4. Diurnal Nectar-Secreting Plants:

These flowers, including calliandra, sunflower, mango flowers, bottlebrush, sweet potatoes, pawpaw, coffee, and various eucalyptus species, are vital for daytime foraging. Beekeepers should strategically plant these to ensure a consistent nectar and pollen supply for their colonies.

5. Carnivorous Plants:

Plants in the family Droseraceae, known for capturing lower animals, including honey bees, highlight the intricate interactions within ecosystems. Recognizing and managing these plants contributes to both beekeeping and broader biodiversity conservation efforts.

Blooming Periods of Forage Plants:

Plants with very long blooming periods are crucial for sustained forage availability. Opting for forage plants that can withstand challenging conditions like intense sunshine and adapt to both wet and dry seasons ensures a more resilient and reliable food source for bees.

Some plants, like legumes with poor blooming, require careful consideration due to their vulnerability to excessive sunshine. Beekeepers need to understand the limitations of these plants and diversify forage sources to ensure year-round sustenance for their colonies.

Plants that depend on favorable conditions for blooming, such as sugarcane, coffee, and bananas, emphasize the need for beekeepers to be mindful of local climate patterns. Planning alternative forage sources during unfavorable conditions becomes critical in sustaining healthy bee colonies.

Artificial Feeding of Bees:

Bees require artificial feeding under various circumstances, each serving a specific purpose:

a). Breed Colonies:

During certain stages of breeding, supplementing the diet of colonies becomes necessary to ensure optimal health and strength. This is particularly crucial when natural food sources may be limited.

b). Overwintered Bees:

Bees that have survived the winter may have depleted food stores. Additional feeding during this period helps replenish their resources and prepares them for the upcoming foraging season.

c). Newly Established Colonies:

Supporting recently established colonies with extra food is essential for their successful establishment. Adequate nutrition at this stage contributes to population growth and resource accumulation.

d). United Colonies:

When separate colonies are combined, supplemental feeding aids in the smooth transition and helps the united colony establish itself with sufficient resources.

e). Weak Colonies:

Colonies facing challenges, such as disease or environmental stress, benefit from additional feeding to boost their strength and aid in recovery.

f). Bad Weather Conditions:

Bees may struggle to forage during adverse weather conditions, such as heavy rain or extreme cold. Feeding during these periods ensures they receive essential nutrients when natural sources are inaccessible.

g). Strength Boost:

Beekeepers may choose to increase the strength of their colonies for specific goals, such as honey production or enhanced pollination capacity. Supplementary feeding supports this objective.

h). Chemical Contamination:

If natural forage is contaminated with harmful chemicals, providing supplementary feed ensures that bees have access to safe and nutritious food, preventing potential harm to the colony.

i). Scarcity of Blooming Flowers:

In periods of limited floral resources, supplemental feeding becomes essential to sustain bee colonies. This is particularly crucial in regions or seasons with sparse natural forage availability.

Colony Management in Beekeeping: Basic Principles in Apiary Management

Once the hive is occupied, a beekeeper must adhere to certain guidelines during inspection and harvesting.

Guidelines for Bee Inspection and Harvesting:

i). Avoid Bee Flight Paths:

Beekeepers should position themselves away from the direct flight paths of bees to minimize disruptions during hive inspections.

ii). Quiet Work Environment:

Conducting hive inspections with minimal disturbance, including quiet working practices and avoiding excessive talking, drumming, or shaking of hive stands, ensures a calm and cooperative hive environment.

iii). Swift Yet Smooth Operations:

Efficient hive inspections involve quick yet smooth operations when opening hives. This minimizes disruption and stress on the colony.

iv). Careful Top Cover Removal:

The careful removal of the top cover and the gentle use of smoke around the hive entrance contribute to a calm atmosphere, facilitating a more cooperative response from the bees.

v). Methodical Bar Removal:

Gradual and careful removal of top bars, creating a gap before removing individual bars, minimizes disturbance to the colony. This practice allows for thorough inspection without causing unnecessary stress.

vi). Smoke Gently:

The judicious use of smoke during inspections helps calm bees without causing harm. Applying smoke to the gap and all bars vertically ensures a smooth inspection process.

vii). Orderly Bar Replacement:

Maintaining the order of removed bars and ensuring they are replaced without squeezing bees contributes to colony stability and reduces the release of alarm pheromones.

viii). Consider Timing:

Being mindful of the timing for hive visits, with harvesting in the evening and inspections in the morning, aligns with bees' natural activity patterns and promotes a more cooperative atmosphere.

ix). Limited Hive Work Time:

Managing hive inspections within a specific time frame, typically not exceeding one hour per apiary, helps prevent prolonged disturbances and stress on the bees.

x). Protective Clothing:

Wearing appropriate protective gear, including light-colored clothing and a bee veil, ensures the safety of the beekeeper by minimizing the risk of stings to the face and eyes.

xi). Bar Alignment:

Ensuring that top bars are pushed together during replacement helps maintain hive integrity and prevents the creation of gaps that could lead to irregular comb construction.

xii). Maintain Short Grass:

Keeping the grass in and around the apiary short reduces potential obstacles during hive inspections and enhances overall apiary hygiene.

xiii). Sting Management:

In the event of a bee sting, proper management involves refraining from pulling out the sting. Instead, using a fingernail to gently scratch it out helps minimize the injection of venom into the beekeeper's body.

xiv). Preparation Before Entry:

Before entering the apiary, taking precautions such as avoiding the use of cosmetics, refraining from smoking, and ensuring overall protection against potential irritants contributes to a safer and more controlled beekeeping environment.

During Bee Hive Inspection:

During hive inspections, beekeepers focus on specific aspects to ensure the well-being of the colony:

a). Surplus Sealed Honey:

Assessing the presence of surplus sealed honey during inspections helps determine the readiness for honey harvesting. This observation ensures that honey is collected at an optimal time, preserving hive resources.

b). Bee Behavior:

Monitoring the behavior of bees during inspections provides insights into their overall mood and potential issues. Aggressive behavior may signal queenlessness, prompting further investigation.

c). Queen Status:

Checking for the presence of eggs and brood is a fundamental aspect of hive inspections. The absence of eggs and brood indicates potential queen issues, such as a lack of egg-laying activity.

d). Brood Types:

Observing the presence of both sealed and unsealed broods provides valuable information about the age and reproductive health of the queen. A focus on brood diversity helps assess the overall vitality of the colony.

e). Pests and Diseases:

Regular inspections for pests and diseases inside the hive are crucial for early detection and intervention. Identifying and eliminating pests during inspections contributes to overall colony health.

f). Comb Issues:

Detecting and addressing faulty combs, such as crossed or misaligned combs, ensures a well-organized hive. Trimming or correcting comb irregularities creates space for essential colony activities.

g). Queen Cells:

Identifying queen cells during inspections prompts necessary action. Destruction of queen cells helps prevent swarming, ensuring the colony remains focused on its current reproductive structure.

Note: If inspections reveal the prevalence of only drone brood, considerations for queen replacement may arise, as this phenomenon often indicates an aging queen.

Conclusion

Effective bee forage management plays a pivotal role in sustaining healthy colonies and supporting broader biodiversity. Understanding the diverse types of forage plants, their blooming periods, and the necessity of artificial feeding under various circumstances equips beekeepers with the knowledge to foster robust apiaries.

The careful selection of attractant, repellent, nocturnal, diurnal, and even carnivorous plants contributes to a balanced foraging environment. Beekeepers must consider the importance of prolonged blooming periods for sustained forage availability and adapt to local climate patterns, ensuring year-round sustenance for their colonies.

Artificial feeding serves as a crucial tool in addressing specific colony needs, from breeding and overwintering bees to supporting newly established or weak colonies. It becomes essential during adverse weather conditions, scarcity of blooming flowers, or instances of chemical contamination. Additionally, strategic colony management principles, encompassing guidelines for inspection and harvesting, further contribute to harmonious coexistence between beekeepers and their colonies.