If you are looking to start feeding bees during the dearth season, you need to be prepared for several factors. This will help to ensure the success of your project. These include:
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Identifying melliferous pollen flora in DIKhan
It’s no secret that indigenous melliferous flora is key to the success of honey production in the KPK. However, it has been a long time since an exhaustive survey of the Asclepiadaceae was undertaken in this part of the country. The present study was a modest undertaking to redress that omission.
The study used a combination of palynological methods to identify the best weeds for bees. A total of sixteen weeds were collected from ten families. Two types of weeds were tested: sylvaticus (which produces the best honey in the district) and Setaria (which yields the snooze sack). Each weed was pressed to reveal its equatorial diameter and the quantitative data was analyzed using the IBM SPSS Statistics 20 software.
The most notable weed was the weed omo a genus from the Pteridaceae family. A corresponding microscopy study was also carried out, revealing several interesting findings.
Palynological analysis indicates specialist foraging behavior of Apis mellifera L.
The present study conducted in DIKhan, Pakistan indicates that Apis mellifera L. is a specialist forager. It has a high maximum foraging distance and can carry heavier pollen loads than A. cerana.
The bee has a special odor acquiring phase, which allows it to collect more nectar in resource-scarce areas. Moreover, it can forage more flowers per foraging trip and spend less time on each flower. It also can start foraging at lower temperatures.
A palynological analysis was carried out to identify the foraging resources of A. mellifera. It showed that the flora has 56 plant species, which belongs to 48 genera. These plants include shrubs, trees, vines, and cultivated herbs. The Asteraceae family has the highest frequency of occurrence.
The Asteraceae family had six types of pollen. The Rutaceae had three types, and the Solanaceae had two types. The Fabaceae had eight types.
Preventing robbing of bees
The problem of preventing robbing of bees is a serious one. Robbers can steal honey, and may spread disease. There are a number of steps that beekeepers can take to ward off robbers.
To prevent robbery, make sure that your hive has a clean entrance. You can do this by using a screen, or placing a wooden block or straw at the entrance. This reduces the number of robbers that enter the hive.
Also, make sure that your hive is sheltered. If your bees are in a sheltered area, they will be less likely to fly around. This helps keep your bees cool.
When nectar is scarce, bees will try to find an alternative source of food. This process is called a “dearth.” Dearths can happen at any time of year, but they are most common in the spring and summer.
Feeding bees from the top, NOT the front
When it comes to feeding bees, there are several things you need to consider. It is important that you know when a dearth is likely to happen. This can help prevent robbing, which can result in loss of honey and bees. When a nectar dearth occurs, bees will start to become aggressive.
When a nectar dearth hits, the queen limits the amount of eggs that she can lay. When the nectar stops coming in, the colony’s population decreases. This can cause the queen to eat larvae for protein. This means workers will no longer be able to rear brood. As a result, they will not survive the winter.
To protect your bees, you can place a robbing screen at the front of the hive. This will ensure that robbers will not be able to easily enter. When the screen is inserted, you will have to adjust it for about 20 to 60 minutes. Once you have done this, the colony will understand how to go up the screen.
Minimizing damage a dearth can cause
It’s important to know how to minimize damage a dearth can cause when feeding bees. A dearth is a shortage of nectar. This is the most important food source for bees, but it can also be a stressful time for them. If they have access to nectar, they will be more productive, but without it, their population can fall. Luckily, there are some things you can do to help ensure they get through the winter.
First, make sure you have plenty of access to syrup. This will keep your bees happy and keep the hive population from dwindling too low. If possible, set up a system of community feeding stations in your apiary. This will make it easier for you to harvest late-season nectar flows.
You can also use a robbing screen to help keep robbers at bay. This is particularly useful if you have a weak colony.
