Expert Advisory Details

How and when to start the beekeeping?

This is also an ideal time for starting beekeeping, as during this month, pollen and nectar rewarding bee flora are available and weather conditions are favourable for foraging. Brood rearing in the colonies is at full swing and the colonies grow rapidly. Ample drone brood is also reared. Thus, this period is also suitable for multiplication of existing stock of the colonies which can be accomplished by small beekeepers by improvised division method and by large beekeepers through mass queen bee rearing from selected breeder colonies. Older queen bees may also be replaced with the new ones reared from the selected stock. Migrate bee colonies to Eucalyptus plantation in the beginning of March if not migrated earlier. Beekeepers, who have not extracted Brassica honey as yet, should extract it before migrating the colonies. If colonies are over populated, provide more space by giving raised combs/frames with comb foundations and super chambers. Manage the colonies to prevent and check swarming by remaining vigilant and following appropriate methods. Dust sulphur powder on the top bars of bee combs @ 1.0 g per comb against Tropilaelaps clareae mite. Alternatively, fumigation with formic acid (85%) @ 5 ml daily for two weeks may be applied which, however, should be avoided during nectar flow. The latter treatment will also take care of Varroa mite. Trickling of 5 ml of oxalic acid (4.2 %) solution prepared in sugar solution (60 %) between every two bee combs late in the evening thrice at weekly interval is also effective against Varroa mite. In the case of infestation by Varroa, destruction of sealed drone brood comb part, Varroa trapping on drone brood and then its destruction, dusting of icing sugar on bees, and use of sticky papers with wire mesh on Varroa bottom board, can also be integrated. Keep vigil of the brood diseases and on suspicion, immediately consult experts and appropriate control measures should be undertaken; non-chemical methods should be preferred. Use of antibiotics should be avoided. Proper spacing among the colonies and extraction of honey only from the supers separated from brood chamber with queen excluder help in preventing spread of Varroa and brood diseases among the