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Sea buckthorn, whose scientific name is Hippophae rhamnoides, is an evergreen plant belonging to the botanical family Elaeagnaceae. This hardy and highly ornamental shrub, which can reach a height of up to 4 metres, has a densely branched stem with thorny shoots on which small, fleshy, orange-coloured berries develop, resulting from the development of the floral receptacle after fertilisation.
The bee is an insect belonging to the order Hymenoptera (together with wasps, ants, etc.). Hymenopterans are equipped with two pairs of wings, three pairs of legs, and articulated appendages. Their body is composed of three distinct parts: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen.
Unmarked queens can sometimes be very difficult to locate. We recommend having marking equipment available during every colony inspection, so that unmarked queens can always be marked when encountered. This requires a good eye, and not all beekeepers necessarily have the ability to reliably spot queens. When a nucleus colony needs to be formed or a queen introduced, the beekeeper is then often faced with a difficulty.
Pollinators use precise cues to identify flowers rich in pollen or nectar: colour, scent … Researchers have discovered that bees are also sensitive to temperature variations between different parts of a flower. These “thermal patterns” enable them to locate the flowers richest in food.
Melliferous plants, apicultural plants, mellitophilous plants… all these terms refer to plants that are of interest to bees. But what do they really mean, and which term is the most appropriate?
The main environmental determinants of caste development in bees arise from larval nutrition: royal jelly stimulates the differentiation of larvae into queens, whereas bee bread leads to the development of worker bees. However, these determinants have not yet been fully characterized.
During May, a simple way to increase one’s apiary or to prevent swarming in an overly strong colony is to create a package bee swarm.
The idea that an animal or plant is merely the product of the genes inherited from its parents is increasingly being questioned. Until now, it was known that the environment can influence the appearance or behavior of living beings (the phenotype) to a considerable extent. However, it has been shown that in some cases, environmental influences can be passed on to subsequent generations without changing the genetic information itself. The entirety of the mechanisms that control this heritable component influenced by environmental factors is referred to as “epigenetics.”
Yellow, orange, red, blue, grey or almost black: the pellets brought back to the hive offer a glimpse of the resources being exploited. Their colour can guide observation, but it is not sufficient either to identify a plant with certainty or to judge the nutritional quality of the pollen. The table proposed here should therefore be used as a field guide, not as an identification key.
Faced with the current context—polluted environments, pesticides, climate change, varroosis, etc.—beekeeping is confronted with multiple challenges. However, this context does not explain everything. In order to act effectively, it appears necessary to address the “health aspect” of bee colonies in a holistic manner. This approach assumes that the biological functioning of bees is similar to that of other living organisms and that all these factors share the characteristic of being influenced by human actions. Such reflection should guide beekeeping interventions in a way that respects the health of the bees.
Varroa is known to suck the haemolymph of bees. Well known, but apparently (largely) incorrect.
Researchers in the United States were intrigued by the magnitude of varroa’s impact on bee health in relation to the relatively small amount of haemolymph it extracts. Since insect haemolymph is comparatively poorer in nutrients than mammalian blood, they questioned how the parasite could develop on such a resource.
The terms F0, F1, F2 or Fx are often used in queen breeding, but they do not by themselves indicate whether a queen is good or poor. This article explains what these terms mean, what role heterosis may play, and why decisions should always be based on origin, mating and, above all, the real performance of the colony.
Recognising bee diseases and knowing effective control and prevention methods are sine qua non conditions for ensuring bee health and for good beekeeping practice. Diseases spread not only very rapidly within hives because of physical contact between worker bees and trophallaxis (the exchange of food between bees), but also between hives. Because bees can fly over long distances, rob neighbouring colonies, or drift into them, the risk that a large number of colonies and apiaries will be affected by a disease or an epizootic is significant. When one also considers the movement of hives by beekeepers and the high density of apiaries in Switzerland, the prevention of epizootics and diseases becomes even more important in bees than in other livestock animals, which can be quarantined more easily.
Bee packages – all similar, yet very different in their composition and use.
The preparation of bee packages is not a common practice in beekeeping, as it requires specific expertise that is rarely taught in beekeeping schools. Many online videos fail to provide all the information surrounding this technique, which often leads to unsuccessful outcomes when beekeepers attempt to put it into practice.
Although they are few in number, wild or feral colonies of A. mellifera mellifera do indeed exist in nature and are resistant to Varroa due to their small size, their tendency to swarm, the low density of the habitat, and probably through natural selection. Studies also show that these strains of black bees are pure, without hybridization. Consequently, researchers argue for the development of a conservation policy for these bee populations, because they constitute a wild taxon that is probably in decline, but also an interesting genetic reservoir from a beekeeping perspective.
The individual behavior of the honey bee is embedded in the overall management of the colony as a superorganism. Activity deep within the brood nest is now revealed thanks to the work of a research team that has developed a technology for digitally recording striking video footage. The intimacy of the colony is exposed down to the bottom of the comb cells: egg laying, larval hatching, care of open brood, and food storage appear in short videos, making it possible to visualize behaviors that had previously gone unnoticed.
Cape ragwort (Senecio inaequidens) is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Asteraceae (or Compositae) family, native to South Africa, from where it was accidentally introduced through the wool trade. Its branched stem reaches a height of 40 to 60 cm and bears yellow flowers that bloom over a long period, from early summer through autumn, attracting bees mainly for their yellow pollen.
Asters are perennial herbaceous plants belonging to the Asteraceae (or Compositae) family. Their name derives from the Greek aster, meaning star or flower.
They are ornamental plants widely cultivated in gardens, with more than 250 species. Most originate from North America, some were introduced from Asia, while others are native to Europe.
January generally corresponds to the core of the overwintering period in Switzerland. The colony lives at a reduced pace in a cluster: it maintains a sufficient internal temperature to protect the queen, and if brood is present (which varies depending on altitude and climate), the central area is heated more intensely. Honey consumption remains moderate but continuous. Typical risks of the month include “silent” starvation (insufficient or inaccessible reserves), humidity, and disturbances. The beekeeper therefore acts mainly through external observation, targeted securing of reserves, hygiene, and preparation of equipment, while avoiding any intervention. The watchword is: “Do not disturb!”
February is a pivotal month for the colony. Day length increases, and the queen gradually resumes laying. This resumption remains fragile: stores can become critical, temperatures are unstable, and any prolonged opening can chill the brood. The beekeeper acts mainly through observation, anticipation, and preparation, keeping interventions to a minimum.