Practical beekeeping – hygiene in colony management

GOOD BEEKEEPING PRACTICE - HYGIENE IN BEE COLONY MANAGEMENT

Wolfgang Ritter, CVUA-Freiburg, Am Moos Weihez, D 79108, Freiburg, Germany

Keywords: American foulbrood, chalkbrood, feeder, propolis

The second in the series of Dr Wolfang Ritter offering advice for Good Beekeeping Practice during the management of bee colonies and honey processing.

Hygiene

Hygienic conditions within the nest are very important for a honey bee colony: ill or dead bees are quickly removed, die far away from the hive during foraging, or die as crawlers at the entrance hole. This prevents ill bees from defecating inside the hive and avoids the spread of germs (pathogenic micro-organisms) within the colony. Worker bees are constantly busy cleaning the inner space and covering it with propolis to disinfect the area.

The beekeeper interferes with the bees’ own well-functioning hygiene system when he or she lifts out and replaces frames or combs, and also when using devices for management, feeding or honey harvest. Neglecting cleanliness endangers both the health of the bees, and also the production of clean and healthy food items. This point is valid regarding also equipment used in the processing of bee products. There are different ways to reach a certain standard of hygiene. In Germany, only when an apiary has to be sanitised after an outbreak of American Foulbrood (AFB) does the veterinary medical officer or the bee expert in charge, determine the method for cleaning and disinfection.

Wooden frames are disinfected quickly and easily using a commercially available gas burner and a rented bottle of propane gas

PHOTOS © J SCHWENKEL

Good coat of paint

For good public relations concerning honey production you should keep the outside of hives looking good. Use only safe, pollution-free, preferably natural materials, for painting hives. Though the exterior surface does not come into direct contact with the inner parts of the hive, evaporation may influence bee health and bee products. Good hygiene at the entrance of the hive is important because it is the area most frequented by bees. However a healthy colony of normal strength will take care of this for itself.

Fire and lye

Coating hives inside is not necessary because in new hives the bees take care of hygiene. However, a balanced relationship between colony strength and space must be respected. As with all used hive parts, frames put on top for expansion should be cleaned by scraping them out and preferably disinfecting them. Wooden hives are cleaned simply by torching. Hive parts can be washed with a 2% soda solution (lye). For plastic frames, lye is the only possibility. After the outbreak of a disease, especially AFB, you should preferably use 5% lye or other officially recommended chemicals.

Careful cleaning

The bottom of the hive is usually cleaned by the bees themselves. However in weak colonies or in hives with deep bases, faeces on the floor board may go unnoticed. The bees cannot clean underneath the bottom grid, and here the beekeeper must take action. Chalkbrood mummies removed by the bees from the brood cells represent a permanent source of infection. If they are not removed, the fungal spores penetrate the brood section by circulation in the air. Other mildew moulds affect bee health and the quality of bee products.

Clean feeders

If a feeder is integrated into the hive system, or if a receptacle is introduced, it must be cleaned regularly and thoroughly because bees do not regard this section as being part of the nest, and they clean it less carefully. Also leftovers containing sugar are an ideal home for all kinds of germs and can easily start to ferment. Therefore remnants of food should always be removed quickly.

Cleaning tools and small equipment

Beekeepers’ hive tools, bee brushes or feathers imply a special risk. They easily transfer diseases from one colony to another. Cleaning them well and regularly is an important part of Good Beekeeping Practice. You can interrupt a chain of infection from apiary to apiary by using separate sets of tools at each place. In the case of queen breeding and rearing do not forget to clean mating hives and breeding frames - because they are used only for a short time they tend to be disregarded.

Remnants from a dead colony have to be removed and the hive disinfected before a new colony is introduced

How to do

Manual cleaning

Hives and tools are regularly cleaned of wax and propolis remnants using a hive tool and a rough brush. Water is sufficient to clean the surface. If used, chemical cleaners must not be hazardous to bees or pollute the bee products.

Advantages

• Suitable for nearly all kinds of material

• Increases the effect of any following disinfection

Disadvantages

• Labour-intensive

• Germs in narrow gaps are not reached

Gas burners

Gas burners produce temperatures of around 2,000°C and are therefore perfectly suitable for disinfecting wooden surfaces which afterwards should look slightly browned on top.

Advantages

• Suitable for wood and metal parts

• Suitable for sanitation after AFB infestation

Disadvantages

• Less suitable for wooden parts coated with paint

• Not suitable for plastic parts

High-pressure cleaner

Commercially available high-pressure cleaners dispense water with a pressure of up to 140 bar. A better cleaning result is obtained by using warm or hot water at the intake. An additional disinfecting effect is achieved by using a 3% soda solution.

Advantages

• Suitable for nearly all kinds of material

• Disinfecting in combination with 3% soda solution

Disadvantages

• Materials are strongly penetrated by moisture

• Not suitable for sanitation after AFB infestation

Caustic soda

Caustic soda or soda lye is a strong alkali with acid-like effects. Because of the high risk of accidents, protective spectacles, chemical-splash gloves, apron and rubber boots are part of the equipment needed. The lye is always prepared in cold water and warmed up afterwards. For 2% caustic soda lye, 1 kg, and for 5%, 2.5 kg, of caustic soda respectively, are dissolved in 50 litres of water. Hive parts are either brushed with warm lye or dipped into hot lye and rinsed afterwards with water. Before disposal the lye has to be neutralised (pH 7) with acetic acid. Acidity must be monitored, for example with litmus paper (pH 1-10).

Advantages

• Suitable for nearly all kinds of material

• Suitable for sanitation after AFB infestation

Disadvantages

• High risk of accident with hot lye

• Environment protection needed during disposal

The hot flame makes the remnants of wax and propolis melt.

Supers with food are also heated and scraped out afterwards

Checklist for Good Beekeeping Practice

Hives and tools used are food safe* YES/NO

Paint used for coating is food safe* YES/NO

Hives and tools are cleaned regularly YES/NO

Hives and tools are disinfected especially after disease outbreak YES/NO

Materials for cleaning and disinfecting are bee safe and food safe* YES/NO

Environmental protection and health and safety measures are to be respected if caustic soda is used YES/NO

*Certified as being food safe or at least non-hazardous to health

BfD acknowledges www.diebiene.de as the source of this article

The next edition of Good Beekeeping Practice will discuss comb hygiene