Assessing factors that impact on hive colonisation

Robert Mtisi, Makoni Beekeepers Association, Manicaland Province, Zimbabwe

Beekeeping is not about how many bee hives one has in the apiary. It is about having a good number of colonies. Beekeepers who take time focusing on improving their hive occupancy ratio have the greatest chance of making beekeeping a sustainable business that can strengthen the local and national economy. Beekeepers need to understand what bees are looking for when they seek a hive to occupy. Beekeepers will be successful if the wider honey bee population is healthy and thriving within a landscape with abundant and diverse forage. By understanding the bees’ needs, the hive occupancy ratio will improve.

Introduction

Many beekeepers concentrate on increasing the number of bee hives in an area while giving insufficient consideration to hive colonisation. Too many hives are left idle without bees, which means the owner of the assets (hives) is not receiving any return from them. It is believed that most of Africa including Zimbabwe has a low hive occupancy ratio of 40% (Bradbear, 2009; Nyatsande, et al, 2014).

The lack of knowledge about hive colonisation by many beekeepers impacts negatively on honey production. With this article I want to inform beekeepers how to create the best environment to support bees, improve honey production and strengthen local economies.

The research took place in several apiaries in Zimbabwe that use the top-bar beekeeping system. The system was chosen by participants because of several advantages, including:

Map 1: Zimbabwe Agro-Ecological Zones

Makoni District is surrounded by four other districts in Manicaland Province4

a) A relatively inexpensive hive, cheaper than frame hives

b) Inspections can be carried out quite well

c) It is possible to harvest honey, while causing minimal disturbance to the brood

e) A good beeswax harvest can be achievedf) It is relatively easy to hang and site the hives.

The research took place in apiaries that had between 2 and 20 hives set in one place.

Method

A qualitative method was used. This was chosen because it encourages participants to express their own views (constructivism) and uses personal, cultural and historical experiences to interpret situations (interpretivism). The use of a qualitative method also gave room for the provision of a wealth of insightful information into human behaviour, perception, attitude and experience (Denzin & Lincoln, 1994).

A group of eight members from Makoni Beekeepers’ Association, six prominent beekeepers from local small-scale honey producers (Working for Bees, Honey is Money, Nyakasikana, Emerald and Yorkshire), two District Agricultural Extension Officers (DAEO), one Forestry Commission District Officer (FCDO), two local leaders and two NGO representatives participated in the study. The participants were all purposively chosen (non-probability sampling). This sampling technique suits a qualitative method of enquiry. Participants were chosen if they had some of the following attributes: good reputation, position(s) held in the community, conserve the environment (not cutting down trees indiscriminately), a love of bees and trees, and knowledgeable about the issues in the study.

Methods employed to generate data included a focus group discussion, interviews, a discussion with key informants, participant observation and document analysis. The local leaders, DAEOs, FCDO and NGO representatives formed the key informant team of participants. The Makoni Beekeepers’ Association were engaged in a focus group discussion, while the beekeepers from the local producer groups were individually interviewed. These methods generated a wealth of data about hive colonisation as a single aspect of beekeeping in the study area.

A trap/catcher box in the process of being colonised. This took place a day after melted beeswax was smeared on the top-bars plus a few drops on the hive entrance

Photos © Robert Mtisi

Table 1. List of factors considered to have an impact on colonisation of hives.

Date Asset

1. Beekeeper’s experience - H

2. Beekeeper’s level of training - H

3. Hive stocking density - H

4. Bee colony population in the area around the apiary - N

5. Availability of bee pasture - N

6. Size of area around the apiary - P

7. Hive quality - H

8. Hives too big or too small - H

9. Type of attractants - H

10. Use of trap boxes or not - H

11. Poor setting of trap boxes (too low) - H

12. Weather - N

13. Seasons - N

14. Poor siting of apiary - H

15. Poor setting of hive - H

16. Predators - N

17. Poor apiary management - H

18. Poor honey harvesting practices - H

19. Poor housekeeping in the bee yard - H

20. Non availability of water source - N

21. Unplanned chemical and pesticides use - H

22. Small or big bee entrance point - H

23. Poor timing of hive siting in relation to season - H

24. Different types of hives - P

25. Time of day - N

26. Bee fly path - N

27. Poor hive construction - H

28. Drought conditions - N

29 Deforestation - H

30. Poor environment around the apiary - H

31. Belief that it is a natural happening - S

32. Belief that colonisation of hives is by luck - S

33. Belief that colonisation of hives is culture related - S

34. Poor shade trees - N

The study took place in Makoni District which shares boundaries with Buhera, Mutare, Mutasa and Nyanga Districts in Manicaland Province. Makoni District falls into agro-ecological zones 2, 3, 4 and 5. The District receives annual rainfall of 1,400 mm and is at an altitude of 1,400 m. The District depends on an agro-based economy and villagers practise semi-commercial and commercial agriculture. Gum plantations, fruit tree orchards, tobacco fields and large areas of indigenous groundnut, maize and sunflower can be found in the District. Most areas covered by agricultural crops and trees are good beekeeping areas.

Results

The discussions and interviews yielded a list of factors considered important in influencing occupation of hives, listed in Table 1. Results were coded with letters to identify them within the Sustainable Livelihood Framework (Bradbear, 2009). The Framework is a useful tool for assessing how Assets can be combined to yield sustainable development. The Framework focuses on Assets including Financial (F) Human (H), Natural (N), Physical (P) and Social (S).

After listing all the possible factors and attributing them to different asset classes, we then counted the number of factors in each class. The results of this summary by asset class are shown in Figure 1.

Discussion

The most important Asset Class that influences poor colonisation of bee hives is Human. This is good news because Human actions can be modified and changed through the acquisition of knowledge. Natural Assets also have some significant influence whilst Physical and Social have very little influence. Financial Asset was found to have no influence on hive colonisation. While the Financial Asset has no influence on hive colonisation it plays a significant role in improving other Assets that can be used to improve hive colonisation. For example, Financial Assets may be needed to attend a training course for a beekeeper to improve their skills. A balanced framework brings sustainable beekeeping with improved hive occupancy ratio.

Interventions that focus on capacitating the beekeeper with knowledge on best practices in hive colonisation and the provision of suitable hives will result in improved hive occupancy ratio. Some aspects of Natural Assets are hard to change e.g. the weather, but a beekeeper must be knowledgeable about such issues and how they affect colonisation of hives. Agro-forestry and education are likely to fight deforestation that has left bees with no pasture. The best way to learn about hive colonisation in beekeeping is by doing it practically. Physical Assets can be modified by choosing the area where beekeeping takes place and through the provision of suitable, wellmade and well-sited hives. Both Financial and Social Assets can have an indirect bearing on Physical Assets. Better areas for bees can be found and partnerships can be established and other areas for beekeeping can be bought or rented. People can share sites for bees or pay to share land, through payments with honey.

Figure 1. Chart showing number of factors that impact on hive colonisation by Asset Class

A young beekeeper, Morat Mutisi, collected combs infested with wax moth from one of the hives. Bees left the hive because they could not live together productively with the wax moth. All these combs were affected

A bee hive poorly constructed and poorly set. It is not easy for bees to colonise and predators will easily find access into the hive

The results were communicated to those who took part in the research. This was done through presentations at a workshop. To influence others the findings can be used to produce a training manual on hive colonisation.

Mice found in a hive during an inspection exercise. The hive will never be colonised as long as the mice are there – bees and mice cannot live together!

The author in a sunflower field. The brightly coloured sunflowers provide nectar and pollen for the bees. Hives close to the field were colonised easily. Integrating beekeeping with agro-forestry practices is an important land use management plan

References

BRADBEAR,N.J. (2009). Bees and their roles in forest livelihoods. A guide to the services provided by bees and the sustainable harvesting, processing and marketing of their products. FAO, Rome, Italy.

NYATSANDE,S.; CHITESA,A; SHAYAMANO,I. (2014) Beekeeping in Zimbabwe. Agritex, Harare, Zimbabwe. pp 10-15.