Top-Bar Beekeeping: Organic Practices for Honeybee HealthTop-Bar Beekeeping is an offering designed to encourage beekeepers around the world to keep bees naturally by providing beekeeping basics, hive management and the utilization of top-bar hives. In recent years, beekeepers have had to face tremendous challenges, from pests, such as varroa and tracheal mites, to the mysterious but even more devastating phenomenon known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Yet in backyards and on rooftops all over the world, bees are being raised successfully, even without antibiotics, miticides, or other chemical inputs. More and more organically-minded beekeepers are now using top-bar hives, in which the shape of the interior resembles a hollow log. Long lasting and completely biodegradable, a top-bar hive made of untreated wood allows bees to build comb naturally rather than simply filling prefabricated foundation frames in a typical box hive with added supers. Top-bar hives yield slightly less honey but produce more beeswax than a typical Langstroth box hive. Regular hive inspection and the removal of old combs helps to keep bees healthier and naturally disease-free. Top-Bar Beekeeping provides complete information on hive management and other aspects of using these innovative hives. All home and hobbyist beekeepers who have the time and interest in keeping bees intensively should consider the natural, low-stress methods outlined in this book. It will also appeal to home orchardists, gardeners, and permaculture practitioners who look to bees for pollination as well as honey or beeswax. |
From inside the book
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... fatbodies affect worker longevityandthatthese substancesinteract with brood pheromones.1 Beesborn from smaller cells,in contrast, aresmallerand show greater resistancetovarroa mite.2 In topbar hives, the bees are free to vary.
... , then fed to her as she works. Thequeen's pheromones have a very powerfuleffect onthe hive. They suppress ovary development in the workers, keeping themfrom laying eggs of their own. The brood, or baby bees, also emit a.
... pheromone into the hive if they feel, see,or smell the approach ofan intruder. This olfactory alarmis dispersed quickly throughoutthe hive.Similar tothe presence ofadrenaline in human bodies, this scent initiatesa fightorflight response ...
... pheromone, which is released into the air when the hive is disturbed, but it alsomaydrawon the flightresponseof the bees in the presence of fire. Historically,beeshavelived mainlyintrees,sothe threat ofa forest fire would bepotentially ...
... pheromones, and they will usually stay in the hive rather than leave asa queenless swarm. The hive shouldbe ready toreceive the bees when the package arrives. Ideally, the boxalready would havesome combs hanginginit from another hive ...
Contents
Hive Management | |
The Seasons Spring | |
Honey Beeswax and Other Products | |
Evaluating Your Queen | |
ProblemSolving | |
Raising Queens | |
Planting for Bees Trees | |
Conclusion | |
Other editions - View all
Top-bar Beekeeping: Organic Practices for Honeybee Health Les Crowder,Heather Harrell Limited preview - 2012 |