Comparison of three methods to multiply honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies

Abstract

In Canada, there is a growing need for additional honey bee colonies to satisfy the demand for pollination services and compensate for high winter colony mortality. The objective of our study was to compare methodologies that would be both better structured and adapted to producing new colonies in today's beekeeping industry. Efficacy of three colony production techniques was compared at the Deschambault Research Center for Animal Sciences, Québec: package bees, one brood frame, two brood frames. Experimental colonies were monitored from July 2014 to June 2015, and several parameters were measured to evaluate their strength and the presence of pathogens. Results showed no statistical difference in colony strength between methods. However, making nuclei from one brood frame offered the greatest multiplication potential and the most advantageous economically. This study also confirmed that nuclei production reduces swarming and varroa infestation levels in mother colonies. Apis mellifera / honey bees / nuclei / package bees / population dynamic

Prioritizing changes in management practices associated with reduced winter honey bee colony losses for US beekeepers

“…The production of splits (or nuclei) is also typically recommended as a swarming prevention method, which if unprevented can result in the loss of the largest fraction of the worker population, decreased production and increase risk of queen events should the requeening fail. Finally, splitting colonies is known to help reduce the Varroa pressure in mother colonies (Maucourt et al, 2018). It is not unusual for complete beginners to start from packages, but years of beekeeping experience did not appear as a high predictor in our small scale groups.…”

Protection of honeybees and other pollinators: one global study

“…Decades of research on honeybees has resulted in the development of methods to prevent colony loss and recover colonies through breeding (e.g. Hristov et al 2020;Maucourt et al 2018). Such research is generally not available for other pollinator species, especially those that are not managed.…”

Young Honeybee (Apis Mellifera Bandasii) Queens Perform Better than Old Ones

“…The following variables were monitored every active season using an objective mode which uses empirical measures: Brood area: the area occupied by immature worker honeybees (eggs + larvae + capped brood) in colonies was evaluated every 21 days by overlaying a grid pre-marked in 5 cm by 5 cm on each sides of every brood frame and the area covered with the brood was visually summed (Maucourt et al, 2018).…”