Two-Queen Colonies in central Highland Conditions of Ethiopia Increase Population Size and Honey Yield

Wakjira, Kibebew; Negera, Taye; Kumsa, Tesfaye

doi:10.1080/0005772x.2020.1804312

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…In contrast to the articles surveying the most common hive management techniques, recent research articles empirically demonstrated potential improvements in hive management. These range from feeding regimes to cope with dearth seasons, migratory beekeeping (Kumsa et al 2020), methods to increase propolis production (Nuru et al 2002b), to maintain colonies with two queens at least transiently (Wakjira et al 2020). While techniques for multiple queen colonies with other A. mellifera subspecies were already developed (Zheng et al 2009a, b), for the Ethiopian highlands, Wakjira et al (2020) for the first time investigated this method to increase colony development, food stores and profits mostly by reduced beeswax, feeding and labour costs.…”

Section: Honey Bee Management and Bee Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges and perspectives for beekeeping in Ethiopia. A review

Gratzer

Wakjira

Fiedler

et al. 2021

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

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The honey bee is an important fruit and vegetable pollinator and a producer of honey and other hive products. Beekeeping is a sustainable and high-potential activity for local communities and especially for the rural poor to gain additional income through non-timber forest products, does not require much land or high starting costs, maintains biodiversity and increases crop yields. Ethiopia is one of the top ten honey and beeswax producers in the world, but plays only a minor role in the international honey trade. Unlike large-scale beekeepers using modern techniques found in most leading honey-producing countries, the majority of Ethiopian beekeepers are small-scale producers practicing traditional beekeeping. In this article, we summarize the knowledge on Ethiopian beekeeping, honey bees, honey bee pests, marketing strategies, cultural aspects and major challenges of beekeeping. Furthermore, we used FAOSTAT data to calculate a pollination gap in order to draw the attention of stakeholders and decision-makers to bees and their importance in pollination and sustainable rural development. In regard to forage, we compiled 590 bee forage plants and their flowering times as a supplement to the article. This review outlines the following major points: (1) Ethiopia is a top honey and beeswax producer mainly for the domestic market; (2) Equipment for traditional beekeeping is easily accessible but brings disadvantages (gender gap, limitations in hive management and lower honey yield), while transitional and modern systems require certain beekeeping skills and higher starting costs; (3) Colony numbers increased by 72% from 1993 to 2018 and crop areas needing pollination by 150%; (4) Honey yield per hive and number of beehives managed per area of bee-pollinated crops increased by 20% and 28%, respectively; (5) Pesticide use has been increasing and there is a lack in pesticide use education. Recommendations to realize Ethiopia’s tremendous apicultural potential are discussed.

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Section: Honey Bee Management and Bee Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges and perspectives for beekeeping in Ethiopia. A review

Gratzer

Wakjira

Fiedler

et al. 2021

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

Self Cite

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“…Also, feeding on proteinaceous diets ( Taha, 2015b , Puškadija et al, 2017 ), and age of comb ( Taha and El-Sanat, 2007 , Taha and Al-Kahtani, 2020 ) were reportedly affected. In addition, Valle et al, 2004 , Wakjira et al, 2020 used two-queen colonies to gain high honey yield.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of caging the queens during the flow season on some biological activities of honeybee colonies

Shawer

Rakha

Taha

et al. 2021

Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences

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This study was achieved in a private apiary located in a banana farm in Sa El Hagar, Basioun, Gharbia, Egypt from August 15, 2019 to May 25, 2020, including the banana ( Musa sp., Musaceae) flow season (August and September) and extend to Egyptian clover ( Trifolium alexandrinum L., Fabaceae) flow season (May). The study aimed to evaluate the effect of confining the queen during the banana flow season on the brood rearing, honey yield, and activation of worker's ovaries. Also, we determined the negative impact of caging the queen during the banana flow season on the activity of the colony in brood rearing, storing pollen, and honey yield after releasing the queen on 5 October, extending to the next flow season in May. The obtained results showed that the honeybee colonies with the caged queen produced significantly more honey yield and less brood production than the free queen ones during the banana flow season. Also, the caging of the queen did not affect the colony strength after releasing the queen despite the partial development of the ovaries of some workers, but they did not lay eggs. In addition, releasing the queens suppressed the ovaries of the laying workers. It can be concluded that caging the queen during the banana flow season helps the colonies to produce more honey yield without effect on the colony strength after releasing the queen despite the ovaries development of few workers without egg-laying.

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