Hives are alive

The soundtrack of spring is already buzzing, as striped little drones kick their nectar collecting operations into high gear.

With temperatures already peaking in the mid-20’s and the scent of budding blossoms filling the air, these little critters cannot resist the temptation to spread their wings.

According to Pete Beart, chairman of the Eastern Highveld Beekeepers’ Association (EHBA), life within a hive becomes dramatically less frantic during the winter months with worker bees concentrating on maintaining the fine balance within their intricate waxed domain.

“During this time queen bees will produce approximately 250 eggs per day as the bees carefully manage their resources in anticipation of spring,” he said.

“As the first blossoms spring to life, maintaining the longevity of the hive again takes priority and queens start laying up to 1 500 eggs per day. This means residents will be noticing a lot more buzzing in their gardens.”

With the expansion of colonies, scouts often set out to identify new foraging grounds and if needs be, signal the queen that a mass relocation is needed.

“Bees can travel between 3 to 5km collecting nectar. As more bountiful foraging grounds are identified outside of this radius, the colony may move to ensure optimal yields while preserving energy,” said Beart.

“If you suddenly see a swarm of bees gathering in your garden, it is not necessarily an indication that they are preparing to move in.”

Beart explained that during the relocation process, the swarm’s main objective is to reach its destination while ensuring the safety of its queen.

“This is a tiring process and the swarm will have to make several rests. Contrary to popular belief the swarm is docile during this time and will not simply attack, unless they feel threatened or are provoked.”

He suggests that residents create safe and shallow watering posts to assist the bees to hydrate, recoup and ultimately move on to their intended new home.

“Place pebbles or similar objects in a saucer filled with water. The pebbles will allow the bees to safely land and consume water without the threat of drowning,” he said.

“It is not recommended to mix grated fruit, such as apples in the water as the sugar will activate the fermentation process which in turn can poison an entire swarm as well as the hive.”

However, Beart cautions that should the swarm remain in one spot for more than 48-hours, chances are that they have identified this as their new home and already in the process of building a hive.

“Within four days, the worker bees would have started building the new hive, which would be enough for the queen to start laying eggs. At this time it is recommended to call in the services of professional bee removers, to safely remove and relocate the swarm.”

Residents are urged to visit the EHBA Facebook page to make contact with its accredited members.

Want to learn more about bees, beekeeping and to get your hands on local responsibly sourced pure honey?
The EHBA will be hosting another Bee and Honey Show on October 28 and 29 from 09:00 to 16:00 at Heckers Garden Centre, 1 Kirschner Road, Westwood, Boksburg.

Visitors to the garden centre are invited to take a peek into the association’s observation hive to get a first-hand view of life within the hive.

For more information WhatsApp Beart on 063 689 3700.

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