African bees are known for absconding, this is a very big problem in beekeeping becuase bees need time in a beehive before becoming productive.
Of course there are various causes of absconding such as poor hive condition, poor hive management, limited nectar sources, hash environment conditions, limited space in the hive and many others.
African bees are funny, they don't value the time and care we give them; they just abscond anytime they want.
A few days ago, i captured a big swarm which was desperately hanging on a tree and installed it in a new hive. Immediately i supplied the bees with sugar syrup as first aid relief and to show caring on them.
But just after two days even before eating all the syrup, they absconded and this is one of the reasons why we can't easily buy packed bees in uganda and install them in hives like beekeepers do in USA and Europe: our bees abscond so easily!
Therefore the best way to control absconding after installing the bees is to cage the queen but again it is not easy to see the queen especially in a big swarm. And when you try to turn the bees around in search for a queen, again the queen may escape in the process and fly away causing all bees to follow her leaving the hive empty!
I have got an idea of making a net sack using old mosquito nets. This net will help to wrap around the hive after installing the bees for a period of more than a week or two in order to force the bees to get used to their new home.
I have chosen the net because it will allow good air circulation though the bees will not be able to fly but i will be providing them with sugar syrup which will stimulate their enzymes to produce wax and build combs which will allow the queen lay eggs. I think when these bees have something in place, they will less likely to abscond.
Using a queen excluder could be another solution. With this, the workers can fly out freely in search for nectar and learning about the environment. It's very unfortunate we don't use queen excluders in our KTB hives.
Normally african bees are used to moving themselves into a new hive at their own convinience.
It sucks to find newly installed bees have left the hive...without valueing the effort and care you spent on them.
Of course there are various causes of absconding such as poor hive condition, poor hive management, limited nectar sources, hash environment conditions, limited space in the hive and many others.
African bees are funny, they don't value the time and care we give them; they just abscond anytime they want.
A few days ago, i captured a big swarm which was desperately hanging on a tree and installed it in a new hive. Immediately i supplied the bees with sugar syrup as first aid relief and to show caring on them.
But just after two days even before eating all the syrup, they absconded and this is one of the reasons why we can't easily buy packed bees in uganda and install them in hives like beekeepers do in USA and Europe: our bees abscond so easily!
Therefore the best way to control absconding after installing the bees is to cage the queen but again it is not easy to see the queen especially in a big swarm. And when you try to turn the bees around in search for a queen, again the queen may escape in the process and fly away causing all bees to follow her leaving the hive empty!
I have got an idea of making a net sack using old mosquito nets. This net will help to wrap around the hive after installing the bees for a period of more than a week or two in order to force the bees to get used to their new home.
I have chosen the net because it will allow good air circulation though the bees will not be able to fly but i will be providing them with sugar syrup which will stimulate their enzymes to produce wax and build combs which will allow the queen lay eggs. I think when these bees have something in place, they will less likely to abscond.
Using a queen excluder could be another solution. With this, the workers can fly out freely in search for nectar and learning about the environment. It's very unfortunate we don't use queen excluders in our KTB hives.
Normally african bees are used to moving themselves into a new hive at their own convinience.
It sucks to find newly installed bees have left the hive...without valueing the effort and care you spent on them.
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