Beekeepers' Rules

DOS AND DON’TS OF A BEEKEEPER

1.      Never go and work the bees while it is raining.

2.      Never open the hive when it is hot. Bees are calmer in the evening than during the midday. And there are few bees in the hive during morning hours since many bees leave for foraging.

3.      Never hit hive bodies. You can work bees with ease when doing every step gently without hurrying and then leave the hive without some bees noticing your presence.

4.      Never shake the hive. It irritates the bees!

5.      Never apply a lot of smoke. Beekeepers take note; too much smoke stains honey making it smelly, lowers its quality and unfavorable for consumption. And “bee” careful with the fuel to use in a smoker because some fuels such as cow dung, mango leaves and plastic materials have a strong odor and stains so quickly.

6.      Never open a fight with bees; crashing and killing them. Fighting bees is really dangerous because the bees’ temper become worse and they can end up attacking everything which comes their way. And in the end a lot of bees die leaving the colony very weak!

7.      Never leave a bee hive open for a long period of time. Bees prefer a dark place to live and they maintain a balanced temperature in their nest, so when you leave the hive open, they get difficulties in maintaining the warmth they require in the nest. Also the colony is likely to get external attackers such as robber bees, and predators.

8.      Never starve bees. When the bees attack you, blame yourself for the mistake but not the bees. Never sentence your bees to punishments for attacking you or failing to store enough honey for you to harvest.

9.      Never open a hive several times in the same day. Bees work through the whole day and any second of minute bees are leaving and coming in the hive! And every time you open a hive, you cause an inconvenience and disorganization in to the bees

10.  Never run in a straight line when attacked by bees; run in a zigzag pattern. When you run in a straight line, the bees can easily follow you. Go around the available vegetation or surroundings and go at least 50metres away from the scene.