1. Introduction
We do this work because it attracts the bee , regarding the export of honey to other countries and its significant growth in recent years due to the high efficiency of modern methods of implementation of the hives, which is only marred in part by weather variations, a factor that has not been able to control efficiently.
Objectives
- Study in detail the production Nacional de Miel.
- Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of the process of production.
- Identify alternatives for exporting the product .
- Perform comparative tables allow the observation that domestic production position is with respect to the production of China , the US and Mexico .
2. Production and export of honey in Argentina
Summary
Our country is now the first motorized exporter expanding demand worldwide
95% of Argentine product is exported in bulk, bound for the United States and the European Union. They allow us to compete in markets demanding.
Methods and equipment
to be bred bees in areas abound plants producing nectar, such as clover. As a rule, the largest honey producers set their hives in areas of agriculture intensive as it is not practical cultivation of plants for honey production. For a good commercial exploitation, should be chosen a location that may establish 30-50 hives.
Initial Investment
The investment needed to start to begin the assembly of the hive equipment was purchased. The entrances were made, big ups and medium supers, frames with ringlets were armed, and the estimated amount for use wired. Initially roofs were cement , but with the time did not give good results. They are not practical for when performing work with ruffles. Once the structure of the hives were painted and moved to the apiary. It is a painstaking job that requires much order and tidiness, it usually needs a year to recover the investment.
Production began with flowering eucalypts, reinforced with sunflowers and fruit of the moment (1991 - Laprida. - Buenos Aires ). They produced their own food for the winter. In that year they were not extracted honey, for the following year had enough honey to feed avoiding artificial, which is more expensive. By that time was not extract their honey business, then feed them artificially.
The climate in summer is an average of 30º, 15º in spring and winter is 7th, it seems that no high temperatures prevail. In winter frosts are numerous and rains are frequent; for spring weather changes dramatically, enough to start flowering movement of bees.
The area is characterized by very good years as drought, or temporary continuous, damaging flowering time. Anyway activity develops normally.
Deal With Bee
Dealing directly with bee allows learning of behavior , character , continuous work and organization in group among them.
We must take into account when checkup or honey extraction is performed the following elements:
- Carry clear, best clothes if you're white (dark clothing alters)
- White gloves
- The smoker well attached
- Avoid all kinds of perfumes (the irritating odors)
- Sudden movements.
Stored Honey
In the early years was extracted honey and went directly to drums.
In 1996/97 the passage containers 14 Kg. and then break it in half kilogram pots.
The feature of this product is to be no perishable.
If honey is harvested with adequate moisture will stay fresh for a long time allowing sale gradually.
World Market
Argentina is the third largest producer after China and the United States. Our country produces 70% of the honey America South America 25% and 6% of the world total.
- Argentina, first in the ranking, surpassed U $ S 93 million, followed by China with $ S 78 million.
- The national honey production grew 40% from 1993 due to the higher number of hives and improving productivity .
- The fall observed in 1996, relates to issues affecting climate harvesting honey.
- In 2000 it is estimated that the value of production exceeded 120 million U $ S.
- 00/01 harvest was affected by weather problems, especially excessive rainfall and high temperatures that resulted in numerous areas of the country a decrease in yields ranging between 20 and 30%. Production would be around 85 thousand tons are estimated.
Commodities
- The activity is developed, flat rate, per 25,000 beekeepers.
- The number of hives 2,800,000 is estimated that in our agricultural areas could keep producing more than 4,500,000.
- The Argentina honey is valued for its color, aroma and organoleptic characteristics, by claiming to consumer direct in the market worldwide.
Consumption:
- In Argentina the domestic market is underdeveloped. The main reasons are lack of consumption habit, strong competition of sugar and lack of product properties and quality offered in the gondola.
Initial Investment
- 93% of the national production of honey is exported. Over 95% is placed in bulk.
- The most important market for our product in bulk was traditionally
Germany.
- Since 1996, the American market, facilitated the entry of larger volumes of Argentina honey.
The market and companies :
- The technology available in Argentina is comparable with that of beekeepers countries such as Germany and the United States.
- The use of the facility has a peak in the months of November to June.
Development
In recent years, beekeeping has presented a remarkable growth. result of improved productivity and most hives, accompanied by a temporary situation of prices favorable mid-nineties. Our country is now the first motorized exporter by the expanding global demand for honey and growth of domestic production.
The 95% of Argentine product is exported in bulk to the United States and the European Union. Its excellent quality and organoleptic characteristics allow us to compete in demanding markets.
Since early 1997, the SAGPyA works closely with provincial governments and public and private sector entities, under the Programme of honey with aim of improving the competitiveness domestic production and created the Consultant / Advisory Committee Beekeeping to formalize working together.
3. Definition, history and importance of beekeeping
If we look etymologically Beekeeping note that the word comes from Latin Apis (bee) and culture (culture), ie science that is dedicated to the cultivation of bees or rearing of bees, as it is animals .
One definition would complete that defines it as "the science that studies applied honeybee through technology and profit from it ". Two types of benefits are distinguished:
- Direct: as a result of the sale of the products beekeeping (honey, pollen and wax).
- Indirect: due to the action that performs like pollen vector [1] on crops.
Beekeeping is born when man tries to understand the world of bees. For this he took a hollow trunk and tried to keep a colony. It dates from 2500. C. Evidence of the use of bees by the Egyptians in their hieroglyphics. It is in 1500 a. C. when writing about bees, being the first written evidence (HITTITE). In Spain the first written evidence of the importance of beekeeping dates from 1100. C., in what we call Empire Tarteso, seated in Andalusia. The importance of this bee is such that R d the century. C. COLUMELA Cadiz was described as beekeeping at the time. Also referred to hive management.
Later this importance is held by the Arabs. Adu Zacarias in Vol. 9 of the Treaty of Agriculture makes an important reference to hive management. Alfonso X subsequently performed the first ordinances on Beekeeping. In the sixteenth century MENDEZ DE TORRES wrote the first text on beekeeping in Spain and establishes like bees reproduce.
Until the eighteenth century it is a traditional beekeeping. From this century with the advance of scientific knowledge and especially biological is holding a knowledge deeper the behavior of individual animals and the swarm. All this knowledge, supported by the invention of the movilistas hives (LANGTROTH -1895-) gives way to a technical beekeeping.
In prehistoric times , beekeeping was limited to hunting bee nests, which has been faithfully reflected in several paintings of Art Spanish .
The technique of raising and profit from bees states originated in the lower valley of the Guadalquivir, where since the beginning of the Bronze Age, there was a population of African origin, the tartesios, which were large beekeepers. The Phoenicians , with which maintained commercial transactions, unveiled Babylon and other ancient peoples, including Egypt , beekeeping practices.
In the Middle East there is evidence as to claim that honey and bees, played an important role in the early days of civilization of the people who lived in that area.
In Egypt found records historical in greater numbers than elsewhere in the world. Many tombs of the first pharaohs have figures and graphs of bees. Honey was one of the basic ingredients used to preserve the mummies of VIPs.
The Ebeus papyrus, which is stored in the library university of Leipzig and is considered the first book medicinal world, contains a number of recipes against various diseases of women , eyes, etc. In most of prescribed medicines contained honey as main element.
The bull Apis and 105 sacred crocodiles were given to eat honey cake, and under the regime of Ramses II, senior officials received a portion of their salary in the form Honey.
In Greece ancient, where tradition said that the god Zeus father of all the other gods had been fed honey during his childhood , it was consumed abundantly. The best known was that of Hymettus; exquisite taste, which was identified as "honey of the gods."
So many and varied were the uses made of it, it was the first food that was given to children after the milk breast. Also athletes used it during periods of training and honey corpses of the great characters that were not cremated immediately 0 is embalmed whose preservation was intended to be eternal, custom which apparently had been imported from Asia through Crete . Alexander the Great was buried in honey to prevent rapid decomposition of his body.
The hygienic properties of honey, highly appreciated by the ancients did the philosophers , especially the Pythagoreans, we give preference in their system to any other food. Attributed to it its longevity and health flourishing reaching old age. Hippocrates died at 107 years and Anacreon at 115.
Also consumption became extraordinary throughout the Roman Empire . While the Hispanic province was one of the main suppliers of the sweet substance, gained great prestige of Hibla (Sicily), for its exquisite taste and medicinal properties. Honey and known then as honey wine were important items of trade . The Roman senator Paulus Romelius, that on the occasion of celebrating the centenary of his birth accompanied by Julio Cesar, he asked what means was it worth to keep as healthy and vigorous appearance, replied: "interius, mellis; extrinsecum, oleum '( inside, honey, outwardly oil .)
. But not only ate the patricians and senators, but also the people, soldiers and gladiators, who gave vigor and strength
Fruits were preserved in honey and fruit thus sought for the winter while impregnated taste those syrup. In addition, much used to make sweet drinks like mead ( water mead), mixture of water and drank honey in the field. Leaving ferment this mixture an intoxicating beverage (water inveterata mead) was formed. Indeed, following formulas preparation of a liquid ancient Romans for its color, its flavor and its properties, like the best white wines to the point of deceiving get expert tasters.
With wine must and honey had another drink called mellitites, and if you would keep it became ferment.
For its part, the Romans used it perfumers large number of aromatic oils for toilet. In pharmacy used it primarily to combat diseases of the eyes, throat, nose, ears and chest; pure 0 mixed with other substances reputed to heal wounds; venomous animal bites and poisoning by mushrooms.
It is said that the phrase "honeymoon" originated in the Roman custom of mother of the bride leave every night in the bridal chamber, available to newlyweds a vessel containing it. This custom endured a full moon and high appreciation was significant that the Romans had for her.
With the expansion of the Roman Empire beekeeping spread the Germanic-Slavic areas of northern Europe .
The Bible contains numerous references to honey, for what an interesting source of data for study in ancient times.
The first quote in the Old Testament , Genesis gives us. 43,11 When Jacob drew their children to bring to Joseph, then governor of Egypt, those present that he had requested, which include this product.
It is destined along with other agricultural products, such as first for tithing which was perceived by the Levites, also used as payment in kind for any goods or work.
As regards the consideration that the Hebrews had towards her, I must say that occupied a key position. When writings refer to the land promised by Yahweh to his people, the "speak land flowing with milk and honey, "and this phrase appears 18 times with the same structure.
It is constantly quoted in the poetic fragments of the biblical text as synonymous with wisdom, and in Prov. 24:13 we are told that honey and honey-comb are as science and wisdom. The Bible tells us in no time hives, boxes, cork, or other containers where it had gotten installed community of bees governed by their queen. This leads us to believe that they should predominate, especially swarms of wild type. Deut. 32.13 and Ps. 81.17 speak of "honey from the rocks," what follows that the swarms were placed in the crevices of the rocks , seeking shade and coolness in areas of intense heat .
As we can see, honey, was a product widely used and appreciated in food and flavoring dishes compatriots of the Messiah.
The Arabs are a melting pot of customs and races that revolve around two common constant, the religion Islamic and a huge sense of sensuous existence.
The honey is used as an aphrodisiac by all Oriental peoples. But unlike other neighboring cultures, erotic theme in Arab essentially represents a code of conduct ethical, moral precepts or rules to follow, aimed at the practice of a sex healthier whose backdrop the precept procreation. Therefore, the use of aphrodisiacs among Arabs, rather than erotic complement, can be conceptualized as a medical standard. The most common aphrodisiacs we observe in the Eastern peoples are spices, egg, honey, nuts and onions. Among Arab honey reaches great importance to strengthening the power sexual.
Many of these ancient remedies have survived for generations and although they have lost their meaning concrete , experiential remain so in the consciousness of the people. It is common today, the recommendation of our ancestors of many of these remedies; as yemita egg into the milk with a tablespoon of honey or bread with wine and honey and many other examples inserts the memory collective readers surely know, and largely representing the historical legacy of eight centuries cohabitation with a sensitive culture that made the metaphor honey and poetry to define sensations, food to enhance its gastronomic delights and vehicle health to enjoy a sexuality abundant and joyful.
Also the Eastern peoples were at first initiators creators a culinary technique of honey.
The Chinese cuisine with more than 5,000 years old can be considered as the kitchen "mother" of all Southwest Asia and neighboring countries. This kitchen comes the famous sour carp, which are sprayed with a mixture of oil, vinegar and honey.
A dish that exceeds six hundred years old and you Hoyes regarded in China as a national dish, is the "lacquered Peking duck "; true masterpiece of culinary art given the technical and perfection required for their manufacture. The preparation process is complex and is divided into seven stages, two of the first hard honey with essential role.
In Spain, in the troubled times of the Reconquista, there were numerous bands of outlaws who plundered and
razed the hives. This forced the beekeepers to become brotherhoods to defend their property , reaching great importance Talavera and Toledo, who were protected by the law of Ferdinand III of Castile.
After the discovery of America, the colonists to the New World full hives bees to seat in the new colonies. Upon reaching the conquerors to the Northland and acclimate them bees, Indians, great observers of nature , the considered as the characteristic animal man white, just as it was the buffalo skin and summarized -Red the new situation by saying: "When the white man's fly progresses, buffalo and Indian have to go back."
| With the Protestant Reformation of the seventeenth century, the number of hives declined sharply in Europe. The cause was the decline in demand for wax. | | For the import of cane sugar from Saudi and new American colonies, beekeeping suffered another break that led to a greater reduction in bee hives. |
Despite competition that supposed sugarcane as a sweetener, beekeeping was further developed by the importance reached honey in its pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications besides culinary and food.
The bee was even distinctive nobility. In 1623, Pope Urban VIII took the bees as a symbol for his papal coat. The same Napoleon , to proclaim himself emperor in 1804, sowed the imperial mantle bees and later took the emblem on the flag of the Isle of E Iba, being banished to her.
However, the continental blockade that shut 1,806 ports to British ships, made out of is take out
discovery in 1747 by the Berlin chemical AS Marggraf, the presence of sugar beet; so that
from 1813, amounts of sugar increasingly occurred, which lowered the consumption of honey.
So we see that in all places and in all ages, honey has been the subject of consumption and use by the
humanity, being considered as a food, gift of the gods, supernatural qualities that could be
transmitted by consumption.
Currently there are two types of beekeeping:
- Beekeeping Sedentaria. Is one in which the location of the hive does not vary and requires a contribution of artificial food.
- Beekeeping Trashumante. Consists in changing the status of the location apiary following the geographical area in order to achieve maximum production.
In beekeeping, and other activities, specific terms are used to name useful or situations, the most common are listed below:
- Cologne is the set of all individuals living in the same place, are organized to survive and defend against attacks from other species.
- Swarm is the set of bees from a colony and is going to settle elsewhere, it is extended to sets that prepares the beekeeper.
- Beehive is the hardware where bees live, can be prepared by man or be a natural hollow.
- Management, is the part that runs over the colony beekeeper to improve a natural condition.
- Core is the generic name of minicolmenas used in the transport of swarms favored by the beekeeper.
- Sealed, is named the act of closing the cells from which emerge the queens, males and bees and honey.
- Uncapping, is named the operation to remove or break the lid that closes the cells of honey, which is made with several useful.
- Queen cell is a particular cell that serves as a cradle to the queen.
4. Classification of the honeybee.
The honey bee Apis mellifera is an insect belonging within the order Hymenoptera a family Apidae and the genus Apis; This genus comprises 4 species all social:
- Apis mellifera. It is the honeybee and is found in tropical areas of Europe (Mediterranean area) and Africa , from which it spread to the rest of the world (Asia and America).
- Apis cerana. This species is found in Asia. It has the varroa parasite, is a spider that eats immature and adult (hemolymph) but does not cause serious problems for this species, although the Apis mellifera. Exist in this species as ancient references as Apis mellifera.
Both live in closed nests (rocks, holes in trees ...). The distinction between nest and ruffle It currently do. A nest is the natural shelter of a swarm hive being artificial lodge built by man.
- Apis dorsata and Apis florea .. His collection is naturally. By presenting a unique honeycomb and being unproductive little bee is performed.
If we focus on Apis mellifera there are 23 races or subspecies distributed in 7 areas: South and Eastern Europe, Northern and Western Europe (Apis mellifera Iberian sp), Mediterranean Islands, North Africa, Southern Africa, East Africa and West Africa. In Europe the 4 main varieties of bees best known are:
- Apis mellifera mellifera. Originally from Northern Europe and the center-west of Russia to the Iberian peninsula. It is dark brown in color, tending to black.
- Apis mellifera ligustica. Which is of Italian origin is a very popular bee everywhere. It is light yellow in color and has long segments of the abdomen. It is a very docile bee.
- Apis mellifera carnica. This native bee Southern Alps of Austria is brown or gray. It is popular for many beekeepers because of their docility.
- Apis mellifera Caucasian. This bee color a little gray Lead is native to the high valleys of central Caucasian.
Within a bee colony can find the queen bee, the drones and workers, each with a specific task:
1. La Reina
Its main task is to lay eggs and the workers are responsible for feeding. The queens are born in a so-called "queen cells" cells, which are higher than normal and acorn. Workers feed the larva with royal jelly which makes it fertile and differs from normal workers. Only remains a queen per hive.
Days after birth in warm weather, the queen comes out to be fertilized by drones and this fertilization will get to you for the rest of his life, devoted to lay eggs for the birth of new workers. The queen lays an egg in each cell, if unfertilized give a drone, if fertilized a worker.
The life of a queen can be up to five years, but usually are replaced naturally within two or three years.
2. Drones
Drones are born from unfertilized eggs are larger than the workers, more square and adjacent abdomen and large eyes. Its functions apart from fertilize the queen are fairly discussed, but is thought to help keep the heat in the hive and also apportioned nectar.
3. Workers
Workers are the real workers of the hive, from birth a worker goes through different tasks within the hive: making wax, clean, feed and monitor.
They do and they alter the cells; feeder they feed larvae and queen, cleaning debris rid of the hive, the guardians are responsible for the protection and foragers that go out to collect nectar and pollen from flowers, and water.
A worker can flying about 3 km away, but usually do not stray over one km in search of flowers. When a bee finds a good place to foraging returns to the hive and by a dance notifies the other of the position and distance that is.
A beehive is constructed or arranged by man space as shelter swarm of bees .
. 5. Types of hives
within a hive various parts are distinguished:
- Base or background. Constitutes the bottom of the hive, you can place the runner (opening through which the bees enter and leave) and the flight board.
- Brood chamber. It is a drawer where the pictures are located, the queen and the immature stages (egg, larva and pupa) is placed.
- Upgrades. Drawers are stuffed with boxes or panels where you will place the honey made by bees.
- Entretapas and cover. Roof closes the hive.
: Two Types Of Hives are Distinguish
1) fijistas Hives or corks: The combs are made by bees in the hive and pasted or strongly adhered to the walls of the hive. Currently not used. Have two drawbacks:
- Can not inspect the colony, so it is not known the state of health thereof.
- Causing stress when honey is extracted, because you have to cut the combs and bees have to reset them.
2) movilistas Hives: Those having some moving pictures of wood , inside the hive, on the combs are located. Above them a layer of beeswax (wax sheet) is placed. The bees build honeycomb, stretching and adding more wax, known as stretched wax. Within the movilistas hives there are plenty of types, the most common are:
- Layens hives. They are called horizontal growth hives because as increases the population of the colony, honey increases and occupies the drawer completely horizontally.
- Langstroth hives and Dadant hives perfection and industrial type. They are hives vertical growth.
| HIGHLIGHTS OF BEES MOVILISTAS |
| FEATURES | Layens | LANGSTROTH | DADANT |
| No. of frames | 10-14 (12 normal) | 10 | 10 |
Internal dimensions
hive. | Brood:
length: 49 cm
width: 35 cm
high: 41 cm
Hike: - | Brood:
length: 46 cm
width: 37 cm
high: 23 cm
Alza = cc | Brood:
length: 52 cm
width: 45 cm
high: 32 cm
Alza (½ rise)
length: 52 cm
width: 45 cm
high: 17 cm |
Dimensions
box. | length = 30 cm
height = 35 cm | length = 42 cm
height = 20 cm | Brood chamber: 27 x 42 cm
½ rise: 13 x 42 cm |
| Advantages. | Easy transportation.
Easy to use.
Low price . | Sharing pictures.
Easy extraction of honey.
Possibility of single-flower honey.
Easy cleaning.
Longer.
Possibility of increasing the size.
Control of swarming.
Variable length of runner. | Easy transhumance
Increase of 20% Vol.
Sup 35% increase. Honeycomb.
Mayor perfection of the brood chamber.
Better handling of tables.
Best honey extraction |
| Disadvantages. | Multi-flower honey.
Fixed volume.
Piquera small
(sometimes 2).
Small hive
(easy swarming)
Hard cleaning (box)
Less productive | Higher price.
Need accessories for transhumance.
Chamber of small breeding in spring.
Poor ventilation. | Not interchangeable frames.
Harder management cadres of the brood chamber (+ large). |
6. Auxiliary Material beekeeping.
Beekeeping equipment for handling hives.
- Smoker. Container that allows fuming for the bees to become less aggressive and able to work in the hive more comfortably.
- Universal tool or clamp up tables
- Spatula.
- Brush. Serves to brush away the bees or the extracted frames.
- Special Clothing: monkey, mask and gloves.
- Queen excluder.
Material used in the extraction of agricultural products.
- Uncapping knife.
- Bank uncapping.
- Honey extractor.
- Maturation tanks.
- Hunting pollen
- Venom extractor.
Other materials .
- Spur beekeeper or electric fixative.
- Beeswax.
- Wire
- Feeders
- Step bee.
- Material for artificial breeding of bees
7. Handling beekeeping.
. Installing the beehive or apiary
depends on a number of factors:
- The vegetation . Refers to the honey capacity of vegetation on the geographic area under study. Establishing a beekeeping charge under the terms of vegetation. That area with a good honey flower a load of 4 colonies / ha is recommended, 20-30 apiary hives. When the area is poor honey flora, a load of 2 colonies / ha in apiaries 12-15 hives recommended. These values are limited because it is recommended that they are not together more than 50 hives / apiary. The distance between apiaries is related to the distance of flight of bees.
- Orientation of the colonies. The most common is South, SE, SW in function of the prevailing winds. Excessive wind hinders the exit and entry of bees to the colony. A hive airy too much can affect offspring causing their death or the incidence of pathogens.
- Placement. The hives are arranged horizontally relative to the ground with an inclination towards the runner. Thus the water outlet and helps cleansing favors foreign particles shed outside the colony bees. The colony must be isolated from ground to prevent moisture and cleaning areas of weeds to prevent potential enemies. The separation between apiaries will be between 3 and 4 Km. And shall be grouped in rows.
- Water availability. We must take into account the availability of water nearby if there is no water must be available drinkers. The average water requirement is 45 cc / day in winter hive and 1000 cc of water / day in summer hive.
Multiplication of the apiary. Swarming.
It is done in spring when the drones appear as they are needed to fertilize the queen. It can be done with hives or nuclei. The core is a small hive 1 to 6 frames. The methods of multiplication of the apiary are three:
1. Capturing swarms. Is to follow a natural swarm until it stops and using a spray bottle with water put them in any container to take it to the hive.
2. From the colony in spring. Is to take half a hive boxes and transfer them to another empty. The recesses are filled with empty frames. It is not a method suitable.
3. Methods of artificial swarming. Are the employees and can follow two techniques different:
Looking queens. Basically it's cause in the colony swarming hive starting strong mother who is between 6 or 7 brood or larva. Are taken from another hive two tables that have capped brood with bee pupa and nurse, and these two pictures are placed on the rising Langstroth or Dadant hives. Also advisable to leave the queen in the brood chamber, and between rising this place a queen excluder. At 6 days, two tables are placed more with capped brood and this causes swarming within 2-3 weeks. When you see the actual cells are capped void the hive mother and daughters will have many hives as real cells have capped plus one. Of those hives mothers we add two tables with calves and young workers or nurses, two frames with honey and other empty boxes, to complete a new colony.
Without seeking queens. It may be one or two hives.
- To a hive. Is the parent colony is destroyed, two tables with calves and lactating extracted and placed in a hive or empty core, add a picture or two with honey as food or artificial feeding (syrup) and the new hive is complete with pictures of beeswax. The entrance of a colony mother closes and the retired, put the new one in its place and when returning foragers are introduced into the new hive.
- A two hives. A strong mother hive was removed two boxes breeding and nursing halfway. A beehive or new nucleus is introduced paintings stretched wax and honey or syrup box and put in place a second hive with leading away from the apiary. When foraging bees return, will be introduced in the new hive.
. Powering the colony
There are times of the year in which food supplementation is necessary, this happens twice a year:
- In spring: feeding stimulant. With her the queen is induced to begin to lay eggs and have more foraging bees for at the time of flowering the maximum number of bees is like the collected food. this is done by artificial feeding syrups composed of water and sugar substitutes acting as nectar.
- In autumn-winter hibernation. During the winter there is a stop of the activity of the colony and no flowering. This winter is supplied when not enough food reserves to survive until the following spring. The food is based porridge or candy that are substitutes pollen.
Artificial feeding is supplied by feeders, which are very few containers of various shapes and types containing porridge for collection bees in the colony.
There are several formulations syrup, among which are:
- Sugar (60%) + Water (40%).
- Honey (50%) + Water (50%). It is the blend used by beekeepers.
- Beet sugar (0.5 kg.) + Honey (2Kg) + water (1.5 L). It is usually added 10 g tartaric acid per 50 Kg. Of sugar to the solution does not crystallize. There are also prepared syrups which include vitamins and stimulants, but may alter the final quality of the honey.
The candy or porridge is also formulated in various ways, including:
- Flour soy (1.5 kg) + pollen (0.5 Kg.) + sugar (4.0 kg.) + water (2 L) + sulphonamide (10 g).
- soy flour (0.5 kg / 0.1 kg of pollen) + wheat flour powder (0.75 kg) + sugar (1 kg) + honey (1 kg) + sulfamide (5 g).
Beekeeping calendar.
Is the distribution of tasks to be performed in a beehive or apiary throughout the year. Is usually divided into tasks:
1) Spring:
- The first task after the departure of wintering is recycled wax because bees have fed reservation and left empty combs. Must be replaced by new ones and leverage in a position.
- As the flowers in the area is increased the volume of the colony, where they put that prepare honey from nectar collected.
- We must prevent swarming that naturally occurs in the colonies. To do this, keep a check and select those hives with greater vigor and activity of foragers.
2) Summer:
- Replacement tasks to prevent swarming queen, queens to replace more than two years.
- The queens of lower quality are replaced annually and are those that are less fertile and whose hive does not give good harvest.
- Gelding or extracting honey from the colony drop frame with old wax.
3) Fall:
- In autumn for winter, a common activity is the collection of colonies. They can be very weak colonies and bind to other stronger so that people do not miss. Queen of the weak colony is eliminated, the strong colony on the weak standing and including a paper newspaper with solution herbs or queen excluder to gradually mix. After weak hive and the brood combs and food are passed to strong eliminated.
4) Winter:
- Inspection of reserves to last the colony through the winter.
5) All year:
- Health inspection to control pathogens in winter is performed less frequently to avoid a sudden drop in temperature when opening the hive. When we go to check a beehive, we must bear in mind that we do not open if it rains or gets very cold, since cool the interior, it is better to wait for the check temperature above 12ºC
8. Bee products.
. Honey
Honey is defined by the Food Code as the sweet substance, unfermented, produced by bees from the nectar of flowers or secretions of or living plants; they collect, transform and combine with specific and eventually stored and mature in honeycombs substances.
Its composition is varied. Is composed of water, fructose and glucose , and other substances in very low proportion as they are acids , minerals . amino acids and proteins , enzymes , flavorings, etc.
| PERCENTAGE COMPOSITION OF HONEY |
| Constituents | Average value (%) | Content (%) |
| Major constituents (99% of honey) |
| WATER | 17.0 | 13.4 - 26.6 |
| FRUCTOSE | 39.3 | 21.7 - 53.9 |
| GLUCOSE | 32.2 | 20.4 - 44.4 |
| SUCROSE | 2.3 | 0 - 5.6 |
| OTHER SUGARS | 8.8 | - |
| Minor constituents. |
| Total acid (gluconic) | 0.57 | 0.17 - 1.17 |
| Minerals | 0.17 | 0.02 - 1.03 |
| Amino acids and proteins | 0.04 | 0.00 to 0.13 |
| Enzymes | Trace | - |
| Aromas | Trace | - |
A) Preparation De La Miel.
The transformation from the nectar to honey is a concentration process in which the water content is reduced from 70-92% to approximately 17%. Is a physical process and a chemical process in which sucrose is reduced, becoming fructose and glucose by the enzyme invertase containing bees saliva.
The bee pecoreadora with full crop mixed nectar with invertase, to reach the colony transferred to a labor storekeeper, who also stored in the crop increasing the concentration of invertase up to 20 times. And the interior temperature of the colony is elevated then nectar natural dehydration occurs. This transfer nectar, with its subsequent concentration between different workers of the colony ends when the last working storer deposits it in a cell, a third full. Inside continuous enzymatic process and nectar loses water until it matures. Once matured, the working adds the second third and continues the process until full capacity. When honey is made, the cell is capped.
If the environmental conditions are not adequate (low temperature), honey is diverted by a chain of wholesalers bees until it is fully developed.
The honey is extracted by centrifugation of the pictures without break the wax cells can be reused, thereby saving energy for bees you can do with other work correctly hive; and also enables a cleaner extraction and a considerable increase in honey production (of 6 kg / year in hives cork 30-45 kg / year in the movilistas hives).
B) Types And Properties Of Honey.
The types and varieties of honey are regulated by the Spanish legislation. By origin we can find two types of honey:
- Honey plant origin: honey and honey flows. Depending on the type of flowers you can distinguish between single-flower honey, predominating the nectar of one species botanical and multifloral, multi-flower honey, which comes from honey nectar from different plant species.
- Honey animal: honeydew. They are excretions of insects and can not be marketed because they are unfit for human consumption. It is not advisable to leave the colony because of its rapid degradation and produce dysentery in the colony.
According to his presentation and preparation are distinguished:
- Comb honey or sections: Honey more wax.
- Honey decanted. The lids open and dropped by their own weight.
- Honey centrifuged. It is the most current. The beehive honeycomb is taken, be desopercula and moved to a centrifugal extractor.
- Pressed honey. The combs are pressed. this extraction technique is not used as a honey containing many particles, wax, etc. is obtained that give an unpleasant taste.
- Creamy honey. Crystallized honey.
For thousands of years honey is used as both food and medicine due to its antibacterial properties and positive effects on the body. Honey is a very energetic and rich in minerals elements such as Ca, Zn, making it an ideal product for physical and highly advisable efforts in geriatric feeding and children in school age . It also has dermatological properties, being used topically for burns and skin ulcers. Acts as a vasodilator, diuretic and laxative due to its high fructose.
The pollen.
The pollen or bee bread is essential in feeding larvae that will cause future workers and less drones. Its composition is varied. Pollen protein in a food and which is used to prepare hypoallergenic.
To collect pollen is located in the runner a special apparatus called "Cazapolen" and is composed of a sheet of metal or plastic that has holes to 4.5mm be traversed by the working make pollen balls rub against the edges of the perforations causing its fall in a drawer underneath and part of the apparatus. You must select strong hives and for a period of 10-15 days for colony production is not affected. To avoid decomposition of pollen, a daily collection is done subsequently produced its drying with air heated to 40 ° C and thus prevent ferment. Its moisture content is reduced from 12% to 8%. Finally the vacuum packaged and stored at a temperature of 2-6 ° C. You can get an average yield of 4-5 kg / hive per year.
| PERCENTAGE COMPOSITION OF POLLEN |
| Constituents | Average value (%) | Content (%) |
| WATER | 11.2 | 7.0 - 16.2 |
| PROTEIN | 21.6 | 7.0 - 29.9 |
| CARBOHYDRATES | 31.0 | 20.5 - 48.4 |
| ASH | 2.7 | 0.9 - 5.5 |
OTHER COMPOUNDS
(vitamins, minerals, etc.) | 28.6 | 21.7 - 35.9 |
The wax.
It is another traditional beekeeping product. Is secreted by the ceríferas jaws of honeybees in segments 4,5,6 and 7 ventral, in the second period of their adult stage, just after being nurses (stockists) substance.
A substance composition very complex with a high number of atoms of carbon . Is secreted solidifying liquid at room temperature of as flakes colony. It is lightweight but resists tractions or relatively heavy weights. The wax currently has little importance as beekeeping use. Two types of wax:
- Opérculos. High quality and price.
- Old wax. Low price, comes from old combs for recycling. Ingots are formed and changed by stamped wax.
Beekeepers extracted melting wax honeycombs in boiling water, debris boxes, cappings, etc. After slow cooling and differential density or Cerón block is extracted. Are also used to melt the boiler steam and solar cerificadores. The blocks or cerones sold raw to industries specialized, which will be responsible for developing new sheets printed and ready to put in the boxes introduced into the hive. Thus time and labor to the hives are saved, allowing optimal use of the blooms.
Formerly the wax used in making candles, but now is the very industry the main consumer beekeeping beeswax, other uses are as ingredient or support specific products for the cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, in medicine , in paints, etc.
Propolis.
It is formed by the honeybees for collecting resins tree species and mixed with wax in the hive. Propolis prevent heat loss during the winter when deposited over the cracks of the nest or hive. Reduce the runner and isolate foreign particles that are deposited within the colony to prevent decomposition.
The propolis is collected by placing in the top of the colony, under the cover plastic mesh with a light 3 mm. As bees can not pass, they tend to close the gap. Propolizada when the mesh is stored at refrigeration temperature for a time, is removed and wound. The average production reaches 50 gr / colony and year.
The applications of propolis are diverse. Used in the manufacture of cosmetics, varnishes, paints, drugs, etc. It has antiseptic properties especially in eye infections, eczema, throat infections, ulcers, urinary tract diseases, dermatology, dentistry , etc.
Bee venom (bee venom).
The apitoxina is a product that is used in medicine for its anti-arthritic power and antiallergic preparation. It is produced in the glands in the back of the last abdominal segment of the bee.
It is obtained by placing on the floor of the runner a cover sponge for a bare wires of copper for which it is swept by a small electric current intervals, the Bees are entering downloading and nailed thorn in the sponge may recover after gradually being left in sponges drops of poison we collect squeezing them. Colonies under this production increase aggressiveness often significantly, should be taken into account and install them away from residential areas to prevent attacks. The average yield obtained is 1 gr of poison / 20 colonies.
The bee venom has tonic bactericidal, hemolytic, and anticoagulants. It is the largest known vasodilator, thins the blood to be thinner, you will recognize properties in cases of rheumatism and poison is currently used rationally in some countries.
Royal jelly.
It is a fundamental bee larvae food when they are to meet the six days of life, three larva, and Queen lifetime. Royal jelly is basically a protein (12%) food, but is also rich in sugars (9%), vitamins, etc.
In the production of royal jelly must have colonies in a special way, there are special tools for this production and requires care, time control and continuous visits to the colonies, as well as adequate weather. Royal jelly obtained is stored in dark bottles and should always remain in the refrigerator, being consumed in small amounts. You can obtain a production of 500 gr / colony, with a price ranging between 7,000 and 50.000ptas / Kg.
Royal jelly has an anti-inflammatory and regenerative activity, presents hypercholesterolemic, vasodilators, anti-inflammatory effects. Is employed by dietary and cosmetic industries.
9. The consumption of honey
- In Argentina the domestic market is underdeveloped. The main reasons are lack of consumption habit, strong competition sugar and lack of product properties and quality offered in the gondola. Anyway one observed change in trend due to increased sales of natural and healthy products, health properties.
- Consumption in Argentina is still very low 180-200 g / inhab / year when compared with countries like Japan , USA or Germany, which in some cases exceed Kg per capita.
Globally, consumption shows an upward trend due to increased demand in some traditional markets and incorporating new. Countries like Lebanon, Arabia, Oman, Syria, etc., present a significant expansion, especially because honey is related to some religious festivities. The world average is 220 g / person / year.
