rearing of bees is called as bee keeping

Management practices of bee.

1. BEE KEEPING

2. What is beekeeping ? Apiculture  is the practice of keeping bees as well as the manufacturing of honey and beeswax. मधुमक्खी पालन  एक ऐसा ही व्यवसाय है जो मानव जाती को लाभान्वित कर रहा है यह एक कम खर्चीला घरेलु उद्योग है जिसमे आय, रोजगार व वातावरण शुद्ध रखने की क्षमता है यह एक ऐसा रोजगार है जिसे समाज के हर वर्ग के लोग अपना कर लाभान्वित हो सकते है।  मधुमक्खी पालन  कृषि व बागवानी उत्पादन बढ़ाने की क्षमता भी रखता है। मधुमक्खियां मोन समुदाय में रहने वाली कीटों वर्ग की जंगली जीव है इन्हें उनकी आदतों के अनुकूल कृत्रिम ग्रह (हईव) में पाल कर उनकी वृधि करने तथा शहद एवं मोम आदि प्राप्त करने को मधुमक्खी पालन या मौन पालन कहते है ।

3. HISTORY OF APICULTURE ● Depictions of humans collecting honey from wild bees date to 10,000 years ago.  ● Beekeeping in pottery vessels began about 9,000 years ago in North Africa ● Domestication of bees   is shown in Egyptian art from around 4,500 years ag Simple hives and smoke were used and honey was stored in jars ● It was not until the 18th century that European understanding of the colonies and biology of bees allowed the construction of the moveable comb hive ● At some point humans began to attempt to domesticate wild bees in artificial  hives  made from hollow logs, wooden boxes, pottery vessels, and woven straw baskets

4. Importance of Bee Keeping ● I t is low input small scale rural industry suitable for rural, tribal and other weaker section of rural population. ● Provide the employment to all the members of family with extra income ● Honey is high nutritious with medicinal value ● Bee also produces wax, pollen, bee venom and royal jelly and propolis as another source of income. ● Through pollination bees increase around 10 % yield in different crops ● Immediate return ● No need of separate land ● Can be adopted as subsidiary enterprises ● No need of daily care ● Output and input ratio is high ● It contributes to national economy

5. Crop yield increase Capsicum 227% Tomato 160% Cashew 157% Pigeon pea 133% Flat bean 128% Chick pea 79.5% Mustard 75% Mango 68% Banana 63% Niger 60% Papaya 60% French bean 41% Jowar 33% Brinjal 31% Ridge gourd 27%

6. Species of Honey Bee Five important species of honey bees are as follows. 1.The rock bee,   Apis dorsata   F . Apidae : Hymenoptera 2.The Indian hive bee,  Apis cerana indica F.   Apidae: Hym . 3. The little bee,  Apis florea   F.   Apidae: Hym . 4. The European or Italian bee,  Apis mellifera   L. Apidae: Hym . Best to culture 5. Dammer bee or stingless bee,  Trigona irridipennis Smith   Meliporidae : Hym

7. Where to get honey bees for beekeeping Buying Package Bees  To arrange a package of honey bees, one has to contact a local beekeeper or nearby beekeeping associations. The package will contain a queen, several worker bees, and a feeder loaded up with sugar syrup. The honey bee provider ought to give you information on installing the package honey bees into their new home and introducing the queen bee with the workers.   Buying Nucleus Hive   You can also go for a nucleus hive. Nucleus colonies or  Nucs  are small-sized colonies obtained from larger honeybee colonies. It is almost half-size of the larger colony and its normal size is a 5 frame  nuc . The best alternative for the beginner is to search a local beekeeper who can sell his nucleus ( nuc ) colony of bees. Mostly a  nuc  contains four to five frames of combs with brood(baby bees) and bees and an actively laying queen. You have to only transfer the frames and bees from the  nuc  box into your own hive.  Catching Wild Bees from the Tree branches   Wild Bees can also be collected from those beehives which are on the tree branches by cutting the branch and gently shaking it inside a container. But it is very risky for beginners, it can only be performed under expert guidelines or by the expert himself. But free, not good every time, wild bees may have been infected with some diseases and can carry some genetic disorder with them, and it would be difficult to identify the queen bee among the crowd So, it is better to buy healthy and disease-free honey bees for better result. 

8. Location for Bee Keeping ● The place of beekeeping must be dry. ● Humidity, moisture and dampness affect the quality of honey and the bees’ flight. ● The place chosen must be protected from harsh sunlight. ● It is preferred to keep the bees in shaded areas as they are protected by direct sunlight and the breeze keeps them cool. ● The place of rearing must also have a clean drinking water source. ● The most important requirement is that there must be plenty of forage ● To establish a bee colony, bees can be obtained by transferring a wild nesting colony to a hive or attract a passing swarm of bees to occupy it.

9. ● Before putting a swarm or even a colony in a prepared hive, it would be beneficial to make the hive smell familiar by rubbing old brown comb pieces or some bee wax. ● If possible, the Queen bee can be captured from a natural swarm and placed under a hive to attract the other bees. ● Feed the hived swarm for a few weeks by diluting a half cup of white sugar in half a cup of hot water as this will also help in building the comb along with the bars rapidly. ● Avoid over crowding

10. Hive tool Queen catcher Hive

11. TYPES OF BEE HIVES VERTICAL HIVES 1. Langstroth hives ● Bottom board: this has an entrance for the bees ● Boxes containing frames for brood and honey: the lowest box for the queen to lay eggs, and boxes above where honey is stored. ● Inner cover and top cap providing weather protection. ● Use of specific bee space between frames and other parts ● Hive bodies are rectangular in shape and can be made from a variety of materials ● Langstroth frames are thin rectangular structures made of wood or plastic ● Ten frames side by side (depending on the size of the box) fill the hive body ● 6.25 kg of honey needed to create 1 kilogram of comb in temperate climates ● Having following parts: 1. Stand 2. Bottom board 3. Brood chamber 4. Frame-top bar , side bar, bottom bar 5.super 6. Inner cover 7 (a). Slopy top cover 7 (b) Flat top cover

12. LANGSTROTH HIVE

13. NEWTONS BEE HIVE It has the following parts made of wood a)   Floor board:  14” x 91/2” in size with an extension in front which serves as an alighting board. b) Brood chamber:  -it is mounted over the floor board c) Wooden frames:  Seven separate wooden frames hung inside the brood chamber d) Super chamber:  it is kept over the brood chamber e) Top cover:  It is board having same dimensions of brood or super chamber. In the centre there is an opening covered with wire gauge. It is kept on super or brood chamber. Parts of hive: 1. Bottom board (or) Floor board 2. Brood Chamber 3. Super Chamber 4.Top Cover 5. Frames 6. Comb foundation sheet

14. Loans and Subsidy for the beekeepers in India If anyone desires to begin beekeeping in India, govt. is ready to assist. The government has formed several boards for providing help and guidance to the Bee farmers but among all of the National Bee Board(NBB) is the prominent one. Many of the beekeepers have been benefited by the schemes and loans of NBB. National Bee Board also provides training to people who have an interest in Beekeeping Business.  The Government is also providing 35% Subsidy to the Apiculture Business in India. The reserved category candidates will have to invest 5% from their own pockets. The government may offer Rs 10 lakh under the Prime Minister Employment Scheme, to start beekeeping as a full-time business for those individuals who don't  fulfillthe educational qualification.  Among various banks, IDBI Bank is giving loan for Commercial Beekeeping in India. They named it as 'Bee Keeping Madhu  Makshika ' This Bank offers loans to farmers and non-farmers for too. Beekeeper has to utilize this loan amount just for setting up the units for honey production. Bee farmer can get the subsidy for this loan from the government bodies like DRDA, KVIC, and KVIB. The farmer needs to repay this loan within 5 to 7 years in quarterly or half-yearly  installmentaccording to his convenience. SHGs and NGOs can also apply for this loan. IDBI Bank is offering 11 months gestation period for this loan.  .

15. Canara Bank is also offering loans for Beekeeping (Apiculture) according to the guidelines of the bank. You can approach the bank directly for the loan details. Punjab National Bank (PNB) also offers a loan for Beekeeping for trained Small and marginal farmers and agricultural laborers. Repayment of the loan is a maximum of 5 years including the gestation period.  Punjab state co-operative agricultural developing bank also offers loans for beekeeping or apiculture. A person with beekeeping experience can get a loan. If required Punjab agricultural university will provide the training. Insurance is compulsory. The loan should be repaid within 5 years. The individual can begin with at least 10 boxes. Loans are provided as per the guidelines set by the bank.

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