Apiary

Gluschenko-Nikodim V.P., Fursov V.N. Effective technology of Mother of God’s beekeeping, with high productivity of honeybee rearing. – Abstracts of 44-th International Beekeeping Congress “Apimondia”, Korea, 15-20. September, 2015. – 2015, p.263. (in English)

Priyatelenko V.Ya., Fursov V.N., Ilienko E.V. Effective Vasyl Priyatelenko's three-storey beehive with unique frames. – Abstracts of 44-thInternational Beekeeping Congress “Apimondia”, Daewon, South Korea, 15-20. September, 2015. – 2015, p.253-254

The European honey bee, Apis mellifera, is well-known for its role in honey production, its ecological importance in plant reproduction and biodiversity, and more importantly, the pollination of many economically significant crops in the United States (Staveley, Law, Fairbrother, & Menzie, 2014; vanEngelsdorp & Meixner, 2010). The food we eat from the most nutritious crops in our diets – key fruits and vegetables – as well as some crops used as fodder in meat and dairy production significantly depend on the key ecosystem service that honey bees  provide: natural insect-mediated pollination (Tirado, Simon, & Johnston, 2013). As the predominant and most economically important group of pollinators in most geographical regions, both managed and wild honey bees pollinate most wild plants so that they may reproduce, thereby directly or indirectly supporting wild habitats that provide other ecosystem services (Tirado et al., 2013). One can then see the possible ramifications of the ongoing bee colony decline in recent years; however, the economic and ecological consequences tend to be viewed separately in their own scope, and it is not entirely clear how the two areas intersect.

Uganda has a very high potential for beekeeping given its floral diversity. This potential has not been fully exploited due to highly traditional production systems and limited apicultural research. This study, conducted in May 2014, was based on a survey of 60 beekeepers in areas adjacent to Kalinzu forest. The study employed a logistic regression model to assess the factors that influence the adoption of improved beehives. The study also analysed the local honey value chain to ascertain specific constraints affecting beekeeping in the study area. Results showed that education and training in beekeeping were the major factors influencing adoption of improved beehives. The honey value chain was dominated by beekeepers, middlemen and commercial processors. Pests, lack of equipment, low prices for bee products and farm sprays were the main factors affecting honey producers. Middlemen were constrained by high costs of transport, low quantities of honey collected and non-cash payments by buyers. Commercial processors were faced with honey adulteration, expensive equipment and unreliable honey supply. Commercialisation efforts should therefore focus on specialised trainings that overcome the constraints identified in the value chain.

Les productions des abeilles (miel, cire, propolis) sont exploitées depuis plusieurs millénaires, au moins depuis le Mésolithique. Cette exploitation va de la simple cueillette à la domestication afin d’obtenir du miel et de la cire.

Les études historiques sur l’abeille portent essentiellement sur ces deux productions sans réellement procéder à une analyse dynamique de son élevage. Nous proposons de porter un regard nouveau sur le rapport de l’homme à l’abeille par le biais des ruches et des ruchers du Moyen-Âge à aujourd’hui en Europe Occidentale. L’élevage de l’abeille a cette particularité que nous lui aménageons un double habitat : la ruche, où la colonie d’abeilles s’installe et le rucher, le lieu où sont placés les ruches. Au fil des siècles, diverses ruches ont été construites et divers ruchers ont été aménagés. Selon le type de ruches, l’approche technique de récolte du miel et de la cire diverge. Ainsi, la diversité des ruches et des ruchers reflète la variabilité des pratiques d’élevage des abeilles.
The productions of bees (honey, wax, propolis) have been exploited for several millennia, at least since the Mesolithic. This operation ranges from simple picking to domestication in order to obtain honey and wax.

Historical studies on bees focus on these two productions without actually carrying out a dynamic analysis of their breeding. We propose to take a new look at the relationship between man and bee through beehives and apiaries from the Middle Ages to today in Western Europe. Bee breeding has the particularity that we provide it with a double habitat: the hive, where the bee colony settles and the apiary, the place where the hives are placed. Over the centuries, various hives have been built and various apiaries have been set up. Depending on the type of hives, the technical approach to harvesting honey and wax differs. Thus, the diversity of hives and apiaries reflects the variability of bee rearing practices.

Beekeeping has been used with success in several parts of the world to address pervasive poverty. In the last 15 years, the initiative had been used in South Africa; although no evidence of sustainable projects have been found. This study examined the challenges faced by some of the beekeeping cooperative societies (BKCSs) from Ngqushwa, Mnquma and Raymond Mhlaba in the Amathole District of the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Data were collected between September and December 2014 and August and November 2015 from eight BKCSs in three local municipalities, using a random sampling technique. The findings revealed poor farm planning and orientation on the part of the farmers, pilfering from and vandalising of apiaries, poor skills training, poor management techniques, and weak agricultural extension support. The study suggests an integrated beekeeping and crop farming model as a viable option.

Beekeeping is a potential source of income for rural populations. Once viewed as a minor agrosylvopastoral activity, beekeeping is now considered a promising activity. However, data to guide interventions are insufficient. The objective of this study was to carry out a technical and socioeconomic characterization of beekeeping in the Center-West Region of Burkina Faso. A cross-sectional survey using a pretested questionnaire enabled to collect information on the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of beekeepers (n = 113), and the characteristics of apiaries and beekeeping practices. The results showed that the majority of beekeepers were male (64.3%), educated (71.4%), with an average age of 42.8 ± 10.4 years, belonging mainly to the Mossi ethnic group (76.9%). Practiced as a secondary activity, the main attraction of beekeeping was its profitability for 69.0% of those interviewed. With a dominance of modern Kenyan type hives, the typology identified three production syste...