Introduction to Model Beekeeping with the Chinese Honeybee: Beekeeping Techniques Teach You How to Keep Bees
What is model beekeeping like? How good is this beekeeping method? How exactly is model beekeeping done? Let's take a look together.
Model beekeeping is currently the most advanced beekeeping technique in China. Model beekeeping saves manpower and material resources, builds strong colonies that do not swarm, and the bees have a particularly strong resistance to wax moths. When the queen's egg-laying ability declines, natural supersedure occurs on its own without human intervention; usually two queens lay eggs in the same hive, rapidly strengthening the colony, greatly increasing honey production, several times or even more than ten times higher than conventional rearing methods.
Specific methods of model beekeeping:
1. Preparatory work: Beekeepers should number each hive and keep records, documenting the colony's development status and honey production, and the number of natural supersedures of the queen, so as to avoid mistakes when replacing queens later and ensure model beekeeping proceeds smoothly.
2. Cultivate non-swarming queens and build model colonies: We select natural supersedure queens as the subjects for breeding non-swarming lines. Through natural supersedure of the queen, its urge to swarm becomes especially weak; after 3 consecutive repeated supersedures, it will never swarm again. If egg-laying ability declines, natural supersedure takes place. In this way, it becomes a model colony.
Queen replacement method: Model beekeeping also allows queen replacement. First, check the records clearly; you can only swap queen cells with the same number of supersedures, or replace more with fewer natural supersedure times.
How to build strong colonies: A new queen and a strong colony are the foundation of high yield. With the model beekeeping method, the queen must not be moved casually; if the queen needs to be changed, the records must be updated. Model beekeeping can break the boundaries between colonies; using young bees and mature sealed brood combs, a large colony of 16 to 17 frames can quickly be formed. Seizing the advantage of a new queen laying eggs quickly and having no urge to swarm, 20 kilograms of honey can be extracted at one time. If the nectar flow period is long, supplement whatever is lacking in the hive to build up reserve strength, and honey production will be even higher.
Now that you know what model beekeeping is like, do you think this beekeeping method is feasible?