Detailed explanation of key points on apiary hygiene and disinfection techniques

In beekeeping production, apiary hygiene and disinfection are important parts of bee disease

prevention and control. Some pathogens can survive for months in adverse environments, and some bacterial spores and fungal spores can even survive for years. Apiary sites, beekeeping tools, combs, and @#@255@#@ feed are precisely the survival places for these pathogens. Apiary hygiene and disinfection are important means and measures to prevent the occurrence and spread of bee diseases.

1. Apiary site disinfection

First, remove weeds in the apiary thoroughly, and promptly clean up or burn dead bees. A 5% bleaching powder emulsion may also be sprayed to disinfect the apiary and the overwintering room. Bee colonies have an instinct for self-cleaning hygiene; diseased and dead bee larvae or adult bee carcasses will be cleaned out of the hive by the bees and fall near the apiary. Effectively killing these pathogenic bacteria that the bees have cleaned out of the hives can achieve the purpose of preventing and reducing the spread of disease.

2. Disinfection of beekeeping tools

1. The burning method is suitable for beehives, comb frames, wooden queen excluders, division boards, etc. Use the outer flame of a lit alcohol blowtorch or kerosene blowtorch to carefully burn the surfaces and crevices of the above bee tools until they are scorched yellow. In this way, bacteria and spores, fungi and spores, viruses, and insect eggs of pests can be effectively killed.

2. Chemical disinfection method Commonly used chemicals include 0.1% potassium permanganate, 4% formaldehyde, 2% caustic soda, 0.5%-1% sodium hypochlorite solution, 0.1% benzalkonium bromide, and 0.1%-0.2% peracetic acid. The above chemicals can be prepared into aqueous solutions at the above concentrations, used to soak and scrub beehives, comb frames, queen excluders, division boards, feeding boxes, etc., and then rinsed clean with clear water and air-dried.

3. Disinfection and storage of combs

Combs are the places where bees rear larvae and store honey and bee bread. Once contaminated by pathogens, they can easily cause bee diseases. Combs are commonly disinfected by sulfur fumigation.

When sulfur burns, it produces sulfur dioxide gas, which can kill bee mites, greater wax moth adults, larvae, and fungi. When using sulfur fumigation to control pests, it should be done once every 7 days for 2-3 consecutive times. Because sulfur dioxide cannot kill the eggs and pupae of the greater wax moth, fumigation should be carried out after the eggs hatch into larvae and the pupae emerge as moths.

During fumigation, place 8-9 combs in each super, stack 5-7 hive bodies into 1 group, place 1 empty super at the very bottom, level the four corners with bricks, and place a burn-resistant container inside. A 1 m wide plastic sheet (sealed tubular shape) is sealed at the upper end and, when unfolded, can exactly cover two groups. Light charcoal on a stove, put it into the container, sprinkle sulfur at 3-5 g per box onto the charcoal fire, quickly push it into the empty super, press the lower end of the plastic sheet firmly, and fumigate in a sealed state for more than 24 hours. Before use, place the combs in a ventilated place for 2-3 days to prevent bee poisoning.

4. Feed disinfection

1. Feed honey disinfection At present, the heating and boiling method is mostly used for disinfecting feed honey. Add a small amount of water to the honey and pour it into a pot to heat. After boiling, keep it boiling for 30 minutes, then cool it until lukewarm before feeding to bees.

2. Pollen disinfection Steam disinfection method: add an appropriate amount of water to the pollen, moisten it, and knead it into pollen balls, or place it directly on the cloth of a steamer. Steam disinfection for 30 minutes can kill the pathogens that cause bee diseases. Microwave disinfection method: place 500 g of dry pollen in a microwave-safe glass dish and heat on medium microwave power for 3 minutes per dish, which can achieve a very good disinfection effect.