Successful Apiary Management

By Isaac Adala.

Successful apiary management needs a beekeeper to devote some time in managing his/her Apiary. The following practices are recommended;

• The Apiary should be well fenced with barbed wire or a live hedge to keep off animals and people.
• The hedge should be more than 2 meters high so that bees can fly high when leaving or returning to the apiary.  This height reduces exposure and risk of being stung.
• The apiary should be kept clean by cutting overgrown and undesirable vegetation around the hives so as to prevent pests from accessing the hives.
• Hives should be properly hung and hanging wires must be greased frequently to keep off crawling pests.
• Plant more bee plants in and around the apiary to ensure that the bees are provided with enough forage.
• Dilapidated post should be repaired or replaced.
• Provision of a bee house to enhance security of the hives and provide shade especially in hot areas
• Control pests and predators.

The bee house can be constructed by use of locally available materials such as:

• Grass thatching for roofing.
• Rafters and mud for walls.
• Any available timber for hive stands.

References
1. The Backyard Beekeeper
2. The Practical Beekeeper
3. Technical Beekeeping Handbook 2013