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To lay bees in August, there are several methods: on a mature queen cell, on a fertile queen, on a barren queen. Artificial mating of insects can be carried out in early spring and autumn. Reproduction helps increase the number of insects and the amount of honey.
What is “layering” in beekeeping
Layering in beekeeping is a selection of individuals and brood for further artificial propagation. There are three types of layering: for young, old and uneven-aged individuals. In each species, three subspecies are distinguished: for the fertile female, for the infertile female, and for the mature queen cell. They resort to artificial mating of individuals to restore the swarm after the spring and autumn period, to organize cores, for sale and increasing the number of individuals in the apiary.
When is the best time to breed bees?
Laying in a bee colony can be done when the individuals are sufficiently strong, during the period when drones appear ready for mating, and always when the air temperature outside is not lower than 25 degrees. Bee breeding can begin in early spring and end in early August.If weather conditions permit, it can be carried out in the fall.
It is best to make layering in the spring. The bees regain their strength over the winter and are ready to reproduce. It is better not to do this in early spring; the insects may not be strong enough, and the number of families may decrease.
The formation of layering can be carried out in late summer and early autumn. With this option, insects need to be helped by introducing seeding at the exit. This could weaken core families. The moment of breeding must be chosen so that the females begin to sow in them no later than a month and a half before the main harvest. Such small families will gain enough strength to work in the honey collection.
How to make layering
Bees can be layered in different ways. The most common of them are described below.
To the queen cell
To do work on the queen cell, it is necessary to first prepare small cores for mating queens. As soon as the eggs begin to appear, the colonies begin to be strengthened with new queens.
Young individuals perceive the queen cell better than old ones, so it is recommended to compose the cores from young insects. For layering, 2–4 frames are taken from the main house and transferred to the new one. Additionally, take 2 more frames with honey. The new nest is insulated at the top and along the edges.
At sunset, when the flying bees leave their home, they plant the queen cell in the cage. Water is poured into empty honeycombs. A day later, the queen cell is released from the cell, until fertilization and egg laying; the swarm cannot be touched.
If the queen cell has not taken root and the insects build fistulous queen cells, it is necessary to kill them and plant a new queen cell.After two weeks, the result is checked again; if the queen cell is killed again, then the procedure is repeated. If eggs appear, the queen cell is not removed from the hive for another 2 weeks.
Reproduction is carried out a couple of months before the main honey harvest. After successful brood, it is recommended to feed new individuals to strengthen the swarm. If weather conditions are unsuitable, the start of breeding may be delayed by a month.
To the fetal uterus
This is the easiest way to breed bees. Bee brood must be made large so that the queen can lay as many eggs as possible. In a small brood, the female may lay an insufficient number of eggs and a small generation of insects will grow.
The honeycombs with brood are transferred to a new equipped house along with the individuals. Several additional young insects are placed there. They are taken from other broods from the main families. Move the honeycombs along with honey and beebread. They are placed on the sides of the brood in the new home.
For layering to the queen bee, the new hive must have more than 4 kg of honey. This amount requires 1.5 kg of insects. These are good conditions for rapid reproduction.
During the first days, the individuals do not leave the house; you need to add water to the cells of the side combs by spraying.
When the bees begin to fly out of the hive, it is necessary, taking precautions, to release the queen from the cage. If after a couple of days weak reproduction is noticed, it is recommended to either report several young individuals or remove one frame.
This method can be used 3 weeks before the start of honey collection. To prevent swarming, you need to select fertile females from the main family for the family.
With overwintered nucleus
Reproduction can be carried out with a wintered nucleus. Nuclei are taken with additional females, which are well fed from the beginning of spring. To form a nucleus, it is provided with a sufficient amount of food, and the nests are insulated. In such conditions it grows quickly. When the nucleus has formed and become stronger, it is transplanted into a new hive. Later it is strengthened by adding one frame of brood; if all is well, then later several more frames can be added.
With this method of propagation, swarming may occur. This happens if there are too many young insects in the house and the air temperature in the hive is high during the day. In this case, the queen simply will not be able to give birth. To prevent this, the nucs are periodically checked in a new hive. If swarming begins, they are disposed of.
For a young bee
Such layerings can be formed from the same family or from different ones. They must be young, then there will be no enmity between them. You can use a fertile female, an infertile one, or a mature queen cell.
If breeding is done from one family, then it is located next to the main hive. 2–3 frames with brood and 2 frames with beebread are transferred into it. After 2–4 days, insects are shaken off two more frames into the hive. Old individuals may return to the old house. The new family will become weaker because of this. At this moment the female sits down. It is placed in a cage in advance in the old hive, and the barren one is placed in a cage in the new hive. If the mature queen cell is from the main hive, then it is placed immediately in the new house. After a few days, the cells are opened for mating. On the tenth day, a clutch should appear.
Layering by dividing the family into half a summer
For this method, the old hive is moved to another location. In its place they put a new house, with prepared frames. Frames with one-day seeding are transferred to the new house. Add frames with beebread. The new hive will contain insects from old families. The next day, the number of individuals is checked; if there are too many of them, some are removed; if there are few, then they are supplemented with frames with insects. The new hive is insulated.
How to breed bees in the spring
To begin work on the formation of layering, it is necessary to wait until the insects awaken after wintering. They must get stronger. This usually happens when the outside temperature is maintained at least 10 °C. Weather conditions must be suitable: sufficient daylight and no threat of frost. There are two options for mating in spring:
- early. This method is used in early or mid-April. If done later, it will lead to swarming. The air should warm up to 20 degrees. It all depends on the region where the hive is located;
- late. During such a period, there is a high probability of non-return from the mating flight. If this happens, brood may not occur at all. This will reduce the amount of honey. By the time of reproduction, drones and queens must have formed in families. The best time is mid or late May.
To carry out layering in the spring you will need:
- Make a new hive for bees.
- Nucleus, each requires 2-3 frames. Nucleuses are selected from young, strong families.
- Mature queen cell.
- The hive is insulated with polystyrene foam or tufts of moss and reeds.
- Roevnya, which will later be moved to a new home.
- Female. It is chosen depending on the method of reproduction.
First you need to calculate and remove the uterus.You can take it from the main hive or buy it. Brood must be made from colonies that have begun to swarm. The honeycomb must contain eggs. To strengthen the new swarm, it is necessary to feed with medicinal preparations and sugar syrup. Beebread frames are prepared in advance. For one new house you need 3-5 pieces. You can conduct an early flight of bees in a greenhouse, this will allow you to identify weak colonies and replace unsuitable queens. If the female is purchased, then layering is carried out 5–10 days later.
How to make layering before swarming
Swarming bees produce less honey. Swarming begins in late April or early May. They build honeycombs with drone cells and begin the formation of drone brood. After a few days, queen cells appear. These are sure signs of the beginning of swarming. Insects form a swarm and leave their home. At this moment you need to have time to catch the insects in the swarm. Move them to a new hive. A new hive is placed in place of the main one. When transferring individuals to a new home, it is necessary to remove the female. When the queen is lost, bees stop swarming. In such a situation, the new home will contain insects of different ages. Swarming of families is the instinctive reproduction of bees. This moment can be postponed to a later date, but cannot be prevented.
Is it possible to breed bees in August?
It is best to carry out propagation in the spring. In August, bees are mated under suitable weather conditions. For this you will need:
- Make a new home for bees.
- Several females from the main hive.
- 2–3 frames of brood, either young or of different ages.
- Frames with beebread, 2–3 pieces per family.
Before moving individuals to a new home, you need to insulate them with foam plastic or tufts of moss. Bees are laid in August to a queen cell, a fertile or infertile female. After 4-5 days you can check for the presence of eggs. If the laying was successful, then the bees need to be fed with sugar syrup. If there are no eggs, then they try to introduce several new females. By early autumn, new families are formed.
How to make late bee broods in the fall
The best way to layer bees in the fall is the half-summer method. In autumn, reproduction is carried out at sufficient temperature. If weather conditions are not appropriate, so as not to reduce the number of individuals and weaken families, work is postponed until spring. To carry out work in the fall, you need to make a new hive and insulate it well. Several young families are transferred to the new house, and later a female is placed. When the clutch appears, the insects need to be fed.
Conclusion
There are several methods to make bee broods in August and other times. Layering will help increase the number of bees in the apiary, make a second hive, and increase the amount of honey. To carry out such work, all necessary conditions must be met: insects must be strong, healthy, and weather conditions must be suitable. It is better to form new families with young individuals, this will increase the likelihood of success.
