El Program

Birsa Agricultural University
Faculty Of Forestry
Presentation On Apiculture
Presented by:- Instructed by:

Varsha Kujur Dr. S. Chattopadhyay
Roll no. - 61
Semester - Vth
Session - 2017-18
Introduction
• “Apiculture is the scientific method of rearing honeybees. “
• The word ‘apiculture’ comes from the Latin word ‘apis’ meaning bee.
• Apiculture or beekeeping is the care and management of honey bees
for the production of honey and the wax
• A location of the bees are kept is called Apiary/bee yard
Honey bee classification
 Kingdom- Animalia
 Phylum - Arthropoda
 Class - Insecta
 Order- Hymenoptera
 Family - Apidae
 Subfamily- Apinae
 Genus - Apis
Apiary Site Selection
 An apiary is defined as the place where bees are kept in the hive to forage nectar and pollen grains.
 Presence of natural vegetation composed of forest trees herbs and climbers provide adequate nectar and
pollen for the foraging bees.
 Presence of fresh water.
 Beehive should be placed in partial shade.
 Apiary should be away from crowded area.
Fig :- Apiary / Bee yard

Importance of Bee Keeping
It is mainly done for :

 Honey
 Wax
Fig : Honey
 Pollination - Moving pollen from anther to stigma
results in pollination
Fig : Pollination
Species of Honey bees:
1. Apis dorsata (The rock- bee)
 This is the largest honeybee.
 Builds single large open comb on high branches of trees and rocks.
 Produces large quantity of honey, but this bee is difficult to domesticate.
2. Apis indica (The Indian bee)

 Medium – sized.
 Hive consists of several parallel combs in cavities of tree trunks,
earthen pots, etc.
 This bee is not so ferocious and can be domesticated.
3. Apis florea (The little bee)
 Small – sized.
 Builds single small combs in bushes, hedges, etc.
 Honey yield is poor.
4. Apis mellifera (The European bee)

 Somewhat look likes the Indian bee (Apis indica).
 This has been introduced in many parts of the world including India.
 It is easily domesticated.
The Bee colony
• A colony of bees consists of three castes of bee:
 a queen bee, which is normally the only

breeding female in the colony;
 a large number of female worker bees, typically
30,000–50,000 in number;
 a number of male drones, ranging from
thousands in a strong hive in spring to very few
during dearth or cold season
(i) Queen Bee
• Queen bee is the only diploid

fertile female in colony.
• She is largest in size.
Fig : Queen bee
• No wax glands.
• Live for about 3 - 4 years.
• May lay eggs at the rate of 1000-
1500 per day
Fig:-Queen cell
(ii) Drones
• Drones are the male member of
colony.
• Drones can live up to about 60 days.
• Drones are hairy.
• Sting and wax gland absent.
• Develops from unfertilized egg.
• The sole duty of drone is to fertilized
the virgin queen Fig:- DRONE
• They Die after mating with virgin
females.
(III)Worker Bee:
 Have well-developed sting and Hind legs have

“pollen basket” for collecting pollen.
 They perform different duties depending upon their
age which are as follows:
 Day 1-14 (Nurse bees) : Activity inside the hive such
as cleaning the hive, feeding the larvae, etc.
 Day 14-20 (House bees ): cleaning, building comb,
storing pollen/nectar, guarding hive, controlling temp,
undertakers
 Day 21-35 (Field bees) :Foraging i.e. collecting the Fig :Worker Bee
nectar and pollen from the surrounding.

Habit and habitat
Honey bees are:

 Organized social insects
 Active more in spring
 Exhibit polymorphism and division of labour.
 Workers communicate by the ‘Round and Waggle dance’
We must avoid red flower as honey bees are blind Sugar syrup for non flowering season (source of
to red color food for bees)
Swarming
• The process of leaving off the colony by the queen is termed as

swarming.
• When Hive get over crowded in the summer by the food, the queen
left the hive with some of the old drones and workers and
establishes a new hive at another place.
• In old hive, a worker is given the royal jelly and become new
queen, and orders to kill the other sisters in the hive.
Mating of honey bee
• Virgin queen flies where thousand of male bee be waited , mating
takes place during flight.
• This is called nuptial flight.
• Only one drone dies and queen return to the hive.

Life cycle & Development
 All castes take about 3 days as egg and 6 days as larva, Pupal stage varies from
7‐15 days depending on the caste
 Total time: Queen (16 days), Worker (21 days), Drone (24 days)
 The hive environment is kept clean and temperature controlled to promote proper
development
 Leave the hive to deposit feces, other contaminants Remove dead and
diseasedbees
Fig:-Pupa Inside Sealed Fig : Bee Emerging From
Fig :- Egg Fig : Larva
Brood Cell
(White Rice
Shaped)
Methods of Beekeeping
Movable hive - It comprises wooden boxes.
 Modern method of apiculture : Bee space is the

optimum distance to be left in between two
adjacent comb surfaces in a bee hive which is
essential for normal movement and functioning
of bees.
Fig : Hives
Hive
 It comprises of hollow wood logs, empty boxes
placed in the apiary
 There exist one hole for entrance / exit of the
bees.
 The swarmed bees usually come to the box
on their own accord.
Fig : Hive
Parts of a Hive:
Bottom board: It forms proper base Brood chamber: Chamber used for
Stand: To support bottom board. for the hive having an entrance for rearing of brood. Frames are placed in
bees. this chamber on which bees raise combs.
Cntd…..
Frame Top cover: A type of lid acting

Super: It is provided with many as roof placed over inner cover
frames containing comb foundation
to provide additional space for
expansion of hive.
Safety Equipment
 Bee veil: Used for preventing bee stings on face and neck.
Bee Enemies
• Enemies of Honeybees:
1.Wasp: It waits near the entrance of the hive; catches bees as they
come out,
macerate them for feeding the juice to its young ones.
3.Other enemies are wax beetle, birds, ants etc.
Protection from enemies
Ant well to protect from ants Net cover to protect from Stick to protect from lizard
insect like wasp
Extraction
•For honey extraction, burning fire is brought near the bee hive at the night as a result of which bees are either killed or they
escape off.
•Further the hive full of honey is being removed.
Honey Extractor:
 It functions on principle of centrifugal force.
 By centrifugation , pure honey is thrown out without any damage to the comb.
Fig:- Manual Honey Extractor

Fig:- Processing unit
Products of Apiculture
(a)Honey
Bees produce honey from Nectar of plants through enzymatic activity,
regurgitation, and water evaporation.
 Uses
– Food : Honey is a nutritious food, rich in energy and vitamins.
– Medicines: It is used to prevents cold, cough and fever.
• Composition of honey:
Levulose 38.9%
Dextrose 21.28%
Maltose & other sugars 8.81%
Enzymes and pigments 2.21%
Water 17.20%
PURE HONEY FOR SELLING
(b) Beeswax:
• Beeswax is secreted by the wax glands located on the underside of the last four abdominal segments
(4th to 7th) of the worker bee.
 Uses:
– making of candles.
– used in creams, lotions, lipstick.
– formation of comb foundation (wax foundation in apiaries).
(c) Royal Jelly:

 The glandular secretions of young worker bees (4-10 days old), produced by the
hypopharyngeal gland in the head.
 Uses: Used in treatment of diabetes, osteoporosis etc. It also aids in healing wounds and boosts
immunity.
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Birsa Agricultural University

Presented by:- Instructed by:

Fig :- Apiary / Bee yard

It is mainly done for :

2. Apis indica (The Indian bee)

4. Apis mellifera (The European bee)

 a queen bee, which is normally the only

• Queen bee is the only diploid

 Have well-developed sting and Hind legs have

nectar and pollen from the surrounding.

Honey bees are:

• The process of leaving off the colony by the queen is termed as

• This is called nuptial flight.

• Only one drone dies and queen return to the hive.

 Modern method of apiculture : Bee space is the

Frame Top cover: A type of lid acting

Fig:- Manual Honey Extractor

(c) Royal Jelly:

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