Supporting Bees and Beekeepers for 150 years bbka.org.uk More about the BBKA Represents 28,000 beekeepers in England • Most belong to local associations • Funds research into bees and the environment • Lobbies Government in various campaigns • Active on radio, TV press and social media • Supports beekeepers to learn new skills • Encourages the next generation on bees and their importance to the environment bbka.org.uk Where do bees want to live? Prof. Tom Seeley 1976 – Survey of dozens of Honey b ee nests – Average volume 45 litre – Average height 1.56m – Average diameter 227mm This is what our bees get... • Bee nests are typically tall , narrow and well off the ground • Bee hives are short and squat • Bee nests have tiny entrances and walls 15 - 25 cm thick • Bee hives have big entrances, OMF’s and walls 1 - 2cm thick The laws of physics are universal Energy (nectar) Convection Conduction Radiation Bees generate heat But it’s more complex... • Temperature is only part of managing the hive • Humidity levels are more important for bee health and honey production • Key factors include • Hive design • Comb layout • Fanning behavior • The size of worker bees matters too... Why bee size matters Evolution has driven bee size. • Where it is colder, bigger bees lose heat slower • They “block” air currents between combs Smaller bees are more suited for warm, arid conditions • They can lose heat quicker • Consume less resources individually Bee size directly relates to comb depth and diameter and gaps between combs. Average Daily Temperatures in Dubai 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 Low High Ideal Brood Temp Bees in Desert Conditions • In Dubai bees need to cool the hive in the summer heat, but must must increase internal temperatures every night across the year and through the winter • They generate heat from consuming honey (and pollen) • They cool the hive through evaporating water and recirculating the air • In summer, the bees need to bring in large volumes of water to keep the brood cool • Therefore, a better insulated environment requires less energy to keep at a constant temperature. This applies in both winter and summer Wooden vs Polystyrene Hives Designed by thermodynamic experts • WBC double - walled hives from around 1860 • In the age of steam, thermodynamics was widely studied and understood • The gap between the inside and outside boxes as as a good insulator • Good for bees, not so good for beekeepers! Designed by accountants? • Langstroth/ Dadent and UK National hives • Promoted in WW2 as a means of saving wood • Poorly insulated, not good in damp environments • Good for beekeepers, not so good for bees! Designed by an Engineer... Improving Honey Harvests • Collected nectar needs to be converted to honey. That requires dry air and heat – lots of heat! • Latent heat of evaporation is key • Every Kilo of honey requires several Kilos of nectar, most is lost generating heat to remove water vapour in the summer • Warm air holds more water vapour . At 40C air can hold 30% more moisture so bees don’t have to work so hard consuming stores • Bees waste vast amounts of nectar to produce honey in a “leaky” hive • Torben Schiffer in Germany estimates that tree colonies may only have to gather one tenth as much nectar as a typical wooden hive. • European Bee Farmers with polysterene hives report getting increases of 20 - 40% in honey harvests Polystyrene Beehives • In use for the past 30 years • Now very popular - especially for commercial bee farmers • Creates a more stable environment, less stressful for the bees • Improves bee health and generates bigger harvests • Light and easy to work with • BUT – damaged by UV light so must be painted with a special white titanium dioxide coating. Beekeeping in Arid Lands Conclusions • European bees not evolved for local conditions • Bigger bees find it harder to lose heat, frame spacing makes it difficult for bees to manage temperature and especially humidity in hot climates • Local Apis Florea bees not designed for European beehives • Cell sizes and spaces between combs are smaller and frame spacing won’t work • Consider moving to polystyrene beehives painted in a white titanium dioxide coating • Place a damp, soaked cloth over the top of the frames, under the roof, wetted every day or two in the summer. • Redesign frame dimensions to better support local bee species