Beekeeping in arid lands challenge - summer heat SLOVENIA Veronika Morato, Lukas Klabjan, Zaharija Morato MOBILE APIARY FOR SMALL-SIZE BEEKEEPING IN ARID LANDS INTRODUCTION Beekeeping in arid climates poses significant challenges, particularly when it comes to providing bees with the necessary resources for survival and productivity. In regions where water is scarce, and temperatures can soar, traditional beekeeping methods may not be sufficient. This is why we are proposing the concept of mobile apiaries and hive designs, like the A-Ž hives, with implemented changes. The A-Ž hive system was created ( in Slovenia) to optimize bee management and honey production. These hives are designed to be easily movable, allowing beekeepers to relocate colonies to areas with better conditions, whether it's for improved pollination or better access to nectar. However, given the extreme heat in hot and dry climates, additional adaptations are needed to ensure the well-being of the bees. In response, we propose several modifications to the A-Ž hives, including improved insulation, the installation of ventilation systems, and the implementation of efficient water storage solutions to tackle the challenges posed by hot and dry environments. By making these adjustments, we believe that beekeepers can better maintain healthy colonies, even in the most extreme conditions. MOTIVATION Beekeeping in arid climates presents a set of problems that are really tough to tackle. There is often only a small window when conditions are favorable for bee development, both in terms of sufficient honeydew and pollen intake, and very often even providing sufficient amounts of water is a major problem. One of the most obvious solutions to the problem is moving the beehives to a more suitable location, taking advantage of the micro-climate changes and the possible availability of local water sources. Moving bee colonies is of course not a new thing and our ancestors have been optimizing bee yields in this way since ancient times. However, small beekeepers in particular face major problems when moving bee colonies in standard loading hives, as each hive needs to be prepared separately for transport and transferred to a vehicle. Versions of leaf hives with rear doors make it easy to manufacture small container units, which allow for quick preparation for moving (just close the exit openings in the evening and load the entire container onto a car trailer). This way, we prepare 8-10 bee colonies for transport in less than half an hour. The hives used in Slovenia, the so-called AŽ hives, are very suitable for such a solution, but Slovenia is partly an Alpine country and the hives are not the most suitable for hot climates. This problem is solved with additional insulation and additional air flow, which lowers the temperature of the entire unit. METHODOLOGY A-Ž HIVES A-Ž, Anton Žnideršič, hive is a hive constructed so it’s doors are on the back of the hive, allowing beekeepers to more efficiently open and inspect hives.These type of hives also can be used as units, where the shape of the hive allows you to store one on top of the other. The main feature of Anton Žnideršič's hives is that they are designed in a way that allows honey to be harvested without disturbing the bee colonies. The hives are made up of several parts (frames, honey storage,bottom floor, queen excluder..), which allow for easy and quick inspection of the honeycombs and bees.They allow for easy removal of honey without disturbing the bees too much, which minimizes stress on the colony. The hives are constructed from wooden slats and come with frames that are removable for inspection or honey harvesting. This design significantly influenced beekeeping in Slovenia and beyond, contributing to the development of more efficient, less invasive beekeeping practices and are an important part of the Slovenian beekeeping heritage. STRUCTURE In terms of dimensions, the Žnideršič hive is typically larger than conventional hives. The hive body is usually about 40-45 cm in height and 45-50 cm in width. The frames used in the hive are generally standard Langstroth dimensions, with lengths of about 42 cm, allowing for a more flexible approach to the hive's internal management. The hives are designed to allow for better air circulation and insulation, helping to maintain a consistent internal environment. 1. Hive Body The hive body is the main container of the beehive and serves as the living space for the bees. It's typically a rectangular wooden box, which is the foundation of the hive system. The number of hive bodies may vary depending on the needs of the colony and the beekeeping system used. The hive body usually contains the brood area, where the queen lays eggs, and it also stores nectar and pollen. Materials: Most hive bodies are made of wood, but some can be made from plastic or polystyrene, which provides better insulation. Size: Commonly, the dimensions are around 45 cm by 45 cm, but this can vary depending on the system used. 2. Frames Frames are rectangular structures that fit inside the hive body and hold the beeswax or foundation on which the bees build their comb. They are removable, allowing beekeepers to inspect the hive, harvest honey, and monitor the health of the colony. The frames are usually made of wood or plastic. Foundation: Many frames are fitted with wax or plastic foundations. Wax foundation provides a base for bees to start building their comb, and it helps guide the bees to build straight combs. Types of Frames: There are different types of frames: deep, medium, and shallow frames, which determine the depth of the comb that the bees will build. The deeper the frame, the more honey the bees can store. 3. Honey Super The honey super is the part of the hive used for honey storage. It is placed above the brood area, encouraging the bees to store excess honey. When the bees fill these frames with honey, the beekeeper can harvest it. Function: The honey super provides additional space for the bees to collect nectar and convert it into honey, especially during periods of high nectar flow. Adding Supers: As the colony grows and the bees produce more honey, more supers can be added to meet the demand for space. 4. Bottom Board The bottom board is the floor of the beehive and provides support for the entire structure. There are different types of bottom boards: solid and screened. Solid Bottom Board: This is a traditional design that provides full support and keeps the hive warmer in colder climates. Screened Bottom Board: A mesh floor allows debris (such as dead bees and other hive waste) to fall through, keeping the hive cleaner. It also facilitates better ventilation. These components make up the core of the A-Ž hive system. MOBILE APIARY What we are proposing is not only the hive, but a mobile apiary, a system of 8-10 connected hives that are made to be loaded onto a trailer and move as desired. Mobile apiaries are beehives that allow beekeepers to move their hives to various locations, usually in search of better pollination conditions or more favorable plant resources for honey production. In Slovenia, mobile beekeeping is popular among larger beekeepers as it increases productivity and optimizes honey harvesting. These mobile beehives are typically designed on specially adapted vehicles, such as trailers or larger trucks, that are equipped with compartments for the hives. These mobile units can house different types and sizes of hives, designed to allow easy movement while ensuring optimal conditions for the bees to stay healthy and productive during transport. Beekeepers use them to seek the best conditions for bees, such as the flowering of various plants, which increases honey yields. These mobile operations also allow beekeepers to easily transport bees to locations where specific pollination is needed. Examples : PROPOSED CHANGES SUITABLE FOR HOT AND DRY CLIMATES The A-Ž hives are used in some European countries and designed to withhold their climates. Given that the material used is wood, not a sufficient isolator, that would cause the hives to overheat in harsher climates. That is precisely why we propose the following changes to be made. Firstly an addition of an isolator over the wood and the usage of the space between the two materials to create a ventilating system that will keep the insides of the hives a suitable environment for the bees. Secondly, tackle the problem of insufficient water supplies by creating (or actually again just modify a system commonly used in Slovenia) a water storage underneath the apiary unit and connect it with an automatic water supplier where the bees can keep hydrated. Beyond that we propose to introduce some add-on changes that we believe to be useful. CHANGES RELEVANT TO WITHSTANDING HEAT The heat problem is tackled by adding an isolator - styrofoam. Figure 1 shows an AŽ hive with additional styrofoam padding. Additionally a set of plastic pipes will be added to the space between the wood and the insulation material. When assembling the altered hive we will first build the A-Ž hive and then add half cut pipes along the sides of an individual hive while connecting the pipes all throughout the apiary. Over that we will secure the insulating material that covers all the hives in the apiary. Additionally we will create an opportunity to use solar power, by extending the apiary roof and securing solar panels on it. The electric energy from the solar panels will be directly used and not stored in a battery. The energy will be used for ventilation which is necessary only when the sun radiates enough to heat the hives. We do not need to store the energy for the night time. AŽ hives would be insulated with 5 centimeters of styrofoam, between which would be a system of pipes (half cut) through which the ventilation system would run. In one of the pipes there would be a fan that would run on electricity that would be obtained from solar panels that would be installed on the roof. Ventilation should not take place in the hive as it would cause a draft, so the ventilation system will have to cool the outside of the hive directly. With the help of solar panels, we would obtain a free source of energy that would drive a fan that would ventilate the air inside the tubes, to circulate cold air around the hives, which would cool the hives. You could also use air buoyancy, which would draw warm air over the chimney, which would consequently draw cold air with it, and thus you would not need a fan, as the air would circulate by itself. The pipes would be in styrofoam (that is, between the wood and the styrofoam, cut in half so that the air would blow from the wood and the pipes would only be cut along this side of the hive) The roof of the transport unit could be extended to produce more shade and had a larger area for collecting rainwater and _Ponovno odprta_ Jernej jaz sedaj mislim da je res vse kon č ano, kaj je andreja že oddala? kaj bo oddala pdf obliko, lahko prosim sporocita ko je oddano hvala V V sob., 14. dec. 2024 ob 21:24 je oseba Jernej Vi č i č (Google Dokumenti) < installing solar panels. The fan must have a mesh-like grid to prevent bees from being pulled into the ventilation system (shown on Figure 2). TACKLING INSUFFICIENT WATER SUPPLIES Our idea to have water always on hand is for it to be stored under the apiary (in the space below the raised mobile unit, between it and the ground) in barrels. We will put it in the shade to minimize the water loss, additionally curtains along the bottom of the mobile unit should be used to create even more shade and further minimize water loss. Not only will there be water stored below the unit but we suggest attaching a rainwater collecting system so that will furthermore collect and use all water supplies we can acquire. The system would be attached along the roof and side of the unit and below it connected to a water storing barrel or container of some sort. It would be optimal for moving the mobile unit to make sure the water storage is not attached to the apiary itself but only connected on scene. This way only the gutter would remain attached when moving the unit. Now that we established how to collect water we move onto the next proposition and that is how the bees will get water from the supply. To ensure that the bees can drink, we use a bottle filled with water, and it is sealed with an airtight ring that allows water to be released based on the amount of air entering the bottle. This bottle could be connected to the water storing tanks, or not, keeping in mind that the bottle must then be big enough to hold a sufficient supply of water until the beekeeper's next visit. There is more than one version of the water bottle model, each beekeeper should choose the best suited version for their apiary. A few examples are shown in the images, where the water dispensing system has rocks or other materials bees can land on and drink water from the flooded spaces without drowning. Furthermore to ensure smooth water supply if the bottle is connected to the storage tanks, we could place a mesh like filter to ensure no dirt particles can clog our system and bees get a clean water supply. The same can be done with the gutter so the barrels or storing tanks do not get clogged up by dirt particles. EXPECTED RESULTS The modifications proposed for the A-Ž hives and mobile apiary systems are aimed at addressing two major challenges faced by beekeepers in hot and arid climates: heat and water scarcity. By insulating the hives with styrofoam and integrating a ventilation system powered by solar energy, we expect to significantly improve the internal temperature regulation of the hives, reducing the risk of overheating and creating a more stable environment for the bees. This should help maintain colony health and productivity during extreme heat, a critical factor for successful beekeeping in such climates. Additionally, the introduction of an efficient water storage and dispensing system, including rainwater collection and shaded storage barrels, will ensure that the bees have a constant and reliable water supply. The use of a controlled water release system, such as the specially designed water bottles, will allow the bees to hydrate without wasting water or risking drowning. These measures are expected to improve the overall well-being of the bees, particularly during dry spells, and help ensure that the colonies remain strong and productive. Overall, the anticipated results of these changes include healthier bee colonies, more consistent honey production, and a more sustainable approach to beekeeping in challenging environmental conditions. The mobile apiary system, with its ability to move the colonies to optimal locations, combined with the modifications to address heat and water shortages, should greatly enhance the resilience and efficiency of beekeeping operations in arid regions. By implementing these adaptations, we believe beekeepers will be better equipped to overcome environmental obstacles and ensure the long-term success of their operations. CONCLUSION The proposed solution is suitable for easy and quick moves of a moderate number of bee colonies using simple means of transport, in our case passenger cars with trailers. The proposed modifications and overall setup are cost-effective and most suitable for small beekeepers operating 10 bee colonies, allowing them to start the move to a new location in less than 30 minutes. The whole moving process can be executed by only one person, although it is recommended that two people do this job for added efficiency and safety. In addition to ease of transport, the integration of the insulation and ventilation systems directly addresses the climate challenges faced in hotter regions. By using solar- powered ventilation and insulating materials like styrofoam, the system ensures that the colonies are kept cool and comfortable, even during the hottest days. This not only improves bee health but also ensures higher honey yields, as stressed bees are less productive. Moreover, the water storage system, which includes rainwater collection and shaded water barrels, guarantees a reliable water source for the colonies throughout the year. This feature is especially crucial in dry climates, where water scarcity can severely affect bee populations. The controlled water dispensing system further ensures that bees can access fresh water in a way that prevents waste and avoids drowning, which improves overall colony vitality. With these changes, the system provides a more sustainable and resilient approach to beekeeping in challenging environments. Beekeepers will be able to adapt quickly to different conditions by moving their colonies to areas with better resources while maintaining optimal living conditions for the bees. In the long term, these modifications could increase the productivity and sustainability of small-scale beekeeping operations, providing a practical solution for beekeepers to thrive in arid and hot climates.