Anyone familiar with beekeeping in Africa?

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lumba

New Bee
Joined
Aug 20, 2009
Messages
5
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0
Location
Zambia
Hive Type
Langstroth
I am based in Zambia & would like to start a few hives, the problem being based here is that you can’t purchase bees, you have capture hives. Now capturing the hive is not a problem, I have caught several hives but can’t get them to stay in the new hive (Langstroth) I put them in and within hours they have swarmed. What should I do?
 
I had a look at thier site earlier, looks like they are doing some good work!
 
lumba , i have kept bees and worked with bees in africa mainly sudan and ethiopia and egypt as wellas over the other side of the red sea aswell,

your problem is exactly the same as ours in the uk, we collect a swarm of bees and house them in a hive then they fly off

working with little information from you try these ideas,
clip the queens wings to prevent her flying away.
have some form of food near by, i dont know where and what your exact location and standing is but i take it you have no other equipment apart from the box set up if you do i would say to put some frames inside the langstroff hive with wax sheets on at least two or three if posible , and finaly the last couple ideas do very much help so try having some food for them a syrup of sugar and water, 1 litre water to 200gms sugar, dont reuse honey it is to expensive to waste, and finaly is there many flowers near by the more flowers helps to make the bees want to stay where the flowers are
 
If the queen is mated(Normally from a primary swarm not a cast swarm)then place a Queen excluder on top of the floor for a week or so until she is laying,bees will not normaly desert frames of brood.
Remember not to leave it on for to long as the drones cannot get out to mate.
 
Hedgerow pete thanks for the advise,

I have put 5 waxcovered frames in the hive, also melted a whole load of propolis and painted the hive with it to try and get rid of any smell coming from the pine that has probably been cured with chemicals before construction of the hive? the hive is located in a forrested area " Miambo Woodland" and there is a abundance of flowering trees. I think the wing clipping is the way foward,

Thanks for all the tips gents!
 
Hi Lumba

Once you can get a hive going, a frame with brood will hold most swarms in place.

If you can't find any Queen excluder them Paper clips over single bee holes/entrances will work.

Wing clipping will not help if they deciude to go, as you will simply just loose the queen.

Clipping does not prevent swarming or bees obsconding. It just means they normaly return minus the Queen.

And if that does not work I can get some Qx over to these people




http://is-is.facebook.com/group.php?gid=50396069560&ref=share


Regards Ian
 
Last edited:
Ian,

thanks for the advise, no need to send any qx's. I fly to South Africa on a reqular bassis, I wll pick up a few while im there next. thanks for the offer though.

Cheers,
 
New African Beekeeping Forum

Dear Lumba

We have just launched a new African Beekeeping Forum:

****************

You are welcome to join and discuss any topics related to African Beekeeping there.

Happy New Year to you all!

Doris Fischler
 
I have caught several hives but can’t get them to stay in the new hive (Langstroth) I put them in and within hours they have swarmed. What should I do?

I amd really far from Arrica, but even in Finalnd if I put the hive in hot sunny spot, hive will become too hot and swarm continue their travel. One thing is to put the swarm in dark cool pace that they start comb building.
 

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