Assessment of Hive Placement, Colony Unification and Colony Transfer of Modern Beehive Production System on Eastern Zone of Tigray Regional State, North Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted to assess the implementation of hive placement, colony unification and colony transfer of modern honey bee producers by taking four districts of Eastern Zone of Tigray. Data were collected by using semi-structured questionnaire as well as direct observation. The total number of household head respondents was 160. Beekeepers were kept their hives back yard (37.5%) with no shed, inside a simple built shed (25.6%), eaves of their house (22.5%), inside the house (11.9%) and trees found near to home (1.3%). The beekeepers were also transferred their colony to the modern hive on June to August (84.4%) which is rainy season and September to December (15.6%). In addition, about half (53.1%) of the respondents were offered supplementary feeds (different powders and sugar). Majority of the beekeepers were put their hives in uncomfortable areas and transferred their colony in high rainy season that most crops are on vegetative growth stage, nectar and pollen could be washed. In general, farmers had used weak beekeeping management practices.  Therefore, in order to increase productivity and avoid absorbing, hives must be protected from disturbance and excess wind and sunlight and colony should be transfer on the season of flower abundance.

Keywords: hive Placement, colony unification and colony transfer.