Optimization of nest microclimate of bee families during winter period

Abstract

In modern conditions, the improvement of technological methods in bee-farming significantly affects the production of bee-farming products. The concordance of technological operations of keeping bee families to climatic conditions of a particular region largely determines the production activity effectiveness of a beekeeper. Temperature differences in winter negatively affect the condition of bee families; humidity and excess condensate are accumulated in hives. The use of "zeolite" desiccant in winter allows improving microclimate inside the hive, contributing to more intensive development of bee families in spring and increasing marketable honey productivity due to its unique highly porous structure. Field studies were conducted during 2014-2016. Four groups of bee families were selected using the pair-analogue method in the course of the research: control group (without desiccant) and ex-perimental groups no 1, no 2, no 3 where in winter, the desiccant was placed at the hive bottom in the amount of 100, 150, 200 g, respectively.