Preparing hives to produce large quantities of honey

The primary goal of apiary management is to reach high population

densities of colonies or high strength of the number of workers so that the bee
colony can obtain the largest possible amount of honey throughout the year.

How can a beekeeper achieve the largest amount of honey from citrus
farms with high specifications

It is known that the citrus crop begins to bloom in mid-March, so the

beekeeper must do some necessary procedures to prepare the colonies in the
autumn season (the beginning of the bees year) and before entering the activity
season, which are:

 Exchanging old queens with young, fertilized queens laying eggs of

good genetic origin, due to their ability to produce large numbers of
young workers of age that the colony needs for the success of the
wintering to produce large quantities of energy for heating during the
winter, as it is difficult for the elderly queen to continue during Autumn
and winter in laying eggs due to the decrease of sperm stocks and thus
they are unable to lay fertilized eggs (which turn into drone layers) after
the end of the season.

 Establishing a strong and effective program to struggle diseases that

affect honey bee colonies, such as Foulbrood (American and European),
Nosema disease, as well as pests such as the oriental hornet and parasites
such as Varroa parasite in order to protect the colonies from infection and
maintain their strength to begin the new season in large quantities.

 Merging colonies, which takes place before and after the wintering
process, as we find some colonies have become weak sects, whether for
the effort exerted during the activity season or during the wintering
 process itself. Therefore, at least two colonies are joined in order to
obtain a strong colony before wintering to resist the adverse conditions
during the fall and winter, while it could be done after wintering to obtain
large quantity of honey.

 Carbohydrate and protein nutrition: After the end of the summer

season, it must be ensured that there are sufficient quantities of honey (as
a source of carbohydrates) and pollen (as a source of protein) within the
colonies of bees to help them pass through the autumn and winter seasons
strongly. If this is not available a sugar syrup and protein supplemental or
substitute could be added by beekeeper.

 Auxiliary measures for the beekeeper to preserve the colonies in winter

1. Make the hives exposed to the sun

2. Place thick burlap covers over hives while sealing hives tidily.
3. Planting windbreaks from the north and west sides to protect hives
from the wind.
4. Adjust the entrance to the hive and the base of the hive on the winter
side
5. Lifting excess combs from the hives and placing a side barrier to
reduce space occupied by the bees and help them warm
6. Extend examination periods every 20-25 days

How can a beekeeper take advantage of the densely populated bee

colonies at the beginning of the spring season to obtain the largest amount of
honey bees with high specifications

The beekeeper must provide large areas of flowering crops that produce
nectar to enable bees to collect nectar in abundant quantities, but due to the
diminishing area of agricultural land in Egypt, whether for construction or
otherwise from the cultivation of some strategic crops such as wheat, the
beekeeper resorts to following a specific system through which they can obtain
The largest amount of honey throughout the year, with the difference and
diversity of plant sources, and this system is called the migratory apiculture.