CATDOLL : CATDOLL: Are the bees outside the hive at night in the summer?

Are bees outside the hive at night in summer?

In fact, this is a normal phenomenon that often occurs in bees in summer, mainly due to the high nest temperature in the bee colony. In addition to the high temperature in summer, this phenomenon is also caused by too many bees in the bee colony. However, if the bees just gather in groups and do not fan or fan less, other factors should be considered. Today, the Bee Tribe will share its views with you.

Bees gather at the nest entrance to fan themselves: First, the temperature is high.

Bees dissipate heat by fanning, and the fanning location is exactly at the entrance of the hive. The temperature is high in summer, and even at night. Both Chinese bees and Italian bees need to dissipate heat, and the main way to dissipate heat is by fanning at the entrance of the nest, but the Chinese bees and Italian bees fan in different ways. If the temperature is too high, bees will fan during the day and at night, so we can see many bees gathering at the entrance of the nest and fanning at night. In this case, we must pay attention to cooling the bee colony, which can be achieved by sprinkling water in the apiary, expanding the nest entrance, and collecting honey.

Second: Too many bees

Sometimes, although the temperature outside is not high, the bees in the hive are too high, causing the hive to be crowded and the nest door to be too high. At this time, the bees will also fan the hive door to cool down. In this case, we must expand the hive or perform artificial swarming in time to avoid natural swarming of bees.

Bees do not fan or fan very little. If the bees only gather outside the hive entrance and only a small number of them fan, in addition to temperature, we also need to consider other factors, such as the invasion of enemies by the bees and natural swarming of the bee colony.

First: Enemy Invasion

Relatively speaking, the most common enemy of bees in summer is hornets. They are not obvious in spring because they have not yet laid eggs in large numbers and are still in the recovery stage. We do not see many hornets. From mid-to-late spring, the number of hornets begins to increase. In summer, there will be a short period of honey shortage. At this time, there are more hornets, and this is also the beginning of hornets harming bees.

When wasps harm honey bees, they will defend themselves. Generally, more guard bees will gather at the entrance of the nest. If the wasps are seriously attacked during the day, the number of guard bees will not decrease at night, and the bee colony is likely to attack people. In this case, we should pay attention to killing wasps to reduce the harm of wasps to the bee colony.

Second: Swarm Fever

When bees are in swarming fever, a large number of bees will gather outside the hive, especially when they are about to swarm. There will usually be a group of bees in the shape of an inverted mustache outside the hive. In this case, we should check the bee colony in time. If we find that there are queen cells, we can relieve the swarming fever if we can contact them. If we cannot contact them, we can solve it by artificial swarming.

Beehives are the most important tool for artificial bee breeding. The reasonable design of a beehive is related to various life problems of bees and even affects the honey production. Why do some beehives have windows, but some do not? Do artificial beehives need windows? Is it better for bees to open windows for ventilation or to seal them tightly?

In fact, these problems have to start with the bee species. Different bee species have different requirements for beehives. For example, Western bee species and Eastern bee species are completely opposite. Some bee friends have proposed that whether it is better to open windows for ventilation or to seal them tightly should take climate changes into consideration. For example, the completely different climate characteristics of cold winter and hot summer can determine whether the beehive needs windows? Next, let's analyze the problem of windows in beehives.

Winter bee hive

1. Western bee species

1. Western bee species

Western bees have a weaker cold tolerance and cannot leave the hive to collect when the temperature is below 14 degrees. However, Western bees have a large population and must have enough fresh air to ensure ventilation inside the beehive. In addition, Western bees are prone to chalk disease in an environment with poor air circulation. Therefore, Western bees must not only do a good job of insulation in winter, but also pay attention to ventilation issues. The beehive cannot be wrapped tightly, which is not good for Western bees.

2. Oriental bee species

2. Oriental bee species

Oriental bees are more cold-resistant and can leave the nest to collect honey when the temperature is above 8 degrees. Oriental bees have a small population and a small number of bees, so they do not require as much fresh air as Western bees, and they do not suffer from chalk disease. In addition, there is a lack of pollen and nectar plants in the outside world in winter, and Oriental bees are naturally sensitive to smell, which easily leads to honey theft. Therefore, in winter, Oriental bees must not only provide proper insulation for the bee colony, but also repair the gaps in the beehive. A tight beehive is beneficial to Oriental bees.

Summer bee hive

The hot summer is a big test for Western bees. Due to the large number of bees in the colony and the high temperature, it is difficult for Western bees to survive the dog days if the windows of the beehive are not opened to maintain ventilation. Beekeepers even need to feed water to help Western bees humidify and cool down. In addition, Western bees fan the air at the entrance of the nest in an exhaust-style fanning method, which directly leads to the problem that fresh air is drawn from top to bottom and then through the entrance of the nest. In this way, if the box cover windows are not opened, it is difficult for the air to circulate. Therefore, Western bees must open the box cover windows for ventilation and cooling in summer.

The hot summer is also a test for the Oriental bees. However, in the hot summer, there is a lack of pollen and nectar plants outside. For the Oriental bees, preventing other bee colonies from stealing honey is more important than opening the hive windows to cool down. There are also Oriental bees that fan the air at the entrance of the nest, which blows fresh air from the outside of the hive into the inside of the hive. Therefore, the heat is easier to evaporate, and the humidity in the hive is relatively high. Not opening the hive windows can actually keep the moisture and cool down.

Generally speaking, whether it is winter or summer, oriental bee species do not need to use windows. They only need to use windows to prevent the bees from suffocating during the transportation of the bee colony. Western bee species are different. In summer, the hive cover windows must be opened, and in winter, good ventilation must be maintained without opening the windows. Therefore, when choosing a beehive, bee lovers should decide whether to buy a beehive with windows based on the type of bees they raise.

10 poisonous bees in the world, don’t mess with them if you see them!

We often see bees in our daily lives. In our impression, bees are hardworking and friendly. However, among the bee population, there is a group that really daunts people: they are poisonous bees.

10 most poisonous bees in the world

1. Killer bees: Also known as African killer bees, they are the result of hybridization of different species of the Hymenoptera family. In China, wasps and wasps have also caused allergies, shock or death in people. However, wasps belong to the Hymenoptera family. Killer bees are a new species that is developed and bred by mating common African honey bees with wild bees in the jungle. They have a great killing power against humans and animals. The main harm caused by African honey bees lies in their aggressiveness. It is mentioned in reference 1 that their aggressive behavior may be related to the secretion of pheromones. Killer bees (bees) are herbivores, while wasps and wasps live by preying on pests and other bees. They all have the habit of eating pollen. These bees themselves are also insects that are beneficial to the natural environment and ecological construction. Since they often prey on various pests in the forest, they play a great role in preventing and controlling forest pests.

2. [Hornet] (Scientific name: Vespa) is also known as the genus Vespa, a genus of the family Vespidae in the order Hymenoptera. It has a bright body color, usually yellow and black, with well-developed mandibles, and the stinger and venom gland at the end of the abdomen are connected. It has tiger stripes on its body, so it is called "hornet". They feed on all kinds of insects, so they play a great role in controlling pests and diseases in nature. The living area of ​​​​hornets is not wide, and the main distribution countries are Pakistan, southern China and Indonesia. In my country, it is mainly distributed in hilly and low mountain areas below 1,300 meters above sea level in Fujian and Guangdong provinces.

3. [Buffy bee] The head is yellow, the chest is brown and black, with fluff, the abdomen is yellow and black, the abdomen is conical, and there are three poisonous needles. In Cenxi, Guangxi and other places, the buffy bee is called "three-eye needle", which means three needles, which is very different from ordinary bees. If you are stung by a bee, don't think it's nothing, you should pay attention to it, sometimes it will lead to serious consequences. If symptoms occur, you can take the following measures: First aid measures, after being stung by a bee, its poisonous needle is rarely located in the skin of the honeycomb in Yuexi Town, Kaixian County. If it is, you must use a sterilized needle to pick out the broken sting in the flesh, then pinch the stung part hard, and suck it repeatedly with your mouth to suck out the toxin. If there is no medicine around you for the time being, apply some vinegar or lemon juice. If shock occurs, after calling "120" or on the way to the hospital, pay attention to keeping the injured person's breathing unobstructed, and perform first aid such as artificial respiration and cardiac massage. After being stung by a venomous bee, applying ammonia to the affected area is basically ineffective, because the histamine in bee venom cannot be neutralized by ammonia. There is a more common way to first aid for being stung by a horned bee, which is to quickly apply boy's urine after being stung. Continuing to apply for two hours can basically cure it. Urine from men over 18 years old is generally considered ineffective or has very poor effects.

4. Wasp Also known as "hornet", "ant wasp" or "hornet", it is a widely distributed, diverse and fast-flying insect. For example, wood wasp (Woodwasp), cedarwood wasp (Cedarwoodwasp) and parasitic tree wasp. It belongs to the family of Vespidae in the order Hymenoptera. The female wasp has a powerful long stinger on its body. When it encounters an attack or unfriendly interference, it will attack in groups, which can cause allergic reactions and toxic reactions in people, and in severe cases, it can lead to death. Wasps usually use soaked pulp-like wood pulp to build nests and eat animal or plant food.

5. Japanese giant hornet: This is the largest hornet in the world. Other species of hornets and larger insects like the praying mantis cannot compare to the Japanese giant hornet. The Japanese giant hornet is absolutely cruel and ruthless to its enemies. Its stinger is extremely long, reaching 6.35 mm. The venom it discharges is a highly corrosive enzyme that can break down human tissue. It is known as the "hornet from hell."

6. Ground wasp: It is a native product of Guangdong Province that reproduces naturally. There are two main species of it. One is the "ghost head wasp", which gets its name because of its black waist. It is not only ferocious but also highly poisonous. The other is the "yellow waist wasp", which gets its name because of its yellow waist. It is less ferocious and poisonous than the former. Both types of wasps make their nests underground.

7. [Landmine Bee] It is brown-yellow in color, 3-5 cm long, and is a larger species of bee. It is mostly found in jungle areas in mountainous and hilly areas in tropical regions such as Jiangxi, Guangdong, and Hainan in my country. It often builds its hive underground, which is in the shape of a pagoda, with layers stacked up and a diameter ranging from half a meter to 2 meters.

The mine bee makes a strong buzzing sound when flying, and the sound is very loud. The mine bee has this unique name because of its great toxicity. If a person is stung by it, the wound will be as bloody as a landmine injury. Within a few minutes, the person will feel black eyes and numbness in the mouth and nose. In less than half an hour, the wound will be extremely painful, and the pain will often make people faint. The pain will last for 7-10 hours. If you are stung 2 or 3 times, it is life-threatening.

8. [Golden Ring Wasp] It belongs to the order Hymenoptera, family Vespidae. With a body length of up to 40 mm, it is the largest wasp in the world. Head: Narrower than the thorax, but slightly wider than the front edge of the pronotum; thorax: The front edge of the pronotum is slightly raised in the middle, separated by the end of the mesothorax, with obvious shoulder angles, yellow-brown on both sides of the front edge, and the rest are dark brown, but some individuals have a brown spot at each shoulder angle, with almost no engravings, but covered with brown hair. Abdomen: Except for the dorsal and abdominal plates of the sixth segment, which are all orange-yellow, the dorsal plates of the remaining segments are brown-yellow and dark-brown. It preys on a variety of insects and has great value in biological control. At the same time, it will suck ripe fruits, causing certain harm. It is a common species of the Oriental and Palearctic regions.

9. [Black Shield Wasp] Mainly distributed in Hebei, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan; India, Vietnam, France. The female bee is about 21 mm long, with a head slightly narrower than the chest. The entire bulge between the two antennae is yellow, with an inconspicuous frontal groove, covered with long brown hairs, and shallow and fine engravings. Except for the inner edges of the two compound eyes, which are concave and the lower side is bright yellow, the forehead and the top of the skull are black. Male bee: similar to the female bee. There are no obvious protruding teeth at the base of the lip; the abdomen has 7 segments. It is more common in fields and forests, parasitizing cabbage worms, cotton bollworms, etc.

10. Big black bee: It has a black body, two wings, and 6 legs covered with hair, similar to a wasp. It bites out a cylindrical nest in dry rotten wood to build its nest, and uses pollen as food for its larvae. In summer and autumn, it is common to see sunflowers, loofahs, and other flowers with a lot of pollen collecting pollen for its larvae to eat. In late autumn, it burrows into a rotten wood hive to hibernate. Most adults freeze to death, and the larvae in the rotten wood will leave the nest and reproduce the next year.