Opinion - or other point of view
Is the beehive really as simple, natural and essential as is always claimed?
Critical comments.
It is not easy for anyone who wants to start beekeeping in Germany. In Germany in particular, there are a myriad of different systems, including beehives. In the literature, in teaching to become an animal farmer, at universities, technical colleges or in most courses for beginners (German Beekeeping Association, Bioland, Demeter), the frame operation or the beehive is recommended.
There are books such as "Der Wochenendimker" by Karl Weiss or the "New Beekeeping School" (9th revised edition 1995) by Edmund Herold and Karl Weiss, which for decades have successfully misled thousands of new beekeepers and deprived them of common sense to have.
These books contain recommendations that will make your hair stand on end! It says, for example: "Even with earlier spinning it is worth reaching for the edge honeycombs of the brood chamber" so that the beekeeper can increase his honey yield or "In exceptional cases, honey can also be heated to a higher temperature when liquefied, for example to 70 ° C (Melitherm)" . In addition, Karl Weiss recommends paradichlorobenzene to the newcomer to combat wax moths and carbolineum as an exterior paint for magazine hives; he even says you should dip the lining wall frames in carbolineum. This wood preservative was also used as a waterproofing insulating agent for railway sleepers, telegraph poles and fence posts. Karbolineum is very irritating to the skin, is carcinogenic and the vapors attack the respiratory tract. It has not been approved for use since 1991; Waste wood that has been treated with carbolineum must be disposed of as hazardous waste.
Recently there is another book that, as we shall see, successfully misleads beekeepers: Erhard Maria Klein 2012: The Bees Box. Darmstadt.
Da Demeter-Imker zunehmend in Journalen oder Filmen über Bienen zu Wort kommen, entwickelt man ein gewisses Zutrauen und erhofft sich neue Erkenntnisse zur artgerechten / wesensgemäßen Bienenhaltung. Verwirrend für den Anfänger ist nur, wenn Demeter-Imkervereine wie Mellifera e.V. oder De Immen e.V. von wesensgemäßer Bienenhaltung zwar reden, tatsächlich aber am Dogma der industriellen Bienenzucht festhalten. So ist auch zu erklären warum in Büchern wie "Michael Weiler / Günter Friedmann: Der Mensch und die Bienen" als "Literaturhinweis" zum Beispiel die "Neue Imkerschule" und weitere Bücher empfohlen werden, in denen Edmund Herold und Karl Weiss als Autoren auftreten oder warum manche Initiativen (Bienen machen Schule) oder Erzieherinnen (wie zum Beispiel in dem Buch: Kutsch, I. & Obermann, G. 2010: Mit Kindern im Bienengarten) zeigen möchten, wie man die Kinder an die Bienenhaltung heranführt und ihnen dann versehentlich die industrielle Bienenhaltung mit Kunstwaben etc. vorführt. [5][7][8][9][10][14]
An organic or Demeter beekeeper has only a rudimentary part of beekeeping in keeping with nature; the honey yield is in the foreground. People therefore row back and prefer to speak of "high-yielding harvests" and "keeping the bees as appropriate to the species as possible." Artificial dividing walls made of adulterated beeswax, sugar-feeding of the economic peoples and the beheading of the non-purebred queens are allowed: "He discovers them in a crowd of workers on a honeycomb and ends their 'bastard production' by beheading them with his fingernail." Nevertheless, Demeterimker and the Mellifera eV beekeeping association like to talk about "responsible", "bee-friendly" and "ecological" beekeeping or even say: "We first look very closely at the bees to find out what they need to feel good". Other expert advisors for Demeter beekeeping ramble: "I am trying to learn more about the creatures that live out here in the world, to respect their natures in order to meet them accordingly ... without appearing dogmatic"; He couldn't say whether one should wander extensively with the bees, hang artificial wax plates in the colony or feed sugar. [10] [14] [15]
If the beginner or hobby beekeeper did not allow himself to be confused and has come to the decision, frame beekeeping with artificial honeycomb parts (these are, for example, middle walls that are usually made from a beeswax-paraffin mixture), partly plastic honeycombs, wires that make up the honeycomb move through, leave it behind, and turn to the natural honeycomb construction, the question now arises for him: beehive, warré or top bar hive? Strictly speaking, the beehive is already ruled out here, as we will see in a moment - although it has repeatedly received awards from environmental associations for its alleged sustainability. The Mellifera one-room hive is not even up for discussion, because it is a normal frame operation. [5]
The beehive: simple and natural?
Schön wär's. Was hat es mit der Bienenkiste, die von Mellifera e.V. ("Vereinigung wesensgemäße Bienenhaltung") entwickelt wurde, auf sich. Sehen wir uns die Fakten einmal an und prüfen, ob sie sich für den Anfänger, Hobbyimker oder Nebenerwerbsimker wirklich eignet und ob alles dabei so einfach, natürlich und wesensgemäß zugeht wie immer behauptet wird. Sehen wir uns eine Analyse aus den kritischen Apikulturbriefen an. [12][13]
"Keeping honey bees yourself - easy and natural" [1]
Critique of the beehive: smoke
The beehive is definitely an improvement over the frame operation; Here, too, the beekeeper has to lift heavy loads and master a complicated technique. If you let the swarm move into the beehive, you can still watch in a relaxed manner. However, in order to look at brood nest and honey supplies, for example, the beehive together with colony and honey supplies must first be lifted up and turned upside down. But that's not all: If you want to take a closer look at the colony, you have to open the whole box - similar to magazine beekeeping - which reveals the entire brood nest. This creates a not inconsiderable unrest among the colony, which is why, as in industrial beekeeping, the use of a smoker is essential. The author of "The Beehive" only says: "A basic rule for beekeepers is: 'Never go to the colonies without smoke!'" [1]
Die Anwendung von Rauch in der Imkerei kann grundsätzlich als Tierquälerei bezeichnet werden, da den Bienen jedes Mal ein Buschbrand vorgegaukelt wird: die Bienen bereiten alles vor, um in der Not den Kasten als Schwarm verlassen zu können. Eine derartige Betriebsweise - also Bienenkiste, Rähmchen- und Magazinimkerei - kommt ohne Smoker nicht aus und ist damit gerade für Anfänger oder Hobbyimker eher ungeeignet.
Criticism of the beehive: center walls, artificial honeycomb parts
In addition, beekeeping that depends on the use of smoke must be excluded from the production of apitherapy products, as the bee products take on taste and pollutants. The same applies to the magazine and frame beekeeping as well as the so-called Warré hive: here, too, artificial honeycomb parts (middle walls), magazines, smoke, rotation of the brood nest, similar to the rotating frame hive, are used. In addition, bee diseases cannot be detected in good time with the stable construction method.
The use of artificial middle walls in beekeeping means that the bee products cannot be used for bee therapeutic purposes, because middle walls made of bio-wax can also contain paraffin.
"Unlike in the breeding area, you not only give the bees a construction specification with a wax guide strip, but complete middle walls in the harvest area. This increases the honey yield ... If you buy one kilogram of middle walls, you may only get 13 instead of 14 panels . " [1]
Honey from the beehive is also unsuitable for the production of bee-therapeutic products: "The collected honeycomb pieces are cut into small pieces with a long sturdy knife and 'mashed'. A potato masher made of wood is also very suitable for this" [11]
Kritik der Bienenkiste: Konstruktion, Bauplan
But at least the beehive is more simply constructed. You just have to assemble the beehive and attach the latches and latches, right? Wait, ...
"Nachdem Sie die Holzkiste fertig zusammengebaut haben, müssen Sie noch den 'Innenausbau' vornehmen." Dazu benötigt man "Auflageleisten, Trägerleisten, Querleisten" und mindestens 1 kg Mittelwände, die mit einem "Pizzaschneider" passend geschnitten werden müssen. [1]
So a bit more complicated and rather unsuitable for hobby beekeepers, because who wants to work with artificial dividing walls? ... Are TBH's simpler than the beehive? Top bar hives, on the other hand, are known worldwide for the fact that they can get by with a minimum of interventions. Top carrier hives or top bar hives are not only more simply constructed than the beehive, the maintenance effort is also much lower. The construction of the top bar hive has been handed down at least since 1682. Aristotle and Pythagoras are also said to have worked according to this principle. The original principle has been known for thousands of years - and not just in Africa but worldwide. In the past, economic aspects were not in the foreground. Even with today's operation, Top bar hives does not focus on the economic honey harvest, but - as far as it is a certified partner beekeeping - an appropriate beekeeping and the production of bee-therapeutic products. Neither is possible with the beehive, as shown above. [5]
The removal of some combs from the edge area does not mean that the brood nest is disturbed. In top bar hives, the brood nest is least disturbed. In storage hives, the Mellifera large-volume hive or the beehive, on the other hand, the entire colony gets into an uproar when the beekeeper tries to open the box for inspection purposes. In addition, the beehive has to be turned upside down - similar to what is usual with rotating frame hives. [2] This represents a sensitive disturbance of the bee colony, because the entrance hole is no longer in the same place during the inspection, which means that the nectar, pollen and propolis collectors are desperately looking for the entrance hole. A temporary change in the location is to be classified as particularly unnatural, because in nature this change only takes place when swarming. In addition, the beehive is moved back and forth and the brood nest is completely opened. In the case of the beehive, not only smoke is used, but also artificial swarms and possibly artificially inseminated queen and cellar.
Kritik der Bienenkiste: Fachwissen, Schwärme
Fachwissen sei für Bienenkistenimker nicht nötig, man müsse nur immer fleißig die Königinnenzellen (Weiselzellen) herausbrechen. [1][11] Denn bezüglich der Schwarmkontrolle verfolgen Bienenkistenimker eine eher rabiate und in der Magazinimkerei übliche Methode:
"Dazu müssen Sie nach Abgang des Vorschwarms alle Weiselzellen bis auf eine herausbrechen oder zerstören. Sie sollten nach Möglichkeit keine Zelle übersehen." [1]
In other words, we cannot speak of "keeping bees simple and natural" or of "single hives" in the case of the beehive. I have never met a honeybee who would have voluntarily chosen artificial dividing walls or such a complicatedly constructed beehive like the so-called "beehive" from Mellifera eV They want to see "the bee colony as a whole" - artificial dividing walls, extensive use of the smoker , Sugar feeding of the economic peoples, breaking queen cells and the temporary relocation of the entrance hole bring the beehive back to the frame and magazine operating mode. Even if the inventor of the beehive can be photographed with his beehive with a friendly smile, watching "beekeepers" relax and watch a swarm move in, the beehive does not meet the requirements of consistently natural or natural beekeeping. [5] [12] [13]
Naturwabenbau
T-NATURWABENBAU-BioAustria-2009.pdf
PDF-Dokument [47.5 KB]
Conversion from the beehive to Topbar beekeeping
If you want to switch from magazine, frame or beehive beekeeping to topbar beekeeping, distance learning course No. 48 (included in crash course A) offers important information. [5]
Warré or top bar hive?
What is the Warré mode of operation all about? Abbé Émile Warré (1876-1951) wrote a not uninteresting book: L'Apiculture pour Tous. Many beekeepers in German, English and French-speaking countries have been inspired by it. One wanted to leave the beekeeping with all its disadvantages behind and let the bees build their honeycombs again naturally. That's a really nice thing too. [3]
Da die Warré-Beute oder modifizierte Warré-Beuten auch heute unter Imkern immer populärer werden, sehen wir uns diese Betriebsweise einmal genauer an. Immerhin sagt der Autor von "Bienenhaltung für Alle":
"Die Imkerei nach Warré bietet dem modernen Imker die Chance auf eine einfache und bienengerechte Bienenhaltung. Für alle! Sehr sicher ist, dass die Erträge weit unter den Erträgen der Berufsimker und ihren Nachahmern, den Hobbyimkern zurückliegen werden. Als Entschädigung dafür darf die Freiheit des Honigs von Medikamenten gelten. Sowie die Gewissheit, eine nachhaltige und bienengerechte Haltung zu praktizieren. Die Ersparnis der vielen Arbeiten konventioneller Methoden fließt direkt in Stunden der verträumten Beobachtung und des Erlebens eines einzigartigen Wesen: Dem Bien." [4]
What is really certain is that "the yields are far below the yields of professional beekeepers and their imitators, the hobby beekeepers". But whether "the certainty of practicing sustainable and bee-friendly husbandry" actually exists, the protagonists of the Warré prey as well as the beehive owe us this proof. A "dreamy observation" does not make a "sustainable and bee-friendly husbandry".
The real advantage is that the Warré hive gets along without frames and dividers - this is where it differs from the beehive, but not from the top carrier hive or the top bar hive. The problem is that the Warré hive works with frames as they are common in magazine beekeeping. This means that when one or more frames are removed, the brood nest is open. Even the smallest glimpse into the colony requires the brood nest to be opened and thus a disturbance of the colony and a change in the brood nest temperature (nest odor retention); In addition, it is essential to work with smoke - precisely because the bee colony is severely disturbed. This fact alone largely destroys the "chance of simple and bee-friendly beekeeping". This mode of operation cannot be called beekeeping-friendly either, because lifting heavy frames is just as necessary as with magazine beekeeping.
"A couple of powerful puffs of smoke are given through the entrance hole with the smoker. Now you wait until the bees make a rustling noise. Fire alarm. The bees need some time to fill themselves up with honey and thus some of their readiness If the bees whisper, the roof and the hay pillow are carefully removed. In general: Avoid any rough vibration. You can do anything with bees, but shake the box - that makes it very annoying. A few puffs of smoke from above The frame. Some also place a cloth soaked with a little clove oil on top. You take the chisel and use a small lever to separate the top frame from the frame below as smoothly as possible. You can't do without it, but as little as possible. Before The top frame is lifted off, pause a little so that the bees can calm down a little from the jerking, then tilt the box and lower the edge onto the lower frame and with a few puffs of smoke induce the bees to climb down out of the box. Meanwhile the beekeeper looks at the honeycombs: Are they covered and full of honey? Depending on how much the bees have developed the hive, the top box is already full of honey in the first year. The frame is now placed on the side on the stand (see accessories, there called grate made of slats) and covered with a newspaper. The next frame is inspected and removed - using the same procedure. In the second year, the top two boxes will surely be full of honey. This box is now also freed from bees - as best as possible - and placed aside. Cover with newspaper. The bottom two frames are both removed from the second year at the latest. In the first year it depends on how good the costume was and how early the swarm moved in. "[4]
But that's not all. The Warré hive beekeeper considers it appropriate for bees to change the position of the honeycomb within the hive as desired. The entrance hole is left in place, but the honeycomb structure is aligned once across the entrance hole (warm construction) or once along the entrance hole (cold construction) by "turning the prey". The similarity with the rotating frame hive (is considered a prototype of a non-bee-friendly attitude) is even greater than with the so-called bee box [4]
"Now follows a special feature in detail: The honeycomb position is carried out as follows. There is a winter and a summer position of the honeycombs. The entrance hole always points in the same direction, but the alignment of the honeycombs (attention, not the upper beam!) Is through simply turning the prey changed. " [4]
The Warré mode of operation is often understood as a simple mode of operation that would be particularly suitable for beginners and hobby beekeepers. I fear rather the opposite is the case: like the beehive, the Warré hive is a very complex hive with the well-known disadvantages of magazine beekeeping, i.e. the beehive is disturbed in a similar way. Top carrier hives in particular are known worldwide for the fact that they can get by with a minimum of interventions. Top bar hives are not only more simply constructed than the Warré hive, they also require much less care. In today's operating mode, the top bar hives does not focus on the economic honey harvest, but rather - as far as certified partner apiaries of the Center for Beekeeping are concerned - on beekeeping and the production of apitherapeutic products. Both are hardly possible with the beehive as well as with the Warré prey.
The removal of some combs from the edge area does not mean that the brood nest is disturbed. In top carrier hives or top bar hives, the brood nest is least disturbed. In storage hives, such as those used by Demeter or Bioland beekeepers, the Warré hive, the Mellifera large hive or the beehive, on the other hand, the entire colony gets into an uproar if the beekeeper wants to catch a glimpse of the colony.
Have you ever met a colony of bees that would have rotated together with their honeycomb within a tree hollow?
Warré hives have just as little to do with beekeeping, "keeping bees simple and natural" or "single hives", just like the beehive. Even for beginners, it is no easier to manage than carrier hives. The extraction of apitherapeutic products such as honeycomb honey is hardly possible. [4]
So beekeeping according to the criteria of the center for beekeeping according to nature looks different. [5]
Literature on Beehive, Warré and Top bar hive
[1] Klein, EM 2012: The beehive. Darmstadt. [2] In the rotating frame hive - which, by the way, can be seen as the epitome of unsuitable beekeeping - the bee colony is turned upside down from time to time. According to the guidelines of the Center for Beekeeping, this type of hive is not permitted; Organic beekeepers, on the other hand, are allowed to use this type of hive. [3] Abbé Émile Warré: L'Apiculture pour Tous - beekeeping for all. Translated by David Heaf 2007 [4] Berndhard Heuvel 2008: Beekeeping for everyone [5] Center for beekeeping according to nature 2015: Starter package (A) beekeeping according to nature including upper carrier hive , Equipment, crash course, correspondence course No. 48 beekeeping in accordance with the nature of the beekeeping in top bar hives and first certificate; Switching from the beehive to the topbar hive. Press release. Courses for further training - for hobby gardeners as well as for bee and environmental educators there are in the Center for Biodyamic Agriculture [6] Center for Nature-Appropriate Beekeeping 2015: Quality of bee products. Press release [7] Kritische Apikulturbriefe / Api Review Letters 2012, 11, 684 [8] Kritische Apikulturbriefe / Api Review Letters 2012, 11, 701 and Dbj 2012, 20, p. 466 [9] Center for appropriate beekeeping 2015: Old traditions in beekeeping and viticulture instead of beehives. Press release [10] Kritische Apikulturbriefe / Api Review Letters 2013, 12, 738 and Imhoof, M. & Liekfeld, C.-P. 2013: More Than Honey. Freiburg [11] Kritische Apikulturbriefe / Api Review Letters 2013, 12, 737 and Db 2013, 149 (2), p. 18-19 [12] Center for appropriate beekeeping 2009: Beehive or top bar hive? Is the beehive really as species-appropriate and appropriate to its nature as is always claimed? Apicultural Review Letters 2009, 8, No.379 [13] Center for essential beekeeping 2013: The bee box - keep bees simple and natural? Critical comments on the beehive. Apicultural Review letters 2013, 12, No. 746 [14] Kritische Apikulturbriefe / Api Review Letters 2013, 12, 782 and S&K 7/2013, p. 62f [15] Kritische Apikulturbriefe / Api Review Letters 2014, 13, 849 and Dbj 2014, 22, p. 28
Weitere Literatur und Hinweise zum Thema:
Neues aus Wissenschaft, natuerlicher Bienenhaltung und Apitherapie:
Apikultur und Supplement Kritische Apikulturbriefe / Api Review Letters
Naturwissenschaft und Science Review Letters
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