Guarding the Hive: Strategies to Prevent Bee Diseases and Promote Colony Health

So how do you protect your bees from all this destruction and despair? Below are seven tips and tricks to help answer this question for you to help you prevent bee diseases creeping into your apiary.

Regular inspection of the hive

This might not prevent the infection but it will help prevent it from spreading to healthy bees. In this case, look out for dead larva in cells, any unusual odors, discoloration on the bees and pretty much anything else that seems off.

2 Prevent hive invasion by wild bees

In this case, you need to invest in bee boxes with special entrance regulating features.

These prevent invasion of the hive by infected bees from other colonies. It could also help keep parasites out of the hive.

3 Minimize sharing of resources between colonies

In this case, honey is one of the most common ways through which bee disease pathogens are transmitted.

In the event that you have to donate honey from one colony to another, make sure you inspect the donor hive for any signs of disease or pathogens.

4 Replace old hive components after outbreak

This is especially the case with fungal infections.

Replacing things like frames will ensure that you completely get rid of spores that could cause reinfection.

5 Chemical methods to deal with the causative agents

This usually works with fungi, bacteria and external parasites.

In this case, all you have to do is to spray the chemical into the bee box while cleaning to disinfect it.

6 Keep the hives well ventilated

This prevents growth and survival of spores that will later on cause problems for the bees.

After all is said and done, bee diseases are a real threat that you cannot afford to ignore.

With the information above, you should be in a position to understand not only how to identify them but also how to deal with them and most importantly how to prevent them.

That way, whether it is your first colony or you are an extensive farmer with multiple colonies, you will be able to keep your bees happy, healthy and productive.