RU2275798C2 - METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUS ACTION UPON n-BEE FAMILIES HABITAT AND AEROTHERMOSTAT FOR EFFECTUATING THE SAME - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: apiculture, in particular method and equipment for safe wintering of bee families.

SUBSTANCE: method involves locating bee families in common space divided by air-permeable partitions so that each of bee families lives in its hive; providing common space by means of aerothermostat sections positioned externally of hives and connected with one another and with source of external action upon common space. Aerothermostat for simultaneous action upon habitat of n-bee families consists of sections comprising casing equipped with openings having air-permeable partitions for communicating with internal hive cavity, and windows hermetically closed from outside of aerothermostat. Each of aerothermostat sections is connected with similar section through openings having air-permeable partitions which may be replaced by hermetically sealing partitions. Source of external action upon internal space of aerothermostat may be connected to any of said openings or windows. Aerothermostat may be also equipped with thermal shielded cable extending through each of said sections for adjusting temperature within aerothermostat. Aerothermostat may be applied in conjunction with hives of various designs to allow extensive utilization thereof in large-scale commercial beehives. Method and aerothermostat are used for providing safe wintering of bee families, enhancement of bee family force during early spring period to be ready for first nectar and pollen yield in nature, and also for bee family disease prophylaxis during active period.

EFFECT: increased efficiency in providing optimal life conditions for bee families during each period of their development.

3 cl, 11 dwg

Description

The invention relates to beekeeping and can be used to ensure a safe wintering of bees, increase the strength of families in the early spring, for the prevention of diseases, stimulation of bees in honey collection or destruction of the pathogenic environment in the hives.

There is a method of hibernating several families of bees in a common hive (patent No. 2106083, article "Wintering of bees as a single club", w / Beekeeping No. 4, 2002, pp. 53-55), which allows families separated by partitions to warm each other and due to this save feed and reduce the number of dying bees.

The disadvantage of the method and design of the hive is that the method is time-consuming, and the hive is bulky. Transplantation of families from summer hives is carried out in November at low outdoor temperatures. Bees are very excited and, in order to restore the temperature in the nest to normal, eat honey in an increased volume. Bees are forced to keep waste in the intestines before the first flyby - the result of excitement. With prolonged wintering, bees die due to intestinal overflow. In spring, families again need to be planted in summer hives. Double transplantation of families causes a delay in development and increases the risk of accidental damage to the uterus. The general hive does not allow creating adjustable microclimate parameters: some for wintering, others for building up the strength of families. The hive does not allow placing, for example, a hundred families. The hive allows you to safely winter, but there is no place for it to develop and build up the strength of families.

A known method of wintering bees and building family strength, proposed by Henry Pirker, published in the newspaper "Beekeeping Bulletin", No. 1, 2003, pp. 4-5.

The disadvantage of this method and design is that it is necessary to use a bulky pavilion (room) that consumes a large amount of electricity for its heating. Heat is used inefficiently, since the developed surface of the pavilion intensively transfers heat to the surrounding space. The method is time consuming. To implement the method you need to have a long shutter speed so as not to accidentally crush the bees. The beekeeper is forced to work without the use of a smoker, so that indoors the bees are not excited due to smoke. Beehives are kept open from above and bees are pumped out to the ceiling of the pavilion at a temperature of 18 ÷ 20 ° С. Setting and periodic filling of the feeders is carried out in complete darkness, because when the slightest light appears, the bees rush to him and no longer find their way into their hive, die on the walls and floor of the room. For the same reason, a frame inspection of the nests cannot be carried out. To form bee packages, beehives with bees must be taken from the pavilion to the street, and at this time the families are large, occupying several buildings. It is not possible to place a large number of hives in the pavilion, for example, two hundred or more. Due to the laboriousness, many Russian beekeepers were not able to repeat the experience of their Canadian counterparts, as the editors noted in the preface.

The closest analogue is the method of keeping bees in a hive made up of sections, which allows wintering of bees with microclimate adjustment simultaneously in all sections of the apiary, according to patent No. 2226051 of March 14, 2001.

The disadvantage of this method is that it can only be carried out in a hive of a special design. It is not possible to use standard hives of different designs to organize the same microclimate in all apiary hives at once. And the special design of the hive does not allow growing bee families by feeding liquid feed in the early spring, when it is frosty on the street, and the bees need a lot of water to grow brood. The design of the hive does not allow the full use of the greenhouse effect for the accumulation and preservation of heat coming from the sun. Because when installing glasses instead of side walls, the structure breaks up into separate sections, and at the same time the main function is lost - providing the same regulated microclimate for all apiary families at the same time.

The technical task that was posed during the development of this invention is the creation of a method for simultaneously influencing the environment of n-families of bees and an aerothermostat for its implementation, which allows it to be used for standard beehives of various designs and to create an adjustable microclimate with predetermined parameters in all beehive hives simultaneously. Due to this, optimal living conditions for bee families are ensured in each period of their development.

The result is achieved by the fact that the method of simultaneously influencing the environment of n-families of bees includes the arrangement of n-families in a common space separated by breathable partitions, each family being in its own hive, and the common space is created by interconnected sections located outside the hives aerothermostat and connected to a source of external influence on the common space.

An aerothermostat for simultaneous impact on the environment of n-families of bees consists of sections of heat-insulating material, and each section contains a housing having openings with breathable partitions to connect with the interior of the hives and hermetically sealed windows on the outside of the aerothermostat, with each section being connected to a similar section with holes having breathable partitions with the possibility of replacing them with hermetic ones, moreover, to any of these holes or to windows and connect the source of external impact on the internal space of the aerothermostat.

In addition, the aerothermostat may contain a heat shielded cable passing through all sections with the possibility of regulating the temperature inside the aerothermostat.

Figure 1 presents a General view of a section of an aerothermostat mounted on a hive. Figure 2 - aerothermostat on the hives during winter dormancy. Figure 3 - aerothermostat on the hives during the period of increasing the strength of families in the spring. Figure 4 - wintering of hives on an aerothermostat using heat from a heat shielded cable with the ability to control temperature. Figure 5 - aerothermostat during the period of the main trick when evaporating moisture from nectar placed by bees in honeycombs. Fig.6 is a section aa of Fig.5. In Fig.7 - the use of an aerothermostat for processing honeycombs when destroying a pathogenic environment or drying the bee bread in honeycombs installed in the buildings from the hives. On Fig - the use of aerothermostat for drying pollen or bee subpestilence. In Fig.9 - the use of an aerothermostat to invert syrup. Figure 10 - the use of an aerothermostat to melt honeycombs on wax. Figure 11 - possible versions of the aerothermostat.

Aerothermostat 1 consists of interconnected sections 2. Sections between each other and with the hives 3 are connected through openings with breathable partitions 4, which can be replaced by airtight partitions. In this case, a common space 5 is formed, enclosed in an aerothermostat and connected to the inner space 6 of each hive. On the side of the housing of the section, which does not adjoin the hive, a window 7 is made, hermetically sealed with a lid 8, glass or a translucent film. In the enclosures of the extreme sections, the lateral breathable partitions 4 are replaced by sealed partitions of heat-insulating material 9. The hives contain lower slots 10 and upper slots, on which removable nets 11 are installed, preventing the bees from leaving the hives.

The preparation and operation of the aerothermostat is as follows. The hives 3 are set so that with the roof removed, the upper edges of the hulls are at the same level. Aerothermostat 1 is collected from sections 2 and simultaneously installed on the hives, see figure 2. In the enclosures of the extreme sections, the openings are closed with sealed heat-insulating partitions 9. If necessary, a microclimate source is attached to them. Sections 2 of an aerothermostat are made of a heat-insulating material, for example, polystyrene foam or porous carbon fiber. Therefore, an aerothermostat retains well the heat generated by bees. In the aerothermostat and in the hives, the temperature common to all bees is set. An even uniform hum of all bees at once has a calming effect on weak families, and the general heat allows them not to spend excessive energy. On one of the warm days of the end of October, when the temperature in the street is set to 8-10 ° C and the sun is shining, we cause artificial flying around of bees. From the windows 7 we remove the covers 8 and close them with glasses or plastic wrap, see figure 3. The sun's rays quickly warm the common space of the aerothermostat and hives. It is necessary to monitor the thermometer installed under the glass so that the temperature does not exceed 25 ° C, and open the extreme windows for ventilation. At a temperature of 18-25 ° C in the hives, the bees together go around. After flying around the window 7, we tightly close the heat-insulating lids 8. Complete darkness, the general warmth and uniform calm hum of the bees create comfortable conditions for wintering of bees on the street.

In December, we treat all families with a cold of -20 ° C for 60 minutes, completely opening the doors and covers of the aerothermostat. Exposure to cold causes increased noise in the nests; after the initial temperature is restored, the bees calm down. It has been experimentally established that this effect remains in the memory of bees and causes active egg laying in March-April. Families subjected to short-term cold blows are much more active in spring than the control ones - wintering at a constant temperature.

On one of the first warm March days, we again cause artificial flying around of bees. After the flight, we begin to build families for the first bribe from willow. Inside each section of the aerothermostat we install a feeder with liquid feed, see figure 3. Bees through a breathable partition 4 rise into the section housing and select food. Down the hive, 10 bees do not go to the summer entrance, they are held in by the cold air entering the summer entrance from the street. And so that the bees do not fly out into the cold with warm air coming from the hive, it is necessary to keep the upper notch open, but install a grid 11 on it to prevent the bees from coming out.

Aerothermostats allow growing bee families using heat from an external source - heat shielded cable 12. Such cables, with the possibility of adjusting their temperature, are produced by the industry for heating floors. A temperature sensor and a device providing a given cable temperature are sold complete with a cable. Through the channel formed by the sections of the buildings, at night, warm air with a temperature of 18-20 ° C is supplied to the hives, and during the day the temperature is reduced to 10-12 ° C. Family building service is convenient. The feeders are set and topped up during the day, opening the lids 8, when the families are at 10 ° C and all the bees are sitting on the brood, and at night at 20 ° C the bees are pumped out into the thermostat and take the food. The beekeeper does not need to use a smoker and a face mesh. With the appearance in nature of a bribe, the windows are closed with glasses (or film), see figure 3. Since that time, the aerothermostat works as a greenhouse due to the energy of the sun. We close the breathable partitions at the openings in the hive with a rare canvas that allows warm air to pass into the hives, and at night the windows are closed with lids 8, which retain the heat accumulated during the day.

Using an aerothermostat as a channel, it is possible to maintain ideal microclimate conditions in the hives: temperature, humidity, air flow rate and others, using external sources - a heat cable, air conditioning or air heater, see Fig. 4. However, studies of scientists conducted with animals and plants placed in ideal conditions show that their protective mechanisms cease to work, and experimental animals die.

Using aerothermostats to reduce critical temperatures in winter and increase the period of increasing the strength of families in spring, we do not grossly violate their usual rhythm of life.

In the period of the main bribe (see figure 5), an aerothermostat is used as a channel for venting hives and removing excess moisture from nectar. A fan is connected to the hole in one of the extreme sections, and a damper is installed at the other end of the aerothermostat to change its cross section. Opening the damper, we change the speed of the air flow passing in the channel. The cross sections of the holes made in the bottom of the hives are also adjustable by dampers (see Fig.6). The air flow rate is set so that no more than 3-5 bees of “fan” work on the arrival board. During the period of the main bribe, if it is plentiful, the bees wear out from continuous work day and night. The fan turns on at night so that the bees do not interfere with the work during the day, and at night the working bees can rest without spending energy on evaporating moisture. Using an aerothermostat preserves the strength of families and allows you to collect more honey.

Processing of bees in order to destroy the tick-varroatosis is carried out according to the technology described in the book "In the wonderful world of bees", Lenizdat, 1988, pp. 92-97. Moreover, the processing is carried out immediately in all the hives (see Fig.7).

Ascospherosis is similarly destroyed by the technology described in g. Beekeeping, No. 3, 2002, p. 21, using ozone gas.

To improve the health of bees and destroy the pathogenic environment in the nests, an aerosol of drugs or smoke saturated with substances destroying the pathogenic environment can be supplied through the channel formed by sections of the aerothermostat. To train bees, for honey collection from a certain type of honey plant, air is saturated with pollen from the desired plant.

Aerothermostat is also used to perform other related work in the apiary:

1. To disinfect bee honeycombs during nosematosis, bee honeycombs with feed reserves are placed in free hive bodies and incubated for four to ten days, providing a given temperature and humidity by means of an aerothermostat, to which a heat and moisture source is connected. We use processing modes according to the method according to A.S. No. 635934.

2. For the destruction of wax moths when treated with carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) of the honeycomb, gas is supplied to the hives by means of an aerothermostat, with open doors to allow air to escape, then the doors are closed. Processing is much easier and faster than described in the book "Dangerous diseases and pests of bees", Niva Russia, 1992, p. 148.

3. Drying honeycombs is carried out in the hives at the same temperature in each hive. The use of an aerothermostat with a heat shielded cable and a fan makes it possible to withstand temperature with high accuracy in each hive body, which ensures high quality of the product. In addition, it is possible to process immediately a large number of cases with frames, because the cases can be installed in a "chain" horizontally, and not in height, as in the known device for drying bee bread (patent No. 1386129, article g. "Beekeeping", No. 1 2003, p. 51).

4. Pollen or bee subpestilence is dried directly in the channel of the aerothermostat, see Fig. 8, while it is placed on pallets. Each tray with raw materials heats up equally, which ensures high quality product. In this case, it is not necessary to constantly rearrange the pallets with raw materials, as is done in the devices described in g. "Beekeeping", No. 1, 2000, p. 43 and f. "Beekeeping", No. 4, 2002, p. 34.

5. Aerothermostat can be used to invert syrup immediately in a large number of containers (cans), for example 100 or more, for servicing a large industrial apiary, see Fig. 9.

6. To reheat honeycombs on wax, it is possible to use any number of sections of the aerothermostat and provide the required performance when using the sun or heated by a heat cable, see Fig. 10.

Aerothermostats are manufactured and tested in the organization Paseka LLC, Veliky Novgorod, for three years, starting in 2001. The technical problem that was posed during the development of a method for simultaneously influencing the environment of n-families of bees and the design of an aerothermostat was completely solved.

The following predicted results were achieved:

- Aerothermostat can be used in conjunction with standard hives of different designs;

- Aerothermostat allows bees to hibernate safely regardless of family strength;

- feed is saved in the winter;

- the great strength of families is growing for the first spring bribe;

- A large number of bee families are served at the same time, for example, two hundred or more.

In addition, the use of an aerothermostat allows you to heal bee families and perform other related work in the apiary by expanding functionality, such as destroying the spore form of the causative agent of nosematosis, wax moth at all stages of development, varroatosis, ascospherosis, for drying bee bread in honeycombs, pollen, and bee death, inverting feed for bees, melting honeycombs on wax.

Claims (3)

1. A method of simultaneously affecting the environment of n-families of bees, including the location of n-families in a common space separated by breathable partitions, characterized in that each family is in its own hive, and the common space is created by outside the hives, interconnected sections of the aerothermostat and connected to a source of external influence on the common space. 2. Aerothermostat for simultaneous impact on the environment of n-families of bees, consisting of sections of insulating material, characterized in that each section contains a housing having openings with breathable partitions for connecting to the inside of the hives and windows, hermetically sealed from the outside of the aerothermostat while each section has the ability to connect with a similar section using holes having breathable partitions installed with the possibility of replacing them with a sealed partitions, and any of these window openings is made with the possibility of attaching to them a source of external influence on the internal space of the aerothermostat. 3. Aerothermostat according to claim 2, characterized in that it contains a heat shielded cable passing through all sections and configured to control the temperature inside the aerothermostat.

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