Effects of apiary management on colonisation and colony performance of African honey bee (Apis mellifera) in the North-Western Agro-ecological zone of Uganda

J Okwee-Acai, T A Anyanzo*, J Aroba**, J K Vuchiri**, T Onzivua*** and P Okullo****

Department of Veterinary Surgery & Reproduction, Makerere University, P. O Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
* National Agricultural Advisory Services, Coordinating Office, P.O Box 1, Moyo, Uganda
** Production Department, Moyo District Local Government, P. O Box 1, Moyo, Uganda
*** Department of entomology, Koboko District Local Government
**** National Forest Resources Research Institute (NAFORI), P. O Box 1752, Kampala, Uganda
jokwee@vetmed.mak.ac.ug

Abstract

The north-west agro-ecological zone of Uganda, also known as the West-Nile region produces up to three-quarters of honey in Uganda. However, beekeeping in this region is still based on traditional technologies and practices and characterised by alarmingly low colonisation and high absconding rates. Using field experiments, we investigated the effects of modern apiary management practices on colonisation and colony performance of the African honey bee (Apis mellifera).

Six experimental sites were set in the West-Nile districts of Moyo, Koboko and Yumbe. At each experimental site, 18 log and 18 Kenya Top Bar (KTB) hives were sited. Half of each hive type was sited at waist height and half high up on tall trees. A third of each hive type was baited with natural hive sealant or bee glue (propolis), beeswax or cassava flour respectively. Management practices were introduced three months after hive siting.

Colonisation was significantly (χ² = 38.20) higher in hives placed high on trees than those placed at standard waist height. KTB hives were better (χ² = 30.06) colonised than log hives. Propolis baited hives were better (χ² = 62.08) colonised than wax or cassava baited ones. Colonisation significantly (χ² = 39.19) improved in experimental sites where routine management practices were instituted compared to sites with no management. Most (73%) that were categorised as strong were in sites where routine management was instituted.

We conclude that, wide adoption and application of modern beekeeping practices could tremendously improve colony performance and apiculture production in the west-Nile region.

Keywords: absconding, baits, beekeeping, colonisation, hive types, West-Nile

Introduction

Beekeeping is a rewarding livelihood activity for many farming communities globally (Adjare 1990; Hussein 2000). Unlike other agricultural practices, beekeeping can be undertaken with marginal infrastructure, little capital and easy-to-learn skills (Singh 2000). Worldwide, significant livelihood improvements have resulted from small-scale beekeeping initiatives (Singh 2000). In Uganda, concerted efforts have been made to commercialise beekeeping since the 1990s, but the industry is still largely regarded as undeveloped and neglected (Hussein 2000).

The north-western agro-ecological zone of Uganda has great potential for beekeeping (Chorley 1936). To date, beekeeping is widely practiced in the region; mainly for subsistence (Hussein 2000). Improving its productivity would hence, be instrumental in boosting household livelihoods in the region. Unfortunately, beekeeping in the region is anecdotally, characterised by low colonisation (5-30%) and high absconding rates. In countries where the industry is developed, colonization rate of up to 90% is possible through a combination of simple modern management practices (Ande et al 2008a). Routine management such as hive inspection, pest control and provision of water is known to enhance colony performance such as reduced absconding, improved colony strength and higher hive yields (Wilson 2006). In this zone, no studies have been conducted to evaluate and demonstrate the effects of management practice on colonisation and colony performance.

Our on-farm experiments investigated the effects of routine apiary management practices on colonisation and colony performance in the north-west agro-ecological zone of Uganda.

Materials and methods 

Selection of farmer groups and experimental sites

List of active groups and individual beekeepers in Moyo, Koboko and Yumbe districts were obtained from respective District Entomologists. Two beekeepers per district were chosen from the groups to host the experiments. To be selected, one had to be: engaged in beekeeping for at least the last 5 years, having an existing apiary and literate. Experimental sites (Figure 1) were established in the month of January (2007) to coincide with the January-March swarming season.

Experimental setup

Two experimental sites were set in each of the districts of Koboko, Moyo and Yumbe. At each experimental site, a total 36 hives (18 log hives & 18 Kenya Top Bar (KTB) hives) were sited. For each hive type, 50% were sited at waist level (1-1.5m high), while the other 50% were sited high up on tree branches (>5m high) as illustrated in Figure 2.

The hives were baited using local materials (cassava/cow dung), wax, and propolis (Table 1). On the fourth month after establishment of the sites, management practices (inspection, site cleaning, watering, pest/vermin control and supplementary feeding) were introduced at one of the sites in each district. No management interventions were undertaken in the second site in each district.

Collection and handling of experimental data

Apiaries were visited daily by the host farmers who recorded data on: number of hives colonized, colonization date, absconding and pest invasion using a standard data captures form. Data was collected from each site for a period of three months from hive placement. The host farmers were visited weekly by entomologists who collected recorded data for analysis. In the fourth month, the host beekeeper at each experimental site was provided with new sets of data entry forms to record weekly and for each hive: absconding, any pest or vermin, re-colonization, yield and any other general observation. Monthly, the sites were visited by the respective district entomologies to retrieve the data capture forms and give further management advice.

Statistical analysis

Descriptive statistics on the data were generated using the frequency procedures of STATA® (version 11). Relationships between various parameters (variables) and treatments were analysed by Chi-square (χ²) tests. P-values <0.05 were considered significant.

Results 

Colonisation rates in the north-west agro-ecological zone

Within the three months of siting, the mean colonization rates were: Moyo (55.6%), Koboko (44.4%) and Yumbe (13.9) as represented in Table 2.

Effects of hive type on colonization

Hive type had significant (χ² = 30.61, p < 0.05) effect on colonization. Of all the hives that were colonized, up to 51.1% were KTB compared to 48.3% local (log) hives (Table 3).

Effects of type of bait on hive colonization

We observed that, the type of bait played a very significant (χ² = 62.08, p < 0.05) effect on hive colonization rate. Of the colonized hives, 65.7% were baited with propolis, 28% wax and 5.3% were not baited (control) hives. Only 1% of the hives with local baits (cassava/cow dung), were colonised (Figure 2).

Effect of height of placement on colonization

Hives placed high (>5meters i.e. up on tree branches) showed significantly (χ² = 38.20, p < 0.05) high colonization (60.2%) compared to those hanged low at waist height (39.8% colonisation). This is shown in Table 4

Effects of management practices on colonisation status

By the 12^th month after introduction of apiary management practices, colonisation status significantly (χ² = 29.19, p < 0.05) improved in sites where management were practiced (83.4%) compared to experimental sites where apiary management were not introduced (47%) as shown in table 5.

Effects of apiary management practices on colony strength

Apiary management had significant (χ² = 92.48; p < 0.05) effect on colony strength (Table 6).

Of all the colonies, 73.7% in the managed apiaries were strong compared to only 6.1% in apiaries where no management was practiced.

Discussion 

Data on colonization rates in Uganda and the region is scanty. In Nigeria, Ande et al (2008a) reported the highest colonization rate of 50% using KTB hives. This is comparable to the 55.6% and 44.4% colonization rates registered within three months at our experimental sites in Moyo and Koboko Districts, respectively. Additionally, the current study revealed that KTB hives are more easily colonized compared to traditional (log type) hives. This again, is in agreement with recent findings by Ande et al (2008a). Taylor (1978), observed that, ‘the best hive for African honey bee is the KTB hive’. A conflicting observation was however made by Kugonza et al (2009) who in a study in central Uganda reported that traditional grass hives colonise faster than KTB or Langstroth hives. They recommended that beekeepers should prioritise traditional hives over modern ones.

A significantly higher percentage of hives baited with propolis and wax were colonised better than cassava flour or cow dung baited hives. Ande et al (2008b) reported similar findings in a related study in Nigeria. Cassava or cow dung which is commonly used as bait in the west-Nile region is hardly mentioned in literature as a bait type. The two also hardly smell like any of the hive products and may instead attract pests such as ants and dung beetles hence, discouraging colonisation (Hussein 2000).

Our results partly answered the question “how high should a bee hive be placed?” Both KTB and log hives placed high on tree branches had higher percentage colonisation than those placed at conventional waist height. According to Clauss and Clauss (1991), “in forests or normal woodlands, hive occupation rate will be clearly higher when you put up hives higher than four meters; “in low and sparse woodland, bush, cultivated and fallow areas, you get good occupation rates at any height”.  The issue of height of placement of hives is however controversial when looked at from the angle of routine apiary management. Apart from higher colonization rate in woodland areas, placing hives high on trees also ensures its security and keeps humans safe from bee attacks (Kugonza 2009). Unfortunately, the difficulty of managing the hives from atop the trees negates the aforementioned advantages. Many beekeepers hence prefer to place their hives low (<4 meters) to ease management practices such as inspection, harvesting, watering and supplementation (Clauss and Clauss 1991).  This enables them to work while standing, or even on wheel chair (Buckley et al 2004; Kugonza 2009). Ugandan cultures also do not permit women to climb trees; hence placement of hives high up on tree branches would discourage beekeeping amongst the women folk. In line with this, in the woodland setting such as the west-Nile, it is advisable that catcher boxes but not hives are deployed high up on trees slightly before or during a swarming season. Once colonized, the box is then brought down and the colony transferred into a hive placed at the recommended waist height level for ease of routine management (Sande et al 2009).

The current study revealed remarkable colony performance with management. Colony performance is a measure of how long a colony stays in a hive without absconding and also how much the colony has grown (strength). Both have a bearing on yield of hive products (Pokhrel et al 2006). Unfortunately, African bees have a natural tendency to abandon (absconding) their hives completely (Buckley et al 2004). Up to 50% absconding rate has been reported in central Uganda (Kamatara 2007). Absconding is however minimised if the bees have: adequate food reserve, water, suitable forage and no pests or diseases (Buckley et al 2004). We instituted all these measures at our experimental sites, hence the remarkable results.

• We conclude that, contrary to traditional beliefs in north-western Uganda (West-Nile), propolis and beeswax are suitable baiting materials than cow dung or cassava flour which do not actually attract bees. In this woodland area, placing hives or better still catcher boxes up on tree branches would improve colony establishment and that, KTB hives colonise better than log hives. In general, introduction of routine apiary management practices will greatly improve the beekeeping practices in the region.

Acknowledgments 

The authors are for ever indebted to the Competitive Grants Scheme of National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), Uganda, for funds and technical support given to our research team. We are equally grateful for the institutional technical collaboration extended to the team by: The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Makerere University; NAFORI/NARO, Mukono; NAADS, Moyo; National Apiculture Centre, Nakasongola and the local governments of Moyo, Koboko and Yumbe.

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Received 14 March 2010; Accepted 20 March 2010; Published 1 May 2010

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