How bees reproduce: a brief description of the mating process, how to breed them

In the wild, bees reproduce by fertilization and swarming. Beginning beekeepers are interested in the question of how to propagate bees in an apiary artificially. Various methods can be used to increase the population. When choosing, you need to consider the features, pros and cons of each option. Successful breeding of bees also depends on proper care of insects.

Structure and functions of the uterus and drones

The queen bee grows larger than the workers. It has an elongated and massive abdomen, a highly developed genital organ, and several special glands. The function is to lay eggs, from which young queens, drones, and worker bees develop.

Drone is a male of common honey bees, the main function is fertilization. Structural features: wide chest with long wings, oval abdomen, large adjoining eyes, long antennae, short proboscis. Instead of a device for collecting pollen, the drone has a copulatory organ.

Natural reproduction

Insect breeding uses several methods. Natural reproduction is laid down at the genetic level and occurs in two ways.

Population increase

In the hive, the process of reproduction consists in laying eggs by the queen. Queens mate with drones, rising high into the air. There are usually several marriage departures (lasting 15-20 minutes). Several drones are involved in the process of fertilization. The main steps of the pairing procedure:

• drone seminal fluid enters the eruption channel;
• sperm is injected into the oviduct of the uterus;
• fluid fills the seed receptacle, while part flows out.

If the queen returns to the hive with a whitish film on her abdomen, then the mating process has taken place.

Swarming

The process is to divide the family into two parts. Several factors can provoke swarming: tightness in the hive, excess nutrition, poor ventilation, the appearance of many young insects.

As a result of division, some of the bees with the old queen fly out in search of a new habitat. Some of the insects and laid uterine eggs remain in the hive. When new queens appear, there will be one left in the hive, and the rest also fly away with swarms in search of new shelters.

Artificial reproduction

To get more bee products, beekeepers most often breed insects correctly and in a timely manner. Various methods of expanding beekeeping are being practiced.

Layers

This method is useful in the presence of excess brood, young queens and drones. For layering, empty hives, honeycombs, insert boards, insulation are prepared in advance. In order to form layering, brood is taken from strong families. If a colony occupies 9 frames, having brood on 7 frames, then you can take one frame of mature printed brood along with bees without damage.

The process is carried out during the day, in the summer, when most of the old bees fly out into the field, and non-flying young insects remain on the brood frames. The method is considered effective, since the barren queen after fertilization will start laying, and the working individuals will take care of her and the brood.

Division

This method is advisable to use in the case of a crowded bee colony. The method involves dividing one bee colony into two. Core Workflows:

• next to the old hive, a new structure similar in color and size is being installed;
• A few frames are placed in the new hive, which are taken from the old one. Of these, two thirds of the frames are chosen with brood, and one third of the frames are set with honey and bee bread;
• also substitute a few frames with empty foundation.

The final stage - a young fetal queen is planted in a new hive, and for the first days they do not let her out of a special structure, observing the behavior of insects. An individual is released if there is no aggression from working insects.

Plaque on the uterus

Experienced beekeepers recommend using this method when signs of bee swarming appear. They are engaged in the procedure during the day, when the old worker bees fly out into the field. The essence of the method: the old hive is transferred to another place, and a new structure is installed instead.

The "fresh" hive is filled with frames with honey, foundation. Also, the queen queen with a brood frame is transferred to the new hive from the old one, so most of the worker bees will return to her. At the same time, young insects remain in the old hive, and a frame with a queen cell is placed next to them.

Bee bags

For a beginner beekeeper, the easiest way to increase the population is to purchase bee packages. Approximate configuration of the product: a strong fiberboard box, in which three frames with brood and one cover frame are fixed (fixed from above and below).Before transplanting, prepare the hive in advance. In order for the purchase to justify itself, it is recommended to make purchases in proven nurseries.

Experienced beekeepers try to prevent an increase in the population of insects in the apiary in a natural way. The best options for expanding the apiary are transplanting the fetal uterus into a new hive, dividing the family or layering.

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