Starting a beekeeping business is like hitting two birds with one stone. First, you get to have a business with a possible lucrative source of income. Honey and beeswax are utilized in many ways—from sweet syrups to soap and art materials. Second, a beekeeping business could be a type of advocacy to protect bees. Bees are an important part of the ecosystem. And without them, flowers and plants will not be scattered. Remember, many animals depend on these plants.
Just like in any other type of business, you may encounter some challenges along the way, especially if it is your first time in this field. One way to ensure the success of your business is to make sure that pests are under control. You may be already employing some techniques, but you may want to look over them again. If you want to refine your system, here are some of the things you may want to keep in mind:
Know the signs of the pest problem
You will never know that there is a problem when you have no idea what the signs are. So the first way to protect your colonies is to know the signs of infiltration and pest problem. When you know what the diseases are, you can easily address this with the help of a specialist. You may even administer some methods if possible. For one, if you know that the varroa mites are the source of the problem, you may want to start using mite control products.
Keep your hives healthy
Keep your bees healthy from the inside by making sure that the hives are healthy, too. One way of doing is by re-queening your hives. A hive needs a strong queen, and when it has a new queen, you are actually creating a brood break. This period may mean there will be a gap in the brood cycle. When there is no brood at the moment, many brood diseases will cease to persist.
Modify the hives
Have you checked your hives yet? The structure and location of the hives may be making them susceptible to diseases and infections. Protect them from ground pests by raising them or putting them on hive stands. You may want to put the hives in a moat filled with mineral oil. That way, insects attempting to get to the hive will drown.
Mind the surrounding plants
If your hives are in an outdoor facility, you may want to check the surrounding plants. As much as possible, keep a considerable distance between the hive and the plants. Some of these plants are house to pests, which may easily find their way to your hives.
A beekeeping business is not just a lucrative source of income. It is also a sustainable business that actually helps protect the species. It is one way of promoting their huge contribution to humanity. The success of your beekeeping business does not only depend on your marketing and sales strategies. Your operations should also rely on the protection of the bees, which means you have to keep the pests at bay.
