Dealing With Bee Pests

There are a wide range of pests that attack bees, reducing honey production.

Some of these are insects, such as termites, hive beetles, weaver ants, bee hornets and wasps, while others are reptiles or mammals like the mongoose.

To prevent these attacks, a farmer must carry out various interventions.

• To stop bee hornets, look for their nests near the hives and destroy them by digging them up if in the ground or cutting down the trees/stumps on which they are.
• To stop termites, apply used engine oil on the hive stands to stop them from climbing up.
• To stop rats from going into the hives, make sure that the top cover of the hive is well set because that is where they pass to access the hives. You can also place a heavy object on top of the cover to keep it in position.
• To control wax moth, use improvised bottle traps with vinegar and water. Plastic mineral water bottles can do.
• The moth will be attracted into the bottle and it will not come out. Vinegar is available in many supermarkets.