Summer Heat Stings Beekeepers: Protect Hives from Swarming & Quality Loss

• Rising summer temperatures pose significant challenges for beekeepers, affecting bee behavior and honey production.
• 'Swarming' or colony division increases in summer due to colony growth or food scarcity, requiring special management.
• Royal Jelly is vital for queen bee development; worker bees prepare the queen using it, as explained by Dr. Vimal Kumar of Krishi Vigyan Kendra Niyamatpur.
• Beekeepers should provide a 50% sugar solution as alternative food when flowers are scarce, but cultivating sunflowers or seasonal flowers yields better honey quality and market value.
• To control hive temperature, worker bees circulate air with wings and bring water; keeping 9 frames instead of 10 improves air circulation.