Determination of lokal wintering areas in honey bee-Cizre example

The present study was conducted to determine the significance of Cizre district which is used in wintering in beekeeping. In the present study, the actual data collected in face to face interviews conducted with 30 migratory beekeepers that arrived to Cizre district from the province or from other provinces were analyzed. In the first section of the survey form that included three sections, the socio-economic properties of beekeepers and their employments were discussed, colony movements were addressed in the second section, and the problems experienced during migratory beekeeping activities were discussed in the third section. The study findings demonstrated that participating beekeepers were mostly within the 41-50 age range (33.3%) and they were primary school graduates (40.0%). In the study, it was revealed that the district was used for wintering by beekeepers from Şırnak province, as well as beekeepers from Siirt Van and Hakkari provinces, 76.7% of 30 beekeepers considered Cizre as a good wintering region and 19 stated that they would remain in the region for 6-7 months to conduct maintenance feeding after wintering. Increased number of beehives, colony movements that are difficult to manage during the season, the problem of accommodation in winter areas, the possibility of diseases and pests, the damages caused by chemicals used in agriculture and socio-economic difficulties pose various problems for beekeepers. To remove the negative conditions in wintering areas, it would be beneficial and important to consider local wintering areas with microclimatic conditions.