Constructive properties of honey bees breeding in Igdir province

This study was conducted to determine characteristics of beekeeping in enterprises who engage in honey bees and bee products production in Igdir province as a source of livelihood, in order to recommend solutions to the problems of beekeeping in the region and contribute to the development of beekeeping. In this respect, a questionnaire was applied to 93 beekeepers who were determined according to the sampling method and obtained data was analyzed scientifically using chi-square test for non-parametric tests. All surveyed beekeepers mean experience and ages are 20,1 years and 51,8 years, respectively. Mean number of populated hives in the enterprises is 115,95 hives enterprise-1 and all hives are modern hives. Mean number of annual swarms are 13,9±1,3 swarms colony-1 while mean period of mother bee change is 2,5±0,3 years. 38,7% of the beekeepers engage in beekeeping as a main source of livelihood while 48,4% conduct beekeeping as a source of additional income and 12,9% conduct beekeeping as a hobby. 73,1% of the beekeepers conduct migratory beekeeping within the borders of the province while 16,1% are settled beekeepers. 71,0% of beekeepers use Caucasian hybrid bees as bee genotype. 57,0% of keepers conduct beekeeping activities on a daily basis, while 40,9% carries out beekeeping 2-3 times a week and 2,2% conduct beekeeping once in 15 days. Mean honey yield per hive is 8,7±0,5 kg and 82,8% of beekeepers expressed that climate conditions are effective on honey yield. Beekeepers report sudden temperature changes, drought, winds, cold, snowfall and excessive precipitation as important climatic events that affect production; however, these factors may differ every year. Moreover; 3,2% of the beekeepers think that new swarms and bee migration affect honey yield, while 4,3% thinks overpopulated hives in the area affect honey yield. Another 4,3% thinks care and nutrition are the factors affecting yield while 3,2% thinks diseases and insects are effective on yield and 2,2% express bee raids on other colonies as a factor affecting honey yield. 24,7% of beekeepers report wintering as the main cause of colony losses, while 20,4% think mother bee is the main factor. 19,4% think lack of hive management of populated hives is the reason for colony losses and 14,0% view climate as the main factor. As a result of this study, it is determined that, in addition to climatic and environmental conditions, beekeepers should also consider regular colony controls, mother bee changes, regular seasonal applications and settling hives in areas with appropriate fauna in order to have healthy and productive colonies.