Differential thermal regulation of the growth of the bee colonies in the early spring period

This paper addresses the issue of the control of activity and growth of the bee colonies (brooding) in the early spring period. The bees are brooding up already in the late winter, and the intensity of brooding in this period is determined by daytime temperatures and sunshine hours that increase the temperature of the inner hive space. The objective is to design and verify a technology that would ensure the conditions for the optimal brooding in the early spring period and thus the numerically strong bee colonies. The experimental part was based on the temperature regulation in the inner hive space. A preset temperature was maintained inside the hive by an electric heating system with regulation. A differential thermal regulation which enabled the optimal growth of the bee colonies in accordance with the phenophases was chosen for verification. To verify the proposed method, two groups of the bee colonies were assembled. One group of the bee colonies had a heating system with regulation installed inside the hive. The second group of the bee colonies was in the hives without the heating system installed. The dependence of the brood area on time was monitored for the evaluation of both groups of the bee colonies. It was proven that the differential thermal regulation enables the optimal growth of the bee colonies in the early spring period in accordance with the phenophases. The brood area increased evenly for the group of the bee colonies with a regulated temperature of the hive space, reaching a larger area.