One of the ways beekeepers can prevent bees from coming into direct contact with the products sprayed on the crops is to close the hives sometime before, during or after spraying to prevent the movement of bees. However, populous confined swarms can have high mortality, therefore, it is important to have efficient equipment that keep proper temperature inside the hive, good ventilation and prevent bees from drifting and leaving.
Therefore, the purpose of this project is to develop and evaluate a protective cover to be used in the Langstroth hive, used for the breeding of the Africanized bee (Apis mellifera) which is also functional, cheap, resistant and provides a suitable environment for the bees while they are confined. The cover will help beekeepers in handling the hives to prevent the death of bees by preventing them from coming into direct contact with pesticides.
The project will be conducted for 18 months at IFRS Campus Ibirubá, in partnership with beekeepers, and is divided into three stages. In the first stage, cover models will be developed, based on a survey of what is available on the market. After development, the validation of the best model compared to hive entrance screen will be performed, considering the following variables: not allow the bees to move, avoid contact of the bees outside the hive with the bees inside, death of the workers by stinging the hive cover, temperature and humidity inside the hive, weight of the hives before and after confinement and the behavior of the colony related to the number of days confined. The last step will involve the publication of results in the form of articles and participation in events and, especially for beekeepers, for wide use.
