The development of beekeeping in the Leningrad region is closely related to the task of expanding the feed supply of livestock production for meat and dairy production. Forage crops are good honey plants. The haymaking period coincides with the mass flowering of grasses, when bees are actively collecting nectar and pollen. The honey-bearing potential of the forest and meadow herbs has not been fully exploited.
Climate for beekeeping in the Leningrad region
The climatic conditions of the Leningrad region are favorable for the development of beekeeping, despite the unstable nature of the weather. The movement of air masses from the Atlantic, the proximity of the Gulf of Finland, Lakes Ladoga and Onega are the main factors determining the temperature regime, the number of days with precipitation, and cloudiness.
Analysis of the 150-year period of meteorological observations leads to the conclusion that during this time the average temperature increased steadily: in comparison with 1871-1900 - almost 2 times (from 3.8 to 6.3 degrees), from 1961-1990 by 1.3 degrees. Precipitation also increased by 148 and 59 mm in the corresponding periods.
The number of cloudless days in the spring-summer period ranges from 75 to 90. Steady temperatures above 10 degrees are established in the region from the beginning of May. During the flowering of honey plants, the period favorable for the summer of bees can be significantly shortened due to changeable weather: squally winds and rains.
Honey base
The melliferous base of the Leningrad region is formed from wild and cultivated plants.
Forest plants produce the greatest amount of honey:
- willow;
- Rowan;
- cowberry;
- blueberry;
- maple;
- Linden;
- bird cherry;
- honeysuckle;
- raspberries.
Meadow herbs are represented by:
- fireweed;
- cornflowers;
- anemone;
- geranium
The honey base is supplemented by crops of agricultural plants and horticultural crops:
- clover;
- buckwheat;
- rape;
- rapeseed;
- phacelia;
- sweet clover
To obtain maximum honey collection, it is advantageous to place apiaries on forest edges.
The volume of spring honey collection most of all depends on the flowering of willow and maple. After the flowering of dandelions and gardens, there is a break in the work of bees until the end of July and beginning of August due to frequent cold snaps and the absence of mass flowering.
Late summer harvest (honey harvest in late July-early August) is formed by raspberries, clover, fireweed, and cornflowers. On average, one bee colony produces from 11 to 27 kg of honey, depending on weather conditions.
Beekeepers who pay special attention to spring honey collection get better results.
Diseases
Bee colonies in the Leningrad region often suffer from the following diseases:
- Varroatosis is infection caused by varroa mites. A dangerous parasitic disease that, without treatment, leads to the death of the entire apiary.
- Amebiasis is infection through water or food of worker bees by the amoebas Malpighamoeba mellifical. Leads to the death of 70-100% of the bee population outside the hive.
- Ascospherosis is a fungal infection that is dangerous for week-old pupae. The carriers of the moldy fungus Ascophera are worker bees.
- Nosema is a disease caused by the parasite Nosema. The single-celled protozoan causes severe diarrhea in worker bees and the queen, causing them to become very weak and may die.
Over the past 20 years, in apiaries in the Leningrad region, the death of bees has been observed in the autumn and winter due to the treatment of fields with pesticides of hazard class 1 and the growth of varroatosis. Bees' behavior changes due to pesticide poisoning: they lose the ability to transmit information, expel the queen from the hive and do not accept a new one, dooming the colony to exhaustion and death.
Best breeds
According to the plan for the breed zoning of bees in the Leningrad region, the Central Russian bee and the Carpathian bee are recommended. The Central Russian bee, or the European dark bee, or the dark forest bee, has qualities suitable for the climatic conditions and type of melliferous lands of the Leningrad region.
Bees of this species tolerate low temperatures well in winter (up to -42), while consuming little food, as they are in a state of deep dormancy. Hardy, which is important in conditions of a short period for bribes. They can fly long distances from the hive. They are resistant to nosematosis. Disadvantages: aggressiveness, tendency to swarm. To work with this bee, the beekeeper must have knowledge and experience.
The Carpathian breed of bees endures wintering without dying, knows how to collect nectar in any weather, and easily adapts to its changes. Karpatka processes all the honey plants available to it. The bee colony quickly gains strength in early spring and begins to emerge several days earlier than other bee breeds. The breed is resistant to most diseases, is not aggressive, and does not swarm.
Public organizations and state support for beekeeping in the Leningrad region
“St. Petersburg Society of Amateur Beekeepers” is a regional public organization representing the interests of citizens involved in beekeeping. The non-governmental association provides organizational and advisory assistance to community members. The company's office is located in St. Petersburg at st. Polozova, 5 (on the first floor).
In other months, consultations are available on Monday and Friday from 11.00 to 19.00 and 11.00 to 18.00. Beekeepers, like farmers, are provided with state support in the regional budget. In 2020, more than 3 million rubles were allocated for the development of beekeeping in the Leningrad region.
Prospects
The prospects for beekeeping in the region are closely related to plans for the development of meat and dairy farming. To accomplish this task, it is necessary to create a forage base, the basis of which will be agricultural crops.
Large areas will be occupied:
- clover;
- sainfoin;
- sweet clover;
- phacelia.
To obtain high-quality hay, grasses are mowed in the last phase of flowering, which opens up great opportunities for honey collection. Fields sown with forage crops will be required to obtain seed material, which is impossible without pollination by bees.
Honey plants can be included in the crop rotation of grain and leguminous crops, which will have a positive effect on farmers and beekeepers. The forest area is 116 thousand hectares, the potential honey yield is estimated at 3 thousand tons, while the actual one does not much exceed 1 thousand tons of honey.
Forest apiaries could expand the range of beekeeping products through the production of beebread and pollen. The incentive to increase the production of honey and bee products is the presence of a multimillion-dollar consumer in the region (St. Petersburg).
