Stress and the bee: The impacts of hive design and management practice on honey bees, Apis melifera L.

Hive design for honey bees (Apis melifera L.) has changed little since Langstroth introduced his Patent Hive in 1854, but the use of hives in pollination and industrial production has changed the use of hives. In particular, hive inspection and honey collection may introduce stress and spread pathogens that could be mitigated by changes in practice and hive design. Colonies of the honey bee maintain a mean brood nest temperature within a narrow range of 34.5-35.5°C, which is critical for brood development and nectar evaporation, and invest significant energy to maintain these conditions. Honey harvesting processes and removal of honey-filled comb may have a significant impact on brood nest temperature that would require additional investment of energy by the bees in order to restore thermal equilibrium and diverting workers away from other important tasks. As part of a wider study on the impacts of apicultural practice on stress and bee health, we quantified the thermal energy loss resulting from honey harvesting and common inspection practices in conventional Langstroth hives. The results show significant energy expenditure by bees is required to rectify the hive micro-environment after honey harvesting and colony inspection, and highlight the importance of thermal mass in maintaining the hive environment. Identification of the impacts of current practice and hive design allow for improvement in the design of bee hives to reduce stress on the bee colony, and contributing to increased colony function.