Canton Zug, 10.07.2020

All about the bees and the flowers

Reason to be cheerful for honey lovers: this year’s harvest is exceptionally good so far. Cyrill Arnet, president of the Zug Beekeepers Association (Zuger Imkerverein) confirms this, and adds that Zug beekeepers can look back on a successful spring season. There are differences between mountain and valley regions, however.

Cyrill Arnet has been caring for bees since he was ten years old, and currently has between 50 and 60 populations. "The good harvest has come as a surprise," he adds. Because dry weather in the spring does not normally contribute to an excellent yield like that encountered this year. Flowers such as the dandelion, where the bees usually source their nectar, did not grow so well this year. The insects thereby switched to plants with deeper roots, such as fruit trees, rapeseed and maple.

Nevertheless, some light rain would have been ideal to bring moisture into the ground. However, this year's Bise wind prevented this for a long time. So what was it that contributed to the good harvest? "The heat," replies Cyrill Arnet.

This allowed the bees to start working earlier in the morning and to work long hours into the evening. Zug beekeepers are pleased with the good start to the season. "Especially after the last two years - and above all last year – producing very modest results."

The prerequisite: strong populations
There are differences between the mountain and valley regions of the canton, however. In the area around the Ägeri valley and Menzingen, cold spells can provide a frosty surprise and affect the season at an early stage, as the soil freezes or the flowers die. The weather difference in the areas is even noticeable now. While the summer harvest in the lowlands is still very pleasing, it has been difficult to get started in the mountain areas.

Part of the reason for this is thunderstorms. The forest honey season takes place in the summer, with the bees taking honeydew from fir trees. But if this dew is washed away by storms, it takes a few days until enough has accumulated on the buds again for the bees to collect. If there are several storms in a row, this can become critical. Cyrill Arnet is well aware of this: "A heavy hailstorm can mean the end of the season." He is therefore interested to see whether the honey production in the mountainous areas will start up once again.

Photo 1: Cyrill Arnet, president of the Zug Beekeepers Association, inspects the honeycombs at the site in Hürital.
Photo 2: The bees are diligently at work.

It’s not possible to make a bee colony more efficient. This would be possible at most by exchanging the queen bee,  or through breeding measures. "We are well positioned in the canton of Zug, especially when it is breeding," explains Arnet. In addition to being the president of the Zug Beekeepers Association, he’s also responsible for breeding activities

At stations such as one in Unterägeri, for example, queens are fertilised by 10 to 15 drones so that they can continue to lay eggs right up to their death. "The prerequisites for good harvests are strong, healthy colonies."

Season soon to end
The movement of the bees has an influence on the harvest: If a beekeeper moves the bees’ home, he must choose a good location. The bee density is very high in the canton, and so a location must be chosen where other bee populations will not be disturbed. This only affects a few beekeepers, because most keep their bees in the well-known bee houses. "Ultimately, a bit of luck is needed for a good honey harvest," adds the passionate, fourth-generation beekeeper.

The honey harvest is a tradition in his family. In addition to the location of the hives and the weather conditions, the health of the honey producers has an influence on how good the harvest is. In recent years, there have been repeated reports that bees are suffering greatly from mite infestation throughout Switzerland.

What is the situation in the canton of Zug? "We need to keep an eye on the situation," the president says. But it’s still too early for a conclusive report – this will only become apparent when the reproduction for this year is completed in mid-July.

What very few people know: the honey season is already over at the beginning of August. The beekeepers then prepare their colonies for the winter season, and feed them accordingly. This step is also crucial for harvesting. At this stage, it is the beekeeper's job to see to the health of his colonies.