Guarding Behaviour – by Dylan Gussman Meon Valley BKA
Honeybees are remarkable not only for their cooperation in foraging and nest building, but also for their sophisticated strategies of colony defence. At the heart of this is nestmate recognition, a remarkable ability that enables bees to admit allies while repelling intruders. When a threat arises, the colony can unleash an extraordinary array of defences: from the well-known stings of Apis mellifera to the ingenious and sometimes surprising tactics of Asian honeybees. Finally, the presentation will turn to the practical side of beekeeping, discussing how to manage defensive colonies and outlining effective approaches to handling varying levels of aggressiveness. It will offer insights into both the science of honeybee defence and the art of managing aggressiveness in the apiary.