Guachapala, 84 producers, members of the Beekeeping School «Hive», participated in the practical workshop on hive health and the management and preparation of traps against varroa, organized by the Azuay District Directorate of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG).
Varroa is a parasitic mite that represents one of the main threats to bee health and the sustainability of hives. In this workshop, participants were given the opportunity to learn innovative techniques, practices and methods to control and prevent infestations, thus ensuring the health and productivity of their hives.
Using materials such as glycerin, cardboard and oxalic acid, traps for varroa were made, and producers were instructed on their placement in the hives, following a protocol based on sampling the impact and the size of the infestation.
The members of the “Colmena” Beekeeping School participated in the event, who have received training from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock since February of this year. The activity took place in the Guachapala canton, on the farm of one of the participating producers.
Roxana Torres, district director of the MAG in Azuay, highlighted that the “Colmena” Beekeeping School will last nine months, ending in November, with two training sessions per month. In addition, he highlighted the importance of these trainings and continuous monitoring so that producers can delve deeper into a variety of essential topics for the development of beekeeping.
Luis Orellana, beekeeper from Guachapala, stressed the importance of training for the prevention of pests that affect hives, since in a simple way the mortality of bees caused by varroa can be avoided.
As a parallel activity, the MAG carried out the technical evaluation of four producers to obtain certification as basic beekeepers, granted by SECAP through the process of certification of people for work skills. This certification recognizes the professional experience of beekeepers, being registered by SENESCYT with an individual number.