Study Prioritizes Sustainability In The Alternative Cultivation Of Bees
The obvious threat of extinction of bees would not only affect economic activity, but also the very balance of the planet’s ecosystems. However, there is an alternative to save these insects, which is related to the production of honey and the protection of the colonies. With the support of the USP Innovation Agency (Auspin), a group of researchers developed the Beehive patent made with recyclable materials and detachable fittings .
The technology consists of using an alternative material – long-life recycled packaging, used in milk cartons – to build bee hives, normally made of wood. The hive brings greater resistance and durability for beekeepers, facilitating assembly and maintenance, in addition to being 100% recyclable and having a low manufacturing cost.
“The central idea is to make the boxes more durable and maintain the ideal temperature and conditions for the survival of families, in order to make them grow and develop faster to help in the production of honey, propolis, pollen and royal jelly, at the same time that they can avoid unnecessary losses and looting of the boxes by other animals”, explains Celso Carrer, professor of the Department of Biosystems Engineering at the Faculty of Zootechnics and Food Engineering (FZEA) at USP.
The motivation for developing the patent came from the possibility of taking advantage of the practical experience accumulated by Claudenir Sachetto, a master’s student at FZEA, who has been working with beekeeping for over 30 years. Carrer, Sachetto and Juliano Fiorelli, professor of Rural Construction at FZEA, were the inventors of this new hive model.
Professor Carrer comments that sustainable beehives bring positive impacts for both man and the environment. As an example, he mentions the repopulation of populations of bees, essential insects in the pollination of many crops, and the recycling of a material that is usually sent to landfills in cities. That is, the extinction of bees, the production of food and the accumulation of garbage are some of the consequences avoided with the invention of the patent.
Efficiency: advantage for bees and the environment
According to Carrer, most of the work time performed in the management of hives by beekeepers is devoted to the maintenance of boxes, in the service of exchanging components and materials that rot, as hives are preferably made of wood. “The beekeeper spends more productive time as a carpenter and painter than managing families”, he says.
At the same time, boxes that spoil quickly cause a series of problems for bees, so that they spend excessive energy in making propolis to perform survival activities, instead of producing honey. “The problem is that one kilo of propolis is equivalent to nine kilos of honey and this greatly reduces the productivity of families”, reveals the professor. Propolis is a natural resinous hormone produced by bees by combining plant substances, salivary secretions, pollen and wax. It is used by bees for acclimatization and the ideal temperature in the hives, sealing external openings, cleaning and clearing the interior and constantly renewing the protective film in the combs.
The studies of bee structures carried out in the materials laboratory of the Biosystems Engineering Department of the FZEA showed that it is possible to increase the durability of the boxes by up to eight times. The boxes are easily collapsible and can be shipped to producers with ease. The efficiency of the technology is also seen in maintenance costs: a 70% reduction compared to the conventional use of wooden boxes.
“The idea is to structure a startup that will be able to meet the demand for quality boxes for delivery throughout Brazil, which has a beekeeping potential like few countries in the world. The inventor is looking for investors who could join this venture”, informs Carrer. He argues that the invention directly contributes to the solution of several environmental problems and, at the same time, can be a revolution in the sector.