March 2023
www.TheBeeSupply.com
THE BEE SUPPLY
Monthly
Cover Photo: Willie Gabbard - Minnesota
Feature Topics Staying Ahead of Growth Are You Ready for Splits? Swarm Prevention Adding Space The Goal of Spring Feeding
Edition 33
Contents
48
Table Of
We welcome your feedback and submissions! editor@thebeesupply.com Beekeeping Questions: help@thebeesupply.com
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8 Monthly Tips 14 Staying Ahead of Growth & Equalizing Your Bee Yard 20 Things You Should Know Before Making Splits 24 Feeding Growing Colonies 28 I'm Ready to Make Splits 32 It's Swarm Season Y'all! 36 Expert - Kamon Reynolds 37 Upcoming Events 38 Capturing Swarms with Bait Hives 42 A Hive Preparing to Swarm 43 State by State Spring Status (Are you on target?)
March
44 What's the Buzz? Pros/Cons: Nucs vs Package Bees 48 Adding Space by Adding Boxes 52 The Goal of Spring Feeding 54 Honey Bees and Hummingbird Feeders 58 The Beginning of a Beekeeper 62 How to Remove Propolis From a Bee Suit 64 Bees Wax Facts 68 Club Directory 70 Webinar Q&A 72 Recipe: Honey Peanut Butter Protein Energy Bites 74 US Drought Map
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Geographically, March can be much different for those in colder conditions than in warmer ones. For both, it’s extremely important to monitor food stores as March progresses. In northern areas where temperatures will stay cold for the better part of the month – feed sugar bricks, dry sugar, or fondant if bees are at the top of the box when you take a peek. For everyone else, your bees are expending more energy (consuming more food) because of the gradually warming daily temperatures allowing for forage opportunities. Unfortunately, these flights may be fruitless, yet brood rearing is ramping up. Under fed brood will not develop properly, so feed syrup and pollen patties to ensure good development. Maintain at least 20 lbs. surplus for the next 2 months. Populations are growing even in cold climates. Slowly in northern regions, but they are about to explode in others. This is your first opportunity to verify you overwintered with a Queen. On warm days, if you do not see any signs of eggs, larva, or brood, your hive is Queenless. In this case you should order a replacement queen or merge the hive with another hive. If your hive has less than 2 frames of bees, merging is your best option. If you have 3 frames of bees, you can add a frame of brood from a stronger hive, and give the hive a new queen when available. Depending on the availability of Queens, splitting can be done in late March, or anytime in April. If you split in late March, 4 frames of solid brood, a mated queen, and proper care should guarantee a hive ready to make honey in early May. As populations grow in March and April, prevent swarming by adding boxes when the existing top box becomes 80% full of bees, or split the hive. If your hive has swarm cells (which are queen cells containing larva or pupae) on the bottom or edges of a frame, then the only way to prevent swarming is by splitting the hive. Simply removing the cells is rarely sufficient, as we typically miss a cell or two. For colder climates, watch for moisture forming under insulated lids. As temperatures rise on warm days, condensation can form creating a rain event inside the hive – and in turn, a mold issue. In this case, provide top ventilation by adding a slight space in between the lid and top box with a toothpick or popsicle stick. Moisture boards with paper or hay need to be checked for saturation. As the temperature warms up, insulation can be removed to prevent condensation altogether. Check on your stored honey supers to verify they are free of wax moths. If you use wax moth crystals, you may need to replenish it as it dissipates. As daily temperatures stay above freezing, open entrance reducers and remove them in warmer climates to ensure hives do not overheat on warm days.
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By: Blake Shook
March Tips
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Join Blake Shook as he walks you through what's going on in your hives and prepares you for the month to follow! James and Chari Elam answer your questions LIVE and present short practical timely topics.
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Upcoming Agenda
Live in the Bee Yard Tips Splits and Split Care Feeding Spring Hives Requeening Getting Rid of Old Winter Honey Live Q & A
Guest Speaker Topic: * Catching & Keeping Swarms * Pros/Cons of Using Swarms to Build an Apiary
Italian/Carniolan
By Chari Elam
This is my favorite time of year! Can’t you see me doing my happy dance?! Buds are starting to peek out on early bloomers, days are finally getting longer, and the bees are buzzing just a bit louder in anticipation of spring! Regardless of where you are, that little shift in the earth has our favorite little bug making some huge changes, even if we can’t see them! Did you know, even in colder climates, the queen is ramping up her laying? We can expect within the next few weeks for the queen to have laid a minimum of 3 frames of brood regardless of where we are. If you are in a super warm climate like I am – we can easily see double that! So, let’s do some quick bee math: Each frame contains approximately 3500 cells on each side. When mostly covered with capped brood by mid-March, we can expect a population increase of around 6500 bees per frame of brood by the end of the month! Wow! That’s a lot of bees and can easily double or even triple your population! There are several things you need to be keeping on top of. Now you know how many bees are “pending” – look around you. You know your area better than anyone else. How soon are nature's resources going to catch up to the needs of your hive? I can tell you this: not soon enough! You have several different areas you need to focus on: Prevent starvation due to too many mouths to feed and not enough foragers bringing in food. Feed with purpose – Poorly fed larvae yield underweight, under-performing, shorter- lived bees. Prevent swarming. Maintain a balanced bee yard – Stronger hives all around – fewer weak hives because other hives share in their success. That’s a lot to absorb! A rule of thumb is to feed when a hive is below 20 stored pounds of honey = 2 full deep frames. Also, with the population explosion we just discussed, be prepared to supplement! In my book this isn’t a gray area…we feed to prevent poorly fed larvae. To have healthy bees, we need to feed them nutrition. That’s not just syrup, it’s a combination of syrup and a good quality pollen patty that contains real pollen and other nutrients that aid in bee development. Next, we control the swarm instinct. Let’s face it, we put in great deal of time and expense into having super gentle, healthy, mite resistant bees – Allowing them to swarm and regenerate into a feral colony will not ensure their survival! I want to help the species maintain the good genetics I paid for, affording me the benefit of controlling mites as opposed to constantly battling mite overloads due to bad genetics. Managing your population can be done in 2 ways: 1. Make splits. 2. Equalize your bee yard. Check out Blake’s article in this month's issue on making splits. Not only does that grow your bee yard for the cost of a queen, it manages your populations so you can utilize each one of them! Now we get to the fun part: equalizing your bee yard! I may be on an island here…but I think this is a ton of fun! This is how we do it: We devote a day to going through all our bees in a particular bee yard. Some of you may have more and it takes longer…others less, and it only takes a few minutes. But what we’re doing here is noting the “overperforming” hives and the “underperforming” hives. Armed with this information, we can develop a plan of “who gets what”. It’s very simple. We balance the amount of brood, bees, honey, and pollen (if applicable) between all the hives! The key to equalizing your bee yard and it really working for both the donor and the receiver is to only take what one hive can afford and put it in the proper placement of the receiver hive. Brood in the center, pollen/nectar frames around the brood nest, and honey in the outside positions. So often we see a bee yard with multiple colonies (even on the same platform), where 1 or 2 (for whatever reason) are underperforming. I should point out that I’m not referring to equalizing colonies that have issues with untreated pests or diseases (Varroa) – but instead, colonies that had an issue causing a shortage of nurse bees, foragers, and/or brood. Most often this is caused by queen problems. So, what do you do when this happens? Correct the original problem first – be it queen replacement or getting Varroa mites in check. #1 in the book of successful beekeeping is having a healthy “young” queen in your colony. Once you have that, the rest is just housing, nutrition, and management! Equalizing populations by location - There are times a colony just needs a population boost. It’s lagging behind, although it has plenty of brood. Simply trade locations with another hive and watch the magic happen! The boost in the arm it will get from a good forager population will make a huge difference! Note: Do your hive swap in the middle of a warm day when the foragers are out, so when they come back, it will be to the colony that needs them. I can hear someone out there saying, “Don’t the bees fight when you take them from one colony to next?” A short answer: No, not really. When you think about what causes a tussle at the entrance of a hive, it’s the attempted entry of a bee “with nothing to offer”! In other words, it’s there wanting to get in to “take”, not to work or give back. When you trade frames with bees or swap colony places the bees are somewhat caught off guard (no pun intended), plus you are taking them with the frame they live on. They just go about working as if nothing happened, and the new colony you put them in just looks at it as a gift – because it is! Ultimately your bees will thank you in buckets – buckets of honey that is!
It's a balancing act...
Staying Ahead of Growth and Equalizing Your Bee Yard
Golden Cordovan
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Calling all beekeepers! We are working on expanding our educational resources to include pollen flow, nectar flow, honey harvest, and splits seasons for each location nationwide. If you would like to participate, please click on the link below. Thank you for being a part of our “Educational Research Team”!
Significant Pollen Flow Start Dates (Example Map)
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Every beekeeper should learn how to make successful splits! There are two excellent reasons to be able to make splits:
Things You Should Know Before Making Splits
Swarm control – A hive’s natural tendency is to grow as fast as possible in the spring, then swarm! It’s how they reproduce in nature. As beekeepers, we would prefer they don’t swarm, since odds are we will lose nearly half our bees from pests and diseases. One of the best ways to prevent swarms is to split a hive before they prepare to swarm. Replace lost hives or expand your number of hives – We all lose bees every year. Sometimes it’s 20%, sometimes it’s 50% or more. Particularly in your first year or two it’s common to lose some, or all of your hives as you learn beekeeping. Assuming you made it through winter with a few good hives, there is no more cost-effective way to recoup losses or grow than making a split for essentially the price of a queen! Most splits are made in the spring, typically once nights are generally above freezing, early spring flowers have begun to bloom, and daytime temperatures are in the 50s, 60s, or above. An occasional freeze is fine as long as there are sufficient bees in the splits to cover all the brood. The general rule of thumb is to make splits around the average time of the last freeze in your area, or at least routine freezes are over. If you are in the deep south, you can often begin making splits as early as you can get queens. If you are further north, you will have to wait until mid-April, or even early May depending on the temperatures. The earlier in the year you make your split the faster the hive will grow, and the more honey you should be able to make. However, you are limited by queen availability as well as hive strength. Queens become available for purchase around the last week of March most years. But, they can be very difficult to get that early since every beekeeper wants early queens. Typically, queens become much more widely available by mid-April, assuming you booked them early in the year. Once you have a check by those two aspects, the following tie directly to hive strength. No brood diseases At least 6 full frames of brood (eggs, larvae, and capped brood all count as brood), and more than 6 frames covered front and back with bees. A “full frame of brood” would be considered a deep frame that is at least ⅔ full on both sides with either eggs, larva, or capped brood, or a combination of all stages. Generally, you want to have a mixture of all stages in a split. At least 4 frames of honey, or you will need to feed heavily. Varroa mites are under control. Your hive is generally healthy and growing with no apparent issues. At least 1 cumulative frame worth of stored pollen. How Many Frames of Brood Should I Use Per Split? It depends on what your goals are, where you live, and what time of year it is. However, I’ll offer some guidelines that will help you make that decision. If it’s spring, and you want to make a honey crop with your new split: I recommend splitting 5-6 weeks (or more) before your major honey flow begins. Use at least 3 frames of brood. If you still want to make a split and a honey crop but are closer than 5-6 weeks from the start of your local honey flow, then for every week past that 5 week mark, split with 1 additional frame of brood. So, if you are 5 weeks from the normal start of the honey flow, use 3 frames of brood. If you are 4 weeks away, use 4 frames of brood. 3 weeks, 5 frames, and so on. Use a mated queen. Queen cells, or letting bees raise their own takes too long if you are hoping for a crop. If it’s spring, and you don’t care about making a honey crop and just want to grow more hives: You can use as few as 2 frames of brood, fully covered with bees to start new hives. You can use either mated queens, or queen cells. Now that you have determined you have hives eligible for a split, turn to page 28 for the second part of my article titled “I'm Ready to Make Splits!”.
TBS SPLITS CLASS
Learn how to effectively and safely split your spring hives with an experienced beekeeper! This class covers all the basics in making splits, both inside the classroom and in an apiary. Topics covered for this fascinating class include: ordering queens for your split, how to prepare your hive to split, hive strength requirements for splitting, making the split, feeding afterwards, post split care, queen acceptance and more.
More Info
Check out this video on the pros and cons of letting your colony raise their own queen vs using a mated queen.
Take a quick listen to James and me as we talk about when to feed 1:1 and when to feed 2:1 syrup.
Feeding Growing Colonies
By: Chari Elam
All we have to do is say “spring” and BOOM – our bees start a population explosion even in temperatures too cold to work bees! What’s a beekeeper to do?! Feed and keep a close eye on space! Let’s take this in 2 segments starting with feeding. A quick bee biology refresher … There are 2 types of bees – Winter bees and summer bees. Winter bees emerge from August thru November and are able to live a l-o-n-g time – as long as 6-8 months! On the other hand, summer bees only live 4-6 weeks. This is directly attributed to the amount of work each season involves. Summer bees are working day in and day out gathering nectar and pollen to feed the growing population which in turn shortens their life span. Conversely, winter bees’ main activity is shivering to keep a cluster of bees warm. Although this is expending energy, it's nothing compared to summer bees. Where the problem comes in is, nature doesn’t always keep up with the food demand in early spring (the busiest time of year). Adding to that, the number and age of bees left to gather those resources are pushed to the limit! Too many mouths to feed and not enough girls to go shopping! What to Feed March is the time to switch over to thin syrup (more like nectar). That typically means 1:1 sugar to water ratio. I am however intrigued by folks like Kamon Reynolds and James Elam’s method of feeding thinner syrup, 1:2 (1 part sugar to 2 parts water). Theory is basically that bees prefer the thinner syrup, and they will draw comb and consume it faster. We (James and I) have used thinner syrup in the past but honestly didn’t do a “study group.” The bees do seem to consume thinner syrup faster but to what end… In our experience, no remarkable difference. With little research to back it up either way, I’ll stand “neutral on the topic” and say, “do whatever works for you and your bees.” What if it’s cold? This can be an issue. Bees won’t drink cold syrup. My advice is to put smaller amounts in your feeders until temperatures stay above 60 degrees. This will provide syrup on warmer days yet prevent stagnant syrup which sometimes gets ignored by our bees even when it's warm. As March progresses continue to feed, even through April. Depending on your nectar flow – some areas can see a minor nectar flow by mid-April, with a primary flow by May 1st. Once you see a nectar flow coming in, stop feeding unless you’re trying to build comb. Feeding and comb building It takes warm weather to build comb. Although thin syrup (nectar) stimulates the wax glands of a 2-3 week old worker bee, if it’s still cold outside it’s highly unlikely they’ll begin to build wax. Reason: They need it to be warm enough to “mold the wax” to build comb. Also consider, bees are very efficient. They won’t do anything out of boredom – they must have a reason. In other words, if there is open comb available to store nectar there is no reason to build comb! That’s a bummer, right?! Especially when we’re adding boxes anticipating a population explosion and the “new” frames are undrawn. Be patient though – they will get to it. A good indication they need the storage space is when they start building comb on new frames! More reason to continue feeding for now! It's Important to note that feeding bees grows bees. Check out my article on page 48 Adding Space by Adding Boxes
A division board feeder is one of the most economical ways to feed your bees, especially if you have a lot of hives. It is installed in place of 1 or 2 frames, typically in the bottom deep brood box. These feeders are available in 1 gallon, 1.5 gallon and 2 gallons. Most favor the 1.5 gallon while using 8 frames. It is still a snug fit but leaves just enough room to still remove frames without crushing or rolling bees. The feeder always goes on the outside edge of the box. Another other key factor is to always keep all the frames pressed tightly to one side of the box, and the frames pressed tightly against the feeder, leaving any spare space between the feeder and the outside wall of the box. When you begin to do an inspection, you can push the feeder against the side of the box, immediately giving you room to pull out frames. To avoid bee drownings, purchase the division board feeders with a cap & ladder system. These work extremely well and simplify cleaning the feeder. Otherwise, you can insert a large piece of screen, or a sheet of deep foundation inside the feeder to help prevent drowning. Periodically clean the feeder – doing so prevents the buildup of debris in the bottom which can be a Small Hive Beetle breeding ground. This feeder can be left in the hive year around or removed when not in use.
FEEDERS
Division Board Feeders aka - Frame Feeders
Select strong hives, with a minimum of 1 deep box full of bees (or its equivalent if using all medium boxes or a top bar hive). Ensure they have at least 6 deep frames of brood or their equivalent. 1 medium frame full of brood is equal to ⅔ of a deep frame of brood. Find the queen and set the frame she is on aside until step 5. If you plan to requeen, kill the queen after finding her. If you cannot find the queen, you have 2 options. The easiest is just to proceed with the split, ignore the queen, and go back and look at all the hives 3-4 days after moving the splits and see which hive has eggs. The hives that don’t have eggs need a queen. Wipe out any queen cells they have begun to raise and install a new queen. The second option is after you’ve completed steps 3&4, right before completing step 6, shake all the bees into the bottom box. The workers will migrate back up through the queen excluder, while the queen will be trapped in the bottom box. Leave 3 frames of brood (at a minimum) and ideally 2 frames of honey in the bottom box. Fill the rest of the space with frames of empty comb, foundation, or frames of honey/pollen. If you have less than 2 frames of honey you can still split, but will need to feed immediately after step 8, and feed up to 2 gallons per week for the first few weeks. Do the exact same thing for the second deep box. If your hive was already a double deep hive, this is easy. Simply put 3 frames of brood and two frames of honey in the second deep. If it was a single-story hive, you will need to bring an extra box and frames to use. If it was a deep and medium, you can leave the medium box on the original hive. You will want to give the split at least 3 deep frames of brood and ensure the original hive has the equivalent of 3 deep frames of brood between the deep box and medium. If applicable, place the frame with the queen in the bottom box. Place a queen excluder on top of the original bottom brood box (Deep and medium hives - place the excluder on top of both boxes) and place your new deep split on top of the queen excluder. Replace the lid, and let the hive sit until dusk or dawn the following morning. If you didn’t kill the queen, the hive can be left in this configuration for several days if needed as you wait for the arrival of a new queen. At dusk or right before dawn (I recommend right before dawn - the bees will be calmer) you need to pull the split off the original hive and put it on its own bottom board. Use a minimal amount of smoke to ensure plenty of bees stay in your split. Moving the split a mile or more away will ensure that all the foragers remain with the split since they will reorient to their new location. Since it is not practical for most beekeepers to move their splits a mile or more away (and it’s a real pain!), there are a few alternatives to moving them to a new location: You can rearrange the whole bee yard, so no hive is where it once was. The foragers tend to drift back to all the hives fairly evenly. My favorite method is moving the original hive with the old queen (assuming you didn’t requeen both hives) 10 -15 feet away and leave the new split in the original location. This will ensure the split has a bit higher bee population, since they will grow more slowly being they have to accept a new queen. The hive moved with the mother queen in it still has a laying queen and will rebound quickly. If you requeened both, you can give 1 split an extra frame of brood and move that one 10 - 15 feet away. In general, with any movement less than a mile, you won’t lose more than 10% of the bees due to drifting. Feed both hives if there is not a strong natural flow. They have a lot growing to do! Install the new queen ideally within 0-12 hours. If you wait more than 24 hours, you will need to remove any queen cells the bees have begun to raise. Continue feeding 1:1 syrup at approximately 1 gallon per week until the bottom box is 80% full of bees. When that has been achieved, add your second brood box and continue to feed until they have about 30lbs of honey/syrup stored, and most of the comb drawn out if applicable. Once that is done, you can stop feeding, or add supers if applicable.
If you determined your hive(s) are eligible to make a split – Congratulations! Now you have the resources to increase your colonies and do so for only the cost of a queen and possibly some additional equipment.
I'm Ready to Make Splits!
Here's expert Lauren Ward explaining how she makes spring splits. Check it out!
Virtual Splits Class with Blake Shook
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By: Charlie Agar
Ah, springtime... Love is in the Air!
It's Swarm Season Y'all!
The birds are singing … the flowers are in bloom … and the animal kingdom is all sultry Barry White music and chilled white wine. Love is in the air, y’all, and our bee yards are buzzing in tune. Early season pollen and nectar flow kick off brood rearing, and our healthiest hives are eager to reproduce. Translation: Colony-level reproduction (swarming) can spell challenges for beekeepers. Therefore, learning to identify and stay ahead of spring swarming is a vital skill to be learned. We all know colony-level reproduction as swarms — the original queen leaves with half the bees to find a new home and the workers make a new queen who mates and takes over. All sounds groovy, doesn’t it? But why not just allow our bees to swarm and make a new queen? Aren’t there benefits to a “brood break” to reduce varroa? First, if we have any interest in producing honey during what most will deem as a short-lived nectar flow, swarming is a huge setback. The time it takes a hive to raise their own queen eats up scant nectar resources at a time when our bees could be making honey. If we are not concerned with honey production, swarming still causes other issues. Open mating in southern states means a high likelihood our virgin queen will mate with feral drones that carry a hybrid of the Scutellata (Africanized) genetic – the super-defensive bees that migrated from Africa via Brazil and have troubled southern beekeepers (and rapidly spreading) since the '90s. As far as a “brood break” to reduce Varroa – the swarm does experience a brood break but that's not your best approach for Varroa management. Let’s face it…you lost half your bees. How do you know when your bees are going to swarm and when to split? You might be surprised at how quickly and casually the large-scale commercial operations “grade” their hives for quality. They simply lift lids and pry open boxes to eyeball it. Small-scale beekeepers can do the same! Just open the hive and look! If you find you have a double deep hive with lots of bees, open and capped brood, it’s certainly ready to split…or even a single-story hive brimming over can be the source of new colonies. If queens are available, you can schedule queen pickup with the folks at The Bee Supply — Taking a hive splitting class or working with a mentor is important at this stage, and once you’ve split, you’re ready for the spring flow. If I’m seeing lots of peanut-shaped swarm cells, that means the white wine has already started flowing and the love songs are cued up on the record player. Uncapped swarm cells can mean I might have already lost my original queen or I’m just too late to get ahead of the swarm. In this case, I need to care for the colony as I would a new Nuc or a split. I mean… It split – just without me, leaving me only half the split! If the swarm cells are intact, I simply split the hive and divide swarm cells from the large colony into new boxes. Emerging queens will open mate, but I won’t lose a lot of bees to a swarm, and I can requeen the new hive later if they’re defensive. What if my hives are boiling over and queens aren’t available yet? I can simply add another box to my brood chamber. The extra space encourages the bees to keep building instead of swarming. Equalizing strong colonies is another good approach. I take brood from the strong colony and share it with weaker hives. The big hive will have to get back to work building comb and gives me more time and the small hives get a boost. The hands-off approach to swarm control A non-involved approach to swarming results in what I call the “Come and Take It” syndrome. It’s a phone call I get more often than I want each year, and it goes something like this: “We got bees a few years ago and just left them alone out back,” says the exasperated beekeeper. “We think they swarmed. Now they’re so mean we can’t even go into our back yard. If you want ‘em, they’re yours! We want out of this bee business!” Avoid the “Come and Take It” syndrome – do a quick check every week to 10 days. Manage your bees, keep them healthy! Having robust, growing colonies in early spring is a good problem to have, but it is still a problem. So, stay ahead of those swarms for long-term success with your bees. Happy spring, y’all!
Things to watch for: · Rapid population buildup · Brood nest becomes constricted – limiting space for bees, brood and honey · Presence of drones · Queen slows laying because of lack of room · Swarm cells
Tips: Super early – using a honey super as added space for bees can prevent swarms. Splits are an excellent way to equalize your bees, brood, and honey – creates a brood break, and introduces new queen genetics to your bee yard. Add additional wax to new foundation when making splits or adding boxes for quicker buildup.
Because I can, I thought I'd share a video of a swarm removal I did last year about this time. It's my day job and I love it! For more videos and entertaining footage - check out these links!
Who's that looking over my shoulder?
If you are utilizing YouTube as an educational tool in your beekeeping journey, you no doubt know who Kamon Reynolds is. Not only is he the founder of Hive Life, but along with his wife Laurel, they have made it the largest conference in the nation with over 2000 in attendance for 2023! With that said, what is Kamon like on the other side of the microphone? Join me as he and I talk in depth on feeding various sugar syrup ratios, as well as when it’s appropriate to feed pollen. We also discuss adding boxes, swarm season and hive inspections… Plus, so much MORE! Check it out!
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February 28 - March 19th - Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo - We'll have team members and literature at the Honey Bee Booth Located in Hall A in NRG Center April 1st - Central Texas Beekeepers Association Bee School - Full booth with merchandise - Registration Open June 17th - Texas Beekeepers Association Summer Clinic - Full booth with merchandise - Registration pending
with Chari Elam
TBS at Hive Life 2023
By: James Elam
Each spring, healthy colonies can become overcrowded, resulting in a swarm. In preparation for this event, a new queen is raised to replace the soon-to-be-leaving mother queen. Once the new queen cell is capped, the old queen is escorted away along with about half the colony, leaving most of the resources, the new daughter queen, and remaining bees in the hive. As these swarms develop, they will temporarily land on a limb, branch, fence post or other objects, forming what appears to be a “beard” usually 15’- 75’ away from their original home. The “scout bees” in the group will then leave from this temporary landing site going in all directions in search of a new permanent home for them to begin a new colony. This may take hours or even a few days, often taking up residence in inappropriate locations …such as the eve of a house, soffits, under raised porches, in the wall of a shed…etc. I have two approaches to capturing swarms: Keep a swarm trap near my bees at all times, and in the spring have many swarm traps out that I can bait!
Capturing Swarms with Bait Hives
Preferred placement locations When searching, scout bees prefer locations that have water, roads, power lines and/or fence rows. Other aspects of a good location included morning and evening sun exposure with shade in the middle of the day, and larger trees are better due to less movement when the wind blows.
I have no idea why the neighbors would think we're nuts! Doesn't everyone have Nuc boxes in their trees?
Types of Bait Hives A standard Langstroth hive box with a solid bottom board, Nuc boxes (plastic or wood), Swarm trap paper Mâché pots, and home-made boxes can all be used as bait hives. The easiest and lightest weight bait hive is the paper Mâché pot. This design has the option of hanging both horizontally and vertically and has a very good success rate. I also like using the Pro Nuc boxes. They fit well in the fork of a tree, hold deep frames, are lightweight and easy to transfer to a hive. If you were to drive by our place right now, it would look like I have Easter eggs in my trees all over our property. Chari says the neighbors probably think we’re nuts because you can see them when driving by. Some people do yard art, I do bee tree art! Setting up a bait hive Put your traps up in early March and take them down in July. Ideally place your bait hive 6-12 feet off the ground . Bees prefer that height and it’s easier to reach and retrieve when a hive is caught. Face the entrance either East or South Use chain or ratchet straps to secure the bait hive to the tree (I prefer ratchet straps) Make sure it is level – this is very important! If you’re using a Nuc box or Langstroth hive box, having old brood comb is a big advantage. If you don’t have any, I bet someone will give you an old one that’s in rough shape. The smell of an old frame is one of your biggest attractants to scout bees. Use a swarm lure – This will make all the difference in your success. You can use Lemon Grass Oil, but from experience a quality swarm lure is much more likely to draw in a rogue swarm looking for a home. Use it according to the directions! More is NOT better! Too much will drive them away instead of drawing them in. I get the best results when I drizzle beeswax and smear propolis on the inside. It's a combination they can’t resist! Re-bait the hive with the lure about once a week or per instructions. Check the bait hive for inhabitants every 10-14 days. Once a hive has moved in, re-hive them as soon as they start bringing in pollen. Waiting too long could cause them to swarm “again” due to lack of space. Tips Swarms tend to happen on a warm sunny day between 10am-2pm. The goal is to have the bait box in place 2-3 weeks before the scouts start looking for new homes. Don’t let a Hot Spot get cold! Immediately reuse successful sites. Beekeepers old adage A swarm of bees in May is worth a bale of hay. (prior to nectar flow) A swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon. (During nectar flow) A swarm of bees in July is not worth a fly. (After nectar flow) In other words - Swarms caught early in the season are usually the best! Get your traps up!
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This pot trap went a little too long! You can see the bees had built it completely out, filling the entire pot cavity. Ideally transfer a trapped hive just as they've gotten established and are bringing in pollen. This tells you the queen is laying and they aren't going anywhere. Once hived, I requeened and this was a super hive for years.
STATUS OF SPRING
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A HIVE PREPARING TO SWARM
Being able to identify the signs of an impending swarm will help give you the opportunity to plan for a solution. Sometimes it can be as simple as a hive running out of space and needing to add a second deep. But once swarm cells have begun to form, making a split is your best bet. Let’s watch as Blake shows us what we’re looking for and gives us some helpful tips along the way.
How do you know when spring has begun? Is it the appearance of the first tiny leaves on the trees, or the first crocus plants peeping through the snow? The First Leaf and First Bloom Indices are synthetic measures of these early season events in plants, based on recent temperature conditions. These models allow us to track the progression of spring onset across the country. Quote: National Phenology Network
Check out this very interesting site that literally "tracks spring"! Click on the map to see how your area is doing!
Give your swarming colony an ideal “home”! Designed to mimic the hollow of a tree, a favorite home for swarms, our Swarm Trap is constructed of a molded fiber material that will hold up through many swarm seasons. When used in conjunction with a Swarm Lure, swarming honeybees find our Swarm Traps irresistible!
By: Lynne Jones
Which is better, a Nucleus Colony or a Package of Bees? For the many who are just starting in beekeeping, it is a big decision they either recently made, or are still struggling to make. Since the basic pros and cons of each are almost mirror images of each other, I always assumed the deciding factor came down to cost – if you can afford a Nuc, get a Nuc; if not, get a package. But as I discovered from reading comments made on Facebook’s Beekeeping Basics group, there are other, maybe less known factors as well. On January 30th, Alan Cardoza posted, “Pros’ and con’s - Nucs versus pkg bees,” and about sixty (60) beekeepers commented on that post. Of the sixty, 29 expressed a clear preference for Nucs and 8 preferred packages. I contacted Alan and learned he’s located in N. California and has been a beekeeper off and on for 30 years. Although Alan has purchased both packages and Nucs, he prefers packages because he’s had zero issues, and harvests honey the first year with most of them. Considering how much experience he has; I was curious why he posted his question…his reply: “To hear the reasons others prefer one or the other.” Thank you, Alan. I am sure your post was helpful to many new beekeepers and to more than a few not-so-new beekeepers such as myself, especially for those in CA. Personally, I live in an area where Nucs and packages are available within driving distance, so picking up either isn’t an issue. But understandably for those in remote areas, the shippable package bees would be their best option. A few beekeepers from Ohio and one from Vancouver commented that their early arriving packages far exceeded their late arriving Nucs. This may be one of those “beekeeping is regional” instances, or simply their own experiences. Unfortunately, there are risks in shipping bees due to delays and mishandling, both of which can be fatal for 3-pounds of bees in a screened box. It isn’t surprising that the overwhelming majority chose Nucs, as historically they do outperform package bees in growth rate and potential first year honey production. Starting off with an established laying queen with her own bees and frames of drawn comb full of resources definitely helps! However, for some beekeepers with other types of hives such as Top Bar, Warré, Layens, AZ, or even an all-medium Langstroth, the deep frames generally offered in a Nuc wouldn’t work - making package bees or catching a swarm their only option. Although there are some smaller Nuc suppliers who are finding this to be a niche market and selling Top Bar Nucs and Medium-frame Nucs as an alternative. Some beekeepers' reasoning of preferring packages over Nucs is because they lack comb or capped brood, varroa mites can’t reproduce. Additionally, there is an approved oxalic acid spray method for packages (Page 6), allowing for a treatment prior to installing them, making it possible to start with the lowest possible varroa count. If you are planning to purchase a Nuc or package this year and are still on the fence, you might find your options are limited or soon to be sold out, so get your deposit placed, the sooner the better. Don’t assume that a Nuc is “twice the cost of a package” because that is not always true, especially when you factor in the value of drawn comb. When buying packages, if possible, purchase from a supplier close enough to pick up rather than ship. And lastly, as much as I enjoy Facebook, please be cautious when it comes to purchasing bees or equipment from an individual in a beekeeping group – there are a lot of scammers eager to take advantage of our tendency to trust a fellow beekeeper.
What's the Buzz... Pro and Cons of Nucs vs Package Bees!
Some comments from the active post
Are you Team Nuc or Team Package? Let me know which does better for you. You can message me on Facebook or send me an email!
Here is a video on how to spray Oxalic Acid on package bees prior to installing them - courtesy Honey Bee Health Coalition.
MORE INFO
Adding Space by Adding Boxes
A key component of our spring management involves hive expansion. We typically address overcrowding issues in double deeps by doing splits or sharing resources – but for new colonies or hives that overwintered in a single deep, adding boxes is the answer. How do you know when it’s time to additional space? The rule of thumb is when a box is 80% full of bees and resources it’s time to add space. Note: This only applies when nectar is flowing, or feeding is taking place. I say that because if it’s October, I wouldn’t add a box simply because the colony isn’t in “production mode,” but instead in population decline. How to add boxes I’m not a fan of just “plopping” an empty box on top for adding space. Reason being – 9 times out of 10 (my math not scientific data) the queen will only lay in about 20% of the center and the rest of it becomes a honey super… negating the whole purpose of hive expansion. Certainly, there will be beekeepers that would disagree and there are exceptions. The way to avoid that potential issue is to pull frames from the brood nest up into the center of the newly added box – whether the new box is drawn comb or new foundation. This inspires the queen and the nest to move up as if they were instantly given a second story to their previously single story hive. There is a right way and wrong way to do this. The right way is to pull 2 frames of some open brood/some capped with laying space available as well as a resource frame (pollen/nectar = bee bread) beside it (total 3 frames). This ensures the open larvae continue to be well fed and kept warm. This also brings the queen and her entourage up to the second story to start nesting instead of making it a honey storage area. The wrong way – pulling an open brood frame up all by itself. You run the risk of the brood not being kept warm enough and also not being fed well. If the nurses have to travel up and down for food they’ll likely not and abandon it. Not always – but why take the chance? Feed – It’s very important to continue to feed… especially if it’s a new colony with a lot of new foundation. They don’t have the backstock of resources and they need to draw wax. As you watch your new colonies and single deeps coming out of winter, space and food are your primary aspects to focus on… other than Varroa.
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Practically speaking, let’s take a look at when to start and stop spring feeding for each of the scenarios.
When feeding to help bees grow, feed a 1:1 syrup. The goal is to feed enough to keep the brood rearing going before adding honey supers. For a strong hive (1 deep full of bees and brood or more) which has little honey reserves, and a second brood box, feeding a half gallon each week will typically be sufficient. You would stop feeding when the honey flow begins and you add your first honey super, assuming your super already has drawn comb. It is worth noting that the amount to feed each hive varies depending on hive strength, weather, available forage, etc. As a general rule you want to feed just enough to keep the hive growing and maintaining at least 20 lbs of excess honey. If you’ve just purchased a Nuc, package, new hive of bees, or made a split, chances are several frames in your brood box are new foundation. It will greatly increase the speed at which your new bees can draw out comb if you feed them heavily. Feeding as much as they will consume until they begin drawing out the two outside frames in the bottom box is ideal. At that point, you can add an additional box, and continue feeding. Stop feeding when the top brood box is 80% drawn comb and full of bees and honey. At this point you can add a honey super of drawn comb and allow the bees to fill it with nectar. If your super is new foundation, then keep feeding until a fist size of comb is formed on at least 3-5 frames. If the bees stop drawing out comb when you stop feeding them, start feeding back up for a few days, then stop again. Sometimes it takes some starting and stopping to get them going strong on their own, especially if the honey flow hasn’t quite started yet.
QUICK TIP
Photo Credit: Kasia Buchta
The goal of spring feeding is to:
Ensure your hive has sufficient food to raise the needed population before honey supers are added. Hives grow incredibly fast in the spring, and the natural resources may not always be available in sufficient quantities. Help new hives draw out foundation in the brood box(es). Drawing comb on new honey supers.
Paul Fagala TBS Store Manager Dayton, TX
Photo by: John Doerper
Honey Bees and Hummingbird Feeders
I’m a good example of overlapping experience meeting in one place. I worked for Wild Birds Unlimited for many years before coming to work with The Bee Supply. During the spring and summer when customers had hummingbird feeders out, we would often get questions on how to keep honeybees off the feeders so the hummingbirds could have access to them. There are several things you can do to enjoy both the bees and the hummingbirds. Dish-style hummingbird feeders are the easiest way to deter bees. There are several versions of this style of feeder: some better ones are shown here. Hummingbirds lap nectar with their tongues and can extend it well beyond the tip of their beak, so they can reach to the bottom of those feeders, but the nectar is too low for the bees to reach it. Other things you can do to reduce the numbers of bees at your hummingbird feeders: Clean your feeders and change the nectar often. It is recommended to change the nectar at least every three days to prevent fermentation, especially in the heat of the summer. Use red hummingbird feeders without yellow flowers. Hummingbirds are attracted to the red while yellow attracts insects. Many feeders have optional bee guards which will prevent bees from reaching the nectar, but the hummingbirds can still reach it easily. Repair any leaks on your feeders that will give bees easy access to the nectar. Move the feeder frequently as little as three to four feet. Hummingbirds will find the newly relocated feeder quickly, but it will take the bees longer. Plant a pollinator garden or feed your bees a much more concentrated sugar water syrup (1:1) in an area the hummingbirds cannot access. The premade syrup made with Pro Health from TBS in a Pro Feeder or top feeder is an excellent way to provide for your bees giving them a preferable feeding location other than your hummingbird feeder.
Feeding hummingbirds while being a beekeeper does not have to be a frustrating endeavor. By following these steps you can enjoy both hobbies at the same time!
By: Paul Fagala
APIS BIOLOGIX BIO-CONTROL is the first (and only) formulation of Phytochemical, Phenolic, Amino Acid, Vitamin and Phytohormone profiles naturally present in floral nectar that have been independently research verified to produce beneficial effects at the population, colony, and individual level of analysis. INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE: ADD 102.5 MG [BIO-CONTROL] PER LITER OF MIXED SUGAR SYRUP - FOLLOWING YOUR ESTABLISHED. FEEDING (SPRING / LATE SUMMER / FALL) SCHEDULE. PREMIX WEIGHED PORTION OF [BIO-CONTROL] INTO SMALL AMOUNT WATER WITH A COMMON. BLENDER. ADD [BIO-CONTROL] SOLUTION TO SUGAR SYRUP & MIX WELL. AS WE DO NOT USE CHEMICAL STABILIZERS OR PRESERVATIVES IN THESE PRODUCTS - MIX FRESH BEFORE EACH USE. THE 1000L PACKAGE WILL MAKE 1000L OF FINAL SYRUP SOLUTION. THE 200L PACKAGE WILL MAKE 200L OF FINAL SYRUP SOLUTION
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BIO-CONTROL
Photo By: Gijsbert Van Frankenhuyzen - Bath, Michigan
I am a first year beekeeper, living in Arlington, Texas. Although I am now 39 years old, married, with 3 kids, the root of my beekeeping obsession began at around the age of 10. As a country boy, born and raised in rural Manitoba, Canada, I spent hours and hours exploring the 24-acre forested land my family lived on, as well as the endless fields of wheat, canola, and alfalfa that characterized the local farming community. My parents would purchase 2-gallon buckets of creamed honey from a local farmer because that was just how to get it - it wasn't "cool" or a trend yet! My favorite breakfast was toast with peanut butter and honey - topped with a dusting of brewer's yeast. It was fun to try to eat it without blowing off the yeast while exhaling. I was an avid reader - reading any mystery or adventure books available at the nearby town library. I don't remember the book, but I vividly recall becoming obsessed with a story of a father teaching his son how to find a honey tree in the forest. They would pour sugar water on a tree stump, wait for a bee, and follow it as far as possible, then repeat. They found the tree with the beehives, smoked it, and split it open to reveal layers of old and new honey. This little story, combined with Winnie the Pooh's honey trees and honey jars formed a life-long fantasy of finding a real-life honey tree. By the way, Winnie the Pooh's character originated in Winnipeg, the closest city to where I grew up. Fast forward to the summer of 2021, in Midlothian, Texas. My wife's family had purchased a 7-acre rural property covered and surrounded by beautiful wildflowers. I was walking around in August on a hot day and noticed a bush with yellow flowers buzzing with honeybees. My childhood fantasy of finding a honey tree was immediately re-ignited, and I was determined I would find out where these bees came from. I started Googling different ways of finding wild beehives and made plans to plot beelines on a map to triangulate their hive position. However, before I could execute the plan, we discovered a beehive hidden in the soffit of an unused workshop on the property. The bees were coming and going through a ventilation slot where the original bug-proof mesh had been replaced by a coarser mesh, presumably to keep rodents out. During the day, there was a massive beard of bees hanging from the entrance - a sure sign of a healthy sized hive. Knowing I needed help, I quickly located a local beekeeper through a community Facebook group. He came out and started on the removal, discovering 8-foot-long sections of comb! As he worked, he graciously allowed me to participate in the removal, with me handing him tools, asking questions, and trying not to get stung. In spite of having his spare beekeeper's veil, I did get stung once... Honestly, I was terrified of the bees, but my growing fascination quickly overcame the fear. Sitting there under the soffit in the heat, time seemed to slow down when a bee hovered right in front of my face for several seconds. As I stared at the bee's face, I remember thinking "This is awesome!" It was in that moment, captured forever in my memory, that I knew I had to become a beekeeper. That was the moment honeybees truly became more to me than just a scary, honey-making bug. They became an obsession! We did our best to relocate the bees into a hive but could not find the queen and therefore the hive did not get established in its new home. However, I vowed to start beekeeping the next spring season. And that is just what I did! I watched beekeeping videos, got beginner equipment, and acquired 2 nucleus colonies in May of 2022. I loved every minute I spent inspecting my hives and just observing the bees do their magic. I loved the challenge and the labyrinth of decision making, weighing the conflicting advice of seasoned beekeepers, and trying to figure out what was best for my own bees in my location. In July of 2022, I took a family trip to northern Washington. We stayed at a family member's house, and much to my delight, there was a community garden and apiary just a short walk away. The apiary was set in a roped off area nestled in a small, grassy clearing next to a mountain creek and tall pine trees. Not only was the setting beautiful, but the hives were painted with gorgeous bright colors. The wood stands were set on concrete footings and the area was mulched. It was a supremely attractive and clean setup. The foraging bees dive-bombed almost vertically out of the sky from above the treetops to deposit their resources into the hives. This picturesque scene inspired me to get serious about upgrading the aesthetics and sturdiness of my own bee yard next spring. I have since planned the layout and reached out to artist friends to help paint my hives for the upcoming new season. My 7-year-old daughter and I generated a vision of the new and improved "bee city" with conceptual hive stacks and paintings, mostly done by her. We are now busy building 10-frame and 8-frame hive bodies and Nucs every chance we get. We are absolutely stoked to bring this vision to reality for a fun-filled year of saving and keeping the bees in 2023!
By: Randy Dueck
Artistic drawing by: Randy Dueck's 7 yr. old daughter Emery
The Beginning of a Beekeeper
Finally! Directions on how to remove Propolis from my bee suit!
Propolis is a sticky substance that bees use to seal cracks and gaps in their hive, and it can be very difficult to remove from beekeeping equipment, including bee suits! Here are some methods you can try to that may help: Use a scraper: A plastic or metal scraper can be used to gently scrape off the propolis from the fabric of your bee suit. Be careful not to damage the fabric or pull at any seams. Apply heat: Propolis softens when slightly heated, so you can use a hair dryer or a heat gun to warm up the affected areas of your bee suit, and then use a scraper to remove the softened propolis. Use caution not to heat the fabric so much as to burn it. Solvents: Rubbing alcohol can dissolve propolis off of fabric. Blot the area thoroughly and let soak. After a few minutes, rub or scrap any residue left. Also try Arm and Hammer wash booster. Wash the suit in laundry detergent adding 2 cups of the washing soda for best results. Freeze the propolis: Propolis becomes brittle when frozen, so you can try placing your bee suit in the freezer for a few hours, and then gently break it off or chip away at the propolis with a scraper. Remember to take your time and be gentle when removing propolis from your bee suit to avoid damaging it. Additionally, be sure to wash your bee suit regularly to prevent propolis buildup, which can make it more difficult to remove in the future.
Natural beeswax has several special features that make it a unique and valuable material: Chemical composition: Beeswax is a natural wax produced by honeybees. It is composed of over 300 different compounds, including long-chain hydrocarbons, fatty acids, and esters. This unique chemical composition gives beeswax its distinct properties, including its hardness, pliability, and water resistance. Aromatherapy benefits: Beeswax is often used in aromatherapy because it has a natural, sweet fragrance. It is also believed to have a calming effect on the mind and body. Moisturizing properties: Beeswax is a natural emollient, meaning it has moisturizing properties that can help soothe and soften the skin. When used in skincare products like lotions, balms, and salves, beeswax can help lock in moisture and protect the skin from environmental damage. Anti-inflammatory properties: Beeswax has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce inflammation and soothe irritated skin. This makes it a popular ingredient in natural remedies for conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Natural preservative: Beeswax has natural preservative properties that can help extend the shelf life of products. When used in skincare products, beeswax can help prevent the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms. Overall, the unique chemical composition and natural properties of beeswax make it a versatile and valuable material with many practical applications in a variety of industries, from cosmetics and skincare to woodworking and furniture making.
Rolled Beeswax Candle
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Photo Credit: Nanette Davis
As we continue to grow you will see and benefit from more and more tools designed with you in mind. One that we believe will be very helpful is the Bee Club Directory This interactive tool allows you to zoom into any area and locate a local bee club. As we continue to add more listings, we encourage leaders from clubs across the nation to click on the form just below the map and update or add the info for your club. With that, we can stay as current as possible to provide our readers with up-to-date club locator information.
Bee Club Directory on Google Maps
Webinar Q&A
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Join us for the largest "LIVE" monthly Zoom Webinar meeting anywhere! On point topics, In the bee yard tips, timely presentations... Plus - LIVE Q & A! Check out what your fellow beekeepers were asking last month!
Check out our last Webinar!
Honey-Peanut Butter Protein Energy Bites
YIELD: 2 dozen INGREDIENTS 1 1/4 cups - old fashioned oats 3 T - shredded coconut 1/2 cup - sliced almonds, finely chopped 1 T - Hemp seeds, shelled (optional) 1 scoop - whey protein powder 1/2 cup - honey 1/2 cup - dried apricots, chopped 1/2 cup - peanut butter DIRECTIONS In a medium bowl add the oats, coconut, almonds, hemp seeds, and protein powder. Stir until well distributed. Add the honey, apricots and peanut butter and stir well. Put mixing bowl into the refrigerator for about 20 to 30 minutes. Then roll into rounded balls. When chilled, they can last about 5 days. Recipe courtesy of Mitzi Dulan, RD, CSSD, made for the National Honey Board
From the photographer of the front cover Willie Gabbard: One of my other hobbies is quilting. My Momma taught me to quilt as a child, and of course I dreaded it back then. Now however, it consumes any spare time that I haven’t committed to the bees. This quilt I did is a representation of a brood frame. It contains different stages of eggs, larvae, and pupae; surrounded by pollen and honey. I even found a way to create the illusion of larvae floating in a pool of royal jelly. This one was really fun to make and I plan to enter it into the state fair next year. Willie Gabbard - Minnesota
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