November 2021
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TEXAS BEE SUPPLY
Monthly
Cover Photo: Hilary Nickerson
Feature Topics November Tips A BIG Announcement! Winter Feeding 5 Essential Winter Test Drone Dumping Much MUCH More!!!
Edition 17
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6 Monthly Tips 10 November Bees 16 Winter Hive Checks 18 Ask the Expert: Winter Hive Inspections 22 5 Essential Winter Tests to Gauge Bee Health 28 The Great Drone Dump 32 Chilled Brood 36 Diagnosing Hive Death 42 Monthly Q & A 44 Topics Beekeepers Can't Agree On: Solid vs Screen Bottom Boards 48 Record Keeping 50 Recipe: Honey Apple Crumble Bars w/ Honey Caramel Sauce 53 Club Announcements 56 Drought Chart
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1. As November progresses, you should begin to see less and less brood in your hive. Many hives are completely broodless by late November. However, on warm years, with strong hives, you can still see multiple frames of brood. As the temperatures cool, bees will begin drinking less and less syrup. Hopefully your hive already has all the 30-40 stored pounds of honey/syrup it needs to survive the winter. If not, continue feeding. 2. If your hive still has more than 2 mites per 100 bees, methods such as Oxalic Acid can be effective when used during a broodless, or nearly broodless period. 3. Combine any hives that are less than 5 frames of bees. 4. If you have a screened bottom board, covering it is not necessary. However, prevent wind from blowing underneath the hive by blocking off each side of the bottom board. 5. Fortunately, things like insulating hives, providing an upper entrance to prevent condensation, candy boards, etc. are not necessary in Texas. Our winters are mild enough that none of those things are needed.
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By: Blake Shook
November tips
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...opinions on specific topics vary dramatically on what "to do" and what "not to do"!
When I read the title “November Bees” I picture little bees with muffs on their ears, fluffy slippers and maybe even a specially designed Snuggie™! Well, maybe not all that – but definitely keeping themselves warm… right? Actually, they are – staying warm that is. Bees have an innate ability to maintain warmth when temperatures drop outside. Knowing this is comforting for me as a beekeeper, but does this mean they don’t need me? Absolutely not! I’ve been observing and listening to beekeepers for many years – beekeepers of all levels of expertise and apiary sizes, and one thing that is abundantly clear – opinions on specific topics vary dramatically on what “to do” and what “not to do.” Not a comforting feeling for someone trying to learn is it!? Case in point – To use an entrance reducer or not? Close the screened bottom board off in the winter or not? My answer – Yes… oh wait… No!? I may be making light of the subject but what I’m really getting at is, it’s entirely up to you. My goal here is to give you my opinion and hope it helps you to make up your mind. Entrance reducers are used to do exactly as the name implies – reduce the entrance to a colony. It’s logical to me that when it’s <50⁰ outside I want to help my bees stay as warm as possible with as little as possible work! If work (overworking) is a key factor in the longevity of our bees (and it is), logic tells me to lessen their load to maintain temperature control and add an entrance reducer. But, on the other hand – if you have a very strong hive in an area where it’s protected from north wind, logic tells me they will most likely do just fine with no entrance reducer! Personally, we use them, and November is when we make sure that most of our colonies have them installed. I do suggest if using a reducer, leave it open to the largest opening. Texas for the most part stays relatively warm throughout winter comparatively speaking and the larger opening is sufficient. Screened bottom boards are used primarily for ventilation. More often than not, the Coroplast drawer slide is removed by the beekeeper and left out the majority of the year unless a specific need requires it be reinstalled (such as monitoring for a mite drop). I can attest that most large-scale beekeepers don’t use screened bottom boards opting for solid as a cost saving feature. Who’s right? Everyone of course! IF you use screened bottom boards the opinions vary greatly on whether or not they should be closed off. Personally, I would reinstall the board and close them off for winter. My reasoning is exactly the same as for entrance reducers. Keeping in mind, I tend to think along the lines of someone with less than 50 hives. More hives than that? I wouldn’t fault you for opting to forgo the process. Having said that, a particular teaching hive (location to remain anonymous – wink-wink) survived Snowmagedon of 2021 without the screened bottom board closed. Did it have some bee loss? You bet! But so did the one right beside it with a solid bottom board. They both survived and are thriving to this day. So there – once again, the decision is entirely up to you!! One aspect I believe there is very little disagreement among our peers, is the need to equalize your hives “internally” prior to a severe cold snap. A major factor in the bee losses of Snowmagedon was placement of honey stores. We (as instructors) stress the need to weigh your hives – verify resources, maintaining 30-40 lbs. of honey to overwinter a double deep. This is all well and good, except, when a hive is clustered, they won’t break cluster to get to a resource just 2 frames over! What!? It’s hard to fathom but it’s true. The bee’s focus is to protect the queen and the colony. In extreme weather conditions clustering is their way of doing just that. To break cluster means risking their life and they would rather die trying than venture away. As proof – colonies died in that extreme event simply because they wouldn’t/couldn’t reach the honey. The action of moving frames has to be specific to each hive. Size of colony and the proportion of resources are at play. If I have a colony with 6-7 frames of bees in both top and bottom boxes, I’m less worried about the honey being too far out of reach for a cluster – simply because the cluster is large… really large. Its size will probably dictate it being near the outer frames of honey stores with absolutely no help from me. On the other hand, if my colony has 4-5 frames of bees in each box – that’s a different story. These bees will cluster all the same, but in doing so it will be centrally located and potentially 2 or even 3 frames away from the outer honey stores. In this case – in the event of a really cold snap, I would move the honey frames closer to the center – not the center… just outside of center. Keep in mind, the queen has all but stopped laying. You’re likely to have a frame or two that are empty in the brood nest. Taking an empty frame (or broodless frame) and trading places with a honey frame (to the outside of the nest center) will greatly increase their chances of fairing well. So much of what we do for our bees is in and for warmer weather. I’m very thankful for our climate and so are our bees! Southern beekeepers have a lot less to do in preparation for winter than our northern counterparts – believe me, it’s nearly a huge project for them! We’ve spent the last 2 months drilling down what you needed to be doing to prepare for this. Trust your actions – trust your bees. Avoid overthinking what you have done or not done. If you have a question, call us! We really are here to help – day or night… well, maybe not in the middle of the night... but feel free to send your question then… and we’ll answer you in the morning (tipping my coffee cup at you). Questions? Email us at help@texasbeesupply.com or need to call? 1-800-456-4229 We look forward to hearing from you! By: Chari Elam
By: Chari Elam
November Bees
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...so now what?
Winter Hive Checks
After months of actively caring for your bees, it's finally time to take a deep breath and wait for spring. If you are like me, waiting is the hardest part! Every cold rainy night, or cold front, I wonder what's going on with my bees, when can I check on them, is it too cold to take a look, etc. Here are some answers to common winter inspection questions: 1. How often should I inspect? I recommend some form of inspection 2 times per month, November-January. For November you should be adding a pollen patty each inspection and doing any last-minute feeding. One inspection in December and January can simply be to lift up on the hive and peek under the lid to ensure proper food stores; then the other inspection can be to quickly look inside the hive. 2. When should I inspect? Bees do a decent job of keeping their hive warm and recovering after the hive has been opened. If you are simply checking food stores, and not breaking the boxes apart or lifting frames, it can be done anytime. If you are lifting frames out or breaking the boxes apart, I recommend around noon on a sunny day. This will give the bees plenty of time to form their cluster before it's cold again at night. As far as temperatures, I've inspected plenty of hives around 35-40 degrees if it's sunny, and the inspection only takes a few minutes. If you want to pull all the frames out one at a time, and do an inspection that lasts several minutes, it needs to be flying weather, so 50's and sunny. But, to just break the boxes apart to see the cluster side, and pull a frame or two out, it can be quite cold and not damage the hive. 3. What should I be looking for? Typically winter inspections are gauging syrup/honey stores. If your hive has less than 30 lbs. in their second box, you can feed. Don't be surprised when it takes the bees several days to drink syrup in the winter. Check out how to tell how much honey is stored here! During the winter, that's about all you can do. Outside the hive, make sure the lids are on securely, water isn't pooling on the bottom board, and your wind blocks are in place. If you do have a bright sunny day, and want to pull a few frames out, you should see the queen beginning to lay eggs early to mid-January. A pollen patty or two starting in early January will help jump start that process.
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Ask the Experts What to Look For
Winter Hive Inspections
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7 - 8 Frames of Bees (Strong)
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3 Frames of Bees (Weak)
5
Winter is often a worrisome time for beekeepers. Each new cold front makes us wonder if our bees have enough food, if they are warm enough, if there are enough bees in our hives, what else we can do to help them, and the list goes on. We want to share 5 simple tests, in order of importance, to see if your bees will survive and thrive this winter. We will also discuss what to do if your hive is struggling in any of these areas. Test 1 Bee Population Most importantly, how many bees are in your hive? We know counting isn’t an option, but there are some easy ways to get an estimation. Because it is winter time, we don’t want to spend too long in our hives or pull out each individual frame. Make sure the weather is above 40 degrees and ideally not too windy for a quick inspection. The best way to get a quick population estimate is to look between the two boxes. Look at the top bars of the bottom box and count how many frames of bees you see. If you look between both sides of a frame, and see nothing but bees, that’s most likely a full frame of bees. Also, look at the bottom bars of the second box you have lifted up, and use the same gauge to measure the number of frames covered in bees. This time of year, you need at least 5 frames covered front to back with bees. Anything above 8 frames is considered excellent. If you have 4 frames or less, consider combining your hive with another hive. Simply take the lid off a neighboring hive, place a sheet of newspaper over it, set the box containing the weak bees directly on top of the newspaper, and place a lid back on top. This will allow the bees to chew through the newspaper and merge over time without fighting. If you can find the queen in the weaker hive remove her prior to combining the hives. If you cannot find the queen, go ahead and combine anyway, the stronger queen should survive. Below are some pictures to help illustrate strong vs. weak hives. Test 2 Honey Stores While a proper bee population is essential, having enough food for them to eat is equally important. As bees cluster in cold weather, they eat honey and vibrate their wing muscles to generate heat. Your hive is going to require about 30 lbs. of honey at this point to make it until spring. That’s a deep box half full of honey or a medium box almost full. You can lift up on the hive to guess on the weight of the hive. As long as the top box feels heavy, you are in good shape. If not, then go ahead and feed. The bees will only drink the syrup on warm days above about 55 degrees. Avoid feeding sugar water this time of year, as pure sugar water tends to spoil after 7-10 days, and in the cold, it will take bees longer than that to eat it. Our infused syrup has an unlimited shelf life and can be found HERE. Test 3 Mite Population Controlling your mite population is important any time of the year. If you were unable to treat in the fall, and you are now noticing a steady decline in population, mites are probably to blame. Treating during winter months is actually extremely effective, since there is no brood for the mites to hide in. Test 4 Properly sealed hive One thing that many people overlook is sealing a hive properly without over sealing it. Making sure boxes are on straight and the lid is not cracked for ventilation is important. But where many beekeepers go wrong is with the ever-confusing entrance reducer and all the opening options. In Texas, we would never recommend using the smallest opening on the entrance reducer. During cold weeks when the bees aren’t flying, enough bees can die and fall from the cluster to cover the small opening, which traps the rest of the bees inside. This blockage combined with a sudden warm front could cause your bees to suffocate. We always recommend using the largest opening on the entrance reducer or using no reducer at all. In our warm climate, bees are typically fine with no reducer. Commercial beekeepers don’t use them. Test 5 Protein Availability While not having protein available won’t doom your hive, it can weaken your hive. We recommend open feeding during the winter months when there is no natural pollen available. You can check out our open feeders and our dry pollen substitute. On warm days, you will see hundreds of bees foraging on the dry pollen substitute. It should be placed at least 10-15 feet away from your hive. Bees will gather and use the dry substitute just like natural pollen. This will allow them to rear brood earlier and also supply them with much needed protein.
to Gauge
Essential
Tests
Winter
Entrance reducers on largest opening 30-40 lbs. of stored honey/syrup in second brood box 3-4 frames of honey in bottom brood box Mites under 2 per 100 bees Combine hives which have 4 deep frames of bees or less Pollen patties through November Remove queen excluders Cover screened bottom boards
Winter Prep Check List
Fun Fact
At the center of the winter cluster, temperatures can climb as high as 90–100 °F (32–37 °C), while at the surface of the cluster, or mantle, the temperature fluctuates about the 50 °F mark. To sustain themselves and the heat, the cluster crawls and climbs in formation around the hive to reach their reserves of honey. For most of the winter, the cluster stays intact, but when temperatures outside rise above 50 °F, bees will leave the hive momentarily to relieve themselves of waste. In climates where the temperatures rarely, if ever, drop below 50 °F, the honeybee colony keeps working all year-round.
Duties of the Worker Bee 1 - 2 days old Clean cells, starting with the one they emerged from 3 - 5 days old Feed Older Larvae 6 - 11 days old Feed Younger Larvae (active hypopharyngeal gland) 12-17 days old Produce wax, build comb, carry food and undertaker duties 18-21 days old Guard Bee 22 - End of life Collect pollen, nectar, water and propolis
Photo Credit: Hilary Nickerson
Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey
It’s fall! You’ve been looking forward to this time of year, unless you’re a drone honey bee. As beekeepers, we soon will be witness to “The Great Drone Dump” to occur at the entrance of our colonies. May be best described as a pushing and shoving match between boys and girls; the actions of the guard bees restrict drone re-entry to the colony. Physical removal of drones from within the colony also happens at the hands of other workers. The occurrence of the drone “dump” is an important aspect of internal winter colony management, coupled with instinctive survival demands. Considered mostly non-productive within the hive, drones are known to be a heavy drain on resources because they have really large appetites! Drones do not forage and are thus consumers and not suppliers. In other words, they are really good at drawing down colony food supplies. You would think that their primary purpose in life, the 2-5 seconds of mating with a queen, would be an area in which they excelled. Practically speaking, drones are highly adapted physically to the task of mating, however, practice does not make perfect in this instance. It is known that only a small percentage of drones actually ever mate and those that do, well, you know the rest of the story. The competition to mate is great and the queens available for mating are few. With these really bad odds, the probability of being dumped by the girls is real! Worse yet, getting dumped also guarantees that the free food supply chain has ended, and starvation and unbearable cold temperatures will follow. Any drone bee that finds itself in a position to stay home and “just hang out” can live significantly longer than its more romantic buddies. Not unlike worker bees, flight time is directly associated with mortality. Less flying potentially leads to more time to hang out and a longer life. Practically speaking, what is the cost of this potential inconsistency with nature? After all, the “Great Drone Dump” must occur! Right? Drones present during winter? Interestingly enough, colonies don’t haphazardly make the dumping decision. Sometimes a really strong colony with abundant resources may not actually care that free loaders are present. All hands (”wings”) on deck when cold weather arrives! A sudden drop in colony and brood nest temperature brings even lowly remaining drones into action for the purpose of creating friction heat from their fanning uncoupled wings. Finally, something productive for a house drone to do! Another circumstance of drones present in a winter colony can be found in one that is queenless. This makes sense when you rationalize the purpose of the Drone. They are logically keeping them around to mate with the potential replacement Queen. It’s even said that workers will “rob eggs” from neighboring colonies in order to produce the needed larva for an “ill timed” Queenless scenario. Once again, our honey bees are working beyond the intellect of an insect! Have you seen drones on the ground in front of your colony in fall or being pulled out by a diligent worker bee? Take a minute to watch – you are witness to the annual Great Drone Dump! By: James Elam
The Great Drone Dump! by - James Elam
Video Courtesy - Tom Moss
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Chilled Brood
What is chilled brood? Like other beekeeping terms – the name describes the condition. When a beekeeper opens the hive to inspect, check the queen, or just to look, it prevents the nurse bees from clustering on the frame potentially causing the brood to become chilled. This can result in poorly developed bees, or even dead brood and bees. It also can be caused by pesticide poisoning that primarily kills off the adult bees, leaving a colony without the population needed to keep it warm. Another cause most wouldn’t associate with chilled brood is rapid spring buildup. The declining overwintered bee population can leave a colony without enough bees to warm the ever-growing brood nest. Regardless the time of year, the nest must be kept warm at all times (93-95 degrees). A good population of nurse bees can manage this task most all year. When inspecting your hives in cooler months – limit your hive checks to just a few minutes. Get in – Get out!
Photo Credit: Chari Elam
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The following is a broad overview of conditions and causes most commonly found in backyard beekeeper “dead outs.” Some of these conditions are “seasonal” but so many of them could be in any season throughout the year.
Expert: Ed Erwin
Condition: Dead bees head down in cells and/or a group of dead bees clustered around what “was” brood but has long since died. Cause of Death: Starvation– The bees simply ran out of resources to eat. This can happen any time of year, but primarily at the end of Winter and early Spring (March.) Condition: Dead bees with no evidence of old brood Cause of Death: Failing Queen in late Fall/early Winter. If your Queen wasn’t laying sufficiently in the later Fall months, you lacked the workforce to stock up on resources, warm the hive during cold weather, feed larvae, as well as groom and feed her. In Spring, Summer & Fall – the colony will quickly die with a failing queen simply because of no eggs being laid; no eggs = no nurse bees = no foragers = no food! Condition: Few bees milling around; may or may not still have a queen present along with an overwhelming bad fermented odor as well as little “worms” (looks like maggots) crawling in and around the cells. Cause of Death: Small Hive Beetle infestation. Small Hive Beetles are a part of our everyday beekeeping life, but when not controlled they can and WILL cause your colony to abscond (leave) or die a slow miserable death. Staying on top of SHB is truly one of the easiest tasks we face. It doesn’t require any testing and all effective methods of control are mechanical and don’t require medication or pesticides in the hive. Condition: Few bees or no bees; “worms” and moths crawling around, cocoons and webbing built on the tops, sides, and faces of frames. Cause of Death: Hive died and wax moths moved in. Wax Moths are opportunistic – they will completely destroy old comb and even eat into frames and the boxes. The nasty webbing mess is completely preventable. When you have a colony in decline, ideally address the problem immediately. If it’s obvious the colony isn’t going to make it, break the box down and store (freeze) the equipment for future use. A dead out left in your bee yard will quickly turn into trash if not addressed. Condition: Some dead bees or no dead bees and no resources. Cause of Death: Robbing– If the rims of the resource cells (honey/nectar) appear ragged or torn and you find wax debris on or below the bottom board, the colony probably didn’t die of starvation but instead was robbed of all of its resources. This most often doesn’t happen to “strong colonies” but rather colonies with reduced populations due to virus, diseases or failing queens (causing decreased population.) Cause of Death #2 could be: Queen failed– The queen was present but stopped laying – left unnoticed, the colony was doomed. With no new brood, no new nurse bees to clean cells, warm the brood nest, feed larvae, feed and groom the queen, build wax, ripen nectar or guard the entrance. In turn no bees aging into foragers to bring in resources for the colony to survive. Given these conditions, the colony ultimately dies. Cause of Death #3 could be: Absconding (the colony left) Often when colonies are sick and failing, starving or have high mite loads, they will just leave! Would you live where the conditions are so bad you can’t stand to stay? Odds are those bees didn’t survive long once they left but they really didn’t have a choice…die if we stay, die if we go. Condition: Some bees still milling around but Queen long gone, no brood or bad/sick looking (white, black, shriveled) dead brood, possible overabundance of nectar but no nurse bees present Cause of Death: Possible disease or virus present– When a colony dies from disease it can be very difficult to pinpoint the cause. Your “evidence” is most likely gone by the time you find the dead out. For a very good reference guide for identifying diseases CLICK HERE. Note: Most viruses and diseases are preventable by controlling Varroa Mites. To learn more about Varroa Mites and how to stay ahead of them CLICK HERE. Cause of Death #2 could be: Swarming - Yes, swarming can cause death of a colony! When a colony prepares to swarm, “in theory” they will create a viable queen cell (Daughter Queen.) Depending on how many swarm cells were produced and how well they were fed has a huge bearing on the viability of the “queen left to take over!” OR – the daughter queen left unmated and never returned, leaving the remainder of the colony that didn’t swarm to fend for themselves, often with bad results. Condition: Dead Bees on the bottom board (moist and rotting) Cause of Death: Moisture– If the colony didn’t have sufficient ventilation in Winter, condensation can occur. Water vapor rises and as it condenses and chills it will then drip back down on to the bees and cause them to chill/freeze. Mold and mildew can also a problem with an overabundance of moisture. It won’t likely kill the bees but makes for a very poor environment for your colony and they will often abscond if left unresolved. Condition: Dead Bees inside the box, on the bottom board, on the landing and on the ground in front of the hive. Cause of Death: Possible insecticide, herbicide, or pesticide poisoning. An indicator that bees have been exposed to poison is seeing bees dead with their tongues sticking out. Sometimes a kill can be over a period of time if the bees foraged in an area recently sprayed. In this case, the forgers may die off slowly and/or carry the poison into the colony causing a rapid kill. It's not easy to determine how your hive died. The best defense we have as beekeepers is to do regular hive inspections in the warmer months and hive checks throughout the cooler ones.
Text
Expert: Chris Moore
Diagnosing Hive Death
FYI
Expert: Dr. Jamie Ellis
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No Brood! Q. When I checked on my hive last weekend, I didn’t see any brood. I’m afraid my Queen died or left. I don’t think I can get a new queen this time of year so what do I do? A. In late fall queens naturally slow down their laying and, in some areas, stop all altogether. This could be what you’re seeing. If you have indeed lost your queen, then you are correct – no queens available this time of year. Having said that, move forward as if there is a queen present. Do your normal hive checks, feeding and overall food resource monitoring just as if the colony is queen-right. As soon as another colony has open brood in early spring (February), donate a frame to this colony. This will give them an early opportunity to rear a queen before queens are available commercially. You may have to repeat this process more than once. Consider ordering a queen now so that you are prepared with a new queen as soon as they are available. Drones Still Here! Q.. I normally see very few drones in my colony this time of year, but I am still seeing a lot. Is that ok? A. It is. Drones left in the hive will likely go unfed as the weather cools and eventually die off. Otherwise, they will continue to push them out as it gets colder and colder until eventually most all of them are gone. Pollen Patties Q. I put a pollen patty on my hive and they aren’t eating it. Should I just leave it there or take it off? A. If it has been a while, take it off. For whatever reason they don’t want it. Leaving it there uneaten can draw pests and allow it turn rancid, leaving it to become a sanitary issue instead of a benefit. As winter progresses try reintroducing it at a later time and react accordingly. Sideliner Issue Q. . I’m up to about 50 hives and need to come up with a better method of feeding. Right now I’m still mixing large quantities by hand and putting it in 5 gallon buckets to feed. Not cost effective and definitely not time efficient. What do you suggest I do to make this an easier project? A. You are at that place where you’re experiencing growing pains. Typically, sideliners feed from totes (high volume containers purchased from a bee supplier). The 275-gallon container filled with premixed syrup can be put on the back of a truck or trailer or left on your property somewhere to fill smaller portable containers. If you’re able to transport it where you can pump directly out of it, simply install a liquid pump with an apparatus that looks like a gas pump to fill your feeders. At this point you would be using internal (division board) feeders. Place all the feeders in a location consistent to the one beside it so that you can expedite the feeding. This type of feed lasts longer and is cheaper in the long run than mixing pounds and pounds of sugar syrup. Good luck on your growing venture! Rookie Mistake Q. I made a rookie mistake and filled 300 – 1 lb. plastic bottles with my very first honey harvest this year. I was so excited… now I’m not. I have only sold about 100 and the rest are crystallized. What do I do now? Did I lose all my honey? A. This is a mistake that is made often. To answer your question – No, you didn’t loose all your honey. The best thing to do is create a “hot box” for these containers. If it were summer, putting them in a hot car would be a good solution. But now that it’s cooler, a hot box is your answer. This can be done several ways. Use an old broken freezer (chest or upright) and install a 40-watt bulb to run 24 hours a day. This can be done with an extension cord and heat lamp or by adapting the freezer to run a bulb continuously. The key is to keep the honey at “hive temperature” in order to re-liquefy and to keep it liquid. This can be done by maintaining a temperature of 85 – 95 degrees. Once liquid, 85 degrees can keep it liquid. Another way to liquefy smaller amounts is using a heating pad. Simply sit however many bottles can fit on top of a heating pad set it on the “Medium” setting. Then, wrap a towel around them and place all of it in a cardboard box. This will hold the heat in. It will probably take quite some time (several days), but eventually it will re-liquefy. Side-note: A lot of the heating pads on the market today have an auto shut off at 2 hours forcing you to turn it back on each time.
Monthly Q & A
Have a Question? Email us at help@TexasBeeSupply.com
Topics Beekeepers Can't Agree On! By: Lynne Jones
Screened Bottom Board!
Beekeepers Fighting it Out! Melvin Wenske and AaronRodriquesz
Solid Bottom Board!
Dr. Jamie Ellis Gahan Endowed Professor of Entomology in the Department of Entomology and Nematology at the University of Florida
On September 29th, I asked members of two Beekeeping Facebook groups* to state their preference for Solid or Screened bottom boards and why. There were roughly 33 people that commented with only 28 having a clear opinion one way or the other. The preference was overwhelmingly for solid bottom boards, with 23 voting for solid and only 5 preferring screened. Four of the five preferring screened, specifically stated they use screen bottom boards in conjunction with traps for Small Hive Beetles (West Beetle Trap, Freeman Bottom Board, or DIY version of them). Among those preferring solid bottoms however, five commented they use screened bottoms on occasion for a specific purpose. For example, Gregory Henahan said, “The bees can clean beetles into the oil pretty quickly. I use them as needed for 4 or 5-day periods. The rest of the time I use solid.” It was the opinion of most, an open screen is a hindrance rather than a help to the bees in cooling the hive. Based on the logic that in the heat of the day of Texas’ summer, a house with no AC should open up all the windows – right? As Jodi McCumber explained, “… bees during the summer time regulate the temp of their hive by depositing water into the cells and fanning the water to create internal a/c within the hive.” Although a small opening for ventilation is helpful, using a screened bottom without the IPM insert or a SHB bottom trap is like is running your central AC with all the windows open. Though beeks will seldom agree on certain topics, the overall consensus from this small sampling of opinions is: Solid bottom boards are the best choice, but there are circumstances when a screened bottom board can be useful. * Links to Facebook poll threads: Texas Friendly Beekeepers - Click Here Central Texas Beekeepers - Click Here
Screened Bottom Boards!
What do the Experts think? Do they agree with the Poll? Solid vs Screened Bottom Boards
New Series! Follow Lynne Jones as she places herself in the line of fire in polling Beekeepers on the most arguable topics in beekeeping! Owner of Brazos River Honey Secretary-Treasurer of the Fort Bend Beekeepers Association and Advanced level in the Texas Master Beekeeper program
Ed Erwin Master Beekeeper Mentor Director Montgomery County Beekeepers Assn. Founder BeeHarmony.org
Photo Credit: Richard Beck
DALLAS, HOUSTON AND NOW AUSTIN AREA! PICK YOUR DAY - PICK YOUR LOCATION!
COMING TO A BEE YARD NEAR YOU! 3 LOCATIONS TO PICK UP BEES!
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Whether you have 1 hive or 10,000 hives, keeping up with what you’ve done, what you need to do and when it needs to be done can be daunting. The topic of record keeping for beekeepers has long been a sticky point as to how and where to take to notes. Smart phone apps - There are multiple apps available for beekeepers; some free, some not, but most likely you’ll find one that works for you for little or no cost. Downside – the inability to use our phone while wearing protective gloves. Even most styluses don’t work with gloves on. What then? You have to slip the glove off to input data. This is doable in most situations. Just take a moment to step back and make a quick data entry and move on to the next hive. Downside – cumbersome to work with your phone in the bee yard and can potentially damage the phone with honey or propolis. Voice recording - This is a popular method as well. With most everyone carrying a smart phone, simply pushing the record button upon entering the bee yard and back off when you’ve exited allows for a step-by-step accounting of your activities. Then simply play it back when you have a moment and jot down any information you’ll need to refer back to in the future. Hive top notes seems to be growing in popularity. The metal top on telescopic covers is a great writing surface and actually holds the writing for quite a long time. Wax pencils seems to be a favorite – called “China Markers” and can be found in most home improvement stores or online. Taking notes the moment you’ve worked the hive does seem to make more sense and to have the note directly on top of the hive the note pertains to sounds ideal! Downside – the need to visit the hive to “re-read” your notes to prepare for any supplies or medication needs could potential put you having to retrace your steps. Regardless of what method you choose to keep records on your hives – make a commitment to your bees to find which one works best for you.
RECORD KEEPING
Tara Chapman Featured on the Today Show, Vice Media and Eating Well Magazine Two Hives Honey - Austin, TX
Keeping track of your actions with a hive is a huge part of learning. Note taking will often point out mistakes which in the long run is what we want to avoid repeating. Let's ask the Experts what they think!
DIRECTIONS For the Crumb and Crust: Preheat the oven to 375° F. Prepare an 8×8-inch baking pan with the non-stick coating of your choice. Whisk together flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt. Next, cut in the cold butter using two forks or a pastry cutter, stir into the existing mixture, then slowly mix in the honey, egg yolk and cold water. [Note: Don't worry if the dough seems crumbly -- it should be!] Take half of the crumble mixture and press into the prepared pan. The rest should be saved for the top of the bars.
YIELD:Makes 12 bars INGREDIENTS
HONEY APPLE CRUMBLE BARS WITH HONEY CARAMEL SAUCE
TIP For an extra pollinator food addition, add 1 cup of your favorite berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries) and bring the apples down to 1 1/2 cups. Recipe courtesy of Jocelyn Delk Adams aka Grandbaby Cakes, made for the National Honey Board
For Crumble and Crust: 1 1/3 cups - all-purpose flour 1/4 cup - ground almonds 1/2 tsp. - baking powder 1/4 tsp. - salt 10 T - unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes 1/2 cup - honey 1 large - egg yolk 1 T - cold water
For Honey Caramel: 2 T - unsalted butter 1/4 cup - honey 1/2 cup - heavy whipping cream 1/2 tsp. - vanilla extract pinch of salt pinch of cinnamon
For the Apple Filling: Stir together apple slices, lemon juice, flour, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla until combined. To assemble, evenly add apple filling to the top of the crust. Next, sprinkle the remaining crumble over the top of the apple filling. Bake for 30-38 minutes or until golden brown and set.Cool bars to room temperature then cut and serve, topped with the Honey Caramel.
For the Honey Caramel: While bars bake, add butter and honey to a medium-sized pot over medium heat and allow the butter to melt and combine with the honey. Once butter completely melts, stir together over medium-high heat for about 5-6 minutes or until it has thickened somewhat. Whisk in the cream and bring to a boil then remove from heat. Finally stir in the vanilla, salt and cinnamon and allow it to thicken and cool a bit. Drizzle honey caramel sauce over completed bars and enjoy!
For Apple Filling: 2 1/2 cups - fresh apple slices 1 T - lemon juice 2 T - all-purpose flour 1/2 cup - honey 1/2 tsp. - ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp. - ground nutmeg 1 tsp. - vanilla extract
Walker County Beekeepers Association 1402 19th Street Huntsville, TX 77340 Last Thursday of each month Q & A on the front porch at 6:30, meeting at 7:00 PM
Calling All Bee Clubs! Need a presenter for your club? Let Texas Bee Supply help!
Denton County Beekeepers Association Meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month both in-person and on zoom! Dates, location and link may be found at www.dentonbees.com and on Facebook
Austin Area Beekeepers Association Third Thursday each month at 7:00 pm Frickett Scout Center For meeting details CLICK HERE!
Hays County Beekeepers Association In - Person meetings every 3rd Wednesday of the month 6:30 -9pm at Suds Monkey Brewing Company - 12024 US-290, Austin, TX Meetings are also broadcast via Zoom and recorded link (CLICK HERE)
BOOK IT!
Central Texas Beekeepers Association Washington County Fairgrounds VIP room 4th Thursday of each month, 7:00 pm For more information go to CentralTexasBeekeepers.org
Club Announcements
Elm Fork Beekeepers 3rd Thursday each month in person or Zoom at the VFW Hall in Gainsville, TX. For Zoom access to our meetings for 2021 Go to: elmforkbeekeepers.org for link.
Always FREE! Zoom (Anywhere) or In- Person (Area restrictions apply) Enjoy a 1 hour LIVE Presentation from one of our presenters! You choose the topic!
Tri-County Beekeepers Association 4th Tuesday @ 5:30 pm of each month Sam's Restaurant - Fairfield, TX
Lamar County Beekeepers Association Meets 1st Thursday each month at 6:30 Red River Valley Fairground - Building B Paris, Texas
Montgomery County Beekeepers Association 3rd Monday of each month 9020 Airport Rd. Conroe, TX 77303 Non-members welcome! www.mocobees.com
Kaufman Area Beekeepers Association Second Tuesday each month at 6:30 pm United Methodist Church, 208 S. Houston St. Kaufman, TX New Beekeepers Q & A 5:45-6:15
Comal County BeeKeepers Association First Thursday each month at 6:30 - 7:00 dinner - 7:00 - 8:30 meeting Beefy's on the Green - Spring Branch, TX
Pineywoods Beekeepers Association 2nd Thursday each month Lufkin Angelina County Chamber of Commerce 1615 S. Chestnut (just off Loop 287 across from Lowe's) Lufkin, TX
Hill County Beekeepers Association In - Person meetings every 3rd Tuesday of the month 6:30 at Hill County Annex Office, Hillsboro, TX
Wood County Beekeepers Association 1st Tuesday of the month at 7:00 pm! The current meeting location is the Winnsboro Civic Center
Houston Beekeepers Association 3rd Tuesday each month in person at The Jung Center, 5200 Montrose Blvd, Houston, TX 77006. HoustonBeekeepers.org
Liberty County Beekeepers Association First Tuesday each month at 6:30 Texas Bee Supply in Dayton/Huffman For more information go to LibertyCountyBeekeepers.org
Exclusive Texas Bee Supply Super Suit
I designed this suit after years of struggling with other suits not fitting right, not performing well and overall poor quality. My wish list: Longer torso for better mobility Triple layered ventilation Rust-Free Zippers - Full leg length zippers - Zippered veil Extra support in the back of the veil for rigidity Heavy duty knee pads Elastic wrist bands, backed up with Velcro straps (no more floppy arm bands) Result: The best suit I've ever owned - So good, that I'm proud to put the company name on it! Blake Shook
SHOP
Photo Credit: Kevin Stillman Grandma Ocker's Coral Vine
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