THE BEE SUPPLY
Monthly
FEBRUARY 2024
Photo Credit: Shannon LaGrave - Propola Boxes
FEATURED TOPICS MONITORING SPACE ADDING A SECOND BROOD BOX LIGHTING A SMOKER AND KEEPING IT LIT ALTERNATIVES TO PAINTING
EDITION 44
Contents
34
Clicking on a topic will take you right to it!
Table Of
24
16
6 Monthly Tips 10 Monitoring Space and Honey Stores 16 Why Are There Dead Bees or Pupae in Front of My Hive? 20 How Often Should a Hive Be Requeened? 22 The Story Behind Marking Queens 24 Adding a Second Brood Box to Prevent Early Spring Swarms 26 Rotating Brood Boxes 29 What Is a Slatted Rack? 30 When and How to Test for Varroa Mites 34 Lighting a Smoker, Keeping It Lit, and the Best Fuels for the Job 38 Chat with Fred Dunn 39 Buzz Webinar Q&A 40 Chalkbrood Disease Primer 44 Alternatives to Painting Hives 50 Recipe: Honey Caramel Coffee 52 Club Directory 53 Drought Monitor
February
44
10
This publication is best viewed on a PC or laptop computer or downloaded on a mobile device.
3 LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU!
LOWEST SHIPPING RATE IN THE INDUSTRY!
Fast and Dependable Nationwide Shipping!
DALLAS AREA STORE 14665 County Road 633 Blue Ridge, TX 75424
HOUSTON AREA STORE 351 County Road 6243 Dayton, TX 77535
AUSTIN AREA STORE 1205 Round Rock Avenue Suite 119 Round Rock, TX 78681
As your hive begins to grow, their need for food will grow as well. It takes up to two frames of honey to raise one frame of brood. Be sure to check your hive at least every other week to ensure they have enough food stores to grow properly. Even if flowers are blooming, that doesn’t mean those flowers are producing enough nectar to sustain your hive. We recommend maintaining at least a 20-pound surplus of stored honey or syrup in your hive during February. Feed a 2:1 ratio (two parts sugar to one part water) of syrup if your hive has less than a 20-pound surplus of stored honey/syrup. We recommend feeding a 2:1 ratio, as a 1:1 ratio can ferment more quickly. More temperate zones will see an increasing number of flowers beginning to bloom and some trees beginning to bud, making feeding a pollen substitute not as critical. However, during the months of February and March, we can have unexpected cold weeks. During these weeks the bees are unable to forage. If the temperature is 50-55 degrees or below, bees typically forage very little. If there are more than three consecutive days below these temperatures, a strong, growing hive can run out of stored pollen. If they do, they will begin cannibalizing brood, which can cause your hive to quickly lose strength. To prevent this, give each hive a pollen patty if these conditions occur. Consider rotating boxes. If your hive has overwintered in two boxes, you will often find that the majority of your bees are now in the top box as they migrated upward over the winter, consuming honey. If this has happened to your hive, reverse the boxes, placing the box full of bees on the bottom and the empty box on top. If your hive has all of the boxes currently 75% or more full of bees, add another box. Very strong hives can and will swarm in late February or early March. Prevent swarming by adding another box and planning to make a split later in the spring. Consider treating for mites. As a general rule, test for mites before treating. Every hive has mites, but not all hives have high enough levels to necessitate treatment. Test using the sugar roll test, CO2, or sticky board test. A visual inspection is not a reliable method for determining mite levels. In general, if you visually see mites, the infestation is already at lethal levels for your hive. If your hive has more than 2 mites per 100 bees, treat.
7
IMPORTANT FACT: The more fluctuations in temperature (warm one day, cold the next), the faster your bees eat through honey stores. Monitor closely at these times.
5
3
Photo Credit: Kevin Benson
2
By Blake Shook
FEBRUARY TIPS
1
4
Live in the Beeyard Tips Rotating Boxes Feeding Needs Gearing Up for Spring Crazy, Early Splits Pollen & Nectar Flow Live Q&A
Agenda
1st Thursday of Each Month Monthly Buzz Webinar February 1, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
Live Virtual BEE Meeting
RESERVE YOUR SEAT TODAY
It's all becoming very clear to me now! THIS CLASS IS AWESOME!
Choose your location: In-Person or Online!
James and Chari Elam answer your questions LIVE and present short, practical, and timely topics.
Sign Up!
Regardless of the time of year, it's easy to monitor honey stores by doing the tilt test.
It’s hard to believe we are about to embark on spring 2024! I remember thinking 2000 sounded like a futuristic space movie from my childhood, and that was 24 years ago! Come on—I know I’m not the only one! Do you think beekeeping has changed that much in 24 years? I suspect so. But some things never change, like the need to pay attention to growth or decline inside our hives this time of year. Bees in most temperate climates have the opportunity to forage off and on throughout winter. February is no exception. It’s actually time for some pollen-producing plants and trees to give bees a protein boost just in time for our queens to start laying again for spring! It wasn’t two months ago when we said they were slowing and had stopped laying in some cases, but that didn’t last very long! In warmer climates a hive can contain brood nearly year-round. The problem with brood buildup too early is the lack of continual nature-provided resources and, more importantly, the number of bees available to forage and take care of the ever-growing nest. When feeding pollen supplements, think nutrition along with timing of brood buildup. Giving your bees a small helping of pollen patties can enhance their health and not be the all-out brood booster that dry pollen tends to be. In mid- to late February, you’ll see your bees really starting to get busier. It may still be very cold outside, but the days will be getting longer and the bees will react accordingly. On warm days do a quick hive check. If the cluster has moved up, you know they are eating through stores, making it crucial to monitor closely. Early spring can expose a weak hive very quickly. Low food stores and small numbers of bees can’t end well without your intervention. The key is to recognize it and be prepared to supplement. Remember those frames of honey you stored in the freezer? Now's the time to use them! Thaw them out and start giving them back. Placement of those honey frames matters. If you have a good population, placement isn’t as crucial, but smaller, weaker colonies need that food right next to the bulk of the bees. You can also feed 2:1 syrup, but know that it takes a warm day for them to want to consume it. This is one of many reasons beekeepers like feeding Stan’s Soft Sugar Bricks through February and early March―full nutrition all in one. Another really important factor to watch for is the inability for the bees to keep themselves warm. I’m referring to small or weak colonies here. A double deep box may not be necessary any longer. If you see that this is the case, simply pull off the top (or bottom) box on a warm day if it isn't being utilized. If resources remain on these frames, freeze and then store accordingly. Remember, the bee-to-box ratio is important all year long. The key to February beekeeping is to monitor, feed if necessary, and decrease or increase space when needed. Our bees really do depend on us to take care of these aspects they have no control over.
MONITORING SPACE AND HONEY STORES By Chari Elam
13
S P R I N G S P L I T S C L A S S
IN PERSON
EASY STOVETOP SMALL BATCH 2:1 SUGAR SYRUP RECIPE
VIRTUAL
4 lb. bag of sugar formula: 4 cups water per bag of sugar (makes approximately 2 quarts or a half gallon) 10 lb. bag of sugar formula: 10 cups of water per bag of sugar (makes approximately 4.5 quarts or 1.5 gallons) Heat water on med-high heat in a large stock pot just until marbling (slow swirl) occurs. DO NOT LET IT BUBBLE―boiling will cause the syrup to candy. Turn off the heat and add the sugar while stirring. Stir occasionally (every 10-15 minutes) until all dissolved. Syrup will be clear but opaque. These formulas are by volume, not weight.
This box needs repair and painting
Whether in person or virtually, we invite you to join our EXPERT TEAM of beekeepers to learn how to effectively and safely split your spring hives! This class covers all the basics in making splits, both inside the classroom and in an apiary. Topics covered for this popular class include: Ordering queens for your split How to prepare your hive to split Hive strength requirements for splitting Making the split Feeding and installing a queen To move or not to move Post-split care Queen acceptance and more Three in-person locations to choose from
ABOUT THE COVER PHOTO: The front cover photo is a picture of a Propola box we have in one of the TBS beeyards. As you can see, the bees do just exactly what the product is designed for them to do: create a propolis envelope! Incredible!
Text
NEW PRODUCT ALERT
BE ONE OF THE FIRST TO GIVE YOUR BEES WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR! FOR THE HIVE, NOT THE HUMANS Since their origins, honey bees have been enveloping their nests with a natural, resinous substance called propolis. Research has shown that this propolis envelope is a critical part of the colony’s natural defense against disease. The Propola hive body, with its roughened interior walls, restores the natural propolis envelope inside the Langstroth hive—giving bees the natural habitat they know and need. Restore the Propolis Envelope Resist Disease Raise More Bees! THE Rough HIVE FOR A Tough HIVE
Great question. As usual, it depends. However, in most cases, it’s common to see a few dozen, but it’s almost always an issue if you see hundreds. You will see some evidence of death almost year-round. Bees have a short life-span, so bee death occurs every day. Anytime a bee dies inside the hive, the others pull it out and throw it in front of the hive. On warm winter days, it’s common to see workers pulling dead bees out of the hive. However, if you see hundreds, it’s usually a sign of one of the following: The hive is starving. A starving hive, especially in the winter, will result in hundreds of dead bees. Quickly look at your hive, even if it’s cold, to assess their food stores. If they are out of honey, feed immediately. See “Winter Feeding” if it’s winter. If it’s not, immediately feed syrup. If the hive has larvae or pupae, they will cannibalize them or pull them out of their cells if they can’t feed them. The hive has a significant Varroa infestation. Hives dying from Varroa mites will quickly lose adult bee population and will pull out dead or infested larvae. Test to see what your Varroa level is. If it is above two to three mites per 100, you do need to take action, but it’s not enough to cause significant adult bee death. If the level is in the teens or above per 100 bees, it could be the cause of the die-off. Quickly treat the hive. The hive was sprayed with pesticides. If your hive has plenty of food and a low Varroa level but still has hundreds of dead bees, it usually means they were sprayed. In this case, there isn’t much you can do other than let them recover with time. One way to tell if your bees died from poisoning is to examine their proboscises (tongues) to see if they are sticking out. Poisoned bees often exhibit this symptom. You can give them small amounts of syrup mixed with an essential oil or probiotic mixture, as well as a few ounces of pollen substitute, to help them, but usually they have to recover on their own. Occasionally a hive will have dead pupae in front of it because a spray made its way inside the hive or the larvae were fed contaminated honey or pollen, but these are less common. The hive has gotten too cold. If a small hive gets too cold, adult bees on the outside of the cluster can die. If a hive has brood and a cold front comes through (especially in the spring), the hive can have “chilled brood.” The brood gets too cold and dies, and then the bees pull the dead larvae out of the cells.
WHY ARE THERE DEAD BEES OR PUPAE IN FRONT OF MY HIVE?
Follow this QR code to read more about Varroa mites
Photo Credit: Jay Dee - Reddit
By: Blake Shook
We are very excited to announce we have partnered with Dalan Animal Health as an authorized supplier of American Foulbrood (AFB) vaccinated queens.
VACCINATED QUEENS
Only from Dalan Animal Health, the world's first USDA conditionally licensed vaccine for honey bees is now available to purchase from The Bee Supply!
CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW
DON'T WAIT! ORDER NOW!
Now we have even more choices! What’s in a name? Each breed carries its own inherent qualities. Here are just a few:
NEW FOR 2024 3 NEW BREEDS IN OUR QUEEN BEE LINEUP!
Russian/Carniolan Highly resistant to Varroa Adapts brood production during dearth Good housekeepers Carries the gentleness of Carniolan bees Good wax and honey producers Lower robbing tendencies, lowering disease transmission Carniolan Pure Breed Incredibly docile, easy to work Explosive spring buildup Ranked one of the best breeds at overwintering Great honey producers Italian Pure-Bred – Inoculated with the Dalan Vaccine When queen bees are orally inoculated with Dalan's medication, protection works through a biological mechanism called transgenerational immune priming (TGIP), whereby the queen passes immunity to her daughters before they hatch. The Dalan technology exposes queen bees to inactive bacteria, which enables the larvae hatched in the hive to resist infection. Beyond that, Italian bees carry the following attributes: Gentle to manage Overwinter well Quick spring buildup Strong foragers, very hygienic Good honey producers These three breeds (including the Italian Dalan queens) are available with a “ship to your door” purchase only. We understand the uncertainty of shipping queens―that’s why we offer our ARRIVE ALIVE GUARANTEE. If your queen bee fails to arrive alive, we will reship one at no cost to you. Terms apply
Russian/Carniolan Carniolan Pure-Bred Italian Pure-Bred AFB Immunized with the Dalan Vaccine
Dr. Jamie Ellis Gahan Endowed Professor of Entomology Department of Entomology and Nematology at the University of Florida
HOW OFTEN SHOULD A HIVE BE REQUEENED?
Requeening is arguably one of the most underdone tasks for new beekeepers. They often think, “If the old queen is doing the job, why replace her?” Studies show that a queen utilizes 60% of her laying capacity within the first year. If that holds true, each laying season will further deplete the remaining eggs and sperm available, and within two years, the queen becomes incapable of being productive. Let's ask Dr. Jamie Ellis what he thinks.
Beekeepers have been marking queens for many years. The following chart is actually an international color chart that queen breeders follow in order to track the age of a queen. Although there is no guarantee the marking will last due to continual “grooming” done by her court, most often the marking remains visible for the lifetime of the queen bee. A different color is used each year. The color for 2024 is green!
22
23
2024 queens in store pickup: Golden Cordovan Italian/Carniolan
THE STORY BEHIND MARKING QUEENS
ADDING A SECOND BROOD BOX TO PREVENT EARLY SPRING SWARMS
Adding a second brood box (also known as a "deep" or "hive body") to your beehive provides the bees with additional space to raise brood and store honey. Knowing when to add that second brood box is a critical part of swarm management. By mid- to late February in warmer climates, you could see your colonies expand, requiring you to add space. Luckily, this is pretty simple! When you remove the lid and before you smoke the hive, look between the frames. If you see solid bees between 80% of the frames, it’s time to add your next box. Don’t add a queen excluder—that’s to be used only when adding honey supers to your hive, not your second brood box. If you don’t have a strong honey flow and your second brood box is foundation only (not drawn comb), you’ll have to feed your hive to encourage them to draw out the second box. As we come out of winter, swarm prevention is key. Monitor space and act accordingly.
Can we build and paint a box for you?
Lauren Ward, entomologist, describes how to identify a colony about to swarm and what to do to prevent it.
Assembled 10 Frame Hive Body comes in two options: painted white with a professional latex paint, or unpainted so you can add your own finish. You also have the choice to add deep wooden frames with black foundation.
By James Elam
ROTATING BROOD BOXES
Theory: A set of principles on which the practice of an activity is based. The theory of rotating (reversing) brood boxes comes from the belief that a colony of honeybees, when necessary, moves upward as winter honey stores are depleted. Honey is usually stored above the brood nest, and as these reserves are used, the entire cluster tends to migrate in that direction. As a result of this upward movement, most of the winter colony can primarily inhabit the top box. The arrival of spring will naturally cause colony expansion and storage limitations. If the queen fails to move downward to access open brood frames for egg laying, overcrowding becomes a major issue, leading to potential swarm preparations. The goal in rotating brood boxes is to switch the position of the boxes so that you move the brood nest to the lowest point in the hive. Since doing so gives the bees a place for storage and expansion, rotating the boxes tends to delay and/or prevent swarming. The Rights and Wrongs of Rotating Brood Boxes A colony brood nest that encompasses both boxes will be split into two parts if you reverse them. Without enough nurse bees to go around, you risk losing one or both halves in cold weather. In short, reversing too early can be deadly for your colony. But if you wait too long, swarm preparations may already have begun. Rotating brood boxes: Is it really necessary? Once a colony is in expansion mode, the decision of whether to rotate brood boxes needs to be made. This can be as early as mid- January. Opinions regarding the validity of box reversals and their positive versus negative implications vary greatly from beekeeper to beekeeper. In an article for Honey Bee Suite, Rusty writes, “I get the feeling that reversing is one of those things we do because we always did it before, not because it has any clear and compelling benefit. In fact, I think it may do more harm than good.” Rusty also quotes Larry Connor from the February 2011 Bee Culture: "Experience has shown me that most colonies will reverse themselves as the season progresses, moving into the top of the lower box and growing downward.” He goes on to say that you can reverse the hive bodies as long as the entire brood nest is in one box. This way, you don’t end up splitting the nest into pieces. The actions of a honeybee colony are directed by its primary survival instinct. These reactions are simply adjustments to the original action to sustain the primary instinct of survival. The decision to move up or down can accordingly be both an action and a reaction. Some bees easily move up, while some easily move down. Interestingly enough, there might be a reason for each action. Or is it a reaction? The upward or downward movements of honeybees in spring within an overwintered colony are a direct reaction to the living conditions within the hive. These conditions may have been influenced by the availability of seasonal resources, cavity size, location, and beekeeper actions. Specific actions or reactions are based upon the current queen location and her reasonable access to open cells for egg laying, available storage space in appropriate locations for incoming resources, and current adult populations. Consider the following conditions and questions, then speculate on potential actions and reactions of both the bees and beekeeper. They are brooding in the top. They are brooding in the bottom. They are brooding in the top and bottom. Where is the greatest portion of the brood nest? If they are in the top and you add supers, where will the queen expand to? If they are not all the way to the top and that top box still has a honey dome above them, what will they do? If no honey is present in the top box, what will they do? What Will You Do? Is rotating brood boxes really necessary? Yes and no. Ultimately the choice is yours to make. But as a part of spring management, you could consider rotating brood boxes as a way to expedite what nature may do regardless. In other words, it's your call.
How to do it! The diagram above is so simplistic, words aren't necessary. However, I should point out that doing this on a warm day would likely yield happier bees with the transfer.
SLATTED RACK
First developed in 1900, the slatted rack was designed to create a layer of air below the brood box, which can be helpful in both summer and winter. In the summer, a slatted rack can help bees regulate the temperature within the hive. They will gather in the space created by the slatted rack and fan their wings, which reduces congestion and increases airflow. In winter, the space provided by the slatted rack forms an insulating layer, allowing protection from cold air flowing into the hive. Another advantage of a slatted rack is that it expands the area within which bees can hang out, possibly reducing the swarm urge. It is important when using a slatted rack that you run the same number of frames as slats in the rack. This ensures that mites can fall directly through and onto the bottom board, without collecting on the rack. The slatted rack has a larger block of wood at one end, which should be placed to face the front of the hive. This helps to calm the flow of air in this important area of the hive. The slatted rack has a shallow side and a deep side. It is important that the shallow side faces upward. This discourages workers from building burr comb from the rack to the lower edge of the brood chamber. Another benefit of a slatted rack is related to where the queen lays her eggs. The additional space the rack adds to the bottom of a brood nest is thought to encourage the queen to lay closer to the lower edge of the frames in the brood box, therefore expanding the usable area of the frames for egg-laying purposes.
WHAT IS A SLATTED RACK?
NEED HELP? WE'RE ALWAYS JUST A PHONE CALL AWAY! 800-356-4229
When to Test & Treat for Varroa Mites The simple answer is to test monthly during the spring, summer, and fall and treat when your mite count exceeds 2 mites per 100 bees. Anytime the count exceeds that level, you are at risk of the mite count exploding and greatly damaging or killing your hive. However, if you are in the middle of your honey crop, you cannot use many of the mite treatments. Now, for some more depth. There are times of the year, when mite populations peak and testing and treating are usually most needed. Regarding treating outside of the honey flow time frame (unless you use treatments approved for use during a honey flow), treat anytime mite levels exceed 2 mites per 100 bees. Many small-scale beekeepers are able to treat only one time per year if they don’t have hives in areas with dozens or hundreds of hives in a few miles’ radius. For testing, I recommend testing once each month from the time your bees begin bringing in natural pollen in the early spring to the time the first freeze hits in the fall. At the very least, test once in the early to midspring, once in the early summer, and again in the early fall. Always test after you have concluded your mite treatment to ensure it actually worked. Some mite treatments work far better than others! How to Test for Varroa Mites The most accurate of the quick methods to test for Varroa mites involves using an alcohol wash. I love the EasyCheck Varroa Mite Check system, which supplies a ready-made wash jar. All you have to provide is the rubbing alcohol and the bees. A similar test can be done using a quart jar; it just does not have a basket to hold the bees like the EasyCheck. Either way, the methodology is the same: If you have more than a few hives, see the diagram below. Pull one frame covered with bees and brood out of your brood box. Check to make sure the queen is not on the frame. Vigorously shake the bees off onto an unfolded sheet of newspaper. Place roughly 300 bees (½ cup) into the jar by quickly picking up both ends of the newspaper and folding and shaking it slightly, creating a slide for the bees to go into the jar. Alternatively, you can brush bees off a frame into an open jar. The latter method will take a couple of frames to get ½ cup full cup of bees since most of them will fly. Either way, act quickly and keep the lid on the jar as much as possible to keep the bees inside. Pour about 2 cups of rubbing alcohol or a solution of Dawn dishwashing soap (2 Tbsp. to 1 gallon of water) into the jar with the bees. Gently shake and swirl the bees in the liquid for about a minute. Hold the jar up and look at the bottom of the jar. You should be able to count individual mites as they settle to the bottom. The treatment threshold is more than 2 mites per 100 bees. So if you see more than 6 mites, you should certainly treat the hive. If you see fewer, test about four weeks later to continue monitoring levels. CO2 Method Mite Test Another testing method uses a CO2 injector for a no-kill approach with similar accuracy as the alcohol wash. This method is used with the EasyCheck Varroa Mite Check system. Follow steps 1-5 above. Invert the basket of bees you’ve collected into the plastic tub of the EasyCheck. Loosely lay the yellow lid on top of the inverted basket. Take your CO2 injector in one hand. With the other hand, slightly lift the yellow lid, allowing only enough room for the CO2 injector nozzle to access the container. Hold the trigger down on the injector for 5 full seconds. The bees will go to sleep. Shake the entire container upside down (yellow cap facing down) for 15 seconds, dislodging the Varroa mites from the bees. Remove the yellow cap and count the mites. The treatment threshold is more than 2 mites per 100 bees. So if you see more than 6 mites, you should certainly treat the hive. If you see fewer, test about four weeks later to continue monitoring levels. The bees will quickly regain consciousness and can be returned to the hive unharmed. Sugar Roll Varroa Mite Test This is also a popular method since, unlike the alcohol wash, it does not kill any bees. However, it has also been shown to be less accurate and does not give a precise mite count. So even though it spares 300 bees, it may cost you your whole hive if relied upon exclusively. However, since it is common, I wanted to address it and give instructions on how to make it as accurate as possible. You will need a pint-size canning jar with a cutout circle of #8 hardware cloth in place of the lid. The ring can still be used to secure the hardware cloth in place. Follow steps 1-5 from the previous method. Pour about 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar into the jar. Shake the bees in the jar for about 30 seconds to ensure they are completely coated with the powdered sugar. Let the jar sit in the sun for about 2 minutes. Shake the bees again for about 30 seconds. Turn the jar upside down and shake all the powdered sugar out through the screen onto a flat surface and count the mites. The treatment threshold is more than 2 mites per 100 bees. So if you see more than 6 mites, you should certainly treat. If you see fewer than that, test about four weeks later to continue monitoring levels. However, this method does not fully remove all the mites from the bees so the population is most likely higher, possibly significantly so, than whatever you count. You can open the jar and shake the bees back into the hive or in front of it. Sticky Board Method for Testing Mites Not nearly as accurate, but certainly better than not testing at all, using a sticky board can give you a good idea whether you have an overabundance of mites. This method isn't recommended for use on a continual basis, but it certainly works for a quick check. When using screen bottom boards, install the sticky board on top of the insert that slides under the screen. Wait 24 hours. If more than 9 mites in spring or 11 mites in fall or winter have dropped, that warrants treatment. For solid bottom boards: Slide a sticky trap with the protective screen cover from the front of the hive on top of the bottom board. Follow steps 2 and 3 of the previous method.
The most accurate test is the alcohol method.
WHEN AND HOW TO TEST FOR VARROA MITES
By Blake Shook and Chari Elam
Testing using the CO2 method
Testing using a sticky board
Ah, the smoker. I love the sight of a lazy curl of smoke drifting out of a well-lit smoker. But if you’ve been keeping bees long, you’ve also experienced the utter frustration of a poorly lit, poorly working smoker going out just when you need it most. I’ll touch on how to light it, how to keep it lit, and what smoker fuels I find the easiest and most effective to use. One quick note: not all smokers are created equal. Cheap, imported smokers are common, and the bellows are often the weakest link. When you close the lid of your smoker and puff the bellows, you should feel a strong current of air coming out of the nozzle. If you don’t, it’s going to be tough to light it and keep it lit no matter what. Lighting a Smoker This quick overview may seem simple, but I’ve seen even veteran beekeepers struggle with lighting a smoker properly. Learning to do it correctly makes a tremendous difference in how long it stays lit and how well it works! Use one or two sheets of shop towels, a strip of burlap, a half sheet of crumpled newspaper, pine straw, or a few handfuls of shredded paper for a starter. Place it at the bottom of the smoker, and use a long lighter to light it. Puff it a few times until flames start coming out of the smoker. If you use burlap, you don’t need a starter material. More on this below. Add handfuls of your favorite fuel until you see flames again. Add a few more handfuls, and continue puffing until you see flames or dense smoke. Fill up the rest of the smoker with fuel. Very lightly tap the fuel down and fill again. Don’t pack it or it will put the fire out. You are all set! Refill as needed. The key mistake most people make is not getting a very hot fire started in the bottom of the smoker before filling the smoker with fuel. All the starter should be burned up, and the first handful of fuel should be burning before you add more. Keeping It Lit This is relatively simple. Once you have a good fire burning in the bottom and the smoker is full, just give it 10–15 strong puffs every few minutes. Using fuel that’s 100% dry is critical. Wet fuel will never stay lit. Keeping your smoker mostly full is also the key to maintaining a cool, thick smoke. Another tip is to avoid letting your smoker tip over (lay on its side). This will cause a smoker to go out regardless of the fuel you've used. The last key ingredient to a long-lasting smoker is the type of fuel you use (see below). One other quick tip—when you are done, I recommend dumping the fuel into a fire-safe container and leaving the lid of your smoker open. If you leave the smoker closed and let it burn out on its own, it will coat the inside of the smoker with residue, and your smoker will become extremely hard to open the next time you use it. Smoker Fuels Just as all smokers aren’t equal, the fuel you use in your smoker makes a tremendous difference in how well it performs for you. Below are common fuels, listed in order from my most favorite to my least favorite. Always avoid fuels containing glues or chemicals. Burlap I 10/10 recommend burlap! You don’t have to use a starter material to light it. Simply roll it up into a roll the diameter of your smoker, light the bottom, and stick it in your smoker. It lasts quite a while, burns well, lights well, and is all around awesome. Make sure the burlap you get doesn’t have any plastic fibers in it. When it’s time to add more burlap, you can wad up a handful and stick it in your smoker. It creates a fairly cool smoke. Fine-Cut Wood Mulch You need a hot fire using a starter material to get this going, but once it is smoldering well, it lasts a very long time. Plus it’s very cheap. The key is to fully dry the mulch, and get a mulch that is small, finely cut pieces. Large chunks of mulch don’t work well at all. Another tip is that, once your smoker is full, wad up a shop towel, paper towel, or sheet of paper and put it in the top of the smoker before closing to prevent mulch from falling out as you smoke your hive. Mulch creates one of the coolest smokes. Pine Straw, Pine/Cedar Shavings, or Cotton These all light fairly well but burn up very quickly. They are cheap or free, but they don’t last long and tend to create a hot smoke. Wood Pellets I just really, really don’t like wood pellets. They last an incredibly long time once lit, but they are so hard to get lit and keep lit. They also fall out of your smoker nozzle since they are so small and tend to turn into sawdust after they’ve been in your smoker for a while.
LIGHTING A SMOKER, KEEPING IT LIT, AND THE BEST FUELS FOR THE JOB
Our completely rebuilt Super Smoker has several new features that make smoking bees so much easier! You get all the convenience of a top-notch smoker at a more affordable price. Updated Features: Thicker stainless steel Ultra thick leather bellows Larger bellows spring for more airflow/smoke Extended heat shield for increased safety Welded lid to smoker joint to prevent long-term lid detachment Stainless steel plate to protect from flame kickback and bellows burning
Ready-to-use Burlap
Join us for the largest LIVE monthly Zoom webinar meeting anywhere! On-point topics, in-the-beeyard tips, and timely presentations. Plus LIVE Q&A! Check out what your fellow beekeepers were asking last month!
Webinar Q&A
Check out our latest webinar!
Longtime beekeeper and famous YouTube beekeeping educator Fred Dunn sat down with me to talk about―what else?―bees! We talked about: - Winter hive inspections (do or don't) - Bees in a chill coma - The value of insulating the hive cover - Resource hives (keeping hives in nuc boxes) - Sizing your hive to fit the bees .... and SO MUCH MORE!
TBS Beekeeper Chat with Fred Dunn Master Beekeeper and Popular YouTube/Podcast Educator
with Chari Elam
CHALKBROOD DISEASE PRIMER By Rob Snyder Bee Informed Partnership: Honey Bee Field Specialist
Chalkbrood mummy at its most infectious stage can spread spores.
Chalkbrood start, sunken head, visual signs looking similar to SBV.
Chalkbrood mummy that has started to sporulate. When the mummy turns black the fruiting bodies are ready to be transferred to pollen and honey by worker movement in the hive.
When I started inspecting colonies for honey bee diseases in Pennsylvania in 2008, the first and most prevalent disease I found was chalkbrood. I observed this disease a few weeks into the spring season while inspecting a few colonies. I had seen the disease on several other occasions, so it was very easy to identify by the hard “chalk-like” mummies inside the cells. Ascosphaera apis is the fungus responsible for this bee disease. The exact origin of chalkbrood is unknown, but it most likely arrived from Europe with the alfalfa leafcutter bee (Megachile rotundata), when the bee species was introduced to assist with pollination demands in the United States. You may ask, “How do honey bees become infected with chalkbrood?” Worker larvae are infected when fed spore-contaminated pollen and honey. The spores quickly germinate, and the vegetative state of the fungi will out-compete the larvae for food, usually infecting the larvae from the bottom up. Before becoming mummies, infected larvae are often uncapped and may look similar to sacbrood virus (SBV) infected larvae. However, the heads of chalkbrood- infected larvae are often slightly sunken, making the top rounded, as opposed to pointed like SBV- infected larvae. You can pull out a few suspect larvae to see if the bottom is starting to be consumed by the fungus. The color of chalkbrood ranges from white to gray, then starts to turn black when the fungus is producing spores or fruiting bodies and ready to reproduce. This is the most infectious stage of chalkbrood. The black-looking mummies are often what you see on the bottom board, outside on the entrance or in front of the hive. At this point these mummies can spread spores to other colonies in the area.
Mild - severe case of chalkbrood where a majority of the brood is being taking over by Ascophera apis.
I have included these two images that show a hygienic versus a nonhygienic colony:
A colony with poor hygienic traits. Notice that barely any brood is uncapped and removed.
We typically observe chalkbrood during the spring, but symptoms can be seen throughout the year. There are very few remedies to control chalkbrood. Thymol treatments such as Apiguard claim to be effective against chalkbrood. Although we have no strong data to back up this claim, the treatment may have a "cleaning effect’" on bees. Oftentimes the bees go into overdrive to clean out the thymol crystals from the treatment and in turn clean the rest of the hive, including dead brood and mummies. The bees' cleaning behavior increases when the treatment is applied at higher temperatures. I have even seen the queen shut down during this treatment. A lack of ventilation in the hive, accumulated water, and adding old moldy equipment all increase moisture levels in the hives and may encourage fungal growth. Also, the lack of population may be a contributing factor for a chalkbrood outbreak in the colonies. Disrupting the brood-to-bees ratio can cause chalkbrood. Proper hive ventilation may help to prevent chalkbrood. I have also heard of beekeepers using Complete, a syrup additive, they claim helps prevent the disease. And last, requeening and removing highly infected frames is another way beekeepers can combat the fungus. Another way to prevent the fungus is to buy hygienic stock, as hygienic bees will remove the mummies before the infection rate increases.
Severe case of chalkbrood with mummies on bottom board.
A hygienic colony that removed a majority of the brood or uncapped it. Notice the brood appearance; this is only 24 hours after killing the brood. These chewed- down larvae look very similar to diseases, which can cause confusion.
Apiguard treatment (right) in a colony along with a AP23 protein patty (left) to supplement a colony during summer dearth in Northern California.
Chalkbrood mummies on the ground in front of a hive in an apiary.
Original publication November 9, 2020, Rob Snyder Published with express written consent For more information on the Bee Informed Partnership, go to BeeInformed.org
Photo Credit: Jeff Philen
By Lynne Jones
STATEMENT MAGNIFIED: Wood treated with this product shall not be used in the construction of beehives.
Some beekeepers enjoy assembling and painting hives. I am not one of those beekeepers. But I am also not independently wealthy, so I accept that they are money-saving chores. This year, I am considering using wood-preserving alternatives to paint for my new hive boxes. Since many beekeepers are also at this stage of preparing woodenware for use, I am sharing my research. Your first alternative to painting is to do nothing—simply assemble the hives and put them into service. I think many beekeepers have done this on occasion, but it is not ideal. According to the publication Extending the Life of Beehives With and Without Preservatives,1 the life-span of treated woodenware is double that of untreated. Between the cost to purchase and the time spent in assembly, it is worthwhile to spend the additional cost and time to apply paint or another preservative. The products and methods I researched are copper naphthenate, tung oil and linseed oil, wood preservatives Woodlife Classic and Tim-Bor Professional, organic wood treatments Eco Wood and Tall Earth, the shou sugi ban process, and the wax-coated or dipped processes. Copper naphthenate has been used as a beehive preservative since the 1940s. A 2% solution extends the life-span of woodenware by double, or as much as triple, over woodenware with no treatment. Treated wood may be painted after 48 hours. Research published in the 1980s found that this chemical does not harm bees.1 A few years ago, a commercial beekeeper with a sizable YouTube following shared his “wood preservative” recipe, which uses copper naphthenate. He applies his preservative on woodenware and then leaves it to sit for about six months. He then paints the woodenware with an oil-based primer. However, the three copper naphthenate products I checked—CuNap Concentrate, Tenino, and Copper-Green—all specifically state that the product shall not be used in the construction of beehives. Even though copper naphthenate products are still commonly used by beekeepers, I am not going to use them and I hope you won’t either. Tung oil and linseed oil are natural oils from pressed seeds. Both are nontoxic, eco-friendly, and food-safe. Of the two, tung oil dries faster and provides much better water resistance. Even though tung dries faster than linseed, it still takes two or three days to dry and ideally needs five to seven coats. For this reason, more popular are tung oil varnish blends and tung oil wiping varnishes; both add man-made resins and solvents that shorten the dry time and reduce the number of coats needed. However, they, as well as pure tung oil, still require annual reapplication.3 And to quote Kimberly "Sweet Brown" Wilkins, “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” Wood preservatives are typically safe for humans, animals, and plants when fully dry but, by their nature, are designed to protect wood from wood-boring insects and are not suitable for use on beehives. Tim-Bor Professional is a popular wood preservative described as “an insecticide, fungicide and wood preservative for the protection and treatment of lumber against fungal decay and wood destroying insects." Even though the label does not mention bees, it is an insecticide and unsuitable for beehives. But even after reading the label, sometimes you need to go a little further. Woodlife Classic Clear Wood Preservative claims to protect against rot and decay and to repel water. No mention is made of any insecticide; however, the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) lists the ingredient 3-Iodo-2-Propynyl Butyl Carbamate. I looked it up and found that it is a pesticide “extremely toxic to Hymenoptera, and precautions must be taken to avoid exposure to foraging bees or parasitic wasps.” Certainly not what we want to use on our beehives or anywhere near them, for that matter! If you choose to use a wood preservative, be sure it does not have biocides or insecticides. Unfortunately, you will need to do some research—find the Technical Data Sheet and SDS online and then Google every ingredient listed. Organic wood treatments have become popular with beekeepers. Eco Wood Treatment and Eco-Safe Wood Treatment are both safe to use on beehives. And the products are easy to use. You simply add the powdered product to water (distilled is recommended because municipal water has added chemicals) and then apply with a brush, sprayer, or roller directly onto the wood surface. You can even put an inch or so of the solution in a plastic tub to dip boxes one side at a time. The products stain the wood with a gray or brown weathered look, which “results in high UV protection.” They claim to be a one-time treatment that will migrate into cracks over time. While I have seen many good reviews of the products, I have also seen negative reviews. Some users say the product did not provide much, if any, protection to the wood. And though neither product lists ingredients, commenters on several websites have stated it is likely ferrous oxide, which is used by woodworkers to “age” wood and can be purchased at a fraction of the cost of these products. Shou sugi ban* is an ancient Japanese technique of preserving wood by charring it. The burned wood makes it resistant to damage by UV light, water, and fire. In an adaptation of the ancient process, wood planks are charred using a propane torch, burning the wood’s surface to about 1/8” deep. After the wood is cooled, the charcoal dust is brushed off and the board is washed thoroughly. Once dried, the board can be left as is or a natural oil can be applied as a sealant.4 When done with this process, the wood is quite dark—from dark brown to black. In a hot Texas summer, this does not seem like a good option for beehives. * The correct word is Yakisugi. However, years ago the word was misread by a US graduate student, and the shou sugi ban phrase stuck. Wax-dipping and wax-coating processes both involve dipping beehive components into wax; however, they are two completely different techniques. In the original wax-dipping process, woodenware is submerged in a vat of boiling paraffin and rosin or paraffin and microcrystalline. The wood is kept submerged in the wax for 10–15 minutes. During this time, the moisture in the wood is boiled out. When the wood is removed from the vat, the wax is drawn into the wood, penetrating the surface, joints, and especially the end grains. Wood that has been preserved in this process can remain in good condition for 20 or more years. If you want to see this process in action, Kamon Reynolds at Tennessee Bees has a YouTube video. Some beekeeping-supply companies advertise their woodenware as being wax-dipped, and though technically this is correct because the hive component was dipped in wax, the wax was melted, not boiling, and the items were dipped and immediately removed. This leaves only a surface coating of wax. I have heard from several beekeepers with wax-coated hives that the wax gradually wears away over a year or two. Also, paint won’t adhere to wax, so there’s a period when the wax coating isn’t protecting all the wood, but the wood can’t be painted either. Due to both processes being called “wax-dipped,” I think those providing the original process should adopt a new name—perhaps “boiled-wax.” A few online suppliers sell boiled-wax woodenware, but unless the buyer reads the description carefully, odds are they are getting wax-coated. Most beekeepers with boiled-wax hives either have the setup to do it themselves or have taken their woodenware to a beekeeper who provides boiled-wax coating as a service. If you plan to offer boiled-wax service this year or are looking for someone to boil-wax your woodenware, send me a message along with your location. I’ll do my best to connect you. You can message me on Facebook or send an email to BrazosRiverHoney77474@gmail.com Credits: 1 Kalnins, Martins A., and Eric H. Erickson.“Extending the Life of Beehives With and Without Preservatives.”USDA. Republished in American Bee Journal, 126(7): 488–491; 1986. 2 Ellis, J.D., W. H. Kern, and C. M. Zettel Nalen. “Preserving Woodenware in Beekeeping Operations.” University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Retrieved January 15, 2024. 3 Baker, Thomas. (no date). “How to Pick Tung Oil Finishes.” This Old House website. Retrieved January 21, 2024. 4 (No author, no date). Shou Sugi Ban 101. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
WHAT'S THE BUZZ? ALTERNATIVES TO PAINTING HIVES
Photo Credit: Wellington Beekeepers Association
Ferris oxide (aka iron oxide) can be purchased in various colors and still provide the protection of you need. Google "colored iron oxide."
YouTuber Kamon Reynolds show us his wax-dipping setup
Hive box preserved by using the shou sugi ban method of burning the wood.
HONEY CARAMEL COFFEE
YIELD:Makes 4 servings INGREDIENTS 4 T - honey 1 T - butter 1/4 cup - heavy cream 1 dash - salt 4 cups - milk 1 cup - espresso 1 tsp. - vanilla extract whipped cream (optional) DIRECTIONS For the honey caramel, add honey and butter into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Once the mixture dissolves, add the heavy cream and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until mixture becomes a creamy caramel. Keep warm. In a separate saucepan, heat milk over low-medium heat and bring to a boil. Add espresso and allow to heat through. Pour drink into four separate mugs. Add 1 T of the honey caramel into each drink and stir. Top with whipped cream if desired and drizzle more honey caramel on top of the whipped cream before serving.
US Drought Status
Bee Club Directory
FIND A CLUB
For real-time info, click here
Need help finding a bee club near you? Click on the link below to connect with one of the hundreds of great clubs across the nation!
We welcome your feedback and submissions! editor@thebeesupply.com
Photo Credit: Thomas Mauldin
Beekeeping Questions: help@thebeesupply.com