September 2024
Photo Credit: Paul Fagala
THE BEE SUPPLY
Monthly
FEATURED TOPICS Looking Beyond the Obvious Drone Layers Fall Splits Best Varroa Treatments for Fall
EDITION 51
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Clicking on a topic will take you right to it!
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4 Monthly Tips 8 Learning to Look Beyond the Obvious 14 The Dreaded Drone Layer 18 Ready or Not: Winter Hive Preparations 22 Honey Bee Nutrition Guide 23 Hive Inspections and What to Look For 24 Things to Consider for September 26 No, It's Not Too Late to Make a Fall Split 28 Spotty Brood 101 30 Best Varroa Treatments for This Time of Year 32 Quiz-Off Contest: Test Your Knowledge of the Varroa Mite 34 Beekeeper Chat with Marcus Hill 36 Managing Old Comb and Frames 40 What's Bugging You? Ants! 42 What's the Buzz? Moving Bees 46 Recipe: Banana Pancake Bites with Orange Honey Butter 48 Monthly Buzz Webinar Q&A 49 Club Locator 50 US Drought Chart
September
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September can bring cooler weather and some moisture—or more scorching heat. Either way, continue to focus on maintaining 30 pounds of stored food for your bees. Test for mites, as mite populations can begin to climb, necessitating another mite treatment. If you have two or fewer mites per 100 bees, treatment isn’t necessary. However, if you do have two mites or slightly more per 100 bees, hold off on treating yet monitor closely and test again in October. September begins the rearing of winter bees. Worker bees rear two kinds of bees—spring/summer bees and winter bees. Spring/summer bees are almost disposable and are not fed quite the same diet. During those months, bees work so hard that they work themselves to death in a matter of weeks; thus, they are reared on a less-than-ideal diet. Winter bees are fed as close to a perfect diet as possible to ensure they are able to survive the entire winter. As beekeepers, it is crucial that we provide the bees with all the food and nutrition needed for our bees to rear the healthiest- possible winter bees. We recommend feeding at least two pounds of pollen substitute each month from September to November to guarantee that sufficient nutrition is available. If you want to requeen your hive, September is a great time to do so. This will be the last month queens are available, so take advantage of the final opportunity to requeen if your queen is over a year old.
Introducing The Bee Supply Replacement Sticky Board, perfect for checking mite counts after treatment. Our branded boards come with easy-to-follow instructions on the back for simple use. Quick and easy test with no need to open the hive to read results.
Mint flowers attract many pollinators—honey bees included! They are rich in nectar and also release pollen starting in summer, lasting well into fall. Photo courtesy TBS customer Aparna Bhat Parna Garden
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By Blake Shook
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Regardless of how many times a beekeeper has been exposed to hive inspections, there is something to learn, something you didn’t notice the other thousand times you saw the same thing. Suddenly, revelation! Are you looking beyond the obvious? Don’t get me wrong—the obvious is on the radar. As a matter of fact, it’s required. You know the drill—start to finish. But let’s review. You are looking for: Population or frames of brood Eggs and larvae (queen laying) Frames of honey, or stores Pollen in hive Well-fed brood (moist, shiny, white) Space—too little or too much Brood disease or evidence of Varroa mites A deeper look into these components will bring about your “revelation” moments. So often I hear, “I don’t know what happened! I was just in the hive a week or two ago and everything looked fine!" Did it? Really? What did you miss? Unfortunately, you did miss something if the hive you returned to was in poor condition or, even worse, dead or gone. Examining the components of a hive inspection and looking beyond the obvious is where answers to future problems come from. Population, frames of brood, eggs and larvae Using this chart as a guide, justify your population accordingly. Bee-to-Box Ratio January: 5+ frames of bees March: 8+ frames of bees May: 14+ frames of bees November: 12+ frames of bees But hold on—for those of you who keep double deeps, did you look in the bottom box? Case in point, I popped the lid on one of our backyard hives yesterday, and the top brood box looked like it had a great population! I pulled a frame on the outer edge of what should have been the brood nest, and it wasn’t—wasn’t brood, that is. It was backfilled with nectar. This was true with each frame I pulled. There were a ton of bees, though! But those bees were foragers bringing in nectar. Not a stitch of new brood was in the second deep. I removed the top deep box to look into the bottom box. There was brood but very little of it. Why? Because they were starting to backfill it with nectar and pollen too, leaving no place for the queen to lay so there was no new brood. Had I not looked beyond the “population,” I would have missed this very important find—my bees were preparing to swarm because there’s no room. What should I do? I had two choices, really: completely rearrange the box since it was primarily honey and nectar, taking some frames out and replacing them with open comb, or split and ultimately do the same, dividing the good components up between two hives and adding space for the queen. They really didn’t need more boxes for the number of bees that were there, just more comb space. Adding another box wouldn’t have solved this issue. They would have likely just turned it into another place to store honey and not a brood box because the queen was trapped in the bottom, blocked by a honey band (top box full of nectar and honey). So “not” obvious! What did I do? I pulled honey and nectar frames, put them at the opposite end of the yard to be robbed out (which took about a day), then returned them as open comb for the queen to start laying again. And it worked! I caught it soon enough to avoid full-on swarm measures. Score! Frames of honey or pollen in the hive I think that these components are fairly obvious. Where these are located is the key. Honey should be stored on the outside frames in the box, and pollen should be banded around the brood frames and brood nest. Having too much is where the “not so obvious" may come into play. Blake wrote an awesome article on “Honey- or Pollen-Bound Hives” in the last issue—check it out. What I can add to it is this: Look in every box. Don’t just assume that what you see in one is playing out in another. #bottomboxneglect Well-fed brood I can say “moist, shiny, white” open brood and even show you a picture, but when you are in the middle of a hive inspection, can you tell when brood is underfed? Underfed larvae are dry—bone dry. When an egg is laid, it appears to be laid in a dry cell, but within three days that egg will hatch and begin its larval stage, where in theory it will be fed bee bread, which gives it a nice pool of liquid to feed on until the cell is capped (approximately day nine). When this larval development lacks sufficient bee bread, the bee that emerges at the end of 21 days will be a poor participant in the colony. This bee may lack the ability to forage well or at all! It could even lack the mental ability to locate the hive, fly, or do any other basic worker bee jobs. That is why it is so important to actually look at the open larvae in a hive inspection. If they are dry, the solution is easy—feed pollen patties! Space (too little or too much) This is a biggie. When you are doing a hive inspection, you have to look beyond what you are seeing now (the obvious) and look to the future, expounding on what you see now. That most likely sounds confusing. In other words, if you see a nice, full frame of capped brood, remind yourself that, once that frame emerges, approximately 7,000 more bees will be added to the hive. And if you have several of these, this should inspire you to add boxes at the appropriate time of year. Why? Because the cycle goes population growth into spring (add boxes), peak in summer (maintain), decline in fall with a short period of brood building to overwinter (possibly decrease if population has dropped enough to not fill the space), and then finally dormant population in the winter (never add boxes). The rule of thumb is to add boxes with population increases (typically) during nectar flow or when you are feeding continually. Decrease boxes if and when the population can’t defend the space—fewer than five out of ten frames of bees. Brood disease or evidence of Varroa mites At the risk of creating an oxymoron, the obvious is obscure when it comes to Varroa mites and the brood diseases that follow. For most of us, deformed wing virus is the obvious—and maybe a poor brood pattern to put a cherry on top—when Varroa mites are taking over a hive. The problem with this is that, once you see these issues, your mites and the diseases associated with them are probably so far advanced that treating is just fighting a losing battle. I don’t say that to be pessimistic. I promise—I did not write that book! Studies are showing more and more that Varroa are doing damage long before we can see a single sign of them in our hives. If that’s the case, how can I guide you to look beyond the obvious? This is how: I’m going to tell you for certain that your hives have Varroa mites. I’m also going to tell you that, regardless of how you view or use treatments and to what extent, you have no choice but to address them in some way. The obscure is obvious in this. There, I said it!
A different view of hive inspections
By Chari Elam
LEARNING TO LOOK BEYOND THE OBVIOUS
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Multiple eggs in a cell are a clear indication of a laying worker—not to be mistaken for a newly mated queen that may lay two or three eggs per cell until she gets the hang of it.
THE DREADED DRONE LAYER
Just when you think you’ve got this beekeeping thing figured out, you open a hive and spot an overabundance of drone cells—not just a few around the perimeters of the frames, but everywhere there should be worker brood, drone brood has taken its place. Not only is this extremely frustrating, it’s also a waste of a good hive and very difficult to fix. Why? The hive believes that it’s queenright and thus rejects most attempts to fix it by introducing a new frame of brood and a new queen. In all actuality, multiple brood frames may be required in the effort that may or may not work. Right off the bat, I want to communicate that, even with hard work and trying multiple methods, I’ve only ever been able to save drone-laying hives about 50% of the time at best. I typically recommend not even attempting to save drone- laying hives because of this. At the very least, don’t try to save a drone layer unless it’s at least five frames of bees. Identifying a drone-laying hive First, you need to be able to identify the cause of a drone-laying hive. One of two things could be happening. Your hive could have lost its queen and the bees failed to raise a new one. Eventually, without a queen, multiple worker bees (who are undeveloped females) will begin to lay unfertilized eggs, which will develop into “haploid drones”—basically, drones that can’t even mate properly with a future queen. The drone brood tends to be scattered throughout the hive, and the big giveaway is there will be multiple (4–12+) eggs per cell, often stuck to the sides and floor of the cell. Alternatively, you could have a queen that has completely failed and run out of sperm or, more likely, a virgin queen that never mated at all and is now laying unfertilized eggs. When this happens, there is often only one egg per cell and the pattern is much more compact in the hive, as would be the case with normal brood. But the brood is oversized and bumpy as the bees widen worker bee cells to fit drones. In both cases, as noted above, the brood will be very raised and bumpy as the bees work to enlarge worker-sized cells to accommodate the larger developing drone brood. Killing a drone-laying hive and saving the comb OK, you’ve identified a drone-laying hive and decided not to bother trying to save it because it’s fewer than four or five frames of bees; it’s getting close to winter, thus lowering their odds of rebounding in time; or you just don’t like the odds and don’t want to potentially waste the money on a new queen. What next? You’ve got a hive full of bees, honey, and distorted comb. I would avoid joining that mess with another hive but try to save the comb for use next year. Here is what I recommend: Smoke the hive well and shake all the bees out at least 20 feet from any other hive. Some of the bees will eventually drift to other hives, but theoretically, they won’t let the drone-laying virgin or bees in if they make it to the other hives at all. As for the frames of honey, pollen, and comb, you can give them to other hives, store them in your freezer, or treat them with Certan (see “Storing Honey and Extracted Honey Frames”) for use next year. The frames of drone brood present a bit more of an issue. If they are more than half full of drone brood, I usually just throw them away. However, if the drone brood is sparse and not compact, you can freeze the frames to kill the drone brood, then put them on a hive next spring, where the bees will typically clean them up. Super important: Avoid allowing the drone brood to emerge as they are basically a Varroa mite breeding ground. Saving a drone-laying hive If you do want to save a drone-laying hive, especially if you catch it early and it’s a hive with lots of bees, then here is the best way I’ve found to do so: Identify if it’s workers laying or a virgin or failing queen. If it’s the latter, attempt to find and kill the queen. If you do find and kill her, skip to step 4. Assuming no queen is found, shake all the bees out of the hive about 20 feet away. Return the hive and frames back to their original location. Remove the frames that are completely covered with drone brood. See above for what to do with them. Replace the removed drone brood frames with new or used frames. Place them on the outside edges rather than in the middle of the hive. Take one frame of brood from a stronger hive and put it in the center of the hive. Put a caged queen in the hive (see “Requeening”). Check back about seven days later to see if the new queen is out and laying. If so, success! If not and the bees are actively raising queen cells on the brood you placed in the hive, you can let them attempt to raise their own queen. If that fails, then it is time to shake out the bees and save the comb for next year.
B402 Certan is the most advanced, effective, and economical product for the protection of your combs from damage by wax moths. It is a safe, environmentally friendly product. A single application will provide protection against wax moth right up through to the following season.
Are drone layers worth saving? This is a question I was asked a while back. Listen to my very candid answer plus some tips to help you decide.
You have to be kidding me—winter? I haven’t even come to terms with summer yet! Gosh, as wrong as it sounds and whether we are prepared or not, our bees are certainly getting ready for winter. One of the ways bees prepare for winter is by hoarding honey. We know that honey bees live to store honey—and pollen, for that matter. It’s just what they do. Then along comes a beekeeper and takes most of what they have gathered, forcing them to start over. Left to their own devices, they would keep boxes and boxes of honey stored over their heads if we let them. In reality, nationally, the average need for honey bees to overwinter is less than 60 pounds (one full honey super + what honey you have in the brood box), and for more temperate zones it’s more like 30-40 pounds (three or four deep frames in the top brood box). Some of you in the northern states need upward of 100+ pounds of stored honey. To meet these requirements, a full super should be left on—if not two. Supplemental feeding needs to be on your radar if you aren’t well on your way to meeting these needs by the end of this month. I often get asked as the weather starts to cool, “Do you feed 1:1 or 2:1 syrup?” I would continue feeding 1:1 unless your hive is starving; then I would feed 2:1 syrup. Watch for your fall nectar flow. Honestly, this fall flow is a godsend for most of us. In a large part of the nation, wild goldenrod is a great resource this time of year. It’s actually a nectar and pollen producer, so it will cover both nutritional requirements. However, it’s generally understood that diversity in bee forage (multiple sources) is very important for a well-balanced diet. Protein content can vary dramatically from plant to plant—anywhere from 2% to 61% depending on the type of plant. Logically, if we have only one or two plants blooming, we run the risk of poor pollen diversity. Why is pollen so crucial? Pollen is the bees’ only source of protein. In pollen, they in theory are getting all of the minerals, lipids (fats), and vitamins they need to be healthy. But if nature is supplying only a small variety of pollen-producing plants, the odds go way up that the quality of the pollen isn’t meeting the nutritional requirements for a healthy hive. As a matter of fact, poor-quality pollen on top of limited quantities increases the impact on colonies by drastically reducing the area of brood tended to by nurse bees! That’s a mouthful! To quote Randy Oliver, “Should protein become even scarcer, the nurses will cannibalize drone brood, eggs, and young worker brood (in which they have invested the least resources), digest out the protein, and recycle it back into jelly. And, in extreme circumstances, the nurses will hoard the remaining protein in their bodies” to become long-lasting winter bees (paraphrased). Be prepared to feed not only syrup but pollen supplements as well. But are we just feeding, or are we effectively giving our colonies good nutrition? We as humans know we require a balanced diet. If we eat too many sugary foods and not enough protein, our muscles and stamina will suffer. We’ll have energy well enough, but we won’t be healthy. Same goes for our bees! We can’t just keep feeding them sugar syrup month after month and occasionally throw out some pollen substitute and expect a well-nourished hive. Make your feeding count. Products that are super beneficial to ensuring your feeding is making a difference are Complete, Apis Biologix Bio Control, Apis Biologix Bio Activator, Global patties with the Apis products and Complete, and Stan’s Soft Sugar Bricks (now with Complete). In addition to supplements, actual foliage or forage that is beneficial is great if you can manage it. Here are a few fall-blooming flowers for bees that you can plant to help diversify your landscape: Basil Borage Broccoli Calendula Japanese anemone Lemon balm Anise hyssop Clovers Asters Goldenrod Ironweed
Tara Chapman, Two Hives Honey on Feeding 1:1 or 2:1
Winter Hive Preparations
READY OR NOT, HERE IT COMES!
Photo Credit: Paul Fagala - TBS Regional Manager - Bee on Goldenrod
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To prepare a hive for winter, ensure it’s ready four weeks before daytime temperatures drop to the 50s. Northern regions need 80-100 pounds of honey, while southern areas need 40-60 pounds. Check honey stores and consider feeding pollen patties if there's a drought or poor pollen flow. For a hive with 30 pounds of honey, additional feeding may not be needed immediately, but ensure space for the queen to lay eggs. In drought conditions, feed pollen patties every 7 to 10 days. Continue monitoring and feeding until mid-October, and check for diseases and pests. Check out this video explaining this in more detail.
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The Honey Bee Health Coalition has released a detailed Honey Bee Nutrition Guide designed to help beekeepers manage supplemental feeding in their hives. The guide covers the diverse nutritional needs of honey bees at different life stages and seasons, providing a road map for effective feeding strategies. It includes historical insights on artificial supplements, such as early experiments by Amos Ives Root and research by Mykola H. Haydak and Elton W. Herbert Jr., highlighting the advantages of natural pollen over artificial options. Additionally, the guide features interviews with six commercial beekeepers, sharing their experiences and strategies for supplemental feeding throughout the year. This guide is a very detailed, reliable resource that all beekeepers can benefit from. Take a look!
HONEY BEE NUTRITION GUIDE
CLICK ON GUIDE TO OPEN
HIVE INSPECTIONS AND WHAT TO LOOK FOR
Although all beekeepers develop their own techniques, Ed Erwin, Master Beekeeper, explains the steps involved in doing a thorough hive inspection. He covers aspects such as that the key goals are to be quick and to have a clear plan. Begin by checking the hive yard for any issues, such as swarms, and ensure the hive is structurally sound. Observe the bees at the entrance to gauge their activity and health. Use smoke to calm the bees and inspect for pests, especially small hive beetles. Open the hive, check the frames for bee activity and honey levels, and ensure frames are properly spaced. Look for any signs of problems and refer to your notes from previous inspections to track progress. Be patient but efficient, and always have a plan for each inspection. Take a look at this video for more details!
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Combining colonies is a great management technique, especially going into fall. Check out this two- part video to learn exactly how!
Bee Movie - Dreamworks Animation
Extract one last time Some of you can do this! Depending on the length of your honey flow, location, and the plants your bees have foraged on, this could add to your honey harvest. But wait—know your forage! Some plants that make nasty honey are goldenrod, snow-on-the-mountain (aka ghost weed, mountain spurge, etc.), and bitterweed. No doubt you could name one or two for your area. The rule of thumb is to extract your honey from your primary nectar flow and leave fall honey for the bees. Split now or forever hold your peace Well, it’s more like wait until spring. You can successfully make a large split this time of year. When I say large, I mean that each split needs four to five frames of brood and plenty of resources (pollen and nectar or honey). You’ll need to feed like normal and maybe—just maybe—baby them over winter if they don’t take off right away. Make sure you split only really healthy hives. Varroa needs to be in check, and the hive should show no signs of any diseases or viruses. Requeen September is a perfectly acceptable time to requeen if you can get your hands on a queen. It is far better to go into winter with a new queen than to hedge your bet on a failing or aging queen. Combine weak hives A weak hive most likely will not make the winter. You can even do everything right—feed, do mite treatments, trade out frames—and a hive still won’t thrive if it’s chronically weak. In that instance, if your Varroa mites are controlled and you can’t visually see any signs of diseases or viruses, combine that hive with another. It’ll have a much better chance than it would if you left it alone. Test and treat if needed for Varroa mites September is the perfect time to get serious about getting mites under control. You have mites! I know that is a hard pill to swallow, but we all do. Requeening could be beneficial if you have struggled to keep the mite counts low, as would doing a brood break. Brood breaks can really be a great way to enhance your integrated pest management (IPM) methods of combating Varroa. A queen isolation frame is a great “easy” way to stop your queen from laying all over the hive and confine her to one frame. On the treatment side of Varroa control, check out the article in this issue titled “Best Varroa Treatments for This Time of Year.” You want to treat for efficacy more now than ever. Going into winter with a hive that is as close to mite free as possible will make the difference to enter spring with a healthy, thriving colony.
As we enter this crucial time of year (fall), we need to strongly consider some actions that can dramatically affect the outcome of winter for our bees. Here are a few of those actions you should think about:
THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR SEPTEMBER
NO, IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO MAKE A FALL SPLIT
Photo Credit: Unknown (numerous individuals have used the photo for various reasons)
In this video on fall splits, we examine how to handle a hive that's thriving and bursting with bees. When you see bees clustering outside, especially in the evening, it typically indicates a strong colony. If your hive is packed, adding an extra box can help manage the heat and space, but don't worry too much about swarm risks this late in the season. Watch and learn the strategy of making fall splits to manage hive strength and growth. By taking a few frames of brood from several strong hives and combining them, you can create a new split with a mated queen even this late in the year. The goal is to avoid weakening your strong hives too much. Instead, by pulling frames from multiple hives, you maintain the strength of your main colonies while giving new splits a good start. We also look at the health of a particularly robust hive: it’s packed with bees, new comb, and a good mix of brood and pollen. This hive, in its current condition, is a prime candidate for making splits or helping weaker hives. With proper feeding and management, it's well-positioned to thrive through the winter.
I THINK I HAVE A LAYING WORKER! WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Here is some excellent advice from Cameron Crane about feeding probiotics to your bees!
A good brood pattern indicates that the brood and queen are generally healthy, but it doesn’t guarantee overall hive health. A good pattern shows eggs, larvae, or capped brood in 90% or more of the central frame cells, with few empty spots. A poor pattern, resembling a shotgun blast with mixed capped brood and many open cells (spotty brood), may signal concerns. A poor brood pattern can stem from several issues. Here’s a concise guide to common causes and solutions. Failing queen: An aging queen may lay a spotty pattern with mixed drone brood. This pattern will appear on every frame, not just a few. Check out “How to Tell When a Hive Needs to Be Requeened.” Varroa mite infestation: Varroa mites lead to spotty brood as bees remove infested larvae and pupae. Look for mites on adult bees, chewed-open capped brood, or discarded pupae. Refer to “Testing for Varroa” video and treat if necessary. Chalkbrood: This fungal infection causes larvae to die and become white or gray mummies, resulting in a spotty brood pattern. Treatment includes probiotics and improving hive conditions. For more information, read "Chalkbrood." European foulbrood: EFB affects larvae, causing them to appear yellow and melted. Common in spring, it can be managed with probiotics, warmer weather, requeening, and feeding. Read "American and European Foulbrood" Summer dearth: Scarcity of pollen and nectar during dearth periods can reduce egg laying and create spotty brood. This usually improves with the return of pollen and cooler weather. If other hives are unaffected, the dearth is likely the cause. Poor nutrition: Nutritional deficiencies lead to brood cannibalism, resulting in a spotty pattern. Check “Could My Bees Be Starving?” for identification and solutions. Rapid growth and resource constraints: If the queen lays eggs faster than bees can clear cells, it results in spotty brood around honey or pollen. This typically affects only a few frames, with the rest appearing normal.
SPOTTY BROOD 101
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BEST VARROA TREATMENTS FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR
From past articles, we’ve learned that population phase is the primary deciding factor in determining our options for controlling Varroa mites, with September falling into the “population decline” category. The following is an excerpt from the Honey Bee Health Coalition’s Varroa Management Guide (page 14); italicized text added. Population Decrease: Post-honey harvest; bee population decreasing; colonies rearing overwintering bees. Varroa mite populations growing, peaking, and then declining until eventually only phoretic/dispersal mites on adult bees after colonies become broodless. Highly Effective Options: Apivar® - Apivar® should not be used until surplus honey is removed. *MAQS®, Formic Pro©, 65% liquid formic acid *Apiguard®, Thymovar®, or ApiLife Var® HopGuard® II, HopGuard® 3 *MAQS®, Formic Pro©, Apiguard®, Thymovar®, and ApiLife Var® are not suitable for use in all temperatures. See the detailed descriptions of products for temperature ranges before using these products on pages 16-30 of the Varroa Management Guide. Moderately Effective Options: Requeening with hygienic bees - Hygienic stock is not widely available. Division of colonies - Requeening and dividing colonies may be difficult because colonies are shrinking as dormant season approaches. See: "Fall Splits" Api-Bioxal© Oxalic acid dribble (OAD) or vaporization (OAV) - Oxalic acid is most effective if there is little to no capped brood present. Least Effective Options: Apistan® or CheckMite+® - Mite resistance to Apistan® and CheckMite+® is well documented. Drone brood removal - Colonies are unlikely to raise drones during this phase. This is true in cooler climate conditions. Temperate regions are more likely to have better results. Screen bottom board Sanitation (bio security) comb management - Basic sanitation may help relieve stress. Definition: Brood Comb Culling (replacement) + culling brood comb with high number of drone cells; basic hive sanitation; locating hives in sunny sites with good air drainage; Reducing bee adult drifting.
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TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE VARROA MITE
TAKE THE QUIZ
From Chari Elam, Editor: I challenge you to a "quiz-off"! I ran across this brain-busting quiz cleverly designed by our friends at Véto-pharma and thought, “Surely, I can blow this out of the water. After all, I'm a good beekeeper!” Let's just say this quiz had me stumped on more than one question. Ugh! How much do you know about Varroa mites? Quiz-Off Instructions: Follow the online instructions to play the game (requires you to input your email address and assign a nickname). Upon completion, screenshot your score and email the screenshot and nickname to editor@thebeesupply.com If you reach the end where is says "Congratulations" without capturing the score, copy the URL provided and it will take you back to the leader board, listing your score (nickname) last unless you are in the top five. The person with the highest score will win a $25 TBS Gift Code to be used online or in person at any of our three locations. In the event of a tie, we will do a drawing conducted by a random TBS in-store customer to determine the winner. Contest ends on September 30, 2024. Winner will be notified no later than October 4, 2024, via email. Good luck!
Quick and easy to use, with three easy steps Easily transportable and built to last Tight-fitting lid is leak-free and comfortable to use Two molded guide lines allow for samples of 200 or 300 bees Designed for effectiveness: Fallen mites pass through holes in the base and sides of the basket Transparent bowl allows accurate counting and reliable sampling
with Chari Elam
Honey Bee Sampling and Grafting Tray
NEW PRODUCT
TBS Beekeeper Chat with Marcus Hill, USA Bee Ops Manager
This innovative multifunctional tray is designed to enhance efficiency and precision in your beekeeping operations with two key features: Efficient Sampling: Quickly collect bee samples by shaking frames directly onto the tray. Foragers take flight, while nurse bees stay behind. This method saves time and ensures accurate sampling for Varroa mite testing and overall hive health assessment. Rugged Grafting Tray: Convert the sampling tray into a grafting station using hangers with wing nuts. Secure it to your steering wheel or another surface for a stable grafting platform for grafting, supporting queen rearing efforts, and apiary growth.
I had the pleasure of having a conversation with Marcus Hill, the head of beekeeping operations at Desert Creek Honey. He shared insights from his extensive beekeeping experience spanning more than 20 years. Starting in Hawaii, he has since worked in various roles, including research scientist, beekeeping consultant, queen production, hive management, and bee health. In our chat he emphasized the importance of proper winter preparation for hives, including ensuring adequate food stores and mite control. Marcus also highlighted the significance of understanding bee nutrition and the impact of environmental factors on beekeeping practices. His passion for bees and deep knowledge made for a very interesting conversation, one I think you'll learn a lot from! Check it out!
We often picture beeswax as being white to golden in color. But comb is only those colors when it is brand new and fresh. Comb darkening with time is completely natural, especially for brood frames. Comb is darkened as bees walk all over it (think white carpet with a bunch of kids) and as developing brood shed cocoons in the cells. Eventually, it is best to replace these old, dark combs. Brood combs darken even faster due to cocoons shed by the developing bees, which are stuck to the inside walls of each cell. Comb darkening is not a bad thing and doesn’t affect the hive. If you aren’t sure of the age of comb, jet black comb, especially if it’s heavy even when empty, is typically due to be replaced. As with many topics in beekeeping, there is much room for debate on replacing or rotating out old comb. There is no hard and fast rule as to when combs should be rotated (aka thrown away). The problem is not that the comb darkens. A darker and heavier frame filled with wax and debris is simply an indicator of the age of the combs. The problem is that wax is very absorbent and tends to absorb chemicals we put in the hive to control Varroa mites, as well as chemicals brought in on the bees from the environment. Not knowing exactly what the levels are, we typically rotate out old brood frames and replace them with new ones every seven to ten years. A common rule of thumb is to rotate out a few of the frames in each colony each year. When you purchase new frames, it is a great idea to write or stamp the year on the top bars so that you know when they need to be replaced in the future. Frames used exclusively in supers tend to last longer since they are not on the hives year-round, consequently getting less use. They also don’t typically have any or as much brood being laid in them. As a result, you may never have to rotate and discard frames used exclusively in the honey supers. When it comes time to replace old brood frames, if they have honey in them, you can set the frames 20–30 feet from your hive and let the bees rob the honey out before taking them out of service. If a frame has brood, move it to the very outside of the brood nest. As the brood emerges, move it farther and farther to the outside of the box. With it on the outer edge of the box, the bees will likely abandon it, making it easy to remove with nothing in it. Logically, the easiest time to remove old frames is when a hive dies. One final note on that subject: when you replace the old frames with new, don’t put them in the very middle of the brood nest since it’s never a good idea to separate frames of brood. You always want to keep frames of brood together. So put the new replacement frames on the outside edge of the box or on the outside edge of the brood frames. Don’t throw those old comb frames away! Old frames are a great attractant in swarm traps. Bees can smell comb and will readily accept a trap that has them as their temporary home. What if a frame breaks and still has brood or honey on it? I hate it when this happens! If the frame breaks when it’s full of honey, the best thing to do is extract or scrape off the honey for immediate use. Then, repair or throw the frame away. If you don’t want to eat the honey out of the frame, you can set it 20 to 30 feet away from your hive, let bees rob the honey out, then discard or fix the frame. If the frame has brood on it, the best thing to do is attempt to fix the frame temporarily or let it just rest in place between two other frames. As we discussed in rotating out frames, place the broken frame on the very outside of the brood nest and allow the brood to emerge. Once the brood has emerged, remove the frame. Repairing old frames can be challenging. It’s often easier to dispose of old frames and purchase new ones. If an all-plastic frame breaks, it is almost impossible to fix. However, if a wooden frame breaks and you do want to fix it, here are a few methods that could work depending on the condition of the frame: The wooden ear has broken off. This is a common issue! Dropping full frames of honey into the box is a common cause of the ears breaking off. The best thing to do is purchase a frame saver—a piece of metal shaped like the ear of the frame that is designed to replace the wooden ear. Or, if you are in a hurry, a few large nails partially driven into the top bar as a hanging bracket work as well. The top bar has separated from the rest of the frame. This often happens if the bees have glued the frame down with propolis, so when you pry it up, the frame pulls apart. Next time, try using your hive tool to pry the frames apart before trying to pry one up. If the top bar separates, hammer it back into place and add a few extra nails to help hold it in. Be sure you have the most critical nail in the frame—the end nail through the end bar into the top bar. This helps hold the top bar in place. The comb has become damaged, and you need to scrape off the old comb and start over. This often happens with severe wax moth damage. The quickest and easiest option is to pop out the old foundation and insert a new sheet. If you want to keep the old foundation, use your hive tool to scrape off the old comb, then use a pressure washer or wire brush to remove all possible comb and residue. Once it is removed, you will need to recoat the foundation with beeswax to encourage the bees to draw out new comb. Melt beeswax in a double boiler at a very low temperature. Then, use a foam roller to apply a thin coat of wax onto the foundation. Be sure to store the newly coated frames in an airtight container or sealed trash bag to ensure they stay dust free until use. A thin layer of dust will discourage the bees from drawing out the comb.
Cost Saving Techniques and Tricks
MANAGING OLD COMB AND FRAMES
Frame Savers & Nails
Here's a short video demonstrating just how easy it is to rotate out old comb.
Building your frames "strong" to start with can go a long way to increasing their longevity. Watch this short video where James and Chari show you some great tips on how to make your frames stronger and last longer.
WHAT'S BUGGING YOU? ANTS!
Ants are mostly beneficial insects. They play an important role in the environment by turning and aerating the soil, cleaning up dead animals and plant material, pollinating flowers, and distributing seeds. However, ants like nectar and pollen, so a beehive is a perfect food source for them. They can be frustrating to deal with, but keeping ants out of your hive is possible. One of the most effective ways to prevent ants from taking over your hive is to keep your hive strong. Bees are extremely efficient at protecting their resources. A strong hive will be able to resist ants trying to steal the honey and pollen stored away. Food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE) sprinkled on the ground beneath the hive is another effective way to prevent ants from getting to it. DE has sharp edges that cut through the exoskeletons of ants and other hard-bodied insects (including hive beetles), causing them to lose moisture, dehydrate, and die. Bees rarely spend time on the ground beneath the hive, so they don’t come into contact with it. If your hive is on a metal stand with legs, you can put each leg in a bowl and fill the bowls with vegetable oil or water—and keep them filled. This will prevent ants from climbing across to the hive stand legs and up to the hive. You can also put some kind of greasy substance such as Vaseline around the legs of the hive stand to prevent ants from climbing past it. AntCant™ sprayed on the legs of a metal hive stand prevents the ants from getting a good grip on the surface, so they eventually give up and leave.
Photo by Michaela Geary
Most experts do not recommend putting granulated ant poison under the hives, and never put poison in the hives. Bees are not likely to pick up granulated poison, but it is possible. If the poison can kill an ant, it can kill a bee. Of all the threats bees face, ants are one of the easier ones to control. A strong hive with some more natural preventive methods can keep ants away and your bees happy.
AntCant™ is scientifically developed, nontoxic, low- maintenance barrier coating that prevents ants from attaching to surfaces. Apply the 3.5-ounce bottle of coating with the included two-inch aluminum tape for guaranteed ant protection. Easy and effective!
By Paul Fagala
Turn up the volume. Enjoy!
Footage from a high-speed camera shows that guard bees, positioned near a nest’s entrance, tilt their bodies toward an approaching ant and then flutter their wings while they pivot away. A successful hit sends the ant flying. NewsScientist.com
Here's a great idea from Robby Austin! Grease some pans with axle grease and turn them upside down like in this picture. No more ants, and this is way cleaner.
Can't I just move my bees a few feet?
You've probably heard the rule about moving a hive: Move it three feet a day or three miles for a week—or is it two feet or two miles? And why is it even a rule? In the days leading up to a worker bee’s graduation to forager, she takes a few orientation flights. For the bee, this is the equivalent of dropping a pin in a maps app. If her hive is moved three feet or less, she will return to her home pin and locate her hive by sight and smell. But if it is moved more than about three feet, she will return to her home pin and, not finding her hive, will either cluster up with all the other lost foragers from her hive or, if there is another hive nearby, join its colony. (Outsider foragers are usually allowed entry if bringing in a resource.) The key to not having lost foragers is to get them to delete their old pin, reorient, and drop a new home pin. Bees reorient if they have been inside the hive so long that a location refresher is needed, like after a weeklong Texas arctic freeze. Unfortunately, locking bees inside their hive for a weeklong stretch is not possible most of the year because the colony would overheat. Bees also reorient if they recognize they have new surroundings. When moved three or more miles, bees know they are in a different location; but for shorter distances, beekeepers can give some visual clues. The typical way to let the bees know there’s been a change is to place leafy branches in front of the entrance. But there are other ways, and using more than one increases the likelihood of reorientation. In this Quick Tip video, Cameron Crane explains how he gets his bees to reorient when moving hives a short distance. For those short moves, expect some of the foragers to still use the old home pin. If you want to collect them and move them to their new location, you can leave a hive box with a frame or two of empty drawn comb. By evening, the bees will be gathered on the comb. Once it is dark, you can move the box or just the frames and prop them up against their hive. (I usually don’t bother with a box and just leave a frame with old comb.) You may have to repeat this process for several nights. Or just do nothing and let the bees do what they will. There are excellent step-by-step instructions on moving hives, both long distance and short distance, in the September 2023 magazine. I highly recommend reading it if you are planning to relocate a hive. In addition to the linked article, consider these suggestions as well: At least a day before moving the hive, inspect it for soundness. An old hive box coming apart at the seams or with extra entrances due to wood rot is asking for trouble. Replace the woodenware or make repairs. Gorilla Tape can suffice for many temporary repairs. Unless the hive will be shut in for only a few minutes, ventilation is extremely important. I like screened inner covers. Some robbing screens double as moving screens and can be installed easily, but if you install them a few days ahead of time, then when it is time to shut the bees in, you only have to close the entrances. It is best to shut the bees in when it is dark and they are all at home. When doing any beekeeping tasks at night, use the red lens cover on your flashlight. If it is warm and bees are bearding, turn the water sprinkler on and the “rain” will send most inside. If you don’t have a water hose available, use a spray bottle to mist them. Wear your bee suit and gloves. Invariably, there are a few loose bees, and heaven forbid the boxes should shift open or get dropped. Better safe than sorry. I have a hive carrier. Initially I balked at the cost, but once I had it, I had no regrets. It has been used often and makes it possible to easily move a large hive. As an alternative, two 2x4s and a couple of ratchet straps can get the job done. If moving bees to another county or state, check into the areas’ regulations.
By Lynne Jones
WHAT'S THE BUZZ?
DISCOVER THE ART OF MEAD MAKING!
Move hives and supers with ease with our Hive Carrier. Constructed of heavy-duty galvanized steel tubing, this two-person carrier will provide years of use!
Has a ratchet strap been invented that is easier to use? I am sure it is just me, but I am baffled by them. I use lashing straps for tropical storms and hurricanes, but they aren’t quite up to the task for moving a big, heavy hive. You can message me on Facebook or send an email HERE.
Come and learn how to make mead! In this class you will: Learn the fundamentals of making mead Create this delicious ancient drink to take home! Each participant will take home all of the materials used to make their mead ($50 value), as well as one gallon of fermenting mead! Classes offered at all three of our store locations!
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DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, whisk both flours, salt and baking powder. Add honey, buttermilk, mashed banana, egg, melted butter and vanilla extract to the bowl and mix until just combined. Spray a mini muffin pan with cooking spray and pour heaping tablespoons of batter into the pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until puffed and slightly golden. Combine softened unsalted butter, orange zest and honey either by hand or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Turn the machine on medium speed and mix until creamy and well combined. Transfer to a serving dish. Remove pancake bites from oven and allow to cool slightly before removing from the pan. Please note that steps 4 and 5 may need to be repeated to create all 36 bites (depending on size of pan). Serve with honey butter. Recipe courtesy of registered dietitian Dana Angelo White, made for the National Honey Board TIP The honey butter can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Allow it to soften slightly at room temperature before serving. These bites freeze well and can be made ahead or stored as leftovers in the freezer.
For Honey Butter: 4 T - unsalted butter, softened zest of 1 orange 2 T - orange blossom honey
YIELD: Makes 6 servings (makes 36 total bites) INGREDIENTS For Pancake Bites: 1/2 cup - all-purpose flour 1/2 cup - whole wheat pastry flour 1/4 tsp. - salt 1 tsp. - baking powder 1 T - orange blossom honey
BANANA PANCAKE BITES WITH ORANGE HONEY BUTTER
1 cup - low-fat buttermilk 1 - banana, mashed 1 large - egg, beaten 2 T - melted butter 1 tsp. - vanilla extract
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