MASTER BEEKEEPER PROGRAM Master Beekeeper Program

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MASTER BEEKEEPER PROGRAM

Master Beekeeper Program

STUDY

GUIDE

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CERTIFIED LEVEL

South Carolina Master Beekeeper Program

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For the Beginning Beekeepers of South Carolina

who desire to pursue Certified Level Certification

in the South Carolina Beekeepers Association

Master Beekeeping Program

May your journey be filled with amazement and wonder and

May your thirst for knowledge keep you ever training

to become an avid “Keeper of the Bees”!

Bee~lieving in YOU,

Susan Marie Jones

SCBA MBP Director

This material is intellectual property of the South Carolina Beekeepers Association Master Beekeeper Program (SCBA MBP) and has been compiled

exclusively for the benefit and use of SCBA members.

Permission is granted for SCBA members to use these materials in conjunction with their Beginning Level Beekeeping Courses.

Any individual using these materials for individual or business profit is considered an unauthorized use of this material

and may result in the pursuit of damages to the SCBA and forfeiture of participation in the

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RECOMMENDED RESOURCES:

CERTIFIED Level

Books:

1) Honey Bees and Beekeeping: A Year in the Life of an Apiary, 3rd Edition – Keith Delaplane (2007) 2) The Beekeeper’s Handbook, 4th Edition – Diana Sammataro, Alphonse Avitabile, Dewey M. Caron 2011)

3) First Lessons in Beekeeping – Keith Delaplane (2007)

4) The Backyard Beekeeper, Revised and Updated: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden – Kim Flottum (2010)

5) Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping – Dewey Caron, Lawrence Connor (Revised 2013) 6) Storey’s Guide to Keeping Honey Bees -Richard E. Bonney, Malcolm T. Sanford (2018)

7) Beekeeping Tips and Techniques for the Southeast United States, Beekeeping Finance – David MacFawn (2017)

Periodicals:

American Bee Journal Bee Culture

Videos and Online:

Varroa Resource: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroa/ eXtension Bee Health: https://bee-health.extension.org

Honey Bees & Beekeeping - Keith Delaplane, University of Georgia Beginning with Bees - A. I. Root

Introduction to Beekeeping – Dadant

Finding Reliable Supplemental Information on the Internet:

There is no doubt that doing an internet search will result in volumes of information on bees, honey, and beekeeping. Many sites and videos offer various opinions that are influenced by region, climate, and custom. Others have an opinion that has a commercial motive.

Our Suggestions:

• Start with our very own state association web site: https://scstatebeekeepers.com/ • Follow us on Facebook: SC State Beekeepers Association

• Follow your local club on Facebook where you can ask questions, share photos, and get answers.

• If doing a search on the web: type in the word, phrase, or question in the search window followed by a space and the word “site” a colon and “edu.”.

For example: BEEKEEPING SITE:EDU This will return only sites from reliable educational institutions and research organizations, but keep in mind that the information may be regional.

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SOUTH CAROLINA MASTER BEEKEEPER PROGRAM

The Master Beekeeper Program (MBP) is a training and certification program administered and provided by the South Carolina Beekeepers Association (SCBA). The program recognizes the education and experience obtained by participating beekeepers, and certifies their expertise through a series of training, examinations, service credits, and a final research project (see the summary of requirements in Table 1). Program participants must join and maintain

membership with the SCBA. There is no age limit for entry into the program although the examinations may be too difficult for children under 12 years of age. All candidates must enter the program at the Certified Beekeeper Level and are not permitted to skip levels. Beginning level certifications obtained in other states may be considered by the MBP Committee for entry into the program. No reciprocal certifications will be issued based on achievement in other programs.

The SCBA Master Beekeeper Program offers four levels of training and certification: 1. Certified Beekeeper (beginner or entry level),

2. Journeyman Beekeeper (intermediate level), 3. Master Beekeeper (advanced level),

4. Master Craftsman Beekeeper (expert level).

The requirements to achieve each level of the SCBA Master Beekeeper Program are listed in detail in the SCBA MBP Manual located online at https://scstatebeekeepers.com/master-beekeeper-program-manual/. It is important that candidates read the requirements closely and make certain that all requirements are met including maintaining current membership with SCBA in order to advance in the program.

Please contact the SCBA Master Beekeeper Program directly via email at

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REQUIREMENTS for the CERTIFIED LEVEL BEEKEEPER

A. Must be a current member of the South Carolina Beekeepers Association. B. Must own or manage at least 1 colony of honey bees for a minimum of 1 year.

C. Must score a 70% or higher on the written examination (see MBP Manual APPENDIX F Examinations and Fees). The written test may include but is not limited to material covered in the Certified Level Study Guide, presentations during certified classes, and books/other

literature on the Certified Beekeeper Reading List (see page 5

D. Must score a “PASS” on the practical examination administered by an approved SCBA certified Journeyman, Master, or Master Craftsman Beekeeper who maintains a current SCBA membership in good standing. The practical examination may include but is not limited to being able to describe the physical parts of a beehive (common terms); light and properly use a smoker; recognize the various stages of brood, different castes of bees, and find or at least describe the queen; differentiate between brood, pollen, capped honey; recognize propolis and describe its functions; describe the layout of a brood nest (placement of honey, pollen, and brood), etc.

Summary of Requirements needed to achieve each level

in the South Carolina Master Beekeeping Program

Total Credits Earned: 30 8 16

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Working with Honeybees

Thinking Like a Bee

Temperature regulation – Bees visibly cluster at 57°F, brood must maintain 92-95°F, adult bees tolerate fluctuations in temps

● No lungs, breathe through tracheae/spiracles ● Instinct to hoard food, social insects

Five Senses:

Hearing

● Bees are basically deaf but can hear limited frequencies

● Use sense organs on knees and antennae to a lesser extent to hear ● “Feel” sounds

● Piping

o Multiple hatched queens fight

o One queen works wing muscle through body to feet to make piping noise o High pitch which attracts another queen and two queens fight

o Quacking: one queen in cell makes sound to attract other queen; sounds like quacking

● Sounds in the hive indicate conditions of the hive, such as queenlessness, preparing to swarm, disease, etc.

● Using the bee's sense of hearing to the beekeeper advantage

o Work gently, don't bump, slam or beat the hive

o Tapping on an empty hive to attract a swarm into the hive is called "drumming them in" o Banging: in today’s context one bangs two pieces of metal together to get swarm to land;

belief derived from the Roman trespass laws. When someone was following a swarm, the banging announced ownership of the swarm.

Sight/Vision

● Bees have 5 eyes:

o 3 ocelli located in the top center of the head, arranged in a triangle, used as light receptors to tell them when to leave hive in morning and return later

o 2 compound eyes one on each side of head. The drone’s eyes are larger and “touch”.

● Humans see form and shape; bees see brokenness and motion: Bees can’t see difference between square and triangle but can see the difference between X /+ and square/diamond

o Deck of playing cards is a good example for shapes

● Bees can see Blue, Blue green, Yellow, and Ultraviolet

o Red looks like a shade of gray

o More yellow flowers in Europe; more red flowers in the Americas

● Navigation: work off sun, use Ultraviolet light on cloudy days

o Bees in the middle hives of a row of same color hives make more mistakes unless have color/shapes to help out, will drift

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8 Touch

● Use antennae: e.g. - when want to be groomed, bee touches another bee with antennae; food passing

● Drone’s tongue is shorter than worker’s & do not have honey stomach; ask/get food from sister workers.

Taste

● Salt; bees don’t need salt; have a high threshold, do need minerals ● Sour: less sensitive than humans

● Bitter: less sensitive than humans - for humans a warning something is wrong. Humans live longer and have a more chance of building up metals, etc.; Humans sense with side of tongue

● Sweet: threshold of humans and bees similar; humans sense with tip of tongue; if you taste sugar syrup and it is sweet to you, it will be sweet to the bees.

Smell

● Most important bee sense; critical to interact with environment ● Smell with antennae

● Nectar/odor used by plant to attract pollinators ● Hive odor

● Pheromones (chemicals produced by animals having specific effects on same species) ● Queen has greater than 32 pheromones; called queen substance

● Pheromones produced by: queens, laying workers, workers, larvae, drones. ● Attractant (aggregation) pheromone

o Smells like lemon oil

o Produced from gland on top and near end of abdomen o Use while swarming to make path to new home

● Alarm pheromone

o Released by guard bees

▪ Sting intruder and mark sting site with this pheromone

o Smells like over ripe bananas

o If get stung, use smoker to dilute/mask

● Reduce number of stings by:

o Avoid looking like bear (dark clothes, fuzzy clothes, rough finish) o Hot spots (around elastic)

o Motion (move slow without quick jerky motions) o Take off jewelry, especially leather watch bands o Blinking eyes without a veil on

o Don’t bang things

o Don’t stay in colony any longer than necessary

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What Do Bees Like/Dislike?

We may never understand all about the honeybees but we can learn to respect many things about them.

They like to work; in fact, they work themselves to death.

They will try to protect their home when invaded, wouldn't you?

They don't like to be jarred, slammed and beat around, so when working with bees, be very gentle with them; don’t get in a hurry.

Bees don’t like smells of paint thinner and bananas. Mimics the alarm pheromone.

Working the Hive

The best time to work a colony is from 10:00AM to 2:00PM. This gives the foragers time to leave the hive (less congestion in the hive). Before opening a hive for any reason, always give them a little smoke in the entrance and also when you pry open the inner cover give a few gentle puffs of smoke.

If you are looking for the queen, smoke the bees sparingly, because the smoke alarms her and will cause her to run, she will sometimes run to the dark corners of the hive to hide. Always remove the old queen before introducing a new queen then allow the workers to release her after 3-4 days exposure to the colony.

When removing brood frames, always remove an outside frame first to avoid rolling the Queen and injuring her. This is very important because you could roll the queen. After removing the outside frame, move the frames over gently to give room to remove the other frames safely. Optionally, when the first frame is securely propolized to the outside wall, remove the second frame. Carefully, observe any frame over the brood box to be certain that the Queen is not present on the frame before setting aside.

Learn to discern the condition of the hive by reading the brood comb.

Look for a well-rounded pattern of brood. Learn what “normal” is for that time of year. Do they have any signs of disease, i.e. dead brood, chalk brood, scattered brood (empty cells), wax worms, etc.

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10 Are there excessive drone cells?

Are the bees crowded (especially in the spring)? Congestion often leads to swarming. Always replace the frames the same way you found them (order & orientation) unless you have a specific purpose for doing otherwise.

If the hive is honey bound (no room for the queen to lay), remove the outside frames that usually have no brood and replace with empty comb in the center. They should never have less than 15 pounds of honey.

You may want to replace some of the old comb that the cells have reduced in size as a result of many generations of cocoons in them. Rotate out old combs every 3-5 years. Dating frames is helpful.

Try to avoid windy and rainy weather to go into your hives, these conditions irritate them. Be sure the temperature is above 55 degrees before going into the hive. Bees begin to visibly cluster at 57 degrees. Some bees may fly outside the hive at 45 degrees if sunny and no wind.

Feeders

(Used to apply sugar syrup as food supplement or to medicate)

Top feeder has one or two compartments (about 2 gallons each) with access from the brood chamber up through the end or middle and is placed on top of the hive between the brood box and the top cover.

Boardman feeder is a small assembly that holds a Mason jar of sugar syrup and is placed on the landing board and protrudes inside the front of the hive. Usually not recommended since bees cannot get to the Boardman feeder in cold weather and it also invites robbing. These feeders may also be used for water.

Baggie feeder is a plastic zip lock bag containing sugar syrup, placed directly on top of the frames in the brood chamber or super. Only fill ¾ full. Cut several small slits 1 inch or more from edges for bees to feed. Helps insulate cluster in winter. NOT RECOMMENEDED due to high risk of bag failure and drowning bees in cold temperatures.

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Things Bees Collect

Honeybees collect more materials than just nectar and pollen; however, the materials that they collect can be generally divided into just four major categories; water, propolis, pollen and nectar. With the exception of water, all of the categories are of plant origin and this is one more example of the close relationship between honeybees and plants.

Propolis and Pollen

(see Minor Products of the Hive, page 50)

Water

Honeybees like all living animals require water, but some uses of this material may be a little surprising.

Uses of water in the hive:

● Water is used for cooling the hive in hot weather and maintaining a constant relative humidity (about 70%) in the hive.

● Feeding the brood by diluting the honey. ● Water is not stored.

Nectar

Nectar is the sweet (sugary) substance from the nectarines of flowering plants that attracts bees and other insects to the flowering plants and may result in the pollination of the plants.

● Foraging bees collect nectar and transfer it to house bees, who then store it in the hive. ● The nectar is converted into honey via a physical process (drying), and a chemical process

that introduces enzymes and some minerals into the honey.

● Nectar/honey serves as the primary carbohydrate source of food for the adult bee and the brood.

● Collection of nectar "substitutes" by honeybees; High Fructose Corn Syrup, sugar syrup.

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Sources of Nectar – Flowers

Parts of a typical flower

Flowers typically are composed of four parts, or whorls, arranged in concentric rings attached to the tip of the stem.

From innermost to outermost, these whorls are the (1) pistil, (2) stamens, (3) petals, and (4) sepals.

Pistil

The innermost whorl, located in the center of the flower, is the female reproductive

structure, or pistil. Often vase-shaped, the pistil consists of three parts: the stigma, the style, and the ovary.

Stamens

The next whorl consists of the male reproductive structures, several to many stamens arranged around the pistil. A stamen consists of a slender stalk called the filament, which supports the anther, a tiny compartment where pollen forms. The placement of pollen on the stigma is called pollination. Pollination initiates the process of fertilization.

Petals

Petals, the next whorl, surround the stamens and collectively are termed the corolla. Many petals have bright colors, which attract animals that carry out pollination, collectively termed pollinators.

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Sepals

The sepals, the outermost whorl, together are called the calyx. In the flower bud, the sepals tightly enclose and protect the petals, stamens, and pistil from rain or insects. The sepals unfurl as the flower opens and often resemble small green leaves at the flower’s base. In some flowers, the sepals are colorful and work with the petals to attract pollinators.

Pollination occurs in several ways. In most flowers pollinated by insects and other animals, the pollen escapes through pores in the anthers. As pollinators forage for food, the pollen sticks to their body and then rubs off on the flower's stigma, or on the stigma of the next flower they visit. In plants that rely on wind for pollination, the anthers burst open, releasing a cloud of yellow, powdery pollen that drifts to other flowers. In a few aquatic plants, pollen is released into the water, where it floats to other flowers.

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Selecting an Apiary Site

One of the most frequently asked question is "Where can I keep bees?" The answer is almost anywhere, from the rooftops of New York City to the desert areas of the southwest US. Some locations require additional care, such as providing shade and a constant water source in the desert areas, but a person can keep a few hives of bees almost anywhere. There are always exceptions, such as some municipalities that ban beekeeping.

Please consult your local county, city, or home owner’s association for your specific requirements. Following local regulations and maintaining a great relationship with your local authorities will greatly assist the cause of beekeeping in your area. YOU are an ambassador for the honey bees!

Regardless of where a person plans to keep bees, there are certain criteria that should be considered. These criteria will determine if beekeeping is possible in a location and also how many hives can be kept in any one location.

Food

Nectar and pollen sources: bees will forage 2-3 miles from the hive.

Water

Requirements for rural, suburban and urban areas can be quite different (drainage ditches, cow patties, bird baths). A good supply should be within 1/4 mile.

Special considerations: You may have human or animal neighbors near the bee yard. Bees will use swimming pool or farm supply ponds, etc. The source of water for your beehive should be closer than the neighbor’s pool, water feature, or birdbath; bees typically go to the closest water source. They seem to prefer dirty, mineral rich sources.

Sun/Shade exposure

Morning sun is recommended to get bees foraging early in the day. Full day sun is best for Small Hive Beetle control.

Face the hive entrance south or east if possible. It is more important that the hive be on the south or east side of the hill/forest/etc.

Wind and cold air layers

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Predators

Bears – consider installing electric fencing to protect your colonies in rural areas Skunks and other varmints – locating colonies 18” above the ground will minimize risk Man – beware that vandalism and/or theft has become more of a problem

Visibility of apiary to the public

Less visible makes it safer from vandalism, except in isolated areas. Within view of your home is best.

Accessibility

Easy to drive to at all times of the year. Ideally want to be able to pull up directly behind your hives so that you do not have to carry hives/equipment very far when moving hives in/out, removing supers of honey, etc.

Pesticides

When locating bees in rural farming areas try to locate bees where they will not be exposed to pesticides applied by farming neighbors. Communicate with your local farmers. They may appreciate the pollination your bees provide and may work with you to time applications so that you can work together to protect your bees. For direct nearby applications, removing bees is the best protection. If removal is not possible, closing hives and covering with wet sheets may reduce contamination.

How many hives in an apiary?

A minimum of two hives per location is highly recommended.

Why? Provides ability to transfer frames of eggs, honey, etc. between hives if one of your hives is weak.

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Equipment

Building Brood Boxes and Supers

Years ago, beekeepers used skeps, bee gums (hollow logs), and boxes with cross-sticks to support the comb. With this arrangement, you could not inspect the brood as you can with the Langstroth movable frames. Some people like to build their own equipment and some would rather buy their equipment. Either way, there will be some assembly work involved. First, if you want to make your own, look at the sketches of all the parts of a standard hive and remember that every part must be exactly to the proper dimensions in order to respect “bee space” of 3/8 inch. Spaces greater than 3/8 inch are typically filled with comb and space less than 3/8 inch may be filled with propolis. Though “removable” frames are NOT mandated by SC Law, they are highly recommended due to the ability to easily inspect the hive for diseases and pests. They are considered a pro-active means to prevent diseases and pests. SCBA MBP highly RECOMMENDS the use of removeable frames when keeping bees regardless of the style of equipment used.

1. Brood Box (for rearing brood) and Supers (for storing honey)

Apply wood cement (Elmer's water proof wood glue does fine) to the edges and attach both ends and sides together. Check to make sure the corners are square, then nail or screw together. Make sure that each piece is oriented correctly with the hand holds oriented correctly.

Next, paint the outside of the boxes, top and bottom edges with one coat primer and two coats latex paint. Do not paint the inside; the bees will coat the inside with propolis.

Painting the hive prolongs the life of the equipment and if you use different colors, the bees can identify their own hive. You can paint all of the hives white (or the same color) and use symbols on the front of the hive for the bees to identify their hive.

2. Excluder

An assembly with parallel wires wide enough for worker bees to pass through, but not wide enough for the queen to get through, thus excluding the queen from laying eggs in the supers.

3. Bottom Board

Paint the outside surfaces and edges of the bottom board and the landing board back past the entrance of the hive.

4. Inner Cover

The inner cover needs no paint 5. Telescoping Top

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Frames

1. Frame Assembly

Apply water proof wood glue to the end bar before attaching to the top bar.

After fitting the two end bars to the top bar, put two nails in each end bar down through the top bar.

Put a third nail in each end bar into the solid side of the top bar; this will prevent the end bar from coming loose in case the end bars and/or bottom bars get glued down with propolis. Apply glue to the ends of the bottom bar where it fits into the bottom of the

sidebars. Place two nails in each end of the bottom bar into the end bars. 2. Installing Foundation Comb

Remove the wedge strip from the underside of the top bar (the wedge is precut, but still attached to the top bar).

Trim the rough edges from the wedge and inside of the wedge seat in the top bar.

Drive two small finish nails (about 8 P) about ½" apart into a small board or the workbench to use for spreading the slot in the bottom bar.

Place the bottom bar of the frame over the two nails and turn the frame 180º to open the bottom bar enough to insert the foundation comb.

Place the foundation comb into the frame a) with the crimped wire up and the ends of the wire pointing away from the frame and b) the bottom of the foundation comb inside the slot of the bottom bar. Note: Disregard a) above if using foundation without wire.

While holding the foundation in place, insert the wedge and place three nails at a 45º angle into the top bar, or use a staple gun to attach the wedge in place.

3. Installing Frames in Hive

When using foundation comb in a ten-frame hive, install ten frames and when the comb is drawn out completely, remove one frame; leaving nine frames. Space evenly in super.

This gives more room to work the hive and prevent "rolling" the queen/bees when removing a frame. Some beekeepers run ten frames in their brood box and 9 frames in the honey super.

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Smoker

The smoker is one of the beekeeper's most valuable and useful tools when working with bees. The smoke has a soothing effect on the bees that helps keep them calm while working them. Types of fuel are very important while working with bees. You want a fuel that will produce a cool smoke and that is non-toxic. You also want a fuel that will stay burning and ready for use when you need it.

Smoker Selection

1. Select a smoker that is suitable for your needs.

2. There is a small smoker called the "Hobbyist" for beekeepers with one or two hives which is 8¾" high and 3½" in diameter with a wire guard that prevents touching the hot chamber. 3. The one most suitable for beekeepers with three to ten hives is the medium size that is 9½”

high and 4" in diameter with a wire guard.

4. For beekeepers with ten hives or more, the larger smoker, which is 11" high and 4" in diameter, may be better suited; this smoker also has the wire guard that prevents touching the hot chamber.

Smoker Fuel

1. Smoker fuel that is noted for providing a cool smoke and staying lit longer 2. Pine needles give a good smoke and stay lit very well.

3. Burlap (from old feed sacks) makes a good smoke and stays lit well. 4. Untreated pine/cedar shavings (used for horse/cattle stalls)

Lighting the Smoker

1. After selecting the smoker and fuel you may desire something for a starter, like the paper that comes off of foundation comb.

2. Light the starter (foundation comb paper or cotton yarn). If the wind is blowing, hold your match and the starter down in the top of the smoker to get it lit.

3. Add a little cedar chips, burlap, or pine needles and give the smoker several puffs to get the fuel going well. Key is to get the fire good and HOT before packing with plenty of fuel. 4. Now give your smoker several good puffs again and leave for five minutes: if your smoker is

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Installing a package of bees

1. Have the hive ready for the bees – fully assembled 2. Locate the hive in its permanent location

3. The best time to get them is in the early spring

4. The best time of the day to install the package is in the late afternoon 5. Remove 3-4 center frames from the hive

6. Spray the package of bees lightly with sugar water before opening to wet the bee’s wings to prevent flying.

7. Remove the syrup can from the package. Replace removable cover to prevent bees from exiting.

8. Remove the queen (in the shipping cage). Replace removable cover to prevent bees from exiting.

9. Remove the cork from the candy end of the shipping cage and place the queen into the hive by pressing the cage into the side of a frame of comb with the screen wire outward and the candy end upward to prevent dead attendants from stopping up the exit.

10. Turn the package upside down and gently shake the bees into the hive over the queen cage. 11. Check back in 3-5 days to see if the queen has been released, if not release her if it appears

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Starting a Beehive

Once the decision is reached to become a beekeeper, you must decide the best way of starting a beehive. You need to decide if you are going produce comb honey (no extractor investment) or liquid extracted honey before ordering equipment.

There are a number of ways to obtain bees: swarms, established hive, package, or a nucleus hive (nuc).

Types Pro Con Cost

Swarm Queen with multi-aged workers; ½ of normal colony; free bees; ready to build comb

Must “catch” older queen Time and effort only

Established hive Already working colony; will make honey first year; less labor

Possible disease or pests; deteriorated wooden ware, non-standard equipment

Depends on size of hive; may cost >$250

Nucleus Colony (5 frames of working colony)

Drawn comb; may make honey 1st year; less labor

May have old combs $125 - $165

Package (3-4 lbs. bees with mated queen)

Lower cost than nuc Possible absconding; no drawn comb; bees and queen not from same hive

$90 - $125

You must decide which of the above methods of obtaining bees will work for you.

Preliminary Steps

1. Contact your local beekeeping association, take a course, and find a mentor. Join a beekeeper association and the SCBA.

2. Secure commercial information, including periodicals, DVDs, Internet.

3. Secure a location for a bee yard - well drained, near road, water, morning or full day sun. 4. Set goals: Commit to 8 hours (middle of the day) per hive per year.

Secure equipment to work with hive

● Smoker ● Hive tool

● Bee veil, hat and suit ● Gloves

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Hives — New or Used?

New Used

Hive body, frames, wax or plastic foundation, feeder (entrance, hive top, and bucket), Queen Excluder, two (2) shallow or medium supers with frames and foundation.

You may buy a disease-free colony in spring from another beekeeper instead of purchasing all new equipment.

Optional: Frame spacers and frame rests, frame perch, etc.

Ads in SC Market Bulletin, Craig’s List, local bee association, etc.

WARNING: Used equipment may be contaminated with disease. Know your source! Miscellaneous:

● miticides, etc. ● sugar for syrup ● pollen substitute

● a new queen every two years - about $35.00 per hive.

Other equipment:

Frame rack and/or a workbench near the hive- small box or stool about the same height of the top of the first brood box to place supers and hives boxes on while working a hive.

● Swarm net or bucket to capture swarms ● Honey-related equipment:

● Extractor ● Uncapping tank

● Hot knife and/or Capping Scratcher ● Five-gallon pail with gate valve ● Queen excluders-helpful in locating a queen.

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Equipment Needed for Keeping 2 Beehives

Equipment #

Deep Hive Body 9 5/8” 2

Medium 6 5/8” or shallow supers 5 5/8” 6

Screened bottom board 2

Inner cover 2

Telescoping top 2

Frames (Wedge top, grooved bottom)

Deep 9 1/8” 20

Medium 6 5/8” or shallow 5 5/8” 60

Foundation (wired)

Deep 9 1/8 20

Medium 6 5/8” or shallow 5 5/8” 60

Jacket with hood (hat/veil combo) 1 for each person working with the bees Gloves for working with the bees 1 pair for each person

Hive tool 1

Smoker 1

Brush (turkey feather) 1

Frame holder 1 (optional)

Frame grabber 1 (optional)

Wire (optional to reinforce wax frames)

Nails (optional – used with wire to reinforce frames)

Cinder blocks 2/hive

Queen excluder 2 (optional)

Small Hive Beetle traps 2-4 (optional)

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Introduction to the Honeybee

History of Bees and Beekeeping

● Apis mellifera – scientific notation ● early as 6000 BC men were robbing bees

● before 1600BC – 1500 BC Egyptians using pots for hives ● 1609 -- Charles Butler- identified the Queen as female

● Dec, 5, 1621 -- Virginia Co in London sent honeybees to the New World; Indians called them "White Man’s Flies"

● 1682 – Wheeler, trip to Greece, straw basket hives

● 1851 -- Lorenzo Langstroth used the 3/8” bee space to design hives with movable frames. ● 1857 - Johannes Mehring invented wax foundation

● 1851-1900 “Golden Age of Beekeeping” -- most advances in beekeeping occurred ● 1870 -- Moses Quinby invented a practical Bellows Smoker

● Charlie Mraz -- father of American apitherapy, venom treatment especially for arthritis. ● Benton –invented the Benton queen cage

Classification of Honeybees

Phylum: Arthropoda- external skeleton, multi jointed legs Class: Insecta- adults have 6 legs

Order: Hymenoptera-3 body regions: head, thorax & abdomen, 4 wings-bees, wasps, ants, etc. Family: Apidae- honeybees, bumblebees, etc.

Genus: Apis Species: mellifera

other Apis species are Apis cerana, Apis dorsata, and Apis florae

Races (subspecies)

Apis mellifera mellifera (German)

● Black, mean, located especially near the coast, swarms, susceptible to brood diseases, defensive, short tongue, brought in by settlers, for 200 yrs. only one in US

Apis mellifera carnica (Carniolan)

● Yugoslavian, dark, gentle, resistant to trachea mite, early Spring buildup, decrease brood in dearth, not good comb builders, can have excess swarming, Buckfast

Apis mellifera caucasica (Caucasian)

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Apis mellifera ligustic (Italian- one of the most gentle races)

● Yellow or leather color, late 1840’s, less defensive, strong brood rearing, good housekeepers, good honey, lots of brood in winter, consumes large amounts of honey, bad for robbing, Cordovan type very light in color

Apis mellifera scutella (African- slightly smaller than the European bee)

● Excess swarming, very defensive, less honey, arrived in South TX in 1990s

Varieties- some crosses: Buckfast, Midnight, Starline, Minnesota Hygienic, SMR (Suppression of Mite Reproduction), “Smart” strains, etc.

Main criteria for choosing races of Honeybees are Gentleness, disease/pest/parasite resistance, and honey production. Other considerations: Spring buildup, over-wintering ability, swarming tendencies

Comparison of bees and their traits

Italian German Carniolan Buckfast Caucasian Russian

Color Light Dark Black Medium Dark Gray

Disease resistance Varroa Tracheal AFB* EFB** other - - 0 0 0 - - - 0 0 - - + 0 + - + 0 0 + - 0 0 0 - + + 0 0 0

Gentleness Mod Low High Low-mod High Low-mod

Spring buildup Good Low Very good Low Very low Ok

Over-wintering ability

Good Very good Good Good Ok Very good

Excess swarming Ok Ok High Low Low Ok

Honey processing Very good

Ok Good Good Low Ok

Propolis Low Ok Low Low High Ok

Other traits Heavy

robbing Short tongue, nice white cappings Low robbing, good comb builders Supersedure queens produce defensive colonies

Long tongue Brood rearing affected by flow, queen cells always

present *AFB = American foulbrood **EFB = European foulbrood

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Honeybee Family

Workers

Most of the bees in a colony are females, originating from fertilized eggs but not sexually developed. These bees (workers) do all the work of the hive. They have a defense mechanism (stinger). When the barbed stinger is used on humans or animals, it cannot be extracted and pulls part of her internal abdominal organs out. She dies. The average lifespan of an adult worker bee in the summer is six weeks, maybe 6 months in winter.

Duties of a Worker Bee

● Chews wax cap open on her birth cell, dries out and learns to walk ● Days 1-3: Cleans cells

● Days 2-6: feeds 3 day and older bees and larvae

● Days 3-12: can make royal jelly for 0-3 day old worker and queen larvae ● Makes wax, builds comb, caps cells

● House worker receives nectar from field worker and transfers it to hive cells ● Removes moisture from and ripens cells; 80% water in nectar, reduced to 18.6% =

honey.

● Puts nectar in cells as a house worker while adding enzymes

● Field worker deposits pollen in cell and house worker packs in the pollen ● Fans wings to cool the hive and removes excess moisture

● Guards hive from intruders ● Days 21 until death: FIELD BEE ● Collects nectar

● Collects pollen ● Collects water

● Collects propolis (sweet gum, poplar, oak) - bee glue

Drones

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Queen

Only one to a hive (ordinarily). She is the mother of all bees in the hive. The queen has a longer abdomen than the workers and drones. Within a week of emerging from her cell, she mates in the air with 10-16 drones and stores the sperm in a special structure called a spermatheca. She has a short curved, smooth stinger (no barbs like a worker) that she uses to sting other queens. The queen determines the sex of the egg as she lays it. She can lay up to 2000 eggs per day. The average productive life of a queen is about two years; however, some have been known to live up to five years.

Life Cycle Development of the Honeybee

Stage Queen Worker Drone

Egg 3 days 3 days 3 days

Larvae 5 days

6 days 7 days

Capped pupae 8 days 12 days 14 days

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Parts of a Bee

Head

5 eyes: 2 compound, 3 simple (ocelli) Tongue (proboscis); Mandibles (mouth parts); Glossa Antennae (hears, smells, feels, tastes) Hypopharyngeal gland (makes royal jelly) Salivary

gland; Branched Setae Brain

Thorax

Six legs, multi-jointed & specialized – front pair: antennae cleaner, rear pair: pollen basket

Dorsal aorta (heart) Four wings (hooked together in pairs for flight)

Ganglia (nerve Cells) Salivary glands

Trachea & three pair spiracles (breathing apparatus), open respiratory system Branched Setae

Abdomen

Heart: top and length of abdomen Honey stomach/crop (storage)

True stomach (separate for digestion) Digestive system/Intestines/Hindgut

Poison gland and Venom sac Stinger

Trachea & 6 pair spiracles (breathing) 8 wax glands

Scent gland Reproductive Organs

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Diseases

Various diseases and pests affect honeybees. In the successful management of bees, these diseases and pests must be controlled. The beekeeper must be able to correctly identify the problem and apply the appropriate treatment.

Overview: Brood Diseases

● Bacterial pathogens

o AFB (American Foulbrood) o EFB (European Foulbrood) ● Fungal pathogens

o Chalkbrood

o Parasitic Mite Syndrome (PMS) o Nosema

● Viral pathogens o Sacbrood

o Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) ● Bee PMS (Paralytic Mite Syndrome)

American Foulbrood (AFB)

Motivation behind State Bee Inspection programs of the early 20th century; emits a foul, sulfurous odor, hence the name.

Organism: Paenibacilluslarvae (spore forming bacteria)

Identification:

AFB infects the brood in the larvae stage,

but is most noted in sealed brood. Capped cells are concave

Occur any time of year

● Pin holes in the cappings, sunken caps, dark larvae instead of white in late larval stage/early pupal stage

● Foul odor

● Open cells scattered

● Ropiness or toothpick test: Insert toothpick into the cell and pullout slowly 1” to see if the dead pupae is stringy, ropy, and elastic

● The dried brood leaves black scales and sometimes an extended tongue Spread:

● Robber bees can carry the disease into their own healthy hive

● Honey and pollen from an infected hive is OK for human consumption, but cannot be fed back to the bees because of bacterial spore contamination to other hives

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29 Treatment:

● Seal off a contaminated hive and remove from the yard; burn or bury.

● Treatment of healthy hives with Terramycin has been used in the past for prevention, however Terramycin can no longer be purchased without a veterinary prescription. Treatment is NOT a cure.

European foulbrood (EFB)

Organism: Melissococcus plutonius

(

non-spore forming bacterium)

Identification:

● Usually occurs in spring, rarely kills colony

● Larvae are twisted and die in the larvae stage (unsealed brood) ● Does not have the ropiness of dead brood that is characteristic of AFB Spread:

● Transmitted by nurse bees. Treatment:

● A good honey flow will cause EFB to disappear ● Terramycin can be applied as a preventive measure

● Introducing a potentially more prolific queen is advocated as a treatment, but more importantly, the break in the brood cycle provides nurse bees with the opportunity to remove affected larvae and polish the cells.

● Isolating the queen with a four-inch push-in cage for one week would also break the brood cycle.

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Chalk brood

Organism:

Ascosphaera apis (Fungus)

Brood dies in larval stage. Caused by damp environment. Identification:

The mummified brood looks like white chalk, found in brood cells and at hive entrance. Treatment:

No chemotherapeutic agent is

available for the control of Chalkbrood. Recommend re-queening.

Eliminate damp areas.

Sac brood

Organism: Morator aetatulas (Virus) Identification:

● Larvae die and develop hard exterior, can be removed in one piece

● Partially uncapped cells scattered among the capped brood ● Capped cells remaining after surrounding brood has emerged

● Partially capped or uncapped cells with characteristic darkened heads

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Not considered a serious threat. Rare. Treatment:

The adult bees usually remove the infected brood. May need to requeen.

Nosema

Organism: Nosema apis; Nosema ceranae (fungus – microsporidian) Identification:

● Distended abdomens and the absence of stinging reflex

● Bees crawling around in the hive and in the grass in front of the hive (unable to fly) have been found to be infected by Nosema in some cases and afflicted by other disorders in other cases. ● Heavy concentrations of bee

feces on hive front, top bars, inner walls

● Disjointed wings; K-wing ● A honey bee ventriculus (gut) is

normally straw brown and the individual circular constrictions are clearly seen. When the ventriculus is white, soft in consistency, and

swollen, obscuring the constrictions, Nosema can be definitely suspected and most likely are heavily infected and beyond help.

Spread:

● Spores must be swallowed by a honeybee for the infection to be initiated. ● Disease peaks in the early spring as adult populations dwindle.

Treatment:

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Pests

Tracheal Mites

Organism: Acarapis woodi (afflicts only the adult honeybees)

The life cycle of a tracheal mite is almost entirely in the tracheal tubes of a honeybee. The mated female enters the tracheae of a young adult bee, lays eggs, which produce young male and female tracheal mites. These mate and the female mites leave the tracheal of the now older bee and attaches itself to a young adult bee and the cycle repeats itself.

Effect on bee and colony: ● Sucks blood from bee

● Decrease in the population of the hive Detection:

● Disjointed wings - "K" wings

● Distended abdomen

● Unable to fly, bees crawling on grass in front of hive falling down Treatment:

● Menthol Oil Extract (Mite-A-Thol) fumigation. Follow manufacture instructions. ● Formic Acid Gel Packs (MAQS) – effective for both tracheal and varroa mites. Follow

manufacturer instructions.

● Essential Oil Treatments (Api-Life VAR and Apiguard) – effective for both tracheal and varroa mites. Follow manufacturer instructions.

● Grease patties are recommended to control Tracheal mites. Make patties about 3½” in diameter and ½” thick by mixing two parts sugar to one part solid shortening. Option: add honey, essential oils (peppermint, wintergreen), Honey-B-Healthy. Place on the top of the brood frames over the brood nest. These grease patties can be left on the hive year-round except in the hottest part of the summer.

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Varroa Mites

Organism: Varroa destructor (external parasite)

● Originated in Asia, prior to 1970 transported to Europe, Africa and to South, Central and North America. In 1987 discovered in Wisconsin. 1990 found in Saluda County, SC.

Life cycle:

● The adult mated female mite leaves the adult honeybee and crawls into a brood cell when the bee larvae is 5½ days old, preferably a drone cell, where she feeds on the larvae by sucking (not chewing) the hemolymph (or blood). She lays eggs sixty hours after cell capping and 7 to 8 days later, one to six additional adult Varroa mites continue to feed on the pupae and mate in the cell. Adult females leave the cell with the emerging bee. They transfer through close contact between bees and from colony to colony by drifting worker bees and drones.

Effect on bee and colony:

● One or two mites will cause a decrease in vitality of the emerging bee.

● Higher numbers of Varroa per cell result in malformations like deformed legs, misshapen wings, and shortened abdomens or even in the death of the pupae. Detection:

1. Watch for bees crawling in the hive, on the landing board and in front of the hive with some of the malformations listed above.

2. Alcohol Wash: Collect approximately 300 bees from 1-2 brood nest frames (avoiding the queen) – equivalent to about ½ cup of bees into a jar. Add enough (rubbing)

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3. Powdered Sugar roll: collect about 300 bees as above, add 2 tablespoons powdered sugar. Shake/roll until bees are coated. Let sit for 3-5 minutes. Shake sugar with mites out of jar through screen lid onto white surface. Spray with water to dissolve sugar. Count mites. Release bees.

4. Ether Roll: Collect 300 bees from the brood nest in a quart jar with a lid (be sure you don't have the queen in the jar); Add ether (starting fluid). Shaking the bees for about one minute will dislodge about 90% of the mites. Count the mites.

5. Sticky board: (use Vaseline rather than Pam) underneath a screen on the bottom of the hive for 3 days. Count varroa.

6. Open some of the drone brood cells, remove, and examine for Varroa mites.

7. Testing eliminates unnecessary treatments saving money and preventing resistance.

Treatment Options:

● Synthetic Chemicals: Apivar (Amitraz), Apistan (Tau-fluvalinate), CheckMite+ (Coumaphos)

● Essential Oils: Apiguard (thymol), ApiLife Var (thymol, camphor, menthol, eucalyptol oil)

● Acids: Mite-Away Quick Strips MAQS (formic acid), Formic Pro (formic acid), Oxalic Acid, HopGuardII (potassium salt of hops beta acids)

● Integrated Pest Management (IPM) system: Screened bottom boards. Drone cell foundation to capture mites, then remove frame and freeze. Drone brood removal. Brood cycle interruption.

● Suppression Mite Reproduction (SMR) queen or Russian queen: Re-queen for resistance.

● If not treated, the varroa would eventually kill its host and only the varroa resistant bees would be left. However, you may lose 90% of your bees before the problem would be solved. Some beekeepers choose not to treat and let the bees develop their own resistance.

Excellent Resource:

Honey Bee Health Coalition: Tools for Varroa Management

Treatment Cautions:

Always, always, ALWAYS follow label instructions for any treatment!

Use protective equipment as specified by manufacturer.

(goggles, gloves, respirator, clothing, etc)

Remove honey supers as specified by manufacturer.

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Small Hive Beetle

Organism:Athenia tumida

● They came from South Africa. They were first collected in Charleston, SC in 1996. They arrived in Oconee County about 2000-2001.

Life Cycle:

● Eggs are laid in comb. Larvae consume pollen & comb and destroy wax, then crawl into ground and pupate completing their life cycle in 30-35 days.

Effects on Bee Colonies:

● Beetles co-habit with bees and destroy comb.

● Fermenting honey may force bees to leave the colony when it gets bad. ● Beetles over winter in the cluster to stay warm; only adult beetles over winter. Detection:

● Can see with naked eye, especially when first opening the top cover. Look for them quickly before they run to a dark crevice; check the corners of bottom board and along crevices next to top end bars. Bounce top super on overturned top and SHB adults dislodge from frames and can be observed running for hiding place. Mash with hive tool.

Treatment:

● Use CheckMite+. Follow manufacturer’s instructions.

● Ground treatment with GuardStar (40% pyrethrum) in June or July to break the life cycle by killing the pupae.

● Predatory nematodes

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Wax Moths

Organism: Galleria mellonella

● Moth larvae destroy dark comb and equipment Life Cycle:

● Moth flies into equipment in evening and lays eggs. ● Larvae eat the comb, pollen, honey.

● Completes life cycle by building cocoon, burrowing into wood equipment. Effects on Bee Colonies:

● A strong hive of bees will clean out the moth eggs and larvae and keep wax moths from multiplying. A weak hive may be overtaken by wax moths. Their webbing, and cocoons may be tunneled in the wax or wood structures. Wax moths are especially a problem for stored equipment.

Detection:

● Obvious upon inspection. Wax moth larvae are larger than honeybee larvae. Treatment:

● Wax moths are a secondary problem for honey bee hives, as strong hives will not tolerate their presence and will remove them. Manage bees such that they remain strong. Since wax moths like dark, non-ventilated areas, store empty supers in light, ventilated areas. Empty supers can be run through a freezer for 48 hours to kill eggs, and then stored by stacking. Para-dichlorobenzene (PDB crystals or Para-moth) may be used in the top super of stacked boxes. Be sure to air out for 24 hours before placing supers back on the hive.

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Seasonal Management: Beekeeper’s Yearly Management Calendar

As compiled by Susan Marie Jones, SCBA MBP Director (2018)

This calendar was specifically written for beekeepers in the Piedmont area of South Carolina. It is based on several sources:

Dr. Wm. Michael Hood, Clemson University Extension Apiculturist (retired); Dr. Brian Roberts, DVM and past President of the SC Piedmont Beekeepers Association;

and Mr. Paul Brown, a past “Beekeeper of the Year” for both North and South Carolina - an avid honey producer. His production goal was to average 200 pounds of honey per hive.

The goal of this calendar is to provide a timeline of honey bee activity and corresponding activity for the beekeeper in order to best maintain a healthy colony in the Upstate of South Carolina.

The description of all medications and treatments are general.

Applications of all medications and treatments must be done as instructed on the label of the package purchased.

~ The Successful Beekeeper’s Year actually begins in AUGUST ~

Disclaimer: Due to actual weather patterns and SC locations outside of the Upstate, this calendar may need to be adjusted +/- 2 to 3 weeks!

AUGUST

The Bees – The colony’s growth is diminishing. On hot and humid days and nights, you may see a huge

curtain of bees cooling themselves on the exterior of the hive. Mid-August through Mid-September

● Harvest any remaining summer honey. Replace wet supers on hives for bees to clean up, then remove and store. Protect from wax moths until first hard frost with paradichlorobenzene crystals (ParaMoth) on a paper plate or piece of newspaper between each 5 supers. Remember fumes from the crystals move down as they evaporate. DO NOT USE COMMERCIAL MOTH BALLS! They are a different formula and are not approved for beekeeping use.

● Survey colony for varroa mites and treat if mite level is over threshold. ● Maintain SHB traps and replace as necessary.

● Survey colony honey stores. Leave a minimum of one full super of honey for bees to overwinter. ● Begin feeding 1:1 sugar syrup to colonies with less than one full super of honey.

● Place entrance reducers on colonies you are feeding to prevent robbing. ● Re-queen colonies as necessary.

SEPTEMBER

The Bees – The colony’s growth is still diminishing. Drones are still around, but outside activity begins to

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38 Mid-September

● Inspect colonies and consider combining weak colonies using the newspaper method: Place a layer of newspaper between the two weak brood chambers. Be sure to make several slits in the paper and remove the older/weaker of the two queens. Newspaper may not be needed if a weak nectar flow is occurring.

● Begin feeding weaker colonies. May increase sugar syrup to 2:1 as deemed necessary. ● Repeat survey of colony for varroa mites and treat if mite level is over threshold.

● Install Grease patties to control Tracheal Mites as needed. Mix two parts cane sugar to one part shortening to control Tracheal Mites. Place one patty per brood box. May leave on year-round.

OCTOBER

The Bees – The drones may begin to disappear this month. The hive population is dropping. The queen’s

egg laying is dramatically reduced. October 1st_{through 31}st

● Take off and store any empty supers.

● Place entrance reducers on colonies toward end of month to prevent mice from entering to spend the winter, especially any marginal strength colonies.

● Medicate with Fumidil-B for Nosema control, if necessary. Follow label directions.

NOVEMBER

The Bees – Not much activity from the bees. They are settling down for the winter. Many days you will

still see bees flying gathering nectar from fall blooming flowers. November 1st_{through 30}th

● Feed bees if necessary: 2:1 sugar water and/or small pollen substitute patty placed directly above the brood nest.

● Ventilate hives providing 1/8-inch crack at front of inner cover to prevent condensation and mold. ● Replace or repair equipment. Assemble new equipment.

● Sell honey! Capitalize on the onset of the cold/flu and holiday season.

DECEMBER

The Bees – Even less activity this month. The cold weather will send the bees into a cluster. On a warm

day (about 45-50 degrees) workers will take the opportunity to make cleansing flights and may also work winter blooming plants unaffected by a hard freeze.

December 1st_{through 31}st

● Order and begin assembling new equipment for the next season.

● Order package bees for as early delivery as possible (end of March /early April).

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● Review and evaluate how well your colonies performed this year and make decisions on how to improve your operation for the next season particularly in regards to disease management and pest control.

JANUARY

The Bees – The queen is surrounded by thousands of her workers. She is in the midst of their winter

cluster. There is little activity except on a warm day (about 45-50 degrees) when the workers will take the opportunity to make cleansing flights. Following the winter solstice, the queen will gradually begin to increase brood laying. There are no drones in the hive, but some worker brood will begin to appear in the hive. The bees will consume about 15-25 pounds of stored honey this month.

January 1st_{-January 15}th

● Build equipment to meet coming year’s plans. It’s too late when swarms are hanging in the tree or your last super is full and the bees are hanging outside the hive.

January 15th_{to February 1}st

● Monitor honey and pollen stores. Check when temperatures are >60 degrees. Feed 1:1 sugar syrup when less than ½ super of honey. Feed pollen substitute as needed – vital for brood production.

● Check for queen status. If absent, consider combining with another colony. ● Survey colony for varroa mites and treat if mite level is over threshold. ● Use Grease Patties for Tracheal mite treatment.

FEBRUARY

The Bees – This is the month when colonies can die of starvation. However, if you left sufficient winter

stores or fed them plenty of sugar syrup in the autumn this should not happen. With the days growing longer, the queen steadily increases her rate of egg laying. More brood means higher demand for food. The drones begin to appear. The bees will consume honey stores at a much higher rate. Don’t let them starve!

February 1st_{until sufficient nectar is available}

● Continue to monitor honey stores and feed sugar syrup if less than ½ super of honey. ● Treat for Nosema and/or Varroa. Be sure to remove ALL medications from the hive per

medication instructions prior to installing honey supers.

● Begin watching for the early blooming plants in your area (Red Maple). ● Ensure that your honey supers are ready to place on the hives.

MARCH

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40 March (Temperatures above 60 degrees)

● Inspect queen/brood status. If weak, mark colony for re-queening when new queens are available.

● If running two brood boxes, consider reversing boxes to maintain space for queen to lay. Be careful NOT to separate brood or separate brood from honey stores in the event of a sudden temperature drop.

● Remember to remove all medications from colony according to product label directions and 3-4 weeks before adding honey supers.

● Remove feeders from overwintered colonies.

● Last week of the month, begin adding honey supers. Remember to air out for 1-2 days if wax moth preventative (ParaMoth) was used.

● Systematically replace 2-3 old drawn brood comb with frames of new foundation. ● Toward end of month, consider placing swarm traps or bait hives to catch new swarms.

Each bait hive should have one vial of pheromone bee attractant and should be ideally positioned eight to nine feet above ground level.

APRIL

The Bees – This month the colony reaches peak productivity. The nectar and pollen should begin to come

into the hive thick and fast. The queen will be reaching her greatest rate of egg laying. The hive should be bursting with activity.

April 1st _{through 30th}

● Install package bees feeding them sugar water.

● Replace weak queens as they become available. Check for viability of queen and brood pattern. Requeening fixes many problems.

● Check colonies and install additional supers on all hives as needed. Continue weekly checks until end of nectar flow. This is the time for most of the State’s honey flow; little earlier on the coast and a little later in the mountains. Make sure the hives have enough supers and honey storage space. Top supering is usually recommended.

● Place beetle traps in colonies if small hive beetles are observed.

● Time to make splits if desired. Remember splitting reduces honey production. Good splits require a good nectar flow and the availability of drones.

● Keep an eye on the activity of the hive. Sudden changes may indicate a problem. Large amounts of dead or dying bees in front of hive points to a pesticide kill. This can occur in less than a day. A gradual buildup of dead bees, over a week or more, would be more like a heavy varroa load. You may also see deformed bees being dragged from the hive. Foul brood will manifest itself as a gradual reduction of bees with the characteristic ropey cell material and a strong unpleasant odor.

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MAY

The Bees – Unswarmed colonies will be boiling with bees. The main honey flow should happen this

month.

May 1st_{through 31}st

● Continue to monitor need for more honey supers, but add additional space conservatively toward the end of the month to make sure honey gets capped properly. Alternatively, in Midstate or Coast, remove empty supers and force the bees to store surplus honey in the partially filled supers.

● Watch for swarms and capture if possible.

JUNE

The Bees – Colonies will be overflowing with bees. The queen’s rate of egg laying may drop a bit as you

move into June. June 1st_{through 30}th

● Harvest spring honey if honey is minimum 90% capped

● Replace wet supers on hives of the bees to clean up and for a possible summer crop. ● Store any dry un-used supers and protect from wax moth damage (see October). ● Inspect colony for beetle activity. Install traps and/or treat soil as needed. ● Consider moving colonies to mountains for sourwood honey (around June 15th_).

● Midstate and Coast: Monitor mite level and treat as needed.

JULY

The Bees – If the weather is good, some nectar may continue this month. On hot and humid nights, you

may see a huge curtain of bees cooling themselves on the exterior of the hive. July 1st_{through 31}st

● Remove dry supers and store protected from moths.

● Inspect colonies for queen status and order queens for August replacement, if necessary. ● Survey colony for varroa mites and treat if mite level is over threshold.

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42 Pollen Substitute:

● Suggest one and a half pounds per hive.

● Mixture: Three parts soybean meal, one part dried brewer's yeast and one part powdered milk.

● You might find it is less expensive to buy the ready mix.

● CAUTION: When feeding pollen substitute, only feed what bees will consume in a week or so, otherwise, SHB may lay/hatch eggs in the patties and create a mess!

PREFERRED METHOD: Feed dry pollen substitute outside of the hive.

Sugar Syrup can be made in three different formulas, each has its own special purpose and is used at a specific time of the year.

● 1:2 This formula is very light syrup, it is made using one part of sugar to two parts of water. For example, 1 cup sugar to 2 cups of water. It is used in extremely hot weather.

● 1:1 This formula is a medium weight syrup, it is made using one part of sugar to one part of water. For example, 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water. It is used as an artificial nectar to feed brood larvae in spring and summer or to get the bees to draw comb. ● 2:1 This formula is very heavy syrup, it is made using two parts of sugar to one part

of water. For example, 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of water. It is used in fall or early winter as a honey substitute to feed your bees.

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Swarm Control

1. SWARMS from Buildings

Bees can also be removed from buildings by "funneling them out" ... First, seal off all entrances and exits but one. Then make a funnel out of screen wire and attach over the entrance with the funnel pointed upward, so a dead bee will not fall into the exit and block it. Place an empty hive with one frame of brood with fresh eggs in the hive, or better still, place a queen on a frame with emerging brood near the entrance with the screen. When the bees come out to forage, they can't get back into their hive, so they turn aside and take residence in the hive with the queen and frame of brood, which becomes their new home. This takes about a month to six weeks to remove the bees.

Seal up the entrance when you remove the screen. The old queen and a few workers that are left in the building will die out.

2. Detecting Swarm Preparations by The Bee Colony

● The bees as a result of overcrowding, diluted pheromones of the queen or failing queen initiate Queen Cells.

o Queen pheromones are diluted by congestion in the hive as a population grows and the queen's inhibiting influence declines. o The queen's pheromones may become weak as she ages.

o Spotty patterns of brood may be an indication of a failing queen. ● Destroying Queen Cells as a Method of Reducing Swarming

o Start checking about the 1st of March if the weather is warm enough (60°) and continue checking every 10 days for four times.

● The attendants reduce the queen’s diet to slim her down in preparation for flying when they swarm, which also reduces her egg laying ability. Careful inspection of the brood comb should be evident of this "slow down" which results in a reduction of fresh eggs.

3. Clipping the Mated Queen's Wings So that She Cannot Fly as a Method of Reducing Swarming (not recommended)

MASTER BEEKEEPER PROGRAM Master Beekeeper Program