When considering going up to the hive, think about the gear you will need: Veil/Helmet even if you are going for a peek, take and use this.

Transcription

1 Hive Manipulation or Hive Inspection Plan Ahead: maybe even a dress rehearsals. When considering going up to the hive, think about the gear you will need: Veil/Helmet even if you are going for a peek, take and use this. Smoker you may not need it, but if you don t have a smoker you can t use it if the need arises. Practices making a fire in the smoker and using this device to create cool smoke. Consider Velcro straps or rubber bands to put near the hems of your pants this will prevent you re having a bee or two up your pants. Bee brush for gently sweeping errant bees away. Hive tool for prying the hive open. Note: Do not use your tools on other beekeeper s hives. This can spread diseases. Have a Plan: Suit up, get all your gear and tools organized, bring everything you need to your where your hive is, and watch to see what the bees are up to. If they are really active and buzzing noisily, or if it has been raining for consecutive days consider rescheduling your inspection. If you need a hive tool to remove the separate layers of the hive, gently pry each corner up. The emphasis is on gently, any abrupt motion can disturb your bees. Remove the telescoping cover, brush off any bees directly over the hive, flip it over, and used it as a work surface. You should also bring along that extra hive body to use as a work area and place to set things down. Remove the inner cover, brush the bees off over the hive, and place it next to your hive,. Remove the hive top feeder, brush the bees off the bottom; place it on your designated work area.

2 If your hive has two brood chambers, then take off the top one, and place the hive body on your telescoping cover. Take out the #2 frame out first, after loosening all the frames. Hold the frame by the end bars, with both hands. Check for the queen by tilting the frame in your hands, always over the hive. Once you are sure the queen isn t on that frame, lean this against your hive. When observing the frames, hold them over your hive. What will you be looking for? Eggs make sure the light is coming from behind you. This will make it easier to see the eggs, larvae, and developing pupa. Examine for brood pattern. A tight compact brood patter indicates a good, healthy queen. Where is the queen laying her eggs? Are there unhatched eggs (those sticking straight up are less than 3 days old)? Are there mites? Keep your frames in the same order; you may want to number your frames 1 to 10. Be sure all the numbers are either in the front or the back. You will want to maintain the integrity of the hive just as you found it. If the brood pattern is good you don t have to inspect further. Slowly and gently return the #2 frame. Keep the frames together. With a new hive or adding the second brood chamber, you need to make sure that 7-8 frames are built out. You do not want to add the second brood chamber or the honey super too soon as the queen goes up with her laying pattern, so make sure that you have 7-8 frames build out. Are you using smoke? It may not be necessary in the early season, but bring it just in case. If you are using smoke to smoke your bees first gently smoke the entrance of the hive, lift the outer cover and give a couple of puffs there as well, then wait a minute or so for the smoke to work. Remove the outer and inner cover, lift the edge of the hive top feeder (if on) and give another puff. Wait 30 seconds and completely remove the hive top feeder. Don t over smoke them

3 What else you will be observing: Check syrup levels. As bees begin to seek food from nature they will have less need for your feedings. Sugar dusting is suggested every three weeks and upon installation of your bees or nucs. If you are into a second brood chamber, dust the two separately. Remove the top brood chamber first, put it on your workstation, do your inspection on the lower chamber, then sugar dust, put the second brood chamber back on and inspect and dust. When returning the layers of the hive you may want to use the bee brush to simply brush away bees so they are not in the way. When returning the hive top feeder, consider refilling with syrup. Don t fill it up all the way, check every three to four days to see how much the bees are using. You will cease filling the hive top feeder when the hive is built out. But don t let the hive top feeder go empty when the bees are still dependent upon the syrup for their nutrition. Over-feeding bees can cause bees to store honey in the wrong place, that is, in the brood chamber. Vigilance is important. Bees are hoarders! Remember the brood chamber needs to be built out with comb so that the queen has plenty of room to lay her eggs up to 1,500 per day. Also be aware of burr comb random wax that connects two frames together or other hive parts, making it more difficult to manipulate and inspect your hive. Entrance Reducer: Use the small opening for the number 1 brood chamber, as you add the second brood chamber switch to the larger opening. When you add the honey super/s remove it completely. You will not need a mouse guard until the fall.

4 Introducing Bees to the Hive If you are planning to use a nuc, remove 7-8 frames from the hive. Have your smoker ready, and everything else you will need; tools, medications, equipment and syrup. Keep you nuc in a cool, dry place until you are ready to introduce them to you hive. Make sure you can pick them up in a timely manner for the source they will call you and you should come!!!! Consider putting the nuc on top of your hive once you have picked them up. Remove each frame of bees from the nuc and introduce them into the middle section of your hive. Replace the missing frames, keeping the nuc frames centered in the hive. Be on the look out for the queen. Dust them with sugar and put fumagilin into the first feeding of syrup. If you are introducing bees from a package, do not spray them with sugar water this could be deadly to your bees. You will need your hive tool and needle nose pliers to remove the wooden top from the bee package, but leave it covered. Remove four or five frames to make room for the bees and queen cage. Keep them close by. Remove the queen cage from the package. Replace the cover on the package. Check the queen. Remove the cork at one end of the queen cage. Here is candy that the workers, will eat through to free their queen. Suspend the queen cage in the center of the brood chamber, between 2 frames, with wire or two nails. Make sure the candy side is up, not down. And make sure that the screen sides of the queen cage are not facing the frames. Hit the packaged bees again on the ground to ensure their falling to the bottom of the package. Take the cover off and remove the can of syrup. A pair of pliers helps. Hit the package of bees on the ground again and then shake the bees into the hive. First dump a small clump right on the queen cage, then dump the rest of the bees in the empty space left by the missing frames. Carefully put the frames, 1 by 1, back into the brood chamber. Do not push the frames or force them. Just place them gently and the bees will move out of the way. You will only have 9 frames in the hive at this time. You will later replace the last frame when the queen chamber is removed.

5 Dust your bees, add fumagilin to the hive top feeder. Put the inner and outer covers back on and close up your hive. Kiss them goodnight and don t plan to return for five days yes, 5 days. At that time you can check to see that the queen has been released. You can then remove the queen cage, if she is still inside, remove the screen and gently release her onto the tops of the frames. Do not shake the queen into the hive. Replace the 10 th frame, make sure there is adequate syrup, remove burr comb, and that is that.