Basic Beekeeping Techniques

Transcription

1 Basic Beekeeping Techniques by Buddy Marterre Basic Beekeeping Techniques Page 1 f 11 Getting Started with nucs: Arrange yur first frames as abve, feed, and when 70% f the frames are full Rearrange as abve and add the next (empty) brd chamber. Keep feeding. b r d h n e y r p l l e n f u n d a t i n - - e m p t y c m b

2 The abve diagrams are as if yu re lking dwn int a 10 frame deep (hive bdy depth) brd chamber which will be expanded t tw deeps when a 5 frame nuc is intrduced. The same principle applies t triple medium brd chambers and 8 frame equipment. In the latter case, arrange mst f the middle brd-cntaining frames in the bttm chamber with a frame f fundatin n each side f the brd, then pllen and hney-laden frames and put the remaining (ne r tw frames f brd and ne f pllen / nectar) in the center f the secnd chamber. Expand the secnd chamber by inserting single utside frames f fundatin r n-fundatin frames (see belw) int the brd nest as it expands and add the third chamber nce the wax in the ne belw has been pulled ut in 5 r 6 f the 8 frames. I smetimes als flip the utside frames arund, particularly if the bees have nly drawn the wax n the inside surface f these frames. If there is n majr nectar flw (such as any time except the last week f April thrugh the entire mnth f May), feed the bees 1:1 sugar syrup slwly and cntinuusly via a tp feeder until the wax cells have all been drawn ut and the brd chambers are cmpletely full (f adult bees, brd, pllen, and nectar/hney). Feeding Bees Sugar Syrup: Feed bees 1:2, 1:1 r 2:1 sugar syrup (2:1 in the Fall): any time they need t draw wax hneycmb (n nectar flw) - 1:1 r 1:2 expanding a nuc t a hive (FEED CONTINUOSLY UNTIL ALL DESIRED COMB IS DRAWN except perhaps frm late April t early June) 1:1 t dispense Fumagillin-B fr Nsema treatment r preventin during any nectar dearth such as after a nectar flw / hney harvesting frm late July int the Fall (fr brdnest expansin and Winter stres) 1:1 r 2:1 frm mid-january t March (prevents starvatin and stimulates brd rearing) 1:2 (which prvides water and allws hney dilutin) r 1:1 With small clnies (nucs, splits), feed ½ - 1 galln every 3-7 days. Large clnies can be fed 1-2 gallns every few days, but rapid feeding may lead t a hney bund clny s g at the bees pace n faster. Use pen feeding nly when rbbing is lw risk (Spring) and if all yur hives are strng. Tp feeders wrk best frm mid-march t Nvember. Pails r jars n the tp bars inside an empty deep wrk best frm January t March. Divisin bard feeders dn t hld much and take up a frame space but prevent rbbing well. Bardman r entrance feeders dn t hld much and prmte rbbing. Never feed yu bees smene else s hney, as it may cntain American Fulbrd (AFB) spres. Hive Inspectins: Have a reasn r gal every time yu inspect yur clny. In February / March and in the fall, pick the entire hive up frm the back and frnt separately (r each side separately) and try t determine its weight. Watch the activity at the entrance. Usually if bees are flying, it s OK t inspect them. Avid cld, rainy, and windy days. Utilize the warm, calm part f a sunny day t yur advantage as mst f the defensive fragers will be ut in the field, and yu ll have fewer and nicer bees t upset and lk thrugh. If ging int the hive, apprach it frm the rear, apply smke judiciusly, wrk gently but deliberately, and inspect nly as much as yu need t. If there is a hney flw in prgress, yu typically nly want t inspect the tp hney super, nt the brdnest. Otherwise, immediately try t frm a mental picture f the brdnest as yu inspect it. Remember, it is shaped like an egg that has been sliced vertically by yur frames. It is a sphere, with brd in the center, bee bread (wet pllen) and pllen utside the brd and mre t the bttm, and nectar and capped hney utside that (with much mre hney t the tp). Is it ff t ne side? Hw large is it (where are mst f the bees)? Then remve an utside frame (psitin 2 n the side ppsite the brdnest) cmpletely s that the ther frames can be scted ver and remved withut bumping the sides. As yu lk at a frame, try t decide where yu are in this spherical brd nest, s that yu dn t have t remve every single frame. Just btain an adequate sample f frames t determine what is happening. Assess fr all three stages f brd (and their rati), make sure there are nly singly laid eggs. Assess the pattern f pupae, and Basic Beekeeping Techniques by Buddy Marterre Page 2 f 11

3 always make sure there are adequate hney AND pllen stres. Are there queen cells? If s, hw many? Are they in the same stage r different stages f develpment? Hw much drne brd is present? Is there a disease present? D yu need t manipulate the hive, such as expanding the brdnest, adding a hney super, r feeding sugar syrup and/r pllen? Finding the Queen: In a typical brdnest inspectin, yu d nt need t find the queen. If yu have singly-laid eggs at the bttms f individual cells in the brdnest, yu have ne! Yu must find her t replace her, hwever, and it is als imprtant t make sure she is NOT n a frame yu re transferring t anther hive. S learning hw t find her is a necessary skill. When lking fr the queen, pattern recgnitin skills cme in handy. She is mst likely in the brdnest. The brdnest can be quickly lcated by lking between the frames. It s the cngested area, and althugh it is usually in the center, it may be ff t ne side. Have an empty hive bdy t put the first few already-scanned frames in and start in the upper brd chamber. Remve ne frame at a time starting at the edge farthest frm the brdnest. Scan bth sides f each frame twice and then put it int the empty hive bdy. See belw fr scanning techniques. Once three r fur frames have been remved, yu may just sct the frames ver t the empty side f the chamber nce they ve been scanned, leaving a big space between already-scanned and yet-t-be scanned frames (that she can t jump acrss). Once the entire chamber has been scanned, replace the previusly remved frames in the same rientatin they were in, and g dwn t the next brd chamber. Scan frames full f hney very quickly, and cncentrate mst f yur time n thse frames with eggs and emerging capped brd / empty cells within the brdnest. The first frame scan (n each side) shuld nly take abut 3 4 secnds. It is dne in an almst ut f fcus fashin quickly frm ne side t the ther. Then flip it ver and repeat it n the ther side. With this first scan, yu are merely lking fr smething different; DON T lk at each individual bee. The secnd scan (again n each side, and this time making sure t lk at the bttm and edges t) is much mre thrugh, and may take secnds. The queen lks and acts differently frm the ther bees. She has a lng pinted abdmen, which she may drag n the cmb. She hlds her wings flded ver her back, nt ut slightly like wrkers d. Her wings appear shrter because her abdmen is lnger. Her legs are lnger, and she walks (r runs) n the cmb; she desn t fly r even vibrate/fan her wings. She has a bald, dark thrax with n hair. She is nt fat like drnes and desn t have big eyes like they d. Her retinue nurse bees may surrund her, all facing her in a circle, licking her and feeding her. They will typically part (like the Red Sea fr Mses) as she walks alng. She desn t like light, s she will quickly g t the side f the frame yu aren t lking at! And she may have her abdmen dwn in a cell laying an egg r be cvered with nurse bees when yu first scan fr her. This is the reasn fr tw scans. Once yu find her, scp her up with a queen catcher r gently set that frame t the side, utside the hive (s she can t mve t anther frame). Yu can determine her fate later. If yu are requeening, nce yu re sure yu n lnger need her, squish her thrax. After lking thrugh bth chambers thrughly, if yu still haven t fund the queen, place a queen excluder between each brd chamber and cme back in 4 days. She ll be in the (nly) ne with eggs. Yu can use a queen excluder t help narrw yur search fr the queen like this anytime. Cming back anther day seems t help t, at least with yur attitude! Basic Beekeeping Techniques by Buddy Marterre Page 3 f 11

4 Delayed Release Requeening: When the new queen arrives, remve the ld queen frm the hive. Place a small drp f water n the screen, and stre the new queen in a 60 dark place vernight. The next day, intrduce the new queen with a queening rim leaving the crk in the candy end f the queen cage fr 5-7 days. [If yu feel cnfident enugh, remve her attendants frm the queen cage first. D this in an enclsed rm with a windw r light fr the queen t fly t in case she escapes. The simplest way t remve the attendants is t temprarily remve the crk n the nn-candy end, put yur finger ver the hle, and let the attendants fly up and ut, ne by ne, replacing yur finger every time the queen cmes up tward the hle. Then replace the crk.] Once the bees have accepted her, shake every frame and cut ut any queen cells that have develped and remve the plug ver the candy end f the queen cage. Yu may wish t sprits the clny and the queen cage with light sugar syrup cntaining a hint f vanilla extract. Ensure her release in 2 mre days. She ll start laying eggs in 0 3 days; recheck withut smke (fr eggs and supercedure cells) in a week. An alternative t using the queen cage and cutting ut queen cells is t release the new queen int a push-in intrductin cage. Push the cage nt an area f emerging, capped brd with plastic fundatin and release her int it 24 hurs after remving the ld queen. Return in a week. After the brd has emerged frm within the push-in cage, the new queen has been accepted, and laid eggs int the empty cells, yu may let her ut (if the bees haven t dug a tunnel t her under the wax yet). Duble Brd Requeening (all hive manipulatins between Nn and 3 PM): Place a small drp f water n the screen, and stre the new queen in a 60 dark place fr 1 2 nights. Generate a temprary nuc using the upper brd chamber f the hive t be requeened by arranging at least 3 frames f (mstly emerging, capped) brd in the center, then empty drawn cmb, then nectar and pllen-laden frames n each end and shake all the adult bees int the bttm brd chamber. Put a queen excluder between the tw brd chambers and the nurse bees will crawl up int the upper nuc vernight. The next day, remve the queen excluder and mve the upper nuc with an entrance-reduced duble screen bttm bard, inner cver, and anther tp t a new lcatin, pen the back entrance and feed 1:1 syrup. Intrduce the new queen (withut attendants) t the nuc after 24 hurs (remve crk) screen side dwn with a queening rim and watch the bees reactin. Recheck the nuc in 3 5 days with n smke and ensure her release IF she has been accepted (d it if necessary). Remve the queening rim and place the nuc back ver the parent hive with the duble screen bard between them fr 4 7 mre days and pen bth frnt entrances. Once yu are sure the new queen is laying, remve the ld queen (belw). Replace the duble screen bard with a sheet f newspaper 24 hurs after remving the ld queen. The new queen will march dwn and take ver the ld queen s brd nest. Laying Wrker Clnies and Management: When a clny survives a queen lss fr many weeks and des nt successfully replace the queen, QMP prductin and brd phermne levels are bth lw. This allws the varies f many f the larger (infertile) wrkers t develp further and these wrkers begin laying eggs. There will be multiple eggs n the side walls f each cell because the laying wrker s abdmens aren t lng enugh t reach the bttms f the cells and they can t detect that an egg has already been laid there. Their unfertilized eggs will develp int drnes nly, despite the fact that they are develping in wrker-sized cells. The laying wrkers cmbined QMP utput is sufficient t fl the clny int believing they have a queen. Finding all f them is impssible. Simple requeening f a laying wrker hive will cnsistently fail, because: 1. There are n yung accepting nurse bees present (nly ld, un-accepting fragers), and 2. The clny thinks they have a queen. Basic Beekeeping Techniques by Buddy Marterre Page 4 f 11

5 There are three ways t manage this situatin. The best is t cmbine this clny with a queenright clny using the newspaper methd described belw. Make sure the laying wrker brd chambers are n the bttm f the newspaper and the strng queenright clny is abve the newspaper! A few weeks later, after the queen has mved dwn int the ld brdnest, yu can split ut a prtin f the cmbined clny t recreate yur ld clny (and have them raise their wn queen r prvide them with a purchased queen) as described in requeening and making splits. The secnd best management f a laying wrker clny is t prvide the laying wrker clny with a queen cell, instead f a mature queen. This requires that she g ut and mate and return and take ver the egg laying duties. Expect 60 % success with this technique. Lastly, yu can take all yur bees a mile away, shake them all ut n the grund, and return the (nw empty) hive t its riginal lcatin and then requeen it. This relies n the cncept that the laying wrkers are t large t fly back t the hive, but the ther bees will. This wrks prly. Swarm Preventin vs. Swarm Cntrl: Remember that reprductive swarms typically have mre than 12 queen cells per level in the last tw weeks f March / first three weeks f April and vercrwding swarms typically have fewer than 8 queen cells and ccur after April 21. Swarm preventin techniques are based n creating mre apparent space within the hive than actually exists. The first thing t d is avid a hney bund hive, by ensuring 2 4 frames f empty drawn cmb in the middle f the upper brd chamber in the fall. This allws space fr the brdnest expansin in the spring. If the clny hits a wall f capped hney as they mve up during the winter, their apparent space fr expansin is severely limited (and they may swarm). The tw best techniques fr preventing swarms are checkerbarding and reversing brd chambers. Swarm cntrl is a mre drastic measure taken in rder t keep a clny that has already decided t swarm frm ding s. Swarm preps (brdnest reductin and filling brd cells with nectar as well as ryal jelly and eggs, larvae, r even pupae in queen cells) are underway (but the swarm hasn t cast yet)! If yu wish t expand yur peratin, the simplest way t deal with the queen cells is t mve them t anther hive (and in the prcess, set up a mating nuc). If yu d nt wish t d this, yu can create a duble queen hive (see Advanced Techniques), r just temprarily remve the queen and then replace her. The key t swarm cntrl is breaking the brd cycle, typically by separating the queen frm the brd fr at least 7 days (see belw). If this is dne, ALL the queen cells must be remved (either cut ut r mved t anther hive) TWICE (initially, and again at least 6 days later). Six days after the queen has been remved there will n lnger be any larvae yung enugh fr emergency queen replacement. Checkerbarding (swarm preventin): Once after mid-march, and perfrm in the middle f warm (> 60 F), sunny, calm days when the weather shuld be nice fr anther week r s nly! Place empty drawn cmb (preferably) r a few frames f fundatin in between every ther frame within the brdnest in a staggered fashin. Thus the frames may end up smething like this (in each brd chamber): Basic Beekeeping Techniques by Buddy Marterre Page 5 f 11

6 Reversing Brd Chambers (swarm preventin): Begin in mid-march, and perfrm in the middle f warm (> 60 F), sunny, calm days nly! If the majrity f the brdnest is in the upper brd chamber, reverse the brd chambers, mving the nest belw. If the brdnest is half in each chamber DO NOT reverse until it is warmer (April) r yu will expse the split brd t cld temperatures. Add an empty super in anticipatin f the early nectar flw (als in mid-march). Repeat the reversal every days until the final reversal just befre the main nectar flw (3 rd week f April). Als, prvide lts f space with empty drawn cmb in the middle f the upper brd chamber t prevent vercrwding swarms frm hney bund hives. brd nest brd nest Reversing Hive Bdies Temprary Queen Remval (swarm cntrl wrks best just befre main flw): Shake the bees ff all the brd frames in rder t find all the queen cells and cut ut all the queen cells. Mve the caged queen (yu can keep her in a queen catcher) nt the tps f the frames in a 5 frame nuc queen bank w/ a queening rim fr 7 9 days temprarily and put temprary filler Basic Beekeeping Techniques by Buddy Marterre Page 6 f 11

7 frames in the main hive. Cut ut all the queen cells in the main clny again after 7 9 days and then replace the previusly remved frames and the queen (direct release her int the brdnest) frm the temprary nuc. Add a super f empty drawn cmb fr the queen t begin laying eggs in again. Fr fall swarm cntrl (mid-september), just cut ut the queen cells, place the queen in a queen catcher and put her n tp f the frames f her wn hive inside a spacer rim fr ne week and then let her g. Baiting Swarms: Generate an empty hive with an entrance-reduced bttm bard, deep hive bdy, fundatin, and at least ne frame f ld, dark, drawn brdcmb and a tp. Secure the hive at least 4 feet ff the grund (6 r 8 feet is better) n the side f a tree at the edge f a tree line (it will be in the shade) facing Suth / East. Check regularly. Hiving Swarms: Be prepared fr a call. Have a cmplete empty hive with a single brd chamber full f frames f fundatin, with mving screens and straps ready. Try t ascertain the size f the swarm, the height ff the grund, and the length f time it has been there ver the phne. Make sure this isn t a bee remval (f an established clny frm a structure) jb and try t differentiate whether it is hney bees, yellw jackets, r smething else. Determine its usefulness t yur peratin: Is it spring r fall? Did it cme frm a managed clny (ne f yurs?) r is it a survivr swarm? D yu need it? Hw much truble will it be getting it? Is it Africanized? Culd it pse a danger t the public? G t the swarm abut an hur r tw befre dusk with the empty hive and whatever ther equipment yu may need (chainsaw, rpe, ladder, swarm bucket, etc). If the clny has landed within the last day r tw, it will be dcile (even if Africanized) and can be handled withut prtective gear. Once the bees hney stmachs get empty hwever, a dry swarm can be defensive, s take yur suit, veil, and glves just in case. After remving a few frames frm the middle, shake the entire swarm int yur hive with a single sharp blw. Then get as many stragglers int the hive as pssible and gently replace the frames yu remved. Leave the tp ff and in abut 20 minutes (if yu captured the queen!), the rest f the bees will cme int the hive. Dusk wrks t yur advantage here. Then put n a tp and mving screen, and strap it up and take it (preferably 2 miles away) t yur bee yard. If there isn t a majr hney flw taking place, feed them sugar syrup. Swarms cme with lts f wax builders, s putting them n new fundatin will nly set them back a few days and yu ll get a bunch mre cmb! Add a frame f brd frm anther hive and that will usually keep them flying away. Mving Hives: Only mve hives mre than tw miles r less than tw inches. It is best t mve them when there is n fraging. This is very early mrning, r after dusk. If mving hives at dawn, it is best t (at least partially) prepare them the night befre. Put n a frnt dr screen (I like the Flrida mving screen frm Brushy Muntain). Strap the hive up with a screened bttm AND inner cver (with n tp), secure it in the back f a truck, and away yu g! A hive carrier and the help f anther persn g a lng way t make the mve mre cmfrtable. If mving bees n a very ht day fr a lng distance, cnsider adding sme water t each hive thrugh the tp screen every few hurs. Queen Excluder Use: The queen excluder is used t keep brd ut f the hney super. Place the queen excluder in between the brd chambers belw and the hney super(s) abve nce the bees have put smething (eggs / brd, nectar) in it. If there is brd in the super, make sure the queen is dwn in the brd chamber belw befre trapping her up there! And make sure there is an upper Basic Beekeeping Techniques by Buddy Marterre Page 7 f 11

8 entrance / exit fr the drnes, s that they dn t get trapped in the upper hney super since they can t pass thrugh the queen excluder t exit belw it. If the queen is up in the hney super, yu have t find her and mve her dwn, r reverse the super with the bttm brd chamber (and make a brd chamber ut f yur super). Either way, if there is brd in the upper chamber, yu have t wait fr the pupae t hatch (ver 3 weeks) befre it will cntain nly hney and can be extracted. Anther use fr a queen excluder is t help find the queen. If yu can t find the queen (and yu need t), place a queen excluder between each brd chamber and cme back in 4 days. She ll be in the chamber with the eggs. Hw t Super: Place supers in anticipatin f strage needs (when existing supers are 70 % full and befre they re capped) n tp f existing supers. Placing new supers under existing supers (bttm supering) may increase hney strage, but it is a little mre wrk. If using drawn cmb (best fr the early nectar flw), place 1 r mre supers n at a time with 8 r 9 evenly-spaced frames in a 10 frame bx (r 7 evenly spaced frames in a 8 frame bx). The bees will draw this cmb ut further which will allw less wax capping and easier uncapping, and actually result in mre hney prductin than the number f frames the bx is designed t hld. If supering with fundatin (main flw), nly use ne super with all 10 (r 8) frames at a time. When the center 5 r 6 frames are almst fully drawn with wax, mve them t the utside (mving the 3 r 4 utside frames f fundatin t the center). Once the frames are 2/3 drawn and have nectar (uncapped), add anther super f fundatin. If there s n nectar flw, yu must feed the bees 1:1 (r mre dilute) sugar syrup cnstantly t stimulate wax frmatin. If supering fr cut cmb hney prductin, make sure the hive is perfectly flat and level. Put frames with a 1 strip f wax-nly fundatin at the tp int the super and place the super directly ver the brd chamber f a strng hive right at the beginning f a majr nectar flw. The bees will draw ut the remaining cmb perpendicular t the earth. Only place a queen excluder between the brd chambers and the hney super a week after the bees have put smething (brd r nectar but if brd, make sure the queen is dwn belw in the brd chambers befre excluding the queen int the super) int it. This baits the hney strage bees up int the super. Alternatively, mve tw frames f partially capped nectar / hney up in the super frm the utside f the brd chamber and replace thse frames in the brd chamber with empty cmb r fundatin (in the center). If yu mve frames f hney up as bait, make sure the brd chamber frames have nt been recently treated with chemicals (r mark them and mve them back nce the bees have been baited int the super s as t prevent extracting chemical-laden hney)! Cmb Drying and Strage: After the last hney f the year has been extracted frm yur supers, stack them utside near yur bee hives alternating rientatin and let the bees lick the wet cmbs dry ver a few days and then stre them ver the fall and winter. Only stre hney supers that cntain n pllen and have had very little brd in them as wax mths will damage pllen-laden cmb quickly. Cut ut any wax mth tunnels the fllwing spring befre placing them back in service. Managing Dead Outs and Over-Winter Deaths: A clny in which the bees all died during the grwth and prductin seasn (spring, summer, r fall) is a dead ut. This is pssibly secndary t a serius brd disease, such as AFB. Dead uts allw ther rbbing bees t pick up and transmit brd diseases back t their clny and als allw Basic Beekeeping Techniques by Buddy Marterre Page 8 f 11

9 pests such as wax mths and SHBs an ideal area t prliferate. Therefre dead uts require timely remval frm the apiary t prevent disease and pest spread. Clnies that die ver winter and are fund in late winter / early spring are nt dead uts and are typically nt due t disease (ther than t mites, which als die with the clny). Althugh the dead bees and uneaten pllen frames f ver-winter deaths shuld be remved frm the hive, the hive itself may be safely left in the apiary until the weather warms up. Dwda Methd f Pwdered Sugar Dusting: This may wrk better during brdless perids, but treatment may be t late nce a brdless perid has been reached in the fall. Yu need 10X pwdered sugar, a measuring cup, a sifter (tea strainer r flur sifter), and a bee brush. The hive must have a screened bttm bard (1/8 mesh). Insert a dry bttm bard r piece f pster bard belw the screen. Separate the brd chambers and sift 1 cup f 10X pwdered sugar ver the brd frames f the lwer chamber. Brush the sugar ff the tp bars dwn between the frames. Replace the upper brd chamber, sift anther cup f pwdered sugar and brush it dwn t. Wait at least 5 minutes, remve the bttm bard and check fr mites. Leave the bttm bard ut fr ventilatin. If yu see a lt f mites, repeat this every few days. Drne Brd Trapping / Remval: Have bees draw cmb n frames f drne cell fundatin in the spring. If nt already present, place ne frame f drawn drne cmb per brd chamber in psitins 3 r 4 by early June. After days, remve all drne frames, and replace them with alternates within 24 hurs. Remved drne frames may be placed int a drne rearing, untreated sacrificial clny r put int the freezer. If placed int a queenright sacrificial clny, they may be remved and replaced int their riginal clny after the drnes have emerged. If frzen, the frames shuld be kept in the freezer until they can be immediately placed back int their riginal clny. Warm them up just befre returning them t the hive, scratch the cappings and shake ut as many dead drne brd as yu can. DO NOT feed decayed brd back t yur bees. It takes the bees a few days t clean ut the dead cells and the queen a few mre days t lay mre unfertilized eggs. Rtated drne cmbs frm the freezer t the hive every days in the summer. Drnes develp in 24 days. Hence the rtatin perid f days. If the drne cmb is filled with hney, d nt remve it. External Beetle and Wax Mth Trap: A 2 liter drink bttle with a hle cut 1 1/4" belw the neck shulder. Fill with equal amunts (1/4 1 cup each) f vinegar, sugar, and water. Shake until the sugar is disslved. Then add a very ripe thinly sliced unpeeled banana r slum gum r rtten range and place it in a warm place t begin fermentatin. Then hang it frm a tree near the apiary r the stred supers. Wax Prcessing: Place wax cappings int ne leg f wmen s pantyhse and tie ff the pen end. Wash at least three times in very warm water, changing the water each time. Wash until the water stays clear. Hang the stcking up t dry s ants can t get t it. Then place the pantyhse int a slar wax melter n a ht day and pint it suth. Cllect pure wax as it drips int a pan. The wax may need t be gently heated and melted (it melts at 145 degrees) in a cheap duble biler and restrained again t remve all the impurities. Use a paper twel r jersey clth fuzzy side up as a strainer. Lcal Wax Prcessing; The surce f the wax in cmmercially available fundatin typically cntains whatever chemicals the bees f the wax-supplier were expsed t. The bttm ½ f the wax hney cmb cell bases are typically prduced by the hney bees by drawing ut the wax that is already present n the fundatin, be it wax-cated plastic r wire-reinfrced wax fundatin. The upper ½ f the cells are typically made frm wax prduced by the bees themselves. Lcal prcessing allws nly the cappings wax t be melted and re-used. Lcal wax may be frmed int new fundatin by the use Basic Beekeeping Techniques by Buddy Marterre Page 9 f 11

10 f a fundatin rller r casting mld r may be painted nt bare plastic fundatin with a fam brush. N-Fundatin Frames: Frames in which all the wax cmb, including the flat backbne, has been drawn by the bees withut fundatin. Smetimes a very narrw (< 3/4 ) strip f thin surplus wax fundatin is used at the tp f the frame as a starter. Other times a narrw strip f plastic fundatin r just the grve in the tp bar is used as a straight guide fr the bees t fllw. Supprting wires are cmmnly used n these frames t strengthen the cmb and prevent sagging with time and tearing frm the centrifugal frce applied by hney extractrs. It is suggested that the hive be perfectly level side-t-side and that n-fundatin frames be placed in a checkerbard r staggered rientatin (withut t many right next t each ther). Otherwise, the bees may draw the cmb at an angle and tie ne frame t anther. Sugar Shake Test fr Varra Mites (late July / August): This samples and accunts fr % f the phretic Varra mites in the brdnest. It is a much better test than the sticky bard test (belw) but it is mre labr intensive. Cnstruct the tp f the Masn jar with 1/8 mesh screen. 4 z f (shaken dwn) bees in a Quart jar is abut 150 bees. 1 ½ f bees is abut 8 z r 300 bees. T perfrm the test (typically late August / early September): Gently gather 4 8 z ( ) nurse bees frm an ld larva area f brdnest in the Masn jar. Make sure yu dn t catch the queen! Add 1 2 tsp pwdered sugar thrugh the mesh lid. Rll the jar arund fr a minute r tw and let it sit fr 4 minutes. Shake the sugar ut thrugh the 1/8 mesh lid nt a plate with water in it. The sugar will disslve and the mites will swim / flat n tp f the water s yu can cunt them. Release the bees at the hive entrance. Ptential treatment threshlds are > 10 mites / 100 bees r > 22 mites in an average (6 z) sample. Sticky Bard Test fr Varra Mites (late July / August): This nly tests fr dead mites and yu dn t knw whether a high cunt is a bad thing (high infestatin rate) r a gd thing (a clny with lts f tlerance that s killing them). Perfrm at least nce a year at the Varra mite peak (typically after the last hney harvest and befre the fall brdnest expansin (late July/August). Repeat test after any treatment. Cver uncated insert bard with cking spray il and/r Vaseline (r use pre-cated bards). Insert the bard in the slt under the screened bttm bard f the hive. Remve it and cunt the Varra mites 24 hurs later. Mites are reddish brwn, slightly val, and are the width f the perid at the end f this sentence. If there are greater than 100 mites / hive / 24 hurs, treatment may be indicated (see belw and see Varra Mite Handut). If there are fewer, d nt treat. Badly infested hives may have wrker bees with curled up r defrmed wings. Cnsider letting a severely infested hive die withut treatment as bviusly that clny has n tlerance t mites. Preparing Clnies fr Winter: Frm late July thrugh the entire mnth f August, there are n nectar r pllen surces. Bees pick their ver-winter cluster lcatin in Octber, but need t greatly expand their brdnest in August and September in rder t have enugh yung bees t ver-winter successfully (they need plenty f lng-lived nurse bees t survive t begin brd rearing in earnest the fllwing February). Since the fall (Aster) nectar flw is unpredictable, and winter bees are literally fatter than summer bees, sugar syrup needs t be fed t every clny every fall. Feed each clny sugar syrup frm late July thrugh August and early September. This causes the brdnest (and subsequent cluster) t be lcated in the bttmmst brd chamber as they will stre the hney n tp. Decrease the size f the hive t just the brd chambers (3 mediums r 2 deeps), and reduce the entrance t the smallest hle t prevent muse access. Ensure the weight f the hive is abut 80 punds (40 t 50 punds f wdenware and bees plus 30 t 40 punds f hney). In early Octber, cmbine weak clnies as they can be split back ut int tw clnies the fllwing spring. In late Octber Basic Beekeeping Techniques by Buddy Marterre Page 10 f 11

11 ensure that there are 3 4 frames f empty drawn cmb in the center f the upper brd chamber, s that the brdnest can expand int this area the fllwing spring and nt be hney bund (a slid sheet f hney that prevents upward expansin). Ensure adequate ventilatin with either a screened inner cver r the use f ventilatin blcks between the inner cver and tp t prevent mld accumulatin. Cmbining (Weak) Clnies: Best dne in the fall (if yu have a clny with fewer than 5 frames f bees in Octber). Find the weak clny s queen and dispse f her. 24 hurs later, mve the weak hive t the strng ne s lcatin, and place the STRONG, queen-right clny ON TOP f the de-queened weak clny with 2 sheets f newspaper in between them. Make sure the new cmbined hive is lcated where the strng hive used t be. Prvide the cmbined hive with nly a lwer entrance s that the upper fragers have t traverse the lwer weak hive after they chew away the newspaper. The queen will mve dwn and take ver the ld lwer brdnest in her wn time. Getting Weak Clnies thrugh February: Abut January 15 th, slip a slid bttm int the slt if the hive is n a screened bttm bard. Then, n the first warm day after that (ver 50, when the bees are flying) lift the entire hive ff f the bttm bard and remve all the dead bees frm the bttm bard and replace the hive. Very quickly pen the tp f the hive, reduce it t the single r tw chamber(s) that the bees are in by remving all the thers. Sprinkle sme MegaBee n the tp f the few frames cntaining the cluster / brdnest. Uncap sme hney frames with a cappings scratcher and put thse right utside the brdnest while yu make yur hive much smaller (ne unit r chamber nly). Add a feeder t the tp and add just a little 1:2 sugar syrup r place sme fndant n the tp bars t reduce ventilatin further. Cnsider a duble decker: a weak clny ver a strng clny with a duble screen bard in between s that the strng ne heats the weak ne. Or cnsider putting yur little clny int a 5 frame nuc. Hney Estimates: A full, medium, 9 frame super weighs ~ 54 lbs and cntains lbs f recverable hney, and 3-5 lbs f cappings wax and unrecverable hney. Thus the wet wdenware weight is 11 lbs. A shallw 10 frame super weighs ~ 45 lbs and cntains lbs f recverable hney. Bee Estimates: ~ 2,500 adults / full deep frame (25,000 if deep hive bdy full) ½ pund bees / full deep frame (5 punds f bees if deep hive bdy full) ~ 1,500 adults / full medium frame (15,000 if medium chamber full) 3,500 brd / full deep frame (bth sides) < 2,000 brd / medium frame Basic Beekeeping Techniques by Buddy Marterre Page 11 f 11