4 H Beekeeping

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4-H Beekeeping

Advanced

Beekeeping

Methods

4-H-593-W


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4-H Beekeeping, Division III: Advanced Beekeeping Methods

Te 4-H beekeeping project is intended to help you learn about bees and how to be a beekeeper.Beekeeping offers many hands-on educational experiences, from learning about bees and honeyplants, to learning to raise bees and produce honey, to learning how to market your honey.

If you have completed the 4-H beekeeping manuals, Division I, Understanding the Honey Bee,and Division II, Working with Honey Bees, you are now experienced and knowledgeable enoughto study more advanced topics. Tese may include increasing the number of your honey beecolonies, increasing honey production, producing special kinds of honey, and learning moreabout the bee societies. If you have not studied the Division I and II beekeeping manuals, youshould review them and start slowly inAdvanced Beekeeping.

Note to Parents and Volunteer Leaders

Te 4-H beekeeping project helps youth learn about raising honey bees. Beekeeping offers manyexciting educational experiences, from learning about bees and honey plants to learning to raisebees to make and sell honey. Te 4-H Beekeeping Helpers Guide (4-H-576-W) has information

about youth development stages, experiential learning, and other resources that might be useful.Te learning experiences in this manual have been planned to initiate experience centeredactivities. Youth are encouraged to take responsibility for their beekeeping projects. Tey canenhance their learning by consulting resources on the Internet, at school, and at the library, or bytalking to someone who raises bees.

Experiential learning distinguishes 4-H youth developmenteducation from many formal educational methods. Activitiesare designed so youth experiencea learning activity, share

what they did, think about their experience (process),generalizewhat they learned to other situations, and thenthink about how they can applywhat they learned in theirlives (now or in the future). You can help guide youth throughthe experiential learning steps to enhance their learning.

Purpose

Division III Beekeeping is intended to help youth learn many things, including how to increase the number of their honey bee colonies;

how to increase honey production, producing special kinds of honey; more about the bee societies; how to compile beekeeping records; how to present the results of their work to others; and how to develop inquiring minds the habit of asking questions and searching for answers.

Authors:Greg Hunt and Natalie CarrollContributor:Krispn GivenReviewer:Larry SegerlindPhotos:Greg Hunt and Krispn Given


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Advanced Beekeeping Methods

Contents Page

Introduction 4

Projects 5

Resources 5

Record Sheets 6

Managing Honey Bee Colonies 6

Choosing a Good Apiary Site 6

Increasing the Number o Colonies 6

Installing Packages 7

Splitting Colonies 10

Simple Divide Method 11

Double-Screen Method 11

aking Care o Your Queens 13

Marking Queens 13

Requeening Methods 14

Candy Cage 14

Nucs 15

Te Newspaper Method 15

Push-In Cage 15

Virgin Queens 16

Queen Cells 16

Seasonal Management 17

Colony roubleshooting 23

Short Guide to Using Honey Bees in Pollination 26

General Considerations 26

Pesticides and Bees 28

Keeping Records 29

Inventory o Beekeeping Equipment 29

Receipts 30

Financial Summary 31 Work Record 32

Apiary Record 33

Te Scientific Method 34

Demonstration and alks 35

Exhibits 38

Resources 39

Glossary 40

Reference in this publication to any specific commercialproduct, process, or service, or the use of any trade, firm,corporation name is for general informational purposes and does not constitute an endorsement, recommendatior certification of any kind by Purdue Extension. Personsusing such products assume responsibility for their use inaccordance with current directions of the manufacturer.


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IntroductionWhen you eel confident in your ability to maintain a beehivethroughout the year and have been successul in producingsurplus honey, you are ready to undertake more complex anddifficult projects with your bees. InAdvanced Beekeeping,

you will continue to develop your skills as a beekeeper. Goodbeekeepers not only care or their colonies, but also managethem to increase honey production.

Your goals or advanced beekeeping should be

keeping strong, populous colonies with young queens,

continuing to improve your understanding o the ways obees, and

experimentation.

As your beekeeping experience increases, your ability towork more quickly and competently also increases. You willbe able to add new hives to your small original apiary untilit contains the maximum number o hives that you can careor. Good beekeepers know what their maximum apiarysize should be and do not try to overextend themselves.o determine the number o hives you can tend, you willneed to consider a variety o actors: time, expense, spaceconsiderations, your own physical condition, local climate,etc. Te maximum number o hives differs rom beekeeper tobeekeeper. For a hobby, the maximum may be two hives; or a

young armer, it could be 200.

o achieve the greatest amount o honey production, youmust realize that your beehive is a dynamic, changeablesystem with much potential or growth. Be alert to the apiaryoperations that can be improved and consider experimentsthat will help you understand more about your bees. As youlearn more, you will be able to help your bees produce morehoney.

Although you have had some practical experience in

beekeeping, you should not neglect the help that otherbeekeepers can still give you. As you continue this project,the advice o more experienced people will be as valuableas it was the first time you watched a beehive being opened.Continue to read all you can and to take your questions toyour beekeeping advisor, local bee inspector, and local andstate associations.


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In theAdvanced Beekeeping project, you are in charge. Nolonger will you be told what to do and when to do it. Nolonger will you be asked specific questions to show yourunderstanding o a concept or procedure. Now you arebasically on your own. You choose your activity, do it, and

when you believe you have mastered it, move on to another.

ProjectsTe project suggestions given later in this manual arejust that: suggestions. Tey are intended to develop yourbeekeeping skills. You can pursue any beekeeping project oyour own design. Choose one that fits your own interests andthe needs o your bees. See the list under Project Suggestionsor ideas. Select a project that you are interested in and readabout it. I you are still interested, begin work on the project.Undertake as many activities as you think you will be able

to complete, but do at least two projects each year. Keep anotebook with an up-to-date description o your work. Withthe aid o a beekeeping diary, you can write a detailed reportexplaining your project rom start to finish. Consider takingphotographs, making drawings, or using other ways o addingto the explanation o your activities.

Use the Resources section to find sources o inormation.Many projects may be done using the Scientific Method(page 34). Following the steps listed or the scientific methodhelps to organize your thoughts and experiment. Tis makes

or a nice comparative project. Make your own data sheetollowing the five steps listed.

An interactive demonstration (page 35) is a good way toshow others what you have learned and to interest them inbeekeeping. Read the guidelines in this manual or ideasabout how to present and evaluate your demonstration. Askyour county Extension educator about doing an interactivedemonstration at the Indiana State Fair, i you are interestedin doing that.

ResourcesTere are two books that are recommended or the seriousbeekeeper, Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping and Te Hiveand the Honey Bee. Tese books contain a lot o inormationabout bee biology and products o the hive, including mosto the inormation a beekeeper would ever need. Tereore,it is a good idea to purchase a copy o one o these booksor to make certain that your local library has one. HoneyBee Biology and Beekeeping is the better one, but is moreexpensive. See the Resources section o this booklet or


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ordering inormation and or inormation on subscribing to abeekeeper trade journal.

Record SheetsKeeping accurate records is important. Records help you

remember what you did and evaluate the success o yourwork. Tey also help you keep track o how much time andmoney you are spending on your beekeeping project. Terecord sheets given in the manual may be copied, or you canuse them as guides to create your own record sheets.

Managing Honey Bee Colonies

Choosing a Good Apiary Site

Te site you choose or your apiary should have plenty ofloral sources within two miles o your hives. In much o the

Midwest, wild clover will be a major source o nectar or yourbees. Any place that has a mixture o trees and unplowedfields is good. Ideally, there should be water available withina quarter mile o the hives. Bees can collect water rom dewand puddles, but during a hot, dry summer, even dew maybe scarce, and bees need water to air-condition the hive andto dilute royal jelly or eeding brood. Te apiary should beaccessible at all times o the year. It is best i the hives areplaced on hard, dry ground that you can drive up to in atruck. It is advisable to place the bees near some trees thatblock the wind rom the west and on a slight hill to avoid

rost pockets. A protected site with good air drainage willimprove the chances that your bees will survive over thewinter.

Increasing the Number of Colonies

You can increase your colonies by buying nucs, installingpackage bees, or dividing your existing colonies.

Buying nucs

Purchasing nucleus hives or nucs is a very good way toincrease your colonies. Te nuc is a small hive o three to

five rames containing comb with bees, brood, honey, andpollen. A nuc will build up more quickly than a package obees that is installed on oundation, because there already aresome capped brood and empty cells where the queen can layeggs. Nucs purchased locally are more likely to have queensthat produce bees adapted to your local conditions. Ask atbeekeeper meetings or look on the Internet or beekeepersthat sell nucs or local queens. Usually, you will need to supplythe brood box and enough rames with oundation or combto fill out the box.


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Installing Packages

Sometimes you cannot find a provider o nucs or they are notavailable early in the year when you want to get your bees. Inthis case, buying package bees is a good option. Package beesare produced in southern states early in the year or shipment

up north. Tey can be purchased rom a supplier and shippedto you directly, or you can make arrangements with someonewho is planning to bring a truckload o packages to your area.

1. Order a 2- to 3-pound package o bees with a markedqueen to arrive at a specified date. Order early (preerablyby January), because some years they sell out. Packages canusually be installed in the Midwest about April 1.

2. Prepare all o your equipment beore your bees arrive. Foreach colony, you will need the ollowing:

a. Hive stand to keep the bottom off the ground

b. wo deep brood boxes with ten rames o oundationeach (or 9 to 10 rames with comb)

c. Bottom board

d. Entrance reducer

e. Inner cover

. wo supers or the honey flow

g. Cover

h. A way to eed the bees (A riction pail or gallon jarwith small holes in the lid both work well.)

i. Division board eeders (Tese can be used withfloats to keep the bees rom drowning. Entrance, orBoardman, eeders are convenient, but dont workwell in temperatures below 40F.)

3. When the package arrives at the post office, check to makesure the bottom is not covered with dead bees. I there are2 to 3 inches o dead bees, notiy the shipper and ask orcompensation. Keep the package in a dark place at about50 to 70F. Spray with 1:1 sugar syrup, but do not soakthe bees too much. I you need to wait a day or two beoreinstallation, spray with sugar syrup twice a day.

Install the package as soon as possible. Just beore duskis ideal. Packages can be installed at other times o theday i it is raining or cool (45F or less). Installing in the

Removing the queen cage

Shaking the bees onto the hive


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evening keeps the bees rom leaving the hive and drifinginto others. I you only have one hive, this is not important.I installing during the day, block the entrance with somegrass or an hour to keep the bees in the hive, otherwise thebees will tend to drif into the most visible hive (usually the

bees fly into the one on the end). Remove the grass afer aew hours or the next morning. Spraying the bees with 1:1sugar syrup right beore shaking them into the box can alsohelp keep them rom flying. Installation steps:

a. It usually is not necessary to use smoke wheninstalling a package, but it is a good idea to have asmoker lit. It may encourage them to go down intothe box.

b. Pry out the syrup can with your hive tool and set itaside.

c. Remove the queen cage and put her in your pocket.

d. Jar the package sharply to knock the bees down tothe bottom. urn it over and shake it vigorouslyrom side to side to get the bees into the box. Youmay need smoke to encourage the bees to go downbetween the rames.

e. Let the bees release the queen by eating the candy.Remove the cork rom the candy and put a small

hole in it with a rame nail (being careul not tostab the queen). Ten, position the cage at an anglebetween the middle rames with the screen acingdown so the bees can eed the queen. It is a goodidea to put the candy end o the cage at the bottom,just in case it gets wet. Tis prevents it rom flowingonto the queen.

4. Feeding the bees afer installing the package is veryimportant. Your colony will decline in population untilthe new brood hatches and the queen needs comb to lay

eggs in. Feeding will allow them to draw out the combrom the oundation. Feed the bees with a gallon jar o 1:1sugar syrup (at least 50 to 60 percent sugar by volume)that is inverted over the hole in the inner cover and hasabout six small holes in the lid so the bees can eed on it.In cold weather, it might help i the first two gallons osyrup contain the medication umagillin, which is sold asa powder called Fumadil-B. Tis will prevent dysentery

Introducing the queen in the cage


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(Nosema). Place the eeder jar over the inner cover hole,leaving a space or bees to come out. Cover the jar with anempty hive body. Check the eeder jar regularly and refill itwhenever it is empty. You may need about 5 to 7 gallons o1:1 sugar syrup per package i installing the package onto

oundation. I you are installing the package onto comb,much less syrup will be needed. It is also possible to eedthe hive with a division board eeder or Boardman eeder.

5. Check the eeder the next day to make sure your bees haveconsumed some syrup. I the bees are not clustered in themiddle, rearrange the empty rames so that the bees are inthe middle.

6. Check the queen in three days. I she is still in the cage,make sure the bees are not biting the cage. It will be easyto push them aside with a finger unless they have latchedonto the cage with their mandibles. Ten, pry off the screenand allow the queen to walk between the rames. I thebees are latched onto the cage, do not release her, becausethey will kill her. In this case, you may have another queenin the colony, or it may just require more time or theintroduction. I the queen was released by the bees already,check or eggs in the bottom o the comb by tilting the cellsup to the light. I there are no eggs and no queen, you mayneed to order a new one. But it is also possible that she justhasnt laid any eggs yet because she is too young or because

there are no cells to lay them in, and you just cant find her!

7. Check the bees one week afer installing the package.Always careully remove an outer rame first to avoidcrushing the queen. Look or drawn comb containing eggs.I there are no eggs, search or the queen. I you cannot findher you will need to buy a replacement queen.

8. Inspect the bees every 7 to 10 days to make sure there areeggs and a queen. Observe the expansion o the broodnest, but do not disrupt the nest by rearranging the rames.

Replace the rames in roughly the same configuration.

9. When all o the comb is drawn rom the oundation in thefirst box, or at least started by the bees, add a second deepbox. You can take one or two outer rames o drawn combthat have little or no brood rom the first box and placethem toward the center o the upper box to encourage thebees to move up and draw out the oundation and expandthe nest.

Bottle feeder

Division board feeder


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10. Watch. Give the bees new boxes as soon as they fill up theold ones. When adding supers that contain oundation,place them directly above the brood nest even i you haveone super o drawn comb and honey in place already. Tiswill encourage them to draw it out. Supers with oundation

should have ten rames; those with comb can have 8 to 9rames i properly spaced.

Splitting Colonies

Tere are many ways to divide colonies. wo examples aregiven below. You need to complete the ollowing preparationsbeore using either method.

Choose strong colonies to divide. Te best time is 4 to 6weeks beore the time swarming usually occurs. Tis is earlyto mid-April or most Midwestern states.

Be sure to use enough smoke.

Ideally, the colony should have brood on 8 to 10 rames ormore.

Arrange or a new queen to be delivered either the daybeore you want to divide the colony or the same day thatyou will divide the colony. She will be shipped in a cagewith candy and worker attendants. I the queen o thestrong colony is more than a year old, you may want toorder two queens and replace the older queen with a new

one. I necessary, a queen can be kept in the cage with theattendants or several days to a week in a location that is6570F. Give them a tiny droplet o water with your fingeronce or twice a day on the screen, but dont let them get wet.

Have your equipment ready or another colony. You willneed the ollowing items:

Another hive stand

A bottom board

op and inner covers

wo deep hive bodies with combs or rames withoundation

A eeder is a good idea i there is no nectar comingin rom the flowers or you are adding oundationinstead o drawn comb (use a division board eederor gallon jar with a ew nail holes in the lid and 1:1sugar syrup).

An empty, deep hive body to enclose the eeder

Strong hive ready to split!


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For Method 2 (below), you will also need a double screen anda queen excluder (i you are not taking the time to find thequeen).

1. Simple Divide MethodFour days beore the queen you ordered is expected to bedelivered, you will want to open the hive using your smokerand divide the brood up equally between two boxes o theexisting hive. I you find the queen, put her in the bottom boxor put her in a queen cage while you prepare to remove thetop box and move rames around. Tis is the saest way toavoid hurting her. I the queen was not seen, you could put aqueen excluder between the boxes. Te presence o eggs ourdays later will tell you where the queen is.

When the divide is made, remove the queenless box to anew location and introduce a queen the next day. o makean even split, it is best to move the divide at least a mile awayto prevent all the oragers rom returning to the originallocation, but this may be impractical. I placing the dividein the same apiary, put all o the oldest brood (capped broodabout to emerge as adults) and one rame o very young(larvae in uncapped cells) into the upper box that you aregoing to remove. You can tell i brood is nearing the time oemergence by uncapping some cells and looking or olderpupae. It is also a good idea to make sure both boxes containpollen and honey. You can also put extra brood into the new

hive rom other colonies later. Te new adult bees will helpmake up or the loss o oragers that will return to the originalhive. You can introduce the new queen with the candy cage 12to 24 hours afer you make the divide. I you are requeeningthe other hive, be sure to wait 12 to 24 hours afer de-queening beore introducing the new queen.

2. Double-Screen MethodTis method is not commonly used. It is similar to the simpledivide and can be used or making splits or or making upnucs. Te double screen fits over the brood chamber o the

old hive and has a slot that provides an upper entrance orthe bees. It allows heat and the hives odor to be transmittedto the upper part. Te heat rom the lower box helps to keepthe brood warm in the upper box. Te double screen doesnot permit queen pheromone to pass to the queenless box,because the bees cannot touch each other, so the bees in thequeenless box are soon ready to accept a queen. I the upperhive does not accept the queen, the screen can be removedand the hive can be merged again with no fighting, becausethe bees still share a common colony odor. With this method

Splitting a colony with three brood chambers

Double screen on top of a hiveThe back

is open to make an upper entrance.


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you can make up many nucs or splits, because you do nothave to find the queen. When you go back to inspect it later,the queenless box will probably be buzzing more and will nothave eggs.

Double screens are rames that have a screen on each side andthat fit over the brood box. Tey can be purchased or made.Use a double screen that has movable pieces o wood tocreate an upper entrance. You also can make your own doublescreen by stapling window screen over both sides o the holein an inner cover and making a notch in the side o the innercover to provide an entrance or the bees in the top box.

Choose a strong hive and decide which brood rames you wantto move to the top box to make the nuc or split. Use one or tworames o young, uncapped brood and most o the rames osealed brood that are about to emerge as adults.

Inspect the rames or brood and honey, and decide whichones you want to go in the upper box. It is convenient tobring an empty box to set rames in, or you can just leanthem on end against the hive. Replace the rames that youremoved rom the bottom box with rames rom the top box.You can also temporarily add a third brood box and replacerames you move with new rames o comb or oundation.I using rames with oundation, place them between ramescontaining comb that do not contain much brood. ry to keep

the brood in the center o the nest.Ten, place a double screen over the bottom brood chamberand put the box containing older brood, honey, and pollenabove it. Or, i you happened to find the queen, just put therames o brood in the upper box, put the queen in the lowerbox and place the double screen in between the top box andthe original brood chamber. Make sure that the upper box hasan entrance, and ace it opposite the direction o the lowerentrance.

Introduce a queen to the queenless box 1-4 days afer thebrood chambers are separated by the double screen. It takesthree days or an egg to hatch, so i you do not know wherethe queen is in the beginning you will know which box isqueenless in 34 days (the one without eggs).

Check the box with the new queen within a week aferintroducing her. I the queen was accepted, it can be movedit to a new location with a new bottom board and covers. I itneeds more bees, you can shake some into it rom the bottombox, but be careul you do not shake the old queen into it!


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Taking Care of Your QueensTe key to having productive colonies is to always havevigorous queens in disease- and mite-ree colonies. Youngqueens are productive egg layers and are much less likelyto swarm. It is a good idea to check all o your hives at least

briefly every 10 days, but you should at least check themduring critical times, like early spring, just afer harvest whentreating or mites, and beore winter. Check to make surethere are eggs and a good laying pattern lots o brood inthe combs, not a scattered brood pattern. Requeening oncea year will insure that you always have young queens. Manybeekeepers leave the queen in or two seasons i she is stilllaying a good brood pattern the second season, but they runthe risk that she will begin to ail during the colder months. Itis good to have marked queens so that you will have an ideao how old she is and where she came rom.

Marking Queens

I you have a supersedure queen, you can mark the queenyoursel with just a little practice. (Supersedure replacementof a reigning queen by her workers) Having a marked queenwill make her easier to find i you want to replace her and willhelp to avoid hurting her while you work the hive. I you laterfind an unmarked queen, you will know she was superceded.o mark her, catch the queen as she walks on the comb bygrabbing her wings. Dont be araid to hold her in your hand.She will not sting you. Queens only sting other queens! Pinher against your clothes and hold her gently but firmly oneither side o the thorax between your thumb and orefinger.Have an open bottle o enamel paint (e.g., estors) and anopen queen cage ready. Use the stem o a grass blade to put asmall spot o paint on her thorax, rubbing it into the hairs. Becareul not to use too much or to get paint on other parts oher body, like the eyes and antennae. An easier way is to useenamel-paint marking pens or special queen marking cages.Marking pens can be ound at hobby stores or in certain beesupply catalogs. Let the queen dry off or about five minutes

in a queen cage beore releasing her back into the colony sothe workers do not remove the paint. Plastic roller cages areconvenient because they have a hinge and large opening.Clipping off the tip o one o her ront wings is an option thata ew beekeepers use to prevent her rom flying away with aswarm. Tat way, i the colony swarms, the queen may be lostin the grass, but the bees will return to the hive where theywill have a new queen. However, they may still swarm againwith a virgin queen i you do not relieve the crowding o thebrood nest. Warning: Make sure she is a mated queen beore

Tagged queen laying an egg

A marked queen is easy to spot.

Queen in a roller cage


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you clip her wing! I you clip a virgin queens wing, she cannotfly out and mate.

Young queens are more readily accepted by bees than olderqueens. Also, queens are more likely to be accepted in smallcolonies and it is easier to find the old queen to removeher in a small hive than it is in a hive with lots o bees.Tereore, it is easier to requeen in the spring because that iswhen the colony population is lowest. But there are severaladvantages to requeening during the summer in northernstates. Northern-bred queens may be better adapted toyour conditions, and these queens are only available in thesummer. For example, someone raising their own queens inthe Midwest may be able to have new queens by about thefirst o June. At this time, it is more likely that there will begood weather or mating queens than earlier. Tere should

be plenty o drones or the queens to mate with as the strongcolonies prepare or swarming. Finally, introducing queensduring the summer can also insure that you have youngqueens that are likely to start laying eggs earlier in the yearthe ollowing spring. Also, young queens are less likely toswarm or be superceded than old queens. I you are trying tomaximize honey production, you may want to wait until justafer the honey harvest to requeen, or you may want to do itgradually over the summer.

Requeening Methods

A number o requeening methods are covered below. Te firststep in replacing the queen is to find and kill the old queen.I you are only requeening some o your colonies, replacequeens that are no longer laying large patches o brood orones that you know are old or never produced big colonies.Te usual method o killing a queen is to pinch her head. Donot try to introduce a new queen until the old queen hasbeen out of the colony for at least 12-24 hours.

In some cases, you can wait longer. Do not wait more thanour days, however, i at all possible. Te simplest way to

introduce a queen into a queenless hive can also be a littlerisky. I a queen is young and laying eggs, it is ofen possibleto just place her onto a rame o bees and watch as the beesaccept her. I they start surrounding her and climbing all overher, it is a sign that they are going to kill her. Tis is reerred toas balling behavior.

1. Candy CageTis is the most common method used to introduce anew queen. Te introduction is done as was described orinstalling package. Queens are usually shipped in candy

Queen and attendants in a candy cage

The candy is put at one end.


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cages. You can make up your own queen cages and candyi you are raising queens. Make the candy by mixing high-ructose clear corn syrup or honey with powdered sugar. Ittakes a surprising amount o powdered sugar. Te candy mustbe sof but firm. I it is too sof, it will melt in the heat o the

hive and can kill the queen by covering her. Put a piece o waxpaper between the candy and the screen o the cage to keepit rom drying out, and then staple the screen on. Te hole inthe non-candy end o the cage is sealed with a cork or piece owood.

2. NucsSince queens are more easily accepted into small colonies, onemethod o requeening is to make up small nucs to introducethe new queens into. A nuc can also be used or introducingvirgin queens and queen cells that you find in your other

colonies. It then serves as a mating nuc as the queen flies outand mates. Once the queen is accepted and laying, combinethe nuc with a larger colony that you made queenless one totwo days beore merging them.

3. Te Newspaper Method

Perhaps the saest way to merge colonies is to put a sheet onewspaper between them. Tis allows time or the two boxeso bees to acquire the same colony odor, which preventsfighting. o do this with a nuc, first place the rames rom thenuc into a deep hive body. Put one sheet o newspaper over

the open hive you are going to merge it with and place it ontop. Make some slits in the newspaper with your hive tool sothat the bees can chew their way through it more quickly.

4. Push-In CageMake a rectangular 3-by-5-inch cage to push into the combwith the queen underneath. It should be made out o 8meshhardware cloth (eight openings per inch). Tis method is ofenused when introducing artificially inseminated queens. Whendone properly, it is the saest method.

You can also buy plastic push-in cages that work a little better,because the bees are less likely to chew around the edgesand enter the cage. Te advantage o a push-in cage is that itallows the queen to begin laying eggs beore she is released.Shake the bees off o comb that is airly dark (they arestronger). Place the cage in an area with a little open nectaror honey and (preerably) over a small patch o emergingbrood so the bees that emerge will tend her. It is not necessary

A small hive, or nuc

Queen under a push-in cage


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that the cage is over brood, but there should be a ew cells ohoney. You MUS make sure that the push-in cage is pressedin firmly. Check the cage in 3 to 5 days to make sure the beeshave not chewed underneath. I they are beginning to do this,you must move the cage. Once the queen is laying eggs or you

are satisfied the bees are not biting the cage, you may releasethe queen directly. Hint: I the bees have their mandiblesclamped onto the cage, it will be difficult to dislodge them withyour finger. Never release a queen i they are biting the cage.

5. Virgin Queens

Virgin queens can be introduced the same way as otherqueens, but they are sometimes more difficult becausethey are less attractive to the bees. Tey also tend to runaround and are harder to catch. Tey may fly away duringthe process but will probably return to the hive i they do.

A new queen will take 5 to 10 days to take her first matingflight, and another week afer that beore she is laying lots oeggs. I she doesnt mate in 14 days, she is getting too old toproperly mate. You have to expect a two-week break in broodrearing with a virgin queen. For this reason, you may wantto consider introducing her to a mating nuc beore killingthe old queen and introducing her to the main hive. Anothergood alternative is to introduce her ABOVE the old hive.ake a notched inner cover and place it with the notch upand acing the back o the hive to provide a second entrance.ake two rames o brood and bees and one rame o honey

(but not the queen) and put them in a deep box above theinner cover. Seal the hole in the inner cover with a doublescreen. Afer 24 hours, introduce the virgin in the top box.In two weeks, check or eggs and brood. You can then use thenewspaper method to merge the two colonies, or you can justremove the double screen and allow them to merge. Te newqueen should be the one that survives, but it is saest i youremove the old queen first.

6. Queen CellsQueenless hives accept queen cells very well. Just find a

dark comb in the middle o the nest and mash down somecells with your fingers. Careully, push the thickened bottomportion o the queen cell into the comb and use the mashedarea to give space or the cell to hang downward. Te bees willattach the cell to the comb and the queen should hatch outand be accepted. Handle queen cells very careully to avoiddamaging the queen. She is very sensitive to mistreatmentwhile at certain stages o development. Do not bend the cellat all when attaching it in a perpendicular position. ry tokeep the cell warm during transport: 75 to 90F is best, but

Sealed queen cell


17/4217

dont let it dry out, either. I the weather is cool (below 60F),the best place to attach the cell is in the middle o the broodnest near the top o the comb.

Seasonal Management

With the problems that we now ace with varroa mites,beekeepers are finding that they need to be a little moreflexible on the timing o certain operations, such asmedications, queen introductions and the honey harvest.Each spring, there is a swarming season and a nectar flow thatwill depend on the weather and its influence on flowers. It isgood to be aware o the weather and to know what importantflowers are blooming. Tis makes you a better beekeeper,because you will be prepared to help your bees at the righttime, and it keeps you in touch with nature. Some suggestionsor a seasonal management schedule are given below (dates

are typical or the Midwestern region, but your schedule willhave to adapt to the local weather).

December to February

Downtime. Work on equipment and read beekeepingmagazines and books.

February

Tis is usually a time when you can check your bees, i thetemperature is above 40F and there is no wind. Checkyour hives briefly. I a hive is dead, it can be marked as such

or stored. Te comb should be protected rom wax mothsby putting moth crystals on it or storing it in a cold placeonce the temperature is above 60F. I there is any brood,immediately close the hive to keep rom chilling the brood.Brie inspections o brood can be done on days that are above50F with no wind, or above 55F with light wind. Tis couldbe a time to reduce your varroa mite levels, but this is usuallydone afer the honey harvest. I there is no sealed brood, all othe mites will be exposed to the miticide because they will notbe able to hide beneath the cell cappings. Te need or mitecontrol will depend on mite populations, but one treatment

per year is usually required as soon as honey is removed. Iyou are using mite treatments that rely on evaporation osomething (like thymol), these must be done when it is warmenough. Read the directions or the particular product youare using to determine i the weather is warm enough.

Hives should be inspected or ood stores about the timethat they are beginning to rear brood (usually January orFebruary, weather permitting, or this may be put off untilMarch). I colonies did not have adequate stores going into

An apiary in late winter


18/4218

winter, they may be starving in February even without broodrearing. Colonies can be ed in cold weather by puttinggranulated sugar (white) on the inner cover. Another efficienteeding method or the winter is to make a cake o hardcandy ollowing the recipe below. Tese are also called candy

boards.

Winter Bee Candy15 pounds granulated sugar3 pounds clear high-ructose corn syrup4 cups water1/3 tablespoon o cream o tartar

Mix the ingredients and heat it to 242F (use a candythermometer to determine the temperature). Pour the heatedmixture into molds to make flat cakes that will fit on top oan inner cover. Place the hardened cakes over the inner cover(keeping the opening ree or the bees to eed). Some peopleuse special boards that take the place o the inner cover.

Late February or early March is usually the best time toput on pollen substitute in the Midwest, i supplementaleeding is planned to stimulate earlier egg laying by thequeen. Pollen eeding should be done about six weeks beorereliable sources o nectar can be obtained rom early flowers(like maple trees and dandelions). Pollen substitute canbe purchased rom a bee supply company. Unless you buy

prepared patties, you will need to mix it according to thedirections. Some people trap bee pollen and store it in theirreezers to add to their pollen substitute and make it tastieror the bees. Hint: Make pollen substitute the day beore youintend to use it to make sure it doesnt get too hard or sofwhen it sets up. I it gets hard or dry, the bees wont eat it. Iyou put the pollen substitute between wax paper, it will notleave a mess on the rames and will be easier to apply.

March

Ofen the bees get their first resh pollen in March rom the

maple trees and willows. Make sure that hives have adequateood. More colonies starve to death in March than in anyother month because as bees begin rearing brood, they eat uphoney and pollen at an alarming rate. A convenient way toeed bees is with a division board eeder. Tis eeder takes theplace o a rame inside the hive so bees can have easy accessto the syrup. Give them equal volumes o sugar and water inthe spring. Combine very weak colonies with stronger ones.

Pollen patties can provide much-needed

protein.


19/4219

Equalize colonies somewhat by stealing a rame o broodrom each o the strongest hives and giving them to theweakest hives. Colonies that need honey can be given a ramerom the stronger hives, or ed syrup.

Some beekeepers do a preventive treatment or Americanoulbrood disease at this time. Tis is no longerrecommended unless your colonies have had this problem inthe recent past or show oulbrood symptoms. Tere have alsobeen occasional problems with European oulbrood, and bothtypes o disease usually can be cleared up with the ollowingtreatment: Mix one 6.4 oz. pack o terramycin with 2.5 lbs.o powdered sugar. Tis should be ed to the bees in threedoses, five days apart. Each eeding should consist o about3 tablespoons o sugar/terramycin mix sprinkled on top orames at the edge o the hive.

Overuse o antibiotics may select or antibiotic-resistantoulbrood, and there have been reports o terramycin-resistant American oulbrood already.I you inspect yourhives regularly, you will see when a oulbrood problem occursand can cure it beore it gets out o control. I you only seea ew cells showing the problem, inspect again to see i itclears up. Ofen poor weather can result in poor brood orchilled brood that may look like disease, but later the problemresolves itsel. I you do have combs with a lot o oulbrood,they should be burned or put in a well-sealed garbage bag

and thrown away to prevent spread o the disease.

April

Continue to make sure there is adequate ood i the weatheris cold or rainy. A strong colony that is occupying two boxesshould have at least three ull rames o honey. However, i theweather is good and the honey isnt available, the bees shouldbe able to orage on dandelions and spring flowers and getby. Feeding in bad weather will stimulate more rapid broodrearing, and may be necessary to prevent starvation in somecases.

Begin swarm control in April. Split the strong colonies, iyou have the extra equipment to start new colonies (perhapsusing equipment rom winter losses). Another practice somebeekeepers use is to reverse the brood boxes to stimulate thecluster to move up and expand the brood nest. Te brood nestis usually at the top o the hive at the end o winter. Placingthis box on the bottom board and putting the nearly empty

Treating a hive with antibiotics in powdered

sugar

Pollen forager on an anemone


20/4220

bottom box above it may reduce crowding o the brood nestand may prevent swarming. You can also put a super withempty combs underneath the brood nest. Tis provides roomor returning oragers to stay and helps reduce crowding othe brood nest i it extends to the bottom. You may want to

use a queen excluder to keep the brood out o that box.

I the swarming instinct is not curtailed, only the mosttedious methods can prevent swarming. For a hobbybeekeeper with a ew colonies, these methods are easible(but not always successul). Once the bees start constructingswarm cells at the bottoms o the rames, go through thecolony every 7 to 10 days and cut all the cells. ButBE CAREFUL! Beore you cut cells, make sure that yousee eggs in the colony. Te queen may have stopped layingeggs and be about to swarm, or she may have already

swarmed, and you didnt notice that there are ewer bees.You do not want to make the mistake o cutting all o thecells and leaving your colony hopelessly queenless!

May

Make sure the bees have plenty o room. Give them newbrood chambers or supers beore they need them to reducecrowding. Te extra empty comb will stimulate increasedoraging and honey production. Flowers are starting to givenectar dandelions, autumn olive, Asian honeysuckle, tulippoplar, and others. Sometimes black locust trees produce a

short nectar flow at the end o May and basswood trees canproduce honey in late May or June.

I you are raising your own queens, May is usually the besttime to start because it is swarming season and the bees havethe instinct to raise queens. You can also careully removeswarm cells and add them to queenless hives by hangingthem between the rames or attaching them gently to the sideo a brood rame, hanging down in their natural orientation.Tis time o year there should be plenty o drones or thequeens to mate with when they are ready.

June

Tis is the month the honey flow really starts. Te clovers areproducing nectar and should be in ull gear by the end o themonth or early in July. Make sure all the supers are on. I youraised your own queens in May, you could introduce them tosmall nuc hives and let them mate in late May or June.

July

I you are raising queens, you could remove the queensrom some o your hives as you have time toward the end o

A swarm on a tree

A full frame of sealed brood!

Sweetclover in June


21/4221

the nectar flow. Replace the queens that show poor broodpatterns or are not laying enough eggs, or queens romcolonies that show signs o disease. Te honey flow romclover usually stops about the end o July or beginning halo August in the Midwest. Finding queens in big colonies is

difficult. It is best to keep marked queens! Te day afer theold queen is removed, use the nuc with the large queenlesscolony to introduce the new mated queen, or introduce herwith some other method, such as a candy cage.

August

Ofen, the real honey flow is done by the end o the first weeko August. It is important to get the honey off as early aspossible and to treat or varroa mites. Tis is perhaps the mostcritical thing to help your bees survive the winter.

You should monitor your hive or varroa mite populationswith sticky boards or some other method so that you willhave a good idea o whether you need to treat them andwhich hives need to be treated. Te sticky boards can bepurchased or made by cutting 3/8-inch doorstop wood stripsand constructing a rectangle to which you staple screen thatthe bees cannot get through. Put contact paper on the backand spray it with vegetable oil beore sliding it in the colonyentrance. Count the number o mites that all in a 24-hourperiod, or put it in or several days and divide by the numbero days.

You can also check or mites on adult bees with the powderedsugar shake method. Te sugar shake is done by putting hal acup o bees (about 400 bees) in a quart jar with a screened lid.Put several tablespoons o powdered sugar on them, let themset or two minutes, then shake the mites onto a white sheetand count them. For detailed instructions, see www.ent.uga.edu/bees/disorders/documents/VarroaMites_155.pd (PDFdocument, 263 KB).

Choose the method that is convenient or you. As soon

as the supers are o, hives that have high mite levelsshould be treated. here are a number o productsavailable. Apivarstrips contain amitraz, which is a goodmiticide. I you want to avoid pesticides, you can use asoter chemical such as thymol (synthetic oil o thyme)that is available in several products. Always ollow themanuacturers label instructions or all products. Read more about this in Parasitic Mites of Honey Bees(extension.entm.purdue.edu; search by publicationtitle. PDF: 1.4 MB). Controlling the mites now will insurethat healthy bees are raised during September

Two kinds of holders for sticky boards to

check mites

Bees robbing from supers after honey

extraction
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22/4222

and October. Tey will be your winter bees. Tey will needto live all winter long and still be able to orage and eed thebrood in the spring. Normally, the nurse bees eeding broodare young bees, so the old winter bees have to be healthy andrejuvenate their brood ood glands in the spring. Brood ood

glands are the glands in the heads o nurse bees that makeroyal jelly to eed larvae. In contrast, working bees in thesummer only live about six weeks or less.

Once the honey supers have been harvested, the honey needsto be extracted and bottled. Te wet supers can be returnedto the hives (afer the mite treatments are completed) to letthe bees clean them up. Sometimes beekeepers just set thesupers out in a shady place and let the bees rob them out.Some people store their supers wet, which is OK, but theywill smell a little sour rom ermentation and may have a little

mold, which is also OK. Te bees will clean them up in thespring. Stored comb will require paradichlorobenzene (PDB)moth crystals when the weather is warm (above 60F). It isimportant that you reduce the entrances o any weak coloniesthat may get robbed out by stronger colonies when the nectarflow stops in August. When you work your bees, do not leavehoney exposed too long or your bees will get used to robbingrom each other.

September to November

Hopeully in late August and early September the bees

ound lots o nectar in goldenrod and aster flowers and arestoring pollen or the winter. Te small, white asters areofen important or the all flow in the upper Midwest, butthe all flow is not dependable. Weak colonies should becombined with stronger ones beore the winter. Colonies thatare merged should be reduced to two or three deep boxes.You could use three boxes or very strong ones that you willsplit next year. Extra boxes and comb should be stored in anunheated building with covers on the top and bottom. Whenstoring equipment in hot weather, note that wax moths candestroy the comb in two weeks. I it is going to be warm, you

should keep several tablespoons o paradichlorobenzene(PBD) moth crystals on them. (Be careul not to usenaphthalene crystals.) Stack the boxes and put crystals onnewspaper on tops o rames or every our to six boxes.Either nail wooden entrance reducers in place leaving thesmallest opening (3/8-inch high), or staple 3/8-inch hardwarecloth all across the entrance. Te 1/2-inch hardware cloth alsoworks and is easier to find, but some mice are small enoughto get through it.

It is important to have stores of bee bread

when winter comes.


23/4223

I your colonies do not have at least six deep rames o honeyor the winter, it is best to eed them 2:1 syrup (twice as muchgranulated sugar as water, by volume). You can dissolve it inhot water. Fumidil-B powder can be added to help controlor Nosema disease (dysentery), but this is costly and the

benefit may not be worth the expense. It is only necessary toeed your bees in the early spring or late all, or when you aretrying to get them to draw comb on oundation. Ofen in theMidwest, the bees make enough all honey or themselves,and we do not have to eed them. Put mouse guards on yourhives. Tis is most easily done by stapling 1/2-inch hardwarecloth over the entrance or just bending it lengthwise andshoving it in the entrance. Remove this in the spring so theworkers can more easily take out the dead bees.

Colony TroubleshootingYour primary concerns should be the presence and well-being o the queen and the levels o varroa mites. It ofen isunnecessary to find the queen. I you do not see her, look oreggs by letting sunlight shine into the bottom o the cells. Ieggs are present, there was a queen at least three days ago,because it takes three days or an egg to hatch. Also, look orqueen cells. Swarm cells are queen cells made in preparationor swarming in the spring and are usually toward the bottomo the comb. Emergency and supercedure queen cells areusually ound toward the middle o the comb. When a queen

is ailing and they are making a supercedure queen cell,sometimes it is best to let the bees replace her. However, thismay cause a break in brood rearing o 2 to 3 weeks.

Common problems and recommendations are given below.

1. Problem: I cant find any eggs or brood!

Possible Causes and Solutions:

a. Te queen has quit brood rearing because o the season(winter time or about to swarm) no action needed.

b. No queen buy and introduce a new queen ASAP.Optional test: Add a rame o eggs and young larvae romanother hive. Check or the start o queen cells on third day.Tis indicates they were probably queenless and will nowraise a new queen.

c. New queen present but is not yet laying (you may findsome sealed brood lef rom the last queen) be patient.Queens normally begin laying eggs roughly two weeks aferemerging rom the cell.

d. Extended shortage o pollen.

Woodland asters

Bee bread and nectar


24/4224

2. Problem: Tere are eggs present, but no other brood.

Possible Cause: Brood rearing has just resumed afer being halted.Perhaps they raised a new queen that just mated.

Solution: Tis is good! No action needed.

3. Problem: I see wet-looking pollen.

Possible Cause: When pollen is not needed immediately, bees put nectarand honey on it. Tis is bee bread and is normal. Yeasts in the beebread make processed ood or the bees.

Solution: No action needed.

4. Problem: Tere are clean, shiny-looking cells in the middle o brood nest.

Possible Cause: Te workers have prepared the cells or egg laying. Tey

should look clean and shiny on the bottom.

Solution: No action needed unless there is no queen!

5. Problem: I see eggs, but more than one egg per cell.


a. Te queen is reshly mated, or not mated be patient. She will soonlearn to put only one egg per cell. However, you should check again in510 days, and replace the queen i this is still happening.

b. Probably the colony has been queenless or two weeks or moreand you have a laying worker colony. Some o the workers ovarieshave developed and they are laying drone eggs do not introduce anew queen to this colony. Laying workers usually kill queens that areintroduced because the laying workers produce some queen substance asi the colony had a real queen. Usually the laying worker colony is a weakone and can be combined with another colony without too much dangerto the queen. Use one o the ollowing methods in this case:

Te easiest and probably best remedy is to merge the colony withanother colony. Use the newspaper technique and place the laying

worker colony above the one it is to be merged with. ry to introduce a queen. ake the hive 20 eet away rom its stand

and shake all the bees off the rames and out o the box onto theground. Te theory is that the laying workers usually do not find theirway back to the hive, or the disruption helps them accept a queen. Setup the hive in its original position. Introduce a queen under a push-in cage that is pushed into dark comb that contains some open honey,and possibly a little capped brood. Be careul to push the cage wellinto dark comb. Plastic push-in cages seem to work better becausebees are less likely to chew around them. Release the queen in three


25/4225

days i the workers are not biting the cage. (Tey cling tothe cage with their mandibles when biting it and are noteasily brushed aside.)

6. Problem: Te brood is scattered in an uneven pattern.


a. Queen is running out o sperm i this is the cause,requeening is advisable. I nothing is done, the bees will raisea new queen and the current queen will be superceded by herdaughter.

b. Something is killing the brood. Cold nights in the springcan kill some brood. Rarely, pesticides and poisons may causethe brood to have an uneven pattern. Or, the problem couldbe mites or disease.

Check or possible sources o pesticides or other poisons,i you have not had cold nights recently.

Check or disease symptoms o oulbrood, chalkbrood,and parasitic mite syndrome.

Clue: Is one colony showing the symptoms or are several? Ione, situation (a) is more likely. I several, (b) is more likely.

7. Problem: I ound the queen, but I also see a new queen cellthat has a neat, round opening at the bottom.

Possible Cause: A virgin queen has recently emerged romthis cell.

Solution: I the old queen is present and doing well, and youwant to keep her, you should try to find the virgin queen andkill her. Otherwise, the virgin will probably kill the old queenand there will be a break in brood rearing. Another possibility isthat the old queen is not perorming well. You should evaluatethe brood to make sure she is still laying lots o eggs and fillingrames with brood. I the brood is spotty, it may be best to let

the new queen take over. Queens usually take less than twoweeks to mate and begin laying eggs, so you need to be patient.

8. Problem: I opened my hive and suddenly ound virginqueens emerging rom several cells!

Possible Cause: Your colony was preparing to swarm. Whenbees are going to swarm and they have multiple queen cells,the worker bees prevent the queens rom emerging too soonby sitting on the cells and thumping them. Sometimes thequeens are not completely inhibited and begin to chew their


26/4226

way out, but the workers re-seal the opening beore the queencan emerge.

Solution: It is too late to prevent the bees rom swarming, ithey havent done so already. I you want queens to requeenother hives, this is a good opportunity. You can capture someo these queens and put them in cages with attendant bees.Add some bee candy (made o powdered sugar and honeyor white corn syrup) or give them a drop o honey and putthem right into new queenless hives (wait 24 hours aferdequeening). Remember to give them a very small droplet owater twice a day i you are keeping them in cages or a while.You can keep them in the cage with candy or about a week.Tese queens can also be mated in small nucs and kept orcolonies that need new queens later.

Short Guide to Using Honey Bees inPollination

General Considerations

Why use honey bees?Many crops are dependent on pollination by bees oradequate ruit set. North America has over 3,000 species owild bees. Some o these species are much more efficient thanhoney bees on a per-bee basis or pollinating specific plants.But, almost all o the wild bees are solitary. A single emalemakes a nest, orages, and cares or the brood, so solitary bees

do not have colonies. Honey bees are social they have acolony containing one queen that lays all the eggs, and tenso thousands o worker bees to do the oraging. Furthermore,many wild bees only visit specific kinds o plants or are onlyactive or part o the season. Te three primary pollinatorbees and their benefits are given below.

Te orchard mason bee is useul because it is active duringthe spring and is an efficient pollinator o apples. Masonbees can be encouraged to nest in plastic straws or holesdrilled in wood. Teir progeny will return to the sameorchard each year.

Bumble bees are important because they are large, activeoragers and are also social, living in small colonies thatare active throughout the season.

Honey bee colonies also are active throughout thegrowing season. Worker honey bees will visit any flowersthat provide good amounts o nectar or pollen, the tworesources bees need or energy and protein. Te main


27/4227

advantage o using honey bees is that you can managecolonies with tens o thousands o bees to serve as mobilepollination units.

What is a good pollinating hive?A hive that was just started rom shaking a package o beesonto a oundation is not a good pollination unit, because thepopulation is low and will continue to decline or at least amonth while the bees draw comb or the queen to lay eggs inand the first new workers hatch out. A good pollination unit isa strong hive (meaning it contains lots o bees). A strong hivewill have many bees coming and going rom the entrance ona warm day. I you take the lid off, there should be bees fillingat least one or two large brood chambers, with a carpet o beescovering the tops o the rames. A good pollinating unit willhave at least one deep brood chamber ull o bees, brood, and

eggs (indicating that they have a queen).

When do you move your hives?Bee hives are usually moved afer sunset to avoid losingoraging bees. Beekeepers that move only a ew hives usuallyjust screen off the entrances and load the hives individuallyon a truck. Straps can be used to make sure boxes do notcome apart i the hive is knocked over. Beekeepers with largeroperations ofen move hives on pallets with our hives perpallet. Te grower should expect the hives to come at nightand should jointly decide with the beekeeper where the hives

will be placed in the orchard or the edges o the field.

How do you time the move?Te importance o timing depends on what flowers arecompeting or the attention o the bees. One thing to consideris the attractiveness o your crop as a nectar source. Bees arevery good at locating the sweetest nectar in the area. Ofenthis comes rom weeds in the surrounding fields. Bees like toorage within 300 eet o the hive, but will travel two milesor more or a good nectar source. Ideally, it is best to havethe bees moved into the crop just as flowering has started in

earnest, so that the bees do not get used to oraging on thenearby weeds. I they are moved in too soon, there may notbe enough o the crop blooming to effectively compete withthe weeds.

Consider drawing up a pollination contract.When contracting or pollination, it is important that thebeekeeper and grower discuss details, including all o theollowing:

Hives waiting to go into almond orchards

in CaliforniaThis is the biggest managed

pollination event on the planet.


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Pesticides.Which pesticides will be used, i any, while thebees are present? Bees are extremely sensitive to sprayson flowers. It is possible or a beekeeper to lose all 300 otheir colonies in one week to pesticide-poisoning duringpollination. Te beekeeper and grower should know which

pesticides are most toxic to bees.

Access. Te beekeeper should have access to the coloniesat all times to inspect them and make sure they still havequeens and are healthy.

Contract. All o these points should be decided ahead otime. It is best to sign a ormal contract with the beekeeperand owner o the crop to be pollinated. Tis protects both thegrower and the beekeeper.

How many hives are needed?

Te number o hives needed depends on the crop. Crops withmore than one seed per ruit benefit rom multiple bee visits tothe flowers to get large ruit. Examples o such crops are apples,cucumbers, melons, and blueberries. Blueberries need perhapsthe most hives per unit o area, because they are not that attractiveto the bees. Examples o some estimates o the optimal number ohives per acre are given in able 1.

Pesticides and Bees

Pesticide ToxicityTe acutely toxic effects o pesticides to bees are measured by

experiments in which the test compound is administered tobees as a contact pesticide in a controlled way. able 2 indicateshow pesticides are rated based on their LD50s, or the lethaldose needed to kill 50 percent o the test bees (concentration inmicrogram/bee, or g/bee).

Residue Exposure

Some pesticides are very toxic to bees but can still be appliedto the blossoms in the evening, because they rapidly decay toless toxic compounds. Te residual activity o pesticides is ofenexpressed as an R25 value. Te R, or residual time, is thetime that needs to pass or the pesticide to degrade enough thatbee mortality is reduced to 25 percent o the initial mortalityo the reshly applied product. Tis test is done by spraying thepesticide on alala leaves and keeping the leaves in a cage withbees at 75F. But cooler temperatures can dramatically increasethe time needed or residues to become nontoxic to bees. Beespecially careul when the weather is cool. More inormationcan be obtained rom reading Protecting Honey Bees fromPesticides (extension.entm.purdue.edu; search by publicationtitle. PDF: 704 KB).

Crop Hives peracre

Apples 1.2

Blueberries 4.0Cantaloupe 2.4

Cucumber 2.1

Squash 1.0

LD50s Toxicity(g/bee)

less than 100 virtually nontoxic

11-100 slightly toxic

2.010.99 moderately toxic

greater highly toxic

than 2.0

Table 1. Number of hives

needed for different crops.

Table 2. Classification of toxicitybased on LD50s (g/bee)
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Keeping RecordsTe ollowing worksheets (pages 2933) are provided to help you keep records o your beekeepingexpenses and colonies. Keeping records is important so that you know how you are doing and howmuch you are spending. You can use the tables provided or make your own. Using Microsof Excelon a computer makes it easy to sum your costs.

Inventory of Beekeeping Equipment

Date Obtained Item Number Cost

otal:


30/4230

Receipts

Date ItemValue

Used at HomeValue Sold

otal:


31/4231

Financial Summary

Assets:

otal value of bees, equipment, etc., on hand January 1.

otal value of supplies, equipment, etc., purchased duringyear.

Miscellaneous expenses during the year. Explain:

otal:

Inventory:

otal value of bees, equipment, etc., on hand December 31.

otal value of bee products available for sale December 31.

otal:

otal pounds of honey produced:

extracted ( __________ pound) + chunk ( __________ pounds) + comb ( __________ pounds)

= _____________ pounds

Value o bee products sold: _____________________________

Yearly Profit (or Loss) =

Assets Inventory + Value o bee products sold.

__________ __________ + __________ = __________

Yearly Profit/Loss: ______________


32/4232

Work Record

Record all time spent working on your beekeeping project.

Date Location Kind of Work ime Spent

otal:


33/4233

Apiary Record

(Maintain a record book or your hives with a chart or each individual colony.)

Colony No.

Date Queen BroodAmount

AmountPollen

AmountHoney

BeePopulation

HoneyRemoved

Equip-ment

Notes

Colony No.

Date QueenBrood

AmountAmountPollen

AmountHoney

BeePopulation

HoneyRemoved

Equip-ment

Notes

Colony No.

Date QueenBrood

Amount

AmountPollen

AmountHoney

Bee

Population

HoneyRemoved

Equip-

mentNotes


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The Scientific MethodScientific Method an organized way to address a problemyou are having with your bees.

1. Stating the problem

Tink about what you want to learn.

2. Forming the hypothesis

Afer you choose a problem to study, describe what you thinkis happening.

3. Observing and experimenting

Observe or set up an experiment to test your hypothesis. allyyour data. You can make your own charts by hand or on thecomputer.

4. Interpreting data

Once you have collected your data, you need to understandwhat it tells you. Te data can be interpreted by comparingnumbers visually or in graphic orm.

5. Drawing conclusions

Consider how your observations and/or experiments affectyour hypothesis. Is the hypothesis supported or rejected by

your observations and experiments? How do the results giveyou ideas or uture studies and a new hypothesis? Shouldyou run your experiment again? Should you change one oyour variables?

Worksheet components:

1. State the problem.

2. Write a hypothesis.

3. Observe and experiment (create a data sheet).

4. ally, study, and interpret your data.

5. Draw conclusions.

a. Was your hypothesis supported, or not?(Circle one) Yes No

b. What else did you learn?


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Demonstrations and TalksAny one o the suggested projects could be an excellent topicor a demonstration or discussion at your school, county,or state air. You might also be able to find other clubs andgroups that would be interested in such a presentation.

alks are generally more interesting i you do an interactivedemonstration. General guidelines and a checklist or aninteractive demonstration are given in this manual.

Interactive Demonstration Guidelines

An interactive demonstration is one o a number o verbalcommunication events that 4-H members can present at theIndiana State Fair and in many counties. It is a un way toshare what you have learned in your 4-H project with thepublic. Its a kind o show and tell but with more action. Aninteractive demonstration is not a speech, where the audience

sits and listens to a prepared talk. It is an opportunity to getyour audience involved in learning about your 4-H projectwork. Youth o any age may participate. See the Indiana4-H Project website (www.our-h.purdue.edu/projects; clickon Verbal Communication Events and Activities) or moreinormation about interactive demonstrations and otheroptions or youth in grades 612.

Interactive demonstrations can be given anywhere there area lot o people, such as a county or state air, shopping mall,street air, or other 4-H event. Your job as a demonstrator is to

interest the audience in your topic so that they stop and learnsomething new or try their hand at what you are doing.

How do I choose a topic for my interactive demonstration?

An interactive demonstration can be done on almost anysubject. Te topic should be something that you enjoy and areknowledgeable about. Consider the ollowing questions whenchoosing a topic.

Can you complete the demonstration in 3 to 5 minutes?

Can it easily be repeated over and over again to fill theassigned time?

Is your interactive demonstration showing something thatwould interest the general public?
http://www.four-h.purdue.edu/projectshttp://www.four-h.purdue.edu/projects


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Is there a good way to involve your audience in youractivity (hands-on or answering questions)?

Can the supplies or the hands-on section be used overand over again, or will they need to be replaced? (I thematerials must be replaced, it will cost more to do thedemonstration.)

How can I get the audience involved?

Te first thing you need to do is be enthusiastic and attractpeoples attention as they walk by your table. You might havea colorul tablecloth or poster to spark their interest. Youmight ask them a question, like: Would you like to play thisgame? or Have you ever made pretzels? Would you like totry? Te best way to attract their attention is to have peoplearound your table doing something. People love to do hands-

on activities, so once you get a ew people at your table, theywill attract others.

Involve your audience by having them:

Do what you are doing

Do a hands-on section

Judge the quality o various items

Play a game

Answer questions

Remember, the key to a good interactive demonstration isgetting your audience involved.


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Interactive Demonstration Checklist

opic Yes No

Was the topic interesting to the general public, causing them to stop, watch, orparticipate?

Did the topic stimulate questions rom the audience?

Was the topic o suitable length?

Did the topic include something hands-on or the audience to do?

Organizing the Content Yes No

Was the topic organized into short show-and-tell segments that were donerepeatedly?

Were segments presented in logical order?

Were segments explained so that the audience understood why?

Was it evident that the 4-H member was knowledgeable about the subject andcould answer questions?

Did visuals, pictures, posters, or actual objects clariy the important ideas?

Presenting the Demonstration Yes No

Did the 4-H member seem enthusiastic?

Did the 4-H member encourage the audience to become involved in the demon-stration?

Did the 4-H member speak directly to the audience?

Did the 4-H member show evidence o practice and experience?

Did the 4-H member show that she/he enjoys talking to the audience?

Did the 4-H member show enthusiasm, riendliness, and a businesslike manner?

Did the 4-H member tell about what they learned through this 4-H project?

Comments:


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Exhibits

You should get inormation about the 4-H Beekeeping exhibitrom your county Extension educator. Indiana State Fairguidelines are available at the Indiana 4-H website

(www.our-h.purdue.edu/projects).Te displays that you could design are as numerous and variedas the many types o projects you have to choose rom.

I you exhibit honey, judges will evaluate its color, body,flavor, uniormity o weight and appearance, clarity, moisturecontent, crystals, and reedom rom contamination. Judgeswill also evaluate the neatness o the container.

Project Suggestions

Hive increases

Uniting hives Fall and spring management Dividing hives and introducing a queen to a hive Dividing colonies or increase Queen production Queen rearing Double queen method wo-queen system o honey production Hive swarms Summer management Te bee language Bee hunting Construction o an observation hive Research on honey bees and pesticides Home-built beekeeping equipment Protecting honey bees rom pesticides Bee behavior Section comb honey production Selective honey gathering U.S. standards or grading honey Collecting pollen or supplemental eeding

Te value o the honey bee as a crop pollinator Use o honey bees or crop pollination Construction o a simplified pollen trap or use on colonies

o honey bees Processing and uses o beeswax Pollination o agricultural crops Te history o hive bodies Designing and building a hive stand


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Resources

Recommended Magazines

American Bee Journal, http://www.dadant.com/journal/

Bee Culture, http://www.beeculture.com/

Recommended Books

Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping, by Dewey M. Caron and Laurence J. Connor. Wicwas Press.Cheshire, Connecticut. 2013. ISBN 9781878075291.

Te Hive and the Honey Bee. Dadant and Sons Publisher. 1992. ISBN: 0-915698-09-9

Purdue Beehive Website

Tere are many beekeeping resources listed at the Purdue University Beehive site:http://extension.entm.purdue.edu/beehive/

Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR)

http://www.in.gov/dnr/entomolo/2893.htm

Te state apiary inspector is employed by the Indiana Department o Natural Resources,Division o Entomology and Plant Pathology, and is located in Indianapolis. Tis site hasgeneral inormation about honey bees as well as regulations and applications or moving beesinto Indiana rom out o state.

Driftwatch Website (https://driftwatch.org/)Tis website allows you to easily map out where your bee hives are so the pesticide applicatorsthat use the site can try to avoid pesticide drif that could kill your bees.

Suggested Reading

Brother Adam, 1983. In Search of the Best Strains of Bees, Dadant and Sons, Hamilton, IL.

Furgala, B., M. Spivak, and G. S Reuter, 2000. Beekeeping inNorthern Climates, University oMinnesota, St. Paul, MN.

von Frisch, K., 1967. Te Dance Language and Orientation of Bees, Harvard University Press,Cambridge, MA.

Gould, J. L., and C. R. Gould, 1988. Te Honey Bee, Scientific American Library, W. H. Freeman &Co. New York.

Graham, J. M. (ed.), 1992. Te Hive and the Honey Bee, Dadant and Sons, Hamilton, IL.

Laidlaw, H., and R. E. Page, 1999. Bee Genetics andBreeding, University o Caliornia Press,Davis, CA.

Spivak, M., and G. S. Reuter, 1997. Successful QueenRearing, University o Minnesota,St. Paul, MN.

Wilson, E. O., 1971. Te Insect Societies, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA.
http://www.dadant.com/journalhttp://www.beeculture.com/http://www.beeculture.com/http://www.dadant.com/journal


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Glossary

Aferswarms Swarms that leave a colony witha virgin queen afer a swarm o the same seasonhas already lef the hive.

American oulbrood An extremely contagiousdisease o bees that affects them in the larval(worm) stage o development caused by thebacteria Bacillus larvae.

Apiary A collection o colonies o honey bees;also, the yard or place where bees are kept.

Apiculture Beekeeping.

Bee escape A device to remove bees romsupers or buildings; constructed to allow bees

to pass through in one direction but to preventtheir return.

Beehive A box or other structure or housing acolony o honey bees.

Bee space An open space (1/4 to 3/8 inch) thatpermits ree passage o a bee but too small toencourage comb building.

Beeswax Te wax secreted by honey beesrom eight glands within the underside o theabdomen and used in building their combs.

Bee veil A wire screen or cloth enclosure wornover the head and neck or protection rom beestings.

Bottom board Te flooro a beehive.

Brace comb Small pieces o comb builtbetween combs and the hive.

Brood Young developing bees ound in theircells in the egg, larval, and pupal stages odevelopment.

Burr comb Small pieces o wax built upon acomb or upon a wooden part o a hive but notconnected to another comb or part.

Castes Te different kinds o adult bees in acolony: workers, drones, and queen.

Cell A single compartment in a honeycomb inwhich brood is reared or ood is stored.

Chunk honey A piece or pieces o comb honeypacked in a jar with liquid extracted honey.

Clarification Te removal o oreign particlesrom liquid honey or wax by the straining,filtering, or settling process.

Cluster Te hanging together o a large groupo honey bees, one upon another.

Colony A community o honey bees having aqueen, thousands o workers, and (during parto the year) a number o drones.

Cut comb honey Squares o honey in thesealed comb in which it was produced; cut roma shallow super size rame o sealed honeycomband then packaged in clear plastic.

Deormed wing virus (DWV) an extremelycommon virus ofen associated with varroamites that can also transmit the virus. Beesmay show no symptoms or may have deormedwings, part o the symptoms o parasitic mitesyndrome.

Drifing Te return o field bees to coloniesother than their own.

Drone A male honey bee, arising romunertilized eggs o queens or workers.

Dysentery A disease o honey bees causing anaccumulation o excess waste products that arereleased in and near the hive.

European oulbrood An inectious diseaseaffecting honey bees in the larval (worm)stage o development; caused by the bacteriaStreptococcus pluton.

Extracted honey Liquid honey.

Extractor A machine using centriugal orceor removing honey rom the comb withoutdestroying the combs.

Field bees Worker bees, usually at least 16 daysold, that leave the hive to collect nectar, pollen,water, and propolis.


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Foundation Used to orm base on which beescan construct complete comb, made o eitherwax or plastic and imprinted with hexagons.

Frame Four strips o wood joined at theend to orm a rectangular device or holding

honeycomb.

Granulated honey Honey that has crystallized,changing rom a liquid to a solid.

Hive Worker bees available or purchase. As averb, to put a swarm in a hive.

Hive body A single wooden rim or shell thatholds a set o rames. When used or the broodnest, it is called a brood chamber. When usedabove the brood nest or honey storage, it is

called a super.Hive cover Te roo or lid o a hive. Usuallythese are telescoping covers, meaning theyhave an overhang around the edges.

Hive tool A metal tool with a scraping suraceat one end and a blade at the other; used to openhives, pry rames apart, clean hives, etc.

Honeycomb Te mass o six-sided cells owax built by honey bees in which they rear theiryoung and store their ood.

Honey flow A time when nectar is plentiuland bees produce and store surplus honey.

House bee A young worker bee, 1 day to 2weeks old, that works only inside the hive.

Inner cover A thin wooden board placed justbeneath the hive cover or added protection andinsulation rom the elements.

Job shadowing Learning rom others byollowing, watching, and studying what they doin their jobs.

Larva Te grublike or wormlike immatureorm o the honey bee in its second stage ometamorphosis

Metamorphosis Te series o stages throughwhich an insect passes: egg to larva to pupa toadult.

Movable rame A rame o comb that can beeasily removed rom the hive. It is constructedto maintain a proper bee space, which preventsthe bees rom attaching comb or astening it toosecurely with propolis.

Nectar A sweet liquid secreted by plants,usually in their flowers, and converted intohoney by bees.

Nosema An inectious disease o the adulthoney bee that inects the mid-gut, or stomach.It is cause by a protozoan parasite. Symptoms othis disease closely resemble those o dysentery.

Observation hive A hive made mostly o glassor clear plastic to permit observation o the beesat work.

Pesticide A general name or materials used tokill undesirable insects, plants, rodents, or otherpests.

Pollen Dustlike grains ormed in the flowers oplants in which the male elements are produced.Honey bees use pollen as a protein ood or theiryoung.

Proboscis Te tongue o a honey bee.

Propolis A kind o glue or resin collected bythe bees or use in closing up cracks, anchoringhive parts, etc. It is also called bee glue.

Pupa Te third stage o a developing bee,during which it is inactive and sealed in its cell.Te adult orm is recognizable during this stage.

Queen excluder A device, usually constructedo wood and wire or sheet zinc, having openingslarge enough or the passage o worker bees buttoo small or the passage o larger drone and

queen bees.Robber bee A field bee rom one colony thattakes, or tries to take, honey rom anothercolony.

Sacbrood A slightly contagious disease obrood that is caused by sacbrood virus. Ofenassociated with varroa mites.


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Swarm A large group o worker bees, drones,and a queen that leaves the mother colony toestablish a new colony.

racheal mites Acarapis woodiare microscopicand inest the breathing tubes inside the bees

thorax. Most bees are resistant to this parasite.

ravel stain Te darkened appearance on thesurace o comb honey when lef in the hive orsome time; caused by bees tracking propolis ovethe surace as they walk over the comb.

Uniting Te combining o two or morecolonies to orm one large colony.

Varroa mites Varroa destructoris consideredthe most serious cause o colony winter losses.

Virgin queen An unmated queen.

Wax moth A moth whose larvae eed on anddestroy honeycomb (also called lesser waxmoth).

Dec. 2015

Sealed brood Brood, mostly in the pupa stage,that has been capped or sealed in cells by thebees with a somewhat porous capping o wax.

Section comb honey Honey in the sealed combthat was produced in thin wooden rames called

sections.

Smoker A device that burns slow-burning uelsto generate smoke or the purpose o keeping thebees calm while working in their hive.

Solar wax extractor A glass-covered box ormelting down beeswax by the heat o the sun.

Super A receptacle in which bees store surplushoney placed over (above) the brood chamber.As a verb, to add supers in expectation o a

honey flow.Supersedure rearing a new queen to replacethe mother queen in the same hive.

Documents

4 H Beekeeping