Common Grounds

“Keeping Bees” class

4/8/2013

Jeffrey Warnock

Time Commitment

a. “more than a cat, less than a dog” b. Visits to the hive vary per season

1. Spring – once a week 2. Summer and Fall – once every few weeks 3. Winter – about once a month

c. Time per visit, 5 minutes to an hour

Establishing a Colony of Bees (options)

1. Purchasing Package bees w/queen a. Best to reserve from supplier in the Winter (ready for April of

following year). b. Usually start with a 3lb package with a marked queen c. Varieties include Italian, Carniolan, (Russian) hybrids, etc. d. Italian is preferred by me for use in the SF Bay area climate

2. Buying a ‘Nuc’ (Nucleus) a. Already accepted and laying queen w/ emerging young bees b. Nuc frames meant to be transferred into your own hive body c. Convenient but may also introduce existing contaminants in

equipment d. Usually offered with deep frames (will not fit into medium sized

brood box) 3. Buying established hives

a. Set in place and is immediately a functioning hive b. Already accepted and laying queen w/ emerging young bees c. Really convenient but usually get used equipment and can end

up with existing contaminants 4. Catching Swarms

a. I encourage swarm catching to be done after some time spent as a beekeeper and learning more about the process.

Modern Hive Bodies

1. 8-frame vs. 10-frame hive

b. 10 - frame (Deep size) weight (up 90 lbs full of honey)

c. 10 - frame (medium size) weight (up to 60lbs full of honey)

d. 8- frame (Medium size) weight (up to 48lbs full of honey)

2. Protective Clothing a. Zippered veil (ease of use and better protection) b. Ventilated cowhide or Goatskin gloves (my preference) c. Full suit (better protection) d. Leather or rubber Boots (recommended for protection)

3. Tools a. Smoker (used to calm the bees) b. Hive tool (for freeing frames from box) c. Frame grip/clamp (grabbing individual frames) d. Frame holder (hangs on side of box)

4. Hive location

a. South facing entrance is ideal 1. Place where there is as little as human interaction as possible 2. Bees have access to full sun for navigation 3. Unobstructed entrance (tree branches, bushes, etc) 4. Open flight path (not up against a house or fence) 5. Away from foot traffic (pathways) 6. Flight path (away from neighbors’ parked cars/driveway) 7. Standing room for Beekeeper access from back of hive

b. Place on stand or base (off of ground)

1. Cinder block, brick, wood stand, etc 2. Easier on beekeeper’s back 3. Keeps moisture off of beehive base 4. Reduces ant infestation, etc. 5. Prop up back of hive base a ¼ inch to create slight

frontward tilt (keeps rainwater from pooling inside)

5. Installing your Package Bees and Queen (basic steps) a. Sugar water in spray bottle b. Wear protective suit with veil and gloves

c. Hive tool, bee brush, staple gun, thumb tack and/or rubber band d. Remove queen cage from box of package bees

1. Place drop of water on screen 2. Remove cork (if there is one from sugar side only) 3. Poke hole through candied-sugar using a small nail

e. Attach cage from center frame in brood box (with rubber band method or hanging from top-bar using wire or tab and staple gun)

f. Remove can from package through circular opening or pry off screen wall (which reduces shaking).

g. Empty bees onto/into hive body, let them enter hive and calm down. (You can optionally remove the center four frames to empty bees into the box, first)

h. Place inner cover on hive partially (and when all bees have gone inside the hive body then fully cover).

i. Place outer cover on hive.

* For reference, see the videos for installing package bees…

6. Other things to consider…

a. Local Ordinances 1. Check with city or county

b. Allergies 1. Local (redness, itching, swelling)

Treated with cold-pack and O.T.C antihistamine 2. Systemic/Anaphylaxis (life-threatening but rare)

Medical attention and (epinephrine/epi-pen)

7. Hive Opening Walk-through (basic steps) a. Suit up (check zippers, gloves, legs bottoms) b. Ignite fuel in Smoker (create cool smoke by smoldering fuel not

fire inside smoker) c. Smoke entrance (3 to 4 puffs) d. Approach back of hive e. Lift lid and smoke inside of inner cover (3 to 4 puffs) f. Wait a minute or so, then remove lid g. Remove inner cover h. Use hive tool to free frames, then pick up frame using frame

clamp. Proceed to inspect frames (in either honey supers or brood box)

i. Remove frame near edge of box first and place in frame holder j. Proceed to remove additional frames working inward

k. Reverse order when putting frames back in boxes l. When putting boxes back on one another, place on top at an

angle, then align (reduces bee casualties).

8. Resources Bees Packages w/Queen (some suppliers in Northern California)

a. http://www.beekeepermike.com b. http://www.koehnen.com/packages.html c. http://www.honeybeegenetics.com/order.html d. http://www.ohbees.com/index.php e. http://www.beekind.com/orderbees.html (pick-up only)

Installing Package bees and queen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoOk2UXP0eI or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a4a-Tw-qFI or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ek7dDtZ0lK8

Making Inverted Sugar Syrup (recipe/instructions)

a. http://wvbeekeeper.blogspot.com/2008/01/making-invert-sugar- syrup.html

Stings and allergies

a. http://www.ars.usda.gov/Research/docs.htm?docid=11067 b. http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/insect-stings c. http://www.epipen.com

Harvesting and Extracting Honey (video) a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y59pJfUX58c

Beekeeping Supplies

Online ordering a. Brushy Mountain Bee Farm

http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com b. Dadant and Sons

http://www.dadant.com c. Mann Lake

http://www.mannlakeltd.com d. Walter T. Kelley Co.

https://kelleybees.com

Stores in greater Bay area

a. Carrier’s Bees (in San Jose, Ca) http://carriersbees.com

b. Beekind (in Sebastopol, Ca) http://www.beekind.com

c. Sacramento Beekeeping Supplies (Sacramento, Ca) http://www.sacramentobeekeeping.com

d. Bee Healthy Honey Shop (Oakland, Ca) http://www.beehealthyhoneyshop.com Bee (pollinator) friendly plant and flower resources

a. http://pollinator.org/nappc/index.html b. http://nature.berkeley.edu/urbanbeegardens/docs/FullPlantList.pdf c. http://nature.berkeley.edu/urbanbeegardens/gbt.html d. http://nature.berkeley.edu/urbanbeegardens/ e. http://www.themelissagarden.com/plants.html f. http://www.themelissagarden.com/TMG_Vetaley031608.htm

Maintaining a healthy hive info (disease, pests, and medication)

a. http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/Resources/DiseaseNPests.asp

b. Making Sense of Medications (Video) http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/downloads/14July09_MakingSenseOfMedications.wmv

c. Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) info http://www.ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=15572

Local Beekeeper’s Guilds and Groups (directory)

a. http://www.citybees.com/resources.htm

Online groups and forums

a. Yahoo Groups (directory) http://pets.dir.groups.yahoo.com/dir/Science/Biology/Animals/Insects/Bees/Beekeeping

b. Bee Source http://www.beesource.com/forums/forum.php

c. Natural Beekeeping Network http://www.biobees.com/forum/index.php

Beginning Beekeeping Books

a. The Backyard Beekeeper: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden ISBN-10: 1592536077

Beekeeping Magazines

a. American Bee Journal http://www.americanbeejournal.com

b. Bee Culture Magazine http://www.beeculture.com

A. Hive Cover - Telescoping cover “telescopes” over the sides of the top super to protect the hive. Galva-nized covering.

B. Inner Cover - Creates a dead air space for insula-tion from heat and cold.

C. Shallow Supers - Consist of Super, Frames and Beeswax Foundation for “surplus” honey storage. Bees store their extra honey in the frames for the beekeeper to remove. 6-5/8' or , 5-11/16'' supers, or even hive bodies may be used.

D. Queen Excluder - Keeps the queen bee in the brood chambers as she is too large to pass through the excluder. Prevents her from laying eggs and raising brood in honey supers placed above the excluder.

E. Hive Bodies - Consists of Body, Frames and Bees-wax Foundation. “Brood Chambers” are the bees’ living quarters. Queen lays eggs in these chambers and brood is raised. Honey is also stored for the bees’ food.

F. Bottom Board - Forms the floor of the hive. Shown with wooden entrance reducer in place to keep mice and some cold out during winter.

G. Hive Stand - Supports the hive off the ground to keep hive bottom dry and insulate hive

Beehive Components

The modern bee hive is like a highly efficient multistoried factory with each “story” having a specific function. These “stories” work together to provide a home for bees and a honey factory for the beekeeper.

To contact us: Phone 217.847.3324, Fax 217.847.3660, e-mail Dadant@dadant.com

Frequently Asked Questions (Provided by Brushy Mountain Bee Farm website)

When should I order my equipment to prepare for my bees?

You want to order equipment several weeks to a month in advance to when it will be needed. This gives you ample time to have your equipment assembled, painted, and setup before your bees arrive.

Do I need to paint my hives?

In order for you to preserve the wood of your hives, the hives will need to be painted. Hives can be painted with either an acrylic latex paint in any color or they may be stained.

Which is better: 8-frame or 10-frame bodies?

Being a bee supplier of both 8 and 10-frame hives we leave the choice up to the beekeeper. Having a 10-frame hive does give you added space for 2 more frames (some beekeepers use 9 frames spaced evenly so the bees can draw out the hive which creates more honey), in turn making the bodies heavier. With the 8-frame being smaller does not mean that your colony will be smaller or weaker, it just means that your colony will grow up rather than out.

Is equipment from other companies interchangeable?

Bee equipment does come in a standard size that should be interchangeable with other companies. Do note that Brushy Mountain Bee Farm supplies are developed in the United States and hold up better than the cheaper competitors brand. Our hives do not present any gapes between supers and we glue as well as nail our woodware so the wear and tear on our product holds up better.

Should I get a beginner's kit or buy individual pieces?

Our kits provide everything that you need to start you first hive except for the bees, feed, and paint. We pride ourselves in providing you the most successful kit available without extras you do not need. Purchasing a kit gives you the essentials you need where as developing your hive with individual parts can lead to missing items or tools you would need before getting your bees.

Does Brushy Mountain Bee Farm ship bees?

Due to postal regulations with shipping live animals Brushy Mountain Bee Farm is not licensed to ship bees. We do offer certain days in the beginning of spring that allows customers to purchase packages of bees and queens.

How often should I replace my queen?

It is recommended that the queen be replaced once a year so she is putting out a sufficient amount of pheromone. Most beekeepers hold onto their queens for 2-3 years before she is replaced.

How long should I feed my package of bees/nuc?

With a new package of bees, feeding should happen for the first 6-8 weeks. Feeding for nucs should happen until remaining frames are pulled out and your ready to add the first honey super.

Fun Facts

(Provided by American Bee Journal)

⋅ The honey bee is the only insect that produces food eaten by man.

⋅ A honey bee can fly for up to six miles, and as fast as 15 miles per hour, hence it would have to fly around 90,000 miles -three times around the globe - to make one pound of honey.

⋅ It takes one ounce of honey to fuel a bee's flight around the world.

⋅ Honey is 80% sugars and 20% water.

⋅ Honey bees produce beeswax from eight paired glands on the underside of their abdomen.

⋅ Honey bees must consume about 17-20 pounds of honey to be able to biochemically produce

each pound of beeswax.

⋅ Bees maintain a temperature of 92-93 degrees fahrenheit in their central brood nest regardless of whether the outside temperature is 110 or -40 degrees.

⋅ A populous colony may contain 40,000 to 60,000 bees during the late spring or early summer.

⋅ The queen bee lives for about 2-3 years. She is the busiest in the summer months, when the hive needs to be at its maximum strength, and lays up to 2500 eggs a day.

⋅ The queen may mate with up to 17 drones over a 1-2 day period of mating.

⋅ The queen may lay 600-800 or even 1,500 eggs each day during her 3 or 4 year lifetime. This daily egg production may equal her own weight. She is constantly fed and groomed by attendant worker bees

⋅ Worker honey bees live for about 4 weeks in the spring or summer but up to 6 weeks during the winter.

⋅ The average honey bee will actually make only one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime.

⋅ Honey bees fly at up to 15 miles per hour

⋅ The honey bee's wings stroke 11,400 times per minute, thus making their distinctive buzz.

⋅ A honey bee visits 50 to 100 flowers during a collection trip.

⋅ Honey bees, scientifically also known as Apis Mellifera, are environmentally friendly and are vital as pollinators

⋅ Fermented honey, known as Mead, is the most ancient fermented beverage. The term "honey moon" originated with the Norse practice of consuming large quantities of Mead during the first month of a marriage.

Getting started...

• Beginner Garden Kit (from Brushy Mountain Bee Farm)

The kit includes: 1- 8-Frame Copper A-line Top, 1 inner cover, 2 medium cypress garden supers, 16- grooved top bar and grooved bottom bar medium frames, 1- I.P.M. bottom board, and 1-cypress hive stand. All assembled. You will also receive 16 sheets of crimp wire foundation, which you will insert into the frames. Also; your choice of a hatless veil, or (for an additional $30.00) a clear view veil with string. You may choose your size in either plastic coated, (or for an additonal $12.00) ventilated cowhide or goatskin gloves, a hobbyist smoker w/ smoker fuel, a bee brush, a 10" hive tool, a plastic entrance feeder, a beginner's book and a Garden Hive instructional DVD. No other Substitutions please. Base Model $210.00

Getting started...

• Hobby Kit No. 1 (from Dadant and Sons)

Kit contains:1 - standard beehive unassembled1 - all purpose hive tool1-entrance reducer1 - bee smoker to calm bees10 - 9 1/8 inch grooved top bar frames, unassembled1 - protective bee veil10 - sheets plastic based foundation1 - sting resistant gloves, large

1 - entrance feeder1 - book First Lessons in Beekeeping1 - assembly instructions1 - smoker fuel 1 lb.1 - telescoping metal cover, unassembled1 - inner cover1 - bottom board, unassembled

Getting started...

• I recommend purchasing these potential add-ons for you beehive and beekeeping needs...

I.P.M. Bottom Board (a.k.a. Varroa Mite Screen Board)

Heavy Duty Frame Lifter Hive Tool

Goat Skin or Leather Vented Gloves

Full Protective Suit with Zippered Veil

Frame Holder

Bee Escape