ENVIRONMENT

We discussed so much at the meeting. Instead of trying to continue discussions as a part of THIS topic, start a new topic specifically related to the particular topic you want to continue. 

*****

Brad shared swarm story.  His is the only know swarm in the area so far.

Anyone wanting books from the library should just email Claire with the request.

Brad Smith asked about how to edit profile to change the delivery of forum messages. You need to go into your profile and hit “edit” and then hit “edit subscriptions”.

“May in the Apiary” printouts were available for everyone.

The discussion involved so many questions and ideas that Claire agreed to write it up and put it on the Beekeeper’s Forum. Hopefully everyone will subscribe to the forum and to the Queen rearing forum if interested.  Below are notes for the discussion.

ABOUT OUR NUCS

• 1.   Several folks got one strong one and one weak one. We discussed waiting to move a frame of open and capped brood and the nurse bees attached. We don’t want to weaken a strong hive. We need to observe the queen’s laying pattern in the weak hive and see if she needs to be replaced when queens become available before giving it additional frames. If your strong hive is super strong, go ahead and move a frame over to the weaker one.  If we are requeening it helps a lot to add a frame of brood with the new queen. The colony needs the pheromones from the brood and the queen to be most successful.
• 2.   At least three people lost a nuc due to starvation. In some cases there’s a small cluster of bees left that includes the queen. It seems like the lost colonies were from very strong nucs. The larger the colony the more food it needs. Since it was a strong colony, chances are it is a good queen.  Adding a couple frames of open and capped brood should be done if possible.
• 3.    We need to do a better job of feeding if we want the bees to survive this rainy weather.
• 4.   We talked about issues people have been having with the top feeders from the Farm store. Bees are being found dead probably from getting stuck to the raft.  In one case the raft was probably put in upside down.  Brad Smith did an experiment and filled it with straw he gathered from the floor of the Farm store.  He didn’t “stuff” it, just loosely filled it. The bees could stand on it and drink.  No drowned bees. This may be the way to go! Otherwise perhaps the rafts should be removed before pouring sugar water in there so they don’t get sticky.
• 5.   The Klumpfs got nucs with broken frames.  They shared a metal device you add to the frame to make it hang correctly.  They got them at the Farm store.
• 6.   One person lost a nuc to bears. Further discussion needs to happen about bear fences.
• 7.   Anyone using eight frame boxes will absolutely need three deeps to support brood rearing sooner or later.
• VENTILATION
• 1.   Ventilation was discussed. Use popsicle sticks or coins in the corners on the top of the hive to lift up the outer cover enough to provide ventilation.  We took a look at a couple of different “ventilators”.  One was designed by Patrick Sullivan. It has air vents of curved pvc pipe turned downward and foam in the top half of the box.  The Klumpfs had four nucs all with condensation in the hives.  They performed an experiment using two of Patrick’s ventilation boxes and two control nucs.  The two with Patrick’s boxes were dry within four days. The two control nucs were still wet inside.
• 2.   Another ventilated cover was by Ken Burdick. It had an inner cover with holes covered with hardware cloth. The inner cover was separated from the outer cover by about ½ inch molding down the two long sides. The inner cover, molding and outer cover (a flat piece of plywood) was all screwed together to stay as one piece.  He uses them all year round. Both his overwintered hives survived.
• 3.   Aaron Suchy brought shingle pieces for folks to put under the bottom rear of their hives.  This is to encourage condensation to flow towards the front of the hive and out.
• 4.   He also brought a small electric heated pad normally used to grow seedlings.  He kept this on the very bottom of his hive all winter to keep the hive warmer and dryer.  He still has it in and going. It was a complete success.
• 5.   The club hive has an inner cover with a cutout to the outside. This allows for increased circulation, as well as, an upper entrance which bees seem to like. They don’t all come this way so you may have to cut a small section out.
• 6.   “Round Entrance disks” can be added to wooden boxes to increase ventilation. They can be found online. The Farm store may start carrying them but not sure when.   They have four settings: one with a hole for bees entering and leaving, one just to let air in, one that lets bees in and out but not the queen, and one where the disk is completely closed. It seemed like a good idea to add this to wooden boxes for the ventilation it would provide.

BAIT HIVES

• 1.    For a bait hive to be successful it should have a frame of old blackened drawn comb.  A little lemongrass oil or Swarm Commander is a good idea. Put it up off the ground as high as is convenient.  If you are using it to try and catch your own swarms it should be at least 500’ away. If you have a wooded area, bees like that.
• 2.   We had three different styles of bait hives shared.  Patsy and Chris Weber had a tall, vertical box that was about the width of nuc but much deeper. Plans are on the horizontal hive website under bait hives. (Nuc boxes like those our nucs came in don’t attract swarms because they are too small.)
• 3.   Cody Waldron brought a five gallon bucket with a hole cut out near the top. He put melted bees wax on the inside of the bucket and some on the outside near the opening. The bucket is closed with its lid and hung on a branch of a tree. He got the idea on online.
• 4.   Claire brought the bait hives she and a few others have been promoting for folks who want to help save honey bees but not become a beekeeper.  Attached to this document is a flyer and user guide. Only 20% of swarms survive their first winter. It’s huge to catch and save a swarm. If you have neighbors or friends who will buy one ($60) they should call you. You get free bees and help save a swarm.  If they decide to keep the bees, the bait box becomes the bottom deep for their new colony.

SWARMS

We ran out of time before we could watch the five minute video on swarm control from the University of Guelph.  Google “university of guelph honeybees videos youtube” Swarm prevention from November 29th, 2021.  It’s well worth watching.

• 1.   Swarming might be later this year because of all the wet weather. Hives need to be overcrowded but they also need to have enough honey to support two colonies before they leave.  We think that part may not be happening.
• 2.    We reviewed various swarm control options before time ran out:
• a.)          Walkaway splits (Split hive. Let half without a queen make one.)
• b.)         Removing frames from a strong hive and giving them to a weaker hive gives the strong hive more space.
• c.)          Using frames with queen cells to start nucleus colonies
• d.)         Dry queen cups are not a problem but once they put royal jelly in them we have to take some action.
• 3.    Claire showed how to take the top of a two deep colony and stand it on it’s short side.  Queen cells are usually on the bottom of the frames of the top box because there’s space enough to hang the queen cells.  Standing the box on it’s side makes it easy to do a quick check for queen cells on the bottom of the frames without having to remove any frames.  It’s not full proof but definitely easier.
• 4.   Someone asked when a person is doing a hive inspection with a two deep colony, why do we have to look in the bottom box at all.  It seems only necessary if you didn’t find larva in the top box or you are looking for queen cells.

HIVE INSPECTIONS

• 1.   Everyone should share the experience of going into a hive with someone else. Another set of eyes helps one to see things that might be otherwise overlooked.  If you don’t know anyone to call, call Claire and she’ll find someone near you.
• 2.   The frames in the top brood box will be joined to the frames below it with burr comb. When you go to lift the top brood box the frames attached from the bottom box will get lifted with it.  So twist the top box to break that connection. Not always easy.