To Bee Or Not To Be Honey

Varroa MiteTreatment

•••

The varroa mite appears to have been introduced to the United State in 1987 (although some literature mentions seeing mites earlier) through improper (illegal) importation of bees to Florida despite a legal quarantine which had been in place for a long time. The mites were identified after some hives were transported from Florida to Wisconsin and colony failures occurred.   Checks around the nation found that the mites were already in a dozen states. Originally the mites were identified as Varroa Jacobsoni, later ast DNA testing became more available the mites were identified as Varroa Destructor (A much more destructive species). 

Varroa mites originated from Asia. Asia bees have adapted over thousands of years to live with these mites. However the bees found in the US (and many other countries of the world) originated in Europe and they have little to no defense mechanisms against these mites.  Similar to the introduction of small pox into America, varroa is devastating to European bees.

Many beekeepers ignored the warnings from the regulatory agencies for years, not understanding what the impact would be (losing many colonies).  The mites spread across the continent quickly as many beekeepers migrate their bees across the nation to pollinate crops in across the continent. 

Prior to the infestation a lot of pollination was performed by feral colonies as well as managed colonies. Once beekeepers started treating for mites with miticides their colonies became stronger. Once the infestation took hold, many of the feral colonies started to weaken and be robbed out by stronger managed colonies.  Then the robbing bees would return with more and stronger mites to the managed hive creating a vicious cycle that was producing mites that could not be killed with the miticides previously used.  

The number of productive colonies in the US fell from 4.25 million in 1998 to less than 2.5 million hives in 2007 where a new threat was identified as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) which is a topic for another article.  

Over the years beekeepers have recognized the very real threat this beast has produced. Many are actively involved in  research to overcome the problem. Some are trying to breed better genetics into the bees, but considering new imports are banned (for good reason) they have to work with only the genetics that are in the states already.  Some are working on better treatments to kill the mites. Many of these work well at first but eventually fail because the mites that live carry on genetics which make them resistant to the treatments.

The adult mites suck, quite literally, they suck the fat body (which serves much the same purpose as blood in humans) from adult bees and the larvae.  This weakens the bees and leads to their death. A larger issue is that the mites also spread other diseases to the bees (viruses and bacteria). One such disease paralyzes the flight muscles of bees, another turns the developing larvae into a foul goo that spread through the hive and destroys it. 

The mites have a 10 day life cycle (not life span) which goes something like:

1. A Female mite finds a cell that is just about ready to be capped, sneak in and hide behind the larvae
2. Once capped the mite will lay several eggs on the larvae, one male the rest female.
3. The mite hatch in the cell before the larvae (now technically a pupae) emerges.
4. The male will mate with the female (yup they have no problem with incest those unholy beasts)
5. The female will emerge with the host and feed and start the cycle again.

Currently there are several treatments being used. Most are chemicals that target some aspect of the mites physiology that does not target the bees, but considering that they are both exoskeleton based life forms that is tough.

The most common treatment currently use acids such as formic acid or oxalic acid.  Formic acid is most effective, but has very strict temperature ranges where it is not harmful to the bees, below the range and it is not effective, and above the range and it will kill the bees. It has a benefit of being able to kill mites under the capped cells. Many beekeepers are afraid to use it because it is really hard on the bees. Oxalic acid (wood bleach) is also very effective (although the science is not clear why yet but it looks like the mites absorb it in their sticky feet and die).  It is gentler on the bees and not sensitive to temperature, but it involves more work as it is administered in either a drip or a vapor, and since it does not kill mites in the capped cells it must be applied several time to get all the mites in the colony..  

Starting a Hobby in Beekeeping By Microsoft CoPilot

 Starting a hobby of beekeeping can be both rewarding and fascinating. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you begin your beekeeping journey:

How to Begin Beekeeping: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Learn the Basics of Beekeeping

Before diving in, familiarize yourself with bee biology and the fundamental aspects of a beehive. Understand the roles of the queen, workers, and drones, as well as how bees produce honey.

2. Consider These Questions

Ask yourself:

• Does Nature Fascinate You? Learn about the environment your bees will inhabit to ensure their health.
• Do You Enjoy the Outdoors? Beekeeping involves outdoor observation, so be prepared to spend time watching your bees.
• Are You Allergic to Bee Stings? Ensure your safety by knowing your reaction to bee stings.

3. Get Your Equipment

Acquire the necessary beekeeping equipment:

• Hive Components: Purchase or assemble a Langstroth-style hive, including boxes, frames, and covers.
• Protective Gear: Invest in a veil, gloves, and a smoker to prevent bee stings.
• Beekeeping Tools: Familiarize yourself with tools like hive tools, brushes, and feeders.

4. Choose a Location

Select a suitable spot for your beehive:

• Ensure it’s legal and safe.
• Provide enough flowers for your bees to forage.

5. Acquire Bees

You can obtain bees by:

• Catching a Swarm: If you’re lucky, you might find a swarm in your area.
• Buying from a Beekeeper: Purchase a nucleus colony (nuc) or a package of bees.
• Ordering Online: Some suppliers offer bee packages for delivery.

6. Install Your Bees

Once you have your bees:

• Place them in the brood box.
• Spray them with sugar water to calm them.
• Reassemble the frames.
• Introduce the queen (if not already done).

7. Feed Your Bees

Use a 2:1 sugar-water solution to feed your bees while they establish their new home. Continue feeding until they rely on natural nectar sources.

8. Learn and Enjoy

• Take beekeeping classes or join a local beekeeping club.
• Read books, watch videos, and learn from experienced beekeepers.
• Observe your bees, manage pests, and enjoy the sweet rewards of beekeeping!

Remember, beekeeping is a lifelong journey, and your bees will become an integral part of your life. Enjoy the process and learn as you go! 🐝🌼

For more detailed information, consider exploring resources from beekeeping associations and experienced beekeepers123.

How to become a Beekeeper, An OpenAI answer to all my questions.

I decided to see what I could learn about beekeeping from teh OpenAI ChatGPT program. What I am blogging below is the questions and responses from the chat bot with suplimental information from my experience.

Question: How can I become a beekeeper?

Answer:

Becoming a beekeeper typically involves the following steps:

1. Learn about bees and beekeeping: Read books, attend workshops and classes, and/or join a beekeeping club to gain knowledge about bees, beekeeping equipment and techniques, and the responsibilities of a beekeeper.
2. Get the necessary equipment: Purchase or build the equipment you will need to start and maintain your bees, including a hive, protective gear, and tools for handling the bees.
3. Obtain bees: Purchase a package of bees or a nucleus colony from a bee supplier.
4. Locate and set up your hive: Choose a location for your hive that provides the bees with access to nectar and pollen sources and protects them from winds, predators, and pesticides.
5. Maintain your hive: Regularly check on your bees and make sure they have enough food, water, and room to grow. Also, be prepared to deal with any issues that may arise, such as disease or pest infestations.
6. Harvest honey and other products: Once your hive is established, you can begin to harvest honey, beeswax, and other products, and sell them or use them yourself.

Please note that beekeeping laws and regulations vary by state or province, so it is important to research the laws in your area before beginning.

Question : What are good books to learn beekeeping?

Answer:

There are many books available on beekeeping, but some popular and well-regarded ones include:

1. "The Beekeeper's Handbook" by Diana Sammataro and Alphonse Avitabile: This comprehensive guide covers everything from the biology of bees to the practical aspects of managing hives. It is a great resource for both new and experienced beekeepers.
2. "First Lessons in Beekeeping" by Keith Delaplane: Written by a respected bee researcher, this book is designed for beginners and provides a thorough introduction to the basics of beekeeping.
3. "The Backyard Beekeeper: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and Garden" by Kim Flottum: This easy-to-follow guide is perfect for those who are new to beekeeping and want to start with a small, backyard hive.
4. "The Hive and the Honey Bee" by Joe Graham: This book is considered a classic in the field of beekeeping and covers all aspects of bee biology, behavior, and management.
5. "The Beekeeper's Bible: Bees, Honey, Recipes & Other Home Uses" by Richard Jones and Sharon Sweeney-Lynch: This book covers the history of beekeeping, honey and beeswax uses, recipes and also includes a complete guide to starting and maintaining a beehive.
6. "The Complete Guide to Beekeeping" by David Cramp: This book is a great resource for both new and experienced beekeepers. It covers everything from the basics of bee biology to the practical aspects of managing hives.
7. I also liked "Beekeeping for Dummies" as it has all the information you need to get started and is presented in a way that is fun to read and has great explanations. After this than #1 is my favority book.

It's worth noting that local beekeeping association or club might also be a great resource for finding books and other learning materials.

What equipment is needed to start keeping bees?

To start keeping bees, you will need the following equipment:

1. Hive: The hive is the home for your bees. It typically includes a bottom board, a brood chamber, one or more honey supers, and a top cover. You can purchase a pre-built hive or build one yourself. There are several styles of hives depending on where you live, your capabilities, and local regulations.
2. Protective gear: You will need a veil or hood, gloves, and a bee suit to protect yourself from bee stings when working with your hive. It is always a good idea to cover your head, bees love stinging eyes and noses and they swell a lot. As you work with bees you may use thinner gloves or even no gloves. I like Nitrile exam gloves just to keep the sticky propolis off my hands.
3. Smoker: A smoker is used to calm the bees when working in the hive. It creates smoke that masks the alarm pheromones the bees release when disturbed.
4. Hive tool: A hive tool is used to pry open the hive and remove frames. It also can be used to scrape off beeswax and propolis.
5. Feeder: If you get your bees early in the season, you may need to feed them until they can find enough nectar and pollen in the wild.
6. Queen excluder: A queen excluder is a metal or plastic grid that separates the brood chamber from the honey supers, preventing the queen bee from laying eggs in the honey.
7. Frame holder: A frame holder is used to hold the frames when you are inspecting the hive.
8. Feeding equipment: This may include a sugar syrup feeder or a pollen patty feeder, used to provide food when the bees don't have enough resources from natural sources.
9. Extractor: An extractor is used to remove honey from the comb. Beginners ofter use the crush method which does not require an extractor. It is messier and takes more work, but with 1 to 2 hives it is sufficient.
10. Bottle filler: A bottle filler is used to fill your jars with honey. Basically a honey container with a Honey Gate installed (which is a simple door/valve).

It's worth noting that you don't have to buy everything at once. You can start with the basic equipment and add other tools and equipment as you gain experience and expand your hive.

What are the options for buying bees for my hives?

1. Package bees: Package bees are typically sold by commercial beekeepers and consist of a screened box containing a young, mated queen and several thousand worker bees. They are usually shipped by mail and can be installed in your hive once they arrive.
2. Nucleus colonies: A nucleus colony, also known as a "nuc," is a small colony of bees that includes a young, mated queen and a few frames of bees, brood, and honey. It is essentially a small, self-sustaining colony that can be installed in a full-size hive.
3. Queen bees: If you already have a colony of bees, you can purchase a queen bee to replace the existing queen. The new queen will be accepted by the colony, and the bees will begin to raise new workers that will be genetically related to the new queen.
4. Swarm: You can also catch a swarm of bees and install them in your hive. A swarm is a group of bees that has left an established colony in search of a new home. They can be caught using a swarm trap or by shaking them into a box.
5. Splits: Some beekeepers also make splits from their own hives. A split is when a beekeeper takes a portion of an established colony and places it in a new hive, usually with a new queen.

When buying bees, it is important to consider the subspecies of honeybees you want to keep, and also the source of the bees. Buying bees that are well-adapted to your local climate, and also from a reputable source will help ensure that you have healthy and productive bees.

How do you install a package of bees into a hive?

Installing a package of bees into a hive involves the following steps:

1. Prepare the Hive: Before installing the package of bees, make sure the hive is ready. The hive should have fresh foundation in the frames, and the frames should be properly spaced in the hive body.
2. Open the Package: When the package of bees arrives, carefully open it and check that the queen is alive and well. Release the queen from her cage and place her in the hive.  While OpenAI says to release the queen, this is routinely NOT done because often the queen has not been with the package long enough to establish her pheromones. It is better to install her Queen Cage and all into the hive and allow the other bees to get used to her for about 3 days before releasing her. If you know that queen has been with the package longer than a few days it may be okay to release her early. If the queen has not been with them long enough there is a chance the workers will kill her.
3. Remove the Bees: Use a bee brush to gently remove the bees from the package and place them in the hive. Be sure to remove any dead bees or debris from the package before adding the bees to the hive. In general, removing a few frames form the hive so there is a place to pour the bees into is the first step here. Then once you are ready strike the package on the ground hard enough to cause the bees to fall to the bottom of the cage, then quickly empty the bees into the hive by turning the cage upside down and shaking. 
4. Feed the Bees: For the first few days after installation, the bees will need to be fed. You can use a sugar syrup solution or pollen substitute to feed the bees. Make sure to provide enough food for the bees to survive until they can start foraging for nectar and pollen.
5. Check on the Queen: After the installation, it's important to check on the queen to make sure she's accepted by the colony and laying eggs. You can check this by looking for eggs or brood in the hive.
6. Monitor the hive: After installing the bees, monitor the hive regularly to make sure they're healthy and thriving. Check for signs of disease, pests, or other issues that may need to be addressed.

It's important to note that installing a package of bees into a hive can be a bit tricky, and it's best to have someone who has experience with beekeeping to help you. And also, it's important to do the installation in the evening or during a cool weather, as this is when the bees are less active, and it's easier to work with them.

What are important things to track of a honeybee hive during an inspection?

During a honeybee hive inspection, it is important to track the following things:

1. Queen: Check for the presence and health of the queen bee.
2. Brood pattern: Look for signs of healthy egg laying, and assess the distribution of capped and uncapped brood.
3. Hive population: Estimate the number of bees in the colony.
4. Honey stores: Check the amount of honey stored in the comb and assess whether the colony has enough stores to survive.
5. Wax comb: Observe the condition of the wax comb, looking for signs of disease or pests.
6. Varroa mite levels: Check for the presence of varroa mites, which can harm the health of the colony.
7. Diseases: Look for signs of diseases such as American foulbrood, European foulbrood, or Nosema.
8. Pests: Check for the presence of pests such as Wax Moths, Small Hive Beetles, etc.

These are some of the important things to track during a honeybee hive inspection.

How should I  Check for the presence and health of the queen bee.

To check for the presence and health of the queen bee, you can follow these steps:

1. Locate the queen: Search the comb for a larger bee with a longer body than the workers. The queen may be hidden among the workers, so it may take a bit of searching to find her.
2. Mark the queen: If you find the queen, you can mark her with a paint pen or dot of food coloring for easier identification in future inspections. (I have never heard of using food coloring, that was the answer that ChatGPT provided)
3. Observe her behavior: Check for signs of her health, such as her ability to move and lay eggs. Healthy queens will be active and laying eggs in the center of the comb.
4. Count eggs: Look for eggs in the comb. If the queen is healthy and active, she should be laying eggs regularly.
5. Check her physical condition: Look for signs of disease or injury, such as deformed wings or missing legs.

By following these steps, you can determine the presence and health of the queen bee during a honeybee hive inspection.

Getting Started Beekeeping

What do you really need to get started?

Over the last year I was introduced to the world of beekeeping. Actually, I was kind of thrust into it with very little warning or preparation since I found out that I was going to be keeping bees on Christmas morning. During this time, I have spent a lot of time learning all about keeping bees in many different ways. What do you really need to get started beekeeping? That is a question I am going to try and answer in this post.  Essentially it comes down to: A Book, A Hive, some tools, and bees.

Beekeeping Books 

I received two books that I found useful starting places. 

I would suggest purchasing the Beekeeping for Dummies book at a minimum. It has everything needed to get started and probably enough to make for a successful first year. It is also written to make it easy to read and still contains the most important and up to date information available. 

The Beekeeper's Handbook has much more detail and technical information for people (like me) who really need to know every little detail on the what's and why's of beekeeping.  This book is a little drier and harder to read but is also contains a lot more information for when you want to understand more.

Beekeeping For Dummies		The Beekeeper's Handbook

You will also want some information that is localized for the area where you will be keeping the bees. In my case there are local clubs that have booklets and classes that go over the specific requirement for keeping bees in Western Washington State.  The largest differences will be about inspection timing, pest treatment, and how to deal with the different seasons.

Equipment

I have identified essentially three classifications of equipment that are needed to begin, and nearly all of them may be altered to suit the beekeeper. The classifications are Protective Gear, Hive Bodies/Boxes, and Hive Tools. It is important to note that many beekeepers start off buying everything that they are told to buy only to find out that they don't use most of it.  A great example is that many beekeepers stop using leather gloves because they make it hard to manipulate the hive delicately enough.

Protective Gear

Protective gear is highly personal, and as mentioned above many beekeepers use very little. Bees in general don't want to attack and sting people unless they perceive a threat, and most of the year just opening the hive is not really a threat, but squishing bees is.

 

Goatskin gloves are often used while working with the hive.  Some people say that bees don't like bovine leather but seems to not mind Goatskin leather. The gloves start off white, but quickly get coated with propolis from the hive which is very hard to remove. Important features of the gloves are 1) Light color. 2) Smooth texture. 3) Tight fitting (they stretch a lot) 4) Enough length to cover coat. It is still possible for bees to sting through these, but normally the won't and if they do chances are it won't reach the skin. Many beekeepers use Nitrile glove instead of leather so they have more dexterity and can feel bees under their fingers to prevent squishing.  Some even use no gloves at all, I guess they are okay with propolis coated skin.

This is a half bee suit which I use.  The important part is the face covering because when bees get defensive, they tend to gravitate to places they know they can sting on all animals. So they go for the eyes, lips, ears, and yes, the nose.  Even with this suit occasionally they will find their way into the suit and surprise the beekeeper.

 

 

Hive Bodies/Boxes

There are several types of hives used throughout the world to keep honeybees.  The most common is called a Langstroth hive which was patented in 1852 and has gone largely unchanged since then.  The Langstroth is modular which aids in inspections and expansion of the hive. Other types of hives are gaining popularity in the world for instance the Kenyan Top bar hive is becoming popular for two reasons as the beekeeper population ages, they are cheap to build, and once set up the beekeeper never needs to lift a very heavy honey filled box.  For this discussion I am only going to discuss the Langstroth since that is the type I am using.

The parts of the hive are relatively easy to make if you are on a budget, but they can be found reasonably cheap if you look. To get started you will need the following: 

Bottom Board (1 per hive) This is an example of a screened bottom board. Some people use solid bottom boards.	Hive Body (1 to start a new hive) As the colony grows you will need additional body parts.  This one is called a Deep. Generally, the first two bodies on a hive are Deep, and later ones are smaller to make carrying them for extraction easier.
Hive Frame (10 per Hive Body) This example has a black plastic foundation to help the bees get started. The plastic has a light coat of Bees' wax. While the wooden frame is required, the plastic part is optional as the bees will build comb even without a foundation.	Hive Inner Cover (1 per hive) This inner cover allows some ventilation and insolated the hive from direct exposed to the heat on the outer cover.
Outer Cover (1 per hive)  The outer cover protects the hive from the sun, wind, rain. It normally has metal on the top, and some are entirely made of metal.	Hive Stand (kind of optional) This stand was built by a friend from some scrap lumber. Many people use cinder blocks. The goal is to get the hive off the ground about 18 inches to reduce animals from disturbing the hive.

Hive Tools

There are lots of tools available to make beekeeping easier.  Of these tools you will definitely need a smoker and a Hive Tool.

Hive Tool (J Hook Style) There are many different styles of Hive tools. The key is to find one that works for you. It must be strong enough to pry boxes apart since bees like to glue them shut.

Hive Smoker The smoker is probably the most necessary tool you will need. People say it calms the bees, but essentially it makes the bees more concerned with the potential fire getting to the hive than other threats. It also masks the threat pheromones used to alert bees of danger.  Learning to make a fire that produces a cool billowy smoke is required before you any bees.

Ok, not really a tool but starting a new colony requires a lot of energy so we feed the bees lots of sugar to help them get started each spring.  While feeding them sugar beekeepers should never have "Supers" on the hive (which are bodies used to collect honey). Once the hive is able to collect nectar and pollen the feeding should be stopped (in most cases the bees will stop taking sugar when nectar is available. Note Never feed bees "RAW" or Organic Sugar.  Those contain too much "ash" which is harmful to their digestive system.

Bees

This I have covered this in another post, but I will give the "Getting started" part here. Once you have the Tools, and Hive body ready to go the last element of a beehive is your first set of bees.  Bees can be obtained in a number of ways such as purchasing them from a store, capturing a swarm, buying them on craigslist.  

However, you decide to get bees there are a couple of important things to know. First you must have a queen in order for the hive to grow. Generally, each of the methods above will come with a queen. Second you need enough bees for the colony to grow.  I started with 3lbs of bees and would highly recommend that beginning beekeepers start with at least 4lbs in the Northwest to give them a head start and build a strong colony. If you are buying a Nuc, then there should be several (4+) frames full of bees in the Nuc. If capturing a Swarm, it is important to make sure the swarm is large enough to start a full hive. If not, beekeeper occasionally combine a small swarm but with a weaker colony to improve its strength (one of the queens will need to be killed when doing this).

3lbs Package of bees (and a queen)	Nucleus colony of bees. Most of the time "Nucs" are sold in cardboard boxes to keep cost down. The frames can be transferred directly into the new hive body.
Capturing a swarm of bees	Example of a Queen Bee.

Conclusion

Starting beekeeping may seem like a complex process and require a lot of equipment, and that is true, but you can start small and grow.  You really need a Head cover, a Smoker, a Hive tool, a hive body (which can be pretty simple with the Top Bar hive), some bees, and a place to put the hive. I think it is a good idea to take a class or read a few books and watch a lot of videos.  There is still more equipment you will need once the hive is started to deal with pests and disease to keep the colony healthy.

I now have 2 full hives and one hybrid hive of my own design which houses 2 queens. Entering into winter with the temperatures dropping I am a little worried about their ability to make it through their first year.  I have done everything I know of to help them make it. 

 

To Bee Or Not To Be Honey

Varroa Mites

•••
These little critters suck, quite literally

The varroa mite appears to have been introduced to the United State in 1987 (although some literature mentions seeing mites earlier) through improper (illegal) importation of bees to Florida despite a legal quarantine which had been in place for a long time. The mites were identified after some hives were transported from Florida to Wisconsin and colony failures occurred.   Checks around the nation found that the mites were already in a dozen states. Originally the mites were identified as Varroa Jacobsoni, later ast DNA testing became more available the mites were identified as Varroa Destructor (A much more destructive species). 

Varroa mites originated from Asia. Asia bees have adapted over thousands of years to live with these mites. However the bees found in the US (and many other countries of the world) originated in Europe and they have little to no defense mechanisms against these mites.  Similar to the introduction of small pox into America, varroa is devastating to European bees.

Many beekeepers ignored the warnings from the regulatory agencies for years, not understanding what the impact would be (losing many colonies).  The mites spread across the continent quickly as many beekeepers migrate their bees across the nation to pollinate crops in across the continent. 

Prior to the infestation a lot of pollination was performed by feral colonies as well as managed colonies. Once beekeepers started treating for mites with miticides their colonies became stronger. Once the infestation took hold, many of the feral colonies started to weaken and be robbed out by stronger managed colonies.  Then the robbing bees would return with more and stronger mites to the managed hive creating a vicious cycle that was producing mites that could not be killed with the miticides previously used.  

The number of productive colonies in the US fell from 4.25 million in 1998 to less than 2.5 million hives in 2007 where a new threat was identified as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) which is a topic for another article.  

Over the years beekeepers have recognized the very real threat this beast has produced. Many are actively involved in  research to overcome the problem. Some are trying to breed better genetics into the bees, but considering new imports are banned (for good reason) they have to work with only the genetics that are in the states already.  Some are working on better treatments to kill the mites. Many of these work well at first but eventually fail because the mites that live carry on genetics which make them resistant to the treatments.

The adult mites suck, quite literally, they suck the fat body (which serves much the same purpose as blood in humans) from adult bees and the larvae.  This weakens the bees and leads to their death. A larger issue is that the mites also spread other diseases to the bees (viruses and bacteria). One such disease paralyzes the flight muscles of bees, another turns the developing larvae into a foul goo that spread through the hive and destroys it. 

The mites have a 10 day life cycle (not life span) which goes something like:

1. A Female mite finds a cell that is just about ready to be capped, sneak in and hide behind the larvae
2. Once capped the mite will lay several eggs on the larvae, one male the rest female.
3. The mite hatch in the cell before the larvae (now technically a pupae) emerges.
4. The male will mate with the female (yup they have no problem with incest those unholy beasts)
5. The female will emerge with the host and feed and start the cycle again.

Currently there are several treatments being used. Most are chemicals that target some aspect of the mites physiology that does not target the bees, but considering that they are both exoskeleton based life forms that is tough.

The most common treatment currently use acids such as formic acid or oxalic acid.  Formic acid is most effective, but has very strict temperature ranges where it is not harmful to the bees, below the range and it is not effective, and above the range and it will kill the bees. It has a benefit of being able to kill mites under the capped cells. Many beekeepers are afraid to use it because it is really hard on the bees. Oxalic acid (wood bleach) is also very effective (although the science is not clear why yet but it looks like the mites absorb it in their sticky feet and die).  It is gentler on the bees and not sensitive to temperature, but it involves more work as it is administered in either a drip or a vapor, and since it does not kill mites in the capped cells it must be applied several time to get all the mites in the colony..  

A Tale of Four Queens

 

To Bee Or Not To Be Honey

A Tale of Four Queens

•••
Ah The Mistakes I Have Made

My first year of Beekeeping had several themes and all of them packed with lessons to be learned.  I started out on Christmas morning with absolutely no clue that I was about the become a beekeeper.  A few months before my wife and I had taken our grandchildren to the county fair in Monroe with their mother. After a day at the fair I stopped by the bee keeping exhibit and marveled at the bees they had in a tent, but really had no thoughts of really keeping them. My wife had taken note and secretly decided that this would be my Christmas present.  So after all the kids and their significant others had opened their Christmas presents, they brought me my "big" gift, and boy was it a big one, everything I would need to start my first year in beekeeping including two texts, a bee keeper suit, a smoker, a complete Langstroth beehive (minus the bees), and a beginning beekeeping course in Snohomish Washington.

I read the entire first book and most of the second book during my Christmas break before I went to the class. In fact I read the books multiple times and had memorized so much of it that I ended up being a bit of a know it all for the class (probabaly annoyed the hell out of the teachers).  The one thing I learned in the class was that it would be better to have two hives rather than one. Having two hives would allow me to compare how they were doing, and also give me twice the chance to have one survive the first winter (which is tougher the farther north you live). I discussed this with my wife and we agreed to get a second hive and order 2 packages of bees for my first year. Since I have already talked about the installation of the two hives in a previous post I will not rehash that here, but move on to the next mistake I made.

Each week during the spring and summer it is important to inspect the hive and determine how it is doing. Inspection involve opening the hive, looking for evidence of a laying queen, which is generally finding eggs and larvae, and doing tasks to reduce the chance the bees swarm unexpectedly.  These inspections are fascinating to new bee keepers (and old ones too) for many reasons.  I had named my Queens Elizabeth the 2nd, and Queen Mary of Scots. In order to get more quality time with the hives I decided to inspect them on different days, Elizabeth II on Sunday, and Mary on Wednesday. 

Well one Wednesday while inspecting Mary's hive I was not finding any eggs, and I did not see Queen Mary in the hive, to be honest I have not seen her in the have since she was installed, but at least I had seen eggs in the past but not on this day.  I panicked because I was sure that I had lost my first queen (it happens) and it is really important to have a queen.  After conferring with an expert I quickly ordered a new queen and was able to pick up the new queen on the following day. The new queen would be named Olga Constantinova (because she is a Russian Queen).

I picked Olga up early the on 5/28 and drove home with her in my shirt pocket (to keep her warm). When I got home I decided to do one last check before installing the new queen, just in case I was wrong... Umm well guess what I found... Yup... I found some eggs... And I then found Queen Mary running around the hive like she owned the place. ARRRRRGHHHH. They don't refund queens once they are sold, so now I had a tough decision to make.  Would I replace Mary with Olga (who had better genetics and cost more) or would I buy a new hive.

Well I could not bring myself to kill a queen who was so young so I ran off to the bee store and bought my third hive.  I placed the new hive in the other side of my yard and did a bit of a swap, I places Olga in Mary's hive, and moved Mary to the new hive. It was my hope that Queen Olga would be a better queen and so I gave her the more established hive.  Mary was placed in the new hive with a couple of frames of bees, larvae, and capped brood.  

Well Olga took off and became a great laying queen. Her hive did very well and grew faster than the other two. Elizabeth II's hive was second best, and Mary's hive was having slow progress.  I tried helping Mary out by giving here more resources, but it just did not work out like I hoped. 

Sadly it was about this time (7/21) that I discovered that I lost Queen Elizabeth II. I do not know how, but there were no eggs (and yes I really looked for a very long time) and no Queen to be found.  By this time I started getting better at finding the queen, but they still like to hide a bit. She was replaced promptly with Queen Catherine The Great (also a Russian survivor stock bee).

Then during a couple of inspections I noticed the workers or Queen Mary were building queen cells. They do this when they plan on building a new queen, and most of the time beekeepers cut these cells out to prevent swarming or supersedures.  After a few inspections where they had built new cells I decided that they were telling me that Queen Mary was just not a good enough queen, and they wanted another one.  So I decided to let them raise a new queen. It was a bit late in the season but they really were trying to tell me something needed to be done with Mary. 

It take only 16 day to  raise a new queen, and so I let them keep the queen cells they had built that week.  And about one week later (on 8/12/20) I got a big surprise in the middle of the day. Queen Mary Swarmed out of the hive and took about 1/2 of all the bees with her.  I was lucky that I took a break from work that day when this happened and my wife and I were able to capture the swarm in a Walmart box I had in the garage.

Off to the bee store, to buy a Nuc hive (A miniature hive) to hold them until I could figure out what to do with them.

There was still a good chance that the new queen would not make it back from her mating flights, and even if she did she might not be a good queen, although I was pretty sure she would do better than her mom (Mary).  So I waited for another week to see. Queen Sophia (daughter of Mary) was mated successfully and started laying in the hive in the following week.  But now I had a bit of an unexpected twist when Queen Mary in the Nuc hive started laying like crazy and her workers were producing wax frames faster than any hive I had inspected to date. So fast infact that the nuc was running out of room So a move some frames into Sophia's hive to help her build up faster.

I really did not want 4 hives, and I was pretty sure the nuc would not make it through the winter so I came up with a wild idea that I would later learn was something called a Palmer Hive. I made a split hive that would house two Queens, separated by a thin piece of wood.  My idea was that two queens could lay more eggs than one and then I would have a better chance for them to survive by sharing a bit of heat in the winter.  So I cleaned out my wood shop and went to work building a hive from scratch.

Then I spent a week moving Queen Sophia's hive over to the position where the new hive would go.  Bees are sensitive to their hive being moved since the foragers memorize where home is and if home moves more than about 3 feet they get confused.  I moved Queen Mary in to one side of the new hive and Queen Sophia into the other side successfully.

A few weeks after the installation I had another panic day when I discovered that the workers were able to squeeze through the divider and visit the workers on the other side of the hive. I could only find one queen (Sophia) but eggs on both sides of the divider. Since neither queen was marked I only knew them by which side of the hive they were on, and now I thought one may have gone to the other side and killed the other 🙁. I purchased supplies to mark the queen so at least I would know she was not superseded.  I was able to find the queen in Sophia's side but I dropped her when trying to get her in the marking container (my first time trying to catch a queen with this tool). I could not find her again after looking for too long so I though maybe she snuck over to the other side.  So I opened the other side (after closing the first) and found the queen. I marked her successfully and released her back into the hive with a Blue dot ( the color indicates she was a queen from 2020) since she was on Mary's side when I caught her.  It looked like the workers were barely able to squeeze through the gap, so I was starting to believe the queen could not (they are a bit larger). So I went back the the first side again and low and behold found an unmarked Sophia.  She was easy to catch this time and I was able to carfully mark her (  I used white which is the color for 2021 since she was born so late in the year I figure like a car she is really next years model).

So now I have 4 Queens, Mary (Italian), Olga (Russian), Catherine (Russian), and Sophia (Italian) living in 2 full hives and one split hive.  The weather is starting to turn ugly and I am hoping that they are all built up enough to survive a Washington Winter.

 

To Bee Or Not To Be Honey

Installation into the Hives

The bees arrived after a long trip from the California Almond pollination on April 15th, and Covid 19 was in full swing in our area.  Businesses were shut down and people were working from home. Bees being agriculture were an exception (necessary business) so we were going to be able to pick up the bees on time.  We were to drive to the fair grounds in Monroe, masks on face, present our receipt at one check point, then drive forward where a person would place the bees in the trunk of my Contour, then we would drive home. No contact with the people or bees until we got home 30+ minutes later. 

Well most of the bees we contained in their package, but a few stragglers were hanging out on the outside, talk about dedication.  After getting home I set up the hive on there stands and practiced the step that I was planning on following to get the bees in their new home.  After I was sure I had it down pat, I put on my white bee suit and did absolutely nothing right.

First I had trouble getting the syrup can out of the package while keeping the bees in the cage.  Yes you really need to smack the package hard on the ground to dislodge the bees and have enough time to get the can out and something to cover the hole.  After a couple of tries I finally figured it out and you can see in the photo above that the bees were already headed back to the queen's cage.  

I was able to get the queen cage out with less troubles and and put her in my pocket. Then for the real fun (stressful) part, actually pouring the bees into the hive.  I wish I had taken video of the whole thing because it would have been a good laugh today.  Basically by this time I had figured out that it took a pretty good shake to get the bees to let go, and so I poured 3 pounds of bees into the hive as instructed, and got most of them in the hive in the first shot.  Based on future experience I wish I could have told myself to order the 4 pound package rather then the 3 pound package. 3 pounds worked, but I think they would have had a better start with more bees.

The next thing that I learned LATER was that I should have treated the package (or hive) for varroa early one because that is the perfect time since there is not brood. 

After getting the bees in the Hive I carefully opened the queen cage and stuffed a marshmallow in the hole. This helps delay the queen from being exposed to the worker bees until they get used to her pheromones and accept her as their queen.  It was pretty obvious that they already liked her at this point because they were feeding her and acting pretty docile, but being a new Beekeeper I choose to follow all the rules I was give.  Below you can see one of the workers trying to fees Queen Mary in her queen cage. 

Mary's cage was placed between the middle frames in the hive in a direction where the bees could feed her while others worked on the marshmallow to free her. In 3 days I would check to make sure she was released. This will be the last time I will see Mary for quite some time as she is a good hider, yet her story is probabaly the most interesting one of all my queens (yup there will be more).

After the first hive was done I was able to do the second hive much more smoothly.  The second hive was a little more lively but I made fewer mistakes. Soon Queen Elizabeth II was installed and the hives were closed for 3 days to get comfortable in their new home.