Harnett County Beekeepers Beginner Beekeeping. Presented by Charles Fleming

Transcription

1 Harnett County Beekeepers Beginner Beekeeping Presented by Charles Fleming

2 Association Purpose To foster closer relations among beekeepers, to share ideas, to improve beekeeping methods, to educate the general public relating to honey bees (North Carolina's Official Insect) and the beekeeping industry and to encourage and assist people wishing to enter the field of beekeeping.

3 Meetings held first Thursday each month, 7pm, at the Harnett County Agriculture Center in Lillington. Find us on Facebook! Charles Fleming (910) [cell]

4 State Apiary Inspection Program Apiary Inspection services are provided by the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (NCDA&CS), Plant Industry Division, Plant Protection Section, Apiary Services. Nancy Ruppert, State Inspector covering Harnett County (910)

5 Good News and Bad News

6 Good News and Bad News Bad News First It s not as simple as it used to be to keep bees

7 Good News and Bad News Bad News First It s not as simple as it used to be to keep bees No one knows exactly what is causing Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD)

8 Good News and Bad News Bad News First It s not as simple as it used to be to keep bees No one knows exactly what is causing Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) We re only going to cover what you need to know to get started. (ie No advanced topics like raising queens, selling honey, selling bees, etc)

9 Good News and Bad News Good News We re going to cover what you need to know to get started!

10 Good News and Bad News Good News We re going to cover what you need to know to get started! Although it s not as simple as it used to be, it s still simple enough. You have to be a bit more attentive.

11 Good News and Bad News Good News We re going to cover what you need to know to get started! Though it s not as simple as it used to be, it s still simple enough. You have to be a bit more attentive. You don t need a lot of space/land

12 Good News and Bad News Good News We re going to cover what you need to know to get started! Although it s not as simple as it used to be, it s still simple enough. You have to be a bit more attentive. You don t need a lot of space/land Pollination

13 Good News and Bad News Good News We re going to cover what you need to know to get started! Though it s not as simple as it used to be, it s still simple enough. You have to be a bit more attentive. You don t need a lot of space/land Pollination Honey!!

14 Today s Agenda Understanding Honeybees Woodenware/Equipment Getting Started What to Expect Pests and Diseases Monthly Schedule

15 Understanding Honeybees

16 Understanding Honeybees They don t live in a hornets nest! Hanging from a tree branch

17 Understanding Honeybees They don t live in a hornets nest! In the ground

18 Understanding Honeybees Sometimes hanging from a branch but they don t LIVE there. Swarm Temporary

19 Understanding Honeybees They do live in hollow spaces Hives Existing Hollows in Trees

20 Understanding Honeybees They do live in hollow spaces Hives Existing Hollows in Trees Simulated Hollows Skep Langstroth Top Bar House/Barn Walls

21 Skep (Not Legal)

22 Langstroth (Most Common)

23 Top Bar (Lots of Interest)

24 Understanding Honeybees Insect Head, Thorax, Abdomen

25 Understanding Honeybees Insect Head, Thorax, Abdomen Complete Metamorphosis ie Four stages of development Egg Larva Pupa (Capped Brood) Adult

26 Understanding Honeybees Insect Head, Thorax, Abdomen Complete Metamorphosis ie Four stages of development Egg Larva Pupa Adult

27 Understanding Honeybees Insect Head, Thorax, Abdomen Complete Metamorphosis ie Four stages of development Egg Larva Pupa Adult

28 Understanding Honeybees Insect Head, Thorax, Abdomen Complete Metamorphosis ie Four stages of development Egg Larva Pupa Adult

29 Understanding Honeybees Insect Head, Thorax, Abdomen Complete Metamorphosis ie Four stages of development Egg Larva Pupa Adult

30 Time Lapse e5ymne

31 Understanding Honeybees Three castes Worker (female) Queen (female) Drone (male)

32 Understanding Honeybees Complete Metamorphosis Timeline

33 Understanding Honeybees Workers (female) Live about six weeks (except during Winter) Weeks 1-3 Tend to hive Feed larvae/queen Clean Defend the hive Build wax comb Weeks 4-6 Forage Pollen Nectar Water ~ 80,000 per hive at peak

34 Understanding Honeybees Drones (male) They DON T Tend to hive (They don t even have stingers) They DON T Forage They DO eat a lot and fly daily, looking for a mating opportunity Live until they mate or until Winter, whichever comes first Several hundred at peak

35 Understanding Honeybees Queen (female) Lives 2-3 years Mating Flights Days ~20-24 With Drones Lays Eggs (~1500 Daily) Fertilized = Female Not Fertilized = Male One queen/hive

36 Understanding Honeybees Queen lays only two types of eggs Fertilized and Not Fertilized But there are Three Castes??? Royal Jelly makes the Difference

37 Understanding Honeybees Royal Jelly

38 Any Questions?

39 Woodenware Langstroth Hive Explained Basic Hardware Basic Equipment

40 Getting Started

41 Getting Started Location, Location, Location Dry Warm/Sunny Not Windy Similar conditions to greenhouse or garden placement

42 Getting Started How to get Honeybees Package (Artificial Swarm) NUC Complete Hive Natural Swarm

43 Getting Started How to get Honeybees Package NUC Complete Hive Capture Swarm

44 Getting Started How to get Honeybees Package NUC Complete Hive Capture Swarm

45 Getting Started How to get Honeybees Package NUC Complete Hive Capture Swarm

46 Getting Started How to get Honeybees Package NUC Complete Hive Capture Swarm

47 Getting Started How to install a Package (Artificial Swarm)

48 Getting Started How to install a Package (Artificial Swarm)

49 Getting Started How to install a Package (Artificial Swarm)

50 Getting Started How to install a Package (Artificial Swarm)

51 Getting Started How to install a Package (Artificial Swarm)

52 Getting Started How to install a Package (Artificial Swarm)

53 Getting Started How to install a Package (Artificial Swarm)

54 Getting Started tz0lk8

55 Five Frame NUC Getting Started

56 Getting Started Capturing a Swarm (Natural Swarm)

57 Any Questions?

58 Inspections Was the queen released (remove cage) Are there eggs Is there capped brood Do they need more room Do they need more sugar water

59 Inspections Propolis Expect things to be glued together!

60 Inspections Burr Comb

61 Inspections Burr Comb

62 Inspections Supersedure Cells

63 Inspections Capped Supersedure Cells

64 Inspections Queen Cells

65 Inspections Drone Brood/Worker Brood

66 Inspections Pollen

67 Inspections Honey

68 Inspections Good Brood Pattern

69 Inspections Bee Stings

70 Any Questions?

71 Pests and Diseases Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Nonchemical Control Measures Understand and Work with Nature Pest Lifecycle Interruptions Harsh Chemicals as Last Resort

72 Pests and Diseases Common Pests Varroa mites Tracheal mites Wax moths Small Hive Beetle Ants Mice

73 Pests and Diseases Common Pests Varroa mites Tracheal mites Wax moths Small Hive Beetle Ants Mice

74 Pests and Diseases Common Pests Varroa mites Tracheal mites Wax moths Small Hive Beetle Ants Mice Treatment Options Apistan Chec-Mite Apiguard Honey B Healthy IPM

75 Pests and Diseases Common Pests Varroa mites Tracheal mites Wax moths Small Hive Beetle Ants Mice

76 Pests and Diseases Common Pests Varroa mites Tracheal mites Wax moths Small Hive Beetle Ants Mice Treatment Options Grease Patties Menthol Apiguard Honey B Healthy IPM

77 Pests and Diseases Common Pests Varroa mites Tracheal mites Wax moths Small Hive Beetle Ants Mice

78 Pests and Diseases Common Pests Varroa mites Tracheal mites Wax moths Small Hive Beetle Ants Mice Treatment Options Symptomatic Identify True Problem Treat True Problem When storing equipment Apply PDB Crystals Proper Storage Conditions

79 Pests and Diseases Common Pests Varroa mites Tracheal mites Wax moths Small Hive Beetle Ants Mice

80 Pests and Diseases Common Pests Varroa mites Tracheal mites Wax moths Small Hive Beetle Ants Mice Treatment Options Chec-Mite IPM

81 Pests and Diseases Common Pests Varroa mites Tracheal mites Wax moths Small Hive Beetle Ants Mice

82 Pests and Diseases Common Pests Varroa mites Tracheal mites Wax moths Small Hive Beetle Ants Mice

83 Pests and Diseases Common Diseases American Foulbrood (AFB) European Foulbrood (EFB) Nosema Chalkbrood Sacbrood

84 Pests and Diseases Common Diseases American Foulbrood (AFB) A bacterium Unpleasant, foul smell Capping sunken, discolored Larvae are ropy Contact State Inspector Hives typically disposed by fire, honeybees and all Spores active up to 70+ years Used equipment danger

85 Pests and Diseases Common Diseases European Foulbrood (EFB) A bacterium Unpleasant, foul smell Capping sunken, discolored Larvae are twisted Treatment Terramycin Replace frames/comb 3-5 years (IPM) Requeen (IPM) Break brood cycle

86 Pests and Diseases Common Diseases Nosema Protozoan (single cell organism) Disease of intestines (like dysentery) Weakens hive Bees crawling in grass Treatment Avoid cool, damp areas Fumigilin

87 Pests and Diseases Common Diseases Chalkbrood Fungal disease Affects larvae Become chalky No medication Workers clean Replace affected frames (optional)

88 Pests and Diseases Common Diseases Sacbrood Viral disease Affects larvae Like common cold No medication Workers clean Replace affected frames (optional)

89 Any Questions?

90 Monthly Schedule May Install Your Honeybees! First Week Feed sugar water 1 part granulated sugar, 1 part water Check queen has been released Remove empty cage and install 10 th frame if it didn t fit when cage was in hive Remove burr comb/properly space frames Look for eggs and larvae

91 Monthly Schedule May Third Week Continue to feed sugar water 1 part granulated sugar, 1 part water Check for capped brood Check for larvae Check for eggs Check number of filled frames, may need to add another brood box.

92 Monthly Schedule June Consider continuing to feed sugar water if they take it 1 part granulated sugar, 1 part water Check for supersedure cells Check for queen cells Check for capped brood Check for larvae Check for eggs Check number of filled frames, probably need to add another brood box.

93 Monthly Schedule July Check for supersedure cells Check for queen cells Probably cull these cells if existing queen is OK Check for capped brood, larvae, eggs Check Honey/Pollen stores Look at general health of workers/larvae (pests/diseases) Check number of filled frames, may need to add honey super.

94 Monthly Schedule August Check for capped brood, larvae, eggs Check Honey/Pollen stores Look at general health of workers/larvae (pests/diseases) Check number of filled frames, may need to add honey super. Possibly get a taste of honey (if you haven t been feeding them)

95 Monthly Schedule September/October Check for capped brood, larvae, eggs Check Honey/Pollen stores Look at general health of workers/larvae (pests/diseases) Start treatment of pests/diseases, if needed Begin prepping for winter Mouse guards 2:1 Sugar Water if Honey Stores are low

96 Monthly Schedule November, December Bees begin winter cluster Read/Research Beekeeping topics Reflect on your first year of Beekeeping Hardware Maintenance Inspect on warm (55+), calm days only Not a full inspection; Just check for honey stores Feed sugar cakes (bees move up so no boardman) Queen takes Nov/Dec off; no eggs Queen starts laying again on or around Winter Solstice

97 Monthly Schedule January, February Quick inspect on warm, calm days Feed sugar cakes/pollen patties Starvation is #1 problem Queen started laying on or around Winter Solstice; 21 days later, new mouths to feed Take dead-out s out of field and put in storage Place orders (Packages, NUCS, Hardware)

98 Monthly Schedule March, April Full Inspections Check for eggs, larvae, capped brood Start treatment of pests/diseases, if needed Feed pollen patties/1:1 sugar syrup Starvation is still a concern but more attention will be on imminent swarming season Check for queen cells Grow your bee yard (splits, swarms)

99 Hive Inspection Wear proper clothing Move slowly and deliberately

100 Hive Inspection Light the smoker Gently smoke front entrance and outer cover Using hive tool, gently pry open outer cover Place outer cover, upside down, on ground Gently smoke, if necessary Using hive tool, gently pry open inner cover Place inner cover on top of outer cover, mindful of not smashing bees Gently smoke, if necessary Start inspection working outside to center frame Remove outermost frame, inspect, leave out to make room Continue inspection of each frame (frame placement important!) Moving to lower box? All frames back in, pry and lift top box (heavy!) and place on inner cover already on ground in front of hive Reassemble in reverse order, slowly and deliberately

101 Frame Layout

102 Any Questions?

103 Join Your Local Association

104 Participate and Volunteer

105 Beekeeping. I got this.