Tracy Alarcon Beekeeper, (in training)

Transcription

1 Tracy Alarcon Beekeeper, (in training) MCBA Director and Bee Herder Editor `13 -`16 Portage County Apiary Inspector Ohio State Beekeepers Association Western Reserve Regional Rep Small scale Nuc and Honey producer

2 Disclaimer I did not invent, research, or discover any of this information. All the information presented is available in the different literature and websites readily available to anyone that chooses to take the time to look for it and study.

3 Bees don t read the books/ websites YOU SHOULD! Wintering Bees in Cold Climates The Thermology of Wintering Honey Bee Colonies- USDA tech bulletin 1429 Better Beekeeping by Kim Flottum The Hive and the Honey Bee 2015 version Bee Informed Partnership Bee Culture Magazine

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5 Winter- Now until April A fundamental discussion Medina County Beekeepers Association October 17 th 2016

6 Basic Fundamentals Two things all living creatures have in common SURVIVE REPRODUCE

7 FUNDAMENTAL MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES FOR HONEY BEES 1. Learn the Fundamental Seasonal cycles of the colony. What are they doing and what do they need? 2. DRY CONTAINER OF THE RIGHT SIZE WITH A DEFENDABLE ENTRANCE 3. GOOD FOOD and ENOUGH OF IT 4. MINIMIZE PESTS AND DISEASES 5. MINIMIZE TOXINS AND PESTICIDES

8 Tonight s FUNDAMENTAL discussion #1. Basic Bee Biology- What s going on at each time of year Equipment / Apiary site Nutrition Pest control Putting it all together

9 WINTER IS COMING

10 WHAT KIND OF WINTER?

11 OLD FARMERS ALMANAC

12 FARMERS ALMANAC

13 ACCUWEATHER

14 WOOLY BEAR PREDICTION This is the legend: The Woolly Bear caterpillar has 13 distinct segments of either rusty brown or black. The wider the rusty brown sections (or the more brown segments there are), the milder the coming winter will be. The more black there is, the more severe the winter.

15 APIARY SITE FULL SUN, IF POSSIBLE WIND BLOCK FROM THE PREVAILING WIND DIRECTION- NATURAL OR MAN-MADE GOOD AIR DRAINAGE EASY ACCESS

16 NATURAL TREE LINE AND TARPAPER WRAP

17 SIMPLE TARP WIND BREAK

18 STRAW BALES

19 BUILD A FENCE

20 BEE HOUSE

21 GOOD REPAIR. EQUIPMENT Traditional Winter configuration is two, ten frame deeps. This should weigh close to 185 lbs. at the beginning of Winter Another common configuration is three, (3), mediums. For those that use all mediums Screened Bottom Boards? I close mine. Solid Bottom Boards? Tilt hive forward a little to drain water.

22 Equipment Install Mouse Guards. Check to make sure mice have not already moved in. Upper entrances, small, are good for ventilation. Removing moist air. Don t get blocked so bees can perform cleansing flights Insulate inner cover to prevent moist air from freezing on inner cover then thawing out and raining down on the bees. WET, COLD BEES ARE DEAD BEES.

23 EQUIPMENT CONFIGURATION

24 EQUIPMENT CONFIGURATION

25 SOLID INSULATION ON TOP OF INNER COVER UNDER OUTER COVER

26 UPPER ENTRANCE IN WRAPPED COLONY

27 Seasonality of Brood and Adult Populations (Basic Bee Biology for Beekeepers) The population of a bee hive fluctuates during the year according to the seasons and food resources. The numbers of workers fluctuate considerably during the season. Drones are produced when resources improve in the spring and then eliminated in the fall -- a seasonal pattern determined by resource availability.

28 Basic Bee Biology for Beekeepers In January and February, the worker adult population decreases, reaching a seasonal low sometime in February/March when a colony may have less than 20,000 bees. A 3lb.package is about 10,000 bees. Increasing day length and pollen availability soon insures that birth rate exceeds death rate and the colony population grows rapidly in April, May and June.

29 Basic Bee Biology for Beekeepers The brood cycle is also seasonal. In January, many colonies rear little worker brood, and no drones or queens are raised at this time. With increasing day length and especially with the availability of early pollen, the rearing of brood increases rapidly.

30 Basic Bee Biology for Beekeepers Depending upon the race, brood production continues at a high level during the summer months, although at a rate below spring levels. The number of brood cells in use can peak at 40,000. There may be a second peak in brood rearing in early fall when new pollen sources are available but then rearing of brood falls rapidly with fewer food resources, to reach zero or nearly so by December.

31 Basic Bee Biology for Beekeepers

32 NUTRITION YOUR AVERAGE FULL SIZE COLONY NEEDS BETWEEN LBS. OF HONEY TO SURVIVE UNTIL APRIL IN A USUAL YEAR. WHATEVER USUAL IS.

33 NUTRITION The average colony uses between lbs. of Pollen a year! THERE'S AN OLD SAYING THAT IS STILL TRUE TODAY- IT TAKES ONE FRAME OF HONEY, ONE FRAME OF WATER, AND ONE FRAME OF POLLEN TO RAISE ONE FRAME OF BROOD.

34 NUTRITION Well nourished colonies always fare better than under nourished ones. They are better able to fight off pests, disease, and toxins.

35 #1 PEST? PESTS Varroa Destructor, of course. We should be keeping this pest managed throughout the year! Long before Winter.

36 AS THE WINTER SEASON PROGRESSES HOW DO I KNOW IF MY COLONY IS ALIVE?

37 LISTEN TO THE HIVE

38 PAUL KOSMOS FEB FEEDING FONDANT

39 DEBRIS ON SCREENED BOTTOM BOARD

40 ELECTRONIC HIVE SCALE

41 SCALE WITH TEMP AND HUMIDITY MONITOR

42 IR CAMERAS FOR PHONES TO PROFESSIONALS

43 LET S (TRY TO) PUT IT ALL TOGETHER

44 OCT./NOV. Weigh colonies. Traditional setup should weigh close to 185lbs. If not, feed! If temp stays above 50F feed 2-1 sugar syrup, lots of it! If below 50F switch to some form of solid sugar. I.E. Fondant, sugar bricks Install mouse guards maybe Some folks wrap colonies at end of Nov. Brood rearing is lowest at end of Nov.- good time to treat for Varroa with Oxalic Acid, if needed.

45 WEIGHING COLONY USING A BATHROOM SCALE

46 WEIGHING HIVE USING SPRING SCALE AND LEVER.

47 Hive on a feed scale

48 FEEDING 2 TO 1 SYRUP THREE GALLONS AT ONE TIME

49 FEEDING FONDANT

50 Three ways to use OA. Dribble- Spray- Sublimate (Vaporize)

51 DECEMBER Check for mites using sticky board at beginning of month. Treat for Varroa with Oxalic Acid if you didn t do so in November. Zero brood rearing going on this time of year, usually. Start planning for next year. Classes- colony number expansions- building more equipment Store equipment Spring is only a few months away!

52 KIM FLOTTUM HIVE STORAGE STAND

53 SUPERS ON THEIR SIDES

54 WINTER FRAME STORAGE

55 January/ February Small amount of brood rearing as day length increases. Not much but a little. Warm days maybe some cleansing flights. Sticky Board to check for Varroa. Use caution about treating with Oxalic Acid if you treated in Nov. or Dec. Oxalic is hard on bees and brood. Adult population still in decline. We need what little brood there is to emerge STUDY!!!!

56 As Winter progresses dead bees in the snow is not uncommon.

57 March Critical Time for the colony. With increasing daylight and early pollen coming into the hive Brood rearing starts to begin in earnest. More colonies die in March and April due to starvation. Brood rearing requires lots of energy which means lots of food! If there is not enough pollen in the hive the bees will use their own reserves to feed the brood. This shortens the adults lives. Continue to monitor for Varroa.

58 EMERGENCY FEED CANDY BOARD

59 EMERGENCY FEED- FONDANT

60 EMERGENCY FEED DRY SUGAR ON NEWSPAPER

61 DON T FORGET THE PROTEIN!!!!

62 Basic Bee Biology for Beekeepers

63 April Colonies need lots of food at this time of year. Brood rearing usually in full force, (if pollen and nectar are coming in). SO WATCH FOOD STORES CLOSELY. FEED IF REQUIRED Dandelions usually bloom this month and is the beginning of the Spring flow. Weather can change drastically at this time of year. Those that wrap their hives usually wait until the end of the month to unwrap Continue monitoring for Varroa. Numbers can double each month.

64 Questions?