Beekeeping for “ Newbees ”
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description
Dan Carr Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture [email protected]. Beekeeping for “ Newbees ”. Why keep bees?. G reat pollinator Sweet rewards Wax Other valuable byproducts The bees as teachers. Bee Anatomy. What is in the Hive?. Wax Brood (Eggs, Larva, Pupa) Pollen - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Beekeeping for “ Newbees ”
Why keep bees?
Great pollinatorSweet rewardsWaxOther valuable byproductsThe bees as teachers
Bee Anatomy
What is in the Hive? Wax Brood (Eggs, Larva, Pupa) Pollen Nectar Honey
Brood cycle of the Bee Egg (3 days), Larva (5 days), Pupa (13 days), Emerged Bee (21 Days)
Recently laid eggs Larva
Pupa Sealed Brood
The Three Castes of the Hive
Queen
Drone
Worker
Nuptial Flight
The Life of a Worker Bee
Equipment for Working in the Hive
Veil Suit Gloves Boots Smoker Don’t forget to wash up No bananas! Zen Like state of mind
Tools of the Hive
Hive toolFrame gripEntrance reducerBee brushFrame holderFeeder
The Langstroth Hive
Brood boxesSupersBee Space (3/8 in)
Kenyan Top Bar HiveAdvantages Easy and cheap to build Less hive exposed when working in the hive
(safer and less intrusive) Great for beeswax production Foundationless hives
(natural cell size, and clean wax)
Disadvantages
Less honey production Fragile combs Cannot extract and reuse combs More difficult to find good advice
Kenyan TBH Dimensions
Side A 33 x 88.9cm
Fro
nt
Side B 33 x 88.9cm
Bottom 22.9 x 96.5cm
BA
CK
44.3cm
30.5cm
33cm
88.9cm
33cm
96.5cm
22.9cmHive entrance
Lid 58 x 97cm 58cm
97cm
Top Bar
3.2cm
48cm
Apiary Location
Diversity of pollen and nectar sources Away from pesticides, herbicides, & fungicides Good water source Direct sunlight from the East (morning sun) Not too windy Good ventilation Easily accessible Level Public safety Firm dry ground Weed suppression
Getting Bees
Packaged Bees ($80-120) Nucs (10 frame $250-300
5 frame $120-170)
Capture a swarm (Free!)
Diseases & PestsAmerican Foul Brood: Bacteria
Symptoms: Irregular brood pattern. Brown Larva. Concave, punctured and moist brood cappings. Dead larva develop a gluey consistency that adheres to a matchstick when poked, and appears stringy as the matchstick is pulled away up to an inch. Distended pupal “tongue” stuck to the top of the cell wall. Very strong putrid smell.Danger: Extremely High: spores live for up to 75 years.Treatment: None. Isolate colony and burn equipment.
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• Nosema: Fungal gut diseaseSymptoms: Slow spring build up. Bees appear weak. Mustard red/brown spotting on and in the hive for Nosema Apis.Danger: Medium ( there is a debate about whether Nosema Ceranae is more fatal than Nosema Apis)Treatment: Good apiary management (protection from cold winds and moisture). Good ventilation. Fumagillin B in sugar syrup. Bee tea: 1 gallon of sugar syrup, 1 tsp of crushed thyme leaves, 1tsp of sea salt, and 1tsp of white vinegar or 1 gallon of water with 1 tsp of crushed thyme leaves. Dispose of frames soiled with fecal material, and continue with a routine cycle of changing out frames to minimize spore build up.
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• Varroa Mites (Varoosis)Symptoms: Weak hive. Spotty irregular brood pattern. Crawling bees outside of hive that can’t fly. Brown or reddish parasites on larvae and bees. Deformed bees emerging from pupae. Deformed wings or K-wing. Danger: Very High!!!Treatment: Thymol based products (Apiguard and ApiLife VAR, powdered sugar dusting, Hop-guard, drone comb removal, Formic acid and Oxalic acid screened bottom boards. Miticides: Apistan(fluvalinate), CheckMite (coumaphos) mites have developed resistance. Closely follow applications directions for any chemical treatment as they may be dangerous or temperature sensative.
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Bee and beekeeping equipment companies Hudson Valley Bee Supply: Kingston, NY (845) 336-6233
www.hudsonvalleybeesupply.com (Equipment, package bees & Nuculus colonies)
Bee Commerce: Weston, CT www.bee-commerce.com (203) 222-2268 (Equipment and package bees)
Better Bee: Greenwich, NY www.betterbee.com 1(800) 632-3379 (Equipment and package bees) Nature’s Way Farm: Loman, NY http://www.natureswayfarm.com/ A-Z Apiaries: Hampton, CT www.azapiaries.com
(860) 455-1296 (Package bees) The Bee Guy: Apiary: South Salem, NY Gosset’s Farm Market (914) 763-
3211 (package bees) Bedford Bees: Bedford Village, NY (914) 232-7173 www.bedfordbee.com
(package bees) White Oak Apiaries: Brewster, NY www.whiteoakapiary.com (Nuculus
colonies Dadant and Sons Inc.: Hamilton, IL www.dadant.com (888) 922-1293 (Equipment and bees) Brushy Mountain bee farm: Moravian Falls, NC & New Columbia PA
www.brushymountainbeefarm.com 1(800) 233-7929 (Equipment) Mann Lake: Hackensack, MN www.mannlakeltd.com 1(800) 880-7694 (Equipment) Walter T. Kelley, Clarkson, KY www.kelleybees.com 1 (800) BEE-BUZZ
Happy Beekeeping!Dan CarrLivestock Assistant/BeekeeperStone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture(914) [email protected]
