Innovative BeekeepingEMBA 3/9/16
Grant F. C. Gillard
Reminder of contact info:
gillard5 @ charter.net
www . grantgillard . weebly.com
www . slideshare . net (search “Grant Gillard”)
A Time to Make 2016 Plans!
Every year I say,
“This is going to be my year to….”
Organize My Workshop!
Paint Those Supers!
Rehab Those Old Frames!
Level Up My Hivestands!
Move out of the flood plain
HAS Carbondale, IL 2014
“The OTS Queen Rearing System”A Survival Guide For
Beekeepers Worldwide
Self-Sufficient Beekeeping Strategies
$49.99www.mdasplitter.com
(Mel Disselkoen)
Innovative Beekeeping
Describes a practice where I can make my own nucs
(without buying mated queens) potentially quadrupling the
number of my colonies…
Innovative Beekeeping
Illustrates a simple plan of procrastination-proof
queen rearing, taking the stress out of my present situation.
**NICOT KIT
Innovative Beekeeping
Teaches an uncomplicated, one-step procedure to totally
eliminate swarming…
**swarming etiquette and neighbors
Innovative Beekeeping
Describes an effortless system streamlining my management,
simplifying my decisions…
--what to do--when to do it--how to do it
Innovative Beekeeping
Lays out a foundation for transitioning into
treatment-free beekeeping…
(or enhancing treatment options)
**utilizing a “brood break”
Innovative BeekeepingOffers flexibility catering to beginners
and seasoned veterans…Offers potential to the backyard
beekeeper and the recreational beekeeper, as well as the sideliner and the small scale producer.
Creates options for honey production, nuc sales, or expansion…or a combination of all
Innovative Beekeeping:Streamlines the work flowSimplifies my management and record
keepingGuarantees swarm prevention Hassle-free queen rearing and
requeening, without graftingTreatment-free varroa managementAdapts to any size operation
This has made me a…
HAPPY
Innovative Beekeeping Mel Disselkoen’s OTS “On the Spot” queen rearing
system (really a system of making splits)
Coweta Beekeepers Association (Georgia)www.cowetabeekeepers.org
“…a new era of sustainable beekeeping.”
“…enabling a beekeeper to increase honey production and profits while reducing swarming
and expenses.”
Making Mel’s System Work
Starts with overwintered colonies Need 8 frames of brood to initiate Start Date, about one week before
swarm season “normally” starts:Mel = May 1st
Grant = April 15th
Caveat: Must be able to prevent swarming
Walt Wright = “Checkerboarding”
First Move = April 15th
Perform a “reverse” split
Remove queen and two frames of brood to a nuc box (got to recognize and find queen)
**did you mark last year’s queens?
This leaves you with --a queen-right nuc and --a queenless remnant
colony.
First Move = April 15th
“Notch” frames of open brood in the queenless remnant colony
Leave them to make their own queen cells
The strength of the remnant produces great queens. This is Mel’s “On-The-Spot” system
April 15th
Notching Frames
Notching Frames
Notching Frames
Mark the frames with notches
Why Notch?
Queen cells have to hang vertically.Notching, or scraping, creates a
vacancy below the larvaeNotching specific frames helps the
beekeeper to manage the next step of allocating frames into nuc boxes.
Come Back One Week Later
Seven days later = CAPPED QUEEN CELLS !!!!
Choose destiny of this colony--Plan A to divide into three nucs, two frames of brood each--Plan B to keep intact to make honey
Intent is to squish all but two queen cells--Two cells in each nuc--Two cells in the remnant hive
**how many of us simply detest squishing perfectly good queen cells?
Where are we at? April 22nd
The bees know better
The bees know better
Summary of where we’re at:
April 15th – Make a reverse split, queen to nuc box with two frames of brood
April 22nd – Choose to make honey, or split into nucs, squish excess queen cells
May 15th – Check to insure queen was mated, then let nature take it’s course--remnant colony for honey production--nucs for expansion, or sell nucs or queens
(locally-adapted bees)
Suggestion: Mark the queen
Where are we at? May 15th
What might go wrong?
What if the remnant colony (set up for honey production) comes up queenless?
Re-combine the old queen back into the queenless remnant.
What if nucs come up queenless? Add those bees to the old queen.
How to Recombine
Newspaper method – sheet of newspaper between the colonies, poke a couple of nail holes in it to get it started.
Uniting spray – combine without newspaper
3:1 Uniting spray3 cups hot water1 cup sugar¼ tsp Honey-B-Healthy or four drops LMO
$3.87 Wal-MartPaint section
Funnel recommended
Where are we at? May 15th
Old Queen in Nuc Reverse split made on April 15th
Does not need to be moved to a new yard Plan on feeding (lost foragers) By May 15th, very likely ready to be moved
to a single brood box with supers Option A: Potential to make honey is still
present Option B: nuc can be sold as a locally-
raised colony Option C: sell the queen out of this nuc,
combine bees with another colony
Where are we at? May 15th
Benefits Reverse split guarantees swarm
prevention Queenless period establishes a brood
break, interrupts varroa reproduction Brood break = fewer larvae to feed,
nectar stored as honey
Flexibility
Plan “E” for expansion= three nucs with new queens, one nuc with old queen (quadruple)
Plan “H” for honey= one nuc with an old queen and one colony ready to make honey with new queen (double)
Plan “M” for money = sell three nucs and keep old queen around to pollinate the garden
Biggest Benefit
Mel’s Game Plan Part 1 – April 15
Remove the existing queen to a nuc Notch frames to encourage queen cells
Part 2 – April 22 Return a week later and divide frames into three
nucs or keep as one strong hive Squish excess queen cells, leaving only two per
division Part 3 – May 15
Return after four weeks to insure mated queens Mark queens
A Confession My intent was to make honey, not
nucs
I notched multiple frames
Bees made queen cells every where else
Rain prevented me from returning, did not squish excess queen cells
So what happened?
Queen cells hatched, new queen took over
In some cases, I made the reverse split, rushed for time (pending rain storm) failed to notch the frames, and queen cells were made anyway, queens hatched anyway.
A Modification - Miller Method
Going Crazy
What if I wanted to become the biggest beekeeper in Missouri?
What if I wanted to push this system to the max?
What if I wanted people to think I’ve lost my mind?
Mel’s Game Plan Part 1
Remove the existing queen to a nuc Notch frames to encourage queen cells
Part 2 Return a week later and divide frames Squish excess queen cells, leaving only two per
division
Part 3 Return after four weeks to insure mated queens
Next Move = June 15th Remnant Hive = supered, making honey Move existing queen to a nuc – reverse
split Notch frames, let them make queen cells Foragers will still keep on foraging
Three nucs = likely need to move to single brood box, maybe a second brood box
Pull out the queens with two frames of brood to a nuc box, notch comb, and let queenless colony raise queen cells
June 15th, Con’t
Old queen = time to “dispatch” her(what if she’s a really good queen?)
Notch frames Colony raises queen cells Foragers continue to forage for
nectar
Summary, June 15th
Next Move = June 22nd Seven days later = capped queen cells Split remnant hive into two other nucs
So we have the existing queen in a nucWe have two nucs with queen cellsWe have the full size colony with queen cells and honey supersForagers keep bringing in nectar
Nucs, now queenless in brood boxes, capped queen cells, leave to hatch
June 22nd , Con’t
Queenless colony (where we dispatched old queen) now has capped queen cells
Split into three nucs with queen cells Full size colony with queen cells and
supers Foragers keep on foraging for nectar
Summary, June 22nd
Next Move = July 15th Check for laying queen Harvest honey from remnant hive and hive
that had the dispatched queen Equalize the honey producing with the
nucs. Each of these colonies will make 4 nucs
each.
**Expansion of one overwintered hive into eight nucs, ready for overwintering
**Honey produced and harvested
July 15th, Con’t
Three “nucs” can be split in the same manner into six nucs by making reverse split on June 15th
With dispatched queen colony, now divided into four nucs,
We have an expansion of one overwintered colony into ten nucs, ready to be overwintered.
Summary, July 15th
Caveats = Warnings
Weak colonies in mid summer are targets for small hive beetles
Feeding small colonies in a dearth invites robbing.
Used dryer sheets for SHB
Why? Why? Why? Seems like a lot of work, but mostly I
just keep on schedule, the bees do the work, OTS
Double requeening, post summer solstice
Beneficial brood break for varroa suppression
Expansion potential w/o buying queens
Offset attrition of winter losses (Michael Palmer)
Options to sell nucs or queens next spring
Biggie = outside of equipment cost, no out of pocket expense
Mel’s Game Plan Part 1
Remove the existing queen to a nuc Notch frames to encourage queen cells
Part 2 Return a week later and divide frames Squish excess queen cells, leaving only two per
division
Part 3 Return after four weeks to insure mated queens
Downside ? Work is streamlined, management is
systematized, but you still have to keep accurate records and stay on schedule.
Bonus: Management becomes more efficient, working smarter, more hives can be managed in the same amount of time and energy.
Most time-consuming part = find the queen
Downside ?
You have to initiate the First Move about a week prior to “normal” swarming events.
Need 8 frames of brood (Russians and Carniolans are slower to brood up).
Need to be able to find the queen (marked?)
Need for more equipment, storage of such
My Findings Nucs and splits made in April were 100%
requeened with Mel’s system.
Nucs and splits made in June were 90% requeened, but SHB totally decimated most of my nucs as they moved into July.
Rather than go crazy making nucs, I moved most of my northern hives south to make honey. Too much rain in May and June.
♠♠
℗
סס☻
My Findings Random varroa mite checks via alcohol wash
in late-August ran 6 to 10 mites per ½ cup (300 bees). That fits Randy Oliver’s threshold.
When removing the queen on April 15th, I can assess if I want to make honey or split into nucs. Heavier populated colonies were selected for honey production.
Based on the number of queen cells made, I can change my mind on whether to make nucs or make honey on April 22nd.
Options based on queen cells
My Findings
Mel’s schedule, and the schedule I presented, is adaptable and flexible. It can be done anytime a colony has not swarmed.
Conceivably, if a new beekeeper bought nucs or packages in April, Mel’s system could be used to make more nucs in June or July.
Mel’s Game Plan Part 1
Remove the existing queen to a nuc Notch frames to encourage queen cells
Part 2 Return a week later and divide frames Squish excess queen cells, leaving only two per
division
Part 3 Return after four weeks to insure mated queens
My Hope: Innovative Beekeeping
Streamlines the work flowSimplifies your managementGuarantees swarm prevention Hassle-free queen rearing and
requeening, without graftingTreatment-free varroa
managementHuge expansion potentials 1:10
by fallOptions for honey production,
nuc sales, or expansion
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