Bees Module 1 Flashcards

Question 1

Q

00 What is anaphalatic shock

Answer

A

An extreme, often life-threatening allergic reaction to an antigen to which the body has become hypersensitive

Question 2

Q

00 How wide is bee space

What is the dimension of bee space as used in hive construction?

Answer

A

6-9mm

Frames are 35mm from septum to septum in brood

Question 3

Q

00 Bee space

Give two locations in a hive where bee space must be maintained.

Answer

A

Between frames horizontally
Between frames vertically
The sizing of excluders to separate brood box and supers

Question 4

Q

00 What are castellations used for

Answer

A

For spacing super frames

Question 5

Q

00 Give three methods for spacing brood frame

(there are 6)

Answer

A

Narrow plastic/metal ends
Hoffman frames
Manley Frames
Castellations
Finger spacing
Screws

Question 6

Q

00 Bee space top

Give two reasons for choosing a hive with top bee space

and three reasons for choosing bottom bee space

Answer

A

Top
1. Safer for bees when replacing supers
2. Coverboards and feeders can fit flush with box
Bottom
1. Can put boxes on flat surface without crushing bees
2. Easier to remove the frames from the box
3. Space for drone brood on bottom of frames

Question 7

Q

00 Bees

How many days after an egg is laid is a queen cell of Apis mellifera mellifera sealed?

Answer

A

3+5=8 days

Question 8

Q

00 Where is a boardman feeder used in a hive

Answer

A

At the hive entrance - don’t use in cold weather

Question 9

Q

00 What is a cast?

Answer

A

A cast is a secondary swarm of bees headed by a virgin queen

Question 10

Q

00 Clearing

What is a Rhombus used for?

Answer

A

Clearing bees from a super for a honey harvest

Question 11

Q

00 Name one type of non-mechanical equipment for clearing bees from supers

Answer

A

Goose feather for shake and brush
Bee Quick vapour
Rhobus
Canadian
Circular

Question 12

Q

00 comb

What do bees need to enable them to convert wax foundation to comb?

(There are two similar answers)

Answer

A

Plentiful incoming nectar/a good nectar flow
A supply of sugar syrup

Question 13

Q

00 Name a method of replacing all brood frames at once

Answer

A

A shook swarm

Question 14

Q

00 Comb replacement

At what age is it recommended that brood combs be replaced?

Answer

A

Once every three years

Question 15

Q

00 Comb

Bees will probably fill a space greater than 10mm with …… and a space less than 6 mm with…… Complete the sentence.

Answer

A

Brace comb

Propolis

Question 16

Q

00

What part of a bees diet is nectar?

What part is pollen?

Answer

A

Carbohydrate

Protein

Question 17

Q

00 Drifting

Give one way to prevent driffing of bees between hives

moderated answer

Answer

A

different colour entrances
irregular placeent
discrete landmarks

Question 18

Q

00 extraction

What is the best time of day to return extracted supers

Question 19

Q

00

What should bees be fed if the hive is found to be light in January?

Question 20

Q

00 Feeding

What is the ratio of sugar to water used for autumn feeding?

Question 21

Q

00 Why should have hived swarm not be fed for several days

Answer

A

So they use their reserves to make comb and none of it is stored. Their reserves may carry pathogens, including EFB.

Question 22

Q

00 What is the best time of day to feed bees?

Answer

A

In the evening

Question 23

Q

00 What do bees collect other than nectar and pollen

Answer

A

Water and propolis

Question 24

Q

00 foundation purpose

What is the purpose of wire in foundation?

Answer

A

To give comb extra strength

Question 25

Q

00 Name two reasons for the use of thin foundation

Answer

A

For cut comb honey
For section honey

Question 26

Q

00 Handling bees

What is a water spray used for when handling bees?

Answer

A

Bees in transit may need cooling down
Or it may be used as an alternative to smoke.

Question 27

Q

00 In which month does the main UK heather flow take place

Question 28

Q

00 hive

3 hives with Short lugs Top bee space

Answer

A

anything with a T near the end is Top and shorT

smiTh

langstroTh

dadanT

Commercial: too mean to have long so is shorT but Bottom commercially.

All the rest have bottom space and long lugs

Question 29

Q

00 Name a hive that uses 10 frames in a box

(there are two)

Answer

A

WBC and langstroth

The rest - National, Smith, Deep, Commercial, Dadant - have 11.

Question 30

Q

00 Brood box variation by brood cells frames and vol

Answer

A

WBC 49,750 - 10 frames = vol 32l
National/Smith 54,725 - 11 frames = vol 36l
Langstrroth 68,000 - 10 frames = vol 44l
Commercial 75,625 - 11 frames = vol 48l
Deep national - 80,300 - 11 frames = vol 51l
Dadant 93,000 - 11 frames = vol 59l

wnlcdd

Question 31

Q

00 Hive brood cells

Approximately how many worker cells are in a standard National brood frame?

(According to test paper)

Question 32

Q

00 Hive brood cells

Approximately how many worker cells can be raised on one side of BS brood comb

(According to test paper)

Question 33

Q

00 Name one types of hive that use British Standard Brood Frames

There are two

= Good as NeW

Answer

A

National
WBC

Question 34

Q

00 Give one difference between a commercial and modified brood chamber

Answer

A

Commercial - Short lugs
Modified national - Long lugs

Question 35

Q

00 Hive

What is the dimension of spacing with Hoffman spacers?

Question 36

Q

00 Give two differences between the Smith/Dadant/Langstroth and the National/WBC hive.

Answer

A

National/WBC
1. Bottom bee space
2. Long lugs
Smith/Dadant/Langstroth
1. Top bee space
2. Short lugs

Question 37

Q

00 hive

Name a hive that uses British Standard frames in the brood box but with short lugs.

Answer

A

Smith BS short lugs, top bee space

Question 38

Q

00 What is meant by the term warm-way and cold-way in relation to beehives

Answer

A

Warm way - frames are parallel to the entrance
Cold way - frames are perpendicular to entrance

Question 39

Q

00 Hives

Which hive type has the largest frame size?

Answer

A

A Dadant

because it’s a flipping big Dude

Question 40

Q

00 Hives

Name a self spacing super frame other than a Hoffman

Question 41

Q

Give one way of cleaning wooden hive boxes for hygienic reasons

Answer

A

Scorching after excess wax has been scraped off

Question 42

Q

00 Hygiene

What is the solution used for decontaminating a hive tool?

Answer

A

Washing soda solution

1kg to 5l hot water

Question 43

Q

00 Hygiene

Why should beekeepers wash their bee suits after receiving a sting through the bee suit?

Answer

A

It washes away the alarm phermones so the bees won’t be triggered to sting you on your next visit.

Question 44

Q

00 nectar

Why are bees unable to store nectar as winter food

(there are two possible answers)

Answer

A

Nectar water content is too high
Nectar would ferment

Question 45

Q

00 Pollen is the source of which principal nutrient for bees

And Nectar?

Answer

A

Protein

Carbohydrate

Question 46

Q

00 what is the difference between a pollen supplement and pollen substitute

Answer

A

Pollen supplement contains pollen
Pollen substitute does not

Question 47

Q

00 Give six ways that honeybees use propolis within the hive

eCAVES

Answer

A

Embalms dead critters too big to remove
Cracks - filled to keep out wind and rain.
Antibacterial - in brood cells it preserves brood food and minimises infection
Varnish cells to clean them ready for lying
Entrance - narrows it
Smooths rough surfaces of cavity

Question 48

Q

00 Name three types of queen excluder

Answer

A

Stainless steel wire
Plastic
Herzog slotted steel

Question 49

Q

00 Queens

How should bees be cleared from combs of brood containing queen cells?

Answer

A

Brushed gently off so as not to dislodge the queen larvae. Never shake.

Question 50

Q

00 Queen

Give one way in which the condition of drone-laying queen may be distinguished from that of laying worker

There are two

Answer

A

LW tend to lay multiple eggs in one cell
DL Queens only ever lays one egg.

LW lays anywhere, haphazardly
DL Queen lays in regular brood pattern

Question 51

Q

00 Using the International queen marking system give the years 2018 and 2019 and 2020

Answer

A

Why you rear great bees

White yellow red green blue

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 0

Question 52

Q

00 What could be fed to a colony to stimulate the queen to lay in the Spring?

Answer

A

1:1 sugar syrup slowing in a contact feeder

Or pollen patties

Question 53

Q

00 If a queenless colony is suspected, how may this be verified?

Answer

A

Insert a frame of eggs and brood less than three days old. If the bees raise queen cells within 24 hours they are queenless.

Question 54

Q

00 robbing time

Give one time when robbing is most likely to be a problem

(there are three acceptable answers - test paper)

Answer

A

Late July/August
Cessation of a major honey flow
When supers are removed

Question 55

Q

00 Robbing

Give two types of robbing by honeybees.

Answer

A

Silent
Fighting

Question 56

Q

00 Stores

How much honey does a British National brood frame hold when full?

And super?

Answer

A

National brood = 5lb

National super = 3lb

Question 57

Q

00 supers

Give one reason for adding supers in early spring

(there are three reasons - test paper)

Answer

A

Space for expanding colony
To provide storage for nectar/honey
For swarm prevention

Question 58

Q

00 Swarm collection

Name one piece of essential equipment used to collect a swarm.

Answer

A

A skep and a sheet

Question 59

Q

00 Swarm Control

Name five methods of swarm control.

$C - R U an ATM?

Answer

A

Requeen if she is old
Unite colony with a young queen
Artificial swarm
Tear down QCs
Make more space

Question 60

Q

00 When would a snelgrove board be used

Answer

A

During swarm control when splitting a hive

Question 61

Q

00 Swarm control

Name a swarm control method that makes the hive taller

There are two

Answer

A

Demaree and Snelgrove

Question 62

Q

00 Swarm control

How frequently should a colony be inspected to check for unsealed queen cells?

Answer

A

Every 7 days for unclipped queens

Every 14 days for clipped queen when last inspection showed no swarm preps

Question 63

Q

00 Swarms

A prime swarm is the first swarm to leave a colony, what is the second swarm called?

Question 64

Q

00 Swarms

Name the traditional straw item that can be used for collecting swarms

Answer 55

A

Weather
End of a flow
Clumsy beekeeper

Answer 56

A

Mouse

Green Woodpecker

Answer 57

A

September

Answer 58

A

A mouse guard to prevent mice entering the hive in winter

Answer 59

A

At least 20kg of stores (16kg sugar by weight)

Answer 60

A

Protection from Green woodpecker

Answer 61

A

11: 38mm
10: 42mm
9: 48mm in a national

Answer 62

A

To clear bees out of supers to remove honey

Answer 63

A

To cool hive by evaporation

To dilute stores

Answer 64

A

Brood holds 11 BS frame with
1. 11 hoffman + dummy
2. 11 frames + just castellations/plastic spacers
Square shape suits
1. migratory beekeeping as square and easily packed for transport
2. suits warm/cold orietentation
Full super of honey weights 15kg, which an older person can lift
Some people keep brood and a half/double brood for prolific queens BUT makes inspections v long. Also full broodbox at end of summer weights 25kg with stores. However…
Brood space has enough for a good queen laying
1. 1500 eggs/day = uses 59% of available space = colony of 57,000 bees
2. 2000 eggs/day = uses 79% of available space = colony of 76,000 bees
3. This does require regular comb changes (Bailey/shook) to remove pathogens AND make greater proportion of comb available for brood.
Relatively cheap
Robust, but light in weight
Good rebates so can be lifted easily
With just 11 good-sized frames, inspections are easy.

Answer 65

A

Volume - eg Dadant is 59l, WBC is 32l
Top / Bottom bee space - eg Smith vs National
Short / long lug - eg Smith vs National
Hand holds - decent (national) miniscule (commercial)
Single or double walled (national vs WBC)
Aesthetics - WBC traditional look vs plain national

Answer 66

A

Two, or better yet, three stages of spacing is needed to achieve a spacing of 9 castellations when starting from foundation.
Bees naturally build comb to 11mm deep on each side of the septum.
If 9 spaces are used without the initially drawing out of comb, the bees tend to build their own comb between the frames of foundation.
However, once they have fully drawn out the foundation using narrow spacing, they can be induced to extend its depth by gradually widening the spacing.

Answer 67

A

Feral bees create comb that is a fixed distance apart with just enough space between combs for them to work back to back - a space of 6-9mm each (ie around 16mm between two surfaces of comb), and just 6-9mm between comb an the cavity wall.

Answer 68

A

Size of typical colony
Ease of use
Standard sizes of kit
Watertight yet breatheable
Works to bee life cycle (separates queen from stores yet enough space to lay at peak)
Helps in management of disease - eg OMF
Frames separated to the width bees work at naturally
Frames optimise the space so bees build comb where beekeeper wants it, without brace comb

Answer 69

A

Saves the beekeepers back as they don’ t have to bend so low
Reduces damp from the ground

Answer 70

A

It provides a template for workers to draw out comb so comb ends up where the beekeeper wants it and fills the whole frame area, and optimum use is made of the space available.

Wired foundation provides additional strength to brood comb

Wire foundation allows you to spin supers in a tangential extractor.

Answer 71

A

Induces bees to build straight comb in wooden frames. Thus:
Minimises amounts of wax to be produced by the bees
Allows easy Inspection of both sides of the comb
Allows easy Manipulation of the hive
Allows easy honey Extraction
Allow resuse of Wooden frames
Allows either drone/Worker brood, as required by beekeeper

Answer 72

A

Thick wired in brood for strength
Wired for supers for spinning
Thin, unwired for cut comb/section honey
All worker/drone cells as required by beekeeper

Answer 73

A

There must be a need for more comb.
Attempt this at the right time of year -
1. warm enough with enough young bees - late spring to mid summer
2. before August when bees are focused on laying down winter stores
Place fresh foundation in the centre of a box above brood - taking advantage of brood heat
Use narrow spacing between frames to encourage the bees to draw the comb across the whole frame
Simulate a nectar flow by feeding 1:1 sugar syrup
In the brood box, do not fill the box with fresh foundation but build up as needed. The encourages the bees to draw out the full frame.
Hooper advocates removing the QE briefly to allow bees to move up freely, and ensuring that if the queen moves up and starts to lay, she is replaced in the original brood box and the QE replaced

Answer 74

A

No Space required
No nectar Flow/feeding
Queenless
About to Swarm
Weak colony with lots of old bees
Too Cold
Wrong Time of year - too early in spring/in autumn when prepping for winter

Answer 75

A

To give queen immediate space to lay
To make immediate space for honey
To use in a bailey frame change
To replace a broken frame
To use in a bait hive

Answer 76

A

Bees in feral colonies allow 35mm between midrib of adjacents combs. This leaves enough space (13mm) for back to back working with 6-9mm between comb and cavity wall.
Super frames, with care, can be up to 48mm septum to septum, reducing number of frames and increasing honey stored. Increase the spacing gradually 11>10>9 with castellations of wider plastic ends or end up with brace comb
Spacing
1. Hoffman frames. Pro: Self spacing. Con: Expensive.
2. Manley. Pro: self spacing. Stops movement during transport. Con: bees tend to propolise
3. Coloured plastic/metal ends. Pro: Cheap. Use colours to help id when to replace comb. Available in three widths allowing for wider spaced supers. Con: remove before extracting. Can fall off in manipulations.
4. Castellations for 9, 10, 11 frames in a Naitonal super. Only use 11 in the brood. Pro: no movement during trasport. Available in three widths to gradually widen spaces in supers. Con: v sharp
5. Studs screw. Pro: minimum contact area between frames -> less propolis. Con: labour intensive.
6. Finger spacing: Pro: Ok in emergency. Con: Inaccurate. Great care needed to lift supers/brood boxes or you could squash bees with slipping frames.

Answer 77

A

The bees are moved onto clean comb without loss of the brood.
1. Pro. None of the brood is lost.
2. Con. Nurse bees continue walk on dirty comb
Carry out in spring, when colony expanding (needs adapting for a weak colony)
Week 1. Place a new brood box clean foundation over existing brood box giving queen access to both boxes.
Supers above queen excluder as normal. Do NOT feed through supers. If no flow, clear and remove supers, and feed the bees 1:1 syrup.
Week 2. Ensure queen is in upper brood box and laying; if not, move her up her her frame and put her in the middle of the clean box.
Place a second queen excluder, then an eke with an entrance facing the same way, between the two brood boxes, confining queen to clean brood box.
Close the lower entrance with foam and tape.
The foragers will return through the top entrance. Only the nurse bees to walk on the dirty comb.
Week 3. Check the lower brood box for queen cells and remove them all.
Week 4. Remove old broodbox (everything should have emerged), shaking out bees out into clean brood box, give the hive a new floor, add supers as necessary and close up.
Cut out and burn old comb. Steam brood box, empty frames, queen excluder and eke.

Answer 78

A

Week 1
1. Clean brood chamber with fresh foundation,
2. Eke
3. Rapid Feeder with 1:1 syrup (if now flow). Do not feed through supers.
Week 2
1. Queen excluder
2. eke with entrance
3. something to close lower entrance
4. 1:1 syrup
Week 4
1. Clean Floor
2. Clean Queen Excluder
3. Super with frames

Answer 79

A

Aim to replace 4 frames a year
Through year move older comb to edge of box and add new foundation to outside of brood nest.
Do not break up brood nest.
Cut out and burn old comb. Boil frames in washing soda and reuse.

Answer 80

A

The whole colony is shaken from dirty combs onto fresh foundation in a clean hive. The brood is sacrificed, along with any varroa in cells.
1. Only suitable for strong colonies. Not on a colony with nosema
2. Do in late spring/early summer so bees have time to draw out comb, forage and prepare for winter.
3. Pro: Colony gets a dramatic boost: many diseases, inc EFB, chalkbrood and varroa in cells are cleaned out.
4. Con: You lose all the brood
Move old hive to one side and place clean floor on original site with a QE on top to prevent the queen absconding until there is brood.
Add a clean broodbox with fresh foundation. Remove 3-4 frames.
In old box, find the queen, cage her and keep her safe.
Take each frame in turn, and shake it sharply into gap to dislodge the bees, brushing all bees off with a handful of grass.
Place empty frames in a spare box and cover to prevent flying bees landing on them.
Knock any bees in the original box, floor and cover into the clean box.
Replace empty frames very gently to avoid squishing bees.
Release the queen into the colony and cover with a crown board
Add a rapid feeder in the eke with 2:1 sugar syrup to help the bees draw out the foundation.
Replace the roof.
When the queen has started laying, remove the QE from the bottom
Continue to feed as necessary until most of foundation is drawn.
Consider varroa treatment.

Answer 81

A

Clean floor
Framed queen excluder
Queen cage
Brood box filled with frames of clean foundation
Clean crown board
Clean Eke
Clean rapid Feeder with 2:1 syrup
Clean Roof.

Answer 82

A

At least every three years

Answer 83

A

Build up of pathogens and frame replacement removes these from hive
Curtails moth infestation (feed on pupae skins)
Cells get smaller with layers of propolis
Wax impregnated with chemicals from varroa treatment, which could cause resistence in varroa
Wax can retain insecticides from environment
It contains excessive amounts of or inconviently placed drone comb
New come helps in preventing swarming (young bees are busy drawing out foundation)
It makes a greater proportion of comb availalble for brood rearing.

Answer 84

A

Gradual replacement
Bailey comb change
Shook swarm

Answer 85

A

SITE - you need
1. Somewhere to keep bees
2. Good access
3. With storage
4. Space to move about and grow
5. Forage during whole season
6. Water
7. Sheltered from wind
8. Secure from vandals and thieves
9. Where they won’t bother neighbours
PERSONAL
1. No allergy to bees;
2. Time - it is time consuming
3. It is not a cheap hobby (nuc £130, personal kit £200, hive £300 and bits = approx £650)
INFO
1. Gain knowledge - books - eg Bees at the bottom of the garden by Campion,
2. Take an basic beekeeping course
3. Join a BKA and attend meetings
4. Gain experience of handling bees
5. Find a bee-buddy for 1st year
COLONY Nuc/Full/Swarm/Packet/Buy
1. Nuc (£130-£180) - ideal for new keepers, spring summer autumn. Allows keeper to see colony expand as they gain experience and maybe have a small honey harvest in late July
2. Full colony - spring summer autumn - can lead to loss of confidence when manipuating a full hive. In at deep end with swarm control.
3. Bee packet from abroad - requires knowledge on laws of importing bees
4. A swarm - May to August - risky: disease and temperament implications, aquisition unpredictable, may be tricky to catch and bring on.
5. If buying
  1. Which subspecies - mongrels, mellifera, ligustica, carnolian or buckfast - needs some understanding of the implications of each - eg carnolian are known for tendency go swarm.
  2. Seller of known reputation who can guarantee
    1. Age of queen and laying
    2. Disease free
    3. Good tempered bees
      1. Non followers out of apiary
      2. Still and calm on frames during inspections
Personal EQUIPMENT (total £200)
1. Personal: a veil, protective overalls (all-in-one £140), marigolds, wellies
2. A hive tool. (£10)
3. A smoker (£50)
HIVE
1. TYPE
  1. National (Most UK beginners), WBC (pretty but expensive and heavy to handle), Smith, Commercial…
  2. Wood, poly
2. SOURCE
  1. New - safe, expensive
  2. Second hand - risky: needs knowledge to spot good kit that fits together and then disinfect it
  3. Home made - difficult.
3. KIT
  1. Hive stand/solid base off ground (£50)
  2. A complete hive (£300 flat packed)
  3. Feeder and Eke/spare super
  4. Bucket with lid and washing soda
RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Is there anyone likely to come into contact with your bees who is highly allergic
2. Learn how to prevent swarming and bees being a nuisance
3. Keep records, esp of medication (legal requirement)
4. Observe hygiene rules of management

Answer 86

A

Pro
1. It is free
Con
1. It can only be collected at certain times of the year May-August
2. It is unpredicable
  1. Temperament unknown
  2. May carry pests or pathogens
  3. May be genetically predisposed to swarm, creating furture management problems
3. Can require some skill and ingenuity to catch, hive, ensure they accept their new home and bring on the colony swiftly
4. It has an old queen which may supersede

Answer 87

A

Can be purchased at any time of year except winter
The small number of bees is less intimidating than full hive which will build confidence
The beekeeper gains experience to control and manage a colony as the nuc grows in size
No swarm control likely to be needed in first year
It will build up into a full colony by the end of the year, poss with some surplus honey

Answer 88

A

The number of bees can be daunting, leading to loss of confidence
It will need careful handling to ensure it does not become nuisance
The beekeeper will have to deal with disease, temper, swarm control immediately

Answer 89

A

SPACE
1. To move around and stack supers within reach
2. To spread out/expand
3. 1. ACCESS
4. Near enough for regular inspections
5. No fences to climb
6. By a car/wheelbarrow
7. Provision for storage
FORAGE and WATER
1. Bees forage mostly within 1km of hive and up to 5km
2. What is available throughout the year (nectar and pollen)
3. Consider other colonies in the area
4. Water req to dilute stores and cool hive -provide if nec with float, not neighbour’s pond
ENVIRONMENT
1. Fenced off from livestock
2. Away from public thoroughfare, even with hedge in between
3. Be aware of flight paths - face entrances away from neighbours
4. Drive up flight path with hedge/fence.
5. Security from vandals and thieves
6. Consider swarming and neighbour’s allergies
ASPECT
1. Face south or east to extend their day.
2. Not in a frost pocket/floodplains
3. Not in wood/edge of one (damp)
4. Shelter from winds
AGREEMENT
1. Some sort of formal agreement with the farmer
2. Never push bees on someone reluctant
3. Payment TO beekeeper and agreement for commercial orchard

Answer 90

A

SAFETY
1. Flight paths designed to minimise collision
2. Ideally out of sight of neighbours/vandals/thieves
PERSONAL
1. On paving stones so hives don’t rot
2. On hives stands to minimise bending
3. Frames across the body to minimise twisting
AREA DESIGN
1. Space for manipulations (6’ is good), maintenance
2. Irregular layout in different directions avoids drifting

Answer 91

A

The optimum number of hives for the transport available
Space to move around and lay out hives in irregular shape
Access paramount - you don’t want to be carrying kit/full supers over fences

Answer 92

A

Usually considerations PLUS
How well you get on with neighbours is crucial
Minimise risk of stings. Organise hive placement and flight paths with hedges/fences
Time manipulations; ie not on sunday bbq
Keep good tempered bee; move/cull fierce stocks
Keep out of sight of thieves/vandals/neighbours
Remind neighbours of benefits - pollination + honey

Answer 93

A

Source of constant interest vs see them by making special visit
Accessible kit vs organisational skills to take right stuff
Able to inspect easily and generally monitor vs potential for larger number of hives.
Time and distance for inspections vs complaining neighbours
More secure vs better better forage
Experience gained in having two sites with different conditions

Answer 94

A

Accessible by vehicle/wheelbarrow
distance from houses, human activity and footpaths
Protection from farm animals
Availability of forage
Shelter from prevailing wings forst pockets and flooding
Availability of water
Distance from other apiaries
Permission of the owner to use the land.

NB the dirst three are ESSENTIAL, then one other.

Answer 95

A

A small suburban garden next to play area
Bees drinking from neighbour’s bird paths/garden ponds
Bees soiling neighbour’s washing lines
A hive on a flat, slippery roof only accessibe by ladder /upstairs window

Answer 96

A

Strong to support an increasing weight during the summer.
At a comfortable height for the beekeeper otherwise after inspecting one or two colonies the beekeeper may have backache.
Stands also need to be stable, so the hive doesn’t tip over when the supers are being levered with a hive tool or when they are being removed.

Answer 97

A

To prevent the spread of disease and keep bees healthy - even low levels can make bees more suseptible to other diseases
To prevent the contamination of honey

Answer 98

A

BEES
1. Quarantine swarms until known to be disease free. Arrange hives to reduce drifting.
2. If colony a dies unexpectedly, seal to prevent robbing
3. Regularly monitor for varroa, which carries pathogen
APIARY
1. Never put supers on the ground - botulism
2. Keep apiary clean and tidy
3. Arrange hives randomly and paint entrances different colours to reduce drifting
4. Avoid moving frames between hives/apiaries
5. Never leave old comb/equipment lying about
6. Keep kit store shut up to prevent bees crawling over kit
7. Store supers over a QE to keep out mice, prevent mould and allow spiders to control wax moth
COMB
1. Put brace comb and propolis in container and remove
2. Replace brood comb at least every 3 years
3. Dispose of old comb quickly
4. Never exchange comb/brood/super frames between colonies unless you know they are free from disease
5. Never buy old combs/use second hand combs
6. Replace WET supers on the original hive after extraction
KIT
1. Avoid inspection cloths as these can harbour disease
2. Thoroughly disinfect second hand kit
3. Clean all kit before reuse
4. Kill pathogens by
  1. Scraping and scorching old boxes
  2. Boiling frames in washing soda solution
  3. Freezing old combs
  4. Fumigating DRY combs with 80% acetic acid
PERSONAL
1. Use disposable gloves
2. Keep bucket w lid soda 1kg/5l to rinse marigolds and tools between inspections
3. Clean smokers regularly in washing soda
4. Wash suit, veil etc with 1/2 cup washing soda after each apiary inspection
5. Clean boots regularly
FEEDING
1. Never feed honey from external source
2. Prevent robbing so avoid spilling syrup/leaky feeders, and feed altogether in evening

Answer 99

A

All scrapings must be collected and burnt
Flame/scorch inside the box with a blowtorch
Pay close attention to the crevices and corners
If frames in good condition, strip wax from frames and Burn Wax
Scrape frames and scrub in hot soda solution - 1kg soda/ 5l water - rinse and dry.
NB
1. Allow steam/solar
2. DO NOT allow flaming frames - fire risk

Answer 100

A

Scrape off any excess wax or propolis
Soak the whole hive in washing soda solution (1kg to 5 litres of water) with a dash of washing up liquid. Scrub clean using marigolds and PPE.
1. If only a limited number of components are being cleaned, a shallow tray can be used to soak each side in turn.
Sterilise with hypochlorite such as found in household bleach. The strength of the hypochlorite should be 0.5%. Check label: household bleach is normally 3% so use a mixture of 1 part bleach to 6 parts water.
As the polystyrene is waterproof and inert these can be washed off leaving no residues and the beehive, clean, sterile and ready for use.

Answer 101

A

Genetics
Bad handling by beekeeper
Sudden loss of forage/stores
Weather - esp thunderstorms or imminent rain
Ambient environment - eg next to a dung heap

Answer 102

A

Do not site hives where flightpaths cross areas used by other people
Ensure good water supply that is NOT neighbour’s padding pool/pond/birdbath
Handle gently with minimum smoke
Do not carry out hive maniupulations when neighbours are in the garden
Inspect at optimum times (eg when bees foraging)
If a colony has become difficult to handle, close it up
Open bad tempered hive last
Remember bees are defensive at end of flow
Do not open in bad weather
Do not open unnecessarily

Answer 103

A

Check it really is bad tempered and not the result of bad handling by a novice beekeeper.
Move bad tempered colonies to an out apiary if possible to minimise risks… and requeen with a more docile strain.
Requeen
1. Kill old queen, an insert a frame of eggs and larva from a gentle colony.
2. Kill old queen and unite with a calmer colony.
3. Create a nuc with a new queen; when she is established and has her own brood, kill the old queen and unite with the aggressive colony using newspaper - older bees tend to be more aggressive and may kill her if you introduce her direct.
Finding the queen can be hard: Bleed off bees to find the queen.
1. Move the colony 8’ away in the early morning and put in its place a brood box with about 6 combs to catch the returning fliers. At midday, when all the flying bees have gone, find the queen, kill her and introduce a new one in her queen cage for the bees to eat her out.
2. Next day, swap the boxes around and let the flying bees return to the mother hive. Remove the box with the empty frames the in the evening.
3. The bees should release the new queen within four days.
Finding the queen can be hard. Requeen using chloroform. Requires 1 fl oz chlorform, an entrance blocker and 2 pieces of cardboard.
1. The use of chloroform disorientates the bees and affects the central nervous system in a way the bees cannot immediately recognise their queen and immediately accept a new one.
2. Drive bees back with smoke. Block entrance.
3. Pour 1 tsp x chloroform onto pieces of cardboard, push into entrance and reseal.
4. Do the same with the second piece of cardboard and put it under the crownboard and cover the feedholes.
5. Wait 2-3 mins.
6. You then have 10 mins to find the queen.
7. Remove and kill her and run another queen directly from her cage onto the top bars.
8. Close up and open the entrance.
NB
1. Genetic cause - can take up to 6 weeks to take effect
2. Pheromone cause - 24-48 hours to take effect

Answer 104

A

2m from hive - suitable for suburban garden. At 2m you should be able to remove veil.
5m from hive - not suitable for suburban garden - only suited to isolated apiary
5m+ = requeen

Answer 105

A

Routine inspections take longer
Enjoyment reduced
Leads to more swarming
New beekeepers put off
Public complain

Answer 106

A

January
1. Oxalic treatment
Jan/Feb
1. Heft and feed fondant if necessary
2. Entrances for dead bees
3. Damage to hives
4. Reposition hives in cold weather
5. Kit repair
March
1. Heft etc
2. Entrances etc
3. Remove mouse guards
4. Monitor for varroa
5. When temp above 14C, quick check queen laying, mark Q
6. And install a clean floor

Answer 107

A

April
1. Start regular inspections
2. Full check for diseases
3. Queen laying cf to other colonies, space, stores, supers
4. Carry out comb change (shook/bailey)
May and June
1. Inspect regularly
2. Add Supers
3. Collect Swarms
4. Swarm control
5. Nucs for for increase
6. Drone culling for varroa reduction
7. Raise new Queens
8. Harvest spring crop if OSR
9. J: Monitor for varroa

Answer 108

A

July
1. Swarm control
2. Add supers
3. Unite colonies
4. Harvest honey and return wet supers for cleaning
August
1. Full check for brood diseases
2. Monitor and treat for varroa as necessary
3. Replace queens as necessary
4. Unite colonies for strength going into winter
September
1. Complete varroa treatment
2. Calc feeding requirements and feeding as necessary
3. Allow supersedure if it occurs
4. Put on mouse guards

Answer 109

A

October
1. Finish feeding
2. Protect from woodpeckers
3. Remove queen excluder
November/December
1. Heft to check adequate stores (fondant)
2. Check entrance for dead bees
3. Check for hive damage
4. Prep kit for next year
December
1. as November
2. Monitor for varroa
3. Oxalic treatment for varroa after Xmas

Answer 110

A

Wind drives bees to next door hive
Disorientation
1. Eg long grass is cut in front of hives
2. No key features to map
3. Most of the bees which drift do so during their orientation flights and before they become regular foragers.
Colony collapse when bees leave a dying colony
Genetic tendency - eg Italian bees

Answer 111

A

Spread of disease
Weakens colonies that loose significant numbers of bees this way
Potential overcrowding in recipient colony
Condusive to robbing
Queen loss when flying for mating

Answer 112

A

Drifting is when bees which leave one colony and join another.

Answer 113

A

Space hives at least 3’ apart so the wind does not gust them into the wrong entrance
Arrange hives so bees can find their own colony easily.
1. Provide a different landmark near each hive - eg bolder, a bush.
2. Paint hives in different colours
3. Avoid repeated shapes
If two hives on a stand, point them in different directions.
Arrange hives in a circle with colonies facing outwards

Answer 114

A

Miller - a frame size of brood/super, central slot, two dividers. Bees feed from one half or both. Bees separated from the reservoir to prevent drowning.
Ashforth - similar to Miller but with one slot at one end - hive needs to be tilted to ensure efficient flow of feed.
Rapid/English - A plastic container with a central riser and ribbed edging. A plastic cup separates the bees from the stores.
Contact - Mesh area in the container’s lid. A vacuum is created when upturned over the coverboard. Bees retrieve syrup through mesh.
Frame - Ensures feed is close to brood. Add a float to prevent bees drowning. Con: broodbox must be opened to fill.
Atomiser spray - if a colony is moribund through lack of stores, a warm solution of 50% sugar is sprayed onto bees. Cleaning action feeds. Also prevents fighting when uniting.

Answer 115

A

Summer/week: A colony needs 10lb (4.5kg) stores (2 brood frames or 3.3 super frames)
Winter: a strong colony need 40lb (20kg) stores (12 brood frames - ie super also required)
Feed calc: Honey = 80% sugar.
20kg stores = 16kg sugar.
National super = 3lb / 1.3kg
National brood = 5lb / 2.25kg

Answer 116

A

Pollen substitute OR
Pollen supplement in pollen patties
1. Fed in the early part of the year if the pollen flow is slow to promote brood growth
Fondant from October to March.
1. A top-up of carbohydrate if low on stores
Honey but only from own apiary and ideally from same colony, eg
1. when returning supers from which honey has been extracted
2. in cappings to be cleaned

Answer 117

A

To provide adequate stores for winter after harvesting honey
To stimulate wax production and comb drawing
To provide stores when a colony has an inadequate foraging force (eg artificial swarm)
When raising new queens or making up nuclei
As a means to administer drugs
To stimulate the queen to lay, esp in early spring
To provide emergency stores to prevent starvation

Answer 118

A

Honeybees need to feed in order to support/stimulate certain activities
1. stimulate colony growth by feeding, e.g. early season build up
2. Used support bees during times of high energy req, e.g. drawing comb
Bees make honey in summer as stores against bad weather/no flow/winter
1. Honey harvested by beekeeper needs to be replaced in order for bees to survive winter
Beekeeper monitors colony stores,
1. summer 10 lbs (4.5kg)/2 brood frames,
2. winter 40lb (20kg) stores = 16g sugar
3. Only feed white sugar, never brown (diarrhoea)

Answer 119

A

Assess plants around apiary to ensure there are plenty of pollens available throughout the season - a colony will consume 20kg/year
Only 1kg of pollen is stored - shortages common in spring. If necessary, feed pollen patties.
Pollen tx pathogens (eg APV, chalkbrood, EFB and AFB) so only collect pollen from known healthy colonies and avoid other beekeepers’ pollen
Feeding
1. Collect pollen from own pollen traps every 24 hour (Max 72hrs) to avoid it becoming damp. Freeze immediately in a sealed bag and use immediately after defrosting in shallow dish close to the entrance
2. Or buy substitute from a commercial source and follow supplier recommendations
3. Or make up your own substitute with soybean flour, and other ingredients
4. Or make own supplement with soybean flour and pollen trapped and frozen the previous year.

Answer 120

A

Toasted soya flower 1 part
Dry brewers/ baker’s yeast 1 part
Disolve in 2:1 syrup - enough to make a stiff dough
Place patties over combs where bees are clustered
Cover with wax paper to prevent drying out
MAKE A SUBSTITUTE by adding 1 part trapped pollen

Answer 121

A

48 hours after hiving a swarm (1:1 sugar syrup)
When drawing comb and there is no nectar flow – eg general comb drawing, or as part of Bailey Frame change/Shoot swarm (1:1 sugar syrup)
Nucs when making an increase 48 hours after creation, after the flying bees have left and returned to the mother hive. (1:1 sugar syrup)
When stimulating the queen to accelerate her laying for an early spring crop. (1:1 sugar syrup)
In winter with fondant if low on stores.
In summer if the bees cannot get out to forage (prolonged bad weather) (1:1 sugar syrup)
In autumn as part of winter preparations (2:1 sugar : water syrup)

Answer 122

A

Reduce robbing by feeding
1. in the evenings after they’ve stopped flying
2. all colonies in apiary at the same time
3. nucs after flying bees have left
4. avoiding spillages
Never make up syrup with brown sugar as is causes diahrroea
Don’t feed syrup too late in the year when it is too cold to ripen and cap it, resulting in fermentation.
Feed in the right concentration: 1:1 for immediate use; 2:1 when laying down stores.

Answer 123

A

Pollen is the principal source of proteins, vitamins and minerals
Protein content varies from plant to plant
A strong colony collects 20 kg in a season but only stores 1kg in hive
It requires 70-150mg pollen to rear 1 adult bee
Necessary for making eggs and sperm
Young bees consume huge quantities to make BF and RJ
Older larvae are fed on BF with sugar and pollen.
Worker bees need it for muscle repair
Pollen is the source of protein for the fat bodies in wintering bees

Answer 124

A

Exuded from trees and plants and contains resins, balsams and essential oils
Collected by oldest foragers and unloaded at point of use by another bee.
Disinfecting properties
Used to fill cracks and crevices and narrow entrance
Strengthens and disinfects comb
Embalms dead intruders too big to eject

Answer 125

A

Not stored in hive
Only small number bees on permanent water collection duty - numbers can be increased as required.
Uses:
1. Dilutes honey stores (Honey = 20% water and must be 50% to digest)
2. Used in manufacture of Brood Food and Royak Jelly ( BF = 70% water)
3. Cools hive by evaporation with fanning

Answer 126

A

Bees get energy from breakdown of carbohydrate in honey and nectar
3x main carbohydrates: S, F, G
Nectar would ferment if stored has it has too high a water content so is transformed into honey to store and sealed with wax (honey is hygroscopic)
Bees store concentrated honey in sealed cells for food when no forage available
Beeswax also produced by metabolism of sugars - roughly 8:1 sugar to wax.

Answer 127

A

Supersedure cells
The colony wants to replace its queen without colony division
Caused by potentially by SPENDG
1. Substances shortage
2. Physical injury
3. Egg shortage - bees will want to replace a queen they fear will not get them through the winter.
4. Nosema
5. Drones - too many in the hive - becoming a drone layer?
6. Genetic trait

Answer 128

A

Frequent inspections
Young prolific queen
1. Replace every two years - QS
Maintain adequate space
1. Space to lay
2. Space for storage
3. Space for congestion
Clip queen

Answer 129

A

A colony with enough workers to provide for the original and the prime swarm and casts
Healthy, fecund queen
Enough honey to allow bees to leave with full honey stomachs
Enough pollen and nectar in the area to allow both colonies to build up in time for winter
Enough drones to mate with virgin queens
Suitable cavities in the area for a new home

Answer 130

A

Old queen, low on queen substance (levels halve every year)
Genetic predisposition to swarm (Carnolian bees)
Congestion
1. Lack of space for queen to lay eggs
2. Lack of space to store honey
3. Lack of space for bees to disperse reducing the transfer of QS
4. Often May-June when pop rapidly builds up causing over crowding
High varroa build up
As a nectar flow dwindles - when there are fewer bees going out foraging so congestion appears to increase
When at least half the adult bees are younger than 8 days old - ie after a rapid increase
When the colony is at least 12,000 bees strong and has drones to mate with virgins.

Answer 131

A

Charged queen cells
The colony starts to produce a large number of drones
Lack of space for queen to lay
Nectar stored in the brood chamber - lack of space ro ripen honey
A reduction in foraging immediately before swarm leaves.
Build up of bees at the bottom of frames, clearly not foraging - some may have charged wax pockets
Piping and buzzing as bees do the dorsoventral abdominal dance getting other bees to warm up flight muscles
Bees crisscrossing the frame and banging into each other - the signal to leave.

Answer 132

A

Be prepared and observe with regular inspections, keep records and act on these
Keep a young prolific queen
1. Replace every two years
2. Keeps high pheromones levels
3. Promotes cohesive behaviour
Maintain adequate space
1. Create space for queen to lay - she will swarm in 90-95% of brood cells filled.
2. The brood box is for brood. Add a second brood box above queen excluder, move sealed brood into this immiedately above brood below. Also frames clogged with pollen and stores and arrange. Pack space between between stores and brood with frames of foundation for bees to start to drawn out. Meanwhile, in lower brood, close up brood nest and provide fresh foundation on either side of it for bees to draw out and create extra space for queen to lay.
3. Have enough supers to ripen honey
  1. When 7 frames of brood, add a super
  2. When half super filled, add another super
4. Have enough supers to relieve congestion - there is reduced transmission of Q pheromones if the colony is too full for the queen to walk around
5. Look for good genetic traits when breeding - non swarming, good temper, nectar collection and grooming

Answer 133

A

Requeen if queen is old
Unite colony with one with a young queen
Artificial swarm when queen cells detected
Tear down/remove queen cells (a temporary solution)
Make more space - in brood and supers for eggs, honey, bees

Answer 134

A

Swarming a natural phenomenon allows superoganism to reproduce by division of adult pops and migration of swarms to new sites
Old queen leaves with prime swarm with 30-70% of bees
Casts may appear a few days later headed by virgin queens
Swarm/cast settles near old colony while scout bees search and settle on a new home (can take days)
They fly off to the new home.
Downsides:
1. Swarms are a nuisance to the public
2. A colony that does not swarm can collect more honey than if it did
  1. Parent’s loss of bees
  2. Break in brood
3. You produce ferral bees which can be reservoirs of bee disease

Answer 135

A

When you have 7 frames of brood, add a super (assuming last four frames not full of stores)
When half the super is full, add the next super.

Answer 136

A

Can start to appear hours after queen’s removal/loss
Bees convert workers cells with young larva under 3 days old
The bees extend worker cells to fit queen larva
The QCs are less heavily sculpured than swarm/supersdedure cells
Often small and do not always stand proud

Answer 137

A

No queen present
No upright eggs, or no eggs at all
When colony is opened, it has a distinctive ‘roar’
Colony may be aggressive and difficult to hande
Within 24 hours - colony likely to be apathetic, foraging reduced with bees wandering around aimlessly
After three days - no eggs and QCs visible over worker brood

Answer 138

A

Each is a potential QC
About the size of small acorn cups with hole facing downwards.
Present in the brood area in active season
Can remain indefinitely
Can be ignored until occupied - if knocked down, the bees will just build more

Answer 139

A

The colony is preparing either
1. A supersedure cell - replacement of the queen without swarming
2. A swarm cell - colony reproduction by swarming
Left alone, the bees will continue to feed the larva until either
1. It is capped and emerges with the current queen in situ (supersedure)
2. It is capped and the colony swarms
3. It is torn down when the bees, for what ever reason, decide not to swarm after all.

Answer 140

A

As there are eggs assume the queen is still present until proved otherwise by the action taken

Move hive to one side
in its place put a clean box containing foundation (or preferably clean drawn comb)
select 1 queen cell
remove each frame and shake/brush all the bees into the clean box
do not shake the queen cells you wish to keep but remove all the others
when all the frames are empty and bees from box brushed in, put queen excluder on top of clean box
replace supers above queen excluder

either (DEMAREE method)

add another queen excluder
then add eke with entrance facing different direction to allow the drones to escape.
add the original box containing all the brood and the chosen queen cell on top
replace crown board and roof
after 5 (or so) days check the lower box for eggs, if present the queen was present and shaken into this box with the workers
if not then check the upper box for eggs, she may have got up with brood by mistake
if so she should be easier to locate as most flying bees will be in the lower box
inspect the brood, cut back queen cells to 1 previously selected
allow the queen to emerge mate and lay
Run as a two queen colony or unite on new queen having killed or nuc’d the old queen

or (ARTIFICIAL SWARM METHOD)

add the original box containing all the brood and the chosen queen cell on top
next morning take off top box onto a floor and place to one side
inspect bottom box for queen and leave on original site
after 7 days inspect the box containing brood, cut back Q cells to 1 previously selected
remove any emergency cells
Allow new queen to mate and unite or run as two separate colonies

Answer 141

A

The bees raised queen cells from older larvae
The swarm left after 5-6 days

To rectify

Remove extra queen cells down to one. You could add a freme of brood to boost the colony
OR remove all cells and introduce a mated laying queen
OR remove all queen cells and unite with another queenright colony

Answer 142

A

Indicates supersedure

There are many options

The beekeeper could do nothing and hope for perfect supercedure
Bees may tear down the cells
OR Remove one or both cells to made up nucs
1. There many not be enough drones to fertilise a virgin so may lead to a drone laying queen
OR remove the queen to a nuc
OR put one cell and the old queen in two separate nucs
1. Once a new queen is laying, remove the old queen
2. Unite nuc to original hive with new queen

Answer 143

A

A queen excluder is a selective barrier inside the beehive that allows worker bees but not the larger queens and drones to pass through it
Three main types:
1. Herzog framed grid of wire rods wth bees space top/bottom. As the wires are round and smoothly finished they allow easy passage of worker bees. The wires are stiff and are held strongly by the perforated strips.
2. Punched slotted steel - bottom bee space hives only
3. Moulded plastic sheets - bottom bee space hives only
Used to separate brood from honey, and in manipulations eg shook swarm, bailey frame change, unitin

Answer 144

A

Herzog framed round wire QE:
1. Pro: wires are round and smoothly finished they allow easy passage of worker bees, can scorch, has integrated bee space, strong, can be used with top/bottom bee spacing, better ventilation, easily removed,
2. Con: Expensive, hard to clean, must use right way up
Slotted steel - staggered slots in a sheet of metal
1. Pro: cheap and easy to clean with boiling water and blow lamp. Cheap
2. Con: no bee space, sags in middle when used on top bee space, sticks to frames, sharp rough edges can damage bee wings, becomes raised on accumulations of propolis, must be peeled off, which annoys bees, causes congestion and restricts air movement
Moulded plastic - plastic sheet with square-edged slots
1. Pro: cheap, strong, no sharp edges, non stick w bee space on one side, easily cleaned when wax is cold and brittle with hive tool. A solution of washing soda will remove wax and propolis and sterilise with bleach.
2. Con: lies on top of frames so only suitable for bottom space hives, can tear

Answer 145

A

Separating brood from honey to stop Q laying in areas where the beekeeper does not want brood
Holding down newspaper when uniting two colonies
Hiving a swarm - Under brood box to stop queen absconding until first eggs laid
Shook swarm - ditto
Bailey frame change - to confine the queen to the top brood box
Demaree swarm control - to separate drones in top box from supers.
To sieve a colony into an empty brood box to find the queen - only use when culling - traumatic.
Prevents mic accessing stored boxes in winter, but allows air circulation to avoid mould.

Answer 146

A

Methods include

Requeen from low swarming stock
Add a second brood box
Remove frames of stores from brood area and store in a box above the queen exclude. Replace with foundation/drawn comb for queen to lay
Shook swarm a large colony
Demaree artificial swarm control
Artifical swarm control
Ensure adequate ventilation.
Assuming colonies are in good health relieve congestion AS FOLLOWS:
Swap a weak colony hive with a stong colony hive -
1. Fliers will return to to old position
2. Only do in a strong honey flow in good weather or fighting will result
Transfer sealed brood with covering of bees to weaker colony
1. Ensures there are enough bees to cover the brood
2. Cage queen, remove sealed brood + bees, return queen
3. Dust brood frames and bees with flour/ spray with water and a couple of drops of peppermint oil
4. Open recipient col, make space, smoke bees away, shake in some flour/spray with peppermint water, insert frame and close up.
Unite a super full of bees onto a brood of weaker col using newspaper method
Get bees to draw fresh comb. Feed if nectar flow not on. Provides a ‘legitimate’ reason for crowding.
Split a large colony and create a nucleus
1. Cage Queen.
2. Remove 2-3 frames of bees and brood (two older brood, one eggs and very young larvae.
3. If to be in same apiary, shake in 3-4 frames house bees from brood.
4. Return queen to original hive.
5. Provide stores or feed after 48 hours and allow to raise a new queen.

Answer 147

A

Principle: if no QCs sealed, you persuade bees they have swarmed by creating an artificial swarm, so you do not lose bees.
Move the old hive to one side about 2’ away, facing same way
Place clean brood box on clean floor in original position, with 8x foundation
Move the queen ON her frame into middle of clean box after checking ALL QCs removed
Add two frames of food along sides of clean box
Fill clean box with 8x drawn comb or foundation
Replace QE and the supers. (The fliers will return to this site)
In old box, remove all unsealed QCs but two which the larvae are almost ready for capping.
Close up brood and confine tight between two dummy boards
Add crown board and roof, with 4l of 1:1 sugar syrup in a rapid feeder over crown board
Leave for 7 days
Move the old hive to the other side of orig site containing the artificial swarm. Fliers will return to first site, find hive gone and return to original site, augmenting the population of the artificial swarm and drastically reducing the pop in the old hive.
Leave old brood now for three more weeks - young queen will merge, mature and mate and start to lay. (Unlikely to produce casts because pop is so drastically reduced)
If you want do not want to increase coloines, unite once new queen is has started to lay - remove and kill old queen in artificial swarm colony and unite the two colonies using the newspaper method.

Answer 148

A

Variation on artificial swarm
Lift brood box containing elusive queen and place it to one side in an upturned roof
Put a new broodbox on original floor with 11 frames of foundation/drawn comb
Remove 6-7 frames leaving a large gap
Take each comb in order from original brood box and shake into the gap disloding all bees with a handful of grass
Place cleared brood frames into a spare box/cardboard box in same order, same faces together, and cover, so bees don’t repopulate frames.
As you do this, look for a frame with no QC and with eggs and young larva and place this also in the new box.
Having cleared comb, brush the bees out of the old box and off the old floor it into clean box. The queen should now be in the clean box.
Replace QE and supers.
Take the cleared brood and replace them in the original box in right order. Fill the final gap with a spare frame taken from the new box.
Place the original box on top of the supers, then coverboard and roof.
Leave the spare floor, coverboard and roof at the apiary.
The nurse bees will move up to the top original box and care for brood.
24 hours later, set up a new floor, remove the original box from the top of the supers and place it in new position.
Cover both with coverboard and roof.
Check the new hive in orig position for queen cells a week later. Move the whole hive§§ to the other side of the clean box so the new fliers return to the hive, find it gorn and relocate to the new hive.
Leave the new box in its position for three weeks to allow one of the queens to emerge mature mate and start laying.
Once new queen is has started to lay, remove and kill old queen and unite the two colonies using the newspaper method.

Answer 149

A

If you find sealed QCs, you may have lost a swarm. Still check to see if you can find her. If so, cage her, carry out an artificial swarm and then release her into it.
If there are one or more than sealed QCs (ie not supercedure) check for eggs. If none, this is another sign the queen has gone.
If queen has gone and only large larvae present, reduce sealed QCs to just ONE large one (NOT TWO)
If you find sealed and unsealed QCs, removed all sealed cells
1. Next week reduce remaining QCs to ONE
2. This virgin will emerge, mature, mate and return to head up colony
If you find one or more open QCs, your colony has swarmed and started to produce casts as virgin queens emerge.
1. Find some QCs that are ripe - workers will have removed wax and left just the brown cocoon
2. Use a pen knife to open the tip of it. If a living queen is inside ready to emerge, release her - you definitely have a new queen.
3. Remove ALL other QCs. A colony will produce a cast if it has plenty of bees, a loose virgin queen and occupied QCs. By removing all QCs, you prevent casts, even if another virgin queen is present.
4. Two weeks later, check your new queen is laying.

Answer 150

A

It does not address the problem and only buys time - assuming no QCs are missed in knocking down.
If bee start to raise queens immediately the roof is replaced using a three-day larva, they can have sealed QCs in the hive 2-3 days later - at which point the old queen will leave
Occassionally, removal of QCs might combine with other factors to alter the bee’s original intention to swarm. Eg given more space.
25% of the time the bees give up raising QCs for reasons unknown.

Answer 151

A

When you spot queen cells, get a spare broodbox with drawn comb/foundation and a spare QE.
Obrain a clean brood box with frames and clean queen excluder and eke with entrance.
Remove roof, and supers and supers with crownboard and place on upturned roof.
Move old broodbox to one side. Place the clean brood box on the original floor, and remove one frame of foundation.
In old box, find queen on her frame and move this into centre of new box (NO QCs)
Place QE on top and replace supers.
Place spare QE on top super with entrances facing different direction to allow drones to escape.
Remove ALL QCs in old brood box, close up nest and add the spare frame from the new box at the edge. Place the old brood box on top of eke. Close up.
Check for QCs in top box after 4-5 days later and remove ALL of them.
Remove the top box after 25 days when the brood has hatched.

Answer 152

A

Wear clean latex gloves/bare hands, find the queen on her frame
Pick her up from behind by both wings as she walks away over the comb
Place the frame back in the brood box at an angle with the bottom bar resting on a frame runner
Present the queen your forefinger
She will clamp it allowing you to trap three legs on one side with your thumb
Avoid trapping less than three or she may spin around and loose a leg
Practice on drones first

Answer 153

A

Holding the queen over the hive/clean upturned roof as a safety net
Slide the blade of your clippers beneath one forewing
Check she has not raised a leg
Cut off one third of the wing
Return to the frame resting in the hive and clear a space for her and allow her to walk on
Watch the bees and check they are not hassling her/trying to ball her
When workers have settled, replace the frame and close the hive

Answer 154

A

Holding the queen over the hive/clean upturned roof as a safety net
OR catch her under a crown of thorns
Shake and blot the pen to prevent drowning her in fluid.
Press the pen to her thorax for a well defined circle that will survived worker cleaning
Place her in a matchbox while the paint dries or release her from the crown of thorns when it is dry

Answer 155

A

Marking
1. In spring you can id a queen who has been superseded
2. Easier to take swarm action if you can find the queen quickly
3. If you mark with the year colour and/orkeep records you know how long your queens live
Clipping
1. If a colony swarms with a clipped queen, she may can’t fly and may crawl under the mesh floor, and the accompanying bees can be shaken into a nuc
2. If you lose your queen, you have not lost your bees when they swarm - they will return without a viable queen
3. The loss of clipped queens in the swarming process will filter out this trait and select for supersedure strains
4. Clipping queens prevents feral colonies which can be reservoirs for disease

Answer 156

A

Q: For queen Breeding and Rearing
Q: To use as Retirement home for breeder queen
To make Increase with news queens
Q: Mini nuclei for mating
Q: to Introduce a new queen to a colony
Q: Queenless nucs to hold sealed queen Cells (caged individually)
Manip: Splitting larger colony to prevent overcrowding
Manip: Bleeding off bees when searching for the queen
Manip: Protecting queen on her frame during inspections/manipulations
For storing a surplus queen to requeen bad Tempered colony
or a Failing queen
or to unite with a Queenless colony
Swarms - Housing one
Swarms – Control - artificial swarm
Demonstration/Observation hive to take the schools/fetes
Comb building and repair

Answer 157

A

Should have at least four frames:
- 2 w stores to feed nuc
- 1 sealed brood to supplement bees
- I unsealed brood
- 1 unsealed brood with
  - Old queen OR
  - New mated queen (introduce after flying bees have left OR
  - With a uncapped queen cell OR
  - With capped Queen cell OR
  - With eggs less than 3 days old
- Sources
  - One v strong colony OR
  - Several colonies (1 from 4 and bees from 5th)
  - Artifical swarm
Bees
- Must be non-fliers (take from brood area)
- Must have enough in to say in home apiary - shake in at least 4 extra frames of bees
Feed
- Only feed after flying bees have left (so no robbing)
- Amount depends on weather

Answer 158

A

Choice of parent colony
1. Avoid breeding from a poor queen (eg followers or fierce)
2. Must be a strong - enough bees to cover brood
Equipment
1. Nuc box
2. 4/5 replacement frames with drawn comb/foundation to replace on edges of broodnest in parent hive
3. A queen cage to keep queen safe during manipulations

Answer 159

A

A mating nucleus is used with a capped queen cell, from which a virgin will emerge, mature, mate, and start laying.
A nuc for sale will have an established queen known to be laying well
Any nuc made up for queen introduction should be allowed to mature until the new queen’s offspring are emerging. This will ensure the nuc’s acceptance into the big hive, via the newspaper method, after killing off the queen first

Answer 160

A

Close the entrace of the nuc with green grass.
In the parent colony, find the queen on her frame and insert her into the nuc.
Add a frame of sealed brood and a frame of stores.
Place two frames of drawn comb, or foundation if necessary, on the outside of the brood nest in the nuc.
Shake three frames of bees into the nuc keep the whole lot warm; the flying bees will return to their old home.
Move to the final position in the apiary.
48 hours later, when the flying bees have returned to the parent hive, feed 1l of 1:1 syrup to help draw out the comb.
Back in the parent hive, meanwhile, close up the brood nest and insert frames of foundation on the outside of the nest to fill the space.

Answer 161

A

Move old brood box to one side in upturned lid
In its place put a new brood box, with 11 frames drawn comb/fresh foundation. Remove the centre frame.
Find the queen on her frame and place her into the clean box, replace QE and supers and roof. Fliers will lrturn here.
Split old brood frames into 2 sets, each with 2 open QCs
1. Leave one set in old brood box, closed up with dummy boards at each end
2. Move one set into nuc box
3. Feed as necessary in evening after flying bees have left
This will produce two nucs from one col, with two new queens.
Casts less likely from 5-frame nucs when queens emerge.

Answer 162

A

Only use bees and brood from healthy colonies.
This method works on the principle that bees united from two colonies fight, but from three or more they will quickly sort themselves out.
Prepare a nucleus together with five frames of foundation. Remove them all
In parent colony 1, cage queen cage and keep here safe. Then select a frame of sealed brood with all the bees. Waggle lightly to shake off the fliers but retain the house bees.
1. Place in the new brood box and cover so flying bees don’t land on it.
2. In the parent hive, close up the brood nest and place an empty frame of foundation from nuc on the edge of the brood nest for the bees to drawn out. Release queen back in.
Repeat in parent hive 2.
Repeat in parent hive 3, but this time taking eggs and larva.
Repeat in parent hive 4, with a frame of stores and place on the edge of the nest in the nuc. Also shake in two frames of bees, having wiggled to lose the fliers.
Repeat in parent hive 5, another frame of stores, and place to the other side of the nuc. Also shake in two more frames of bees.
After closing up the other hives and returning the queens to the brood, place the nuc in its new position, with the entranced stuffed with grass, which may delay some of the flying bees inside enough to persuade them to remain where they are
Introduce a laying queen using a butler cage by slotting the cage into the comb under the top bars of in the middle of the brood nest.
Feed the bees 1:1 syrup after 48 hours, when all the flying bees have returned to their mother hives.
Leave for at least 3 days; the bees will eat through the fondant and release her.
After a week, inspect to ensure the queen has been released and has space to lay.

Answer 163

A

The nuc might contain a lot of flying bees, which when they return to their parent hive, leave a shortgage of bees to cover the frames
1. You waggle to frames of bees to lose the immediate fliers.
2. Grass stuffed into the entrance will delay any flying bees and may even prevent some of them from returning to their old home.
The bees reject the queen
1. Ensure the flying bees have left before introducing the queen - young bees will accept a new queen more readily than older bees.
The colony might be robbed
1. Ensure they have enough stores for one whole week.
2. Feed after two days when any fliers have returned to their parent nest.
The new queen might be prolific and quickly run out of space
1. If the frames of brood are wall to wall, you could swap the second frame of stores with one of drawn comb so that the incoming queen has somewhere to lay immediately.
2. In this case bees may need to be fed after 48 hours to make up for shortage of stores.
3. Be prepared to rehouse the colony in a full broodbox fairly quickly.
You must be SURE you are not moving an incumbent queen(s) into the nuc on the frame
1. Cage each and keep them safely tucked into the entrance of their own hives while you work

Answer 164

A

In parent colony, remove supers and QE.
Find Q and cage her safely
Select two frames of stores together with adhering bees and place on either side of nuc = food
Add 1 frame sealed brood and adhering bees to reinforce young bee pop + feed Q
Select 1 frame eggs or larvae less than three days, from which queen will be made, place beside sealed brood
1. OR use ONE open QC from parent hive, breaking down rest on the frame
2. OR introduce a new mated queen in evening after fliers gone, wedging cage between centre of top bars, adding drawn comb for her to lay in, and leave for 5 days.
3. OR draw bees and stores from one hive and take eggs and larva (no bees) from another hive, and in 7 days, check there are only QCs on desired frame (break others down).
Take 2 (for if to remain in this apiary) brood frames and wiggle to release flying bees, and then shake bees into the nuc box - fliers will return to parent col and the house bees will reinforce the nucleus
Close up and move to perm position, leaving entrance open only about half an inch or closed with loose green grass
Back at parent colony, reintroduce queen and push the remaining brood frames together to form a contracted nest, placing frames of foundation on either side of nest.
Replace QE, supers and close hive.
Nuc: Feed next day, after all the fliers have left

Answer 165

A

Select 2 x stores, 1 x sealed brood, 1 x eggs and brush off ALL bees back into parent hive
Place the frames in an empty brood chamber, close up nest with two dummyboards tightly and put box to one side.
In parent col, push remaining brood together and add replacement frames with foundation around the brood next
Replace QE and supers.
Put the new brood box on top of supers, add crown board and roof.
Leave 2-3 hours/till evening
Young bees will come up to top brood and feed the larvae.
That evening, remove the top brood box, which is the new nucleus, and resite it.

Answer 166

A

Any three of the following

Making increase
Sale
Introducing new queens to colonies
Storing a spare queen
Queen mating
Swarm control
Hive a swarm

Answer 167

A

Laying queen
Foraging bees
House bees
Scout bees
No stores but what they carry (up to 4 days supplies)

Answer 168

A

Home: nuc/hive, dep on size of swarm
Frames with foundation: they must eat their own honey + store none
Food: after 48 hours, so they use up own honey making comb, then 1:1
Site: good forage area away from other colonies

Answer 169

A

Q is laying
Monitor for disease and varroa, and treat
Provide supers as colony increases and queen laying strongly
Queen history unknown:
1. Consider requeening in autumn
2. Unite with another col
All dep on observations of temperament, build up, disease levels

Answer 170

A

Needs
1. Home: nuc/hive, dep on size of swarm
2. Frames with foundation: they must eat their own honey + store none
3. Food: after 48 hours, so they use up own honey making comb, then 1:1
4. Site: good forage area away from other colonies
Likely to have a virgin queen so there will be no brood for up to four weeks. Do not disturb for first week as you may disrupt mating flights.
Then monitor for disease, esp varroa, and treat
Provide supers as colony increases and queen laying strongly
Queen temperament and quality unknown:
1. consider uniting with another colony/swarm
All dep on observations of temperament, build up, disease levels

Answer 171

A

Must be ready to expand immediately without risk of starvation.
The nuc must contain current/last year’s laying queen and must have produced ALL the brood in the box
3-5 frames with healthy brood in all stages in a good brood pattern. No sacrificial drone brood. Not less than 30% sealed brood. Not more than 15% drone brood. Frames must be fully drawn, well made.
1-2 frames with stores on outside of nest - enough for at least 2 weeks to allow for bad weather after purchase
Good supply of good tempered, healthy house and foraging bees
Supplier should be able to state what treatments (inc for varroa) have been administered to the nuc and when.
Declare variations:
1. Brood and bees from several nests
2. Queen did not lay all brood present
3. Queen is caged and unproven
4. Nuc may be part of swarm control rather than managed increase programme

Answer 172

A

After settling the nuc in the apiary and releasing the bees, it will need to be transferred to a full hive.
Move the nuc to one side, set up a full hive in the same spot, smoke the nuc and then transfer each frame gently to the hive, placing them in the same order and orientation to each other, together with their adhering bees.
Knock the remaining bees from the nuc into the box. Add three frames of foundation to the box on the outside of the brood nest and close up the whole with dummy boards pushed up tight.
Replace cover board, add an eke and a rapid feeder and keep the colony fed with 1:1 syrup to enable the bees to draw out the comb.
Leave the bees until you start to see them drawing out the last frame of foundation.
The add frames with foundation and continue to feed until the brood box has its full complement of frames
Add a super over a queen excluder when when the queen is filling the seventh frame with brood.

Answer 173

A

The queen may not have enough time to lay enough eggs to create enough bees to get through the winter in a warm cluster
You need to know if is relatively free of varroa - monitor and treat if necessary
They won’t have much time to lay in stores, so this will need to be supplemented with syrup up to the mid October, and then fondant in late winter if necessary
You must be confident that you have a healthy YOUNG queen to take get the colony through the winter.
You may need to insultate the nuc to ensure the cluster remains warm enough

Answer 174

A

Collect
1. What do they look like? - Nature of swarm - honey bees, bumble, wasp, solitary
2. What are they doing?
3. How many there are - cluster size of rugby ball or tennis ball or just bees bobbing about on a pyracantha bus (feeding)?
4. Duration - when they first noticed it
5. Location:
  1. Address
  2. Environment: close to footpath, school, park…Public / private land
  3. Situation: tree, (height) bush, post, wall…
  4. Access
6. Phone number and name of contact
Given
1. Reassure the beekeeper that the cluster is not dangerous and bees will not sting if left alone. ‘They are in the process of looking for a new home.’
2. What your actions will be. ‘I will gather my equipment and be with you in x minutes.’
3. To keep away from the swarm itself and close windows so bees don’t come inside homes to look for possible places to make a nest.
4. To call you on your mobile if the swarm moves on

Answer 175

A

Protective gear - veil, gloves, boots
Container eg skep
Sheet
Sting
Smoker, fuel and matches
Scissors/Secateurs
(Step ladder)
Phone + contact details.

Answer 176

A

Assess the situation on the ground
Private land: get owner’s permission
Describe to landowner what you will do
Ask onlookers to keep away, pref indoors with windows shut
If near footpath, station helpers to prevent passers by
Light smoker and spread sheet on ground under swarm

Answer 177

A

Principles
1. Taking is based on their behaviour of moving up into the dark and staying with the queen
2. You need to catch the queen (usually in the centre of the cluster) and as many bees as you can in one go in your skep
Precautions
1. Do not endanger life by trying to catch a swarm out of reach
2. Keep people and pets away. The bees are not likely to sting, but they will if bothered
3. If using a ladder, ensure it is positioned very solidly and be prepared for the extra weight of the bees falling into the skep
4. Spread out your sheet under the swarm/as near by as pos
Catching
1. Hanging within easy reach - place skep under and shake branch hard once to knock bees into skep
2. High out of reach on branch - attach a stiff bag to end of pole, hang this over swarm, and jerk branch upwards to dislodge into bag
3. On post/wall - invert skep over swarm, brush bees gently upwards to start them moving into skep - patience is needed as they may take flight if rushed
4. In a hedge - invert skep over swarm, patience is needed as they may take flight if rushed
5. Other - place skep as close as pos to swarm, gently brush bees into the container - patience is needed as they may take flight if rushed
6. LEAVE If the swarm as gone down a chimney or into a wall cavity
Taking
1. Invert skep and gently lower onto sheet and prop up one side with a stone to allow bees to fly in and out
2. Smoke swarm site to neutralise swarm pheromones
3. Queen -> the bees start fanning their nasonov glands within out 20 minutes to attract the rest of the flying bees
4. If you don’t have the queen, the bees will return to their original posiiton, and you must repeat the exercise
5. Leave till early evening to allow flying bees to return
6. Remove stone, gather sheet and tie securely
7. Transport the swarm to the apiary wedged into your car securely so it won’t tip.

Answer 178

A

Keep swarm well away from other colonies until assessed for disease
Prepare nuc/hive with new foundation, and place a queen excluder below the broodbox to prevent absconding
Hive Either
1. Shut the entrance with green grass in case the queen falls straight through beside the entrance and flies off.
2. OR Place queen excluder below broodbox. Place empty super onto of the brood box with frames. Tip the bees into the hive and cover with a roof immediately. Next day, remove the spare broodbox and scorch.
3. Remove queen excluder two days later. This way, if you have collected a cast, the queen can get out and mate.
Hive OR:
1. Place board in front of hive sloping up to entrance; spread out sheet. Tip the bees out and use smoke to gently drive bees, which will walk into the hive. Once fanning they will adopt hive.
2. Once hived, insert a queen excluder between the box and the floor to stop the queen absconding.
3. Remove QE as above.

Answer 179

A

Feed 1:1 sugar syrup 48 hours after hiving using rapid/contact feeder and repeat if weather is poor
Remove Queen excluder as soon as she has started to lay
Examine after two weeks for
1. Laying queen
2. Disease
3. Temper.
Provide supers as the colony increases and the queen is laying strongly
You don’t know the history of the queen so requeen/unite with another colony later in the season if necessary.

Answer 180

A

They carry disease
1. Feed them after 48 hours so that they consume all the nectar/honey stores in their honey crops, which may carry pathogens.
Their queen is very old and may not carry the colony through the winter
1. Requeen in the autumn/unite another colony
They are bad tempered
1. Requeen in the autumn/unite another colony
This could be a large cast headed by a virgin queen
1. Remove the QE after two days to enable her to go out an mate.
2. If she does not start to lay (unmated), unite with another colony if healthy.

Answer 181

A

Collect them to keep them from annoying others.
Kill them - you have no idea what diseases they have.
Hooper also advocates adding them to a large colony with 2-3 supers.
1. Place a queen excluder over the supers and then an empty super
2. Pour the bees in
3. Replace the cover board (with the feed holes closed).
4. The super bees are not very aggressive and will usually unite amicably.
5. A few days later the bees will have united and the virgin queen found dead.

Answer 182

A

In autumn if colonies are too small and weak to survive through until spring
In autumn if the beekeeper wants to cut down the number of colonies he is keeping
In spring if the colony comes through the winter queenless/is laying drones
To create a huge colony to put on a crop
Swarms if the beekeeper has taken one or more, or is uniting two or more weak swarms
Queenless - sometimes a colony loses its queen and the bees do not make an emergency queen cell
If a colony is bad-tempered it can be united with a calmer one

Answer 183

A

Allow the bees to mix slowly and become accustomed to each other’s scents
1. Use a degradable barrier (newspaper method)
Disorientate the two colonies to be united
1. Confuse the bees’ scents so they all smell the same (Direct method with peppermint syrup)
Flying bees will return to their old site so, prior to uniting, both sets should be moved gradually to within 3’ of each other to preserve both sets of flying bees.
If your colonies are arranged in pairs, one from each pair can be united from any distance, as the flying bees will return to the remaining colony of the pair

Answer 184

A

Prep
1. Move gradually closer to within 3’
2. Kill queen you don’t want
In the evening, quietly open the queenright colony and remove the crownboard. Place newspaper on top of super and hold in place with a spare Queen excluder, making tiny pin holes in the newspaper to enable scents to mingle
Place the queenless colony on top of the QE and leave for 6 days
At the next inspection clear the newspaper, remove supers and place on one side.
Rationalise the brood. If lots, ensure queen space to lay: place the sealed brood in a the second box above the queen excluder positioned right over the brood below, and closed up with dummy boards. Place both supers on top, cover with cover board and close up.
Add a super to give the bees more space if necessary.
After 12-14 days the top brood box can be removed as all the bees will have emerged

Answer 185

A

If two nucs are in full size brood boxes which are not full of frames they can be united ‘directly’ into one box.

Bring them gradually closer together so they are less than 3’ apart.
Check for QCs and disease
Place both colonies side by side and leave to settle
If both have queens, choose one to keep
Prepare a new hive with a fresh floor and empty brood box, crownboard and roof.
Relocate the queenright colony first
Lift each frame out of the nuc with its bees and dusting both sides with scented syrup/flour/icing sugar, and place this inside new hive
Do the same with the queenless colony, and insert them into the new brood box, amalgamating them all into one box.

Answer 186

A

Swarms may be united at the time of hiving by throwing them down one on top of the other
Queens can be left to sort themselves out by natural selection
Swarms hived for up to a week can accept others this way.

Answer 187

A

If uniting just 1-2 frames into a colony put the frames into a paper bag with pin holes to allow the scenes to mingle. The bees will work their way out of the bag

Answer 188

A

Check for QCs in both colonies
Check for disease in both colonies
1. Know why the colonies are poor and deal with this before uniting - two poor colonies will not make a strong one if the remaining queen is poor/because they are diseased
Bring colonies within three feet of each other at the rate of 3’ per day (hooper 162), unless colonies arranged in pairs, in which case returning fliers can return to the remaining pair
Kill the queen you do not want.
Place the queenless colony over the queenright colony

Answer 189

A

There is chewed up paper on the floor of the main hive

Answer 190

A

If a scout bee finds an easy source of honey/syrup, they will incite robbing.
If the colony is small, it may be robbed out.
Time it most likely to occurs:
1. In late July/August
2. At end of the main flow, when bees are still stimulated to search for food sources,
3. When supers are removed.
4. In late summer, wasps leave their nests and look for sugar sources
Danger in loss of stores, AND the fighting saps the defending colony results in many deaths

Answer 191

A

Bees still flying late in evening when foraging should be finished
Bees/wasps coming in on a zigzag approach, rather than a direct line
Guard bees challenging newly arrived foragers and attacking some bees until they leave, or are removed or killed
Attacking bees may be shiny and dark, having had their hairs chewed off by guards on other attack runs.
Dead bees around the hive and fighting bees around hive entrance and floor
Lots of chewed wax cappings under the OSM or on the solid floor
Leg position of bees leaving the hive. Because robbing bees are loaded down with honey when they leave the target hive, they often crawl up the wall before they fly away and then dip toward the ground as they take off.

Answer 192

A

Open hives for minimum time and use coverboards over supers while inspecting brood.
Feed all colonies in the apairy in the evening after they have finished flying
Leave a freshly made up nuc 48 hours minimum so fliers to leave before feeding (Hooper says 6 days).
Nucs/weak hives: reduce entrance to one bee space if necessary
Avoid spillages and leaky feeders. Dilute spilt feed with water immediately
Never let honey drop from supers without cleaning it up
Return wet supers in the evening
Do not leave supers/frames out for cleaning
Keep kit well maintained and bee-tight

Answer 193

A

If wasps are about, put out wasp traps. Seek and destroy wasp nest if poss.
Reduce entrance size
1. Close holes/gaps with foam
2. Close down to 1 bee space with a block of wood
3. Temporarily stuff entrance with green grass
Close off OMF to reduce smells
Create a tunnel entrance by placing a piece of pipe about two inches long at the entrance to help guards
Put a board/piece of glass in front of entrance to confuse robbers
Move colony being robbed away 3 miles but leave a comb with a small amount of honey for robbers. They will think they have finished.
If a hive is robbed out, leave it in position. Moving it will cause bees to seek out other nearby hives to attack.
Feed all colonies in the apiary the evening after they have finished flying.

Answer 194

A

A plastic drinks bottle cut in half and the spout up-ended into the bottom half and stapled to the edge so it down not slip down.
Add an inch of beer, or syrup made with jam.
Hang near-by under and eave/tree so that it doesn’t fill with rainwater.
Empty daily.

Answer 195

A

Spreading disease between colonies
The bees defending will fight to the death and thus can result in the loss of many bees and even destroy an entire colony.
A robbed out will starve to death
The bees being robbed become nasty, aggressive, and difficult to deal with

Answer 196

A

Take an empty two litre pop bottle and remove the lid
Cut off the top just below the shoulders.
Fill the bottom of the bottle with bait (a spoonful of jam) and beer
Insert the top of the bottle upside down into the bottom of the bottle and tape along the top edge to secure the pieces together.
Take a 2nd bottle, cut off the shoulders and bottom. Take the centre piece and cut down the length of it.
Open up and place over the top of the trap and secure with wire to shelter the trap from the rain.
Hang in a tree.

Answer 197

A

Spring

Heft hive and feed if necessary (fondant/syrup dep on temps) - av hive consumes 2kg/month in spring dep on weather Min reseerve about 5kg (2 brood frames - not of ivy)
Check for hive damage – eg woodpeckers, rot
Check entrance clear
Provide water if necessary - 150g needed a day to dilute stores
Check bees bringing in pollen on warm days - if so, the queen is laying - and going on cleaning flights
If one colony is not flying, check quickly. If colony dead, try to acertain cause, then seal and remove.
Monitor for varroa
Check for Asian Hornets are not hawking
When flowering current flowers, do first spring inspection and check:
1. Queen present and laying at expected rate (ELB Ratio 1:2:4) compared to other hives in the apiary
2. Space to expand the nest
3. Stores will last till next inspection (10lb stores/week in summer)
4. Disease/abnormality
5. As soon as drone brood present, check for QCs

Answer 198

A

Floor: Change/clean floor
1. Dead bees spread disease and block entrances. Excess wax encourages wax moth.
Room
1. Check for space for equeen to lay and for the nest to exand and nectar to be stored
Stores
1. Check for sufficient stores - both pollen incoming and nectar
2. If insufficient stores, feed pollen/pollen substitute and weak syrup, 1kg sugar to one litre water. Feed fondant if very eaerly in the season.
Queen
1. Present or at least signs of recent laying
2. If seen mark her and clip her wings
Build up
1. Note the n umber fo frames of brood - is the colony expansion in line with other colonies in the apiary
2. Ratio of eggs to larvae to sealed brood - about 1:2:4
3. Lack of expansion could indicate disease
Disease
1. Clear bees from frames by shaking into the brood box to examine eggs larvaue and sealed brood. Look for
  1. single eggs in cells
  2. pearly white C shaped larvae
  3. dyr slighly domed bisucity covered cappings
  4. Anything else denotes disease
2. Check for EFB and AFB
3. Check for minr brood diseases - chalk brook and sac brood
4. Note any abnormal bees - stunted/malformed (high varroa count)
5. May need to treat for varroa, depending on varroa count
6. Are the signs of dysentry on frames or at entrance - nosema. If so plan for adapted Bailey Frame change
Hive
1. Check for hive damage and repair
2. Remove mouse guard

Answer 199

A

Prep starts the previous autumn by ensuring you have a healthy, young queen - under two years old. Requeen in the autumn if necessary
Estimate when the crop will flower (say mid April). It will take approx 42 days to bring the colony to a good size from overwintering
In end Feb, provide pollen patties or stored pollen or substitute pollen for protein to assiste brood rearing
Feed ambrosia or fondant to assist with carbohydrates
Don’t use sugar syrup too early. March/April sugar syram can be used 1:1 which acts like a nectar flow.
Contact feeder NOT rapid
Need approx 6-8 frames of brood prior to taking bees to rape and plenty of foraging bees
As colony increases, extra space in form of drawn supers will be needed. Some undrawn comb can be added to provide work for young bees to prevent swarming dur to large early build up.
Enough stores on hive for a week (2 full brood frames). Bees will starve in poor foraging conditions. Eg rain.

Answer 200

A

Poisonoing by pesticides
Running out of supers
Honey crystalising in frames, especially if the weather is varible
Poor weather
Bees may become aggressive

Answer 201

A

OSR - build up in late Feb for April - July
Field beans - build up in Lay March for May
Heather - build up in July for Aug (colony already at summer strength)

Answer 202

A

Must have a strong queen capable of building up
Build up the colony 8 weeks before the crop due to come into flower
1. EG OSR feed syrup (and pollen substitute) in March
For Heather Honey and Himalayan Balsam flows, start winter preps in June/July using bio-technical methods of varroa control - eg comb trapping. With proper treatment in early summer, mite levels will remain be below threshold levels longer
Have fresh supers ready for relevant flow
1. OSR crystalises v fast, and will likely seed any honey subsequently stored in that frame
2. Use thin unwired comb for heather honey as heather honey lends itself to cut comb and section honey
After flow
1. Ensure adequate forage/stores when the honey is removed, treat for varroa and feed as necessary for winter.

Answer 203

A

As spring inspections, plus
Check there are enough supers to spread out the ripening honey to dehydrate it
Swarm control
Check there is enough space for the queen to lay
Be prepared to feed in the June gap
Monitor for varroa in June
Unite colonies are necessary
Make increase in colonies
Catch and hive swarms and build up these colonies

Answer 204

A

Summer build up starts in April and ends in late July, when main honey crop is removed
Objectives:
1. Encourage the colony to increase in size without swarming
2. Build up stores for bees and beekeeper
3. Create new colonies and new queens for next season
Inspect weekly for signs that bees are preparing to swarm
1. Clipped queen: fortnightly.
2. keep notes, take appropriate measures
3. Season ends July-ish.
Ensure enough space
1. for bees
2. for brood nest to expand
3. to dehydrate honey - add new supers when existing ones are nearly full
Robbing management
1. In august, flows reduce greatly -> robbing danger
2. Also wasps
3. Narrow entrances down to one bee space if necessary
4. Be careful when opening a hive - cover supers to make it hard for other bees to gain entrance
Harvest
1. Late July harvest honey
2. Remove full supers immediately and don’t leave they lying around
3. Return wet supers and cappings to the hive they came from in the evening
August inspections
1. Full disease inspection with bees shaken off all frames
2. Varroa count and treatment as necessary

Answer 205

A

Best in Winter when temp above 10˚C - jarring may cause them to fall off cluster and may die
Move in late PM/Early morning before they are flying
Beware of moving bees in dark/rain - slippy

Answer 206

A

Less than 3’ or more than 3 miles.
Otherwise they may return to their original nest site
Bee orientate to their hive by physical landmarks which they learn. If they cross a familiar track ‘home’, they will take that automatically.

Answer 207

A

Visit and prepare the site you are moving to.
Refuel car and plan the route all the way to the new site, including transport from car to apiary/site. Aim to travel when cool: early morning/at night
The day before, open up the hive and wedge all the frames into place so they cannot rock, no matter how bumpy the road
In place of the coverboard, place a travel screen.
Gently strap to hive - Floor to travel screen - with two ratchet parallel straps very tightly bound. Orient straps to frames direction. Replace the roof cover board and roof.
Seal any gaps with foam and gaffer tape.
If several supers, split the hives into two so that they can be lifted and accommodated in car.
When bees have stopped flying, close the entrance with foam taped into place. (OMF floor will facilitate ventilation)
Early on the day of the move, remove roof and coverboard
Gently place the hive in the back of vehicle oriented so the frames are in the direction of travel.
Jam the hives together to they don’t move around.
Bring cover boards and rooves.
Bring a mister with water to cool bees if they overheat.
In very hot weather, travel early and open the windows to keep the bees cool. Use air con to cool car. If hot, spray bees with a water mister to cool them down.
On arrival, immediately suit up and unload stands and the hives into their final position.
When all in place, open them all and place the roof on each.
Unstrap and remove travel screen. Replace supers, coverboard and roof
Update BeeBase.

Answer 208

A

Either move the colonies a few feet at a time with several days in between.
Or move the whole colony 3 miles (at least 1.5 miles) for ten days, and then move it back to the desired location.

Answer 209

A

In very hot weather, travel very early when it is still dark and relatively cool
Open the windows to keep the bees cool
Turn on the air conditioning
Spray bees with a water mister through the travel screen to cool them down.

Answer 210

A

When there is brood in the supers.

Answer 211

A

Mechanical
1. Blower
Physical
1. Shake and brush
Chemical
1. Bee Quick vapour
Escape boards
1. Canadian Bee Escape
2. Rhobus bus Bee Escape
3. Porter Bee Escape
4. Circular escape

Answer 212

A

Bee Go and Bee Quick

A blend of oils sprayed an absorbent cloth in a zigzag motion.
Place empty super under super to be clearaed and bees smoked to get them moving.
Place soaked pad on top of super to be cleared and leave for five minutes.
Remove and cover cleared supers

Pros

Clears supers on one journey. Works in 2-5 minutes. Best used on a warm day with vapours will evaporate faster.

Cons

Process slow in cold weather
Chemical may taint honey

Answer 213

A

Air stream shoul be alre volume moving rapidly but not under high pressure
Supers to be cleared taken off colony, bees blown out ontto ground in front of colony

Pros

Clears supers in one journey

Cons

High cost of equipment
Produces high number fo flying bees so unsuitable for suburban areas
Do not use in drizzle, rain or cold weather as bees cannot get back and die

Answer 214

A

Colony smoked and crown board removed
Epty super placed on upturned roof
Super frames removed one at a time and bees shaken back into the box
The frew remaining bees on the frame are brushed off
Super frame free of bees is place in the empty box and covered

Pro

quick and easy to remove a few supers

Cons

If flow has finished bees wiill be in a defensive mood - not ideal for suburban area where unprotected members of the public may get stung
Easier with 2 people

Answer 215

A

Note: clearer boards are one type of clearing mechanism.

Two types of board
1. Porter bee escape
  1. A one way value (if wires are correctly spaced 3mm) Place in crown board with slots uppermost.
2. Canadian escape
  1. five cones inserted into a board with a frame so that there is space below for the bees to escape into.
Board placed with excape correctly positioned right way up
Supers replaced with solid crownboard on top
Supers checked for holes and cracks, which are sealed
Porters left for 48 hours, Canadian left for 12-24 hours

Pros

Bees clear readily in good weather from sealed honey

Cons

Second visit required to take supers off
In non flying weather, bees will be reluctant to clear from unnsealed honey
Not suitable for OSR or crucifer honey
Porter: Drones may block escapes
Canadian: cones are not valves but bees are disoirented enough not to climb back.

Answer 216

A

Two ‘tunnels’ and a centre chamber in which bees congregate when initially leaving the super. It facilitates rapid clearing in 4-5 hours.

Pros:

Easy to use.
There are no moving parts and nothing for the bees to propolise.

Cons:

The bees will find their way back into the super if it is left in place for more than four to 5 hours.
Requires adapting an old crown board in advance.

Answer 217

A

Aims
Timing
Unite
Young queen
Disease
Varroa
Feed (robbing)
Hive actions
Vermin

Answer 218

A

Timing
1. Prep done after last honey harvest
2. Prep coincides with varroa treatments early to mid August
Unite small (healthy) colonies that would not otherwide make it through the winter.
Queenright - best to overwinter colonies with young healthy queen under two years.
1. Overwinter older queens with desirable breeding traits in a nuc
2. If necessary, requeen. Brood nest of a young queen likely to be bigger later than that of a older queen, helping to ensure replacement of older workers. Vital as older bees might have shorter lives thanks to varroa transmitted pathogens
Disease free
1. There is a link between colony deaths and viruses, esp DWV, carried by varroa
2. Close inspection for brood and adult diseases
3. Take remedial action, as appropriate
Pest free
1. Check for tropilaelaps and SHB and if present, call the seasonal bee inspector
2. Check varroa levels - below threshold of 1000 mites.
  1. Treat in August immediately after honey harvest, rather than Sept/Oct because bee pop reduces in July/August and varroa pop is doubling every 3-4 weeks. As winter bees are developing is it vital that virus infections asssoc with varroa are not triggered or transmitted
Sufficient stores
1. Amount depends on strain on bee. 20-30kg of honey. Larger hive headed by prolific queen may need more
2. A full BS brood frame = 2.2kg, so assess existing stores and feed the required balance using winter strength syrup - 2lb sugar to 1 pint water.
3. Overwintering bees also need pollen for brood. Ensure bees have access to pollen crops at end of season (ivy is good)
4. Watch out for robbing and take steps to prevent/stop it
Quality hive
1. Ensure hives waterproof and on suitable stands
2. Either ensure OMF for ventilation/lift crownboard 2mm for better ventilation using matchsticks.
3. Remove QE
Protect from vermin
1. Mouseguards on in September
2. Loose chicken wire to prevent damage from green woodpeckers

Answer 219

A

Monitor through winter

Heft regularly and feed candy in necessary
If opening hive, do so fast to assess cluster in relation to stores - do they have enough. Are they isolated from it.
Every 2 weeks look at frames next to cluster. If empty, replace them with frames from rthe same hive that have food and score these with your hive tool

Answer 220

A

Establish how much honey is already in the hive (2.2kg /brood frame) and deduct from 35-40lb (22kg)
1. Note this is more than a broodbox can hold with brood, so you may need to include a super, and swap this under the brood when you remove the queen excluder.
8kg sugar = 10kg stores
Feed remainder as thick syrup (2:1) in a feeder (name your feeder)
As rapidly as possible
After varroa treatment, certainly by start of September, unless bees starving earlier

Answer 221

A

Top insultation if open mesh floor fitted
Mouse protection
Woodpecker protection
Reduce vegetation around hive
Ensure hive is wind and water tight
Move poor frames to outside for replacement in spring

Answer 222

A

Monitor varroa drop for 1 week and calculate the daily mite drop
Treat as necessary
1. With MAQS/Apiguard/Thymovar/Apitrax/Apilife VAR (any one will be sufficient in answer)
2. Follow instructions on packet (MAQS 7 days, Apiguard 2x2 weeks, Thymovar 3-4weeks, Apilife Var 8 Weeks)
3. Most work best above 15˚C but do not use above 30˚C.
  MAQS ok down ot 10˚C
4. Most require restricted ventilation - Eg MAQS
5. Api guard needs an eke
Timing: early August after harvest (MAQS OK before harvest)
Check they have enough food before treating for x weeks because they can be reluctant to feed during treatment

Answer 223

A

The sting, venom sac and pump are left in the skin after the bee pulls away
Most venom injected in first 20 secs but pump continues for 2 minutes
Remove sting asap with nail/hive tool to minimise dose
Smoke area to mask alarm pheramone and stop other bees stinging same area
If necessary, close hive gently and move away to apply soothing lotion

Answer 224

A

Mild
1. Pain
2. Swelling
3. Itching
4. Redness
Moderate
1. Breathlessness
2. Rash away from sting stie
3. Faintness
4. Anxiety
5. Pale and clammy
Life threatening
1. Anaphalaxis
2. Loss of consciousness

Answer 225

A

Wear a veil and protective clothing
1. Do up veil!
Wear gloves to keep hands clean of propolis for delicate work - clean gloves in washing soda after ever hive inspection
Wash suit after every visit to wash away any sting pheramone that accumulated in suit from bees stinging suit and pathogens
Keep gentle bees
Gentle handling, gentle smoke
Open at a suitable time (eg at midday when all foragers flying and not before a storm)

Answer 226

A

Frozen peas will reduce swelling
Take antihestimine if necessary but consult doctor first to ensure no interaction with other medication
If doctor prescribes epi-pen, only a trained person with permission from person stung may administer

Answer 227

A

Move stung person away from hives
Scrape out sting
Get person to sit down and remain calm
If difficulty breathing, lightheaded or very bad reaction
1. Conscious
  1. Loosen tight clothing
  2. Make them sit and lean against something
  3. Make comfortable to help breathing
  4. Encourage them to be calm and keep breathing steadily
  5. If prescribed and permitted, administer epipen
2. Unconscious
  1. Dial 999
  2. Place in recovery position
  3. Tilt head back to open airway
  4. Check they are still breathing
  5. Check pulse
  6. Call for ambulance and if poss send someone to flag it down

Answer 228

A

Queen
1. DL Present
2. LW Queenless
Eggs
1. DW Single in bottom of cells
2. LW multiple eggs on sides of cells
Brood pattern
1. DL regular
2. LW haphazard

Answer 229

A

She has run out of sperm and or cannot produce fertilised eggs.
She will therefore lay unfertilised eggs, which will grow into stunted drones (being in worker cells)

Answer 230

A

Workers are all females and have vestigal ovaries and can only produce a few eggs (dozens) compared to a queen tens of thousands)
They cannot mate so if they lay, they will only lay drones
In any colony there are always a few workers with partly developed ovaries. They do not normally lay if there is a laying queen.
If they do lay, nurse bees do not allow these eggs to develop
Inhibited by QS and brood pheramones.
If the queen disappears, there is no QS to keep them in check
If all the brood is capped and emerged, there is no brood pheromone to keep them in check
A laying worker lays
1. in a haphazard way
2. multiple eggs in one cell, often on the side because she is too short to reach the bottom of the cell
3. drones in worker cells because she unmated.

Answer 231

A

A frame of eggs and very young larva can be inserted into the brood nest. The bees will build supersedure cells
Unite with a queenright colony. Move colonies closer together over days until they are 3’ apart. Kill the drone layer. Unite using the newspaper method.
Requeen with a new queen. Kill the drone layer. Insert a queen in her bulter cage under the top bars of a frame above brood. The bees will eat through the candy to release her.

Answer 232

A

Drones laid in worker cells
Stunted drones in the colony

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