Honey Bee Management Flashcards
what is the most common way to purchase bees? describe it
Nucs
- smaller colonies sold in boxes containing 3-4 frames
- have brood and honey sources in them
Brood definition
eggs, larvae and pupae found in the cells of combs in the broodnest
Brood cycle: egg–> larvae –> pupae –> adult
When is peak swarming time?
May-June
How are bees shipped?
in packages containing 2 or 4 lbs of bees as well as a queen
shipped in screened boxes by mail
Name what requirements a starting beekeeper must have in order to start keeping bees (7 of them)
When should they start keeping them? Should they start with many or few hives?
- Information regarding the biology of honey bees
- Must have safe/reliable bee hives
- must have a population of bees
- Must have a remote location away from predators/pesticides (Apiary)
- Protective personal equipment as well as management equipment
- Must have interest/be passionate
- must have sufficient time on their hands to ensure bee safety and significant food stores
START in the spring, with only a few hives so that they have the remainder of the season to become established: 5-10 hives MAX, 1-3 is too little (have around 3-8 ish)
name two types of modern hives and the difference between
- Langstroth hive- 9mm of bee space
- Jumbo hive - taller than Langstroth but same width
Name the parts of a hive & what they are used for (6 parts)
BOTTOM BOARD
- entrance/exit, located between hive stand and brood box
Brood chamber: BOTTOM OF HIVE
- has frames and a foundation, usually in the bottom boxes of the hive, holds worker-made cells where the eggs, larvae and pupae develop. Some of the cells in this part of the hive also hold pollen, nectar or honey that’s used to feed the developing larvae.
QUEEN EXCLUDER: (EXCLUDES QUEEN TO STAY IN BROOD CHAMBER, NOT ENTER HONEY SUPER)
- barrier placed between the brood chamber and the honey super that prevents the queen from entering the honey super and laying eggs (allows workers to pass through). The brood chamber is where the queen is confined to raise brood.
HONEY SUPERS: W FRAMES & FOUNDATION
- a box in which 8–10 frames are hung. WHBs collect nectar and store it in comb, which they build on the frames. When comb is full, bees will reduce the moisture content of the honey to 17-18% moisture content before wax capping.
INNER COVER:
insulation, allows moisture to escape and helps circulate air. It prevents bees from propolizing the hive’s outer cover while functioning as an upper entrance and exit.
OUTER COVER: ROOF
- On top of the hive: for protection, ventilation, and insulation. In winter, it greatly reduces condensation within the hive.
Where are the cells that are used to feed developing larvae usually located ?
Brood chamber
What two materials can a foundation of a hive be made out of? which is more time efficient
plastic or beeswax, plastic more time efficient
Name PPE that the beekeeper should have to protect themselves and their bees? And two of the most important management equipment pieces?
PPE:
- veil
- gloves
- boots
- coverall
ALL LIGHT COLOURED
management:
- Smoker: cool smoke, tool consists of a fire chamber, a bellows, and a nozzle. Fire chamber holds various fuel types ( wood chips, dried leaves, or pine needles)
Calms down the bees and tells them to consume as much honey as they can before the hive catches fire, while they are eating, beekeeper can work.
- Hive tool: used to pry open the hive/frames when they are stuck together with propolis
Name 4 ways you can acquire bees? what is the most common
- packages (2-4 lbs, screen boxes, artificial swarms shipped by mail)
- swarms
- hives
- nuc hives (smaller colonies, 3-4 frames, have brood & honey sources already in them) - MOST COMMON
Where should apiaries be located?
away from predators (animals and humans) and pesticide usage
good air circulation & drainage & morning sun exposure
close to flowering plants & extracting facilities & vehicle accessibility
When installing a hive you should place it on a ______ behind ________ or ___________.
We make it easier for bees to distinguish which hive is theirs by ______ placement of hives, use of _________, and different _________.
hive stand
a fence
natural barrier
uneven placement
use of landmarks
different colours (ones they can see- blue, purple, UV, green-blue)
If you want to have an apiary in an urban area, what should you make sure of first?
Neighbours are ok with it (talk to them)
Provide water sites
Take measures to prevent swarming (ensure adequate space/food sources, queen replacement)
During hive inspection, you should wear _______, avoid ______ odors, work on _________ days (weather), avoid _______ movements, stand ________ in relation to the hive, and prevent bees from _____ behavior.
Protection equipment
strong odours
work on warm, dry, windless, sunny days
jerky movements
away from entrance (side or back)
robbing behaviour (don’t leave open too long)
What can u use as fuel for a smoker?
burlap, pine needles, wood chips
smoke must be cool and dense !
6 steps of opening a hive for inspection
- smoke entrance
- remove covers
- remove supers
- smoke between frames
- remove a lateral frame
- inspect frames
What are we looking for during hive inspection?
damaged equipment
the queen
colony development
swarming symptoms
disease
food stores etc
When do we do hive inspections?
each spring and fall
Why do we perform colony feeding? what do we use for pollen and nectar substitutes?
Why: to stimulate queen laying and colony development
Pollen sub: soybean flour
nectar sub: sugar dry (in spring), syrup (in fall)
fall- heavy syrup
spring- light syrup
Three ways to prevent robbing
- avoid spilling syrup or leaving syrup/honey exposed
- don’t leave hives open for too long/ close entrances
- requeening with mailing cages (traditionally wooden)
What are protein patties?
either pollen or soybean flour mixed with sugar syrup (paste)
Early spring management (2 things)
MARCH- APRIL: colonies rear brood & develop
- food stores inspection and sugar feeding if necessary
- reverse brood chambers if brood is preset in upper box (warm conditions, will stim colony growth)
Mid spring management (1 thing and explain how to do this)
MAY- swarming behaviour
prevent and control swarming
- add supers
- requeen colonies
- destroy queen cells
- open hive entrances
Late spring management (1 thing)
JUNE-JULY ; colonies grow and expand
Add more supers
Fall/ winter management (mostly fall)
- colony inspection: health, enough workers, food stores around bee cluster
- resize colonies
- requeen
- feed
- treat diseases/parasites
- combine weak colonies with strong ones
Winter management (2)
- wrap hives with isolating materials
- entrance reducers but provide ventilation still
when do colonies rear brood and develop typically?
early spring, march-april
When does swarming behaviour usually occur?
may-june
Heavy syrup mixture ratio:
2 parts sugar
1 part water
How to treat diseases
antibiotics; fumagillin/oxytetracycline
treat against parasitic mites (formic acid, naturally in honey)
What is the Demaree Method?
Queen and sealed brood are separated to reduce nest congestion
Queen and empty combs below queen excluder, sealed brood placed above
