Raising Nucs

I recently took an advanced beekeeping class from Dean Stiglitz of Bee Unto Others and the book The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Beekeeping. It was a great class, and I came away with lots of questions answered, and as with any good teacher, my mind was full of follow-up questions well after the class.

One topic Dean covered extensively was raising your own queens. This seemed to me to be a mythical task, but Dean explained the various methods, and got me thinking “I can do this”. And so, with a bit of trepidation, I plan on trying this year.

While there are many ways of raising queens, most of them focus on the sale of queens by professional beekeepers, and thus focus on raising the most queens at once, even if the method is more difficult. For my uses, I’m interested in just raising a single queen, or two if I get gutsy, so the method I’ll be choosing is a much simpler one – a walk-away split.

A walk-away split involves splitting a colony in two and letting the new part without a queen raise a new queen on its own. It sounds pretty simple, but it’s filled with risk to both the new colony as well as the old. By splitting the existing colony, you are halving its resources. What was a healthy hive before the split now has half the workers, half the brood, etc. So the trick here is to pick a healthy hive to split and do it in the spring when they have the summer to recover.  If it’s a good summer, both the old colony the new will recover, building up the resources they need to both be strong enough to survive the upcoming winter. Bees do this all the time on their own – they swarm – splitting the colony into two.

And now the bad news. It is possible with a walk-away split to kill both the new colony and the old by weakening them both. Time the split wrong and you kill both, ending up with one less colony instead of one more.

But, if I pull it off, I will have a locally mated, organically raised queen, which is about as strong of a stock as you can come by. And these days, the bees need to be as genetically healthy as they can.

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EU Bans Neonicotinoids

In a milestone victory for environmentalists and beekeepers, the EU has banned the use of neonicotinoids for the next two years. While still controversial, neonicotinoids are believed to be one of the links to CCD (Colony Collapse Disorder) that is responsible for killing off almost half of the bees populations found in industrialized nations. While Bayer Pharmaceuticals still insists that more studies need to be done before its ban, the EU has decided to proactively ban its use while at the same time calling for more scientific studies.

CCD has been seen spreading across the globe since 2005, and in 2006 was first studied and classified as a condition in honey bee colonies. All industrial nations have CCD, but beekeepers in remote areas which are not exposed to crop chemicals are not reporting CCD at any relevant levels.

Whether neonicotinoids are the cause of CCD, or more probably one of several smoking guns, the EU’s ban and changes in their CCD reports will be carefully watched by beekeepers and scientists alike.

Full story at the BBC.

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Alive and Kickin’

Alive and Kickin'

Alive and Kickin’

I went to Sandy (my only hive, but about to be joined by another) today to check how the ladies were doing. They had seemed OK when I had peaked in last time, but since I was only looking at the top of inner cover, I wasn’t sure if the handful of bees I saw feeding represented a small faction of a healthy hive, or {gulp} all that was left of them. But, having a positive attitude, I walked out with two new mediums to expand their brood chamber for their spring buildup.

With the temperature at 40F, I slowly cracked open the inner cover with my hive tool. As I loosened the seams, a few angry bees flew at me, bee-bumping me so hard they made little pops, like someone flicking their finger against my veil. A good sign, I thought. If they can send out the guard bees, they must have at least a few bees to protect in there. As I finally freed the inner cover from it’s propolis bonds, I lifted it up and away from the brood box, exposing the frames within.

What I saw next took me by such surprise I was motionless for a few seconds, despite scores of guard bees looking for any opening to string and send me fleeing. The tops of the frames were covered solid with bees. Living, breathing bees. So thick was the mountain of bees that I couldn’t even see the frames. As I tried to take in the sight before me, all I could see was a carpet of moving bees; more than I had ever seen in the hive all last summer.

Adding on Stories

Adding on Stories

Gathering my wits, and realizing it was only a matter of time before I was stung, I slowly slipped on the two new mediums, and placed the inner cover and the copper top back on the hive, being careful not to crush any more bees than I had to. Stepping back I looked in amazement at the hive, and took this picture which while showing lots of healthy bees on the outside of the hive, doesn’t come close to capturing the carpet mayhem of the frames.

While what I saw today was a lesson in being careful to give your bees the space they need in the Spring. We’re about to enter Swarm Season, a time when healthy hives run out of room and split in two, leaving a beekeeper with half the bees he had the day before. While a colony that swarms is typically a healthy one, giving them room to expand helps prevent swarming. Had I waited a few more weeks to add on these mediums, I might have found the colony halved.

It has been said that failure is the best teacher, but I’d rather narrowly avoid it and live to tell the tale. Either way, the ladies are alive and kickin’.

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How To Assemble Hive Frames

I’ve had quite a few beekeepers ask me why I don’t build my own hives. While I’m not carpenter, I can muddle through the basics, as long as nothing has to look good or stay vertical for more than a few days, but building a hive from scratch is a bit edgy for me. But I will say, regardless of how much spare time you have, assembling hive frames can save you some cash and is very easy to do.

You see, hive components can be purchased unassembled, meaning all the wood has been cut and sanded, but just hasn’t been nailed together. So if you can swing a hammer, you can assemble a hive and save yourself some real money in the end. And besides, sometimes it just feels good to hit something with a hammer, doesn’t it?

While you can buy any hive part unassembled, I’m going to focus on frames as they’re easy to assemble and can often be half the cost. Now since a frame shouldn’t cost more than $2.00 each, saving a buck doesn’t seem like a windfall, but let’s remember that in an 8 frame hive, that’s $8 a box, and you’ll probably have three or four boxes. Pretty soon you’ve saved enough for that bottle of calvados you’ve been eyeing.

Frame parts

Frame parts & tools

So let’s take a look at what you get when you buy frames unassembled and the tools you’ll need to get things going. At the left is a picture of the four parts in each frame, an upholstery pin push, and a mallet.

Note the pin push is just what I used instead of a hammer, as the nails are small, and my hands rather clumsy around small parts. The white mallet is only white because that’s what I had – the color doesn’t matter. Oh, and the strange cutting board underneath is so I don’t mar my dining room table. You don’t think I assembled these outside in the cold without a cocktail did you?

First vertical bar goes in

First vertical bar goes in

In this first picture, I have the first two pieces pushed together – the top bar which is the widest piece, now upside down on the cutting board, and the side bar stuck vertically into it. With most frames, there’s only one way these go together, so if it’s not even close to fitting together, you’ve got the wrong end – flip it over. Note I don’t have any nails in yet. These two pieces are held together due to their snug fit. The nails come later.Also note that my top bars have a groove in them which you can see in the picture, but all top bars don’t looks like this. These are a popular type, but yours may not have the groove. Same for the bottom bar.

Now put on the bottom bar. Again, the wood just pushes together and fits snugly. Do the same for the left side of the frame, attaching the vertical bar and pushing it together toform the square “frame” shape.

Bottom bar gets assembled

Bottom bar gets assembled

Pound in each joint

Pound in each joint

Now take the mallet and pound in each joint. We’re about to start to nail the frame parts together, so we need to make sure the wood pieces are seated firmly. A few gentle taps should be all it takes. If you don’t use a rubber mallet, and use a regular metal hammer instead, be gentle. These frames are just made to hold the weight of some honey and bees, so If you hit them hard with metal hammer, you’ll end up with match sticks.

The frame reading for nailing

The frame ready for nailing

If all went to plan, you should have an assembled frame, but no nails to hold it together. And yes, you need the nails, as  I guarantee these frames will fall apart without them. You could also just glue them together, but who wants messy glue when you a few small nails will do the trick.

Brad nailed in to a joint

Brad nailed in to a joint

Now using the pin push, or a small hammer, drive a nail, in this case a small brad, though the side of the joint so that is holds the two wooden part together. I’d recommend putting another brad in the other side of the joint as well, so that you have two brads in each joint – one on each side.

Make sure you put brads on each of the four joints on the corners, and put a brad on each side. At that point, each join will be very secure.

The size of the brad is a judgment call, but I’d use something about 3/4 of an inch long. Shorter than that and it may wiggle loose, and longer than that and it will stick out the other side of the wood when you push it in. You don’t any fancy brads – the genetic steel variety from the hardware store should do. They don’t need to be stainless steel or be outdoor rated as the bees will just cover them with propolis anyway.

A finished frame

A finished frame

That’s it! You’ve now got a completed frame, and after you’ve done a few, you can put one together in about a minute. Good thing to, because with eight in a box, you’ll need to assemble about 32 before you put your tools away. But, first, reward yourself with a cocktail. That’s glass of calvados is calling…

Parts:
Wooden frames from http://www.aghall.com/beekeeping.html
Rubber mallet from Amazon
Upholstery tool: True Value Hardware. They have the nails too.

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Mid-March Feeding

Bees doing well on March 18, 2013

Bees doing well on March 18, 2013

I took a look at the ladies today, and all looks well. From the picture you can tell that there was lots of sugar left (the brown in the sugar is pollen I added). They were slowly feeding off the existing sugar, and as I added in more pollen mix, a few took flight to see what all the fuss was about. They now have enough food to last them for about a month – mid April – which is when I will start to expand the hive to meet their growing demand for more room. It may not seem like it at 34F outside, but they are busy in their hive, rearing young and getting ready for Spring. Since I expect them to be expanding their population over the next 30 days at an exponential rate, giving them more room in the hive will help with this growth, and hopefully prevent them from swarming.

Swarms are bittersweet. While beekeepers don’t like a colony to swarm because it splits the colony in half, and thus it’s weaker,  it’s also the sign of a very healthy colony to being with. Simple put, weak colonies just don’t have the energy to swarm any more than you want to leave the house when you’re sick. When a swarm occurs, half the colony has left to form a new colony in the neighborhood, and help spread the genetics that helped the original colony survive.

Beekeeping is such a wait and see hobby…

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Mid February, and All Is Well

Sandy hive alive and well on February 16, 2013

Sandy hive alive and well on February 16, 2013

I went to check on the hive this morning, and saw some good signs. There were dozens of bees eating the sugar I had laid out “Mountain Camp” style, even though the temperature is about 43F. Since there was little to no wind, I took a minute to snap some pictures for posterity and to help remind me of what the hive looked like today. Let there be no doubt that they have plenty to eat!

Last weekend, Cape Cod experienced the 5th worst snowstorm on record, named “Nemo”. There was about 2 feet of snow, well above the bottom of the hive, thus sealing them in for a few days. Add to that sustained winds of 60 mph, and I was worried about the hive. As I was stranded in Boston after the storm, I couldn’t shovel out the hive, but they seemed to make it though the storm without incident. As you can see from the picture, a week later there is no snow on the ground.

In the picture, the bees on top of the sugar had come up through the slot in the inner cover, and had tunneled a hole about the size of golf ball though the sugar. I did notice the sugar had a crusty layer which I am sure is from the humidity in the hive escaping upward and slowly getting the raw sugar wet. I didn’t see anything resembling a wet hive, so I don’t think it’s anything to worry about. On the contrary, having a crust on the sugar allows it stay in place so they can work with it. The yellow powder is MegaBee, which has some protein for them as the queen should be laying more as they days get longer.

I also checked both side vents to make sure they were clear and venting air and humidity. The one on the right had a bit of sugar in it, but the one on the left gave me a startle when I saw bees coming and going through it. Turns out they had built a little tunnel under the sugar, and out through the hole. Even in the dead of winter they are still working. I wish had that much energy!

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Past the Winter Solstice

Call me cautious, but as a new beekeeper, I ordered a candy board late in the summer.

Somehow I didn’t think I would have enough food for the bees over the winter. That’s a new candy board on top of the 20 lbs of sugar I keep in the garage, and the seemingly limitless supply of sugar that the local grocery stocks on their shelves. I can’t explain why I bought the candy board, other than I was just paranoid they would starve. As a foodie, I can’t think of a worse death.

Now about half way through the winter I know better. I’ve learned a few things that I heard, but didn’t make sense at the time.

  • Bees are in tune to the sun, even in the winter when they are in a pitch black environment 24×7.
  • Don’t think of their food supply in terms of the seasons, think of the sun’s patterns – how much sunlight the outside of hive gets each day.
  • They are still active and burning lots of energy in the Fall with little to no nectar and pollen for them to gather, so they can starve if they don’t have enough food build up.
  • Once the Fall is in full tilt, and the weather starts to drip below 50F some days, they move around less, the queen breeds less, and they eat less.
  • By the time December hits, and the temperature is below 50F daily, they are in their slowest stages. and will consume the least amount of food.
  • On December 21st, the Winter Solace, this slow down reverses, and the bees start to get busy again, even on the coldest days to come in New England.
  • In January and February, even though humans are huddled around the fireplace, the bees are busy. The queen now starts laying more rapidly to build up the colony.

So over New Year’s I swapped out the Mountain Camp feeder on the hive, and put in a traditional candy board. It came with the woodenware pre-built, and the candy snugly inside of it. From the looks of it, this should last them for the rest of the winter.

Update February 3, 2013: They have eaten the entire thing. Nothing left on the plate. I wish I could get my kids to do the same. So I fed them 5 lbs of dry sugar using the mountain camp method. I’ll check on them in another two weeks if the weather cooperates.

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Pins and Needles

With fingers crossed, I could hear my heartbeat race as I approached the hive. Two seasons have come and gone while I cared or this hive, and I fear I have failed. In the beginning, my heart would be racing for fear of being stung, but those days are well behind me. Today, I just want them to be alive, and if they sting me in the process, so be it. When I looked into the hive two weeks ago, I peered through the escape hole on the inner cover and saw no movement. I feared the worst.

Loosening the tie-down strap to free the garden cover, I peered inside, hoping to find some small sign of life; even a flicker would do. I braced myself for what other experienced beeks have said would happen eventually – I would find a dead hive. I was prepared as mentally as I could be. I had done my best, and if that wasn’t good enough, I would regroup, and try again this spring. And then a small miracle happened, and I literally danced for joy.

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Beekeeper Angst

I checked on the colony today, and I saw a bad sign. The bees had eaten all but a tiny piece of the candy from two weeks ago, leaving a piece the size roll of dimes. What worried me is I could see about 50 or so though the whole in the inner cover, and they didn’t seem to be moving in the 5-10 seconds I took a look at them. I would have looked longer, but I was afraid to keep the hive open for longer, even though the inner cover was never removed. So, I put in more candy on top of some thin paper, crossed my fingers, and closed up the hive.

A beekeeper tipped me off that dead bees stink (they are organic matter after all), and these didn’t smell, or if they did, it was pretty subtle. If you think about a few thousand dead insects, you’d think they’d smell – a lot.

So maybe this is a good sign.

Or it’s a bad sign.

Or it’s not a sign at all.

Ugh. I think I have beekeeper angst.

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Bees: Hot or Not?

I’ve, read a lot about how bees don’t really hibernate, but instead cluster around the queen, keeping her about 94F even on the coldest winter nights. And I’ve also read about nervous beekeepers that pace the floors mid-winter, wondering if the colony is still alive, but not wanting examine the inside the hive for fear of freezing them to death in doing so. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. And so we wait. Without knowing. For months.

While it’s certainly not cold enough on the Cape in November to freeze them all with a quick peek inside the lid, any organic beekeeper wants to disturb the hive as little as possible. I decided their had to be an answer to this, and being an engineer, I solved this dilemma with technology.

It would stand to reason that if the queen is 94F, given the concept of heat exchange, that the workers surrounding her would be hot in the center, cooling towards the sides of the ball, and that even the walls of the hive would be a at least a little warm. Maybe not warm enough to the touch, but warm enough to be measured.

So out came my infrared-based digital thermometer. After sundown, I stood at the hive and measured the temperature of the ground, and then at the three points indicated by red numbers in the picture. I knew the outside wood of the hive wouldn’t be an accurate measure of the inside of the hive, but at least it would give me an indication of whether they were alive. If the worker bees were doing their job and the queen was 94F, I would think the outside of the wooden hive would be a few degrees warmer than the air.

Much to my delight, I was right. The lowest super (#1) was 43F, about the temperature of the air outside. Since the brood nest is in the upper super (#2), the temperature measured 49F. With a 6 degree difference, something was going on in there. But the real thrill was measuring the humidity escape hole at the top of the hive (#3) at 55F.

With a total of 12 degrees difference, I knew the ladies were alive and well. If the outside of the hive was a little warmer, just imagine how toasty it is on the inside.

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