Volume 2 -------------------- October 3, 2011 --------------------Number 14
Previous subscriber count: 520 Current number of subscribers: 570
Join us Saturday October 15th for Natural, Sustainable & Organic Beekeeping Class!
The class is filling up but we still have openings since we are in a larger facilities for this class. We will be having this class on Saturday Oct. 15th, from
9am 3pm in Danville, IL at the Farm Bureau. This class is for those who want to explore ways to keep bees without using chemicals. We will be teaching
on how to keep bees as naturally as possible in Langstorth, Top Bar Hives and Warre hives. Lunch is provided. Weather permitting we will demonstrate
how to work a Top Bar Hive and we'll have an assembled Warre Hive on hand to demonstrate how it works.You can register online or call us at
217-427-2678
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How To Prepare A Weak Hive For Winter
by David Burns, EAS certified Master Beekeeper
What is considered a weak hive? What causes a hive to become weak? What action should be taken to strengthen a weak hive going into winter?
WHAT IS CONSIDERED A WEAK HIVE
While some hives are easy to identify as weak, other hives might be only marginally
weak. Often it is easier to identify a weak hive when the beekeeper has other hives to
compare it to. So let’s consider what we would look at to qualify a hive as "weak."
1) Number of adult bees
2) Amount of sealed and open brood
3) Amount of pollen, nectar and sealed honey
4) Queen’s laying pattern
5) Diseases and pests
6) Number of drawn comb
Colonies in the south require fewer bees and food resources to survive the shorter winter
season. However, in the north, the colonies require more bees for warmth and insulation and more stored food resources (honey and pollen) to feed on
during the longer winter seasons. Depending on where you live, you will need to adjust your evaluation somewhat.
First, number of adult bees. Let’s not get too technical here. We want to see lots of bees in an established hive, preferably, bees covering both sides of
every frame. Of course, there will be fewer bees in the hive during foraging hours, so examine the hive prior to or after foraging hours (10am-5pm).
Secondly, there should be an ample amount of sealed and open brood. Here is an image of sealed brood. New beekeepers may confuse sealed brood
with a frame of sealed honey. Here’s some difference: Sealed brood is sealed with a dryer looking wax capping, almost like velvet or fabric in appearance.
Honey is sealed with wax that looks wet or lacking texture. If you’re still in doubt when examining your hive, use a toothpick to examine what is below the
capping. You’ll know immediately whether it is filled with honey or a pupating honey bee.
A strong colony consisting of two deep hive bodies will have a total of 10 or more frames of sealed and open brood in the hive, usually at least 5 frames in
each deep box. These brood frames will always be located in the center of the hive box. If a hive only has one or two frames of brood in each hive body, it
is a weak colony and something is wrong. Keep in mind that the queen reduces laying during extreme heat and when the days begin to shorten in fall and winter.
Thirdly, a strong colony will have sufficient nectar, honey and pollen stored in combs. Since a strong colony will have 10 frames of brood, and some of
these frames contain open brood, lots of resources are needed to care for young developing brood. A weak colony may only have 1 or 2 frames of pollen.
A strong colony will have 4 or more and the same is true with nectar. But keep in mind that these resources will usually be shared on the same frames with
brood. Often bees will make a rainbow appearance on a frame, with the brood being in the center, pollen next and nectar/honey on the outside edges of the
frame. This all must be taken into consideration when assessing the content of a hive. Rarely is the brood, nectar and pollen on separate frames.
Fourthly, evaluate your queen’s laying pattern. A well mated queen should quickly lay a beautiful laying pattern. To evaluate our queens we use a brood
vitality test. Pull out a frame of sealed brood and identify a section 10 cells by 10 cells. Now count the number of open cells within this 10 x 10 cell square.
Subtract the open cells from 100 and this is your brood viability. Usually, 85% and higher is acceptable, but you may want to select your own criteria.
Fifthly, check for diseases and pests. Strong colonies control pests and diseases much better than smaller, weak colonies. For example, a strong colony
will not allow wax moths to destroy the hive. They will kill moths and carry out wax moth larva. Strong colonies are much better at controlling small hive
beetles as well.
When Small Hive Beetle (SHB) and wax moths are present, the colony is usually very weak. Diseases can also spread in a weak colony because fewer bees
in a colony means fewer bees that could be controlling the disease.
Lastly, how many combs are drawn out? This depends on the time of year. A new colony will have to draw out all new comb. If spring is wet and cooler,
very little comb will be drawn. Colonies will draw comb out best during a heavy nectar flow. A healthy colony may be misdiagnosed as a weak hive simply
because of poor weather conditions. Once conditions improve, the colony may pull out comb in a matter of weeks.
WHAT IF I TRULY HAVE A WEAK HIVE?
Usually there are two options available when faced with a weak hive. First, it can be combined with a stronger colony. Be sure there are no pests or diseases
in the weak hive before you combine it with a strong colony. Otherwise, you might weaken the strong colony by combining. When combining hives, pull out
the queen in the weak colony and lay sheets of newspaper on the top of the strong colony, just above the frames of the brood nest. Poke a few holes in it so
that the bees between the two opposing colonies will gradually become familiar with each other, as they eat through the newsprint.
A second option is to strengthen the weak hive. This means that you will need to feed the weak hive. Do not use an entrance feeder as this may entice robbing.
Instead use a frame feeder or a top feeder. Try to feed pollen as well. If the hive is weak going into winter, be sure the queen is good and then begin to feed the
bees two parts sugar to one part water. Continue this feeding regiment until the hive becomes strong with more brood and more stored food.
There is really no advantage to nursing along a very weak and small hive. It will only attract pests and diseases. If you combine a weak colony to a strong colony
in the fall, you can always divide them in the spring, giving the split a new queen.
TIP OF THE DAY: Do not leave a queen excluder in an overwintering hive. The colony may move above the queen excluder and strand the queen to freeze to
death below. And, never leave a partially filled medium super on an overwintering hive. Only leave the super on top if it has a minimum of 7 frames of sealed honey,
otherwise the colony may move up but quickly run out of food.
EMERGENCY FEEDING: In the event that your weak hive goes into winter, but runs out of food, we suggest you use one of our WINTER-BEE-KIND boards
that feeds the bees, provides insulation of the top to reduce moisture and allows trapped moisture to escape through the top. Order our Winter-BEE-Kind board
by clicking here.
LONG LANE HONEY BEE FARMS PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT!
Last year one of our most popular items was our Silver Kit. One complete hive along with all the supplies. The hive is assembled and painted. Click here for
more information. This makes a great Christmas present and Christmas is only 83 days away. Are you ready??
Thanks for joining us for another lesson in beekeeping. We'd love to hear from you and hopefully peak your interest in beekeeping. Feel free to contact us at:
Long Lane Honey Bee Farms
14556 N 1020 E. Rd
Fairmount, IL 61841
217.427.2678
Next time....What's So Special About Top Bar Hives?
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Bees In The News....
It's Becoming Increasingly Obvious That Farm Chemicals Are Hurting Bees
Dan Rather reports on just how harmful farm chemicals might be to honey bees and how the EPA has failed
to require thorough testing to protect our nation's number one agricultural pollinator. WATCH THE VIDEO OF THE FULL REPORT
INFORMATION HIGHLIGHTS
Interested In Getting Into Beekeeping? Find Out How To Become A Beekeeper
Wondering About Top Bar Hives? Join master beekeeper David Burns' Video as he walks you through a top bar hive buzzing with bees.
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT--WINTER-BEE-KIND TOP BOARD
Our WINTER-BEE-KIND BOARD insulates the top, provides upper ventilation and
comes with 5 lbs. of candy already poured out onto the underside for the bees to eat
should they need it during the winter plus each candy board also has 1 full pollen patty
embedded in the sugar to also give the bees the protein they need in their feed as well.
These pollen patties also contain Honey-B-Healthy as well. This WINTER-BEE-KIND
BOARD t insulates, ventilates and feeds (Sugar & Protein) your bees as a single one piece item.
Just install it above your bees and put on the top cover and you're set! We've named it
'WINTER-BEE-KIND.' The candy portion faces down toward the cluster and the insulation
faces up.
We use a special piece of insulation that is backed with a thin piece of metal to help reduce
condensation in the hive. It almost looks like a mirror. And it has two notches, one in the front
and back to provide an upper entrance as well as a place to help excess condensation to escape.
Do not delay. This should be placed on your hives as soon as the first frost or can be placed on a
hive in the winter if it is starving, just place it on top as fast as possible. The WINTER-BEE-KIND also comes with our recipe on how we make our candy so that you can
refill your candy section when needed, usually about once a month, depending on how much honey is in the hive.
Our WINTER-BEE-KIND BOARD insulates the top, provides upper ventilation and comes with 5 lbs. of candy already poured out onto the underside for the bees to
eat should they need it during the winter plus each candy board also has 1 full pollen patty embedded in the sugar to also give the bees the protein they need in their feed
as well. These pollen patties also contain Honey-B-Healthy as well. This WINTER-BEE-KIND BOARD t insulates, ventilates and feeds (Sugar & Protein) your bees as
a single one piece item.
Just install it above your bees and put on the top cover and you're set! We've named it "WINTER-BEE-KIND". The candy portion faces down toward the cluster and
the insulation faces up.
We use a special piece of insulation that is backed with a thin piece of metal to help reduce condensation in the hive. It almost looks like a mirror. And it has two notches,
one in the front and back to provide an upper entrance as well as a place to help excess condensation to escape. Do not delay. This should be placed on your hives as soon
as the first frost or can be placed on a hive in the winter if it is starving, just place it on top as fast as possible. The WINTER-BEE-KIND also comes with our recipe on how
we make our candy so that you can refill your candy section when needed, usually about once a month, depending on how much honey is in the hive. Comes in both 8 frame and
10 frame.
CLICK HERE FOR 10 Frame Winter-Bee-Kind to place your order or call us at 217-427-2678
CLICK HERE FOR 10 Frame Winter-Bee-Kind to place your order or call us at 217-427-2678
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Look At Our Upcoming Beekeeping Classes:
March 4th (Friday night 6-8pm Pest & Diseases: Diagnosis & Prevention CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
March 19th (Saturday) Basic Beekeeping 9am - 3pm CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
May 14th (Saturday) QUEEN REARING COURSE 9am - 3pm CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
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at http://www.honeybeesonline.com/ez.html
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telling your friends about BEE SMART and passing it along to others.
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Bee Smart is a publication of
Long Lane Honey Bee Farms
14556 N 1020 E Rd
Fairmount, IL 61841
(217) 427-2678
www.honeybeesonline.com
Long Lane Honey Bee Farms is here to serve the beekeeping community with beekeeping equipment, 3 lb packages, nucs, queens and more.
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