There are literally thousands of materials that you can find on the internet to learn about beekeeping. The amount of information can be daunting. For the beginning beekeeper the Brown County Beekeepers Association recommends four major avenues for learning.
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A bee nuc (nuc is short for nucleus) is a small colony made up of bees taken from a larger colony. It’s normally sold in a box with five frames standing side by side. A couple of those frames usually already have honey stores.
A bee package is typically sold in wooden frame boxes with screens on two sides. They are sold by the pound, and it takes approximately 3,500 bees to make a pound. A three-pound package, therefore, contains about 10,000 bees.
Inside a bee package is a can full of a sugar syrup mixture. The bees feed from this during transport. Bee packages can be mailed to you via USPS. Each package also contains its own small wooden box covered on one side by a screen. This tiny box holds the queen and a few worker bees to tend her.
Bees in a package can come from different hives. The bees in a nuc are generally from the same colony. Bee packages also tend to be less expensive than nucs. However, with a package, you’ll need to build the colony by transitioning the bees into your existing hives. This requires a greater education in beekeeping. For that reason, using nucs is typically less stressful than using packages.
Beginners would do well to begin with a 5-frame nuc rather than a 3-pound package of bees. If you are a beginner, starting with an already established colony is going to increase your success rate immediately. Beekeeping has a huge learning curve. Starting with a 3-pound package introduces a whole new set of elements that you have to learn before you start keeping bees.
Not only are you new at this but now your package bees are starting from scratch too. They have no foundation, no comb, no brood, no nectar and no pollen. And although you have a mated queen in a cage, she’s technically not laying because she has nowhere to lay yet. A nuc already comes with all of those elements.
A few things before talking about installing your bees.
Installing a Package into the Hive
A bee nuc (nuc is short for nucleus) is a small colony made up of bees taken from a larger colony. It’s normally sold in a box with five frames standing side by side. A couple of those frames usually already have honey stores.
A bee package is typically sold in wooden frame boxes with screens on two sides. They are sold by the pound, and it takes approximately 3,500 bees to make a pound. A three-pound package, therefore, contains about 10,000 bees.
Inside a bee package is a can full of a sugar syrup mixture. The bees feed from this during transport. Bee packages can be mailed to you via USPS. Each package also contains its own small wooden box covered on one side by a screen. This tiny box holds the queen and a few worker bees to tend her.
Bees in a package can come from different hives. The bees in a nuc are generally from the same colony. Bee packages also tend to be less expensive than nucs. However, with a package, you’ll need to build the colony by transitioning the bees into your existing hives. This requires a greater education in beekeeping. For that reason, using nucs is typically less stressful than using packages.
Beginners would do well to begin with a 5-frame nuc rather than a 3-pound package of bees. If you are a beginner, starting with an already established colony is going to increase your success rate immediately. Beekeeping has a huge learning curve. Starting with a 3-pound package introduces a whole new set of elements that you have to learn before you start keeping bees.
Not only are you new at this but now your package bees are starting from scratch too. They have no foundation, no comb, no brood, no nectar and no pollen. And although you have a mated queen in a cage, she’s technically not laying because she has nowhere to lay yet. A nuc already comes with all of those elements.
Here is what to expect in and around the hive in January.
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The Wisconsin Honey Producers Association announced that Kaelyn Sumner was selected as the 2023 Wisconsin Honey Queen at their annual convention. Kaelyn has been a member of BCBA since 2018 and many will remember her presentation of the results of a honey study while she was in high school. Kaelyn is currently a junior at Kansas State University, majoring in Agricultural Education with minors in Food Science and Entomology.
Kaelyn will spend the rest of this year promoting the beekeeping industry in Wisconsin. She is available to speak with civic groups and to appear at fairs, festivals, and farmers markets. She will also give presentations in schools about honeybees and the beekeeping industry. In January 2024, Kaelyn will represent Wisconsin at the American Honey Queen competition at the American Beekeeping Federation Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Follow Queen Kaelyn’s activities on Facebook at Wisconsin Honey Queen Program. To schedule an appearance or interview with Wisconsin Honey Queen Kaelyn Sumner, contact the Wisconsin Honey Queen Chairperson, Mary Kettlewell, at 414.429.5502 or by email at wihoneyqueenprogram@gmail.com.
The Brown County Beekeepers Association is proud to have Emily Skala as a member of the club. On November 5, 2022 the Wisconsin Honey Producers Association (WHPA) recognized her contributions to beekeeping when they announced she had earned the WHPA 2022 Youth Award.
Emily started beekeeping through the WHPA Youth Scholarship program, joined BCBA in 2020 and has become an advocate for the beekeeping and honey industry. She has been an active member of the Brown County Beekeepers Association, teaching sessions at the Brown County Botanical Gardens Youth Pollinator Program, participating in television interviews about beekeeping, and promoting the WHPA and its many programs to children and adults through numerous outlets. Emily has showcased her honey in the WI State Fair honey competition the last two years, placing each year.
The Brown County Beekeepers Association wishes Emily continued success in her beekeeping journey and look forward to her future contributions educating about bees.
The Brown County Beekeepers Association has been fortunate to have Julie Mazzoleni as our Vice President for the past 6 years. On November 5, 2022 she was recognized for all of her education efforts when she was awarded the Wisconsin Honey Producers Association (WHPA) Education Award at the 2022 Fall Convention.
Julie coordinated the Green Bay Botanical Gardens Children’s Pollinator Camp, where young people spend a day learning about honeybees, including an experience in the hive. She also organized a half-day Science, Technology, Engineering and Math program at UW-Green Bay teaching children about bees and has made numerous visits to local classrooms.
Julie is also a youth mentor in the WHPA Youth Scholarship program.
Here is what to expect in and around the hive in December.
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The use of smoke causes to things to happen, both of which are beneficial to the beekeeper. First, the smoke masks the alarm scent bees emit to warm other bees about dangers to the hive (like a human taking the roof off their house). Without the warning bees will be less defensive. The second thing smoke does is make the bees believe there is a fire nearby and that the hive may be in danger. The response in the bees to go gorge on honey, as they may have to fly away and create a new home somewhere else. So a number of the bees are busy eating honey and less defensive.
There are many types of fuel that can be used in your smoker. Here in Northeast Wisconsin there is an abundance of fallen pine needles which work very well. Other materials include pine cones, newspaper, cardboard, pelleted fuel, cotton waste, etc.. You can use pretty much anything that is combustible. Just don’t use anything that might be toxic-to you or your bees.
First, gather your materials. The smoker, an ignition source, flammable materials, hive tool, and fire extinguisher or water. Start by lighting something easy, like balled up newspaper or a used egg carton. Put it in the smoker and give it a few puffs. When it is burning well add more materials over it (pine needles, pellets, etc) and give it a few more puffs to get the material lite. Use you hive tool to gently press the materials down in the smoker. This packs the materials for a longer burn and can sterilize the hive tool if hot enough. Add more materials, pack, add more materials until full-all the while puffing away to ensure it stays lit. You are looking for a cool, white smoke and, for sure, no flames or embers flying out the nozzle which could injure your bees or start a fire.
Start by giving a few puffs at the entrance to the hive. Remove the top cover and give a couple of puffs through the hole in the inner cover. Crack the inner cover and give a few more puffs. That should be sufficient to initially open the hive. Smoke the bees again if they are getting aggressive or the sound changes. There are times when the bees are just all wound up and no amount of smoke will calm them down. In that case, it is best to put the hive back together and come back another day
An article that is a bit more in depth on smoking bees.
A cursory overview of using a smoker from Mann Lake.
Using smoker in Kenya – almost identical to using it in Northeast WI.
Here is what to expect in and around the hive in November.
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