Here is what to expect in and around the hive in April.
Continue reading
Here is what to expect in and around the hive in April.
Continue readingThe basic wooden pieces that comprise a honey bee hive. Typically called “wooden ware” we’ll discuss each piece with a goal of helping you to be a successful beekeeper.
Continue readingHere is what to expect in and around the hive in March.
Continue readingSwarms are the normal, natural and healthy reproduction of a honey bee colony.
They are colony-level reproduction vs individual honey bee. It’s an important part
of the colony life cycle and it’s how honey bees procreate.
Tracheal Mites live in the bee’s respiratory system and have become less of a problem with the use formic acid and thymol based treatments for control of Varroa Destructor Mite. These treatments are also effective in treating the tracheal mite, mostly eliminating them. Symptoms include: bees appearing to be disoriented, unable to fly and disjointed wings. Bees are unable to get out to forage, leading to a large number of bees found throughout the day at the hive.
Nosema weakens the immune system of the honeybee leading to increased colony death. It is a problem in winter because bees are not getting out of the hive often to defecate, increasing the risk of spread within the colony. You may see LOTS of bee poop all over your boxes. Don’t confuse normal cleaning flights with Nosema. To prevent Nosema keep your colony strong and healthy, replace old comb and make sure there is good drainage and ventilation in your bee yard. Find more information here.
American Foul Brood (AFB): AFB is extremely contagious. Spores contaminate a hives by drift, robbing, tainted equipment/ tools. They infect and destroy larvae and once the cells are capped larvae turn brown. You will note a rancid smell, spotty brood pattern and sunken perforated cappings; inside the cell you would find melted looking brown remains of the larvae. You can check for suspected AFB by sticking a toothpick into a cell and stir the larva and pull the toothpick out. If it has a ropey appearance, more than 2 cm there is a good chance it is AFB. Because of the infectious nature it is recommended that all equipment be burned or wooden ware be scorched to disinfect before using again. AFB must be reported to the state inspector. More in depth information can be found here.
Sacbrood Virus (SBV) can be seen and easier to identify. Capped brood will have pin sized holes in it. Pupae have underdeveloped heads. The infected larvae will die and become dark and brittle. It will be easy to remove from the cells. SBV is transmitted via contaminated food, feces or during mating. You can try removing infected larvae and re-queening but as of today there are no known treatments to get rid of SBV directly.
Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) can be seen as well and looks as the name describes. Adult bees infected with the virus show no visual signs. It is the most common virus found in a colony and is transmitted by the varroa mite. The bees are unable to perform hive duties or forage and the bees do not survive long. It is transmitted by contaminated food, feces or during mating. The queen can pass the virus to her offspring. Prevention and treatment is mite management.
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.
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.