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Beekeeping for “ Newbees ”

Dan Carr Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture danc@stonebarnscenter.org. Beekeeping for “ Newbees ”. Why keep bees?. G reat pollinator Sweet rewards Wax Other valuable byproducts The bees as teachers. Bee Anatomy. What is in the Hive?. Wax Brood (Eggs, Larva, Pupa) Pollen

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Beekeeping for “ Newbees ”

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  1. Dan Carr Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture danc@stonebarnscenter.org Beekeeping for “Newbees”

  2. Why keep bees? • Great pollinator • Sweet rewards • Wax • Other valuable byproducts • The bees as teachers

  3. Bee Anatomy

  4. What is in the Hive? • Wax • Brood (Eggs, Larva, Pupa) • Pollen • Nectar • Honey

  5. Brood cycle of the Bee • Egg (3 days), Larva (5 days), Pupa (13 days), Emerged Bee (21 Days) Recently laid eggs Larva Pupa Sealed Brood

  6. The Three Castes of the Hive • Queen • Drone • Worker

  7. Nuptial Flight

  8. The Life of a Worker Bee

  9. Equipment for Working in the Hive • Veil • Suit • Gloves • Boots • Smoker • Don’t forget to wash up • No bananas! • Zen Like state of mind

  10. Tools of the Hive • Hive tool • Frame grip • Entrance reducer • Bee brush • Frame holder • Feeder

  11. The Langstroth Hive • Brood boxes • Supers • Bee Space (3/8 in)

  12. Kenyan Top Bar Hive Advantages • Easy and cheap to build • Less hive exposed when working in the hive (safer and less intrusive) • Great for beeswax production • Foundationless hives (natural cell size, and clean wax)

  13. Disadvantages • Less honey production • Fragile combs • Cannot extract and reuse combs • More difficult to find good advice

  14. Lid 58 x 97cm Kenyan TBH Dimensions 58cm 97cm Side A 33 x 88.9cm 33cm 30.5cm Hive entrance BACK Front 96.5cm 44.3cm Bottom 22.9 x 96.5cm 22.9cm 3.2cm Side B 33 x 88.9cm 88.9cm 33cm 48cm Top Bar

  15. Apiary Location • Diversity of pollen and nectar sources • Away from pesticides, herbicides, & fungicides • Good water source • Direct sunlight from the East (morning sun) • Not too windy • Good ventilation • Easily accessible • Level • Public safety • Firm dry ground • Weed suppression

  16. Getting Bees • Packaged Bees ($80-120) • Nucs (10 frame $250-300 5 frame $120-170) • Capture a swarm (Free!)

  17. Diseases & PestsAmerican Foul Brood: Bacteria Symptoms: Irregular brood pattern. Brown Larva. Concave, punctured and moist brood cappings. Dead larva develop a gluey consistency that adheres to a matchstick when poked, and appears stringy as the matchstick is pulled away up to an inch. Distended pupal “tongue” stuck to the top of the cell wall. Very strong putrid smell. Danger: Extremely High: spores live for up to 75 years. Treatment: None. Isolate colony and burn equipment. 6

  18. Nosema: Fungal gut disease Symptoms: Slow spring build up. Bees appear weak. Mustard red/brown spotting on and in the hive for Nosema Apis. Danger: Medium ( there is a debate about whether Nosema Ceranae is more fatal than Nosema Apis) Treatment: Good apiary management (protection from cold winds and moisture). Good ventilation. Fumagillin B in sugar syrup. Bee tea: 1 gallon of sugar syrup, 1 tsp of crushed thyme leaves, 1tsp of sea salt, and 1tsp of white vinegar or 1 gallon of water with 1 tsp of crushed thyme leaves. Dispose of frames soiled with fecal material, and continue with a routine cycle of changing out frames to minimize spore build up. 7

  19. Varroa Mites (Varoosis) Symptoms: Weak hive. Spotty irregular brood pattern. Crawling bees outside of hive that can’t fly. Brown or reddish parasites on larvae and bees. Deformed bees emerging from pupae. Deformed wings or K-wing. Danger: Very High!!! Treatment: Thymol based products (Apiguard and ApiLife VAR, powdered sugar dusting, Hop-guard, drone comb removal, Formic acid and Oxalic acid screened bottom boards. Miticides: Apistan(fluvalinate), CheckMite (coumaphos) mites have developed resistance. Closely follow applications directions for any chemical treatment as they may be dangerous or temperature sensative. 11

  20. Bee and beekeeping equipment companies • Hudson Valley Bee Supply: Kingston, NY (845) 336-6233 www.hudsonvalleybeesupply.com (Equipment, package bees & Nuculus colonies) • Bee Commerce: Weston, CT www.bee-commerce.com (203) 222-2268 (Equipment and package bees) • Better Bee: Greenwich, NY www.betterbee.com 1(800) 632-3379 (Equipment and package bees) • Nature’s Way Farm: Loman, NY http://www.natureswayfarm.com/ • A-Z Apiaries: Hampton, CT www.azapiaries.com (860) 455-1296 (Package bees) • The Bee Guy: Apiary: South Salem, NY Gosset’s Farm Market (914) 763-3211 (package bees) • Bedford Bees: Bedford Village, NY (914) 232-7173 www.bedfordbee.com (package bees) • White Oak Apiaries: Brewster, NY www.whiteoakapiary.com (Nuculus colonies • Dadant and Sons Inc.: Hamilton, IL www.dadant.com (888) 922-1293 (Equipment and bees) • Brushy Mountain bee farm: Moravian Falls, NC & New Columbia PA www.brushymountainbeefarm.com 1(800) 233-7929 (Equipment) • Mann Lake: Hackensack, MN www.mannlakeltd.com 1(800) 880-7694 (Equipment) • Walter T. Kelley, Clarkson, KY www.kelleybees.com 1 (800) BEE-BUZZ

  21. Happy Beekeeping! Dan Carr Livestock Assistant/Beekeeper Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture (914) 860-5561 Danc@stonebarnscenter.org

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