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Beekeepers' Best Management Practices - Enhancing Colony Management

Discover the proven and profitable practices for successful beekeeping. This elearning module explores resource management, judicious methods, colony monitoring, stock management, and water availability.

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Beekeepers' Best Management Practices - Enhancing Colony Management

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  1. Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Beekeepers Pollinating Agricultural Crops elearning modules

  2. Module 5: Best Management Practices For Colony Management

  3. Successful beekeepers employ practices that are tested and proven to be profitable. What are these “Practices”?

  4. The answer to that question • falls into 5 categories: • Exert your energy & use resources wisely. • Practice judicious methods. • Monitor colony strength. • Manage stock. • Water availability. • Let’s explore each one.

  5. Resource Management Invest time, money and energy on your healthy colonies. i.e., prioritize and economize your moves!

  6. Judicious Methods Use good judgment in all you do. Also, maintain a reserve of colonies; don’t commit all colonies to contract.

  7. Monitor How much time and effort should I use on weak or sick colonies? Rule of thumb: Cull weak colonies.

  8. Monitor Use diagnostic services for objective colony assessment.

  9. Monitor Check frames of brood for intended strength to coincide with almond bloom.

  10. Monitor Be mindful of colony placement to minimize stress. True or False: Combine weak colonies with much stronger ones to help the weak survive.

  11. Monitor False! Although it may seem counter-intuitive, Do not combine weak collapsing colonies with healthy colonies.

  12. From here, it may seem complicated! Not Really!

  13. Managing Stock Maintain genetic quality to meet your objectives. What exactly does this entail?

  14. Managing Stock • Maintain stocks that are productive and • disease & pest resistant. • Encourage high drone densities to • provide well-mated queens & genetically diverse • colonies. • Discourage stocks that are excessively defensive. • Select stock by propagating colonies that prosper • when other colonies exhibit symptoms of stress.

  15. Managing Stock Requeen colonies, at least annually. True or False: Package bees aren’t a particularly effective method of managing stock.

  16. Managing Stock False! Package bees typically exhibit low Varroa and virus levels during the year following installation. Consider making increases by shaking package bees from your own colonies.

  17. Water Consider water access when transporting colonies and when placing colonies in the orchard. Dude! Hose me!

  18. The Beekeeper’s Goal • Work towards strong eight-frame colonies • for almond pollination by February 1st. • Invest your energy in the expectation of • future returns and benefits. • Use discretion to avoid waste. • Employ genetics, diagnostic services and • placement of hives to ensure healthy colonies!

  19. Thanks for your attention! www.ProjectApism.org Any questions? Want more information? Email ProjectApis@gmail.com Visit www.ProjectApism.org

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