managing bees, what do you do?

[Fusion_power]

There are basic things that "must" be done when keeping bees, a few things that are beneficial but not totally necessary, and a lot of unnecessary things you can do when keeping bees. Here are a few of the things I do to manage my bees.

Keep them in a location conducive to bee survival. This means for me a location with shade during the heat of the day, access to fresh water, not in a frost pocket or exposed to strong winds. I like a south facing tree line with a pond or stream nearby for water up on a rise so cold air does not settle around the hives in winter.

Keep them in reasonably solid boxes with frames that can be removed for manipulation. I've tried to open hives that had not been opened in 10 years. Even if they started with decent frames, after 10 years, the best way to open the hive is with a crow bar and a sledge hammer. I've had equipment that decayed over time or was damaged in a storm or from whatever other cause, it is up to the beekeeper to replace with solid equipment.

Inspect at least once in winter to ensure enough stores are present to make it to spring. Most of this is based on fall preparation, if it is done right, there won't be a problem, but just in case, a warm winter day above 60 degrees with a bit of sun should be put to good use in finding out the status of colonies before spring.

Give proper management for your area in the spring. Adding brood frames, replacing old brood frames, putting on supers when needed are all part of spring management. Splitting for either increase or queen production are also part of the job.

Harvest the crop when it is ready and market it effectively. You can't sell it if it is not in a container ready to go out the door.

Manage pests and diseases in a way that is appropriate for your situation. For me this means watching for signs a colony is in trouble and taking remedial action. This year has been tough because a beekeeper in the area let his colonies collapse unleashing a barrage of wax moths and hive beetles. I've had to combine three queen mating nucleus colonies and 2 large production hives that went queenless in order to keep hive beetles at bay. If I had not been watching, I would have turned thousands of beetle larvae loose to do it again next year. What about ants? Some areas lose bees and/or queens because ants get in the hives. Don't be that guy who does not watch your bees for problems!

Requeen your colonies on a regular basis. This is basic common sense for beekeepers. Young queens solve many of beekeeping's problems. If you can't raise them, purchase them.

Prepare them for winter. This means checking stores, verifying proper arrangement of the colony, installing entrance reducers, and feeding if necessary. I do my best to avoid feeding, but there are times it has to be done.

Do the housekeeping. I've never seen a colony that didn't need the bottom board cleaned out in spring. There are also times when removing burr comb or cleaning up a bit of propolis keeps the hive openable and the frames removable.

What do you consider necessary management as a beekeeper?

 

[Pete D]

That about covers it.
We don't have small hive beetle yet so will have to learn those practices as the need arises.

 

[For want of a better word]

Inspect at least once in winter
and wear thick wooly knickers when carrying out this possibly unnecessary procedure!
Also take a lookout with you in case of bears

I would requeen at least three times a year with your |Bukinham| bees to ensure a good crop of honey

Nos da

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Inspect at least once in winter
and wear thick wooly knickers when carrying out this possibly unnecessary procedure!

What's the point in giving the colony a proverbial kick in the gonads midwinter when properly planned preparation in the autumn and a bit of hefting will ensure you know the stores situation.

 

[For want of a better word]

What's the point in giving the colony a proverbial kick in the gonads midwinter when properly planned preparation in the autumn and a bit of hefting will ensure you know the stores situation.

That the seven P's ?

properly planned preparation prevents piss poor performance

Nos da

 

[B+.]

Inspect at least once in winter

I did my autumn inspection yesterday. All of my 2016 test colonies still have brood (1-3 frames, mean 2.4). Most are still in single poly Langstroths and weigh around 30kg each

 

[For want of a better word]

What's the point in giving the colony a proverbial kick in the gonads midwinter when properly planned preparation in the autumn and a bit of hefting will ensure you know the stores situation.

That is what the thick woolly knickers are for!

Nos da

 

[beeno]

I did my autumn inspection yesterday. All of my 2016 test colonies still have brood (1-3 frames, mean 2.4). Most are still in single poly Langstroths and weigh around 30kg each

Thanks for that B+ meets with my level of expectation.

 

[B+.]

Thanks for that B+ meets with my level of expectation.

I usually try to get them into doubles but some of them weren't set up until mid-August. They were fed syrup but I thought it best to keep them as singles.
The poly weighs next to nothing so that is almost all stores (min 5 frames packed full)

 

[Fusion_power]

What's the point in giving the colony a proverbial kick in the gonads midwinter when properly planned preparation in the autumn and a bit of hefting will ensure you know the stores situation.

There is one very good reason for popping the top mid-winter. I've had colonies on one side of the box consuming the last frame of stores on that side in early February. There were several more frames of honey on the other side of the box. During a prolonged cold spell, the bees were unable to reach the honey just a few inches away. They were nursing a palm size patch of brood and would not come off it to move to the other side of the box. I learned the hard way to check for this condition in late January or early February and move a few frames of honey next to the cluster. Do not under any conditions break the cluster. Moving 2 or 3 frames of honey next to the cluster can keep them alive.

 

[Hivemaker.]

During a prolonged cold spell, the bees were unable to reach the honey just a few inches away.

Insulate your hives sufficiently and your not likely to have that kind of problem, even with very small colonies.

If not using sufficient insulation then make sure the main nest is against one side wall when doing the last inspection in the autumn, they will usually only move across in one direction then.

Don't you have any cold resistant bees?

 

[Fusion_power]

Don't you have any cold resistant bees?

Of course, but it was always the Buckfast that got trapped on one side of the box and starved. I'd generally call them cold resistant. One item worth noting, I never saw that happen with the old black bees. Come to think of it, I haven't had to move any frames in at least a dozen years. Since I built stands for 4 colonies and started pushing them together for winter, most of the wintering problems disappeared. Most of the work that needs to be done is in fall preparation. I still do the mid-winter check.

 

[Finman]

.
You have hives, what you have not opened during 10 years... That I call real 'do nothing' management. Next step is 'do at least something'.
.
So happens when bees are angry enough. So called " management resistant bees"
.

 

[Finman]

Of course, but it was always the Buckfast that got trapped on one side of the box and starved. I'd generally call them cold resistant. One item worth noting, I never saw that happen with the old black bees. Come to think of it, I haven't had to move any frames in at least a dozen years. Since I built stands for 4 colonies and started pushing them together for winter, most of the wintering problems disappeared. Most of the work that needs to be done is in fall preparation. I still do the mid-winter check.

You need insulated hives.
No need to do those tricks.

 

[Finman]

.
Fusion lives at the level of 34 degree. It is same as Rabat, capital city of Morocco.

But average low in Hamilton is in winter is -15C.



.

 

[Fusion_power]

Yes finman, we have winter here. We don't get much snow, typically less than 6 inches per year. Winter temps have been down a good bit below -15C but that is unusual.

I've been checking out other countries in Europe and commonly see wooden hives used just about everywhere including Germany and Italy. Why is it that polystyrene has been widely adopted in the U.K? Why are there no polyisocyanurate hives shown for sale? or am I missing them somewhere in translation?

 

[Finman]

Why is it that polystyrene has been widely adopted in the U.K?

Why are there no polyisocyanurate hives shown for sale? or am I missing them somewhere in translation?

Why polyiso*.* chould be for sale?

Polystyrene hives have been 30 years for sale and it works fine. Chemically they are same . Polyiso is "rigid". What ever does it mean?

 

[Finman]

Why is it that polystyrene has been widely adopted in the U.K? ?

That is not true.

In others countries it has been 20-30 years. In UK 2-3 years. Poly has great advantages compared to wood and to ply wood.
.
UK price is double compared to Scandinavia.

When I bought medium boxes 2 years ago, price was 10€ / box.

.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Insulate your hives sufficiently and your not likely to have that kind of problem, even with very small colonies.

If not using sufficient insulation then make sure the main nest is against one side wall when doing the last inspection in the autumn, they will usually only move across in one direction then.

All my colonies are warm way in poly and the bees arrange their brood in the front of the hive between the entrance and their winter stores.

 

[Madge]

... In UK 2-3 years. .

Codswallop.