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3. Where do I pick up my bees?
Cedar Glen Bees
15507 72nd Dr. NW
Stanwood, Washington, 98292
360-652-8967 We do ship. Call or email our office for
details. |
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4. What if I should need help hiving my new package of
honeybees?
We are there to assist you with both written and verbal
instructions. Hiving should be an enjoyable and rewarding
experience, furthermore, for additional assistance upon
request we will provide you with a list of the beekeepers &
local associations in your area. In our local area we
provide apiary assistance and H.F.C.S. delivery. We are
always available through email or telephone. We always have
a few packages of our own on hand, so we can demonstrate
hiving to those that feel they want it. See Contact us. |
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5. When should I hive my new package of bees?
When your bees first arrive they will be thirsty. Give them
a drink of water by dipping your bee brush into a bucket of
water and then brushing the outside of the bee container.
This will leave a water film across the wire and should be
sufficient. If they still appear thirsty continue to water.
After watering you should check their food supply and
replenish as needed. The bees should be placed in a cool
dark place to rest and calm down after the trip. The best
time to hive your bees is late in the afternoon or early
evening. We spray our bees with a sugar water and
"Honey-B-Healthy" mixture just prior to hiving. This will
calm them down and make them easier to place in the hive. In
fact we use this mixture in place of smoking. It's less
intrusive. We will water and feed the bees when they first
arrive and care for them until they are picked up. Check
with your supplier when you pick them up.. |
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6. Where should I place my hive?
You want to look for a spot that has good lighting and
sun exposure. Dampness breeds disease. On the other hand if
you are in a hot and arid climate you are going to want a
mottled shade. If possible place the hives with the openings
facing the sun. This helps your bees get an early start each
day. They will need protection from cold winter winds. So
look for a wind break. The hive should be placed off the
ground, either on a cedar or treated wooden stand or
concrete blocks. Again this is to prevent moisture and make
apiary maintenance easier. If you live in town place your
hives c with the entrance facing a high fence. This will
direct the bees flight path upward and avoiding the
neighbors.
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7. When and what should I feed
my bees?
You should feed
your bees when you hive them. There are many different
feeders available on the market to choose from. I like the
top feeder for new colonies. I use a one to one sugar water
mixture. I take a 5 gallon bucket and place 25 lbs of white
table sugar (cane or beet preferred ) in the bucket. I then
fill the bucket to the five gallon level with hot water (125
degrees or less) about 2.5 gallons. I fill the
feeder about half full (2 1/2 gallons) The new bees need
this sugar in order to build the wax comb. Even if your comb
is already drawn the new bees will not have any stores. I
usually give them sugar water until the combs are mostly
drawn or I see nectar and pollen being stored by the bees.
Pollen patties help increase brood buildup also. In the
winter I use a two to one sugar mixture. The bees will put
this thicker solution up for stores in the comb for winter
feeding. I always add 15 tablespoons of Honey-B-Healthy per
5 gallons of syrup. It is a good stimulator, keeps fungus
and mold from growing in the syrup and provides extra
nutrients for the bees. Its great for brood build-up in the
spring. |
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Marla Spivak of Minnesota Hygienic Fame |
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8. When should I add a second
hive body or super?
You should add the
second hive body or super when the majority of the frames in
the first hive are fully drawn out (8 to 9 frames).
If using foundation instead of drawn comb you may want to
feed them some sugar water to help out with the comb
building. I usually add the first super about two
weeks later. You want to be sure your bees have the
necessary storage space during the nectar flow. I have seen
a medium super filled with nectar in less than a week. Add
the second super when the first super is half full of honey. |
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Susan Coby of New World
Carniolan Fame |
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9.
How much honey should I get the first year?
The first year for a new colony is usually spent
building comb and brood. It is more important that the
bees have plenty of stores for the winter and drawn comb for
the next season. I always leave at least 65 to 70 lbs of
honey on the hive for the winters in this area. If I have one hive that is
out producing the others I will place the additional combs
of honey in those that are a bit lean to help them through
the winter. If all is well I take
a little for myself. The second year is your best honey
producer. |
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10. When should I treat for mites?
I will love it when
the day comes that I can answer this question by saying
"Never" Unfortunately, until we develop the truly
mite resistant hygienic queen through survivor breeding
stock most of us prefer to treat. I use the open or screened
bottom board and powdered sugar method (this is referred to
as the Dowdy Method) and a spring and fall treatment of
Mite-Away-II. So far it has not failed me. Using a homemade
1/8 " screen the size of my hive opening (16 1/4 X 22) I
sprinkle two cups of powdered sugar on top of the hive
frames once a month during the late spring and summer. The
open or screened bottom allows the mites to drop off the
bees and prevents them from getting back into the hive. The
powdered sugar increases this drop and provides a little
extra nourishment for the bees. The Mite-A Way II is a
formic acid pad. Formic acid is a natural chemical already
in the hive. The vapors kill the mites, both varroa and
tracheal. It is a 21 day treatment period so it kills the
mites that are in the brood that hatches during that period
. Menthol crystals work along the same line but are only
really affective against the tracheal. Never use a chemical
formic acid or anything else at least 30 days before a
nectar flow. This is only one of many ways beekeepers choose
to control these pests. Check with the local organizations
and read the Bee magazines for more information. |
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11. What about the Nosema
treatment?
There again, it was
not that long ago when a full time treatment of Nosema was
considered by many as not necessary. However, many did
treat and with good results. Now with the new Nosema strain
that has recently been on the front pages of the bee
journals, treatment is necessary if you want your bees to
survive. Nosema is very similar to diarrhea in symptoms. You
can see the brown stains on and around the hives. It is
more of a problem in the North as the bees cannot get out
for cleansing flights as often as they should. I use
Fumagilin-B. I mix 5 heaping teaspoons in 10 oz. of warm
water then add to 5 gallons of sugar syrup. I use the top
feeders the first feeding of spring, usually late February
here, and again in a fall feeding after the harvest. Again,
never treat your bees with any chemical product at least 30
days before a nectar flow. |
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Brother Adam of Buckfast
Abbey |
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12. What other diseases do I need to be concerned
about?
Most commonly, besides the ones
mentioned above, we have American and European Foulbrood,
and Chalkbrood. American Foulbrood is the worst. No cure.
Thankfully, there is prevention. I use Terramycin. It does
not cure Foulbrood. It helps to prevent it. I mix Three
tablespoons of terramycin with two cups of powder sugar. I
sprinkle the entire batch directly on the tops of the
foundation frames around the perimeter of the hive. Do not
dump directly into the brood area. I do this once five days
apart for a total of three applications. A fifteen day
treatment period. I do this at the same time as my other
spring and fall treatment. Again, never treat your bees with
a chemical 30 days before a nectar flow. |
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13. How often should I check my new
hive?
The first year it is
usually hard to keep the new beekeeper away from the hive.
After hiving you should leave the hive alone for at least 6
days. This allows the new queen and the packaged hive bees
time to accept one another. Sometimes an early disturbance
will trigger the bees to kill the queen blaming your
intrusion on her. Your first visit should be quick. Just
check that the queen is out of her cage. If not enlarge the
hole by pushing a nail through the candy. If you see the
queen all is well if not after a short search close the hive
and wait 10 days. By this time you should be able to witness
comb building, larva and eggs. If not check for the queen.
If you find her good. Sometimes with all this mass
production a new queen will be slow to start egg laying. If
she has not started egg laying after 20 days replace her and
start over. Usually your supplier will replace the faulty
queen without charge except for the freight. Continue to
feed the colony sugar syrup during this important comb
building period. If the queen is present and egg laying is
confirmed close up the hive. Continue feeding and leave them
alone. I usually shake powdered sugar on my bees once a
month during the summer for mite control. You can get a
pretty good idea of the state of the hive during these
visits. But do not unnecessarily open your hive at will.
This will disrupt your bees and delay their progress. |
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14.What if I need help?
Call or email us at
once. If you are too far away for us to go to your apiary
we will give you the telephone numbers of beekeepers and
organizations in your area that will be more than happy to
help. Most items we can walk you through over the phone or
in an email. But sometimes it takes seeing to fix. |
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Notice!
These answers are not all
inclusive. As a beekeeper instructor once told me " there
are 100 ways to keep bees. 99 of them work" |
