Making & Managing Viable Bee Colonies-- a primer to sustainable beekeeping

1. Making & Managing Viable Bee Colonies--a primer to sustainable beekeeping Central Maryland Beekeepers Association May 7, 2013 Pat & Jim Haskell

2. We’ll discuss • What nucs are and are not • Some real data on why nucs are important in this area • What some Northern VA Clubs are doing • A month-to-month “guide” on integrating nucs, honey, & queen production • Managing nucs in certain dearth areas • Some take-home lessons from the school of hard knocks

3. Common Definitions • A split is basically the process of separating the two hive bodies of a colony and providing a queen for the queenless portion • A nuc is, biologically, a fully balanced colony in miniature. • Can be anywhere between 2-10 frames • An increase is simply adding to the number of colonies that you have • Via splits, swarms, nucs, packages, etc

4. T-Bug Palmerization, or “to Palmerize” The MAGIC effect of changing bloom dates = The queen that works well in our area = The making of multiple nuc’s from unproductive colonies = Maybe Al Gore Isn’t Crazy! Additional Definitions

5. Nucs are not • Defined by; • # of frames • # of boxes • Size of frames • Configuration

6. Nucs different than full-sized colonies in • Size • Bee population • Nuc has only 10-25% of the population of a full sized colony • Ease of frame manipulation • Less difficult to locate queen • Colony difficulties are concentrated • intensive management • Great mentoring tool!

7. Nucs and their uses are often defined by WHEN they are made • Spring Nucs (specific?) • Increases • To sell • Holding colonies • Mating nucs • Starter colonies • Nucs for Overwintering (broad?) • To be ready for early nectar flows (esp. in north & east) • To be ready for pollination needs (esp. in west)

8. Why make nucs? • To grow your beekeeping business • Cheaper than purchasing packages or nucs • To replace winter losses • Can use a queen of your choice • Keeping a backup queen • Foolproof requeening • To sell • Management tool in swarm prevention • As a mentor/teaching tool • As a food and/or brood resource for your other colonies

9. WHY we’re doing nucs • Demand for bees & queens “adaptable” (T-Bugs) to our area exceeds the supply • Status quo is not “sustainable” • Exit of two regional queen breeders • Who bred resistant production queens • Dissatisfaction with current sources • Timeliness (the MAGIC effect?) • No “seasonal sense” • High winter losses • High spring & summer losses • Queen survival – Not just Nov thru March!

10. Some Actual Data(in 5th year)

11. Summary of BANV Survey Results(3 years, weighted survival rates) • Locally produced nucs with resistant queens 87% • Locally produced resistant queens 70% • Bee raised queens (emergency, supercedure and swarm) 65% • Beekeeper produced queens 60% • Queens from GA 35% • VA produced nucs with GA queens 25% • Packages from GA 20%

12. Origin of Out of State Queen and Package Bees to Virginia

13. What some Northern Virginia Clubs are Doing

14. Northern Virginia Beekeeping Teaching Consortium LBA BONS BANV NPBA PWRBA WOODSTOCK GBA D.C. RABA NNBC PBA

15. Community-Based Nuc and/or Queen Rearing Programs (2011) BONS BANV PWRBA GBA D.C.

16. Community-Based Nuc and/or Queen Rearing Programs (2012) LBA BONS BANV PWRBA GBA D.C. NNBC PBA

17. IntegratingNucs, Honey, & Queens

18. May NUC’S Full Size Do nothing with your production colonies Just stay out of the way Start producing some cells, virgins, or queens for yourself or for your Club If it has a queen program If it doesn’t, help start one • Most intense management month • Use of spring nucs made from overwintered nucs • Sell to new students • Sell to other club members • Use to expand your own operation • Closely monitor remaining nucs • Use brood & food as a resource for • Full sized colonies • Mating nucs • Can even make more splits

19. June NUC’S Full Size “Palmerize” your unproductive colonies Make sure the unproductive colonies are free of brood diseases May get from 2-6 nucs out of each colony Pinch that unproductive queen • June 15 – July 15 • Make your nucs for overwintering • Use your own queens or those known to be resistant or hygienic • Make “strong” nucs – 2.5+ frames of brood, (no eggs or young larvae) plus food frames & a frame of mostly open, drawn comb

20. July NUC’S Full Size Extract honey from production colonies Wet supers back on if still in flow Otherwise store when dry Use uncapped honey & nectar in nucs for overwintering Start feeding light syrup if in dearth Artificial pollen also if few stores Start “fall” requeening Your own May or June queens Outside resistant queens • June 15 – July 15 • Make your nucs for overwintering (cont) • Reduced entrance, robber screen • Nematodes & in-hive SHB trap • Start feeding sugar water & pollen right away, especially during expected dearth • Mite count after old brood has emerged, new brood not yet capped

21. August NUC’S Full Size Important feeding month in our area! Usually no rain – an almost sure dearth Light syrup also a much needed water source Need to stimulate queen The bees that will raise the 1st winter bees Need her to out-lay any varroa Complete fall re-queening this month SHB controls? • Add 2nd, 5-frame box, if haven’t already done so! • honey/nectar frames, left over from honey harvest, are great • Drawn comb OK • Foundation as last resort • Mite count • Check adequacy of SHB controls

22. September NUC’S Full Size Continue feeding if needed Both carbs and protein Goal is 60-90? pounds of honey going into winter May get lucky and have a little goldenrod or aster flow that will help ease the Costco bill Last mite count • Continue feeding nucs if needed • Both carbs and protein • Goal is to have top box full of honey by mid-October • May get lucky and have a little goldenrod or aster flow that will help ease the Costco bill • Last mite count

23. October NUC’S Full Size Continue feeding if needed Both carbs and protein • Continue feeding nucs if needed • Both carbs and protein • Good time to add excess frames of honey from big colonies to top boxes of nucs • Want top box full of honey by end of month

24. November NUC’S Full Size Position & Ventilation checks 180 from prevailing winter winds Air movement top & bottom Continue feeding, if needed, and if it doesn’t get too cold if still inadequate stores, get fondant ready • Position & Ventilation checks • 180 from prevailing winter winds • Air movement top & bottom • Continue feeding, if needed, and if it doesn’t get too cold • If still inadequate stores, get fondant ready

25. December NUC’S Full Size Continue feeding, if needed, and if it doesn’t get too cold If still inadequate stores, put on fondant • Continue feeding, if needed, and if it doesn’t get too cold • If still inadequate stores, put on fondant

26. January early Feb NUC’S Full Size Continue to feed fondant (if necessary) • Continue to feed fondant (if necessary)

27. Mid February NUC’S Full Size Start stimulation of colonies (weather dependent of course) Light (1:2) syrup to start Hold off on pollen (if stored pollen appears adequate) till first maple bloom • Start stimulation of colonies (weather dependent of course) • Light (1:2) syrup to start • Hold off on pollen (if stored pollen appears adequate) till first maple bloom

28. March NUC’S Full Size Start reversals of colonies For swarm control Start other swarm mgt. techniques if warranted Mite count • Start reversals of colonies • For nuc mgt. & swarm control reasons • Nucs will start to explode in mid to late March • Start other swarm mgt. techniques if warranted • Mite count

29. April NUC’S Full Size Start supering your honey producing colonies Via George Imrie ‘s Pink Pages Supering finishing colonies is optional Start producing your own queens in late April/early May As soon as you see purple eyed drones Or as soon as you see drones outside the colony Nematodes for SHB • Need intensive mgt. NOW! • 1. Put them in your full-sized colonies • Will surpass packages installed at the same time • Will be ready to collect the April, May, June honey flow • 2. Split them several times if necessary) to make Spring nucs • Make “weak” nucs – no more than 2 frames of brood • 3. Nematodes for SHB control

30. May NUC’S Full Size • If it looks like we’re starting over again, that’s right!

31. Over wintering nuc management • We’ll look briefly at • Setting up the nuc • What you’re looking for going into winter • Feeding • Nuc placement options for the winter • Wind protection

32. Overwinteringinitial setup; 1st box (A) In our area, June 15 thru July 30 is best time to establish nucs for overwintering Start with one box Add 2nd box as soon as population warrants Honey (or honey/pollen mix) (sealed brood) Brood (no eggs or young larvae) Brood (no eggs or young larvae) Pollen (or honey/pollen mix)

33. Overwinteringinitial setup; 2nd box (B) Ideally, all 5 frames in 2nd box would be drawn comb A good population can draw out foundation in late summer/fall Need to feed 1:1 early, 2:1 later And pollen patties of course Drawn comb Drawn comb Drawn comb Drawn comb Drawn comb

34. Going Into WinterBottom Box (A) Ideal positioning! may vary a little depending on weather and/or beekeeper management Cluster will normally locate on middle three frames Cluster may move a frame toward the SE, (warm side) depending on nuc orientation On warm days, bees should basically cover all 5 top bars on the lower box Honey/pollen mix Brood, pollen/honey mix A few eggs, young brood, likely mama Brood, pollen/honey mix Honey/pollen mix

35. Going Into WinterTop Box (B) At this time, remove all undrawn foundation; replace with frames of honey All frames should be capped honey Some may be actual honey: others may be sugar honey from your 2:1 or 1:1 feedings Watch winter stores! feed bee candy/fondant as needed (use shim or extra hive body) Honey Honey Honey Honey Honey

36. overwintering Initial setup Ready for winter Box B Box A

37. Nuc’s for Overwintering Management Tips • Use worker brood only when making the nucs • Use the queens you made in May & June for nuc’s and to requeen production colonies • Small Hive Beetle management • Robbing • Feeding – don’t forget the pollen • Fruitless foraging • Ventilation • Wind protection

38. Winter “protection” • Nuc entrances should face downwind in the winter; fortunately, our winter winds are mostly from the N or NW • Mite boards can be left in to cut off heavy drafts • Note: overwintered nucs need a lot of and the right kind of ventilation in the winter! • Protection from strong winter winds can come from several sources

39. Hillsides, hedges, & fencescan aid in wind protection

40. TAKE HOME LESSONS • We haven’t paid enough attention to where and when we get our QUEENS, NUC’S & PACKAGES • Or about the genetics of the queen contained in those NUCS & PACKAGES & QUEEN CAGES we purchase • We need to understand the elementary economics of buying and replacing bees and queens (requires simple math) • We DO have to learn how to overwinter nucs, and • We DO have to learn how to raise some T-bugs that have “seasonal sense”

41. QUESTIONS?