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Beekeeping Made Easy
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Page All subjects listed alphabetically 116 separate items to take you quickly to a topic of your
choice.
A.J. Cook plan for Alley Method of raising

Aggressiveness in bees American foulbrood
increases queens
Bees Bee caste Bee Law Bee meetings
Bees on pallets Bs Bee space Bottom supering
Building your own

Breeder queens Brood Brood diseases
equipment
Carniolan bees Caucasian bees Chalkbrood Chemical use
Clipping wings of Commercial

Comb honey Cut comb honey
queens Beekeeping
Diseases and pest Disease of Adult bees Drifting Drone
Drone laying worker Dividing Dwindling populations Eight frame hives
Escape board European foulbrood Extracting Extractor
Fall Management Feeding bees Fermentation Fire ants
Getting started in Good Neighbor

Foundation Fume board
beekeeping guidelines
Gift packs Grafting Granulation Handling queen cells
Harvesting honey Harvesting Queens Hauling package bees History of Beekeeping
Hive inspections Hive parts Honey honey crop
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Honey plants Intelligence of bees Production Basics Increases
Miller Method of Miller plan for

Italian bees Marking colors
raising queens increases
Moving bees Nectar New built comb Nosema
Package bee
Nuc's Observation hive Package bees
production
Placing-Locating
Parthenogensis Pest Pheromone
hives
Picture of queen Pollen Pollen facts Pollen grains
Process of nectar
Poisoning of bees Processing wax Propolis
converted to honey
Queen bank Queen cage candy Queen excluder Queenless cell builder
Queen Production
Queen Rearing Queenright cell builder Robbing
Schedule
Selling honey in small

Royal Jelly Skep Slumgum
quantities
Small scale wax Smith Method of

Small Hive Beetle Small scale extracting
recovery raising queens
Smoker and other

Splits Spring management Starvation
equipment
strong hive Summer management

Supercedure Swarms
management
Swarm control Top supering Tracheal Mites Uncapping
What we can see in

Varroa Mites Weather effect on bees honey with a XYZ Hall of fame
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year management

Year Around Management
Back
Year around management includes:
Spring management
Winter survival
Fall management
Summer management
This is a long lesson and includes many topics. The links below can help you reach some of these topics without
reading them all or scrolling down to find what you want.
starvation Dwindling population Winter survival
Special topics under late fall and

Fall management Early Spring management
winter management
Swarm control
Task for spring management Queen marking colors
Increasing number of hives Making splits Summer Management
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year management
Miller method for increase Preparing for the nectar flow Tasks for summer management
A.J. Cook method for increase Removing the honey crop The extracting process
Uncapping The honey Packaging honey
Selling honey Commercial honey Winter management
A new beekeeper will have started in the spring of the year. However, at the end of the bee season (the time that
the queen reducers her egg laying and nectar is in short supply) much needs to be done to prepare the bees for
winter survival. It is only natural that we begin our study of beekeeping management in the fall of the year.
For it is what we do during this time of year that our success in beekeeping begins. Many beekeepers feel that
the season is over once the honey harvest is made; however, as far as I am concerned, it is only beginning.
We are going to start our management program with winter survival because next year beekeeping depends so
much on what we do with our bees getting them ready for winter.
Beekeeper who keep bees in those areas with a long deep winter will be unable to check bees during those long
frigid days. Beekeepers in those milder climates will be able to visit the bees often during the winter season and
take corrective measures immediately if the hive is in need of help. They can check for egg laying in the brood
nest and provide necessary feeding as needed. The major problems for beekeepers in the milder climates are
starvation and dwindling bee populations.
Starvation
I have kept bees both in the South and the North. Starvation looks different in each
area. In the South a hive usually dies out from starvation after the queen has begun
brood rearing. The bee population is going to be rather large and will use up all
available honey stores.
In the North, starvation can occur in a hive with plenty of winter stores. How is that
you may ask? Yesterday morning my thermometer read -10 degrees. This is not a
time to be out checking bees. In fact it is not a time for me to be out. As the
temperature drops below 55° degrees F. the bees will form a cluster to keep warm.
As the temperature continues to drop, the cluster of bees gets tighter to conserve the
Starvation
heat within. If the temperature continues to drop and stays very cold for several
days, the cluster of bees will consume the honey it can reach. Honey may be only
one inch away but because it is so cold, the bees will not be able to move that very
short distance to get at the honey.
A characteristic you will see is bees in cells with only their abdomen showing. Bees
will also cluster between frames and die in that location. Bees that are on the verge
of dying are listless and almost paralyzed. Sometimes if found in time they can be
revived with a light mist of sugar water sprayed on them and fed sugar water
immediately.

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Dwindling populations
There are many causes for dwindling populations. A summer bee may live only 40 days. A bee born in the late
summer and fall can be expected to live into the spring until the population again is buoyed by the new bees
from eggs the queen has laid during late winter and early spring. However, some bees die much before their
time for a variety of reasons which include: nosema, mites, bacterial diseases etc. When this begins to happen,
the number of bees in a cluster become less. Fewer bees place a stress on the remaining bees to maintain cluster
temperatures during very cold weather. When checking a hive that has had dwindling populations, the
beekeeper may see only enough bees in the hive to cover the space between two frames -- probably not more
than a quart of bees at most. This hive will most likely die. At this point it is too late to do much for the bees.
An old beekeeping adage was "take your losses in the fall and make increases in the spring." However, taking
this quart of bees and adding it to another hive may lead to greater problems such as introduce the problem
from a poor hive into the population of a very good hive. Feeding an antibiotic may help. Look for staining on
the top bars. These frames should not be placed into another hive because they could be carry nosema spores
which will infect the new hive in which they are placed. Stained frames can be cleaned up. Scrap all the
staining off the frames and wash with clorox.
Winter survival begins with fall management.
Fall Management:
When does fall management begin? My answer to you is when you have removed the surplus honey crop or
should have removed the surplus honey crop after all nectar plants producing the honey crop has finished
blooming. It also corresponds with the first frost date in your area. In Ohio, we look at Labor Day as the
date to start taking off honey and getting our bees ready for winter but this date will vary in other areas of the
U.S. Many beekeepers remove their honey well before this date. It is an individual decision based upon what
the bees have done.
Fall management consist of the following task:
● A good examination of each hive for:

❍ A good laying queen - - The queen will still have brood present in the brood chamber. Check to
make sure this brood is not spotty. If you have several hives, a comparison of queens should give
you an idea of which is doing a better job. Many beekeepers requeen in the fall of the year
during this examination. If the queen is poor, now is the time to replace her. Finding the queen
at this time of the year is more difficult than in the spring of the year because the hive should
have a large population of bees and the more bees make it more difficult to find the queen. If
you can not locate the queen in a strong hive, we suggest you place a queen excluder between the
two hive bodies and wait for another four or five days. The queen will be in the brood box with
the eggs. This reduces the number of frames you will need to check to find the queen.
❍ Disease -- Treat for diseases you can not see. Nosema is one of the disease not treated and
most likely causes the largest loss of colonies in the U.S. You can feed Fumilid-B with sugar
water at this time of year and gain great benefits from it. The use of Terramycin in the fall will
help. Note that I did not say use it for American foulbrood but it is of value for a hive under
stress. Use grease patties for Tracheal mites or other treatment.
❍ Diseases -- Diseases you can see. If your bees have Varroa mites, use the approved strips as
soon as possible. Varroa mites weaken bees and kill their host (the bee) in time. Many viral
diseases are associated with varroa mites, so the use of antibiotics is also recommended. If you
discover American foulbrood, your choice is limited. As a new beekeeper this can be
devastating. It is much easier to kill the bees and burn all frames to get rid of the disease. They
honey could be salvaged for human consumption. It should never -- never -- be used to feed

year management
bees! The hive body, bottom board, inner cover and top cover should be scrapped clean of any
wax or propolis and then it can be treated with a good clorox wash. Many beekeepers go
beyond this and scorch the wood with a burning torch to further kill any AFB spores. You can
begin again as you did before with a new package of bees and new frames. AFB can be very
costly.
❍ Check the hive for any critters such as mice. Now is the time to clean the bottom board and
install a mouse guard.
❍ Make sure the hive supports - cinder blocks or what ever you are using are still level and
supporting the bottom board. The hive should have a gentle slope to the front to allow the
water to drain out. Make sure water does not run back into the hive from the landing board.
❍ Check to make sure the bees have enough winter stores. This should be about 60 to 90 pounds of
honey. How do you check? One simple method is to lift the hive with the rear hand hold on the
bottom brood chamber. If it is light, comes right up, the bees do not have enough food. You will
need to begin now to feed sugar syrup. You man chose any of the methods discussed under
Spring management with one exception: Sugar should be mixed with water in a much heavier
concentration than in the spring. We recommend 1 part water to 1 part sugar based on weight.
The bees will be able to store this better because they do not have to remove so much water from
the solution to store it.
❍ Provide the hive with some protection from the wind. This could consist of nothing more than
sitting a bale of straw next to the hive on the side facing the prevailing wind (SW). Hives can be
protected by a wind break fence, buildings, woods or shrubs near by. You could wrap the hive
in black tarpaper as well.
❍ Check the hive bee population. You will need several gallons of bees to provide for a good
winter cluster. Remember that many of the summer bees will die before cold weather really
sets in. If a hive is weak - has a quart or so of bees - the beekeeper with two hives (one strong
and one weak) can combine the two into one very strong hive. In the spring of the year, the
strong surviving hive can be split back into two hives. Remember the old adage: take your loses
in the fall, make your increases in the spring.
❍ Much of the expense of beekeeping is the cost of bee equipment not the bees. Bees are easy to
replace. If the hive has lost its bees during the summer months, wax moths will surely have
taken over. If you find wax moth damage, now is the time to clean everything up so the
equipment can be reused in the spring. Wax moths are not much of a problem in the North
when the temperatures turn cold, but in the warmer regions of the U.S., the wax moth can cause
considerable damage to comb and frames in a dead hive of bees or stored equipment. If wax
moths get a head start on you, it is because you did not check your bees and equipment
frequently enough. If you live in an area where the temperatures often reach the 60° degree
range, you should be on the look out for the moth of the wax moth. If you see them, you should
treat any stored equipment. Wax moths can do a lot of damage in very warm temperatures and
they like the dark.
❍ Remember -- All the work you do now will help your spring beekeeping management because
you should have a hive of bees to work with in the spring of the year.
Special topics under Late Fall and Winter Management
● If you discover in January that you have a hive that is queenless, you will need to replace the queen
immediately. Mainland queen breeders often do not have queens to sell in January or February. This is
understandable because the climate in almost all regions of the United States go through a winter cycle
in which drones are killed and driven out of the hive. If there are no drones, you can not get fertilized
queens. One area of the United States can import queen bees into the mainland in January and
February. Hawaii has a temperature conductive to beekeeping the year around. Sources as of the 2003
Bee magazines for queens this early in the year include: www.hawaiihoneybees.com and
www.hawaiianqueen.com. Florida queen producers can provide queens in Late February and early
March. Most other southern and western producers can provide queens in April (the traditional month

year management
for requeening) and later. Check the bee journals for ads.
● Feeding during winter must be done if the bees are on the verge of starvation. Dry sugar placed around
the hole in the inner cover is a method used by many beekeepers. Sugar or corn syrup can be used in
division board or top feeders during the winter as long as the bees can break cluster to get to it.
Be sure to use a heavy syrup mixture. Place any feed used in the winter close to the cluster of
bees. On warm days the bees will take feed from the feeder and place it around the brood nest where it
is available for them to use.
● Snow insulates the hive. Upper entrances to hives are something to consider if you live in an area with
heavy snowfall. One will see on the ground around a bee hive even with snow on the ground, dead bees
and what looks like spots of tobacco juice was spit out in front of the hive. This is a healthy sign and not
something to get upset about. When daily temperatures rise usually from sun hitting the hive and
heating up the interior a bit, a few bees or many bees may take cleansing flights.
● Are the bees alive? During the dead of winter, it is hard to tell if the bees in a hive are dead or alive.
Several things can be done to find out. 1) Wait until the temperatures rise to 40 to 50° open the hive --
look and listen -- for bee activity. 2) Look on the snow for dead bees and the tobacco juice spots that I
have described earlier. 3) Heat rises within a hive and often the covering of snow in the center of the
top cover will be melted indicating heat from within the hive. 4) Make a light tapping on the front of the
hive and listen for the gentle hum the disturbed bee will make. Some beekeepers have turned to
stethoscopes to listen for signs of life. All of this really doesn't tell you the condition of the bees in the
hive -- just that if you see them or hear them, you have live bees. The real test will come with early
spring management.
● Build any equipment you desire for the next bee season. Don't put this off until the equipment is
needed. Usually, you are busy with something else, and good bee management is not putting off what
needs to be done when it needs to be done.
Early Spring Management
For the experience and second year beekeeper, looking into a hive of bees with live bees in the spring is a
rewarding sight. Twenty years ago, one would expect to find the bees alive if all fall management was
provided the bees. Now, losses are so common that a beekeeper feels mighty lucky to be able to bring his/her
bees through the winter. The earlier you find that your hive has died out the better because one of the things
you must do to keep bees is order any replacement bees early. This winter of 2002-2003 has been a hard winter
compared to last winter. Bee losses are running much higher. Package producers are seeing the demand for
package bees increase dramatically from last year. Already, the month of January has given beekeepers the
opportunity to check hives to see how many bee hives have died. Experienced beekeepers place orders early
for packages. If one waits too long, package bees may be available later in the spring or not at all. If this
should happen, the beekeeper is faced with the prospect of protecting the already drawn comb from the
destruction of varmints and wax moth. Drawn comb is worth a great deal and allows the bees a chance to do
some real work of gathering nectar etc. rather than building large amounts of comb. A new package of bees
can be placed on drawn comb and the beekeeper can expect the package to do almost as well as an over
wintered colony in honey production if the honey/nectar flow comes in about 8 to 10 weeks after the package is
installed. A two pound package will do extremely well and many commercial beekeepers buy nothing but two
pound packages of bees to restart dead-outs.
Task for Spring Management
● Assess losses of bees and damage to equipment. Be prepared to replace any bees that died, and replace
any frames destroyed by mice etc.
● Check for eggs, larva, and brood. A large number of eggs, larva, and brood is an indication that the
queen is doing a good job. If you have any doubts about the job a queen is doing, you should replace
her. Generally, a poor queen will not get better. However, before you make a quick decision, be sure
you check for disease that could have or be a cause of the problem. Order replacement queens early!

year management
● Review material that shows diseases and what they look like. Check the hive and bees for any sign of
disease or pest. American foulbrood shows up rather early in the spring in the new brood. Look for
signs of dead larvae and sunken cappings. Be prepared to isolate this hive if AFB is discovered and
protect other bees from robbing the spore ridden honey this hive may have. Set about to destroy the
bees and frames of comb. You are better off doing this than trying to treat with Terramycin. Many
states require the destruction of AFB hives and some allow the use of the chemical Terramycin. You
should know that once you begin treatment for AFB, you must continue that treatment and any
equipment sold that came into contact with the hive with AFB will need to be treated differently than
equipment from clean hives. In our opinion, the hobby beekeeper is far better off by killing the bees,
destroying the frames of comb, and cleaning up the wood or plastic hive parts that still remain usable.
This is one bad disease! It is spread easily. Often the beekeeper is responsible for it's spread. Some
strains of AFB are developing resistance to the chemical Terramycin thus making the disease harder to
control with medication.
● Clean up around the hives. During winter, debris falls from trees and clutters the bee yard. If the
grass took over around the bee hives the previous year, now is the time to develop a plan to prevent it
this year. Many beekeepers use various types of covering around their hives. Old carpet works well as
does black plastic. Other beekeepers spray weed killer around the bee yard to kill weeds and
maintains the bee yard. It is important to have a comfortable working space around each hive.
● If you neglected your bees in the fall of the year, you will be faced with much more work in the spring.
Dead hive bodies need to be picked up and cleaned. Feeding is important in the spring of year. Many
bees make it through the winter only to die of starvation in the spring. Check on honey stores. Make
sure the bees have food available and if not, feed them.
Management details
It is important to have young vigorous queen bees. The queen is the heart of the hive. While all the other
bees in the hive are temporary (live such short lives) the queen can live five years or more. As she gets older, she
looses some of the egg laying capacity she had as a young queen. Any old queens should be replaced. How old
do you ask? This is a difficult question. I would think that a queen two years old should be replaced.
Beekeepers can keep track through good record keeping when queens are introduced to hives. Just because a
queen has never been replaced doesn't mean the queen is old. The hive may have a new queen from
supercedure or the hive may have swarmed the previous year and now has a queen that is less than a year old.
One way to know the age of your queen or whether you have a new queen in a hive is to mark the queens you
introduce with a color representing the year of birth. The color scale is as follows with the number
representing the year ending in:
Marking colors
● 0 or 5 Blue
● 1 and 6 White
● 2 and 7 Yellow
● 3 and 8 Red
● 4 and 9 Green
A good queen produces a lot of bees and a lot of bee produce a large honey crop. It is said that a beekeeper with
only 10 hives can produce a ton of honey. This can only be accomplished with outstanding queens and good
plant forage for the worker bees. Poorer queens produce far less eggs thus fewer bees and fewer bees means
fewer bees available to forage for nectar. The difference in the amount of honey gathered will pay dividends
to the beekeeper with very good queens. Good queens do not cost a lot, poor queens are the most expensive
because the beekeeper often puts far more energy into keeping a weak hive than a strong one.

year management
So spring management begins with identifying the quality of your queen or queens if you have more than one
hive. Your success begins with the decision to keep or replace the queen in the colony. If you make this
decision on cost alone, then you harvest the results of your decision. This is what goes into beekeeping style --
making decisions. You are sure to receive advice from a number of beekeepers and you may make decision
based on what they tell you but after a few years, you will decide that advice is free and decisions are priceless.
Swarm control
This is a topic we can discuss in spring

management. Swarms can occur at any time during
the bee season. However, the first swarm will likely
happen sometime early in the spring just as leaves
are beginning to appear on trees. Note the swarm
to the left. There are no leaves on trees in this
picture. Some pine needles is all that can be seen.
This means the beekeeper must know the condition of his/her hives early enough
to head off swarming of the hive or use the swarming impulse in the
management of his/her hives as discussed below in making increases. Later in
the year, bees may hang on the front of the hive in large numbers. It could be
because the bees are overheated, you just used a fume board to harvest honey, or
they are crowded and most likely will swarm. You will need to know what is
going on if you want to manage your hive of bees. Left unmanaged and they will
do what bees do!
I maintain that it is almost impossible to stop swarming. Bee intent on swarming

usually do. A beekeeper can keep it at a minimum, however.
Methods:
● Many bee books recommend clipping a queens wings so

she can not fly away with a swarm. Our experience is the
queen drops to the ground and is lost to the swarm of
bees. The swarm returns to the hive -- some of the bees
will gather on the ground with the queen. Once the
virgin queens emerge from their cells, one of these virgin
queens will take off with the swarm following behind.
Some swarms have been found to have a dozen or more
virgin queen in them.
● Cutting queen cells? What if you miss one? We have
found it very hard to check for all queen cells. It is labor
intensive and not all that productive.
● Trapping a queen in a queen/drone trap -- Again these
traps are a waste of money. Young virgin queens will
still get through the wire that a larger queen can not and
again off goes the bees with the swarm impulse.
● Opening up a brood chamber by selecting capped brood
frames and replacing them with comb which has already
been drawn out or with new foundation. The capped
brood frames are usually moved to a honey super above a
queen excluder for the person not wanting to make
increases and they can be used to make increases as
described below. This is the only effective method that I

year management
have used.
Increasing number of hives
● Increasing the number of hives is an on going process. Each year, new hives must be
started to replace hives that die out. A beekeeper should always have more than one
hive. Some beekeeper say a person should have at least three hives. Should one hive
die out, the beekeeper can always make increases from the hive/hives that survive. We
are going to discuss the methods used to increase the number of hive.
❍ Replace with package bees or nuc's
■ This is the same process the new beekeeper usually starts with. Purchase
packages early and have equipment ready when the packages arrive.
The beekeeper starts the new year with a new queen and new bees with
the prospect of getting a honey crop. Some beekeepers (commercial) kill
all the bees in the fall of the year, harvest all the honey, and buy
packages to put back into their hive equipment in the spring. The 60 to
90 pounds of honey the bees would have used over winter is sold and a
profit made between the cost of the honey and the price to replace the
bees. Additional savings include: not have to pay labor to check hives in
the winter or make splits in the spring, not having to medicate hives, and
knowing exactly how many packages of bees they need and no fear of
winter loss.
❍ Buying bees
■ Some beekeepers purchase more bees to increase their numbers. This is
possible because bee hives are always for sale by someone. The bee
journals are filled with ads with bees for sale. The larger the number of
hives, the better the price for each individual hive. After Almonds are
pollinated in California, a number of migratory beekeepers will sell
double hives of bees for as little as $50.00 a hive in large quantities.
Beekeepers die and their bees become available -- sold by children or
widow who doesn't want to take care of bees. These can often be had at
a good price. Bee equipment is also sold in the same way. To be aware
of these offers, one would be wise to join local bee clubs and state
organizations to hear of them. Auctions of bee equipment are becoming
more popular ways to dispose of bees and equipment for beekeepers
getting out of the business. The number of commercial beekeepers is
declining year by year.
❍ Making splits
■ For the hobby beekeeper
■ If one has a strong hive of bees, it can be divided into two parts
and a new queen added to the part without a queen. This is

done in the spring of the year. Too often new beekeepers try to
make splits too late in the season and thus weaken both new hives
so that neither on survives the winter. Making a split is rather
easy. The beekeeper will need a bottom board, hive body and
frames, inner cover and top cover for the new hive. The process
is to move 1/2 of the brood, plenty of bees and the queen into the
new hive, provide enough honey stores for the new hive to
survive, and feed both new hives. The hive on the original stand
is left in place and a new queen is introduced to the now
queenless bees. Many of the bees taken with the other new hive
will return to this hive so if it starts out being a little weaker than

year management
the new hive made up with the old queen, don't be alarmed
because many of the bees with the old queen will return to the old
location.
■ Another method involves separating a hive into two hives - one
on the other. This method requires a queen excluder and a deep

hive body with 9 or 10 frames. The beekeeper can pull frames of
brood from the bottom box, replace them with new comb, shake
all the bees off the frames onto the landing board in front of the
hive and place these frames of brood above the queen excluder.
Wonders of wonders happens. No need to look for the queen.
She will go back into the bottom super without any brood and
begin laying. Many of the younger worker bees will move up
into the super with the brood and care for it. Once you have
determined that the queen in the hive body below is laying well,
the upper box can be moved and sit on a new bottom board in a
new location. The beekeeper will only need to introduce a new
queen to this new hive of bees. several advantage of this method
is the amount of work required to find the queen is no longer
required and the likely-hood that the brood will not be chilled is
prevented with all the bees remaining in the old hive stand until
the actual split is made. If you use the first method, bees will
stay with the old queen but in some cases not enough to cover the
brood and thus, when the temperatures fall, not enough bees are
present to keep the brood warm and chilled brood -- brood that
get cold will die.
■ For the commercial beekeeper
■ Commercial beekeepers make splits in many different way.
■ Some may move colonies of bees to the warmer regions of
the U.S. after the northern honey crop is harvested.

These colonies build up rapidly and the beekeeper
makes up splits, adds new queens or queen cells and gets
the bees ready for the trip to pollination or honey crop in
the north. Often the commercial beekeeper will not take
all his/her hives South. These hives are harvested for all
their honey and the bees either gassed or allowed to
starve out. Some of these beekeepers offer the bees in
their Northern hives to other beekeepers for a small fee --
Bees only, no equipment. They figure that for each hive
taken South, they can return with two or three new hives
(singles). These hives are given additional brood
chambers after they are moved and the new yearly cycle
begins all over again. Many commercial beekeepers will
have bees in the states of Florida, Georgia, Mississippi,
and Texas during the winter and begin to move them in
many cases to California for Almond pollination in
January or some will wait until April to move bees into
Wisconsin and the Dakotas. Others, are commercial
pollinators and will move hives of bees North as the
season progress and the demand for pollination services
arrive.
■ Some will winter over in the north and the commercial
beekeeper will figure on making up about 20% loss with

new splits and equalizing all colonies of bees. A loss of up
to 50% of all the bees the commercial beekeeper has can

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be made up as long as the beekeeper is not doing spring

pollination. In many cases, all the queens are replaced
in all the hives. An equalized hive is one in which frames
of brood and honey have been either added or taken
away to make all colonies in the bee yard equal. An
equalized hive of bees with only three frames of brood,
plenty of bees and a new queen will produce 100 or more
pounds of honey by years end. This is the goal of the
beekeeper. Additional income is produced by putting
these bees on later crops such as pickles and pumpkins
for pollination at a price of $45.00 to $50.00 per hive.
Making a split
One of the method to make a split discussed here is for the beekeeper who has one or two hives of bees. We are
going to suggest that the method used can be adjusted to fit the beekeepers need. Splits should be made up of
only strong healthy hives! We will also show the beekeeper with 5 or more hives how increases can be made
rapidly.
Key points:
● To increase the number of hives you own, you will need to build or purchase equipment the new bees are
going to occupy.
● You will need to order the queens you will need early -- At least by early February.
● If you are going to make up splits to replace dead-out, you will need to clean up the dead-out hive and
hive parts before the splits need to be made up.
One or two hive method
We rather like the system of making increases on the original hive. It is very easy to do and requires less
management skill. You should have made sure the hive is healthy and strong enough to split. This is a two
step operation. The first step is to evaluate the number of brood frames that are in the hive. Our assumption is
that you are working with a two deep brood chamber.
● First Step (Time the split to when your new queen is to arrive-- start the process below three or four
days before her scheduled arrival date)
Remove the top cover and inner cover and smoke the hive lightly. The top cover should be laid
on the ground behind the hive with the rim side up. Remove the 1st outside frame. Check it for
honey stores. It most likely will have a good amount of honey but no brood. Set this frame
aside. Select the second frame. Check it in the same manner and set it aside if no brood is on
the frame. As you work toward the center of the brood nest you will begin to find frames with
brood. Each succeeding frame in the brood nest will have a greater amount of brood on each
frame. If you should by chance see the queen, remove the frame she is on and set it at the front
entrance of the hive. This frame will be placed in the bottom box when you are ready to put
combs into it. Do not remove other frames of brood from this box but slide the frames into the
vacant area that was occupied by the frames removed from the hive. As you reach the other
frames toward the outside of the box the brood should again end and you will have only frames
with honey and pollen. Remove these frames as you did the first two or so.
Now remove this top super with brood frames and place it on the rim of the top cover to avoid

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crushing any bees. We will begin the bottom brood box in the same manner as we did the upper
box. We will start with the first frame nearest to us and remove it. Examine it for honey and
brood. This frame can be set aside. Remove the next frame and check for brood. As soon as
you come to frames with brood, remove them and place them in the box on the hive cover.
Once all the brood has been removed from the bottom hive box, replace all frames you have
removed with the frames you set aside but place the frame with the queen if you were lucky
enough to find her in the center of this bottom chamber.
If at this point we do not know exactly where the queen is you will need to pull each frame of
brood from the upper brood box, check each one and then carefully shake all the bees on the
frame off so they land in front of the landing board of the hive. These bees will begin to make
their way back into the hive. Follow this up with the next frame and the next. If you should
then find the queen in this box, you can carefully lift her from the frame and set her gently down
on a top bar of a frame in the bottom box. She will disappear quickly down into the box.
We next must put a queen excluder over the bottom hive. It will keep the queen in the bottom
brood box where we want her. We then set the brood box with the many frames of brood we
could find above the queen excluder. If there are not many bees on the brood, don't worry.
They will quickly pass through the queen excluder and again cover the brood and continue
feeding larva and keeping the brood warm. The old queen will begin laying eggs in the brood
chamber below and many bees will stay there to care for her and the new brood she produces.
Replace the inner cover and the top cover. Get a cup of coffee and relax. Be sure you have your
new queen or have ordered one. Step one is done!
● Second Step ( You must have your queen available to put into the new hive)
Prepare the new location for your new hive. Set up blocks --solid and level-- on which to put
the bottom board. Place the bottom board on these blocks and make sure the bottom board
slopes a little to the front for any rain water to drain out of the hive. Your job is to next go to
the hive from which you have moved most of the brood up into the second hive chamber. Check
the frames again for any evidence of eggs. Remember that honey bee eggs hatch in three day. If
four days have gone by and you find eggs in this brood chamber, a queen is present and you
must find her before going on. If the job was completed in step one and the queen was in the
bottom box, we can proceed with making the split. Sometimes the bees will begin new queen
cells on the face of the comb in the upper chamber and still have a queen below. If you find any
evidence of queen cells in this upper body, check the brood chamber below just to make sure you
can find some eggs. You can do several things if you find queen cells -- cut them all down. Cut
them down means to destroy the cells you find. You could move one frame that has the most
cells on it down into the lower brood chamber. There the bees will cut down the queen cells
because they are queen-right. But it does provide some insurance that a queen cells is still
available for a short time if you should need one.
If you cut all the queen cells and then find no eggs in the bottom hive body, the queen may have
been killed during the manipulation of the hive during step one. If so, you can order a new
queen for it -- shipped immediately -- or you can let the bees raise a new queen from the queen
cells you pulled from the upper hive body. If a queen cell is capped over, a new queen will be
emerging within another eight days.
So, you have checked everything and found that the queen is laying a nice pattern under the
queen excluder, the bees in the upper super are taking care of all the brood and have no queen
cells, your bottom board is in place and your new queen is ready for introduction. Pick up this

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second hive body and carry it to the bottom board and place it gently down. This hive will have
a number of young bees but a few of the older bees will return to the original hive location.
Don't worry about this.
You will now introduce the new queen to the new split hive. Queens arrive in generally three
types of queen cages (plastic, wood with three holes and wood with only one hole). Remove
anything blocking the access hole to expose the queen candy to the queen such as a cork or
paper or cup. The bees will eat the candy from the tube or hole in the cage to release the new
queen. We do not like to recommend speeding up this job by poking a hole in the candy. You
will find some reference to removing worker bees in the queen cage but we have successfully
introduced many queens without removing any worker bees and the bees in the new hive
accepted the new queen readily. Place the queen cage where you find the bees. If you place her
in the front entrance on the bottom board, she may die from exposure to cold or the bees may
just ignore her and continue trying to build queen cells from older larvae. Placement is
important. All queen cells present must be cut or the bees will surely kill the new queen in
preference to their own.
Place the new inner cover and top cover on your new hive. You now have two colonies of bees
from one. Check both hives in several day to make sure everything seems to be okay. The
new hive will require that you check the queen cage to make sure the new queen has been
release. If she has, good. If she hasn't, open up the cage by removing the sugar candy from the
tube or poking a large enough hole in the block of sugar in the three hole cage for the queen to
get out. Be careful in this operation, not to injure the queen by poking her as well as the candy.
Close the hive and wait another week before going back. In that weeks time you should see that
both queens have been busy at work laying eggs. The reason we go back is to verify that
everything is going according to plan. If not, then corrections can be made before it is too late to
save one of the hives. Usually this failure would be with the queen and replacing a queen in the
hive is just a matter of ordering another queen and going thru the steps above. Hopefully, you
will not have to do that, but I tell beekeepers all the time that when it does happen, you will learn
more about beekeeping from the mistakes and failures than you will with anything else. This
entire process if done for the first time is a learning experience. The new beekeeper uses
experience such as this to grow and develop beekeeping savvy.
Growing Hives
This is a very interesting subject. How do beekeepers who have 30, 40, 50 or more hives get
them?
● The Miller plan for increase.
Getting started is the hard part. Keeping what you have is the hardest part. Yet, if you have 10
colonies of bees it becomes much easier to increase the number of hives one has. Dr. C. C.
Miller in his great book Fifty years among the bees describes making increases. He says, " You
cannot make something out of nothing, and if increase is to be made you may as well devote a
certain number of colonies to that business." You can not in other words, make increases from
honey production hives and still expect a good honey crop. It is not the number of hives one
owns but the number of productive honey hives one owns that really counts. Weak hives do not
gather a good honey crop. Put another way, a person could start 10 hives from one hive. But
the 11 hives created would be very weak hives and most likely never survive the winter season
for lack of bees and honey resources. In Miller's beekeeping methods, we find a way to make

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increases without disrupting the management of bees for a profitable honey crop. Miller talks
about setting hives aside for just making increases. In this he was able to increase 9 colonies in
1899 to 56 and the bees built up their own foundation. The nine hives were considered weak
and it was not until June 12 that he was able to make any increases from them. During the time
between early spring and June all effort was made to make the surviving hives strong as
possible. The story of his increases is very interesting and worth the cost of what you might pay
for this book alone. Briefly, he used two hives with his best queen to make the increases.
This was done by taking the strongest hive and placing it in another location where a hive was
located and that hive was moved to a new location. On the old stand he placed a hive body with
new foundation. He moved no brood or bees except the queen from the strong colony into this
hive. He now has two hives of bees on these two stands. One has the old queen and new
foundation and the field force. The moved hive has no queen but has the field force of the
second hive that was moved. This second hive that was moved will loose its field force but will
recover and recuperate in short time.
No new queens were purchased. The hive with the best queen was now queenless. The bees
naturally built queen cells and these new queens would be the daughters of the best queen in the
yard. His plan was to visit the yard every 9 days and the following practices were put into
place. He says," that these two hive were now the principal actors throughout the season. The
other colonies in the apiary merely serving a feeders from which to draw brood from time to
time." He added four frames of brood to the hive with the old queen in an upper brood box.
As he indicated, it would not be long for the bees and queen to move up into this upper chamber.
The box without the queen was now queenless and the bees set out to build a number of queen
cells as stated above. At the end of the 9 days, Miller took the brood with queen cells and
formed two nuclei. He then took the upper story from the hive with the good queen and all the
brood and placed this on the hive from which he had just taken the queen cells and brood. He
then removed the laying queen from this box and returned her to the original hive and again
added frames of brood. The entire process was repeated over an over until by fall, he had
increased the original 9 to the 56. All new hives had mated queens raised from the original best
queen. As he indicated, none of the assisting colonies were overdrawn and they got stronger.
This is a good plan.
● The A.J. Cook plan for increase
This plan is excellent as well. Cook's plan allowed for the increase of hives when
needed and wanted, saved time, and reduced swarming. His plan was to create
a new hive from six other hives. By taking one frame of brood and bees from
each of six hives he was not reducing the bee population by much and by
replacing the removed comb with a new frame-- he provided more growing
space for the hive that just gave up one comb of bees and brood. These 6 frames
of bees and brood that was all capped were placed into a hive body with a new
queen. In this fashion, one can build a new colony every day or so, if enough
hives are available. This is a good swarm management technique.
The beekeeper can revisit colonies to pull frames just about every week. Each
hive is giving up just one frame of brood on each visit. The number of colonies
that can be built up this way is staggering. It uses fertile mated queens rather
than developing queens from queen cells as in the Miller method. Cook found
that this method allowed the increase hives to build up very quickly and he
counted on each them to produce a honey crop. Just imagine what you could do

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with 12 colonies of strong bees at the start of the bee season. 12 become 14
almost immediately. In one week 14 become 16 and in two weeks the 14 become
18. Once 18 hive are established, three new hives can be created each week until
one has 24 hives and then four new hives can be established each week. In the
meantime, the hive that already exist are strong and have good young queens.
They will have large working forces to gather a nectar/honey crop.
Knowing when to quit is the important thing. Beekeepers will usually build up
the number of hives they own until they can no longer manage them properly or
the wife gives the beekeeper a choice: the bees or me!
You can adapt any of these methods to your beekeeping style. The key to success
is to grow your hives slowly so no individual hive is harmed by your beekeeping
practices. What good are 100 hives of bees that produce no honey or are unable
to produce enough honey for their own survival. It could be very expensive to
feed them.
Preparing for the honey/nectar flow
The beekeeper should begin to add supers when a hive of bees is strong enough
to go up into the supers to work. Some beekeepers use a method such as
"putting on supers when the dandelion begins to bloom". If that works for you,
by all means adopt that as a sign post to put supers on your hives. This is
swarm season for honey bees and you need to provide plenty of room for the
nectar/honey they gather and produce. We highly recommend a weekly check
on hives of bees during this period of time. If the honey supers are being work
(bees are up in them and honey is being stored), it is time to add another super.
Summer Management
The goal of spring management was to get the bees to this point in very strong (large
populations of worker bees) condition. The goal of summer management is to maintain the
strength of colonies. Strong hives gather surplus honey. Weak hive do well just to store enough
for their own use during winter.
It gets harder and harder to examine a colony at this time of year for several reasons:
● If you are adding honey supers, you will need to take them off the hive to examine the
brood chamber for diseases and queen condition. As the season progress, the bees begin
to fill these honey supers and lifting heavy honey supers adds to the difficulty.
● We advise a good examination of the bee brood nest at least once during the summer.
American foulbrood is often discovered when the beekeeper is taking off honey. It
should have been detected much earlier than that. For the beekeeper, it means the
difference in having a number of contaminated honey supers or none at all. We the level
of mite population varying from hive to hive, it is important to know what this
population is so decision can be made such as take honey supers off the hive in order to
use chemical treatment. Is saving the hive more important than getting a honey crop?
● The beekeeper must work with large populations of honey bees. The hive population

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should be at or near its peak.
A good strong hive of bees will reward the beekeeper with well over 100 pounds of honey per
hive per year providing the bees are in a honey producing area. Some areas are so lush in nectar
plants that hives of honey bees have been known to produce well over 400 pounds of honey in a
single year.
Generally speaking, the beekeeper will remove his/her honey crop in late summer. Some
beekeepers will wait until cold weather sets in to harvest honey but it is best to harvest honey
while honey will still flow well from the wax comb when extracted. Cold honey is hard to get
out of comb under any condition. Some honeys granulate (become solid sugar) and it is
necessary to extract the honey before that occurs. After it occurs, granulated honey in the comb
is very hard to process and is best used for bee feed.
Task during summer management include:
● Keeping the bee yard clear of weeds

● Checking for swarming conditions
● Adding supers for a honey crop
● Looking for signs of pest and disease (No chemicals should be placed in any bee hive
gathering a honey crop!)
● Removal of ripe honey
Cutting weeds around bee hives makes working them

so much easier. Tidy beeyards also say something
about the pride the beekeeper takes in his/her bees.
This is a constant job during the summer season.
This picture shows three hive with a total of 10 honey
supers. They may require more before the season is
over.
If you see queen cells in your hives like this, the bees
are preparing to swarm in a few days. Often the
swarm is accompanied by the old queen in the hive. If
she is prevented from doing so, then one of the young
virgin queens will leave with the swarm. The most
likely cause of swarming is the crowded condition of
the brood chamber. Some bees are more inclined to
swarm than other bees.

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Once skunks discover a hive of bees, they will visit

night after night. A hive being attacked night after
night by skunks will become very aggressive at any
movement around the hive. Summer management
includes watching for signs of their visit. Check hive
entrances for such things as chalk mummies laying on
the landing board (bee drag these out of comb and try
to clean debris out of the hive), any activity which is
not considered normal (robbing for instance), and the
number of bees flying to and from the hive entrance.
Are the bees carrying pollen? Are they hanging out
the entrance? Do they seem to be unnecessary
aggressive? These are signs you will add to your bag
of tricks in handling bees.
Hive equipment should be built by now and ready to

put on the hives. This is usually a fall/winter project
but some beekeepers wait until they just have to build
a super to put on a hive of bees. Always have plenty
of honey supers for your hive of bees. Many hives of
bees can fill three, four, and five of these supers.
Often during a really intense honey flow, the bees will
fill a shallow super in two days -- it is remarkable how
much honey a strong hive of bees can store away in
such a short time.
Honey is ready to remove from a hive of bees when

2/3 of the cells are capped over. It is better to wait
until 100 % are capped if it is early in the season.
Later in the season when the bees have slowed down
because nectar sources have dried up/quit blooming,
it is okay to remove a super of honey which is only 2/3
capped over. The problem with uncapped honey is
the fact that it contains much moisture and this
uncapped honey quickly ferment and can spoil a
batch of honey. There are process for drying honey
with a high moisture content but most hobbiest would
best leave the uncapped honey on the hive for winter
stores.
Late Summer and Fall management
The first task to discuss is removing the honey crop. Hopefully, the bees reached a very strong
population peak and the weather cooperated with the bees. Bees gather good amounts of
nectar/honey during dry, hot days. They do little on rainy days. Depending on the source of the
nectar, the honey harvested will reflect that source. It will seldom be all clover, or all what-ever-
plant you think it came from. You could call it wildflower honey and be very accurate in the
label. Under the topic Honey and Pollen, we went into some detail about pollen varieties in

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honey. That is the way to determine the source of a particular honey.
As a general rule, spring honey is lighter than late summer honey. The color of honey will vary
considerably from almost water white (Black Locust honey) to almost black (Buckwheat
honey). The demand for light honey is much higher than for dark honey and thus the price
paid for light honey is usually higher than that paid for dark honey.
Hobby beekeepers often produce so much honey that it becomes a major problem of how to get
rid of it. A friend of mine with 12 hives of bees sells his own honey. But in certain years, he
produces far more than he can sell from his home. In this case, he takes the excess honey in five
gallon buckets to a near-by honey processor. This past year he earned over$600.00 for this
excess honey. He sells well over 1500 pounds of honey each year from his home. Other
beekeepers sit up stands at farmer markets to sell what honey they have and others just give it
away as gifts to family and friends.
Removing the crop
Getting bees out of a super of honey is not as easy as it would seem. The
beekeeper can not expect to take the honey super off and move it to the garage
and expect all the bees to leave and go back to their hive. What happens in a
case like that is other bees discover the tasty treat you are offering them and visit
to get what they can from your honey crop. This is called robbing. Once started,
you will have a swarm of bees in your garage. This is not good! You could put
the garage door down but the trapped bee will fly toward any window and
continue flying about the garage looking for a way out. Others will be trying just
as hard to find a way in and this situation will last for quite a while until the bees
outside decide the honey treat is no longer available.
The proper handling of honey supers is critical for you to enjoy beekeeping.
First; however, I would like to get to the subject of taking or stealing the honey
from the bees. I really don't think of it as stealing! The bees are working for
me and the honey I remove from the hive is payment back to me for the effort I
have put into hive equipment, time, and other expenses. Some very naive
people think that because the bees do all the work of gathering up the nectar, I
should give it to them for nothing! Nothing could be further from the truth.
Beekeepers work hard for the little they receive from honey sales.
A beekeeper removes honey from a hive of bees during the warmest part of the
day. There are several methods to go about this:
● Bees can be brushed off the frames and the frames then taken to a place
where they will be secure from other bees. Some beekeepers build
special frame carrying boxes to move frames from the hive to the house.
Others, like myself, carry the entire box to the place where extraction
will take place. Brushing bees is not the best way to get the bees off the
comb and out of the honey super. Brushing stirs up the bees and the
bees can get nasty.
● Bees can be driven out of honey supers with what are called "fume
boards." A fume board can be made at home easily. A rim of wood that
fits the top rim of the hive exactly is needed. On this rim, the beekeeper
can place a heavy material such as burlap and then nail either a sheet of

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tin or plywood painted black cut to fit onto the rim and in the process,
fastening the material in place. Once the fume board is made, the
beekeeper will sprinkle a little "Bee Go" or "Honey Robber" on the
cloth and place the fume board on the top super. Just a few drops are
needed. (It works fine in warm weather, not very well when it is cold)
Bees react to the Butyric acid by leaving the supers for better air below
and if left on too long, this stuff will drive bees right out the front
entrance. Bees subjected to a fume board are for the most part docile.
They just want to get away from the stuff. You need to wear gloves when
handling it and keep it away from children. Acid boards/cloths are easy
to use. If you get the stuff on your clothing, people will try to avoid you
as well.
● Bees can be removed from a honey super by using a blower. Special
blowers are made just for bees but a beekeeper with a leave blower can
use it with just a few changes. If using a leaf blower, the blower
extension needs to be removed. The nozzle is then held up to a honey
super which has been removed from a hive. The super can be set on the
ground and the bees blown back toward their hive. Bees that have been
subjected to this treatment are surprising docile. Many bees blown from
a honey super will gather on the ground and crawl slowly back to their
hive. Other become air borne and fly back to the hive. Often not all
bees are removed from a super and the beekeeper will have to tolerate
that or finish the job by brushing the remaining bees off the face of the
comb before taking the honey super to the extracting room.
Comments:
Be sure to check with your family before beginning the process of

removing bees from honey supers. Bees may be agitated and
attack anyone -- neighbors included. It is best to remove honey
when neighbor and others are not going to be in their yards.
Taking a honey super into the living quarters of you home may
not be a good idea as well because there will always be
hitchhikers that will ride along on the face of the comb on in the
honey super box. These bees will then fly toward light to
escape. They sometimes leave droppings (bee do-do) and this
may cause your spouse to reconsider letting you use the kitchen.
Honey leaks from cells that are broken apart in removing supers
from the hive. Tracking honey in on the floor is a problem you
had better be aware of. If your spouse is extremely sensitive to
messes, take your extracting operation some place where you can
operate without causing a fuss. For the beekeeper who does not
want to extract the honey immediately, there is a way to handle
honey supers in small numbers that will take care of most of the
problems discussed above. Honey supers can be placed in
plastic bags (garbage size -- leaf bag size). Bees that remain in
the bag will die if the bag is exposed to sunlight to heat up the
interior of the bag. Warning, do not leave the bag with the honey
super in the sun for a very long period or you may have melted
wax and honey. Second, other honey bees that would be
expected to rob the honey in the super can not get to it and do
not become robbing pest. Another warning -- putting the honey

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super in a black plastic bag, then placing that bag in the

basement could cause problems unless the honey is extracted
shortly afterwards. Two problems have been encountered by
beekeepers putting honey in basements. 1) In a warm dark
atmosphere wax moths flourish. You may be left with a sticky
gooey mess. 2) In a moist basement, the honey will absorb
moisture. Moisture above 18.6% will cause the honey to
ferment. Fermented honey is sour to the taste and no one will
want to eat it. Your only recourse is to feed it back to the bees.
● The extracting process.
Extractors are usually a major investment in bee equipment after

the hive and bees. The removal of honey from the honey comb
cells requires centrifugal force. A honey extractor can be built at
home from a large garbage can. Some of the bee magazines
have articles from time to time on plans for a home made
extractor. For several hundred dollars you can purchase a new
extractor (hand operated) that will handle two or three frames at
a time. This is adequate for a person with less than 10 hives or
you may be lucky enough to have an energetic young person
around that likes to spin frames loaded with honey. Extractors
(Used) come up for sale often on the various auction sites such as
Ebay. The problem -- shipping is very expensive for such a large
item.
The person who plans to manage between 10 and 50 hives would

do well to purchase a 20 or 32 frame extractor. These motor
operated extractors may be a bit expensive for you but a good
extractor will more than pay for itself over time and has a good
resale value. They are always in demand at bee meetings and
once the word get out an extractor is available, it is sold in quick
order.
Also need to extract honey is an uncapping knife (electric). A

tank or container for the cappings to drop into is required as
well. Again, if you only have several hives this container can be a
five gallon container -- food grade. On the other hand, the
beekeeper with 50 hives of bees will need a container with a
much larger capacity to handle the cappings that will be
produced. Honey cappings make some of the finest wax
available. Do not throw it away. The capping can be left to
drip for a period of time and then pressed to remove as much
honey as possible. The cappings (wax) left are then heated to
above 150 °. As the wax melts it will form at the top of the
container and can be recovered as a nice bright yellow block of
wax when cooled.
Our advice is to select several bee supply catalogs and check out
the equipment available that will fit your needs. Spending just a
little more for an extractor with a larger capacity than you need
is in my opinion a wise choice. Many beekeepers end up with an

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extractor too small for their operation. They then need to make
another investment to get a larger extractor.
The comments here are not intended for the person wanting to
become a commercial honey producer. A single extractor for
that person may run more than $5,000.00 and several would be
needed as well as honey pumps, storage tanks (large tanks
holding 500 or more gallons of honey), automatic uncappers, wax
spinners, and so much more!
We are going to share a few photos of a small commercial

operation. These were taken at the White Star Honey Farms.
They own over 2,000 colonies of bees, have four trucks, two skid
loaders, and a multitude of buildings and equipment.

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These pictures give you just a little idea of the work

commercial beekeepers are involved in: moving of hives to
pollination, the storage of full honey supers , the extracting
machinery, and how dry and fine the wax cappings are when
they are spun dry. If you are considering beekeeping as a career,
visit a commercial beekeeper before jumping into this
profession. As Billy Engle once told me, "Many people get into
beekeeping but it is like jumping out of an airplane with a
parachute. They think everything is okay until they look down
and see an anvil tied to their ankle." In order to make $20,000
dollars a year with 2000 hives of bees, a beekeeper needs to make
at least $10.00 per hive after all after expenses. Expenses for an
operation like White Star includes such things as labor, (one full
time person and three part time people); insurance for trucks,
equipment, and buildings, license fees, usually a tanker load of
corn syrup a year, repair cost, new equipment and replacement
equipment, road usage fees and gasoline, and a multitude of
other expenses that must be taken care of. Mr. Grant who owns
this operation thinks that when the final figures are in for the bee
year, he makes just as much money as a cab driver. However, he
is his own boss.
The process:
● Be prepared:
❍ Select area where extracting is to be done.
❍ Have all equipment ready
■ Honey uncapping knife or scraper
■ A firm support for supporting the frame while uncapping
■ Extractor
■ Cappings catcher/melter
■ wash mop
■ container to put honey in for storage
■ Jars for bottling up the honey
Uncapping
Capped frames of honey are removed from the honey super. Because conditions
and equipment will vary from beekeeper to beekeeper, we are going to keep this
very simple. The frame with honey is set on the support over the cappings
catcher (this could be a five gallon bucket or larger). Anything that will come
into contact with the honey must be absolutely clean and disinfected. All
equipment should be stainless steel or plastic. Galvanized metal was often put
together and soldered with lead to join the parts together. The lead is not good
for humans and can be detected in the honey in small amounts.

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This is a clear plastic uncapping tub which sells for a

little over $80.00. It is large enough for the person with
several hives of bees. Something like this is available
from all equipment suppliers of bee equipment. You
can build your own uncapping container for very little.
You will need a container (clean) large enough to hold
several gallons of wax and honey. Many stores handle large plastic buckets or
waste containers which could be converted to your use. It is possible to purchase
a gate and install it in the container without much trouble. You will need a
support for the frame to rest on over the container. It can be a very clean 1" x
2" board or larger.
It helps to drive a large nail in the center of the

board to serve as a pivot for rotating the frame.
The frame can be easily swiveled from one side to
the other side in the uncapping process. This
board is placed over the cappings catcher as
shown in the picture to the left and is best
fastened in some way to the cappings catcher.
With a hot uncapping knife, the beekeeper will
shave the cappings covering the honey from the honey comb. Normally, the
knife can be used as in this picture. The blade of the knife is supported by the
top bar and the bottom bar and all wax cappings extending beyond either is
easily removed with either an upward or downward motion. Using 8 or 9 frames
in your honey supers will aid in the uncapping of frames because the bees will
extend the depth of the cells beyond the plane of the top and bottom bar.
The knife is held at a slight angle from the face of the comb as shown. As
cappings roll from the surface of the comb, they
drop downward into the cappings tank/catcher. A
large amount of honey will fall with the wax
cappings. Exposed honey will drip from the frame.
In a small extracting set up, it is best as shown to
have the extractor next to the uncapping operation.
The uncapped frames can then be moved directly to
the extractor. Some dripping honey is bound to occur as the frame is moved
from the uncapping bar to the extractor. Place paper or plastic on the floor to
aid in the later clean-up.
Separating honey from wax cappings
It is very difficult to remove all the honey from wax cappings. Many commercial
beekeepers use wax spinners or melting tanks to remove most of the honey. For
the hobbiest, several things can be done. One is to let the honey drain from the
wax cappings. Remember that cold honey will not drain and thus the wax
cappings will need to be kept in a warm place. After the cappings have drained
for several days, they can be melted down. This should be done outside -- wax is
very flammable and has resulted in many fires. The wax is added to water and
heated to 160 °. Once the cappings are melted (wax will float to the top of the
water), the container can be removed from the heat source. Allow the container
to cool over night. The next day, the wax will be a solid mass. The bottom of the
wax cake will contain a dark material of debris made up of a number of things

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such as cocoons from cells, pollen, propolis, and other materials that will float
just below the wax as it cools. This material contains some wax. It is called
Slumgum and it must be removed before the wax can be used in any wax
project. It can be saved for later melting operations (generally produces darker
wax) or if in small amounts can be thrown out. The remaining water can be
dumped.
The page below is from Beekeeping in the Midwest by Elbert R. Jaycox. It is circular 1125 published by the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This book is often seen for sale on Ebay along with its sister
publication Beekeeping in Illinois. Both books are filled with plans for building your own beekeeping
equipment.
The second method would be to use a

solar wax melter. This is nothing
more than a box, a plastic container
to hold wax and honey covered with a
glass lid. If you have small quantities
of wax cappings, you can place the
cappings in the plastic container, set
it in the box to hold the heat from the
sun, place the glass top on the box,
and place it in the sun for several
hours. The heat created in the box is
called the greenhouse effect (just like
your car sitting in a parking lot on a
hot summer day with the windows
up). The honey will separate from
the wax and when allowed to cool, the
wax will form a hard cake. The
honey can then be drained off.
Extracting
Extractors vary
considerably. A
common hobby
extractor takes from 2
to 4 frames at a time
and often require the
beekeeper to remove
the frames several times in the process of getting honey out of the comb. In such
an extractor (usually the less expensive ones), the beekeeper places the frames
into fixed holders (called baskets) within the extractor. The extractor is spun

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until the honey in the comb on one side of the frame is mostly extracted and then
the comb is removed from the extractor and turned, it is then placed back into
the holding basket and the other side of honey is removed. This is a slow and
time consuming process but if the beekeeper has only several hives and no more
than 10 to 20 honey supers to extract, it will do the job. These extractors are
operated with a hand crank to turn the reel inside the extractor holding the
baskets.
The beekeeper can also find something called a two, three, or four frame
reversible extractor. It again is found often and sold by the Walter T. Kelley Co,
Inc. and others. This is an extractor with hinged baskets. It eliminates the need
to remove the frames and turn them. The frames are placed into the baskets of
this type of extractor and spun as above. However, once one side of the comb is
empty of its honey load the baskets are moved (reversed) and the other side is
spun out. These extractor are usually powered by hand crank but can be
motorized.
The third kind of extractor the hobbiest will encounter could be the radial
extractor. This extractor has a reel in which frames are placed. The top bar is
placed close to the outside housing of the extractor and the bottom bar is close to
the shaft the reel rides on. Depending on the size of this type of extractor, nine
to 100 combs can be extracted at one time. It is more expensive than the types
described above but does the job of extracting in one complete operation (no
reversing of comb is required). Because of their size these extractors are
motorized but Kelly's offers a 9 frame size with a hand crank for less than
$500.00.- If you are going to manage more than 20 hives of bees, we highly
recommend a radial extractor for your extracting needs.
The Honey
Extracted honey straight from the extractor will

contain various things other than honey. Thus the
need to strain the honey from bee parts, wax
particles, and other debris that may come off the
frame. One can purchase a strainer such as shown or
use a filter cloth of various materials such as: nylon,
fine screen wire (plastic coated), cheese cloth, or
other porous material that will not contaminate the honey and yet allow the
honey to pass through while the wax etc. is collected and not allowed to pass.
Once the honey has been filtered (strained), it should be allowed to sit in the
storage container for several days to allow bubbles etc. to rise to the top of the
container. These can be skimmed off the honey and fed back to the bees. We
would recommend that the beekeeper purchase a simple bottling bucket to fill
jars from. The bucket is equipped with a scissor gate which allows honey to flow
from the bucket into the jar being filled without mess and fuss. The gate allows
honey flow to be cut off cleanly. Dipping honey from the storage container is
messy but many beekeepers do it that way. But after a few over filled jars and
the mess, you will decide that a good cut off gate is well worth the cost.
Gift packs for your honey

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Many beekeepers give honey to friends and family. To dress up

you product (honey) will make a better impression than just a jar
of honey. So often we see honey being sold at road side stands in
nothing more than a quart canning jar. Honey should be
appreciated. To the left is a gift package produced by Stoller
Honey Farms. It is a commercial product but you could do
something like this. If you are handy with woodworking tools a
neat container may help the presentation of your honey.
A simple crate designed to fit the size of jars you are using would be
nice or you might use a single block of wood and select several small
jars that will fit into holes drilled into the wood. Labels dress up
the product and these can be made on your computer using any
number of programs or you can purchase commercial labels. We
have covered the jars on the left with shrink wrap to prevent the
jars from falling out of the container. Dressed up with labels and a
brand burned into the wood would create an ideal gift for anyone.
Mann Lake at www.mannlakeltd.com offers a fine selection of
custom labels as well as a number of interesting jar shapes in various sizes.
Another approach is to have a honey tasting party. Select several varieties of

honey you have taken from your hives. This can be
early season honey, mid season honey, and late
honey. You might also find a beekeeper who would
be willing to join your efforts and you could then
select a greater variety. Nice jars well presented on
a turntable with wood honey dippers make an
inviting treat.
Selling honey
If you are going to sell honey, do it right. The public can be turned off with dirty honey, dirty jars, and sloppy
appearances. All honey should be sold in clear jars to show off the rich golden clear color of honey. All jars should
have labels that identify the honey, the amount of honey by weight, and the producers (that's you) name and
address. Make people want to buy honey! Presentation is the key to success as you can see in the packaging of a
product and the display table used by the beekeeper. Honey has a reputation. Don't do anything to spoil what
others have been doing to promote the wholesomeness of honey
This is John Jessels honey stand. You can click on this picture to make it larger and we suggest
that you do that. Selling excess honey is profitable. The difference in price between wholesale
and retail is considerable. As a hobby beekeeper, it may pay to bottle your own honey and sell
it as John does -- from the back of his car. He is mobile and can set up where ever a group of
people can be found. Factory parking lots at shift change, local flea markets or farmer markets,

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and even sporting events. Be sure to get permission before

setting up. The wholesale price of honey varies from time to
time. For the summer of 2002, the price of wholesale honey
skyrocketed to well over $1.40 per pound for almost any honey.
Honey prices are not stable and depending on the world market
and honey crops produced in Canada, Argentina, and China
find their way to the countries paying high prices for honey.
Thus, the summer of 2002, is unusual in honey prices. How far
honey prices drop on the wholesale level should not affect the hobby beekeeper sell his/her own
honey. Don't give your honey away! The production of one bottle of honey involves much
work and investment. Equipment to extract honey can be paid for with honey sales. Your
labor is worth something. Bottles and labels are worth something. The honey is worth
something! Charge a fair price for all that you put into this product. After all, you are selling
something that most people can not buy at the grocery store. Your honey product is local
honey --- produced locally. Your honey product is not commercially filtered, heated honey.
Your honey product is raw natural honey with all the rich ingredients that have not been
removed by heat or pressure filtration. Your honey is a perfect food. It is as natural a food as
the public can buy.
The full cycle -- Fall Management
Well here we are back to just about the point we started this discussion. The honey crop has been harvested,
the queen is reducing the number of eggs she lays each and every day, the nights are getting longer and colder,
and the first frost is not far away.
It is now time to spend some time in the beeyard taking care of the business of getting ready for winter.
Task to be completed before winter:
● All hives will need a final inspection for disease, evaluation of the queen, honey stores needed for winter,
and evaluation of over all bee populations.
❍ Each of these items calls for some judgment on the part of the beekeeper.
❍ Keeping a note book for observations will be quite helpful when reviewing your records next
spring.
● Beekeeping task include:
❍ Checking all hive equipment for holes, cracks, etc. These can be sealed and it may not be too
late to add a coat of paint to the hive.
❍ Check the supports for the bottom board -- see that the bottom board is level and slightly sloping
so water can drain from the back of the bottom board out the front entrance.
❍ Insert an entrance reducer to provide some additional protection to the bees from weather and
mice.
❍ Feed the bees if any doubt exist about the amount of honey stores on the hive. They will need at
least one deep box full of honey. Feeding at this time of year also allows you to used medication
for nosema disease.
❍ Medicate for Varroa mites and Tracheal mites and remove any strips in the hive before winter
sets in. One of the major reasons the strips do not work is that many beekeepers have misused
the strips and the result is mites have become resistant to the chemical in the strips.
❍ Check for wind breaks -- Bees survive well in a hive in cold weather. However, it is the moisture
and wind that will cause them the most trouble.

❍ Provide for good ventilation -- make sure the top vent in the inner cover is not obstructed and
the top cover is weighed down or fastened down -- in many case I have seen a good strong hive of
bees killed because a strong wind blew the top cover and inner cover off a hive and exposed the

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bees to rain, snow, and cold.

❍ Finally, clean up the bee yard so you do not have much work in the spring to do.
Final comments:
Beekeeping is as challenging today as it ever has been. Methods to keep bees over 100 years ago have
not changed much. However, our world is getting smaller and time seems to move faster. Travel
between Europe and the United States is now only a matter of hours. Travel to the far East is now
down to one day by air. Crops grown in the far reaches of the world are imported into the United
States and with them come unwanted guest. I am often asked how the mites, killer bees, small hive
beetle got into the U.S. They were transported into the New World (North and South America) either
accidentally or by plan. The movement between continents and regions will continue to present our
civilization with pest from other regions of the world.
We then need to worry about scientific advancement in genetic engineering. Already beekeepers are
beginning to deal with crops that are engineered to kill certain pest. Where this is going is anyone's
guess. What really counts is that we as beekeepers try our best to keep our bees alive and provide the
public with trust and confidence in the products of the bee hive.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents:
Back to Lessons Table of Contents:

Back to Select
Working with bees - Keeping clean

Dictionary
equipment
Picture Gallery Basic Management Techniques
The World of Bees Strong hive management
The Honey Bee Pest disease program
Honey and pollen Year Around Management
What you need to start--A beekeeper Good Neighbor Guidelines
Getting started -- equipment Building your own bee equipment
Getting bees The observation bee hive
A short History of Beekeeping Part I History of Beekeeping part II
History-Bee Books from 1700 to 1900 Some Giants in Beekeeping
Honey Plants
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/table_of_contents.htm [25/07/05 08:03:29 p.m.]

Classes
Welcome to ... Beekeeping classes on CD disk.

The purchase of this disk entitles you to use the site: www.beeclass.com. If you are not
registered, email: stahlmanapiaries@aol.com with information on where you purchased the disk and the id
number on the label. A ID and a password will be sent by email to you.
Study the
interesting
Classes for you to things about
bees and their
explore: ways.
Beginning Beekeeping 101:

This class in designed for the individual just Welcome to Beekeeping 101
beginning or the person who would like a refresher
class. The topics covered are basic to beekeeping.
Intermediate Beekeeping 201

This class is designed for the individual who has Welcome to Beekeeping 201
basic beekeeping knowledge
Advanced Beekeeping 301

This class is designed for the individual who would Welcome to Beekeeping 301
like to "master" the craft of beekeeping.
Beekeeping Made Easy By Dana Stahlman This

Class is new and provides additional information for Table of contents
the student. It includes a rather large number of
pictures in a photo gallery
Also included on this disk are the information

Ohio Information Sheets Fact sheet about
sheets from the Ohio Department of
beekeeping in the public domain.
Agriculture.
This CD has been prepared by Dana T. Stahlman for

your use. All material written by Dana Stahlman --
Classes 101, 201, and 301 are found on
www.beeclass.com and protected by copyright.
Material may be used in beekeeping classes if credit
is given to the author. The beekeeping Made Easy
lessons are new and copyrighted as well.
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http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/wpe28188.gif
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/wpe28188.gif [25/07/05 08:03:38 p.m.]

Home Page
Beekeeping 101, 201, and 301

and Beekeeping made easy
by Dana T. Stahlman
The following classes have been designed to help the beekeeper become more knowledgeable about the craft of
beekeeping. Mastery of any craft requires plenty of practice, the right equipment, and the knowledge of the
vocabulary and techniques used in the craft. The craft of beekeeping is better studied with an open hive of
bees. The material on this disk will help you analyze what you need to do and expand your knowledge about
honey bee behavior.
Select any of the following to use this cd disk:
Search for beekeeping topics Go to the Class Selection Page for lessons 101, 201 & 301
Go to Beekeeping Made Easy Bee Books 1700 to 1900 A review of the bee keeping literature of the 18th and
19th centuries
The contents of this disk include the 2004 updates as of June 1, 2004. If you have a previous
edition, you may want to download the files that are new in this edition.
We would appreciate any comments or questions you

have regarding this material. You may contact me
directly at: stahlmanapiaries@aol.com or write to me
at: Dana Stahlman, 3075 Mann Road, Blacklick, Ohio
43004.
Additional material is added to these classes on-line periodically. Updated versions for registered users are
available at a cost of $5.00 for shipping and handling.
All documents in this lesson series are copyrighted and owned by Dana Stahlman or the Ohio Department of
Agriculture. You have permission to use any of this material to teach beekeeping classes as long as credit is
given to Dana Stahlman for any pages used or to the Ohio Department of Agriculture for any of their pages
used. The use of any of the material on this disk on the internet or published documents is strictly forbidden
unless you have prior permission.
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search
Search Page Use this page to find topics quickly Home

Page All subjects listed alphabetically 116 separate items to take you quickly to a topic of your
choice.
A.J. Cook plan for Alley Method of raising

Aggressiveness in bees American foulbrood
increases queens
Bees Bee caste Bee Law Bee meetings
Bees on pallets Bee products Bee space Bottom supering
Building your own

Breeder queens Brood Brood diseases
equipment
Carniolan bees Caucasian bees Chalkbrood Chemical use
Clipping wings of Commercial

Comb honey Cut comb honey
queens Beekeeping
Diseases and pest Disease of Adult bees Drifting Drone
Drone laying worker Dividing Dwindling populations Eight frame hives
Escape board European foulbrood Extracting Extractor
Fall Management Feeding bees Fermentation Fire ants
Getting started in Good Neighbor

Foundation Fume board
beekeeping guidelines
Gift packs Grafting Granulation Handling queen cells
Harvesting honey Harvesting Queens Hauling package bees History of Beekeeping
Hive inspections Hive parts Honey honey crop
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search
Honey plants Intelligence of bees Production Basics Increases
Miller Method of Miller plan for

Italian bees Marking colors
raising queens increases
Moving bees Nectar New built comb Nosema
Package bee
Nuc's Observation hive Package bees
production
Placing-Locating
Parthenogensis Pest Pheromone
hives
Picture of queen Pollen Pollen facts Pollen grains
Process of nectar
Poisoning of bees Processing wax Propolis
converted to honey
Queen bank Queen cage candy Queen excluder Queenless cell builder
Queen Production
Queen Rearing Queenright cell builder Robbing
Schedule
Selling honey in small

Royal Jelly Skep Slumgum
quantities
Small scale wax Smith Method of

Small Hive Beetle Small scale extracting
recovery raising queens
Smoker and other

Splits Spring management Starvation
equipment
strong hive Summer management

Supercedure Swarms
management
Swarm control Top supering Tracheal Mites Uncapping
What we can see in

Varroa Mites Weather effect on bees honey with a XYZ Hall of fame
microscope

search

Table of Contents

Table of Contents:
Back Table of Contents:
Working with bees - Keeping clean

Dictionary
equipment
Picture Gallery Basic Management Techniques
The World of Bees strong hive management
The Honey Bee Pest disease program
Honey and pollen Year Around Management
What you need to start--A beekeeper Good Neighbor Guidelines
Getting started -- equipment Building your own bee equipment
Getting bees The observation bee hive
A short History of Beekeeping Part I History of Beekeeping part II
Honey Plants Some Giants in Beekeeping
http://www.beeclass.com/table_of_contents.htm [25/07/05 08:03:44 p.m.]

Introduction to Bkeeing 101
Welcome to : "Beekeeping 101"

The buttons in this series of lessons hopefully will make the job of navigating the lessons easier.
You can click on the single bee anytime to take you back to this page.
<<<<< The bee looks like this.
We are going to make several assumptions about the person taking this course. First, you are
just beginning and have no or little experience with honey bees. Second, you are in the process
of gathering information to help you either buy your first hive or are gathering information to
buy equipment and either buy a package of bees or a nuc to get started. Third, you are not
familiar with the terminology of beekeeping.
Everyone must begin at something. We don't suddenly wake up some day and think okay, I will
go down to the airport and rent an airplane and take it up for a little spin!
As you go through the lessons of "Beekeeping 101" we will define all the terms that we use. We
will also try when possible to use photographs to illustrate what we are describing. There is a
saying in educational circles that goes like this, "Tell me and I forget. Show me and I
remember. Involve me and I learn." What is so difficult with beekeeping on the internet is the
last part "Involve me and I learn." You will not learn beekeeping by reading. You will
however gain knowledge about beekeeping which you will need to apply when you get that first
hive of bees.
Always remember -- If you do not understand something being explained in these lessons, you
may email me at : stahlmanapiaries@aol.com . Your feedback to my email will help improve
this course and of course, help others who may be having the same problem.
Lets get started: Directory of Lessons in this series
101-Lesson one Beekeeping basics
101-Lesson two Getting started
101-Lesson three The Modern Hive
101-Lesson four Equipment
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Introduction to Bkeeing 101
101-Lesson five First Year of Management
101-Lesson six Late Summer Management
101-lesson seven The honey crop
101-lesson eight Getting ready for winter
101-lesson nine Your second year
101-lesson ten Final thoughts
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101-Lesson one
Beekeeping 101 Lesson One
Beekeeping basics: Keeping honey bees is a fascinating and profitable pastime that can be
enjoyed in several ways. You may want to keep bees for the honey they produce, or you may
want to keep them for their services as pollinators, or just because you would like the fun of
learning about one of nature's most interesting insects.
You can keep honey bees almost anywhere in the United States. We would like to alert you to
the fact that keeping bees is not for everyone. If you have had an allergic reaction to a stinging
insect such as wasp or bee, you should use extreme care. A single honey bee sting can bring on
serious reactions to some people -- even causing death. Normal reactions include: pain, and
swelling at the sting site. The good news is that one can wear protective equipment designed to
avoid bee stings.
Basic facts about honey bee biology:::::::
Honey bees are social insects. This means that they live together in a colony and depend on
each other for survival.
Bee caste
The bees that make up a colony of bees include a queen, some drones (maybe 300) and thousands of worker
bees. Most of the bees in a colony are workers. Some are drones whose function is to mate with a virgin queen.
Usually there is only one queen in a colony.
Worker bees are sexually underdeveloped females. They may number as many as 60,000 in a
colony. The population of a colony depends on a number of factors such as: the egg laying
ability of the queen, the space available in the hive (area where the bees live) and the incoming
food supply. They are called workers because that is what they do. They
collect food and water for the colony, build wax comb, do the housework,
maintain the interior temperatures of the hive and guard the hive against
intruders [in other words: they can sting]. Female worker bees under
certain conditions can lay eggs but because they are not mated, they produce
eggs that only develop into drones.
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101-Lesson one
Drones are the males in the colony. Note the general shape of the drone. Notice two things: 1)
the head is large and the eyes predominate the head and 2) the rear-end of the drone is rounded
[they have no stinger and can not sting]. Although they are usually considered worthless, they
contribute to the continuation of one generation to the next generation. The worker bees
usually determine the number of drones that can be found in a colony. A strong healthy colony
may have as many as 300 or more drones. As winter approaches, the
workers drive the drones from the hive to starve.
The queen is a mature female. She lays thousands of eggs during her life
time. A good queen may lay over 2000 eggs in a single day. A queen has the longest live span in
the colony living for up to five years. She is larger than the other bees in the hive and has a slim
torpedo shape. She does have a stinger, but uses it to kill other queens. I have handled
thousands of queens and have never been stung by one.
Bee Strains
Caucasian bees Carniolan bees Italian bees
As a beginning beekeeper you should know that there are three primary strains of bees kept
in the United States. If you are wanting to purchase bees, these three strains are what most
breeders offer. These are:
● Italian -- This strain of bees was imported to the U.S. from Italy during the 1860's. It
has proven to be a rather hardy bee, industrious, relatively gentle, and yellow in color.
Historically, before the Italian was introduced to the U.S. the German Black Bee
predominated but because of the outstanding characteristics of the Italian, beekeepers
rapidly switched and the German Black Bee is no longer to be found in the U.S. for sale.
● The Caucasian strain is a gentle bee grey to black in color. They have a tendency to use
an excessive amount of propolis. (Propolis is called bee glue - it is a gummy substance
collected by bees from trees and is used to seal holes and spaces in their hive).
● The Carniolan strain is one of the more popular bees in current use today. It is a black

101-Lesson one
bee and is very gentle. Its outstanding characteristic is that it seems to adapt very well to
colder climates. You may see terms like "Russian", New World Carniolan or "Yugo".
These bees are Carnolian strains.
What bees need:
Honey bees need shelter, nectar, pollen, secretions, and water.
● Shelter -- In nature, the honey bee uses a number of natural cavities to build their brood
nest. The term "Bee Tree" was once common. It referred to a tree that had a
colony/swarm of bees living in it. The reason we can keep bees is because honey bees will
adapt to man made hives for shelter.
● Nectar -- Bees can't make honey without nectar (nectar is the liquid sugary substance
produced by flowers). Hundred of plants produce nectar but they are not all major
sources of honey. Often we refer to honey as "wild flower honey". What that means is
that the honey produced by the bees comes from a number of nectar sources. However,
bees do produce crops of honey from certain major nectar sources and these are easily
identified by taste and color-- examples include: buckwheat, clover, fireweed, goldenrod,
locust, tulip popular, tupelo, sage, sourwood, star thistle just to mention a few.
● Pollen -- As worker bees gather nectar from flowers, tiny particles of pollen stick to their
bodies and are accumulated in pellets on their hind legs. The hind legs are equipped with
pollen baskets (hairs and special structures on the bees leg) to carry the pollen back to
the hive. Pollen is sometimes referred to as "beebread". Pollen contains the nutrients
that are converted into larval food by special glands in the worker bees which is then
used to feed young larvae. it should be noted that honey bee workers also produce what
is called "Royal Jelly". Royal Jelly is a special food that is given to larva to be raised as
queen bees. It has been estimated that a strong colony of bees may use 100 pounds of
pollen each year.
● Secretions -- It is gathered by honey bees from secretions in trees and shrubs. These
secretions are used in the production of propolis which is used by the bees to cement
holes and cracks in their hive. Bees have been know to encase a dead mouse inside their
hive with propolis.
● Water -- Water is essential for the survival of the hive. Bees should always be located
near a good water source or the beekeeper should provide one for the bees.
Read the following sections under Biology: Biology Part I and II
Is it a Honey bee and read Good neighbor Beekeeping Guidelines
Biology
Good neighbor guidelines
End of Lesson One

101-Lesson one

101-Lesson two
Beekeeping 101 Lesson Two
Getting Started:
The best time to start beekeeping is in spring time. Fruit trees and flowers are in bloom and should supply the
new colony with sufficient nectar and pollen. If you have never kept bees before, do not start with more than
two or three hives. Having a few bees around doesn't make you a beekeeper. Some people become bee-havers.
The difference lies in how much you know about bee behavior and how successfully you apply this knowledge!
Who can keep bees?
Beekeeping can be undertaken by anyone who has enough ability and determination to look after the bees
properly, enough courage to work with bees, and enough money to buy bees and equipment. Please note:
Before you get into beekeeping, you should check to make sure local zoning laws allow you to keep honey bees
and what your reaction is to bee stings.
Getting bees
Traditionally a person starts beekeeping by building hive equipment, buying packages of bees, and installing
the bees into the equipment. It is possible that you could purchase a nuc (a nuc is a small hive. Generally it
can be three, four, or five frames of brood and bees with a queen. The bees have begun to build new comb and
the queen is already laying eggs. Or a person could buy a complete hive. We will discuss each:
1) The complete hive This is the easiest way to get started. It does have some drawbacks.
Double Deep Story and a half Single
Above are three typical configurations of bee hives that you might find for sale. The price you will pay for a hive
can vary considerably. Don't pay more than what you would spend for brand new equipment and bees. At present
that should be no more $150.00 per double hive configuration.
● The hive will have to be moved to your location. The question here is who is going to move the hive? If it is your job
to move the hive, you will need some means to pick it up, some means to transport it, and a method to prevent the bees from
getting out of the hive.
● Check for disease You should also make sure the bees and equipment are free of American foulbrood. The easy way to do
this is to have the bee hive inspected by a state or county bee inspector. Note: Not all states have inspectors. If your state does
not have bee inspectors, then have someone who you can rely on inspect the bees before you purchase them.
● Check for condition of queen and bees If you wait until spring to purchase a hive of bees, you have the advantage of
being able to examine the brood nest. Is the queen laying a good brood pattern? Is there a good population of bees? Do the bees
have enough honey stores to carry them through a period of drought? If you can not answer these question, find someone to take
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along with you who can answer them.

● Condition of the hive Usually the hive will not be made of new boxes or frames. Frames that contain comb which is very
dark and black are old. Older frames will often have damage from mice at one time, and the bees fill in the area of the comb eaten
away by the mice with drone cells. Frames like this will need to be replaced. Boxes, lids, and bottom boards my also need to be
replaced before long. Wood that is not protected by a good coat of paint will rot in time. This happens to the bottom board first
because it comes into contact with the ground or blocks it rest on.
The major advantage is that you do not need to do much. The major disadvantage is you could be buying some else's problems.
2) Nuc's
A nuc is nothing more than part of a hive of bees. It does not come in a full size hive
body. Often nuc's are sold in cardboard boxes which provide a temporary shelter for the
bees. The nuc will have a laying queen (usually a young queen), several pounds of bees,
drawn comb in which the queen is already laying eggs, some honey and pollen stores and
is roughly four weeks ahead in development than a package of bees would be. The bee
population in a nuc will not decline because new bees are emerging to replace worker bees that die. The hive
made up with a nuc will develop much faster than a hive made up with a package of bees.
The major advantage is that you get a quicker start with a nuc than with a package of bees. The major disadvantage is the possible
spread of disease carried on the frames of the nuc.
3) Package bees/ swarms
I have included both package bees and swarms together for one obvious reason: They both develop at just
about the same rate. Package bees are ones which are shipped in screen wire cages for the
purpose of starting new colonies. They are sold as 2 pound, 3 pound, and 4 pound packages
with the 3 pound package being the most popular. The major advantage of starting a package of bees
is: 1) you know that your bees are disease free, [bees shipped in packages must be state inspected at the point of
origin] 2) you can install them into new equipment to insure that disease is not transported from other comb, and
3) you can follow the development of your hive of bees from its very beginning thus learning more about the
development of a hive. The major disadvantage is the new colony is going to take more time to develop and most
likely produce little honey the first year. To read about how to hive a package, go to: Package bees
Swarms
Swarms are found hanging in a tree or on some other object such as parking meter or maybe
even a car. Usually they are free for the taking because the person who owns the property
wants them gone. At one time swarms were plentiful but no more due to the mite death of
many of the wild bees that populated trees in our cities and forest. They do occur though and
you might contact your local fire department and let them know that you would collect such a
swarm if the fire department is notified by a worried property owner.
How to get a swarm
The very first swarm one attempts to hive is certainly a challenge. The lack of experience is cause for much concern; however,
once the first swarm is tackled the second is a cake walk, usually.
First, when a swarm of bees (prime swarm) leave a hive it contains a number of older bees along with some younger bees, may
have a few drones, and a queen. The queen is usually the old queen but some swarms have been known to contain a number of

101-Lesson two
virgin queens and these are called "after swarms." After swarms are usually much smaller than a prime swarm. The swarm
may contain anywhere from two to six pounds of bees. It will develop and progress much like an installed package of bees.
Swarms are usually very gentle and not likely to be very aggressive. The bees engorge themselves with honey prior to leaving the
hive and thus have difficulty stinging. A swarm that has exhausted its reserve honey stores will be more defensive.
A swarm leaving the hive will often settle on a tree or shrub of varying heights above the ground some distance from its original
hive. If for some reason the queen can not fly far, it might be found very near the original colony site or even on the ground.
When a swarm is located, the following need to be addressed:
The beekeeper should have a complete hive with bottom board attached to the deep brood hive box. This can be done with hive
staples or straps of wood nailed into both the bottom board and hive body. You will be carrying this hive full of bees home and
the last thing you want is the bottom board to slip or fall from the hive body.
● Is it possible to get the swarm without danger to yourself. For example, if the swarm settles in the top of a tree thirty feet
above the ground, do you have a bucket truck that can lift you to that distance without risk of falling? Otherwise, it might
be best left alone. A safe rule to follow is: the swarm should be within the reach of a step ladder or a ladder.
For A swarm located

close to the ground can very easily be caught. Sit a new hive with frames of comb directly beneath the swarm and
quickly jar the branch they are on so the swarm drops down onto the hive. On some occasions the bees will return to the
branch. The reason for this is the queen did not enter the hive and the process will need to be repeated. If the branch the
bees are on can be cut and removed (get owners permission to do this) the need to shake or jar the bees from the branch is
not necessary. The cut branch is then gently lowered and set on top of the hive body. The bees will work their way down
into the hive in a short time.

101-Lesson two
The person on the ladder must not stretch or reach beyond the safety of good solid balance.
It usually takes the bees 15 to 20 minutes to get settled down in the new box. Once the bees are in the box and seem settled, the
beekeeper can then place the inner cover, top cover on the hive and prepare to move it.
Moving the hive home without incident is just as important as getting it. The entrance to the box should be covered with either
grass to plug the entrance (if you are not going far) or a wire screen. A neat trick taught to me is to cover the hive with a bed
sheet for the trip home. The hive is usually placed in the trunk of the car or the back of a van for the trip.

101-Lesson three
Beekeeping 101 Lesson Three
The Modern Hive
At one time, honey bees were kept in a number of shelters. These included:
● Skeps like the one shown on the left.

● Logs often called bee gums which were cut from trees and set upright
on a base to which was added often a box on top to gather the honey.
● And a number of other containers such as jars. You may want to
check out an interesting book titled, "The Archaeology of Beekeeping" by

Eva Crane to see other examples.
In 1853, the Rev. L.L. Langstroth published a book called "The Hive and the Honey Bee" which
changed beekeeping in a very profound way. This book describes the use of the modern bee
hive as we know it today. The Langstroth bee hive is now the standard bee hive used in many
parts of the world.
Shown here is a cut away view of the inside of a Langstroth

hive. Shown is a bottom board on which the boxes sit, a
bottom deep hive body called the brood chamber, a queen
excluder to keep the queen in the brood chamber, a medium
honey hive body called a "super", and a comb honey section
hive body called a "comb honey super". Above the comb
honey super is an inner cover and a top cover is placed over
everything to protect the hive from weather. Within the hive
boxes are removal frames that hold the comb built by the bees.
We will discuss each in just a little bit.
What makes this hive so remarkable is not that Langstroth

discovered hanging frames (that was done earlier), or that he
used a box to put frames into (that was done earlier as well). Langstroth recognized that bees
failed to build burr comb between a space of 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch. If the space was smaller the
bees would use propolis to glue it up, and if it was larger the bees would build comb into the
space. Thus we as beekeepers must use equipment that recognizes this natural habit of the bees
to provide that "bee space" as it is called. Thus frames in a box must be at least 1/4 of an inch
from the side of the box and not more than 3/8 of an inch from the side of the box. The space
must also be provided between boxes, and the inner cover. If this space is violated, the bees will
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cement everything together, making it very difficult to remove frames for examination, or the
removal of boxes.
Although all the equipment needed to build a bee hive can be done in a wood shop, we would
recommend that the beekeeper at least buy a box "super" to use as a pattern. It is very
important for everything to be of a standard size. Else where in this site are plans to build bee
equipment. Today the 10 frame hive body is considered standard. There are other sizes, but
when you begin to have 8 frame equipment, or 11 frame equipment, you will suddenly find that
parts are not interchangeable. Stick with 10 frame equipment. It will resell much better than
any of the other sizes.
Each part of the bee hive explained:
The Bottom Board
We are going to start at ground level and move up. The bottom board supports the hive. It is the floor of the
hive with a 3/4 inch rim around three sides to allow the bees to enter the hive. It also extends 2 inches in front of
the boxes to provide a landing board for the bees. Here bees take off for the fields to gather nectar and return
to be met by other bees, called guard bees who check to make sure the arriving bee belongs to the hive. Bottom
boards must be strong to hold the weight of the hive. They must also be well protected against rot. Because it is
close to moisture in the soil, it is the first to show any sign of decay or rot. Another piece of equipment
associated with the bottom board is a hive entrance reducer. The purpose of the reducer is to restrict the
entrance so a weak hive can defend itself and is installed in the fall to reduce damage from mice and prevent
drafts from blowing wind.
The Hive Body
The standard 10 frame Langstroth hive body will vary from dealer to dealer. The inside dimensions are
critical. Depending on the thickness of the wood, the inside dimensions are: 9 19/32 inches from top to bottom,
14 11/16 inches from side to side for the front of the box, and 18 5/16 inches from side to side for the side of the
box. A rabbet is provided on the top side of the box fronts for a resting place for the hanging frames. A great
advantage of this type of hive box is that more boxes with the same dimension can be stacked one above the
other and the bees will move up into the upper boxes and store honey there.
Frames
The purpose of the frame is to hold the comb made of wax securely within the hive box. A frame is made of up a

101-Lesson three
top bar usually 1 1/8 inches wide and 19 inches across the top. It is notched for the end bars. The end bars can
be of various depths. If the end bars are 9 1/8 inches they will go into a deep hive body "super". If the end bars
are 6 1/4 inches they will go into a medium hive box "super". If the end bars are 5 3/8 inches they will go into a
shallow hive box. Notice that I have been using the term "super". Beekeepers usually refer to boxes as supers.
The bottom bar can be either solid or split. If you are buying frames in a catalog, you will need to know the size
of box the frames are going to go in before you buy the frames.
Foundation
Foundation is what the bees build wax comb on. Foundation comes in many sizes and thickness. Usually we
have thought of foundation being the wax sheet with starter cells pressed into the wax. Things have changed.
You can still buy wax foundation in all sizes. It even can be bought with supporting wire embedded in the wax.
If one is working with wax foundation, it has to be placed into the frames. You would need to have frames with
a top bar that has a removable wedge. You would also need a split bottom bar. The wax foundation is held in
the frame by fastening the wax sheet to the top bar with the removable wedge. The split bottom bar holds the
wax sheet at the bottom of the frame. To hold the foundation straight in the frame, a beekeeper usually uses
cross wires stretched from the end bars and embedded into the wax.
However, many beekeepers are turning to plastic foundation. The ad shown above for plastic foundation gives
you an idea of the various sizes and choices one has when selecting it. One can buy one piece plastic frames
which include the foundation. No work at all in getting them ready for the bees. Just put them into the hive box
and you and the bees are ready to go. Plastic foundation is also made for wood frames. Every beekeeper has an
opinion on what is best. Our advice would be for the new beekeeper to try both. This way you can also learn to
develop knowledge and prejudice toward which you favor.
What happens if you don't use frames and foundation in a box? I was hoping that no one was really thinking
this way but here is the answer. The bees build a mess in a hive body. This is not much better than the skep of
old. One can not inspect or examine a box that has no frames in it if the bees have filled the box with comb.
Believe it or not, but I have seen this situation occur to new beekeepers who were just to busy to build frames to
put into their new hive body. You need to put frames into the box.
Queen Excluders
A big question often discussed at bee meetings is "Do you really need a queen excluder?" Again, you will find
individual beekeepers who like or don't like them. They are often called honey excluders because bees don't like
to go up into the supers above through the queen excluder. The purpose of the queen excluder is to keep the
queen in the brood chamber so the queen doesn't lay eggs and thus have brood in the honey supers. It is almost
mandatory to have queen excluders on bees when you are producing comb honey for sale. Queen excluders can
be purchased with a wood rim around the metal excluder or one can buy all metal excluders. They even come in
zinc and plastic.
Honey Supers

101-Lesson three
These are the boxes with frames and foundation for the bees to store surplus honey. They
come in four basic sizes.
● The shallow 5 3/4 inch super that uses 5 3/8 frames.

● The medium (Illinois) 6 5/8 inch super that uses 6 1/4 inch frames.
● The deep 9 9/16 inch super that takes 9 1/8 inch frames
● Comb honey supers**
**Comb honey supers are 4 3/4 inches deep. They require special supplies to produce the comb honey. The
beekeeper has the choice of the old standard section boxes that require section holders, separators, flat tins and
springs. Or the beekeeper can use what are called "Ross Rounds". In a Ross Round super the bees build comb
into round section rings. Our advice to a beginner is to pass on the comb honey sections until you have a year
or two experience. It takes strong bees and special management to produce good comb honey sections. If you
really want comb honey, a easier way is to use the standard shallow frame with thin wax foundation and when
the bees have capped the honey in the frame, you can cut sections of it out and put it into freezer bags or jars.
One will find clear boxes or cut comb honey trays in the bee catalog which can be used to sell cut honey.
Inner Cover
The inner cover does several thing. First it provides a dead air
space for insulation against heat and cold. Second it prevents the
bees from gluing the top cover to the top bars of the super under
it. With an inner cover, the top cover is easy to remove from the
hive. One other advantage that comes to mind is the hole allows
bees to reach emergency food if it is required. Granulated sugar
can be poured onto the inner cover near the hole and the bees will be able to get to it during
even the coldest of days.
The Top Cover
This is a cover that fits on the top of the hive. In the north, the cover is usually one that
telescopes down around the inner cover and an inch or so down over the top super. This is
called a telescoping cover. Many commercial beekeepers use what is called a migratory cover.
This cover is a solid cover that does not extend beyond the sides of a hive body. The reason for
this is the bee hives are usually on a pallet and the hives on the pallet are set against each other -
side to side. There is no space between the hives for a telescoping cover to fit down into.
End of Lesson Three

101-Lesson four
Beekeeping 101 Lesson Four
Equipment and things needed to Manage Honey Bees
Protective Clothing
A well protected beekeeper will continue to enjoy the benefits of keeping bees. One can get
along with clothing that you already own or you can spend big dollars for a complete bee suit.
One thing that you will need is a bee veil. We would suggest that you check out bee catalogs for
the variety that are available.
The basic protective equipment :
● Bee Veil
● Hat
● Gloves
● heavy shirt (long sleeved)
● heavy long leg pants
● high top shoes or put pant legs into the top of socks.
Honey bees will crawl and usually find any opening that may exist in the clothing that you are
wearing. Most often, they climb up the inside of the pant leg if nothing prevents them from
getting there. Bee supply firms sell leg straps as well as leggings. If you can afford the cost of a
complete bee suit, you will be rewarded. As you become more confident in working your bees,
you can dress down to something more comfortable.
Tools
Every beekeeper needs tools to work with.
● The foremost tool is the smoker. As indicated this produces smoke to

subdue the bees. We will discuss using the smoker later.
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● A tool to pry open the hive and remove frames. This could be as
simple as a screw driver but most beekeepers have a handy hive tool around. It is also
good for scraping.
● A roll of duct tape. This comes in handy sometimes.
As you read through bee catalogs you will see many things that seem to attract your attention.
Some items are useful and others are just a waste of money. I often see bee brushes offered with
beginner hives. If you really want to piss off a bunch of bees, just try brushing them. If you
want to get bees off of a frame, it is quite easy to take the frame and with a quick downward
motion with a sudden stop causes many of them to fall off. Another item that I see quite often is
something called frame grips. As you can see from the picture, frame grips are used to pick up a
frame from the hive. Maybe beekeepers buy these things because they
do not have to come too close to the bees. You will still need to use the
hive tool to loosen the frame in the hive in order to lift it out. Why not
just use your gloved hand to grab hold of the frame and lift it out. That
way you can view both sides of the frame and the bottom of the frame! If
you will be looking for your queen, you will have to do exactly that.
Things that would be nice to have but you can get along with out them:
● A bee tight work room

● Electric Hand uncapping knife
● An extractor
● A storage tank for honey
● Some honey jars or honey containers (5 gal. bucket).
● Woodworking tools - Electric saw, hammers, etc.
A location to put your bee hive!
You will need a location for your hive. Where to put the hive is a question new beekeepers must
deal with. Consider the following:
● Do not put the hive on the lot line facing your neighbors property. Even if you don't like
your neighbor!
● Locate it so that it get early morning sun. A southern exposure is often recommended.
However, on very hot days the bee hive needs some shade. Shade helps the beekeeper as
well when working the hive during very hot weather.
● Do not place the hive in a location where there is going to be a lot of foot traffic.
● Most areas do not have zoning laws against keeping bees but some do. Check your
zoning laws.

101-Lesson four
● You can keep bees at a location on someone else's property. There are many local
farmers who desire bees for pollination.
● Do not keep more than two hives on a city lot. You could stretch it to three but not many
more than that. Use common sense.
● Don't work your bees while the neighbors are present.
● Make sure anyone with you is wearing protective clothing.
End of Lesson Four

101-Lesson five
Beekeeping 101 Lesson Five
Our First Year of Bee Management
Establishing a bee yard
Where do we put bees? Most likely on your own property; however, you can place them in the
country where they will most likely be safe and welcome. The location in your yard should:
● Face south if possible. The reason to face a hive south is so that it will get the warm
morning sun in the summer and the warming sun in winter. Hives can really be faced
almost any direction.
● Provide room for the bees to fly. Bees need a space in front of the hive to come and go.
If this entrance is in an area that people use, someone will be stung sooner or later.
● If you have more than one hive, place them several feet apart to avoid drifting. Drifting
results when a bee mistakes another hive for its home and enters. If the drifting bees has
nectar/pollen/water the guard bees at the entrance of the strange hive will usually admit
the stranger. Hives located on the ends of rows of bee hives will often have larger
populations and gather more honey than the other hives in the row. The reason -- they
pick up drifting bees from the other hives.
● Place hives in some shade.
● Provide water for the bees.
● Provide a screen from neighbors -- could be nothing more than shrubs planted near and
around the bee hives or it could be a fence forcing the bees to fly up and over any traffic
area.
Moving a hive of honey bees:
The Second topic under management that we are going to discuss is how to move a hive of
bees. I include this topic here first because some of you may purchase a complete hive of bees
and that hive must be moved from the sellers property to your location.
You should be aware of the fact that bees almost always return to their own hive. When a
young bee (about 20 days old) first leaves the hive, she takes an orientation flight. She will fly
about in front of the hive -- fixing its location in her navigation system. If you move the hive
just a few yards away, the honey bee will return to the exact spot where she knows her hive
should be. In fact, all the field bee "the bees that are out looking for water, pollen, nectar, or
propolis" will return and fly about very confused over and around the spot where the hive was
located. Certainly you would think that they would discover their own hive just yards away.
These "lost" bees will enter any box that looks like a shelter placed on that old location. It could
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even be a cardboard box. Or if the hive was sitting under a tree, the field bees may gather on a
low hanging limb close to where the hive had been. If their hive is only a few yards away, they
will eventually work their way to it. This interesting fact can be used in your management of
bees.
First, if you have a very weak hive and you would like to make it stronger, you can just swap
positions with a strong hive. The bees from the strong hive will then enter the weak hive there-
by increasing its population. It is said that bees will fly up to two miles from their hive to gather
nectar. Some studies show that bees will fly even further.
How does all of this affect moving bees? If you are moving bees to a new location which is
more than two miles away, no problem. If you are moving the hive to a location much less than
two miles, you will loose all of your field bees because they will return to the old hive location.
What can you do? If you want to move your bees only a short distance from where they are
now, it would be best to move them to a location several miles away first. Leave them there for
a week or more. After they get used to the distant location, you can then move them without the
loss of the field bees to your new location.
Tips on moving a hive of bees:
● Night is the best time to move a hive of bees. All the bees are inside then.
● If the weather is cold, you can completely seal the hive by taping and blocking all escape
holes.
● If the weather is warm, do not seal the hive entrance. Use wire screen wire in the shape
of a "V". Slide the pointed "V" of the screen wire into the hive entrance to keep the bees
in but allow air passage.
● Prepare the new location by putting down blocks for the new hive to sit on. Keep it off
the ground to avoid moisture rotting the bottom board.
● Staple, crate, or tie the hive in advance of moving it. There is no experience like the one
you will have if the bottom board drops off during the move to the vehicle and you are
forced to walk through thousands of bees that fall to the ground.
● Make sure the hive is securely fasten or tied down in the vehicle you are using to move
the bees.
● Avoid quick stops. Drive defensively.
● Do not leave the bees in or on a vehicle until you get up in the morning to locate them.
Do it when you get them to the site.
● Remove any screen wire used to block the entrance. Remove any block used to seal the
entrance. The bees must have air circulation and they must be able to fly.
● One final important step::::: Check to make sure the queen survived the move. This
should be done four or five days after you have moved the hive (spring, summer, and
early fall). If you wait at least four day and you see eggs in cells, you have a queen. It
takes eggs three days to hatch into larva. If you see no eggs, then you have a problem.
If you are beginning with a package of bees, have you read the section Installing Package Bees ?

101-Lesson five
Management of bees:
We are going to assume you have your hive of honey bees started. As your bee colony grows,
it will be necessary to add more boxes "supers" for them to expand into. If bees become
crowded and there is not enough room for expansion of the brood nest, the bees will swarm (fly
off in large numbers along with the queen to start a new colony). The loss of a swarm my leave
the remaining colony too weak to store surplus honey for the winter. When a hive swarms the
queen leaves with the bees but before leaving, she lays eggs in special cells called queen cells.
These cells (20 or more of them) will be located at the edge or bottom of the frames. What can
you do if you see queen cells? Another thing you might see are a lot of bees hanging on the front
of the hive. These are warning signs that need to be examined if you want to stop swarming.
1. First, you can try to cut all of the queen cells out and this must be done
every six or seven days. Once bees start building queen cells, it is hard to
stop them from building more.
2. You can give them more room by putting a new super on the hive. This
doesn't always work.
3. You can take several frames with queen cells on them and start a new hive.
The new queens will emerge, fight, and the survivor will mate and begin to
produce more brood. Don't use this method after mid July. Add new brood
frames to the old hive and cut all remaining queen cells.
4. You can clip the wings of the queen so she can not fly. When she tries to
leave the hive with the swarm, she will be unable to fly and can usually be
found on the ground in front of the hive. The swarm without a queen will
return to the hive and wait until one of the virgin queens emerges and take
off again with her. The bees will swarm before this new virgin queen
emerges (hatches- is an incorrect term). If you again go through the hive
and find queen cells, you can destroy them and put the old queen back into
the hive.
5. The best thing you can do is just make sure your bees do not reach the
critical point of being too crowded.
Hive inspections:
A beekeeper should know what his bees are doing. You should examine the hive
every two weeks to make sure they have plenty of room, that the queen is laying
eggs, that they are storing honey, and that the bees are free of disease. Beekeeping
201 has information about diseases.
You should also keep a notebook of your observations. They will become
important as years come and go. Every bee years seems to present us with
something different. Your notebook will provide some means of comparison. Our
memories seem to fade and are not as reliable as notes taken at the time an event
occurs.

101-Lesson five
How to open and examine your hive:
You should always wear protective equipment when you work your hive. You
should light your smoker before getting started. I have often been asked how I
keep my smoker going. Seems some people have smokers go out just about the
time they need them. The key is to take time to get the smoker going before
rushing off to the bees. There are many types of smoker fuel. I can remember
learning how to build a fire as a boy scout. Start small and then add new material
slowly to the fire. Don't dump a lot of smoker fuel onto a newly started fire. You
will smoother the fire and it will go out. The goal is to have a good cool flow of
smoke when you press the bellows on the smoker. One other thing, inspect the
hive during the mid part of the day. Select a day when the bees are flying and
seem very busy. Avoid cloudy overcast days or days with threatening weather.
Bees can be really nasty during stormy weather.
● First, make sure all is ready. Do you have your hive tool? Is the smoker
going? What about neighbors? Children?
● Approach the hive from the side if possible. Do not stand in front of the
entrance. If you do, you will notice a crowd of bees in a holding pattern
behind you.
● Use your hive tool to remove the top cover. I like to lay the top cover on the
ground next to the hive with the bottom side up. Blow a little smoke toward
the entrance. Notice that I said a little smoke. You don't need a lot.
● Next remove the inner cover. Bee have a tendency to glue this down to the
inner side of the hive with propolis, so you may have to pry the inner cover
off. Keep your smoker handy.
● Once the inner cover is off the top bars of the frames in the top box (super)
are exposed. Bees will start to migrate toward the disturbance and you will
notice them coming up between the top bars. You can apply a little smoke
to calm them down. A few may become air borne and fly about you. Ignore
them.
Now What?
What are you doing in the hive? Do you know?
● Move slowly -- avoid quick sudden movement.

● Don't spend a lot of time with the hive open.
● Since this is a new hive, you could or should be looking for:
1. Are the bees building new comb on the foundation you put into the hive?
New comb is nice and white or slightly yellow. See the photo below.
2. Are all frames drawn out? This depends on how long the bees have been in
the hive. If the comb is drawn out (the bees have made new comb over the
foundation), do you have a new super to add to the colony? I like to add a

101-Lesson five
new super when 3/4 of the comb is drawn out. The last frames to be drawn
out are the ones on the outside of the hive body. The bees will instinctively
store honey in these outside frames. Don't take it away from them.
3. Can you recognize brood?
It will be located in
the center of the frame of comb. It is tan to dark brown in color. It may be
hard to see eggs especially in new comb that is demonstrated above, but you
should learn how to spot them. They look like little spots of sugar at the
bottom of cells. Larva is easier to spot -- they look like pearly white worms
coiled within a cell. The capped brook is brownish in color. Older comb
turns dark in color. This is because of travel stain and also brood raised in
comb turns the comb dark--sometimes almost brown/ black. If you can see
eggs you do not need to find the queen to know that you have one. One
exception is with a laying worker which is described in Beekeeping 201.
4. Can you recognize capped honey? Capped honey will be found in an arch
across the top of the comb. If it is unsealed, it will be a liquid. When sealed,
the cappings are a distinct whitish color. You will also see cells that have a
yellow or brownish substance in them. These cells contain pollen. A
normal hive will have most of the frame filled with brood, a small arch of
honey at the top of the frame and some pollen stored between the two. It is
not unusual to find a frame which is almost all brood in a strong hive.
5. Get ready to close the hive if you are satisfied that all is well. If you have a
feeling that all is not right with the hive, you can email me with some photos
and I will try to give you information based upon what I am able to see.
End of Lesson Five

101-Lesson six
Beekeeping 101 Lesson Six
Late Summer Honey Bee Management
It is not unheard of for a package of bees put on new foundation to have surplus honey. A
number of factors determine the amount of honey a hive of honey bees can gather.
● Favorable weather
● Nearness of nectar honey plants
● Your management of the bees
● How much you feed your new colony to get it going
● The honey bee population of the hive
Favorable Weather
Favorable weather is important. People who have kept bees over a period of time can tell you
that honey crops fluxuate from year to year. Bees do much better when the weather is warm
and dry. Cold wet weather keeps the bees in the hive. They must be able to go out of the hive in
order to gather a honey crop. Bees also need to eat and when the weather is cool and wet, the
bees just maintain themselves (use what they gather with out storing much surplus). It takes
one frame of honey and pollen to produce one frame of bees. How much honey and pollen a
hive uses during the year to produce brood depends on the quality of the queen. A very
productive queen will lay a lot of eggs. These eggs need feed. On the other hand, if the bees
have ample nectar supplies and can fly on a daily basis, the large population of bees produced
by the hive will also result in more honey being brought back to the hive.
Honey Plants/Honey
For the bees to produce surplus honey, they must have a nectar source. Bees are known to fly
up to two miles or more to find nectar but if nectar sources are close to the hive, less time is
spent flying to get the nectar and a honey bee can make more trips to forage for nectar in a
day's time. Commercial beekeepers place hives in honey locations. A honey location can be
identified as a place that has acres and acres of a plant that produces nectar in large quantities
for the honey bee to gather. One example is the miles of Yellow Sweet Clover that exist in some
areas of the U.S. Commercial beekeepers often tell of hives that gather an average of 200
pounds of honey or more per hive in an area like this. On the other hand, many beekeepers are
limited to their back yards and the bees are limited to the area that extends two miles out from
that yard. As a result, most hobbiest beekeepers have hives that gather 30 to 50 pounds of
honey per season. If the area is a good area, the bees might bring in 100 pounds of surplus
honey. Honey is sold to producers in bulk. Usually the prices for honey listed in the bee
journals are for such sales. If the price of honey is .65 cents a pound then a hive that gathers
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101-Lesson six
100 pounds would be producing a return of $65.00. If you spend $250.00 on equipment, bees,
and protective clothing / tools, you are going to need to keep bees for a number of years before
you see any return on your money. This is why it is so important for commercial beekeepers to
have the right bee locations. Or you could bottle and sell your own honey for a price equal to or
greater than the price charged by supermarkets. Your honey would offer the consumer a much
better deal because your product is local -- has local pollen in the honey -- is not heated -- is not
filtered to remove some of the more healthful particles such as pollen-- has a taste that most
people can identify as honey from your region -- they will know you and come to depend upon
your quality.
Management of Hives
Much of the planning that goes into producing a honey crop has to do with timing. Did you get
your honey supers on the bees at the right time? Are your bees strong when the honey crop is to
be gathered? Are you inspecting your hive for swarming? Do you have a productive queen?
All of these things are the duties of a beekeeper that wants to get a honey crop.
Feeding a New Hive of Bees
Feeding a hive of bees especially one just started on new foundation helps the bees immensely.
They need to build new comb, raise brood, and store food for those days they can not get out to
gather nectar. However, there will come a point when the feeding should stop. I have been
asked, "Why not let the bees convert the sugar syrup into honey? First, if you feed the bees and
they do convert the sugar syrup into honey -- you will have adultered honey. The sugars that
make up the honey will not be honey sugars. Second, these sugars from cane or sugar beets can
be identified if they are put to scientific test. Third, it is illegal to sell adultered honey as pure
honey. Why not just go out an mix corn syrup with honey? It is the same thing. It is a
degraded product!
When a nectar flow is on and you need to add additional supers, the feeding should stop. The
bees will then store pure honey in the comb they build on the foundation you provide. Pure
honey is a wholesome food and has an outstanding reputation. Don't mess it up. Quite frankly,
most bee books don't even touch the subject of feeding bees too much.
How and When do I get "Surplus" honey?
A hive of bees stores honey for a reason. They put it away for later use during the winter
season. Honey bees do not hibernate. They remain active even on cold days. It is estimated
that a hive of honey bees will consume 60 to 90 pounds of honey during the winter. You will
notice during warm days during the winter season that bees will leave the hive to take a flight.
This is necessary because the bee holds it's waste until it can leave the hive to get rid of it.
Honey bees do not generally deficate in their hive.
You must leave enough honey for the bees to survive the winter season. As a beginner I would
suggest that you error on the side of leaving more than not enough honey. A new hive should

101-Lesson six
have at least a double brood chamber with one of the boxes completely full of honey and the
lower one should have the outside frames filled with honey.
When is it time to remove the honey?
Honey can be removed from a hive almost anytime provided that the honey is fully capped
over. Capped over means that at least 7/8 of the frame has been capped (that is the wax
covering the bees put over the cell that holds the honey). If you try to take unripe honey (honey
in cells not capped over), you will run into a serious problems with your honey spoiling because
it has too much moisture in it. Discussion on this are found in Beekeeping 301.
Most beekeepers remove honey just before Labor day or shortly after Labor day. It can be
done later, but extracting (taking the honey out of the comb) is difficult when the temerature
turns cold and honey is stiff and will not flow well. It is necessary in that case to warm the
honey supers to 80 degrees or so before extracting. Even then the honey will not flow as well as
if the temperature of the honey at extracting time is 90 degrees.
The cardinal rule is: Always leave enough honey for the bees!! Take only what they can spare!
End of Lesson Six

Lesson seven
Beekeeping 101 Lesson Seven
Taking off honey supers and processing honey
One of the joys of keeping honey bees is the reward of having some of your own honey. It is not
"store bought."
A beekeeper must determine just how much honey he/she can remove from the hive and still
leave enough for the bees to over winter. We have indicated earlier that at least 60 pounds of
honey should be left on the hive. You can estimate this amount by checking the honey stores in
the brood chamber. A deep frame full of honey will weigh approximately 6 pounds. The bees
will need 10 of these. Two shallow frames will equal one deep frame.
How to take the honey supers off the hive
You will follow the same procedures you have used to examine a hive in the past. One can
remove honey supers and get the bees out in several ways. Mentioned in bee blooks is a method
called using bee escapes. This is nothing more
than placing a bee escape in the hole of the
inner cover. Then move the inner cover under
the super of honey to be removed. Wait until
the bees leave the super (Several days), and
remove the honey super. This works better
when the days are cooler.
Another method involves using a liquid chemical to drive the bees from the honey super. It
works much faster. One can either make or buy a fume board. This like a top cover placed
over the honey super. The chemical is sprinkled on the cloth inside the fume board and then set
on the bee hive. All you need to do is remove the hive cover, inner cover and position the fume
board in place. One bee catalog describes this chemical as "pungent." It does have a distinct
odor! The chemical forces the bees of of supers in 3 to 5 minutes if the fume board is working.
If you leave it on too long, you can drive the bees right out of the hive. The chemicals that do
this go by the trade names of "Honey Robber" and "Bee Go".
Removing honey supers
Most of the honey bees in the supers should be out when you take the super from the hive. If
they are not, you can remove each frame and shake the bees left off or brush them off. Old time
beekeepers used a hand full of grass to brush bees off the face of the comb. It is free and works
just a good as a bee brush.
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It is necessary to protect the super from robbing honey bees. Take the super to a secure place
(i.e. to your basement, kitchen, etc. where honey bees can not get to it).
Bees are attracted to honey! In human terms, it would be like a paper bag of money you had
just broke open on a busy street corner and your money was blowing down the street. People
would swarm to gather it up. This is called "robbing". Once started it is difficult to stop. Can
you imagine a swarm of bees trying to get into your garage? If you leave the slightest opening
for them to get in, they will find it.
Honey bees will also rob weak hives. You will want to reduce the entrance on a hive being
robbed out or close it up completely. One way to spot a hive being robbed is to notice how the
bees are flying around it. Most normal hives will have a steady stream of bees going into and
out of the hive. However, when a hive is being robbed, you will notice a large number of bees
trying to get into the hive and flying in circles around the hive. This is not normal behavior.
One other word of caution:: Honey is sticky. When supers are removed from a hive, comb is
often broken and the honey that was in that comb begins to drip and leak. Putting the super in
a plastic garbage bag will contain the honey to the inside of the bag and also prevent bees from
getting to it.
Processing the honey
One of the early things you should be thinking about when you purchase your hive equipment is
what are you going to do with the honey the bees gather. You can spend a lot of money on
equipment to extract honey or you can decide that you want to wait to see if beekeeping works
out before you invest much money in any kind of extracting equipment.
As a beginner, you most likely are not expecting a great amount of honey from your hives of
bees the first year. Maybe enough for your own table and as gifts to friend and neighbors. I am
going to suggest two methods you can use that do not require extracting equipment. If you are
interested in extracting honey, you can move on to Intermediate Beekeeping 201.
Method #1 Plastic frames with plastic foundation
You can get honey from plastic foundation after the bees have capped the cells of honey on it.
If fact it is rather easy. All you need to do is scrape the honey from the foundation -- wax comb
and honey all come off easily. The hive tool is great for doing this. The procedure is: 1) secure
a fair sized container to hold the wax and honey; 2) get a filter cloth (Cheese cloth will work and
so will paint strainer sacks sold by paint dealers); 3) select a place to work which is clean; 4) get
the super and remove a frame to begin the process.
The process is to take each frame and with the hive tool or paint scraper, place the tool at the
edge of the frame end bar and press the tool into the wax. With a pushing motion, the wax and
honey will curl right off the plastic mid rib and fall into the straining cloth which is draped over
the container. The straining cloth will allow honey to pass through while keeping the wax inside

Lesson seven
the straining cloth. A great amount of honey will remain in the wax and this can be partly
removed by squeezing the remaining particles until most of the honey is out. After you have
most of the honey out, you can mix the remaining wax with water. This will clean up the wax
and remove the honey that still remains in the wax. This water can then be used as feed for the
bees. We will discuss processing your wax in just a little bit. Another advantage of this
method, is: the frames can be used again in the super and put right back on the hive it came
off. The bees will clean up the frames and you can reuse them again the following season. The
filtered honey can then be bottled.
Method #2 Cut comb honey or chunk honey
Again the decision must be made early. In this case, you will need wooden frames and what is
called thin super foundation for comb honey to put in the frames. The bees will draw out this
foundation and cap the honey they store. This process will give you honey in the comb. This is
a delightful way to use honey.
We would suggest that you make or buy a pan a little larger than the frame you are going to
use. The Walter T. Kelley Co., makes a comb slicing pan for under $20.00 that is a delight to
work with. You will also need something to put the comb into -- sealed plastic bags work as do
jars. Special containers are sold for cut honey. And you will need a knife to cut the comb out of
the frame.
You can cut the comb to almost any size that you choose. Generally, the special containers are
sized so you can get four sections from one frame. You can put comb in a jar and pour the
extra honey drippings into the jar around the comb.
Processing wax
Another product of the hive besides honey is wax. It is used in candle making and other things.
There is a delightful book written by Elaine White titled "Super Formulas - How to make more
than 360 useful products that contain honey and beeswax." If you are interested in making things
from wax, you should seek out this book. It was still available from the Walter T. Kelley Co., at
this writing.
Before you go any further, I must caution you about working with wax. It is very flammable.
We would suggest the following method:
● Do this outside to avoid a wax spill or a fire.

● If you have a charcoal grill, or some other controllable source for heat, get it started.
● Select a pot - stainless steel is best. Do not use iron because it will discolor your wax.
● Pour water into it. Half full is enough. You do not want the contents too near the top of
the pot.
● Place the wax particles you have saved into the pot. If you have a lot of wax, try doing
several batches rather trying to do all at one time.
● Wax melts at about 148 degrees F. Do not let the wax and water boil.

Lesson seven
● Once the wax melts and becomes a liquid, it will float to the surface of the pan. The
water is heavier and will remain below the wax.
● Take the pan off of the fire, and allow it to cool overnight.
● The next day, the wax will be a solid block and can be separated from the water.
● On the bottom side of the block of wax will be dark material that is not wax. This is
called "slum gum". Slum gum does contain some wax and this wax can be removed
under pressure and heat in something called a wax press. But with the amount of wax
you will have, this will not be cost effective. You will need to scrape the slum gum from
the bottom of the block.
If you are disappointed in the quantity of wax you have recovered, save it and add to it next
year.
Some characteristics of honey
Pure honey will last a long time. It does darken with age however. The two characteristics of
honey we would like to discuss are 1) Fermentation of honey and 2) granulation of honey.
Fermentation of honey
Honey is hydroscopic which means that honey will absorb moisture. If the moisture content of
honey exceeds 18.6%, honey will tend to ferment. The fermentation yeast in the honey will turn
the sugars of the honey into alcohol. This causes honey to have a sour taste. It is
recommended that if honey is to be stored for any length of time, it should have a moisture
content of around 17%. The honey yeast are not able to grow at cool temperatures. So if honey
is stored at below 50 degrees F., the yeast will not grow and are not able to grow and cause
fermentation. Fermented honey can be feed back to the bees but it is unfit for human
consumption. Honey can be frozen and that is a good way to keep honey for long periods of
time. The optimum temperature for honey fermentation is above 80 degrees F.
Granulation of honey
All honey granulates at some point. That is: it becomes a semi solid sugar like substance.
Honey that has granulated can be returned to a liquid state by heating it. So it should not be
considered a serious problem. Granulated honey in jars can be put into a water bath having a
temperature of 95 to 120 degrees F. Honey is darkened each time it is subjected to heat. If
honey is heated to over 160 degrees F. for any period of time quick damage can be done to the
honey. The taste will be changed and the color will darken considerably. Commercial honey
packers usually heat honey to 160 degrees and then rapidly cool it. This causes the death of the
yeast and reduces crystallization for several years -- giving the product long shelf life on the
grocery stores shelf.
End of Lesson Seven

Lesson eight
Beekeeping 101 Lesson Eight
Getting your bees ready for winter
Begin to think of fall management as the beginning of a new bee year. Things you can do in
the fall will reduce problems you may face in the spring.
There are several task that need to be taken care of in the fall after the honey is removed:
● First, an inspection of the hive is in order. The hive should have ample supplies of honey
stores, a good population of bees, and the queen should have a good brood pattern rather
than a spotty one. Disease is a concern, but if you started with package bees and new
equipment, it should not raise its ugly head (American foulbrood). However, you should
know what to look for. Check Intermediate Beekeeping 201 for diseases.
● Second, fall management to save your hive involves doing several things. a) Level your
hive making sure the hive slopes slightly in the front so water does not run back into the
hive from the landing area of the bottom board. b) It is time to use miticide strips to
control Varroa. Check the catalogs for products and follow directions on labels. More
hives die from mites than any other reason. c) Place an entrance reducer at the front
entrance. This keeps mice out and winter wind damage at a minimum. d) Provide the
bees with a wind break. e) Make sure the hive has good ventilation. Air has to move
about within the hive so that condensation does not collect and fall on the bees. f) feed the
hive with sugar syrup mixed 1:1 if they do not have enough surplus honey to carry them
through the winter. This should be done before it gets cold.
● Third, fall is a good time to replace a failing queen. Don't wait until spring.
● Finally, if you have done all you can, don't disturb the bees during really cold weather. I
know you want to know if your bees are still alive but please wait until you can visit on a
warm day. Bees will fly during the winter on warm day and on a day such as this, you
might open the hive and check bee activity and get an idea of the number of bees in the
hive but don't go looking for the queen. The bees need to conserve as much heat as they
can. You can only do damage to the hive.
As winter sets in, you can continue your growth as a beekeeper by reading books. One book
that should be in every beekeepers library is the most recent issue of The Hive and the Honey
Bee published by Dadant & Sons, of Hamilton, Illinois. It is absolutely the best book you can
buy to get the latest and best from experts on beekeeping. Each chapter is written by a
recognized authority. If you haven't subscribed to a bee magazine, you should. The two most
popular are: Bee Culture published by the A.I. Root Company and the other is The American
Bee Journal published by Dadant & Sons. If you are computer literate and you most likely are
because you are reading this, explore the many bee web sites. The amount of information is just
overwhelming.
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Lesson eight
End of Chapter Eight
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Lesson nine
Beekeeping 101 Lesson Nine
The Beginning of your second year
The biggest question that beekeepers have when spring arrives is "Did my bees survive the
winter?" Depending upon where you live, you can check to see if your bees are alive almost
anytime from January on.... Those people in the southern and south western parts of the U.S.
will have bees actually flying and bringing in pollen late in January. Those of us who live in the
north must wait until March rolls around for the same thing to happen. However, you can
check your hive/hives before the bees begin to actively fly to gather pollen and nectar. Honey
bees typically move up toward the top of the brood chamber late in winter. As they consume
their honey supplies, the winter cluster moves within the hive. As they consume the honey in the
lower brood chamber, they seek the honey stores stored above. Thus, it is not uncommon to find
bees around the hole in the inner cover in late winter. If I see them I know they are alive but I
don't know the condition they are in -- I don't know whether the queen is laying eggs -- I don't
know how much brood they have -- and on the other hand, if I don't see bees, I can still check to
see if they are alive by putting my ear down to the top bars and listen for the gentle hum bees in
a cluster will emit. I don't recommend that you kick your hive to see if you can get a response
out of them. If you hear no sound, you might want to take a hive tool and separate the two hive
bodies. This is not good in real cold weather. If you have bees -- good. Your spring is starting
off good. On the other hand, if your bees are dead you are still the owner of bee equipment.
The comb has been drawn by the dead colony. It most likely will have frames of honey. All is
not lost.
It is at this point that many beekeepers give up. I understand disappointment. But look at
what you have. Unlike a year earlier, you have equipment. You have frames with drawn comb.
These are assets. Any package of bees installed in such equipment will succeed beyond your
wildest dream. Many commercial beekeepers buy only two pound packages for such hives. The
two pounds of bees in such equipment can produce the 200 pounds of honey the commercial
guys needs to survive and still pay for the cash outlay of the package that is installed in the hive.
Spring Management
If your bees survived the winter, there are things that need to be done. You can get into your
hive anytime the temperature of the outside air reaches 57 degrees F. You will need to carry out
an early hive inspection. Things you will look for and do:
● Check the condition of the brood and the amount of brood.

● If there is no brood you have a problem -- You will need to purchase a new queen
immediately.
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Lesson nine
● If the queen is laying poorly, replace her. Don't kill her until the new queen arrives.
● Check the hive for any mouse damage. Mice get into the hives during winter and build a
nest in the lower corner of frames. If this has happened, remove the frames that are
damaged -- remove the nest and check to make sure no mice are running around inside
the hive. Check to see where the mice are getting in. Later you will not have to worry
about the mice because the bees will take care of them. You can reuse these damaged
frames but the bees will most likely build drone cells in the area eaten out by the mice.
One advantage of plastic foundation is that mice do not chew it out.
● Clean all debris from the bottom board. It is a good idea to set all hive bodies on top of
the top cover and scrape the bottom board with your hive tool and then put everything
back together.
● If this hive is weak, you might consider buying a two pound package of bees. You can kill
the old queen and introduce the package to the rest of the bees still in the hive. As you
get more hives, you will be able to borrow frames of bees and brood from your strongest
hives and make the weaker hive stronger. In beekeeper terms this is called "equalizing
the brood".
● You will also want to treat your hive again for mites with chemical strips. Hopefully, the
practice of putting chemicals in a hive to save the bees will soon end with the introduction
of queens that are mite resistant. It appears that we may be getting stock that can hold
its own against varroa mite. We have already achieved it with the tracheal mite. If you
need a new queen, certainly consider the mite resistant stock available.
● Get supers ready to put on the bees but if they are not flying and the weather is cold, wait
until the bees begin to gather nectar. The bees can conserve heat better without the
added super.
● Another thing you might want to check would be: Are any critters brothering your bees.
Skunks are a problem in some areas. Bears can be a problem (You will see the damage
without any trouble). Skunks eat honey bees and once they discover a meal to be had,
they will be back every night. Signs of skunk damage: the grass in front of the hive
entrance will be matted down and if the skunk has been working the hive over a period of
time, the grass will be worn away showing a bare patch of dirt in front of the hive. You
will also find scratch marks on the front of the hive. Skunks disturb the hive and when a
honey bees comes out the entrance to check to see what has caused that disturbance, the
skunk will have a meal.
● You may have to re-level your hive.
● Check for hive maintenance. Does it hive need a new coat of paint? Clean grass from in
front of the fly way. Be proud of your hive/hives. If you maintain your equipment, it
will last for a long time.
Adding supers
During the second year you can expect your hive to develop swarming fever! It is important to
be one step ahead of the bees. Adding supers at the right time will prevent a lot of problems.
The first super could go on the hive when you see dandelions blooming. This is about the same
time apple trees begin to bloom. Another guidepost that might help you decide when to put on
supers is when the maple bloom. Bees will not usually gather a honey crop from apple and
maple. They will however be using the pollen and nectar for brood rearing. As the population

Lesson nine
explodes, the bees will be crowded without the extra space. Bee swarm as early as February in
the south. As weather warms further north, bees will become crowded with all the nectar and
pollen coming in from the maple, willow, and apple. Swarm control starts early.
Because this is your second year, don't assume you know it all. Your bee experiences are just
beginning. Older beekeepers will tell you that every year has brought something different and
beekeepers continue to learn. The bees have a lot to teach.
End of Chapter Nine

Lesson ten
Beekeeping 101 Lesson Ten
Final thoughts
Misunderstanding often causes trouble!
Traditional practices within the business of beekeeping lead us to give you some insight into
dealing with bee equipment suppliers and breeders.
Usually when you purchase bees such as packages, there is no assurance that your bees will live.
If you pick them up, it is better than ordering them through the mail. At least you can see if
they are alive and healthy. Often one receives package bees by mail in which over 1/2 of the
bees are dead. The package producer delivered them to the postal service alive and in good
shape. During the trip the bees under go stress. It may be several days before they are
delivered. During the time of shipment, a postal clerk might have put the package in a postal
bag fearing that the bees might get out of the cage. Or, the bees might have been set outside on
the loading dock in the full sun by postal officials who did not want them inside the post office.
Or worse, put into a delivery truck with no ventilation. Who do you blame? Usually the bee
package producer! Shippers of queens and packages are facing an industry crisis. The postal
service does not want to handle packages and queens. UPS (United Parcel Service) will handle
bees but the cost is almost as much as the cost of the bees and they will not insure live arrival.
Bee equipment is in demand during the spring. Often one who orders equipment such as
frames and boxes will find the producer is back ordered. Delays in getting equipment in the
spring of the year is common. You can over come this problem by ordering early.
About the only protection you have when ordering package bees, queens or equipment is to use
a credit card. At least you can challenge the charges to your card if something goes wrong.
Small operations usually do not handle credit cards due to the cost involved and you should
understand that. But some understanding between you and the person you are buying from
should be in writing regarding what happens if the bees or queen arrive dead.
Other beekeepers
You may find other beekeepers trying to tell you about the one and only way to keep bees. Well
I must tell you that it just isn't absolutely true that there is only one way to keep bees. Every
beginning beekeeper must learn -- and some times we learn by making mistakes. I like to think
of myself as a sponge. I try to absorb all I can. However, I never adapt a new system without
first trying it on several hives before using it with all of my hives. Beekeeping is an art not a
science. A lot of science is involved with beekeeping -- science has answered questions about bee
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Lesson ten
behavior etc. Science is important, but when it comes down to taking care of your hive of bees,
it will be your decisions that affect the bees in your hive. How you apply what you learn and
experience will make up the art of keeping bees for you.
Bee Clubs
One way to find other beekeepers who can help you with problems you encounter is to join a
local bee club or state organization. Bee Culture Magazine publishes a Who's who in
beekeeping each spring. You could check the listing for the state in which you live and contact
the individuals listed. Ask them for information about bee clubs and who you need to contact.
The person listed under the Department of Agriculture responsible for inspection should have a
good idea. They are often called upon to speak at local meetings. The State Extension service
should also be a good source. If you purchase either major bee magazine -- each carries a
calendar of events. You can get an idea of where the nearest bee meeting is to you. These are
generally state or regional meetings.
We would wish you success as you embark on beekeeping. We will be here to help with your
questions. We would also like to encourage you to take the other classes as well.
Email questions to: stahlmanapiaries@aol.com
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Package bee instructions
Package bees Made Easy 101-Lesson two
The Care and The Installation of Package Bees by Dana Stahlman
When should you get package bees?
Regardless of where you live, you should have them eight to ten weeks before the honey flow
starts to gather a honey crop. This is usually around fruit bloom time and when dandelions are
in bloom. Packages installed on drawn combs with combs of honey and pollen will build up
faster.
We strongly feel that packages that arrive too early{ when there is no bee activity outside the
hive} is going to result in poor hive development by inexperienced beekeepers. It is better a
little late than too early.
Four important points:::
1. Use stimulative feeding The usual bee feed is sugar and water mixed in a ratio of 2 parts
water to 1 part sugar. This is for spring feeding.
2. Keep entrances reduced to a small size. This prevents robbing and conserves heat.
3. Do not add supers or a second hive body until the bees fill the box below.
4. Expect some loss. Some beekeepers report as much as 20% supercedure and queen failure.
Be sure to check the condition of the new hive on a weekly basis until the hive is well established.
Care of the package on Arrival:::
If weather conditions are poor when the package arrives, you can hold the package for several
day in a dark room or basement where the temperature is close to 50 degrees F. You should
feed the bees in the package by either painting or sprinkling a mixture of sugar and water
(50/50) on the screen of the cage and allow the bees to gorge themselves. You should repeat this
process morning and night. If you do not do this, the sugar syrup in the can shipped with the
package can go dry and your bees will starve. Bees die of heat quickly -- do not leave them in
the sun or in a place that is hot.
Installation of Packages:::
There are two or more systems for installing a package of bees. We recommend the following...
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1) For the first time beekeeper....
Install the package late in the afternoon. This helps prevent drifting. It is well to sprinkle or
paint a little syrup on the screen of the cage 15 minutes before you are ready to move them to
the hive for installation. This quiets them down and they will be better natured.
Remove five frames from your hive. Store the frames in a dry cool place. These frames will
be put into your hive several days later. On the top side of the package cage, you will find a
small square lid. Remove it. Under the lid is the top of the syrup can which has been used to
feed your bees during transit from the bee yard to your home. Running off to one side you will
see a piece of wire hanging out between the can and the hole in the top of the cage -- the queen
cage is attached to this wire. Sometimes the queen cage is attached to a metal strip. Do not let
this wire slip down into the cage! We recommend that you tip the cage up to about a 45% angle
to remove the can from the cage. It is helpful to jar all the bees to the bottom of the cage when
you do this. With a firm grip on the can, remove it, pull the queen cage out of the package and
immediately return the can to the hole. This prevents the bees from getting out of the cage.
Now that the queen cage is removed, you have some time to study what you are going to do in
the next step. Check the queen cage for a cork or plastic cap that prevents the bees from getting
to the candy in the queen cage. You must remove this cork or plastic cap. The bees will release
the queen from the cage by eating the candy (it usually takes a day or so for them to do it). We
do not recommend that you poke a hole in the sugar of the small plastic cages that queens are
shipped in. If the queen is in what is called the three hole benton queen cage, one of the holes is
completely filled with sugar candy. It is helpful if you take a nail and make a hole in the candy
in this cage.
Place the queen cage with the queen in it (Make sure she is alive) on the top of the five frames
you have left in the hive body near where the package is going to go. The package will fit in the
hive body in the space of the frames you have removed. It is sometimes recommended that you
hang the queen cage between the frames where the bees are clustered. However, the bees are
not clustered yet in your hive.
Placing the package in the hive:::
It is now time to remove the can in the package of bees and sit it down into the hive body. We
recommend that you partly remove the can (bees can not get out of the cage with the can still
partly in the cage), set the package cage into the hive and then quickly remove the can all the
way out. Place the inner cover over the hive upside down and place the syrup can over the hole
in the inner cover. If you have an empty shallow box, place it on the inner cover to protect the
syrup can. You can then close up your hive with the top cover. You will need to feed your bees
on a regular basis. You can use an entrance feeder or a bucket set over the hole in your inner
cover. There are other types of feeders as well.
You will need to remove the package cage in a few days. You will want to make sure your
queen has been released from her queen cage and during that inspection, you can pull the

package cage out and replace the five frames you removed earlier. Don't get lazy. I have seen
hives in which the beekeeper waited too long to remove the package cage. The bees will build
comb in it, around it, and make getting the cage out at a later time difficult.
For Experienced Beekeepers:::
This is really an easy way to install a package and not nearly as frightening for the beginner as
he/she might think. It has the advantage of getting it all over at once and eliminated any chance
of burr comb being built in the package cage.
1. Follow all steps above except the removal of any frames from the hive.
2. Remove the queen cage as explained above and place it between the frames somewhere in the
middle of the hive -- probably between the fifth and sixth frame.
3. Shake the bees to the bottom of the package cage and remove the syrup can. Shake the bees
out of the package over the top of the frames and the queen cage. They will quickly move down
into the hive. Place the inner cover on the top of the hive (don't crush any bees doing this). You
may have to wait for the bees to go down into the hive for a short time.
4. Then follow the same instructions above about feeding and closing up the hive.
Special hints:::
If you are an established beekeeper and can use drawn combs on which to install your package
you should do so. If you can just give them two or three drawn combs it is a big advantage.
This allows the bees to get to work without have to draw combs from the foundation first.
If you have a frame or two or three of honey and pollen , it is a decided advantage to the bees.
You can and should still feed them syrup.
Bees will clean up old moldy comb. Some beekeepers throw away such frames. All you need to
do is brush off any dead bees on the comb. They bees will do the rest.

package bees

Bees -- Package Bees
Back to Previous Page
Package Bees are available in the spring. They are sold by a number of beekeeping firms located mostly in the
South and Southwest. The queen and package bee business is highly specialized. Should you want to buy
packages we have included some links to web pages or e-mail addresses for them. They can be shipped and
delivered to you in fairly good condition if the weather and shipping conditions are properly looked after. It is
difficult for the package producer because when the bees leave their facility, the bees are in good shape. If
transported by the U.S. postal service, the producer has no control over the conditions the package will
encounter on the trip. If you can pick up package bees from someone who sells bees locally, you will most likely
get bees that were placed in the packages just a day or two before you pick up the package. If the bees are in
transit for three or four days, you will find a number of dead bees in the bottom of the package. And if they get
hot -- for just several minutes-- by hot I mean placed in direct sunlight with no ventilation or day time
temperatures are in the 90's and the bees are not provided with shade or ventilation you will have many dead
bees.
What goes into producing package bees?
Beekeeping firms producing package bees must be licensed by the state in which they operate. They must be
good managers of honey bees. This requires great expense in feeding bees to get maximum egg production from
the queens in their hives. It also requires a great deal of labor to remove the bees from the hives to go into the
packages and raise the queens that will be sent with the package. I have included some photographs to show
how the bees are removed from hives and put into the package that arrives for your new bee hive.
● The beekeepers that●sells bees must have strong hives. They must have productive queens.
● This is a picture taken in Georgia of a beekeeper removing the top covers
from all the hives in the bee yard. This is a trick to get the bees into the upper
hive body. He uses a queen excluder to keep the queen in the bottom brood
chamber. He will remove bees only from the upper hive body.
● This is a picture of a bee yard of cell builders. These are hives used to produce the queen cells which
will be used by the queen producer to make queens for your packages.
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package bees
●
● Every package of bees that you buy will or should have a queen in a cage
which must be released by you when you install the bees into your hive.
● Shaking bees into your

●
package.
● The bees are shook from a frame into a funnel. The bees drop down the
funnel into the cage.
● The final product. ●
Packages of bees ready for pick up or delivery.
● Advantages:
● Bees will be free of disease if provided with inspection certificate from the state of origin.
● You can get any kind of queen you would like by ordering a package with that kind of
queen.
● Packages are sold as 2 pound or 3 pound packages. Sometimes a 4 pound package can
be ordered.
● Disadvantage: It takes time for a package of bees to develop into a honey gathering unit.
Package dealers
www.kelleybees.com Kentucky
waldobees@aol.com Ohio
Lappsbeesupply@powerweb.com Wisconsin
www.jesterbee.com Arkansas
www.strachanbees.com California
Beekrazy@aol.com Alabama
honeylandfarms@aol.com Florida with deliveries to Michigan and Wisconsin

package bees
www.honeybeegenetics.com California
www.koehnen.com California
www.beeweaver.com Texas
Jrossman@surfsouth.com Georgia
bnwweeks@juno.com Georgia with deliveries to Ohio and stops along I 75.
This list is made of those package dealers who advertised in the January 2003 issue of Bee culture Magazine or individuals who we
know personally. If you are a package bee producer not on this list and have an e-mail address or a web site, we will be glad to
provide a link for individuals to reach you.

Bees

Bees
Back
When asked "What should I do to start beekeeping?" My thoughts fall into a mess of things that could be
answers but the very first thing, I would ask is, "Do you know what you are getting into?" Investigate this
hobby before rushing out and buying any bees. Many things must be taken into consideration including:
● Do you have reactions to bee stings that could be medically serious?

● Do you have the cooperation of those who live with you?
● Do you have the money to buy the items you will need?
● Does your community allow bees to be kept on your property?
● Do you have the time to take care of the bees?
You can be a beekeeper without bees! I can remember a story told to me about a beekeeper
who always stuck his nose in other peoples business. It seems:
That this particular beekeeper had been watching his neighbor working his bee hives and knew
the guy had not registered his bee hives. So he called the Department of Agriculture and
reported his neighbor. Sure enough, the bees were not registered as required by law.
The Department of Agriculture sent out an apiary inspector -- one who is charged with the job
of enforcing laws regarding bees. The inspector knocked on the neighbors door and inquired
about the bee hives on his property. Immediately the neighbor began to laugh. He knew who
had turned him in to the authorities. He invited the inspector out to look at his hives. He
explained:
I know my neighbor turned me in. He is in the habit of sticking his nose in

everyone's business. He is a beekeeper and is offended when anyone seems to
know or do things that he does. So I bought a few hive boxes, lids, and set them
up in my yard. Every now and then when he was out in his yard working, I
would light my smoker, put on my bee veil and go out to my boxes. I would
smoke them, remove the lid, and pull out a few frames. After fooling around for
a few minutes, I would put everything back together. However, my hives have
no bees! The apiary inspector had a good laugh as well and kept the secret to
himself.
As a former bee inspector (Ohio law requires all bee hives be registered and inspected each year), I found a hive
or two used for decoration which had no frames, or bees but they looked authentic enough to fool almost anyone
from a distance. Each state has regulations concerning honey bees. You may check with your Department of
Agriculture to see what the regulations concerning bee are. A few but not many communities also regulate
honey bees by what is called a city ordinance. It is your duty to know what local laws are regarding what you
can or can not do with your property.
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Bees
So you want some bees to go into your hive equipment?
In a time not so many years ago, one could find swarms

in almost any community. Many beekeepers got their
start that way. Often for these beekeepers, the bees came
first and then the need to find something to put them
into. Since the introduction of mites into the United
States, bees have died out in record numbers and the bee population that existed in
the wild has been wiped out. That doesn't mean that one can not get swarms, but
they are not plentiful as they once were and a person can not count on getting one.
If you are still interested in finding a swarm of bees, I would suggest that you
contact your local police and fire department. They often receive calls from people
who are concerned about a swarm in a public place and want something done
about it. If you have your name on file, the police or fire department will most
likely give you a call.
The following pictures are links to pages describing each of the standard ways to
get bees. There are other ways (removing them from the walls of a house that
someone wants to get rid of for example).
Packages Nuc Full hive swarm
Each of these will be discussed.
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Dictionary

Dictionary and terms Library
Back
A major bee disease. It was the bane of beekeepers and resulted in the
establishment of inspection of bees in all states. It is characterized by
American foulbrood
dying larva that look like sticky goo of a coffee color and give off an
offensive odor.
A social bee which is native to Africa, Europe, West Asia and has
been introduced to North and South America, Australia, New
Apis mellifera Zealand and many countries in Central and East Asia. The genus,
Apis, includes five species of honey bees. A. mellifera is the common
or commonly called "European honey bee."
Apiary A collection of colonies of bees; a yard where bees are kept.
Apiculture The culture of bees -- Beekeeping
A approved treatment for varroa mite infestation. Provided in strips

Apistan
which are placed into the brood chamber.
A behavior of honey bees to form a dense cluster around a queen

Balling a queen especially a strange queen. This ball can be an inch or more in
diameter and in many cases the queen is killed.
The pollen of flowers gathered by bees mixed with a little honey and
Bee bread
fed to larva.
A product sold to drive bees from honey supers. It is used with a fume
Bee Go board. Bad smelling stuff. It is not shipped by many bee supply
dealers. Bees don't like it either.
First noted by L.L. Langstroth and created a revolution in how bee

equipment would be manufactured. This is the space between comb
and parts of the bee hive that allow a bee to pass through. It is
Bee space
measured as 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch and if less room than that exist the
bees will propolize the space and if greater than that the bees will build
comb into the space.
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Dictionary
A bit of comb built between two adjacent combs or frames to fasten

Brace comb
them together. Sometimes this is referred to as Burr comb.
Raising queen honey bees is a very specialized skill. However, all the
effort to raise new queens is no good without using outstanding
mother queens that display the characteristics that are considered
Breeder queen good. A breeder queen is a selected queen based upon the good
characteristics that she has been able to demonstrate to the queen
breeder. The cost of a good breeder queen can run into the many
hundred dollar range.
Young bees in the larval and pupa state which have not yet emerged
Brood
from their cells.
Brood chamber
That part of a hive where brood is being raised.
Brood nest
Brood sealed over by the bees -- this occurs in 8 to 9 days after the egg
Capped brood
is laid.
A popular bee among many beekeepers. It is black or nearly black,

Carniolan bees gentle, over winters well with small clusters, a good honey producer,
but has a tendency to swarm excessively.
A gentle race of black bees. Not as available or popular as other

Caucasian bee breeds. They are gentle but are inclined to swarm and propolize
excessively.
It is the base of a queen cell that one often sees on the face of comb
where a queen cell had existed at one time. Queen breeders also refer
Cell cup
to the artificial wax or plastic cups they use to graft larva into as cell
cups.
During the winter when temperatures reach a level at which the bees
can fly from the hive, the bees will fly from the hive and void their
Cleansing flight
feces in the air. This is characterized by splotches of what looks like
tobacco spit on snow.
A social group of bees having a queen, worker bees and some drones
Colony which live in a dwelling such as a hive or tree and are perennial
inhabitants of that dwelling.
Thin sheets of wax stamped to imitate a natural comb to serve as a

Comb foundation
base for the bees to build new comb.

Dictionary
A product of the bee hive. All honey is stored in comb but most honey
sold is extracted (removed from the comb). Comb honey is capped
Comb honey honey in wax comb that is marketed in a number of ways. Remarkable
to me is the fact that many people no longer know what comb honey
is!
Not approved for use in all states. It is an organic phosphate strip

CheckMite+
used in the brood chamber to treat for varroa mites.
Diptera a genus which includes flies.
Dividing
A term used to describing making two or more hives from one hive of
bees. It is usually referred to as splitting a hive.
Division
Some bees return to the wrong hive and because they are carrying
Drifting nectar are admitted to the wrong hive. This occurs usually when
several hives are located in straight rows close together.
The male honey bee

Drone
Cells built in comb which are larger than worker cells. Drone cells
Drone comb will equal 4 to the inch while worker cells will equal 5 to the inch.
Bees build drone cells in voids in the comb.
Entrance reducer Any device used to reduce the entrance to the hive.
These are produced by the honey bees glands. Secretions of enzymes

Enzymes
break down complex sugars into simple sugars.
Not to be confused with American foulbrood. This disease is less

serious. It affects only the larvae of the honey bee and cells are not
European foulbrood
capped over. Dead larva do not have a coffee color. The dead larva
are usually yellow or tan colored.
A number of devices are called escape board. The major purpose of

Escape board an escape board is to allow bees to leave a honey super but not
return. Used to remove bees from honey supers.
Extracting honey is removing honey from comb by using an

extractor.
Extracting
An extractor is a machine used to remove honey from comb. It

Extractor
operates by centrifugal force. There are different kinds of extractors
but they all use the centrifugal force principle.

Dictionary
The process of breaking down sugars into alcohol. It is the bane of

Fermentation honey producers who have high moisture content in their honey. It is
good for those who want to make honey wine.
Bees fly when the weather temperature is above 55 degrees. However,

windy or rainy weather will reduce bee flight days.
Flight
This is the path to and from a hive. Generally bees will fly straight
Flight path
toward the nectar/pollen plants. They leave the hive on a path roughly
at 15 to 45 degrees from the entrance.
Foulbrood See American and European foulbrood above.
A base for the bees to build comb. The beekeeper can choose several
different materials for foundation in frames. These include: all wax,
Foundation
plastic bonded (Duragilt), or plastic with either no wax coating or with
wax coating.
A lid called a board which sits on the upper honey super. It has a rim
to keep the material next to the cover from touching any honey. A bee
Fume board repellent such as Bee Go or Honey Robber are sprinkled on the cloth
and then the honey board is put on the honey super. Bees get out fast
in warm weather.
An antibiotic used to eliminate Nosema disease. Used in the spring

Fumidil
and fall with over-wintered colonies mixed with syrup fed to the bees.
A term used to describe the process of removing a young larva from its
Grafting cell and placing it into a queen cell cup for the purpose of raising
queens.
A staple sold for the purpose of fastening hive bodies together or to the
Hive Staples
bottom board. They are 2" x 3/4" in size. About 250 per pound.
Honey Honey is a wholesome natural sweetener. It is produced from nectar.
A honey made from a sweet liquid excreted by aphids and other

insects. Honeydew can properly be referred to as an excrement
Honeydew
collected by the honey bees. Not considered a good honey but I have
found some who desire it.
The time when bees are collecting more honey than the requirement
Honey Harvest/Honey flow
for their daily needs.
A family of insects which include: bees, ants, wasp. They have four
Hymenoptera
wings.

Dictionary
The act of increasing the number of hives one owns. This is done by:
Increase division, purchasing new hives, starting new hives with packages or
nuc's.
The most common race of bees found in the United States. This bee is
golden brown in color. Many strains (named varieties) can be
Italian bees purchased. Mostly just known as Italian. It builds up large
populations of bees, gathers very good honey crops, is gentle to work
with, and not as likely to swarm as carniolan bees.
The second stage of a young bees development. This is the worm stage
Larvae in which the very young larvae grow very rapidly and are fed with
copious amounts of royal jelly and bee bread.
Lepidoptera A genus which includes butterflies.
A term not used much any more. It involved bee lining or finding a
bee line. If one finds bees flying back to their nest, it is rather easy to
Lining
follow them to the nest site. In days of old, it was common for a person
to locate a bee tree and harvest the honey or bees from it.
The developing process of a honey bee. Honey bees go through a

Metamorphosis complete metamorphosis. That is they go through four stages: egg,
larva, pupa and adult development.
Moving bees for honey crops or pollination. Many commercial

Migratory beekeeping beekeepers move bees on a regular business to increase income from
the bees. They are called migratory beekeepers.
Tracheal mites -- Introduced in the mid 80's to the U.S. Probably

were here prior to that. They caused the famous Isle of Wight
disease. They live in the trachea of the honey bee and cause weakness
leading to death.
Mites
Varroa mites -- Also introduced in the mid 80's to the U.S. They live
on the external skeleton of the honey bee. They are parasites which
feed on developing larvae and emerge from the cell with the new adult
bee. They are very destructive to a hive.
A sugar sweet liquid secreted by the nectaries of certain plants and

nectar collected by bees to make honey. A liquid with some sugar content
produced by various plants.
nectaries plant cells that produce nectar.
A small hive of bees usually have 3 to 5 frames. Pronounced: Nuke.

Nucs Used to start new hives and also used by queen breeders to raise new
queens. Also called Nucleus or Nuclei

Dictionary
Any hive built to allow a person to see what happens inside the hive
Observation hive through a viewing window. Many are of just one frame and do not
survive the winter season.
Three individual eyes located on the top of a honey bees head

Ocelli
forming a triangle.
Many beekeepers will keep bees at another location than their home.
Out apiary / out yard This is called an out apiary while bees at home are called the home
apiary.
ommatidia Facets in the eye of a honey bee.
An antibiotic sold under the name Terramycin to control both

Oxytetracycline American and European foulbrood. It is also used by many livestock
producers. It is available at almost all farm stores.
A screen cage with from 2 to 5 pounds of honey bees with a queen. A

temporary shipping cage with bees. Bees will not survive after the
Package bees
sugar syrup is exhausted by the bees unless moved to a hive before
that happens.
Parthenogenesis An egg laid by a female that has not been fertilized by a male. It
results in a haploid individual (a male). Male honey bees have no
father! They do however have a grandfather.
Paradichlorobenzene A chemical used to control wax moths.
A substance given off by insects -- secreted by glands -- that cause

Pheromone members of that species to react in a definite way. Honey bees respond
to pheromones from various glands.
A noise produced by a queen. This is heard mostly in a hive with a

Piping
number of young virgin queens.
Poison sac Contains the venom which is injected by the sting.
pollen Made up of many pollen grains which are male gametophytes.
Pollen Supplement A mixture of natural pollen and material such as brewers' yeast,
powdered milk, or soy flour -- used to stimulate brood production.
Pollen substitute lacks the natural pollen. Thus provides only a

portion of the nutrients honeybees need to produce larval food. Also
pollen substitute used to stimulate brood production

Dictionary
A complicated structure used by the honey bee to take up liquids such

as
proboscis
nectar, water, and honey. Also used for food exchange between
bees.
Often called bee glue It is a resinous substance generally brown in

color gathered by bees from trees. It is used by the bees to seal up
propolis cracks and holes in the hive. They also enclose or encapsulate things
that bother them such as menthol bags placed by the beekeeper inside
the hive. It is sticky in warm weather and brittle in cold weather.
Queenless A hive without a queen.
Queenright A hive with a queen.
A device with openings for honey bees to pass through but with narrow
Queen Excluder openings to keep queens and drones out. Excluders are made of both
wood and or metal. To use them depends on the beekeepers
management techniques.
The act by the beekeeper of installing a new queen into a hive of bees.
If the old queen is not first found and killed or removed from the hive,
Queen introduction
the bees will most likely kill the new queen. A cage protecting the new
queen is used in this process.
Not many beekeepers use a quilt in today's modern methods but it

serves a useful purpose of providing a thin cushion over the frames to
Quilt
retain warmth for the bees below. It is also porous and breaths out
moisture.
Often called a frame rest. This is cut into the top inside edge of the
Rabbet
hive ends and forms a recessed ridge for the frames to rest on.
Raw honey Pure natural honey that has not processed by heating.
An instrument used to determine the amount of moisture in a

Refractometer
substance. It determines accurately the moisture content of honey.
Replacing an old queen in a hive with a new queen. See queen

Requeening
introduction above.
This method of beekeeping is removing the bottom board from a hive

of bees both in the spring and the fall of the year and turning it over.
Reversing
Deep side for winter, shallow side for summer. It was a good time to
clean the bottom board of debris.

Dictionary
Honey bees take advantage of weak hives by entering hives that can
Robbing not defend themselves and steal their honey. Careless beekeeping
practices can also lead to robbing.
A milky food secreted by the pharyngeal glands of nurse bees to feed

Royal Jelly
young larvae.
This is a bottom board with an opening in the center covered by a wire

screen. It can be designed in several different ways. Some will have
Screened bottom board sliding debris tray under the wire to remove debris and check for
varroa mite fall. The screen remains in place the year round and the
tray is used to keep air from blowing into the hive from below.
For the beekeeper producing comb honey, one of the choices of

Section equipment is the section honey super with section holders and section
boxes. The sections are basswood boxes usually 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" and a
Section holder comb honey super will hold 28 of these sections. The individual
sections rest on a section holder which is required to hold the
individual boxes in the super.
A hive which is dome shaped and often seen in photographs depicting

bees. It was traditionally made from reeds or straw. It did not have
Skep
moveable frames and thus, is illegal to use in many states as a bee
hive. They are often used for decoration.
This is a material that is left behind when processing wax. It is made

up of cocoons, pollen, and other waste products of the hive. Generally
Slumgum
it is dark brown/black. It does still contain some wax and burns
readily.
On certain occasions a hive of bees will attempt to replace their queen.

It may be possible to find two queen in a hive that has begun to
supersede it's queen. The young queen will replace the old queen and
Supersedure
there is no danger to the young queen from the older queen.
Supercedure cells are usually located near the middle of the comb
rather than at the bottom and are few in number.
It is normal for bees to swarm! The process is called swarming. A

prime swarm is a large swarm containing the old queen and about 1/2
Swarming of the bees from the mother colony. It is possible for a hive to cast off
several swarms -- the later swarm/swarms will contain young virgin
queens. These swarms are usually not much larger than a grapefruit.
Honey bees swarm naturally in the spring of the year. The month will
depend upon seasonal weather -- earlier in the South and Southwest,
and later in the North and Northwest. Swarms issue (leave the hive)
Swarming season
about the time you see apple blossoms and dandelions. They can
continue into the summer months but this is characterized by crowded
hive conditions.

Dictionary
An antibiotic sold under the name Terramycin to control both

Terramycin American and European foulbrood. It is also used by many livestock
producers. It is available at almost all farm stores.
When buying queens you should expect all queens to be laying eggs.
By tested, the person selling the queen is saying that this particular
queen has been observed and is laying well. The cost of a tested queen
Tested queen is much higher than an untested queen but that doesn't necessarily
mean that the tested queen will be better. It only means that this queen
is certified by the producer to do a good job for you. It is not to be
confused with the term "breeder queen".
This is caused by bees crossing/walking on the surface of newly

capped honey comb. The best comb honey is lacking the yellowing
Travel stain and darkened appearance on the surface of the honey cappings. Good
comb honey has pure white cappings and no travel stain. It is caused
by leaving the honey on the hive for too long a period.
Before honey can be removed from honey comb, it must be uncapped.

Usually an uncapping knife is used for this but other methods used are
Uncapping
uncapping planes, chain uncappers in commercial operations, capping
scratchers, and other devices.
An external mite on the honey bee. Formerly known as Varroa

jacobsoni it is now officially known as Varroa destructor. It is treated
Varroa
by using various products such as: Apistan strips, checkMite+, and
other methods.
The process of getting bees through the winter alive. Management for
good wintering begins in the early fall. I would include making sure
the bees have enough winter stores, a good queen, no disease, and a
Wintering large population of worker bees. Things the beekeeper might do
include wrapping a hive to provide the bees with more protection than
the wood of the hive body, putting up wind breaks, and providing good
ventilation.
Brood frames in which wax foundation is used must be wired to

prevent the honey comb from falling out or sagging. Thin wire is
Wiring frames strung between the end bars through holes drilled into the end bars.
This wire is then embedded into the wax foundation with either a spur
wire embedder or an electrical current.
X factor Any thing that can go wrong most likely will.

Dictionary

working with bees

Working with the bees
Back
If you are like most people you can not wait to get into your first hive of bees. Over the next
several class sessions, we are going to be talking about developing good basic beekeeping
techniques. It is easier to start with good techniques now, rather than trying to unlearn bad
habits later in your beekeeping experience. Please do not dismiss this section as I don't have to
worry about this. I would not put it here if I did not feel it was not that important!
Keep your hive tool, smoker, and yourself clean and free of American Foulbrood.
There is no excuse for a dirty hive tool or smoker. They should

always be cleaned after use. Some of the items you may want to take
to the bee yard with you include:
● A small bucket with a lid. You can use either bleach or

ammonia with 1/2 gallon of water as a disinfectant in cleaning
your hands and equipment but do not mix the two together --
you could create a chlorine gas time bomb.
❍ Mix in three tablespoons of bleach or ammonia per gal.
of water
● A one gal. container of water to clean up after washing.
● A pint of rubbing alcohol to clean and wipe on hive tool after
each session in the bee yard.
● A can of comet or other scouring powder to be used with the
water/bleach when cleaning the hive tool and smoker.
● A stainless steel wire pad, or cleaning pad such as "Brillo" or
"SOS".
❍ This is used to scrub propolis from tools.
❍ Propolis is bee glue and is very difficult to clean up at

times.
❍ Propolis disserves some mention here. It is used by the
bees to seal cracks and encase things they don't like in

the hive such as menthol bags, dead mice, etc. It is also
used for medical purposes as a product of the hive.
Several firms buy propolis and there are propolis traps
you can buy to collect it.
❍ In hot weather is gets very sticky and you will get it on
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working with bees
your hands or gloves when you begin to work with

frames etc. in the bee hive. It is hard to get off.
❍ In cold weather it becomes very brittle and can be
easily scrapped from hive parts such as frames.

● Some type of disposable cloth to wipe and clean up tools and
hands with. Don't discard on the ground after use -- put into
plastic bag for garbage.
● A pair of rubberized gloves.
● Something to light your smoker. Many beekeepers use safety
matches but cigarette lighter works well too.
● Smoker fuel
When you go to visit your bees, you could place the above items into a five gal.
bucket. The five gal. bucket makes a good carrying container for the above as well
as your hive tool and smoker.
Technique:
Always start with clean tools.
I am often asked what spreads American foulbrood! In many cases, using a

dirty hive tools is the answer. The beekeeper spreads the disease by using the
hive tool which has come into contact with a hive having AFB on opening and
manipulating other hives of bees. AFB is a very contagious disease of the honey
bee. It is a bacteria spore which can survive on any bee related item. Another
item responsible is the gloves that protect your hands. It is impossible to keep
gloves clean if you are doing much work with your hive of bees. When you grasp
a frame in your hands, some of the wax, honey, or propolis may stick to your
gloves. Then when you visit another hive, some of this debris is carried to the
next hive. Your smoker also can come into contact with parts of the bee hive and
especially the bellows which you pump with your hands to create the smoke
cloud.
If these items are not cleaned after each visit to the bee yard, an accumulation of
hive debris on your equipment will possibly carry spores. If you should find a
sick hive, by all means, clean your equipment before going on to the next hive.
Cleaning procedure:
● Begin by pouring about a quart of water into your

bucket. Slowly add bleach or ammonia to the water-- it
only takes a tablespoon full. I am going to repeat the
warning from above -- Do not use both ammonia and
bleach. You will create chlorine gas if you do. Chlorine
gas is dangerous stuff.
● Wash your hands, hive tool and smoker. Scrub off any
propolis or hive debris on any of your equipment. You
may wash your gloves in a clorox bleach solution in your
washing machine after each use. Or you can just dip

working with bees
them into the solution in your bucket and hang up to dry.

● On occasions, propolis may be very sticky. In that case
use plenty of elbow grease to get it off. That is were the
scrub pads or wire scrub pad comes into play.
If you find a hive with American foulbrood:
Clean equipment immediately. I often place my hive tool into

the fire box of my smoker and heat it up before washing it and
then wipe it down with the alcohol.
For the beekeeper with only several hives, I would recommend

that the hive be destroyed as soon as AFB is confirmed -- make
sure it is AFB! If you do not doing something fast, AFB will
spread to your other hives as well. If you are like 80% of the
beekeepers out there, you most likely are thinking, How can I
save them? Our answer is: AFB is the most serious bee disease
out there. Many beekeeper try to use medication (Terramycin
(TM)) to control the disease but Terramycin only mask the disease -- never
rids the hive of the spores that cause the disease). If you use chemicals to
control the disease, then it is extremely important to clean your
equipment before touching anyone else's equipment or bees.
Comments on the use of ammonia
● I like ammonia for washing my hands for several reasons:

❍ It dissolves propolis -- it will leave your hands very clean. Propolis will turn yellow
and can be washed away with clean water.

❍ If you wash your hands with ammonia before working with the bees, it seems to
repel the bees. At least they are less likely to seek out your hands as a place to
sting.

Pictures
Beekeeping Made easy Picture Gallery
Back
The head of a honey bee (close up). A view of the five eyes of a honey bee. The
eyes on top of the honey bees head are called ocelli. The eyes on the side of the head
are compound eyes.
A honey bee gathering nectar and pollen. You may click on this photo to enlarge
it. Note how the pollen is sticking on this bee. This is a Rose-of Sharon tree/bush
Hibiscus syriacus coelestis. Bees are very attracted to the Rose-of-Sharon. It is a
hardy deciduous flowering shrub blooming in mid summer. Planted easily from
gathered seeds.
This honey bee is flying from blossom to blossom. Note that it is not paying any
attention to the photographer. Its sole purpose is to visit flowers to gather nectar
and pollen. It is not in a defensive mode.
There are several things about this picture we would like

to point out. First, when you first start a hive, this is
what it should look like after about eight weeks when
started from a package. It should be ready for the
second deep hive body. Second, this hive shows the bees
being fed with a division board feeder. We highly
recommend feeding bees with a feeder the bees can get to
during cold weather. The common boardman feeder
that sits on the front landing board of a hive is outside and during cold weather, the bees will be unable to get
any food you give them in it.
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Pictures
On occasions, an experienced beekeeper will make up a new hive from an existing

hive. This is called splitting a hive. In this photograph, the center frames have been
removed. Five frames from the strong hive next to it will be removed from that hive
and placed into this hive. The five frames left in the stronger hive will be moved to
the middle of the brood chamber and new frames added to the outside. That strong
hive would also now required feeding. One needs to add a new queen to the hive
being created.
The proper way to hold a frame from a hive to examine it. The frame needs to be
tilted slightly so that sun light can penetrate to the bottom of the cells.
Reading a frame of bees. What is one suppose to see? First, this frame is taken
from a hive in the early spring. The bees have brought in pollen which is stored in
the cells in area A. The queen has been laying eggs and some of the (worker) larva
have been capped over as can be seen at B. Usually a little later in the spring, the
bees will create a band of honey which encircles the brood across the top of the
frame. Along the top bar one can also see evidence of drone brood which has been
capped over.
A field of wild mustard (Brassica nigra) which is found commonly in waste areas and
fields. An early spring plant that bees visit for spring build up. Important in some
areas.
Some beekeepers clip the wings of their queens. We would recommend that you
practice this with drones before you begin with a queen. The reason to clip a queens
wing are : a beekeeper might prevent the loss of a valuable queen, try to prevent a
hive from swarming, and a system to kept track of how old a queen is by cutting
wings on alternate sides from year to year.
A honey bee in flight. Note the pollen on the legs of the honey bee as she is about to
alight on a new flower.

Pictures
This is a honey bee gathering nectar. Note the position of the honey bee within the
flower. She is projecting her proboscis into the nectaries of this flower. She rubs
against the stamens accidentally to pick up pollen grains.
Some products of the hive. Shown are wax candles made in various sizes and
shapes as well as some honey candy.
This is another form of a honey product. This is a gift package of cream honey
and extracted honey. Cream honey is finely granulated honey produced by the
Dyce process. Some cream honeys are then mixed with fruit extracts which make
them desirable for the holiday gift trade. Extracted honey is liquid honey
removed from comb by extracting the honey (spinning it out of the comb).
The value of attending bee meetings is the opportunity to meet important bee
people. This picture is of Dr. Harry Shimanuki and his wife during a break in
the bee meeting. Dr. Shimanuki recently retired from the USDA laboratory in
Beltsville, Md.
And this group was made up of individuals attending the summer EAS meeting
in Salisbury, MD. in 2000. Bee meeting are held on the local, state, regional and
national levels. You should consider attending such a meeting if you want to
expand your knowledge and network with other beekeepers.
Bees on the outside of this bee hive indicate that

the hive is crowded. It could indicate that more
boxes (supers) need to be added. If the hive gets
hot inside, bees will also crowd outside the hive
on the landing board. If conditions continue to
force the bees to gather outside the hive, it might
also contribute to the hive swarming.

Pictures
Newly built comb is very light yellow in color. The honey bees on this comb are
Italian bees. There are several darker bees in the photo. These bees are most
likely hybrids in which an Italian queen mated with a dark drone. The bees are
sisters but may have as many as 20 different fathers -- making the sister really
half-sisters. This genetic variation within a hive actually help honey bees
survive the various threats encounter over the life of the colony.
The hives shown here are set up off the ground on pallets. Pallets are readily
available at many construction sites and business which receive goods and
products delivered by truck. A standard pallet will hold four hives with
telescoping covers. Some beekeepers worry about hives being too close
together; however, our experience shows that bees in this arrangement do
quite well. Commercial beekeepers keep their hives on pallets because they
can be moved easily with a fork lift.
Can you find the queen? She is found about

four bees up from the bottom center of the
picture. This is an Italian queen. If you look
carefully in the enlarged photograph, you
will see eggs at the bottom of the dark cells to
the rear of her abdomen.
Honey takes many forms and one of the jobs of the beekeeper is to decide which form that
will be. Here we see finished "ROSS ROUNDS®" This product is comb honey produced in
a special super called a Ross Round Super. The frames shown to the back of the honey are
plastic with spaces for round plastic rings in which the bees drawn out comb and fill them
with honey. Generally, comb honey sells for about two times the cost of extracted honey.
For example, if a one pound jar of honey sells for $2.00 then a comb Ross Round would sell
for $4.00. Of course, the price will depend on the wholesale price of honey at any particular
time.
Have you wondered what queen cells look like? Here we have four naturally built
cells. Queen cells hang downward and look somewhat like peanut pods. When you
see capped queen cells like those shown, it would indicate that the new queens will be
emerging within a week or less. If you are trying to prevent swarming and you see
queen cells, you will need to do something fast.

Pictures
Honey bees produce large amounts of surplus honey at times. This photo gives you
an idea of what a full super of capped honey looks like. This super is going to be
removed and taken to the extracting room. In the extracting room the cappings will
be cut off the surface of the comb and the honey spun out of the comb. It will then
be sold as liquid extracted honey. Most honey sold in the U.S.A. is extracted honey.
A beekeepers cutting grass and weeds around his bee hives. Several things we
would like to point out about this picture are: 1) notice that the hives are leaning.
When hives are full of honey, they are very heavy and the support for the bottom
board may sink into the ground forcing the beekeeper to level the hive before it
falls over. 2) Bees don't care what the color of the hives are. This beekeeper has
used several colors. 3) Notice the rocks on the top covers. Some beekeepers use
rocks and bricks to hold lids on bee hives to prevent the lids from being blown off
in high winds.
Larva grow very fast and I have read that a nurse bee will visit each
approximately 2000 times. I don't know who was counting and I don't know how
accurate that figure is but the point is, it takes a lot of visits to feed this growing
larva.
Not all honey bees are European. This is a picture of a tree in India with a large
number of bee nest in the same tree. These bees are approximately three times
the size of the European honey bee found in the United States, South America,
Australia & New Zealand, and most of Europe and Africa. The habit of these
bees are in many ways similar to European bees except that they migrate with the
seasons and build their single comb high up in trees -- often sharing a tree with
other colonies of bees. These bees are known as the giant honey bee Apis
dorsata.
These bees cluster on the face of the single comb and are very aggressive. It is illegal
to import bees from other parts in the world into the U.S.A. due to the possibility of
introducing a pest which can not be controlled and which might cause harm to the
present beekeeping industry. These bees would be difficult to manage as we do with
the European bee which will adapt to a man-made hive.
This is how honey bees exchange food.

Foraging honey bees return to the nest
with a load of nectar and pass this off to a
young hive bee who will then reduce the
moisture and deposit the nectar into a
honey cell.

Pictures
This is a hive with a fire ant mound built against the side of a hive body. One
of the first warnings I received when I worked in Georgia was do not under
any circumstances step on an ant mound. You can see how fire ants are
transported if this hive is moved. Some of the ants will cling to the bottom
board which is protecting the ant nest. It could also be a painful experience
for the beekeeper.
Honey bees are not the only insect that stings. This is a
photograph of an individual who came into contact with fire
ants. Fire ants were imported into the U.S. they are not
native insects. They are commonly found in the south but
have been transported west. The California dept. of
Agriculture examines all trucks carrying bees into the state
from states where fire ants are found to avoid a fire ant
invasion, however, some have been found in California.
The honey bee cell is considered to be a perfect example of architecture. When new, wax
comb is almost white and very transparent. As it ages it becomes yellow with travel
stain from the bees walking on the comb and as young developing pupa build their
cocoons, the comb becomes dark brown to black.
Many beekeepers in the past and some in the present started beekeeping by
finding a swarm. Swarms generally take the common shape shown in this
picture. Most are found within easy reach, however, some settle high up in trees
and are not worth the possible fall from a ladder to get them. Beekeepers are
often besieged by home owners with bees in their house. Again, the trouble is
most likely more than the bees are worth. If a swarm is found in a place that is
easily accessible, it is easy to capture. One needs to prepare a box for the bees to
enter and then if the owner of the tree allows, cut the branch and place it at the
entrance to the box or over the box.
Where do queens come from? This is a picture of a queen cell builder yard. Each of
the hives shown are raising queen cells which will be placed into nuc's. A nuc is a small
hive in which the queen cell will be placed and a young queen will emerge from the cell.
She will then mate and start laying eggs. At that point she will be harvested and sold to
someone wanting a new queen. A new queen cell will again be placed in the nuc when the
queen is removed.

Pictures
Where do package bees come from? They come from hives such as the two shown here.
Most package bee producers are located in areas that have warm weather during early
February, March and April.
This is a package of bees. The bees are being shook from a frame
into a funnel which empties into this wire cage. Packages are sold
as two pound, three pound, and four pound packages. Packages
are sold with and without queens. Usually however, the package
price will indicate that a queen is included. Packages without
queens are used to increase bee populations in weak hives.
This is an example of a well dressed beekeeper. This hive was extremely aggressive and such
equipment is absolutely necessary when working such a hive. Note the bee veil and suit are
one unit. The gloves make it possible to work this hive without getting all stung up. We were
looking for the queen to kill her and replace her with a queen that had gentle genetic
characteristics. The old queen must be found in such a situation if the beekeeper wants to
introduce a new queen.
Honey that is capped over must have the cappings removed if the beekeeper
intends to spin the honey from the comb. This is done with an uncapping knife as
shown in this picture.
On occasion a swarm will settle in a tree or bush. They will build their nest. Bees
that do not seek out a shelter in cold climates will not survive the winter in such an
exposed position as this. The comb of a honey bee colony is always made of wax.
This is quite different from the paper nest of wasp and hornets.
What should a perfect frame of brood look like. This is our example. It
includes the classic capped brood centered in the frame with very few open
cells, the upper part of the frame is filled with honey and pollen. Photo
provided to us by Guss Pappas of Worthington, Ohio.

Pictures
This is an example of what bees will do to a hive body if you remove any frames
from it. In this case, a beekeeper started a new colony of bees and failed to remove
the cage from the hive after the bees were introduced. Because bee space was
violated, the bees filled the cavity of open space with comb built at various angles.
A comb of laying worker brood. Note the bumpy cells on the face of the comb in
what should be worker cells.
This is roping of American foulbrood. If the brood cell is broken open and the dead
sticky mass of dead larva tissue is stirred with a toothpick or other object, the larvae
tissue will rope out in a string from the cell as shown here.
How young can a person start beekeeping. This is a picture of Ian Lennon of
Columbus, Ohio. He is four years old. He has been stung but that does not deter
him from wanting to work bees. He has a protective bee suit and special gloves
made just for youthful beekeepers. He has built up confidence and can remove a
frame by himself from a hive of bees and describe workers, drones, and queens.
His learning curve is starting early.
A common way of feeding bees dry sugar during winter. The sugar is poured onto
the inner cover around the vent hole. Bees will eagerly get to it.

Pictures
You can train bees to land in a swarm almost anywhere. At the EAS meeting a few years ago,
this was demonstrated. This picture was taken during that exercise. How is it done?
Attach a queen in a cage at the place you want the bees to gather into a swarm (artificial
swarm). In this case, a cross was made of wood sticks, a queen cage with queen attached at
the intersection of the two pieces of wood and a package of bees dumped on the ground at the
foot of the cross. In very short time the bees had gathered around the queen cage and formed
an (artificial swarm).
Moving bees by truck. Commercial beekeepers move bees from

site to site for a number of reasons. Mostly to increase income
from pollination or honey crops. Some move bees south for
winter to avoid heavy winter losses and the ability to make early
splits in the spring.
Bee hives can be painted all colors. Pictured here are hives on pallets ready to be
loaded on a truck. Heavy equipment is need for a beekeeper to handle hives in this
fashion. Two common loaders are: skid type loaders and articulated loaders.
This is a well kept bee yard with honey supers ready to gather a good honey crop.
All hives are set up on concrete blocks and each hive entrance is painted a different
color.
A concrete block has been placed at the front of the bottom

board to allow for an additional landing area and it keeps
weeds from blocking the entrance.
A good look at capped honey.

Note how white the surface of the
cappings are! This is ripe honey
ready to be harvested.

Pictures
This is the entrance to a bee nest in a tree. Wild bee colonies are found in trees,
buildings, and even outhouses.* Would you believe that some people still have
outhouses! Some comb can be seen this this photograph taken near Delaware, Ohio in
1995. The bees in this nest failed to survive into 1996. As with all bees, mites have
taken a toll and bee trees are harder and harder to find. The art of "lining bees" is
almost lost.

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Working with the bees
Back
Basic Management techniques: If any of the following appeal to you more than another, you can go to it immediately.
Our beekeeping techniques for the first eight to ten weeks from our start will vary somewhat based upon the region of the country we
live in and will vary according to how we get our bees. Once bees have developed into full sized well populated hives, our techniques
will become somewhat standard and universal.
Techniques -- starting with a package of bees
Techniques -- starting with a nuc starter hive
Techniques -- starting with a full complete hive
Starting with a purchased complete hive
This is the simplest way to start beekeeping. However, as with nuc's, you risk getting someone's
diseased colony. Always get the hive inspected before buying it. This should be done by
someone other than the person selling the hive. Many states require a transfer of ownership
certificate and this certificate will provide you with disease information and the condition of the
colony of bees. The hive should have a strong population of bees. If it is weak, why buy it!
Bees for sale can often be found in the bee journals and local farm or state agriculture bulletins.
Advantages:
● The necessary equipment is already constructed and has bees in it.

● It will most likely be several years old and have an established queen and lots of brood.
● It will make honey the first year.
● You do not have to transfer bees into the hive equipment.
● The hive will generally not require the extensive feeding that package bees or nuc's will
need.
Disadvantages:
● It may carry disease.
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● The queen may be old and need to be replaced.

● It is the most expensive way to get bees.
● The equipment may not be standard.
● The equipment may need maintenance.
● You may be required to move the hive from its present location to your location.
Problems:
● Disease: You should examine the frames and bees for disease and be on a constant look
for them. Most established hives of bees will have mites. In the south, some may have
hive beetles. To keep the bees alive in your hive, you will need to develop a pest control
program of some type. That is discussed later.
● Queen: The queen may be old and needs to be replaced. This is not bad in itself but
finding the old queen to replace her is quite a job for a new beekeeper. Remember the
number of bees in your hive depends upon a good laying queen. Older queens do not lay
as many eggs and produce fewer adult bees than a new queen in a hive.
● Condition of equipment: You can judge equipment prior to buying. You get what you
pay for. However, there are some signs you should be looking for when you get the
equipment.
❍Are the frames old and dark?

❍ Are there any areas of rot in the woodenware?
❍ Is paint peeling from the woodenware?
● Did you pay too much? The price of a complete hive of bees depends on a number of
things. New beekeepers tend to be eager to get a hive of bees and sometimes pay an
outrageous price for the hive. No complete hive of bees should cost more than the total
combined cost of new equipment and bees.
● Do you need to move the hive yourself?
❍ Moving a hive without prior experience with bees can be a real interesting
learning experience. If you must do the job yourself, we would like to make sure
you understand a few pointers:
■ Move the bees late in the evening or early in the morning when the bees are
not flying.
■ Try not carrying them inside your vehicle. A trailer or truck is preferred.
If you have a van or station wagon, you might want to enclose the hive in a
bed sheet to prevent the bees from flying around inside your vehicle.
Usually a good amount of duct tape is used to cover all cracks and opening
that would allow the bees out of the hive. In addition, you would need to
use wire screen over the entrance to allow the bees to get some air and
prevent them from coming out. It is best to put this wire screen in place
before you pick up the hive. Not after you have disturbed the bees.
■ A strap around the hive will help hold everything in place for the trip. One
can buy hive staples for this purpose as well. Four strips of wood fastened

working with bees2
onto the bottom board and the sides of the hive bodies as well as back with
screws works equally well. A telescoping hive cover can be held on with
just a screw or two. Portable power drills with drywall screws are great to
work with in the bee yard.
■ The hive must be firmly tied down to the trailer, truck body, or inside the
van or station wagon. You don't want it to slide around. Ask yourself
what you would do if "you were driving down the road with a hive of bees
in your van, truck or trailer and someone pulled out in front of you!"
❍ Your new hive may swarm and most likely will if you do not manage your bees
and check the bees often. See strong hive management.
❍ What happens if your neighbors begin to complain about your bees?
■ Do not tell them to "Go to H____!"
■ Be open and visit with them. Ask questions to determine why they object to
your bees. Is it something you can change in your beekeeping methods?

location of hive? or other.
■ Are their fears justified? Is a neighbor highly allergic to bee stings?
■ Give gifts of honey when you harvest your honey crop.
■ Educate your neighbors on the value of honey bees.
Managing your new hive
● What is needed?
❍ Keep a watchful eye on your hive. You should inspect your hive
every week or two during the spring to check on disease and crowded
conditions.
❍ Your hive should have a number of things going on. The following
represent normal bee behavior.
■ The queen should be laying eggs. Larva and capped brood

should be present.
■ The bees should have a well defined brood nest.
■ The bees should be storing pollen and nectar in cells around
the brood nest.

■ The bee population should be strong. If the hive is a two deep
brood chamber, both brood boxes should be full of bees. If

this condition does not exist, you may need to replace the
queen or the hive was weak when you bought it.
❍ You will need to have honey supers to put on top of the brood
chamber. This needs to be done as soon as a honey flow begins.
Usually the time dandelions begin to bloom is a good time to start
putting the first few supers on your hive of bees.
❍ You will need to exercise good clean beekeeping practices as
discussed in the previous lesson.

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Back to top of page
Starting with a nuc hive
Another common method of starting a new hive of bees is to buy a nuc (frames of bees with a
queen--a small starter hive). This is usually made up of three, four, or five frames with bees and
queen. Its advantages are:
● The queen has already been accepted by the bees.

● The queen is already laying eggs and the nuc should have a good amount of brood.
● There should be no decline in bee population as there is with a package.
● The nuc should develop into a full honey gathering hive in one half the time it takes a
package to develop to the same strength. This will depend on the strength of the nuc
when you buy it.
● There is considerably less labor involved in starting a nuc instead of a package of bees.
Its disadvantages are:
● The frames the bees arrive on could contain disease such as American foulbrood spores.
● The beekeeper selling the nuc's could be getting rid of old frames which you will have to
replace or want to replace in a year or so. Ask what the frames are like when you place
your order. Nuc's with new comb are always worth just a bit more.
● The queen could be an old queen. Ask for new queens when you order the nuc.
● A nuc hive will cost more than a package of bees.
Nuc starter hive techniques:
Check list of things to have ready
● Order you nuc's early

● All hive equipment must be ready; however, you have a little more time to work because
the bees will survive in the nuc for a short period of time before becoming crowded and
swarm.
● Location of the hive must be determined before you take frames from the nuc and put
into your new hive body.
● Protective equipment and bee tools must be available before you work with the nuc.
● All other equipment needs to be ready such as your feeders, cleaning equipment, and
anything else you will be needing.
If you have the following, you are ready to begin:
● The nuc has arrived. Be sure to sit the nuc in the same location the new hive will be
located.

working with bees2
● All items above are ready.

● You are ready to go to work.
Steps in moving the frames from the nuc into your new hive body.
● Transfer procedures:
Remove three, four, or five frames from your new hive body plus one. The frames
❍
removed should be from the center of the hive body. The number depends on the
number of frames in your nuc.
❍ Put on your protective equipment.
❍ Pick up the nuc and move it a few feet to one side of the new hive body which is
placed in the exact location of the nuc. Be sure to level the hive stand, blocks, or
supports the new bottom board will be resting on. There should be a slight slope
toward the entrance so rain water will drain out of the hive rather than into the
hive.
❍ Smoke the nuc lightly. Remove the top cover to the nuc and expose all frames.
Again use light smoke to quiet the bees.

❍ Remove each frame one at a time carefully. Check each frame for brood, and
eggs. Also check for the queen. Do not be rough and roll any bees (roll bees
means to pull the frame up out of the hive and by doing so, the bees on the frame
are rolled off of it). This results in the killing of many bees and possibly the queen
as well.
❍ After you have examined the frame you pulled from the nuc, place it in the new
hive body. We asked you to remove one extra frame. The reason for this was to
provide enough room to place all the frames from the nuc into your new hive
without squeezing any frames and killing any bees. The extra room allows for
each frame to be placed easily into the new hive.
❍ After all the frames from the nuc are in your new hive, you can add the extra
frame we asked you to remove. This is done by taking your hive tool and gently
moving the frames from the outside on one side toward the other side of the hive
body. The last frame is then placed into the slot you made next to the outside of
the box. When you open a hive to examine frames, you should always begin from
the outside and work toward the center of the hive.
❍ What is left for you to do is close up the hive.
● Problems
❍ The major problem with a nuc is the possibility of disease. Be aware of what
American foulbrood is and be on the look out for it. Get your nuc inspected as
soon as you can by either a state or county bee inspector or a knowledgeable
beekeeper you trust.
■ If AFB does appear in your new hive of bees within the first year, you have
every right to contact the person who sold you the bees and ask for
compensation. It may consist of a refund in money for the nuc or even the

working with bees2
equipment cost if you are required by your state dept. of agriculture to

destroy the hive. It is more likely that the person who sold you the nuc may
claim the AFB showed up after you purchased the bees and therefore is not
responsible. If so, report this situation to your state bee inspectors. It is
possible, but if many customers of this producer have the same problem --
the problem most likely originated with the producer. Some state allow
you to treat with terramycin and you can do this to mask the disease. But it
is a hell of a way to start beekeeping especially if you have all new
equipment except for the frames that came with the nuc!
❍ The nuc will develop faster than a package of bees will and you need to have
equipment ready to place on this hive as the population grows. Otherwise, this nuc
could be crowded and the bees will swarm. Don't let anyone tell you that the bees
will not swarm in their first year!

Managing your new hive
❍ What is needed?
■ Keep a watchful eye on your new hive. New beekeepers will visit their new
hive almost every day but that doesn't mean you have to open the hive on
every visit. Once a week is enough.
■ Your new hive should now have 10 frames in the hive box -- the brood
chamber.
■ Your new hive should have a number of things going on. The following
should be normal bee activities: the blue underlined words are bookmarks
to pictures on the picture gallery pages. You can check these pictures to see
what things should look like.
■ The bees should be working on drawing out the foundation in your
frames. The amount of foundation drawn will depend on the

population of bees you have in your hive and how much you are
feeding the bees sugar syrup.
■ The queen should be laying eggs. If you pull a frame of drawn
foundation from the brood chamber of your hive, you should see new
bee larva.
■ Many new beekeepers want to see their queen. It is not necessary if
eggs are present and you see larva as shown in the picture above.

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She is in the hive somewhere. However, if you should be looking for

her , she will be much like the queen as shown in this picture of a
queen bee.
■ In about four weeks the bees in your hive should look something like
this hive.
Back to top of page
Starting with package bees
Getting bees for the person starting a hive from scratch is hard work.
Southern package producers work from sun up to sun down during the
very narrow period of time that they make up packages. This is
usually from March to May. Our concern here is how you need to
handle the package of bees after it arrives and you are ready to install
it.
There are a number of different methods to install your package of bees. We are going to offer
you only one of these techniques to avoid the confusion that often faces a new beekeeper.
Check list of things to have ready
● Order your package/packages of bees early!

● All hive equipment must be ready -- If you bought new, most likely it was knocked
down. This means it must be put together before you can use it.
● Location of the hive must be determined before the package is installed. It is difficult to
move a new hive after the bees have been released and have been flying for several days.
● Your protective equipment and bee tools at hand and ready to use.
● Assemble some other equipment
❍ A small water spray bottle filled with sugar water (two parts water to 1 part sugar)
❍ Make sure you have entrance reducers or a good clump of grass to reduce the
entrance into the hive.
❍ Be prepared to feed the new hive of bees for the next month. This can be done
with a feeder. We would suggest a division board feeder. More on that later.
If we have the following we are ready to start:
● The package of bees has arrived. Keep the bees in the package in a cool location and out
of direct sunlight. They must have circulating air to keep cool and also must be protected
if the weather turns cold. Keeping the bees in a dark location helps them remain calm.
Packages of bees can be kept for only a short period of time -- a day or two at most.

working with bees2
● All the items above are ready

● You are ready to go to work
Steps in moving the bees from the wire cage into your bee box.
● Set up your hive equipment in the location where you want the hive to remain.
● Put on your protective equipment and have your smoker lit.
● Carry the package of bees to the hive.
❍ Packages of bees are usually sold by the pound. A two pound package means that
you should have two pounds of bees and a queen in the package. A pound of bees
has approximately 3,500 bees or more.
❍ Each package has the following parts:
■ A box framework covered with wire
■ A can of sugar syrup
■ A lid keeping the sugar can in place
❍ Included in the package are:
■ 3,500 bees times the number of pounds of bees
■ A queen in a separate cage
● Transfer procedures
❍ First remove five frames from the center of the deep hive body which should now
be sitting on the bottom board.

❍ Next, spray sugar water from your water spray bottle onto the screen wire of the
cage. The bees should be given plenty of sugar water. They will eagerly take it
up. This has a calming effect on the bees.
❍ Put on your protective equipment.
❍ The next step is to remove the lid holding the syrup can in the cage. The bees
should still unable to get out because the hole the can is fitted into is designed to be
bee tight. Often the can is somewhat difficult to remove. But don't worry about
that yet!
❍ Probably since you began, ten minutes have past. Your bees should be quiet -- not
rushing around on the inside of the package. If they are rushing around, it is
because they are too hot. You need to make sure they calm. If they are too hot,
move them to a cool location and wait until they calm down.
❍ Now it is time to remove the queen cage. This is done by carefully giving the
package cage a sharp jolt. Most of the bees will drop as a group to the bottom of
the cage. Grasp the can and remove it quickly. Pull the queen cage out of the
package -- the queen cage is usually fastened to a wire which allows the queen cage
to be pulled out. Quickly insert the can back into the package. Now you can work
without a lot of bees flying around.
❍ Queen cages are of three types.
■ Plastic queen cages. These cages are becoming more common among
package producers. The cage has a neck which is filled with sugar candy.
The sugar candy is in the cage to prevent the bees from entering the cage
and possibly killing the queen. To keep the bees in the package from eating
thru the candy too soon, the package producer places a plastic cap over the
end of the neck. It fits easily between frames. If your package comes with a

working with bees2
queen confined in a plastic cage, you will need to remove the cap before
placing the cage in the hive. More on that shortly.
■ Single hole California cage. This is a wooden cage with a single
compartment for the queen. It usually has a plastic tube which contains
candy sugar and is the means through which the bees eat their way into the
queen cage. The tube is usually plugged with a cork or plastic flap. The
advantage of this wooden cage is that it is 3/4" wide and about 4" long. It
will fit easily between frames. The cork or plastic flap must be removed before you
put this cage in the hive. We will explain placing the queen cage in the hive in the next
section.
■ The three hole Benton cage. This is the old stand-by. It has been used for
years and many package producers are still using it, especially those in the
South. This cage is approximately 1 1/4" wide, 3/4" tall and 4 inches long.
It is made of wood. What makes this cage different is that one of the three
compartments is filled with sugar candy. A hole in the end of the cage
allows bees to get to the sugar candy. Because there is much more candy in
this cage than the others, it takes the bees longer to eat through to the
queen. Many beekeepers have advised beginners to poke a hole through the
candy with a nail to speed up the release of the queen. We feel it is okay for
this cage but not for the two discussed above.
❍ Our next job is to check the queen cage to make sure the queen is alive and
active. Once we are satisfied that she is alive, we need to remove the cork or
object covering the candy hole. The queen cage is then placed between two
frames located near the center of the hive box. It is best to place the candy end of
the queen cage facing up. In this way, any bee that might die or be trapped in the
candy hole will be able to drop into the bottom of the queen cage thus leaving the
opening free for the queen to leave once the candy has been eaten out by the bees.
One final thought on the queen cage is: don't let it fall to the bottom board. Make
sure the cage is secure between the frames. You can fasten it it place if necessary
by placing a tack in one of the top bars and wiring the queen cage to it.
❍ The hive box now has the queen in place. You have space now to place the
package with the bees in it within the hive box. First, jolt or shake the bees to the
bottom of the cage as you did before. Remove the can and quickly place the
package cage with the open hole up into the vacant area of the hive body as close
to the frames holding the queen cage as possible. The bees will leave the package
cage and gather around the queen.
❍ While they are coming out of the package cage, place the inner cover over the hive
body and place the syrup can over the inner cover hole.
❍ Wait for 30 minutes or so.
❍ Check the bees. Have they gathered around the queen? If so all is well.
❍ If they have not, you may have to shake the bees out of the package cage.
❍ However, after two days you need to remove the package cage box from the hive
body, replace the five frames you removed earlier and check to make sure the
queen has been released from her cage. If she has, remove this queen cage as
well. If she has not, it is time to release her manually. You can tear the wire
screen off the wooden cages or unsnap the plastic cage. This releases the queen

working with bees2
immediately. Close up the hive.

❍ Give the bees syrup in the can. When it is empty, you will need to feed every other
day or so. We will discuss feeding a little later.

● Problems
❍ What if the queen is dead in the cage or is not moving around in a lively fashion?
■ Contact the package producer immediately. The queen should be replaced
immediately and there should be no charge! If you feel hassled -- you

shouldn't be -- order a queen from some other source immediately. It is
important that the bees get a live queen as quickly as possible. It will take
two or three days for a new queen to arrive. In the meantime place the
dead queen in her cage back into the hive until the new queen arrives. Once
she arrives, install (put her in the hive) immediately. You really don't have
the luxury of having all the time in the world. The bees in your package
most likely are not going to live much more than 40 to 50 days. It will take
them 21 days from the first egg laid by the queen to emerge and begin to
replace the bees that die.
❍ What if most of the bees are dead in the package when it arrives?
■ This is a problem in hot weather or poor handling by the shipper. If you
had insurance on the package, file a claim immediately. Contact the

package producer immediately. Often, a package producer will replace the
bees and queen for shipping and handling cost. However, it is not the
producers fault. When bees are delivered to a shipper, the bees are fresh
and alive. There are a few rare cases in which it is the fault of the producer
and these are easy to discover.
■ If the syrup can has no holes punched in the lid for the bees to get
syrup and they are dead -- they died of starvation. This is a mistake
when the package was put together at the producers facilities. This
mistake needs to pointed out to the producer immediately.
■ If there is no queen in the package, or the queen cage has fallen to the
floor of the package cage and the queen is dead, contact the producer
immediately. Again this is a mistake and the producer needs to take
care of the problem immediately.
■ The package is short on weight. You paid for more pounds of bees
than you receive. Sometimes a producer will accidentally send a two

pound package when a three pound package was ordered. Ask for a
refund of the difference. This is usually a shipping error. It can
happen to any producer.
❍ What if you pay for the package of bees and they never arrive?
■ First, contact the person you bought the bee from when the delivery date
comes and goes with no bees. Often you will be given an excuse if the
producer has not put them in the mail. If they have been shipped, then
contact the shipper.
■ Second, No package order should be more than a week late unless there is a
weather anomaly in the producers package bee producing area. Examples

would be: heavy rains and tornados, a very late snow. If these conditions
do not exist, then ask for an immediate refund. You can get bees from

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another source. "Several years ago, beekeepers faced a serious problem

from a producer who advertised in national magazines package of bees with
prepayment by January 1 for a discount. The problem was that the
producer took the money and did not deliver the bees. To my knowledge,
beekeepers never got their money back or the bees. They got excuses and
then a disconnected phone. That bee business is no longer in business and
the major magazines will not publish ads for this individual. I was told
personally, that Bee Culture Mag. had a complete file drawer full of
complaints on this producer who advertised in their magazine." Buy from
a reliable producer -- if package bees are delivered into your area, buy them
for pick up rather than having them put into the mail.
❍ What happens if the bees leave?
■ On occasion bees installed in a new hive have absconded! They leave the
hive. This is not a rare thing for bees to do. It doesn't happen often but
you need to be aware that it can happen and for several reasons:
■ Usually a beekeeper is using new foundation.
■ Most likely the bees are starving.
■ The bees fail to accept the queen
■ The new hive is being robbed out by bees from neighboring hives.
■ If you have a hive with no bees, you will need to order a new package of
bees and start over! Beekeeping is always a challenge to experienced

beekeepers as well as those just starting out. Survivors become beekeepers!

Managing a new hive
❍ What is needed?
■ Keep a watchful eye on your new hive. New beekeepers will visit their new
hive almost every day but that doesn't mean you have to open the hive on
every visit. Once a week is enough.
■ Your new hive should now have 10 frames in the hive box -- the brood
chamber.
■ Your new hive should have a number of things going on. The following
should be normal bee activities: the blue underlined words are bookmarks
to pictures on the picture gallery pages. You can check these pictures to see
what things should look like.
■ The bees should be working on drawing out the foundation in your
frames. The amount of foundation drawn will depend on the

population of bees you have in your hive and how much you are

working with bees2
feeding the bees sugar syrup.

■ The queen should be laying eggs. If you pull a frame of drawn
foundation from the brood chamber of your hive, you should see new
bee larva.
■ Many new beekeepers want to see their queen. It is not necessary if
eggs are present and you see larva as shown in the picture above.
She is in the hive somewhere. However, if you should be looking for
her , she will be much like the queen as shown in this picture of a
queen bee.
■ In about eight weeks the new bees in your hive should have replaced
the bees that were shipped with your package. It should look
something like this hive.
Back to top of page

Pest disease program

Pest/Disease Program
Back
It is necessary for the beekeeper to be aware of the diseases and pest they may encounter while keeping bees.
We suggest that you use good hygienic methods for your beekeeping tools. An earlier chapter discussed what
you as a beekeeper should be doing to prevent the spread of disease by keeping clean tools and equipment.
New beekeepers are often unaware of the diseases or pest that may attack their bees. The first job when
opening any hive is to check for diseases. Look for signs that pest have been attacking your bees and hive.
Once you identify a problem, take action to correct it. The following photographs and commentary are
designed to help you look for certain things to help in this effort. Not all diseases are listed here. Many general
bee books will list far more than I have listed here but these are the major problems. Many beekeepers will
never encounter all of these things. The most serious problem by chance comes first because we have used an
alphabetical arrangement in listing the items. It is American foulbrood and every beekeeper needs to know
what it is, what it looks like, and what to do about it.
Disease/Pest Control
Diseases All pest and diseases are referred to by common names
Identification: A bacterial disease caused by Bacillus larvae . It can

be found in every state in the U.S. It is spread by robbing bees and
poor beekeeping practices. It can be identified from a shot gun
appearance of the capped brood. The capping over the brood will be
sunken and some will have holes. If opened the cells will contain a
gooey substance that was formerly a larva and generally will be
coffee or tobacco spit color. If the larva have not dried out to form
scales, the mass of gooey substance can be
stirred with a toothpick and if the gooey
substance "ropes" (sticks to the toothpick and
stretches out of the cell into a fine thread) is an
almost sure positive identification of it. Many
people associate a rotten odor to a hive with
American foulbrood. Treatment: First and best
American foulbrood
is to burn the frames of comb and the bees then
thoroughly clean and disinfect all wood hive parts. Many beekeepers
A brood disease char the insides of hive bodies, the floor of the bottom board, the
inner cover and top cover. Some state allow the use of terramycin.
Some states require the entire destruction of the hive equipment and
bees. We suggest you find out what your state department of
agriculture allows.
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Identification: A fungal disease caused by Ascosphaera apis . It is

now found throughout the United States. It is a disease of stress in
the early spring to early summer. Severe cases can be found in the
comb later in the year. Often the bees will try to remove the mummy
larva -- it is called chalk brood because the mummies are chalk like
in appearance and touch. These mummies can often be seen at the
entrance of the hive. Treatment: There is no chemical approved
treatment for this disease. The best management plan would be to:
strengthen a weak hive with more brood and bees, replace the queen
(literature indicates that it might be genetic characteristic) with a
queen of known hygienic behavior. To avoid spreading chalkbrood,
Chalkbrood
you can avoid using pollen from a chalkbrood hive for supplemental
feeding and avoid mixing frames of comb from a chalkbrood hive
a brood disease with other hives you may have.
Identification: A bacterial diseased caused by Mellisococcus pluton.

It is found in all parts of the United States. This is not considered a
major bee disease such as the American foulbrood disease. The
bacteria that cause this disease multiply very rapidly and cause the
death of the larva before being capped over. The cappings in a hive
with EFB will not be shrunken and pitted as in AFB. The larva will
be discolored as shown to the left. Normally the larva will die in the
"C" shape shown. The effect of EFB is to reduce a colonies bee
European foulbrood population and thus reduce a honey crop. Treatment: Good
beekeeping hygiene will keep this disease in control, however, if a
hive should be found with EFB it is important to prevent any robbing
A brood disease of the hive and frames from this hive should not be transferred to
any other hive. A colony of bees treated with terramycin - TM
recovers rapidly.
Identification: A protozoan disease caused by Nosema apis.

Although most beekeepers do not consider this a major disease, I am
going to list it as such. It is very damaging to colonies of bees that
over winter in the north. It kills more hives of bees than it is given
Healthy gut of honey bee credit for. You can not see this disease because it is caused by spores
which germinate in the midgut of the honey bee. Symptoms include:
shortened life span, fecal deposits on the inside of the hive and often
Nosema on the outside of the hive. One way to check for nosema is to pull
the digestive tract out of a honey bee. Healthy digestive tracts are tan
An adult bee disease in color. If it is white, the bee is usually infected with nosema.
Treatment : The antibiotic Fumagillin sold as Fumidil-B mixed with
sugar syrup and fed to the bees in the fall and spring. Literature
suggest 1 gal. of syrup per hive. 0.5 grams are mixed with 6 gallons
of syrup to feed 6 hives. This is an adult bee disease.

Identification: It is a viral infection of the adult bee. Often the

beekeeper will notice that the bees are hairless or very glossy as in
old age. One might notice a number of bees crawling on the ground
around the hive entrance, or trembling on the landing board unable
Paralysis to fly. I should point out that the trembling could be a symptom of
pesticide poisoning as well. In some cases the bees just disappear or
An Adult bee disease dwindle away.
Treatment: No treatment for a viral disease. Requeening with good

stock may help.
Identification: It is a viral infection of the larva and is named after

the sac-like appearance of dead larvae. The skin of the larva is
tough and rubbery and if pulled from the cell with a pair of tweezers,
will look like a thin sac covering the dead larva. It is not a common
Sacbrood bee disease.
A brood disease Treatment : There is no treatment for viral diseases. Just use good
sanitary beekeeping practices while working with bees and if you
find a colony with this disease, do not mix other hive frames etc. with
this colony. Replacing the queen with a queen from less susceptible
stock may help.
Identification: The SHB is found primarily in the Southern states of

the United States but can be found in many other states especially
states that import bees for pollination. It is called: Aethina tumida .
This small beetle is black and can be found moving rapidly inside the
hive when exposed to sun light. The Larvae may be mistaken for wax
moth larva but they do not spin cocoons as the wax moth larva and
leave a slime trail within the hive. They can make a complete mess
of a hive which can result in the loss of comb in the frames and loss
of honey crop. This beetle seems to prefer weak hives especially
queenless hives to do its damage.
Small hive beetles Treatment: Several treatments are available to the beekeeper for
SHB. First, a ground drench - SHB larva crawl from the entrance
of a hive and pupate in the ground around the hive stand. The
product is called: GardStar®. Always read label directions for the
use of the product. Second, CheckMite+ - TM a strip which controls
both SHB and Varroa mites. This is a restricted use chemical and
you need to check your state dept. of Agriculture to see if it is
approved in your state.

Identification: This mite is named Acarapis woodi . It was first

identified as the Isle of Wight Disease. This mite has become well
established in the United States except Hawaii. These mites can be
observed under a microscope. They are found in the tracheae of
adult honey bees. Highly infested hives usually die in the fall or
winter. One may find few bees in a dead hive. This is contrary to
starvation when most of the bees will be on the face of the comb --
dead. Early detection is important. If the beekeeper notices a rapid
decline in population, the situation is already out of hand.
Fortunately, breeding better queen bees with resistance to the
tracheal mite has reduced the tracheal mite problem from what it
was 10 years ago.
Treatment: Again, we are fortunate to have several treatments for

Tracheal mites this parasite. Mite-A-Thol®. is a menthol packet which can be
placed in the hive. It is claimed to be 97% effective? A much less
expensive treatment is the use of solid vegetable oil such as Crisco
with powdered sugar. This is made into an oil patty and placed into
the hive on wax paper. The bees eat the sugar and get oil on their
body which most likely mask the odor the mite uses to find the
opening to the trachea.
Identification: This mite was known as varroa jacobsoni but is now

correctly called varroa destructor. Varroa mites can be found in the
United States except Hawaii. The mite is small but can be seen with
the naked eye. Mites are about the size of a pin head and are
reddish/brown in color. They can be detected by several methods.
One is with varroa screens under which is a sticky board. Mites fall
through the screen onto the sticky board where then can then be
detected and counted to determine the infestation level. Second
method involves checking drone brood for mites like shown in the
picture to the left and the third method involves scooping up 100 or
so bees and subjecting them to a sugar roll or ether roll test. The
sugar roll test does not kill the bees and is preferred. The method is
simple. Scoop up the bees into a pint jar, add powdered sugar (a
tablespoon will do) and shake and roll the jar. Varroa mites will
Varroa mites drop off the bees to the bottom of the jar where they can be counted.
Treatment: Chemical and non chemical treatments are possible.

Chemical treatments include the use of strips called (CheckMite+ or
Apistan). Or a beekeeper might use special drone comb in frames
which are removed and frozen to kill drone brood on which the
varroa mites seem to prefer to reproduce.
Pests To see Ohio Department of Agriculture Pest

Identification: Ants are a nuisance in the bee hive. They often build
nest under the top cover and above the inner cover where the bees
don't bother them. They seem to cause very little damage to the bees
except be a curse to the beekeeper who wants to control them.
Treatment: Any chemical used to destroy ants will also kill bees.
One could set the bee hive on a stand supported by four legs. Each
leg would fit into a can filled with oil preventing ants from climbing
Ants up the side of the hive. Don't spend too much time worrying about
them.
Identification: Bear damage is rather easy to see. Hives are smashed

to bits by the bears to get to the brood comb and honey. They scatter
the equipment around the yard. One will find many frames dragged
away from the boxes with the comb eaten and pulled from the
frames.
Treatment: The killing of these large animals is being called into

question more and more in today's world. The best thing a
beekeeper can do is install an electric bear fence as a preventative
Bears
measure. Place the apiary in a location out of their path.
Birds can take a heavy toll on adult honey bees. There is very little
that can be done about this. You should be aware that some of the
following birds are considered bee feeders.
● martins
● swallows
● woodpeckers
Birds ● sparrows
Identification: Beekeepers that place hives of bees on farms may

concern themselves with the problems caused by cattle. Cattle like to
rub up against bee hives and thus knock them over or off their
bottom boards. Cows have heavy hair over most of their body and
bees do not seem to be able to drive a real itchy cow off.
Treatment: If you are going to place hives of bees on a farm where

cattle or livestock have access to the hives of bees, you need to think
about and getting permission to erect a portable fence around the
Cattle
hives.

Identification: Solenopsis sp. are nasty very small ants. They are
reddish brown in color. The bite leaves a pustule on the body of the
person bitten. They are very common in the Southern U.S.
California is trying to keep the fire ant out of the state by checking
pollinating vehicles that enter the state and stop any of those who
may have a stray ant aboard. The bite itches and burns for a
considerable time after the insect has done its work. The mounds of
the fire ants nest are visible in fields, pasture, and next to bee hives
that sit directly on the ground as shown.
Treatment : Get bee hives off the ground. Use pallets or blocks.
Because there are so many nest in an area, it is almost impossible to
fire ants
kill them. Avoid kneeling on the ground when working in a fire ant
area. Be sure to wear clothing that can be fitted inside boots or
fastened tightly around the ankle to prevent them from climbing up
ones leg.
Identification: Frogs and toads are found near water and gardens.
They are considered very valuable insect catchers. Most gardeners
would delight to have toads/frogs in their garden. They may eat
some bees but will not deplete the populations of bees which might
cause the beekeeper some concern.
frogs/toads
Treatment: None
Identification: Ground hogs in themselves do not harm bee as far as

I am aware. However, they do burrow into the ground around bee
yards and present a risk to the beekeeper who might step into the
hole and break an ankle.
Treatment: They are considered pest by most farmers and are shot
on sight. They can also be trapped.
Ground hogs

Identification: Rodents such as mice and rats are common pest to

the beekeeper. They build nest in hive boxes, destroy comb in the
frames, and eat holes in equipment. In addition they leave dropping
all over the place.
Treatment: In the fall of the year, the beekeeper can do a great deal
to keep mice out of hives by placing a mouse guard on the entrance
to the hive. These are sold by bee suppliers but you can make
effective mouse guards. If you can restrict the entrance to the hive
to 1/4 of an inch, bees will be able to come and go, but mice will not
be able to enter. Any holes in the hive of 1/2 inch or more will allow
mice/rats free access to the inside of the hive by mice. Rats can be a problem
in storage areas where bee equipment is kept. Bait can be set out for
both rats and mice, special traps are also available, and a cat works
wonders.
Identification: Have you even encountered an animal just about as

smart as you are? If you are storing bee honey supers in an open
shed, "coon" will most likely find them. They love to pull frames
from the hive bodies and build a nest to raise their young. They will
even remove covers such as plywood or inner covers from stacked
supers. And those boardman feeder jars outside the hive used for
feeding. Once the "coon" discover them you will be lucky to find
them. The jars are rolled away from the hives and the "coon" drink
your syrup. For those who raise queens, "coon" are a special
problem. They learn how to pull a nuc over on its side, pull out the
frames, and eat the brood.
raccoon Treatment: Raccoon can be trapped. Often you may have coon
hunters in your area that would be more than delighted to take up
the hunt for them. Because coon carry or can carry rabies, many
states require that they be killed rather than caught and released.
Identification: The type of snake you may encounter will depend on

where you live. In some areas, the beekeeper will need to be very
cautious because of poisonous snakes. Snakes can be a danger in
the South and Southwestern U.S. Our experience with snakes is the
warnings we had received in the rattle snake areas of southern Ohio
and Georgia. When walking through high grass and rough terrain,
the beekeeper needs to be vigilant. Many beekeepers encounter
snakes -- non poisonous -- as they work hives of bees. Snakes are
often found under bottom boards and if they can get into the hive,
under top covers. The danger of snakes is not to the bees but rather
to the beekeeper.
reptiles
Treatment: Avoid snakes. They sliver away quickly when disturbed.
Many snakes are very beneficial so don't be in a hurry to kill them.

Identification: This is a hive being

visited by a skunk or several skunks.
Notice the path in front of the hive and
to the right side. Skunks will scratch
the bottom board landing area or the
front of the hive body to get the bees to
come out of the hive. They then eat the
bees they catch. If you see matted down grass or in this case, bare
earth in front or around the front of your hive, you most likely have
a skunk dining on your bees.
Treatment: Skunks visit in the evening and dark hours. Watching

for them can take some time but shooting them is usually not an
option. There are several things that can be done. First, raising the
hive off the ground 16 to 18 inches will help. Or you can spread lye
skunks around the entrance. When the skunk get lye on its paws it will lick
them and the result is bitterness. One can also use chicken netting
around the hive to prevent the skunk from getting close enough to
the hive to feed. I like the wire trap with a door that shuts when the
animal steps on a trap lever. I throw a blanket (old one) over the
trap to move it. I have caught as many as four skunks in a bee yard
in one year.
Identification: Squirrels find the shelter of bee hives on occasion to

spend the winter. As shown in this
photo I took as a bee inspector, the
squirrels had stored a number of
acorns above the brood nest. They
destroy the comb much like mice
but the area destroyed is much
larger. Believe it or not, but this
hive still had bees going in and out of it below the squirrel nest.
squirrels
Treatment: Prevent ways for squirrels to get into the hive. They
need a larger opening than mice.

Identification: Termites bore into wood hive parts, especially those

We hope to get some real parts that touch the ground. They do a great deal of damage. If you
photos of termites. We see what looks like large winged ants, you are looking at female
had to borrow a picture termites at swarming time.
from the 1952 Insects The
Yearbook of Agriculture
published by the U.S. Treatment: Special restricted pesticides are used to kill termites. Do
Dept. of Agriculture not use them around the bees. Non chemical treatment would
require the beekeeper to get all wood equipment up off the ground.
Placing hives on hive stands made of cinder block or concrete will
termites
help. Professionals use bait traps and foundation spray around
dwellings.
Identification: The picture to the left is damage done to a comb by

wax moth. This picture can be clicked on to enlarge. The enlarged
picture will clearly show larvae that feed and form tunnels lined
with webs There are two general types found in the United States:
Galleria mellonella L. the Greater Wax Moth and Achroia grisella
F. the Lesser Wax Moth. Both do considerable damage to bee
hives that are in weak condition and stored comb in supers. Wax
moths are a serious problem in warm weather and dark
conditions. They can do a lot of damage in a very short period of
time.
Treatment: Wax moths attack weak hives. Strong hives will kept
Wax moths them under control. Wax moths do not like light. Exposing
equipment to light, closing up equipment tightly and fumigating with
"Para-moth" (Para-Dichlorobenzene crystals) a product available
from most bee suppliers, and using biological control such as
Bacillus thuringiensis.
Identification: Often a beekeeper will see yellow

jackets trying to get into the entrance of a hive.
If the hive is weak, a number of yellow jackets
will invade and steal honey reserves. Yellow
jackets are insect opportunist. If a beekeeper
feels that yellow jackets killed his/her hive, what
in fact happened with the hive occurred before the yellow jacket
began to rob it out.
Treatment: Keep hives strong. Yellow Jackets do not bother

Wasp/ yellowjackets strong hives. They find weak hives and take advantage of the few
bees who try to defend the hive. The observation of yellow jackets
working at the entrance of a bee hive should indicate to the
beekeeper that this hive needs inspecting. Placing an entrance
reducer on the hive reduced to the smallest opening is one way to
help the bees defend themselves.

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91-6 back to lesson 3
Back to: Ohio Information Sheets
BEEKEEPING INFORMATION OHIO DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE - Apiculture 8995 East Main Street
Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068-3399
PESTS OF HONEY BEES

MICE
Problem: Mice cause damage to both stored combs and active bee colonies. Mice
enter the hive in late faIl to build nests before the winter season. In building the nest,
mice will chew holes into several combs thus destroying them. In a good honey flow,
bees will replace the combs. However, if usually will be drone comb, which is
undesirable in the brood chamber.
Control: Reduce the colony entrance to about 3/8 inch before late fall. This can be
done by using a standard wooden entrance reducer of hardware cloth of three wires
to the inch. On stacks of stored equipment, using excluders or tight covers will help
keep equipment free of mice. In addition, traps can be placed around the stored
equipment.
SKU N KS
Problem: Skunks feed on bees at night by scratching at the hive entrance and eating
the bees that come out. Paint is scraped from the hive, vegetation is destroyed cit the
entrance and dirt is sometimes seen on the bottom boards. Skunks can severely
reduce bee populations and the bees many times, become very aggressive due to the
skunks' disturbances.
Control: There are many suggested control measures. Some of these are as follows:
1] Using various types of traps (odors possible).
2] Use rodent bait, placed in six inch tile to protect other

animals.
3] Place paradichlorobenzene (moth crystals) in jars with

perforated lids around the apiary.
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4] Sprinkling the skunk's path with lye.
5] Shooting.
6] Extend a screen outward from the entrance to prohibit

scratching.
Problem: Two species, small black ants and carpenter ants are frequently seen in
Ohio and sometimes nest in hives. While the small black ant does not cause serious
damage, they are very annoying to the beekeeper during colony manipulation.
Carpenter ants however, burrow info the wooden hive parts and can cause structural
damage.
Control: It is difficult to control ants once they have strongly infested a beehive.
Control measures should start before there is a problem.
1] Remove brush, rotten wood and cut grass in the apiary to

decrease nesting sites.
2] Place all colonies on hive stands and put axle grease in

containers so the ants will have to cross the grease to get to
the hive itself.
3] Leave the inner cover hole open and keep the hive clean of
wax and propolis buildup.
4] If ants are present, ground nesting sites can be treated with

an approved insecticide. Some insecticides recommended
are: diazinon, undone, dursban and/or baygon. Insecticides
should not be used in the colony. Extreme care must be taken
in their use.
5] When carpenter ants have damaged hive parts, the

replacement of these parts is usually necessary.
GREATER WAX MOTH
Problem: Most destruction is to storage combs, especially in warm, dark and poorly
ventilated places. Strong colonies defend themselves. However, weak, diseased,
starved or otherwise abnormal colonies are easy prey by wax moths.

Control: Use paradichlorobenzene in dosages of 3 ounces or 6 tablespoons per stack

of 5-6 hive bodies or supers. Do not use in conjunction with food use (honey). Only
use when storing empty combs.
Cold treatment is excellent especially when keeping comb honey. If kept frozen comb
honey will never be subject to wax moth infestation. Cold can be used for both food
and non-food use.
Prepared by: Gordon Rudloff
State Apiarist

Intermediate Beekeeping 201 Lesson Three
Diseases of Adult Bees
Nosema Disease
The very first adult bee disease we are going to discuss is nosema. It is caused by a protozoa
called Nosema apis. Doctor Tom Webster of Kentucky has indicated that most likely, more bees
die out over winter from nosema than anything else. It is also one of the diseases we as
beekeepers overlook most often. As with all diseases of the honey bee, the colony will have a
reduced ability to gather and save much honey so the beekeeper will have reduced honey
production from the bees.
Nosema spores are ingested by adult bees. They germinate in the gut of the honey bee where
they grow and multiply. During the process mature nosema infected cells rupture and become
commingled with the feces. Bees do not normally defecate in the hive. The beekeeper will often
discover this disease when examining the hive in the early spring. The top bars will be covered
in a brownish-yellow watery material from defecating bees within the hive. One might also see
what I call tobacco stains of bees defecating on the front of hives. However, the only positive
way to identify this disease is the microscopic examination of adult bees.
"Heavily infected bees are unable to properly digest their food as the epithelial cells of the mid-
gut have been damaged by the disease organism. Such bees have shortened life spans and, as
they cannot digest pollen, are unable to produce the protein-rich brood food (royal jelly) need
by larvae. In fact, the hypophryngeal glands responsible for brood food production are seen to
atrophy or disintegrate in heavily diseased bees. This results in poor spring build-up, or a
population decrease in severe cases. Queens may also be superseded in Nosema-infected
colonies." From Honey Bee Diseases and Pest, produced by the Canadian Association of
Professional Apiculturists. This would be a worthwhile publication to have in your library. It
is available from Walter T. Kelley Co.
Click here For information on Nosema
Mites: Varroa and Tracheal
Nothing has had quite the impact on beekeeping as the introduction of these two mites into the
United States. As the mites spread through the U.S., Canada closed its borders to imported
package bees from the United States. However, mites spread to the entire North American
continent. At the time of this writing, Hawaii does not have mites but they have just recently
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been discovered in other island continents.
Many university apiary programs began to investigate mites during the 1990's. These programs
have worked with developing controls for the mites as well as beginning breeding programs to
improve breeding stock resistant to the mites. So far, no bee is totally resistant to Varroa mites
but success has been achieved in the battle against tracheal mites.
Dr. Diana Sammataro did a considerable amount of research on the formulation of sugar and
grease patties for tracheal mite treatments as she worked on her PhD. at Ohio State University.
This is a formulation in common use today.
We are going to present some very interesting information to you. Most of it comes from the
bee journals of the 1980's when these pest showed up in the U.S.
The tracheal mite was first brought to our attention when starting in 1904 a large number of
colonies of bees on the Isle of Wight began to die off. By the early 1920's a scientist by the name
of J. Rennie had described Acarapis woodi as the culprit. It wasn't until the 1980's that it was
officially found in the U.S.A.
From the June 1984 issue of The American Bee Journal under "What's Buzzing" -- Strike Force Swarms To
Georgia An elite government strike force that helped stop the Mediterranean fruit fly that plagued California
in 1980, descended on South Georgia in late March to stop an imaginary invasion of bees carrying destructive
mites. "It keeps us ready in case something does happen,"said federal agriculture agent B.J. Lewis, a member of
the 4-year old U.S. Department of Agriculture's Preparedness for Emergency Plant and Pest Actions. None of
the 44 team members summoned to Georgia knew in advance that the program was just practice. Within 48
hours, they were at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center near Brunswick, Ga. The hypothetical
problem involved a swarm of bees carrying destructive parasites. In this scenario a swarm carrying Varrroa
mites had come into this country on a ship. In reality neither Varroa or Acarapis mites have reached the United
States. However, the Acarapis mite has been found only 150 miles from our border in Mexico. The Southern
package bee and queen industry, at least, can be partially consoled by the fact that U.S. officials are aware of the
threat and are preparing themselves for emergencies. (Rollin Moseley)
So much for June 1984. No mites reported in the U.S.
From the August 1984 issue of The American Bee Journal under "What's Buzzing" Acarapis woodi Mites
Found in three Texas Locations; Beekeeper Cooperation Praised.
Acarapis woodi mites have been discovered near Weslaco, Texas, a town in extreme southern Texas, Harris
County, southeast of Houston and Pecos County in West Texas. All three finds were from bees owned by the
same apiarist. The original samples of suspect bees were taken during a routine inspection July 3 by a
Brownville inspector who immediately sent them to the USDA Bioenviornmental Laboratory in Beltsville, Md.
There, Dr. H. Shimanuki and his staff confirmed that the bee samples were, indeed, infected with Acarapis
woodi mites. Apparently, the commercial beekeeper, Waylon Chandler Apiaries of Weslaco, also raised queens
for sale and had over 60 hives right along the Rio Grande which he wanted inspectors to check. This is where
the mites were found.
August 1984 -- First confirmed find for Acarapis woodi.

From the November 1984 issue of The American Bee Journal under "What's Buzzing" Acarine Disease
Confirmed in South Dajkota, New York, North Dakota and Florida. "The tracheal mite was originally found
in Texas and shortly thereafter in Louisiana. These new finds bring to six the number of states with confirmed
tracheal mite findings. The article goes on but in all cases, the tracheal mites were found in commercial
operations that moved bees out of Texas or Florida.
The extent of the spread is shown in the following map from the November issue of the American Bee Journal.
And so began the spread. If you are asked "how did we get these mites?" You now can explain where it began
in the U.S. and how it was spread so rapidly.
Varroa jacobsoni were first discovered in the U.S. in September of 1987. They were first identified in a
Wisconsin apiary and by May of 1988 the following states had confirmed finds of Varroa mites. (Florida,
Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota,
Washington, and Wisconsin. An attempt was made to quarantine the states where Varroa was found Federal
Register/Vol. 53, No.69/Monday, April 11, 1988/Rules and Regulations for the Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. It attempted to "restrict the interstate movement of regulated
articles from the quarantined areas."
As all of us know the quarantine did not stop the spread of Varroa mites and by the early 1990's it was well
established in almost all states. Just like the tracheal mite spread, Varroa was most likely spread by
commercial pollination beekeepers. The rule to follow today is, treat for both mites. There are both chemical
and non-chemical methods of treatment.
Click here for information on Varroa mites

Click here for information on Tracheal mites
Pest:
Click here for information on pest
Click here for information on Small Hive Beetles
This lesson should provide you with basic information on the diseases and pest of the honey bee.
You should consider adding a good book on pest and diseases to your library. We have skimmed
the subject and much more information is available.
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201 lesson two
Lesson Two
Objectives of Lesson Two and Three
A good beekeeper is one who can recognize bee diseases. An objective of this lesson and the next
lesson is to help you in the identification of diseases of the honey bee. However, adequate
understanding of diseases takes actual field experience. We would suggest that when you have
completed the course work, you visit with the state or county bee inspector (if you have one) and
ask if you might tag along on an inspection round so that you may see these diseases up close
and personal.
Brood Diseases:
Every beekeeper should be able to identify diseases they may encounter in the bee hive. It is important to
identify the disease and take corrective action to combat it. We will examine the major bee diseases--look at
examples of each and discuss treatment if there is one for the disease.
American Foulbrood
American foulbrood is wide spread and many beekeepers will encounter it on occasion. Many of our bee laws
were enacted to combat the spread of American Foulbrood and resulted in states inspecting hives of bees. The
laws vary from state to state but some are very strict. Some state restrict the importation of hives of bees on
comb because of the threat of American Foulbrood.
Historically, American foulbrood was identified in bee books from the late 1800's in both the United States and
England. However, according to Honey Bee Pests, Predators, and Diseases edited by Roger A. Morse and
Richard Nowogrodzki, it wasn't until 1907 that it was demonstrated conclusively that B. larvae was the cause of
American Foulbrood. Various treatments were attempted. However, it was recognized that any steps to
eliminate the disease must be based on breaking the life cycle of the causative agent (Bacillus larvae). The
disease is spread by careless beekeepers. Thus, we will find most state inspection programs requiring the
burning of hives and bees. In states with more liberal laws, bee inspectors still feel that burning frames of
comb, and the bees themselves is the best approach to the disease. Bees with a light infection of American
Foulbrood can be treated with tM25 but this is a short term treatment and must be continued to avoid a
reoccurring outbreak.
Young larva ingest the bacterial spores when fed by nurse bees. The spores then germinate and begin to grow
rapidly. Death to the larva usually occurs as the pupae stage is reached. Larva that die turn a coffee brown
and begin to melt down into a gooey mass. Housecleaning bees then try to remove the dead larva and in the
process become contaminated with the bacterial spores that are now dormant. The house bees then carry the
spores to other bees, and the spores end up either in the honey stores or are fed again to new larva. Thus the
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201 lesson two
disease is spread within the colony rather rapidly.
Robbing is one of the ways that American foulbrood is spread. That is why we mentioned robbing in lesson
one. Robbing bees will take back contaminated honey to their own hives which will result in larva being fed
with spore laced honey. The disease will spread to many colonies within several miles from the infected hive.
You should always check for American foulbrood when examining your hives. If the beekeeper is able catch
this disease early, further spread can be prevented.
We would like to thank the Ohio Department of Agriculture and Mr. Gordon Rudloff for permitting us to use
Beekeeping Facts sheets with this course.
American foulbrood From the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Photos included from other source. Also
read about use of antibiotics for both American and European foulbrood. Click here to read about treatment
for AFB
European Foulbrood
European foulbrood is not considered a serious disease. It occurs mostly in the spring and early summer when
most colonies are in rapid development. It is noticed in weak colonies and is not spread like its cousin American
Foulbrood. Reduced honey yields result but it can be easily treated.
Again just like American foulbrood, young larva less than three days old are infected by bacterial spores fed by
nurse bees. Unlike American foulbrood, the larvae die before the cells are capped. The larvae generally have a
yellowish cast to them and they are curled up in a cell in a "C" shape. The larvae will not rope as does
American foulbrood. If European foulbrood is well advanced and widespread within the colony, the brood may
have a shot gun effect similar to American Foulbrood. American foulbrood scales (dried up larval remains) are
difficult to remove while European scales are soft and granular and can be removed without much difficulty.
However, if European foulbrood is detected, the beekeeper should not transfer frames from this hive into other
hives. On particular bad diseased frames, it might be best to remove the frame and burn it. Also see the
treatment for AFB. It works for EFB as well.
European Foulbrood From the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Photo included from other source.
Other Brood Diseases
Chalkbrood
Chalkbrood is caused by a fungus. Typical signs of this disease are little white chalk like mummies laying on the
bottom board and near the front of the hive. House bees remove many of them. The mummies most likely will
be white but also are gray as well as black. Good hygienic behavior in a hive of bees is the best defense against
chalkbrood. This disease is seen in colonies under stress. The larva die in the cells before they are capped and
take on a chalk like consistence in the cell. What can you do: requeening with good stock. Make sure the
colony has a good supply of food and add additional bees if the colony is weak. Fungi spores (Ascosphaera apis)
are resistant and long lived. Once diagnosed the disease can reoccur if the conditions are favorable. It seems
that wet weather conditions favor chalkbrood.
Chalkbrood

201 lesson two
Sacbrood
Sacbrood is caused by a virus. Larva die during the prepupa stage. This disease gets it name from the sac that
forms from the rubber like skin around the dead larva. Again, the beekeeper might try new stock by
requeening, and following good hygienic patterns in keeping bees. We will discuss that in an upcoming lesson.
Parasitic Mite Syndrome (PMS)
PMS This disease may be mis-named. Many viruses can be associated with honey bees. A combination of
mites and viruses often results in a condition referred to as "PMS". One good clue is to look for deformed bees.
One may also find what looks like American foulbrood. By the time "PMS" is identified, it is usually too late to
save the colony. Please read the Beekeeping information sheet provided by the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Study the following chart to compare brood diseases.
Character American Foulbrood European Foulbrood Chalkbrood Sacbrood
Cause bacterium bacterium fungus Virus
Sealed brood
Sunken or Sealed brood Scatted
Brood comb punctured Unsealed Brood Unsealed Brood with punctured
cappings cappings
Dull white to
Coffee color brown White to gray or Gray or straw
Color of dead brood yellowish turning to
to black black colored and dark
brown
Consistency of dead Soft and sticky

Watery or pasty Chalk- hard Watery, tough sac.
brood Melted down
sticky to ropy--ropes Hard - soft pellet like punctures sac -

Toothpick test Not ropy
1" or so mummy will pull out. watery
Not as noticeable but None that can be

Sulfur like -
Odor of brood described by some as detected unless up Little odor
distinctive
sour close
Adheres tightly to No scale - just a Brittle and removes

Scales Removes easily.
bottom side of cell. mummy easily.
Back to top of page

201 lesson two

Intermediate Beekeeping 201 LESSON ONE
Objectives of lesson one:
1. Realize that learning is a continuous process.

2. Start to think about your "style of beekeeping."
3. What are the advantages in joining an organized group?
4. To understand the nature of the natural biology of the honey bee.
5. To compare a natural "honey bee nest" with that created by humans.
6. Know what a beekeeper should do to lessen robbing.
Introduction:
This course is divided into six parts. The first is the introduction. All beekeepers seek truth and
knowledge. Even if you do not agree with some beekeepers, they feel as if they are seeking truth and
knowledge. One of the common statements made by beginning beekeepers is that they get very confused as
what to believe. This is understandable! Beekeeping is an art. How you end up keeping bees may very well be
much different than the way you are taught in this class. A beekeeper is faced with many methods (ways) to do
the same thing. Choices are made and lessons are learned.
I would like to think that I am a sponge -- I absorb what I see and hear. I also reject those things that do not
work for me. The longer we are in beekeeping and the more beekeepers we know, the better our chance to
absorb ideas. From these ideas will come our "style" of beekeeping. Even long time beekeepers change their
style from time to time. If something works better, switch to it. We live in a world in which change is required
to survive. Beekeeping is no longer simply a matter of putting the bees out back and robbing their honey in the
fall. If you are going to become a beekeeper, you will indeed need to keep abreast of new threats, new products,
and new information.
If you are new to beekeeping, so much the better. Many older beekeepers are fixed in their ways and
question any techniques which differ from "the way they do it." Don't get me wrong -- mistakes can be made
and are made all the time by both beginning beekeepers and experienced beekeepers. However, if a person tells
you that they have nothing new to learn, then they have buried their head in the sand and are going backward
as far as beekeeping is concerned and that might apply to almost anything else in our society. We are in the
process of learning. That is the nature of the honey bee. We can learn about honey bee behavior but then they
do something which we just do not understand.
One of the goals a beekeeper should develop is the technique of reading what the bees are doing. It takes
time to develop a sense of knowing something is wrong when you open a hive. It might be a sound that just
doesn't sound right or it may be bees rushing about the hive in an agitated manner. The beekeeper must
develop the sense of smell, sight, and hearing. These are important. It is hard to teach these skills. Only by
going into bee hives on a regular basis can one develop an idea of what is normal and what is not normal.
Hopefully you will have an opportunity during this class to visit a number of bee hives and begin the process of
"reading the bees."
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All beekeepers need encouragement. We have our up's and down's. Beekeeping is keeping our bees alive
and healthy. We advance from one level to the next in our skills on a very gradual time line. It is not
something which can be hurried. A fact that you can engrave in your mind is a fact that was passed on to me
by my grandfather, "Beekeepers earn everything they get from the bees!" If you invest little time with your
bees, don't expect great returns. In fact, experienced beekeepers realize that one year doesn't make a
beekeeper. The season never seem to repeat like it did last year. The nectar flow somehow never materialized
like last year. The mites were worse this year than last year. The winter kill for this year was the worst bees
have had in the last ten years. And it could go on and on with the beekeeper who has had bees for any length of
time. Those beekeepers who have kept bees for ten, twenty, thirty, forty years can look back at years in the
past and still not know what weather this spring, summer, fall or winter will bring or what effect it will have on
bees. From experience, they will be aware that certain things will happen if we have an extended winter into
spring and the bees can not get out to fly. We can read all we want, but actual experience will guide most
beekeepers.
Professional Organizations:
When a beekeeper joins a group, club, or organization, the beekeeper is networking with others. There are
many valuable rewards for doing this. First, we learn from others what they think. Ideas are paramount to
growth and advancement. Second, we can reach out for help. All of us need to have questions answered, and
sometimes, even a helping hand. Third, we have the opportunity to give as well as take. If you truly believe in
what you are doing, then you should not mind promoting what you believe. The best way to do this is in some
organized fashion. One voice is not nearly as strong as many voices. Finally, you may find someone who would
be delighted to let you work their bees with them or for them. Many elderly beekeepers need help and could
even reward you for your efforts by giving you needed equipment and even letting you get one of their
swarms. Many individuals who have a few hives have built up by working bees on shares. Clubs could lead
you to beekeepers in need of help and almost everyone likes to help a beginner.
Beekeepers are served by local, state, and national organizations. If you are having trouble finding a local
organization we will help find one for you. A good starting point -- the same one we will use -- is Bee Culture
Magazine's Who's Who in Beekeeping.
If you do not like going to meetings and meeting people, the next best thing is the internet. As we move into
this new millennium more and more people are going to be using it. The resources available are unlimited.
Getting our feet wet:
As I began to prepare the material in this course, we were in the middle of a very cold
December. This is a good starting point to discuss the plight of honey bees as we wait for spring
to arrive.
Eva Crane in her book, The Archaeology of Beekeeping, provides us with a rough time-line of
the development of the honey bee.
"for 150-100 million years flowering plants have existed."

"for 50-25 million years solitary bees have existed."
"for 20-10 million years social bees have produced and stored honey."
"for a few million years man has existed and has eaten honey."
During the cultivation of "wild bees" by humans, we have not made much of a dent in the
existence of the honey bee. They have survived in spite of what we do to them. However, in
the modern world man has been able to transport "wild bees" from native lands to other places
and the same can be said for pest of honey bees.
Through artificial insemination we are able to artificially improve the generic pool and
"improve" the stock of bees we raise. However, in doing so, we are also creating a bee that
depends on "man" to maintain its specific traits. If let alone, the bee would revert to the "law
of survival" which means that those bees most fit will survive.
When we put chemicals into our hives, we are insuring that bees survive without eliminating the
weak who would be victims of the various diseases and pest. Of course, if we did nothing we
might not have any bees to work with.
Successful colonies of honey bees must have a place (hive, tree cavity, interior wall of a house, or
some other location to build comb which is sheltered from the weather elements. In warmer
regions of the world, bees related to our honey bee actually build their comb from tree limbs,
cliffs, and other open places. Have you noticed that bees in the wild usually build their nest in
trees and buildings well above ground. Roger Morse did a considerable amount of research to
determine the best height to place a trap to capture swarms. His research found that bees
prefer a height of about 10 feet.

If you were to examine the nest of wild honey bees in a tree

cavity, you would find that the bees select a dry cavity, with
usually a small opening. They will use propolis to reduce
the opening if it is too large. It will be protected from the
wind and full sun, have good ventilation, and be dark
inside the cavity. They will build a nest of beeswax vertical
to the ground and the combs will be parallel to each other.
The comb is attached to the top of the chamber and to
exterior walls. The comb will not resemble the nice neat
straight comb we see in a standard bee hive. The bees will
respect the "bee space" but will build their comb in waves
and use brace comb to support the weight of the honey
stored in the older darker comb at the top and the brood in
the lighter and newer comb near the bottom of the nest.
Bee have adapted to being managed by man. For starters,

we usually locate hives of bees on the ground or very near
the ground. We have built a box which contains frames of starter foundation. This frame may
be wood or plastic and the foundation for the bees to build their cells up is either wax or plastic.
We go to great lengths to make sure the comb built in the frames is straight.
We then add supers (boxes) onto the top of the hive. Have you noticed that queens seek out new
comb to lay eggs if they have the opportunity? Normally in beekeeping, we confine the queen
to the brood nest of darker comb and add new foundation to our honey supers. This is just the
opposite of what happens in a natural wild nest. However, the bees will move up and store
excess honey in newly drawn out comb. If you have a strong hive of bees in double deep brood
chambers-- placing new comb above them to give them more room to expand will not prevent
swarming as some bee books seem to indicate. Removing the queen excluder and allowing the
queen to move up may prevent some swarming. Our solution however is to give the queen more
room in the brood chamber. How do we suggest you do it?
It is well known that bees build new comb when a nectar flow is on. If a beekeeper follows
the practice of replacing brood frames in the brood chamber by culling out bad comb and using
the older brood comb in good shape in a honey super during this nectar flow, two things are
accomplished. First, you are getting the bees to draw new comb in the brood chamber where
the queen will lay her eggs. Second, this gives the bees plenty of space in which to work on the
wax building process necessary for the comb to be built. Frames with brood can be raised up
above a queen excluder and with the bees at or near population peaks, swarming will take a
back seat to enlarging the brood nest. More bees produce more honey and you will find that as
soon as brood emerges from the comb moved up above the queen excluder, it will be filled
rapidly with new honey. Or if your goal is to increase the number of hives you have, the brood
can be moved to another hive body with enough bees to keep the brood warm and relocated
several miles from the donor hive. Introduce a new queen. You have reduced the donor hive's
tendency to swarm and you have a new colony to nurture along. All you are doing is taking
advantage of the natural behavior of the bees.

You should attempt to prevent your colony of bees from experiencing stress. Placing the hives
in a proper location will help. Part shade on very hot days will help. Providing a near by water
source will help. Shelter the bees from interruptions by pest such as skunks, children with
stones, lawn mowers, etc. Wind breaks will help.
Bees really don't care what color you paint a hive. I have seen all colors used on bee hives. Bees
see red as black. Some beekeepers paint hives different colors to help bees find the correct hive.
This is helpful when hives are very close together or when raising queens. You most likely know
that a bee has five eyes. It is common to see young bees that leave the hive for the first time fly
near the entrance (facing the entrance and hovering around the front of the hive) before leaving
to forage. Bees don't see the way we see. The eyes on each side of the head are compound eyes.
Scientist claim that a bee's compound eye has over 6000 facets. Thus, they see a mosaic of
things. The ocelli, (there are three located on the top of the head in a triangle shape) may have
something to do with helping the honey bee locate sources of light such as the sun and may play
a role in helping the honey bee return to its hive. I have always found it interesting to note that
when we move a bee hive several yards from its original location, the bees do not follow the
hive but return to the original location and mull about. They will eventually move to the moved
hive if it is close enough or another one nearby.
You are also likely to know that the antennae of the bee serve the senses of smell and touch.
Bees are very sensitive to smell and can detect odors from some distance. Books often warn the
beekeeper about deodorants, hair sprays, etc. Bee are also attracted to your breath (CO²).
If you have neighbors nearby (roughly 50 yards or so), avoid working with your bees when they
are cross. This could be on a cloudy rainy day, early in the morning, late in the afternoon or
when most of the bees are in the hive and no nectar is being gathered. The best time to work a
hive is during a period when the bees are busy gathering nectar. Many of the bees will not be in
the hive at the time of inspection. Bees are generally very docile because the older work force is
gone and many of the bees in the hive are young house bees whose job revolves around caring
for brood. In many cases, the bees will continue to work as you watch when you remove a
frame of comb from the hive.
The very best way to get the most stings is just prior to a building storm when the bees are
returning to the hive and none are leaving. They are not about to (not notice you).
Bees rob. The strong take advantage of the weak. Any weak hive must be protected against
other bees and yellow jackets. They will strip a weak hive of all its honey and let the weak hive
starve. Do not encourage robbing. Many a beekeeper has learned first hand what it means to
have a case of robbing going on. If you have never seen it or experience it, you will not have to
be told what it is once you have. If you take honey off of your hive or hives, move it
immediately to a secure area where bees can not go. When feeding bees, it is wise to use
containers that have lids. The five gallon plastic bucket with a lid is okay, but a five gallon
plastic can with a lid or honey gate is better. We do not recommend the boardman feeder to
beginners. Bees can not get to the syrup outside the hive during very cold weather. Since the
boardman feeder rest on the lip of the bottom board and has an opening for a quart jar which is

also outside the hive, the bees will starve to death in very cold weather. If the syrup is placed
immediately above the cluster of bees, then they would have a chance to survive because they
could get to the syrup.
Bees get very excited when they find a source of honey. I have known of beekeepers who have
put a few supers in the car to bring home from the bee yard. They did not immediately remove
the honey supers from the car. You can guess what happened! Bees descended on the car to get
the honey. The beekeeper rolled up the windows too late and had a car full of bees. About the
only thing to do in a case like this is wait until it starts getting dark, and let the robber bees out
or better yet, remove the supers from the car. After the honey is gone the bees will have no
interest in the car. One might have a little do-do (little brown spots) around the inside of the
car.
If you have just a few hives, it might be wise to carry plastic bags to the bee yard and place the
supers full of honey in the plastic bag.
Back to top of page

B201.HTL
Beekeeping 201
Welcome As with our beginning class, we would like you to be able to navigate easily
between each of the class sessions. When you see the small honey bee, you can click on it to
return to the menu page. We have a back button to go back to the previous lesson and
a forward button to go ahead to the next lesson. You can always return to the
gobeekeeping index page by clicking on home page.
Your training in this class will take you from the ranks of the beginner to having greater
control over your beekeeping experience.
Do not hesitate to turn to us for help. Note your questions, send us your questions by e-mail,
and we will return answers to help. You may move on in the lessons while you are waiting for
an answer to your question. Your instructors e-mail address is: e-mail:
Stahlmanapiaries@aol.com
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lesson 201
Welcome to Beekeeping 201 -- Intermediate Beekeeping
This course was designed by Dana T. Stahlman
The course is made up of a number of lessons which are to be followed in the sequence listed.
Read me First Introduction
Lesson One The Natural biology of the honey bee
Lesson Two Brood Diseases
Lesson Three Diseases of Adult Bees
Lesson Four Use of Chemicals
Lesson Five Bee Law
Lesson Six Fall Management & Other
Lesson Seven Late Winter Hive Conditions
Lesson Eight Annual Population Cycles
Lesson Nine Establishing Out-yards
Lesson Ten Getting bees ready for honey crop
Lesson Eleven The Honey Crop
Lesson Twelve Next Year
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Intermediate Beekeeping 201 Lesson Four

USE OF CHEMICALS And NON CHEMICAL TREATMENT
How chemicals are used in a hive of bees is regulated by the label on the package in which the chemical is sold.
The label is the law. We are going to examine several labels and discuss what they say. Failure to follow a label
could result in serious consequences for the user of the chemical product.
Generally speaking, prohibitions and restrictions on labels are for the protection of life and property. It is
possible to chemically analyze very minute particles of a chemical compound in a sample of wax or honey.
Often such samples are reported to have so many parts of the chemical per million parts. Agents that have been
found to be toxic to human life or for that matter, to the honey bee itself have been prohibited or assigned a
restriction on its use. When a chemical is approved for use, it has undergone extensive test.
Anyone who has been around beekeepers will realize that many individuals choose not to read the labels and
thus do not following the instructions contained in them. Others intentionally disregard the instructions.
Some beekeepers use chemicals intended for some other legal purpose but not approved for use with honey bees
in formulas of their own making to treat honey bees. This is illegal. The reason beekeepers are inclined to do
this is because they save a little money spent to fight diseases; however, the beekeepers doing this are putting
the entire industry at risk. The buying public could easily turn from buying honey to buying other sweeteners
if a scare of unsafe honey should surface. It reminds me of the mad cow disease now currently causing various
European countries to curtail the sale of beef products.
By misusing chemicals, beekeepers could also be responsible for developing organisms resistant to the
chemical. This has already happened with Apistan strips effectiveness on some stains of varroa mite and
reported cases of the baccilus larva being resistant to terramycin.
Reading a label Click here to see a label and our comments
Some Non-Chemical Strategies:
We would not like to give you the impression that chemicals are the only solution to combating
mites and bee diseases. Let us give you some pointers that all beekeepers should follow:
1. Cleanliness is important -- Follow good hygienic practices for yourself. Keep tools that
come into contact with bee equipment clean. Use Clorox and water in a bucket to wash
hive tools and your hands while in the beeyard. Wash your smoker as well-- Keep it
clean especially on the bellows where propolis tends to build up. Remember that spores of
some of these diseases can be spread by the beekeeper.
2. Burning AFB hives completely rather than trying to salvage equipment. One could also
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burn frames and bees, and scorch the surface of all wood equipment. Repaint the
equipment and mark it so that if another outbreak should occur in the same equipment,
you could then dispose of it.
3. One could use drone comb to trap Varroa mites before they emerge with adult drones.
This drone comb would then be removed from the hive, melted down, and new drone
foundation or comb could be used to replace the comb removed. Thus you remove many
of the varroa mites before they can cause much damage. You will still have a small
population of varroa but at a level the bees can tolerate. Bees will draw drone comb in
frames if you cut a piece of foundation 1" wide and 15 to 17 inches long and attach it to
the top bar. This frame should be placed in an outside frame position during a honey
flow. The bees will eagerly build comb and most of it will be drone comb.
4. Use of Crisco and sugar to treat for Tracheal mite. These are food grade products and
will not contaminate your honey. Of course, you are not going to use sugar in such a
large amount that you would adulterate your honey.
5. Use bottom boards with screen wire. Claims are made that varroa drop through the
screen and can not get back into the hive.
6. We do not recommend the use of various oils said to control the mites.
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Intermediate Beekeeping 201 Lesson Five
Bee Law and what you should know.

There are various forms of the law. Criminal law, civil law, natural law, etc. Almost everyone agrees that law
is a science but not like chemistry and mathematics. Law deals with a set of circumstances which are
measured by the standards of justice at any point in time. Written code of the law depends on evidence and its
interpretation by the court. Ignorance of the law has never been accepted as a good defense.
You must realize that a small part of the law is the enactment of laws by legislative bodies and signed into law
by the chief executive of the governmental body. Our law represents decisions of earlier controversies which all
the courts of the English speaking world regard as guide posts in the search for justice. It is impossible for an
attorney to know all the law in tens of thousand volumes of code. It is not so much to know the law as to know
where to find cases that apply to the law.
The law that we are going to consider deal with beekeeping topics such as ownership, liability, contracts, etc.
If you are facing a conflict which might lead to a court trial, consider the following:
1. Litigation is expensive.
2. The time involved will be months and could extend into years.
3. If a settlement fails and the principal at stake or the amount of money involved warrant it, you must
litigate.
4. Select the best counsel and the best lawyer.
5. Follow the advice of your counsel
6. You could lose. You might win.
If litigation is necessary, a trial of the facts and law in a Court of General Jurisdiction will result. Appeals lie
usually on the law alone.
Based on past applications of the law we can point out the following:
Possession of bees
Blackstone Commentaries, Book II divides the entire animal kingdom into two classes. Domesticated animals
(ferae domitia) and wild (ferae naturae). Wild animals are also divided into two classes -- those free to roam at
will and those which have been subjected to man's dominion.
The honey bee that exist in the wild (lives in a tree cavity) is little different from the honey bee that lives within a
man-made hive. However, honey bees do swarm and thus are free to roam at will. Honey bees do not trespass
and the owner of property has no title to wild things using his property. The owner of property can prevent
others from coming onto his/her property and taking them and the property owner has a right to capture a
swarm and hive it. Trespassing is a violation of the law and is enforceable.
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"So long as bees remain in the hive of the claimant and on his premises or premises under his control, they are
his." (Supra.§ 5).
It is when they leave his/her hive and premises, as in swarming, that complications arise. Case law has reflected
the general idea that as long as the beekeeper keeps the swarm in sight and can identify them has his/hers, the
beekeeper retains ownership of the bees. However, in getting the bees hived, one may be charged with
trespassing.
Liability
Negligence means the failure to exercise the care of an ordinarily prudent person. The liability of beekeepers
appears often in the code of law. Since bees sting by nature, it is necessary for any plaintiff to show that the
owner of honey bees is negligent in his care of the bees. In any case of injury by honey bees the plaintiff will
have to show that the bees were vicious, provide proof they were vicious, and inform the owner of the bees that
they were vicious. If the owner of the honey bees failed to correct the problem and the bees continued to be
vicious, a basis exist for a claim of negligence.
The beekeeper has control over the following and can be considered negligent if he/she fails to observe the
exercise of an ordinary prudent person.
1. The owner of bees has entire control over where bee hives are located. It is negligence to locate hives of
bees where they may be expected to injure others. Bees located on a lot line is not a prudent location for
bee hives. Or keeping a large number of bees on a small property. It is also negligent to handle bees at a
time or in a manner that will cause the bees to injure others.
2. The owner of bees has entire control over bees being moved from one location to another. It is negligence to
move bees without some protection to those along the route the bees will take to the next location. Some
states require a bee net to cover a load of bees in transit. Bees should be secured to avoid accidental spills. `
Bees should not be moved during heavy traffic hours and in congested living areas. To avoid a charge of
negligence, a beekeeper should close the entrances on the bee hives or cover the hives so loose bees would
not escape from the hive.
3. The owner of bees has some control over the aggressiveness of his/her bees. It is negligence to know that
you have aggressive bees. If it can be proved that you harbor aggressive bees you are failing to exercise the
common practice of replacing these aggressive bee with gentle stock. Since the invasion of the Africanized
honey bee, most states have enacted laws dealing with them (calling for their destruction).
Contracts
A contract is an agreement between two parties. It can not be broken without the agreement of both parties.
The terms spelled out in the contract are binding on both parties and can be enforced by a court of law.
Get it in writing. If you are buying bees, bee equipment, etc. be sure to get a clear title. A paid receipt is good
but a transfer of ownership is better. Pay by check rather than cash. Develop a paper trail. Make sure the
person selling is the actual owner of what is being sold.
A contract to pollinate crops is almost a necessity. The contract spells out a number of things to protect the
grower as well as the beekeeper. See the sample contract in Part IV with pollination.
We would recommend that you get a copy of Bees and the Law by Murry Loring DBVM Jd. This book is now
out-of-print but you may find copies available.

Other notes:
I am personally aware of two cases in which beekeepers have been taken to court and lost. In both cases, a little
prudence by the beekeeper could have avoided the entire mess. If you keep bees in a community of people, you
are more than likely to face some of the following problems. You can avoid them.
1. Bees visiting your neighbors swimming pool or hot tub. Your bees will become a nuisance. You can
avoid this by providing a water source close to your bee hives.
2. Bees located where others can see them. Your bees will not be a nuisance but they will be noticed by
neighbors and any bee problem will become your problem. In today's scientific world, it is entirely
possible to identify the hive of bees that a bee came from. It is possible to take the DNA from the
stinger of a bee and match it up to the bees in your hives. Don't hide behind the old "how do you know
it was one of my bees?"
3. Don't put your bees in harms way. Children throw rocks and upset bee hives. If a stinging incident
occurs, are you negligent? Did you put up a sign warning of the dangers posed by your bee hives? Did
you have a fence to prevent the children from getting up close to the hives?
One final note: Make sure your bees are registered and inspected as required by law. The best defense is to not
be breaking the law in the first place. Often bee inspectors are called upon to give depositions regarding your
bees. They may also be called into court as expert witness.
If faced with potential problems, we would advise you to contact an attorney familiar with
agriculture law.
Working with your state inspection program:
All states have laws regarding apiary inspection. The regulatory body is usually the
Department of Agriculture and some division within it. Some states have full time staff to
handle an apiary section and others do not. When moving bees from one state to another,
inspection of bees is regulated by the receiving state. Many require previous inspection before
arrival and will do follow-up inspections once the bees are located within the new state. If you
are planning to make a business of selling queens, bees, or moving bees for pollination, then it is
very important to understand the laws in the states you are dealing with. For example, the state
of North Carolina requires a permit to sell bees in North Carolina. In addition they require a
compliance Agreement for the seller to submit before approving the permit. See the forms:



It is important therefore to know who has the responsibility to inspect your bees and under what
conditions the inspection is done. Inspecting bees is a nice job. One must deal with all kinds of
problems: First, angry beekeepers (not their bees). Bee inspectors are people just like you and me. If
treated with respect, they will respect you as well. Their job is to find disease. If your bees have
disease and you don't know it, then then they have done you a good service by pointing the disease out
to you. On the other hand, they may require treatment of the bees which you do not agree with. Make

sure you understand the law before sounding off on the bee inspector -- it is not his/her fault that
he/she found disease in your bees. However, you have a right to ask that samples be taken and sent to
the Beltsville USDA lab for confirmation of the disease. In the meantime, your bees might be
quarantined from movement and you are stuck with that prospect. A smart beekeeper will inspect
his/her own bees well before bee inspectors do the job. Treatment should be a part of every
beekeepers task for whatever disease might be found. The serious pest that bee inspects look for
are: American foulbrood, varroa mites, and small hive beetles. There is just no reason that the
beekeeper can not spot these serious pest before an inspector does.
Things that inspectors respect:
1. Good directions to bee yards.

2. Your presence when the inspection is done.
3. Your willingness to correct problems if found.
4. Your willingness to correspond with the inspector.
State of Georgia bee inspectors checking my hives so I could sell package bees.
Notice that they work together as a team and go about the business of inspection in a professional manner. Of
course, these three had over 500 colonies to inspect on this particular day. Folks, that is a lot of work! They
were very good natured fellows. More often than not, you will only come across one bee inspector doing the job
by his/her self.
I would also like to add some humor into this discussion about bee inspectors. Have you ever wondered what
kind of experience a bee inspector needs to be a bee inspector? In one Ohio county, the county commissioners
decided to save some money and assign the county dog warden as the county bee inspector as well. (True Story)
Sorry to say, the dog warden wasn't excited about his new duties and decided to give up his dog job as a result of
having to work with bees. Of course, I don't know what the motives were of the county commissioners!
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Intermediate Beekeeping 201 LESSON SIX
Management of bees--Fall
We are starting our beekeeping year in the fall. The reason for this is that all beekeepers who
have bees measure success by how many bees they still have alive in the spring. Fall is the time
the beekeeper prepares his bees for winter survival.
1. It is not enough to know how to manage bees for winter survival but also how to
overcome losses when they do occur. As a result, a student should understand the task
required to make increases, and the natural tendency of bees to multiply on their own.
2. At the end of this lesson, you should be able to describe the effect local flora and weather
affect beekeeping in general.
3. At the end of this lesson, you should understand parthenogenesis.
4. At the end of this lesson, you should be able to describe a laying worker condition in a
hive of honey bees and what to do about it.
5. At the end of this lesson, you should be able to discuss the importance of drones in the
mating of queens for desired characteristics.
Influence of local flora and weather on bees
From the time bees begin to collect nectar and pollen in the spring until winter arrives, bees are
consuming honey and pollen stores. We usually look at surplus honey as our share of their hard
work. But what is surplus honey? It is the amount of honey not required by the bees--to survive
the winter and spring until additional nectar and pollen becomes available. But how do we as
beekeepers determine how much surplus honey to remove from a hive? The answer is not as
simple as 1-2-3. We must deal with a number of factors--such as weather and local floral
sources available to the bees at various times during the year.
Generally speaking, colonies need 60 to 90 pounds of honey to survive a winter. Lets take a look
at the Plant Hardiness Zone Map courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture.
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This map show the lowest temperatures that can be expected each year in the United States.
Low temperatures in the United States reach from some small area of never going below 40
degrees F. in the year to some areas that may reach as much as -50 degrees F. That is quite a
range. Outside Alaska, the coldest spot in the U.S. ever recorded occurred on Mt. Washington
in the New England area. Hawaii also presents us with a tropical climate. However, most
beekeepers will find themselves in less extreme temperature zones.
Because students taking this course will come from many different regions, it is difficult to say
exactly what you encounter in your bee yards. We will attempt to cover some interesting
situations that might apply to your own situation. As you should be aware, many commercial
beekeepers ship their bees south for the winter season. This is done for the very simple reason
that the bees do not face the harsh realities of bees that stay in the north. If bees are kept in a
weather climate zone as indicated by the brown areas in the above map, the beekeeper will
manage bees quite differently than the beekeeper who keeps bees in a weather climate zone
indicated by yellow to blue colors on the map.
In the brown areas of the map, beekeeping is a year around activity. It may get cold at times
but the cold is followed by a rapid warm up. Snow is almost unheard of and when it does occur,

it is something very special. Bees in these warmer regions often can forage for pollen and nectar
during the winter. But they also require supplemental feeding to help the bees support the
brood that is raised much earlier than in the north. It is common for beekeepers to feed pollen
substitutes as well as syrup. It is a mistake for northern beekeepers to assume that bees will do
better in the south than in the north. It is true that bees in the south build up faster, do not face
the long periods of confinement in the hive as they do in the north, and forage at will. Bees
depend on the local floral sources as well and the floral source must provide a hive with nectar
income to take the place of honey stores being used up to produce brood.
Bees are kept in both double deep and single brood chambers and a deep and shallow is
common. It still requires just as much resources or more for a hive of bees to survive a winter
in the south as it does in the north. However, plants begin to produce nectar and pollen much
earlier in the south and this gives that area one great advantage that the north lacks --- the
ability to sell queens and packages during March and April -- bees in the north are just
beginning the process of building up larger populations.
It is common practice for queen breeders in the south to start the grafting process in mid -
February. They will have fertile queens by March or mid March.
Mountains separate the various areas of the United States into distinct climate zones. If you
check the map, you will notice that the west coast is also mostly in a brownish color with some
zones getting cold. However, we are faced with a major problem. Only the people who live in
an area over a period of years can truly give you information which can be considered of much
value. Take the state of California for example. The diversity of climate is so enormous that it
is impossible for us to say anything concrete about beekeeping in general for the state of
California. It depends on where in California a beekeeper happens to live and keep bees. For
that reason we are not going to attempt to identify conditions state by state. Beekeepers in
Northern California may find that keeping bees there is much like keeping bees in Minnesota
although the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map may show quite a difference in plant Hardiness.
What we can do, however, is give you information that might be applied to the region where you
live and keep bees. Your job as a good beekeeper is to know the honey producing plants in
your region. Two books written on this subject are Honey Plants of North America (Currently
available as a reprint from A.I. Root) written by John H. Lovell, and American Honey Plants by
Frank C. Pellett. This last book is out of print, but large number of the book in many editions
are around and most likely can be found in some used book stores. Either book should be a part
of a good beekeeping library.
What you need to know about the flora (honey plants) is: 1) What plants produce nectar and
pollen for your area? 2) When do they produced nectar or pollen in your area? 3) How
dependable are they? 4) How must you manage your bees if for some reason the flora should
fail to produce the expected nectar or pollen? Other experienced beekeepers in your area
should be able to answer the above questions. States often collect information from beekeepers
on amount of honey produced and what source produced the honey. This information may be
available from your state Department of Agriculture.

What you need to know about the weather is: 1) What winter conditions will you have to plan
for? (Snow, extremely low temperatures, long periods of cold, etc.) 2) When can you expect the
queen to start the egg laying cycle again after the fall shut down? (Some queens continue to lay
eggs in the south and warmer regions) 3) When can you expect bees to fly on a daily basis? 4)
When is the approximate first frost free day in your area; when is the last approximate frost
free day in your area?
So what do climate and flora have to do with beekeeping? Just about everything. The timing of
the bloom periods will also determine when the bees should be building up, swarming, bringing
in nectar for a honey crop (a nectar flow rather than a honey flow), and a period of reduced
brood rearing even to the rejection of drones in the hive.
Parthenogenesis
The theory of parthenogenesis in the honey bee was proposed by Dzierzon in 1845.
Parthenogenesis is derived from two Greek words which mean virgin birth. It may be hard to
understand but Drone honey bees have no father. The queen honey bee can produce two kinds
of eggs -- fertilized eggs and unfertilized eggs. The unfertilized egg is haploid and produces a
drone male bee. This drone bee is identical in genetic make-up to its mother. It has her genetic
pool made up of her mother and her father (the drone's grandfather) genes. The terms
parthenogenesis and haplodiploidy are used interchangeably. One can identify a queen which is
not truly mated to a drone of her own strain by looking for drones which vary in color.
Remember the drone is like its mother. If the queens mother lets say was Italian, the queen will
look Italian. However, lets say that her father was a black bee of some kind. Her fertilized eggs
will represent a vast variety of genetic material from the 20 or so drones she has mated with.
However, as far as she is concerned, she has 50% of her genetic make-up from her mother and
50% genetic make-up from her father. So the chances are that unfertilized eggs will represent
that combination and the beekeeper will see light as well as dark drones in the hive. If she were
truly mated, the drones would be uniform in color.
Thus, it is very important in any attempt to raise queens to determine the quality of drones that
will mate with virgin queens. Poorly mated queens will produce poor quality bees. Every
attempt should be made to select drone mother queens as carefully as one selects queen mother
queens.
Drone Laying queens/laying worker bees

Results of a drone laying queen or a drone

laying worker...
Nothing is more discouraging than finding a colony with only drone brood present. The
beekeeper must determine if the hive has a queen laying drones only -- result of not mating.
Queens which have not mated and it does happen, will lay unfertilized eggs as discussed above.
Or if because they lack a queen, workers have begun to lay eggs. Since workers do not mate, the
undeveloped ovaries can produce unfertilized eggs (workers are female). The major problem
with laying workers is that it is almost impossible to determine which workers are laying eggs.
Pheromones from the queen and from brood inhibit the development of workers ovaries. If a
colony becomes hopelessly queenless (no pheromones are emitted within the hive to tell the bees
they have a queen) some workers will become laying workers. It take some time for this to
happen -- usually 4 to 6 weeks. A colonies population will have decreased during this time. It is
almost impossible to replace a laying worker with a newly introduced queen. However, we will
provide you with several successful methods we have used.
First, a hive with a drone laying queen. Upon examination of a hive with drone brood,
one comes across a queen. This usually occurs when returning to check on a newly
introduced queen with a package of bees. Queens like this are usually small as far as
queens go. One may find several queen cells started but not always and the eggs in the
queen cells are still unfertilized eggs. It is important that the queen in this case be killed,
and replaced immediately with a new queen. Older queens may also be failing. Either
they were poorly mated or have exhausted the supply of sperm to fertilize her eggs. They
should be killed as well. We are assuming that there still is a sufficient population of bees
to support a new queen. If not, it really doesn't pay to combine this hive with another
queen right hive because most of the workers are old and will not add much to the hive
they are added to.
The hive with a drone laying worker it will be upon examination, common to find a
large number of emergency queen cells remains which are evidence that the bees tried to
raise a queen but failed. Second, there has been a break in the brood cycle of
approximately a month. Most of the capped cells will have produced emerged adults.
The population of the hive may be quite large at this point but because no new brood is
being produced, the population is in decline. The characteristic bumpy drone brood is
developing in what were at one time standard worker cells. A colony such as this is

extremely difficult to requeen! In fact, I tell most beekeepers who come to me with this
problem -- I sell queens -- is: Move that drone laying worker hive to a new location and
let it die. On the original location of the drone laying worker hive, place a new bottom
board, hive body, and four frames of bees and brood. Add to this several frames of
honey if available or feed if necessary. Place a new queen in this newly started hive (Be
sure to let the bees release her in the normal way--don't help them by poking a hole in the
candy to speed things up), and check on the hive in several days. If the queen has not
been released -- check for queen cells. If queen cells do exist, you must cut all of them out
or your queen will not be accepted.
What happens in this case is the flight bees from the drone laying hive return to the
original location. Finding brood and strange bees, they quickly adapt to the new colonies
situation. The drone laying workers will stay with the hive moved to the other location
and you will not need to deal with them. After the new queen is accepted and laying, the
beekeeper can then go to the (DHL) hive with the laying workers and shake all the bees
from it. The brood chamber can then be placed on top of the new hive. The bees that
are shook from the DLH will have to fend for themselves and will either cluster on the
ground near where the DLH was located or will wander to other hives in the general
area. A cluster of bees at the old site can then be killed very easily with soapy water.
Just mix 1/4 cup of dishwashing soap with a gal. of water and soak the cluster well. Some
I have known take a lighted propane torch and burn them. Both will do the job.
Back to top of page

Intermediate Beekeeping 201 LESSON SEVEN
Management of bees--Late Winter

Objectives:
● 1) The beekeeper must manage bees in the fall to avoid many problems facing bees during the winter season.
● 2) The beekeeper must understand the dynamics of honey bee biology for winter survival.
● 3) The beekeeper must understand and use the techniques to manipulate bees for successful survival.
Late Winter Hive Conditions:
We would like to begin this lesson with a discussion on what to expect of your bees during the late winter (January-February) in the North. This
information will have to be moved back to December-- a period of 4to 5 weeks if applied to an area in the South or to an area along the Pacific California
zone. Because a bulk of beekeepers in the U.S. live in a climate zone which includes periods of cold weather (temperatures below freezing) we will use that
as a model and those of you who live in colder regions will need to make an adjustment of several weeks later and those of you who live South will have to
make adjustments of several or more weeks depending on how far South one is for conditions to be occurring earlier.
The daylight hours of January and February are getting longer. December 21 marks the day of the year with the shortest number of daylight hours.
January and February will also have some days that allow the beekeeper a chance to visit the hive while the bees are flying. This generally occurs during
the mid part of the day when sun shine warms the side of a hive body encouraging the bees to take flight.
The following picture of a hive opened on a warm January day shows a good cluster of bees. Note that the bees are still clustered but some of the bees are
wandering around away from the cluster. It is not wise to remove a frame of bees while they are clustered in this fashion unless the
temperatures are above 55 degrees F. It was just 45 degrees on the day this picture was taken. When removing a frame of bees from
a hive like this, it is wise to work from the frames on the outside where there are no bees and work toward the cluster by removing a
frame by sliding it away from the cluster so as not to roll and crush bees.
The cluster is made up of adult bees that emerged in the fall of the year. The large cluster provides the colony with the ability to
maintain a constant temperature of approximately 92 degrees F. within the cluster. Late in January, the queen will begin laying
eggs. The larger the cluster and with plentiful honey stores available, the colony will be able to maintain more eggs and thus develop
much faster than a colony with a very small cluster. The cluster you are looking at was not created within the last month. It was
created before the queen completely shut down egg laying last fall.
Honey bees understand economics quite well. Supply and demand. If the supply of honey and pollen are adequate, they will continue to build up. In fact
some stains of honey bees will begin the process of development and eat themselves out of stores and thus starve to death. Other stains seem to hold back
just a bit longer, thus conserving available resources and then build up rapidly as nectar and pollen become available. Providing bees with (sugar or corn)
syrup stimulates them to build up faster. The available food is used to produce more brood and thus prepare them for the nectar flow which will come on
early in spring.
Our fall inspection is important to help us manage bees so they are able to develop in the late winter as we see in the above pictures. Bees use up honey
stores quite rapidly once egg laying begins. This is a critical time in your beekeeping management plan. All hives should be checked for honey stores.
Those that are light must be fed. It is not necessary to open each hive and check frames of honey. The weight of the colony can be determined by lifting the
hive from the back and tilting it forward. If a hive is feather light, you will have no problems lifting it. After checking several hives, you will develop an
idea of what a good hive should feel like when tilting it.
A question always comes up during these cold winter days, "Are my bees alive?" How can I tell they are alive? I see no problem to this question at all.
One we can open the hive on a warm day and check for the presence of live bees. They might be easily visible like the hive in the picture. On the other
hand, they may be down in the lower brood chamber. It is a simple matter of separating the two hive bodies that make up your hive and check to see if the
bees are there. We are not asking you to take any frames out of the hive! Usually if you have live bees, you will find that several will come to investigate
your messing with them. Other times you will hear the nice friendly roar as they are disturbed. It is when you see nothing and hear nothing that you need
to become concerned a little more.
Lets examine the typical winter season of a cluster of bees by looking at a chart.
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Although not perfect, this graft shows some interesting things about a hive of bees during the winter months. If we assume that a colony of bees begins the
winter season with a population of approximately 40,000 bees then by mid-February to March the colony population will have dropped to 1/4 of what it was
in the fall. In other words, the colony of 40,000 will drop to approximately 10,000 bees or just about three pounds of bees by March. However, by January
the hive (colony) should be raising more brood to replace dying bees. Notice that the amount of brood increases rapidly and that the population curve
follows it but is delayed somewhat. Remember it takes 21 days from the time an eggs is laid before an adult worker bee emerges from her cell. Also in the
above chart, I have tried to show what happens to the supply of honey in the hive. With 90 lbs. of surplus honey, the bees will consume it on a gradual basis
until brood is being raised and then the honey stores are exhausted rapidly. In the case of the hive with just 40 lbs. of honey surplus, the honey would be
exhausted by sometime in February or March before nectar and pollen sources would be available to the hive and thus result in the death of the hive if it
were not supplied with feed. Also notice the gap in the red lines. This is the period of time in the hive cycle that no brood is being raised and represents the
coldest and longest night period of the year. In areas of the South, the gap in the red line is much shorter and may disappear altogether. Anytime the honey
supply gets below the solid black line (about 10 lbs. of honey) the hive is in danger of starvation. A hive may have honey but the bees may not be able to
reach it in very cold weather and this usually happens after brood rearing has started. Bees are reluctant to abandon the brood and move the cluster to the
honey stores.
Points we want to make:
● The starvation line is drawn in to indicate when the stores in the colony reach 10 pounds of honey. We regard this as the point
at which the beekeeper must begin to feed to prevent a colony from starving.
● Honey bees do not hibernate during the winter. They consume stored honey and release moisture which must be ventilated
from the hive. Good ventilation in a bee hive is important.
● During very cold periods when no brood is being raised, bees do not consume honey stores at large rates.
● When brood rearing is increasing, honey stores are used up very rapidly.
● Disturbing a colony of bees during the period they are in a tight cluster causes the bees to lose cluster temperature and thus
causes them to use up more honey stores and could cause much damage. Inspect bees only during times that they have broken
cluster "55 degrees F. or more." By inspect, we mean pull frames from the hive to examine for brood and other things, not
necessarily pop the lid to see if the bees are alive.
● Honey bees keep the cluster warm. They do not heat up the inside of the hive as we would heat our house. Some heat is
generated by the cluster and one can often see that snow on top covers is melted off from the rising heat generated by the
cluster.
● It is common to find dead bees in the snow in front of a hive of live bees. As noted in the chart, 3/4 of the bees in the hive that
start winter will die by March. What you should be concerned with is the lack of any dead bees in front of a hive after a warm
day.
Feeding Bees:
A beekeeper that leaves an adequate amount of honey for the bees to survive the winter usually will not have to feed bees. On the
other hand, once in awhile a year will come along in which the bees do not get a honey crop or even enough honey to store for the
winter. In a situation like that the beekeeper must feed colonies to help them survive.
There are a number of ways to feed bees. We are going to discuss several methods after we talk about formulations of bee feed.

It seems like a simple matter to explain feeding but it gets complicated by the choices a beekeeper needs to make. Will the beekeeper
feed table sugar (sucrose), honey, high fructose corn syrup or something else? A word of caution: you need to check out the source
of the choice you make regardless of what you think it will do. Several years ago, Canadian beekeepers bought cheap corn syrup that
gave their bees dysentery. As a result, beekeepers lost a number of colonies of bees. Lets take a look at what is available:
● Corn syrup --- General comments: Easy to use because it is already in a liquid state. It can be diluted and often is used that
way in the spring of the year. Because it contains both fructose and glucose it is similar to honey and honey bees accept it
well. There are two types available to beekeepers: Type 55 and Type 42. I am sure you probably do not need a full or half
semi load but that is the way it is delivered to commercial beekeepers. Local sources are available and it is sold often by the 5
gal. bucket. Hint: Check the local phone directory of a large urban area for wholesale grocery companies and call around. Or
call a bee supply dealer. They can lead you to a supply. Remember that while the beekeeper buying a semi load will get it for
.15 cents a pound, you may end up paying almost .40 cents a pound in 5 gal. buckets. Type 55 is the preferred type for bees. It
has a higher concentration of fructose and is slower to granulate. It can also be diluted if desired. However it is more
expensive.
● Table Sugar -- General comments: Easy to find. Any grocery store will handle it. If a beekeeper with only a few hives
watches for grocery sales, it can be purchased quite reasonably. It comes in various package sizes -- a plus. Sugar is mixed
with hot water and makes a desirable bee food. It can also be used dry or as a sugar candy. It is messy to mix and takes time.
Formulation for fall is usually one part sugar to one part water while spring feeding includes more water with a mixture being
one part sugar to two parts water. Remember that when a larger amount of water is used, the beekeeper is adding more
humidity to the hive.
● Honey -- Good natural food. The beekeeper usually has some on hand. It is much more expensive to feed than either corn
syrup or sugar. It does carry with it one great disadvantage: It can carry American Foulbrood spores which will then spread
the disease to any colony fed with it. Honey can be stored honey in frames of comb or it can be fed just like sugar water. Be
careful not to mix much honey with water during warm periods because the honey will ferment and be ruined.
● Do not use: Brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup, etc. Sugars other than sucrose may present problems to the bees. Sugars
sometimes contain other components such as starch. Check the label on the product you buy. Powdered sugar often contains
as much as 5% starch or more.
I have known commercial beekeepers in the South to buy broken candy such as candy canes from candy plants. The canes are
rejected candy and are sold by the pallet or box. An entire box the size a grown man could lay down in sells for about $25.00. The
candy canes are dumped into 50 gallon drums/barrels -- wrappers and all. The beekeeper then sets these out into the beeyard and
allows normal rainfall to fill the drums/barrels, melt and dilute the candy canes for the bees to use. Bees eagerly feed in these open
drums. However this type of feed is going to encourage robbing, and will feed all the bees in the neighborhood. It can only be done
during a period of time the bees can fly to the drums/barrels. We do not recommend this type of feeding for hobby beekeepers.
Now, lets take a look at one more aspect of feeding bees. Should we feed pollen substitutes? If your desire is to stimulate brood
rearing, then feeding a pollen substitute makes sense. One product on the market is called "Bee-Pro ®". It can be fed in dry form or
as a soft patty. It is not expensive at about $2.00 a pound. In early spring it can be fed in a soft patty. The patty is made by mixing
Bee-Pro with corn syrup or sugar syrup to make a patty about the size of a hamburger and of a consistency of dough.
Recommendations are to feed about 1/2 pound per colony and replace the patty when the bees have consumed it with another one.
This is done before natural pollen become available in the Spring. If bees are flying, Bee-Pro can be fed in a protected box placed in
the bee yard so that bees can freely fly in and out to gather the dust like dry form. The Bee-Pro needs to be protected from moisture.
One suggestion by Mann Lake is to fed the dry form in a barrel which has been placed on its side. Bee-Pro exposed to moisture will
mould.
You may get a call someday like the one I received several years ago. A farmer near one of my beeyards called to complain that my
bees wouldn't let his pigs eat during the day. It seems they were visiting his feeding trough which held ground grain (pig food). The
bees were gathering up the dust like grain and bringing it back to the hives. I had to move the yard to keep the farmer happy. I could
have prevented this by using the barrel idea with dry Bee-Pro before the bees found the hog trough.
How do we apply bee feed? The following page from the Mann Lake Catalog for 2000 gives one idea to use. A frame feeder is often
referred to as a division board feeder. It offers the beekeeper a easy to use container that fits inside the hive taking the place of two
frames--the catalog says one frame but that makes things just a bit tight. It also hold a gallon of syrup. Robbing is not encouraged
because the feeder is located in the hive and the bees in the hive will be able to access the syrup both in cooler weather and at all times
of the day or night.

This feeder is just about right for dumping (empting a 5 lbs. sack/bag of sugar) into it and then adding two quarts of hot water. The
sugar syrup mixture can be stirred, a stick inserted to act as a float so the bees don't drown, and you are in business.
Two other popular feeding options a beekeeper has are: Buckets or a boardman feeder.
One gallon buckets are available from bee supply companies and include a lid usually with a fine screen for the
bees to feed through. In addition, these commercially made buckets have a capped opening to pour the syrup into the bucket. This
gives us the advantage of not having to remove the lid in order to refill the bucket. Buckets also come in larger sizes. You can easily
make a bucket like feeder from used pails found around the house. The lid can be punched full of small holes so the bees can get at
the syrup in the container. It is important for any bucket to be filled to the brim. Any large air space in the bucket will l allow the
syrup to drain from the container. In picture 1 above, the bucket is placed upside down over the inner cover hole and an extra empty
super is placed on the inner cover to protect the bucket from the weather. The top cover is then placed on the hive and everything is
sealed in for protection from the elements. This type of feeder works well. It is placed above the bees so they can get to it during cold
weather and the bucket hold enough syrup for several days.
The boardman feeder sits outside the hive as shown in picture 2. The boardman feeder is usually plastic but older ones are made of
wood. They can also be homemade. This feeder has an opening for a quart jar to screw into a lid held above the bottom board so
bees can crawl from the hive to get to the feeder. It presents several problems. It has some advantages. Lets start with the problems
first. Most likely more starting beekeepers lose a package of bees in early spring using this type of feeder than for any other reason.
Bees can not leave the hive during cold weather to get to the syrup that could be life saving if it were located above and close to the
bees. I have had a number of customers come back to me with the story "that's what they taught us to do in the beekeeping class I
took!" We do not want you to take this class and believe that this feeder is adequate in cold weather. It is not! Since this feeder is
outside the hive, it invites other bees to visit and robbing becomes a problem not to mention the number of ants that will come to visit
as well. Once wild animals such as raccoons discover the outside feeder, you will have to chase down the jars that they drag off into
the bushes.

Advantages: You can see the amount of syrup the bees are consuming. You can replace jars without opening the hive.
Another type of feeder offered by bee supply dealers is called a "Miller feeder."
Here we see a typical "Miller Feeder" called a Combination Pollen/syrup feeder. This type of feeder is set on top of a hive much in
the same manner that a honey super is set on a hive. However, this is a waterproof container that has a slot between the two separate
sections that allow bees to move from the center of the hive up into the feeder. It can be used to feed pollen or syrup. It offers the
advantage of holding a large amount of syrup and being easy to fill. It does add to the equipment and storage space for bee
equipment when not in use. The inner cover and top cover are placed above this feeder just like a honey super and everything again
is tight and protected from the weather. The only problem with this type of feeder is the need to check it for leakage before use.
They have the habit of developing leaks and one problem is the annual need to check for these leak and repair when needed well
before you need them.
Combining weak hives
There is an old adage in beekeeping lore. "Take your losses in the fall and make your increases in the spring." It goes against some
beekeepers idea of trying to save every hive but the adage is true. A great deal of time can be spent feeding weak hives that fail to
build up into strong colonies the following spring or die before spring even arrives. By combining weak hives with stronger hives, the
beekeeper is able to maintain the good cluster size we have talked about and because a stronger colony was chosen to add the weak
colony to, the queen in the stronger colony is a more likely better stock than the weak hive's queen. Maintaining good queens is
important. Failing queens are just that -- failing queens. Nothing you can do will improve upon a poor queen. Unless there is a
special reason you want to save a particular queen, I would recommend killing a failing queen in the fall and combining her bees with
another colony. In the early spring, a beekeeper might change the situation around by installing a new queen in place of a failing
queen and give the colony the advantage of new blood and maybe a lot more vigor.
How does one go about combining two hives?
Fall
The best method is the newspaper between two hive bodies. The newspaper will be eaten though by the bees in short order and in the
time it takes for this to happen, the queenless bees of the added hive will have had time to adjust. Less fighting between bees will take
place using the newspaper method. It is absolutely important to kill the queen in the hive to be combined with another strong hive. I
don't like the idea of taking two weak hives and putting them together to form one new hive. This combination may still be a failure
by the time spring rolls around. By spring, you will have a very strong colony which can then be split into two colonies. A new queen
added to a split is just like buying a nuc. It has all the advantages of a nuc. It will have bees and brood and a new queen. It will take
approximately eight weeks to develop into a full productive hive while a package will take approximately twelve weeks to reach the
same level of production.
Spring
Another method of increasing the strength of a colony is as follows: Assume we have three bee hives located in our back yard. The
hive to the far right has made it through the winter but has a very small population of bees. One of the other hives is just boiling over
with bees and most likely is going to swarm. It is possible to exchange places between the two hives. The weak hive is moved to the
exact location the strong hive occupied. The strong hive is moved to the weak hive location. The work force of the strong hive will
enter the weak hive and strengthen it. It is commonly believed that bees coming into a strange hive will be attacked and rejected.
False! These bees will return to a hive that will accept them with their nectar and pollen. These bees returning to the location which
they know as home will enter the new hive and accept the new queen. Her own bees will protect her during the time the new bees are

adjusting to the loss of the pheromone odor from their own queen. This happens very rapidly.
Summer
Sometimes during a season, the beekeeper will come across a hive that has lost its queen. The hive of bees have failed to produce a
new emergency queen and the beekeeper has no extra queens to install in the hive. It is possible to place this queenless hive above a
queen excluder on another queen right hive. The beekeeper could use a sheet of newsprint to lay on the excluder before adding the
queenless hive. The bees in the queenless portion will not become laying workers because there is a free exchange of bees moving up
and down within the hive. Pheromones that discourage ovary development will inhibit worker bees in the queenless part from
becoming drone layers. In the meantime, a new queen can be ordered. Once the new queen arrives, the hive containing the old
brood chamber can be restarted. This is done by moving the lower hive with the queen below the queen excluder to a new location
and the hive to receive the new queen is set up on the site to receive all the active field bees. The beekeeper should also remove two
frames of brood -- shake the bees off so the queen is not accidentally moved with the frames of brood -- and place these frames of
brood in the new stand of bees. The new queen can then be introduced and the colony that was hopeless is now in a position to grow
and develop into a good colony of bees.
It may be noted that it is possible to take a colony with no queen and just set that hive upon another hive. This is going to disrupt
both colonies for a short time. However, it is done all the time by commercial beekeepers and they don't seem to worry about the
fighting that may take place within the hive. In some instances these beekeepers do not even take the time to find the queens because
they assume the better of the two queens will survive. But my experience indicates that the queen in the stronger group of bees is the
one to survive -- not the youngest. Bees are very loyal to their queen and another queen in the hive doesn't have a chance of getting to
the protected queen. In fact, the two queens may exist in the colony for some time before one of these queens disappears. But by
observation, I have noticed that the strange queen is surrounded and harassed by the stronger group of bees and is balled! Balled is
a term used to describe an event in which a queen is attacked and the number of bees trying to get at her form a ball around her.
This ball of bees around her grows to approximately the size of a quarter. If you introduce a new queen directly into a hive without
an introduction cage, you will most likely observe this behavior. The reason we leave a queen in an introduction cage is to give the
bees a chance to become accustomed to the new queen and to protect the new queen from aggressive bees that might harm her. I
believe a queen should be held in a cage for at least 36 hours after being introduced to a new crew of bees. I don't believe in putting a
hole in the candy to speed up the introduction process. If the bees do not release a queen in several days and show no aggression to
her, then the beekeeper can release her directly onto a frame of comb and observe how the bees react to her. If they are aggressive,
you should be checking out why! There may still be another queen in the hive. The other queen could even be a virgin queen. The
bees will prefer their own virgin queen to your new mated queen every time.
Back to top of page

Lesson Eight
Intermediate Beekeeping 201 Lesson Eight
Management of bees--Spring
Objectives:
1. A beekeeper must know when nectar and pollen are available for the bees to either build-
up populations or gather a honey crop.
2. A beekeeper must know how to identify a hive in the swarming mode.
3. A beekeeper must understand the techniques used to manage and prevent swarming.
Annual Population Cycles
As discussed in the previous lesson, the queen begins to lay eggs in January. The size of the
brood nest grows gradually until by April the bees have a brood nest that is very large. This
increased adult population of the hive causes crowding if no additional space is provided by the
beekeeper and swarming is a natural result of this rapid population growth.
In the photograph of the hive to the right, it is easy to

see that something is wrong.
When bees become crowded, they will begin to

congregate on the outside of the hive. This is a sure sign
that something needs to be done by the beekeeper. There
must be six pounds of bees on the outside of this hive.
What should the beekeeper have done before all these
bees were forced to cluster on the outside of the hive?
The peak population of the hive is reached by the end of

May. Brood production depends on the flora and weather conditions existing in the area where
the bees are located. It is not uncommon to find completely different conditions existing within
the same state. Spring brings a flurry of flowering plants and trees producing nectar and
pollen. When bees have available large amounts of resources to feed larva, the queen will lay
near to her capacity (maybe 2000 or more eggs per day) during this period of the year.
A very important point we want to make is: bees are consuming a vast amount of nectar and
pollen at this time of the year. It is said that it takes one frame of pollen and one frame of honey
to equal one frame of capped brood. A strong colony of bees will be able to store some surplus
honey during this time and needs to for survival if the weather turns cold or rainy conditions
exist for any period of time. The bees within the colony will also build new comb if given the
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Lesson Eight
opportunity. This is a very important stage in the development of the hive. Depending upon the
area, beekeepers can expect nectar (honey) flows in very predictable patterns. The beekeeper
needs to become aware of the plants that will contribute to the build-up period and understand
the importance of having a strong population of bees ready to bring in the major flow of honey
when it occurs.
If bees are kept in a stationary location, the beekeeper will not have the advantage of helping
his/her bees find large sources of nectar for a honey crop. Stationary bee hives are limited to the
distance bees can fly from the hive to locate sources of nectar and pollen. Not much emphasis is
put into this topic because the person keeping bees is limited to where the bees can be kept. The
location of that property is going to be situated according the beekeeper's job (where the
beekeeper makes a living). The honey bees will just have to adapt to the owner's personal
situation. In other word, the bees are kept as a hobby and the production of honey is not all that
important. Every beekeeper will still want to produce a honey crop and thus, it becomes
important to know the available nectar sources for the bees. The beekeeper also should realize
that bees forage usually within two miles of their hive but have been recorded to fly six miles
from the hive. Bees use up a lot of energy flying great distances from the hive to gather nectar.
Thus the closer the nectar and pollen to the hive, the more efficient the bees will be.
What you need to do:
● Start a notebook listing the dates when various flowering plants bloom.
● Drive through the area that your bees will be foraging and determine what sources of
nectar exist for them and how much of this sources is available.
● Keep production records - How much honey is harvested and what kind of honey you
think it is.
Some beekeeper go so far as to keep daily records. One can observe rather easily whether bees
are bringing in pollen. One can even go so far as remove pollen from the legs of bees and
examine it under a microscope to determine exactly what plant source the bees are working. One
might even set up a scale hive - a hive set on a scale to measure hive weight. Records from the
scale hive would indicate days when weight was being added. A strong hive of bees can add
weight (nectar harvest) rapidly.
Spring Management
Under Spring Management we are going to make a number of points. These are very important
to the success of a colony. As we have tried to point out, the real management of bees begins in
the fall of the year. Spring management is designed to help each colony of bees build up rapidly
so those bees will be in a position to harvest a surplus of honey.
● A colony of bees should have a young vigorous queen.

● A colony of bees should have at least three pounds of worker bees at the start of spring
build-up.
● The beekeeper must be aware of any queen failure or break in brood rearing.

Lesson Eight
● The beekeeper must be aware of any signs of disease.
Problems the beekeeper will face:
1. Replacing colonies lost during the winter season.

2. Avoiding excessive swarming
3. Maintaining strong colonies
Let's attack each of these tasks:
Replacing colonies lost during the past season
I always recommend that beekeepers have two hives (colonies) of bees. The reason for this is: if
you have only one colony and it dies or needs additional brood, you have no where to get more
brood or bees unless you are willing to purchase them. If you have a second hive, you can
usually make a "split." A split is taking some frames of brood and bees from the strong
overwintered colony in the spring and making up a new hive.
Making increases is easy. I know of many beekeepers that start the year with two colonies and
end up with five or six by the end of the year. The best way to make an increase is as follows:
Plan for the increase. Order a new queen for the number of hives you intend to split. Select only
the hives with strong populations of bees. A strong hive is one with bees wall to wall. What does
that mean? Bees cover the frames from one side of the hive to the other. A hive with only 5
frames of bees is not going to make a strong split. You will end up with two very weak hives.
Do not move large amounts of brood without enough bees to keep the brood warm. I would
rather make my split in the following way:
Prepare all the equipment you will need before you start. Identify the colonies that you are going
to split. Then plan to move the original strong hive to a new location in your bee yard. Why do
we move the original hive? We move it because the nurse bees will stay with that hive and it will
be the stronger of the two splits. In its place we will set up our equipment to receive at least two
or three frames of brood, bees and field bees from the original hive. If we set this new split up
away from the original location, many of the bees on the frames will return to the original
location and rejoin the bees that they had been taken away from. Thus it would leave the new
split with frames of brood and not enough bees to keep it warm. Much of the brood would be
"chilled" and as a result - die. If we move the original hive and queen to a new location, some of
the bees will return to the old site, but most will relocate with the queen and little damage will be
done.
Remove frames of brood from outside the main brood area. These frames will contain smaller
areas of brood for the bees to keep warm. Hopefully you will not transfer the queen into the new
split. It is important to find the queen and make sure she is with the hive moved to the new
location. Provide the new split with either combs of honey or a feeder. They will need food for

Lesson Eight
survival. Introduce a new queen. This can be done at the time the new split is made up or one
can wait for several hours - but not more than 24 hours. The bees in the new split will attempt to
raise a queen if left without a queen for longer than 24 hours. If for some reason you are delayed
in introducing the queen, it will be necessary to examine each frame of brood in the new split for
signs of queen cells and remove them before you then introduce a new queen. Otherwise, you
have wasted good money on a queen. The bees will not accept her and allow the young
developing queens to emerge. A beekeeper could make splits and allow the bees to raise their
own queens but much time is lost during this very valuable period of time. Time lost in the
spring can not be replaced. The time to make splits is in the spring - not in the summer or late
summer.
A split will often develop just as fast as a nuc or package of bees. It should give the beekeeper a
honey harvest if done at the correct time. Remember-it takes 16 days for a queen to emerge from
a queen cell after the egg is laid. It takes another 10 days or so for her to lay her first egg. That
means a period of almost one-month has expired during which no new bees are replacing bees
that die. The brood cycle is broken by a long period of time. The brood cycle may be broken for
only several days if you start a split with a new queen. What does 20 days mean to the life of a
colony in the spring of the year? 20 days x 1500 or more eggs can be laid by a queen. (30,000)
bees could be added to the hive's population during the time the virgin queen develops, mates
and starts to lay her first egg. Or I could put it in another way, the hive with an introduced
queen will take eight weeks to build a colony strong enough to gather a honey crop or do a good
job of pollination. A colony without a queen and forced to raise a queen from emergency queen
cells will take fourteen weeks to reach the same strength. The new emergency queen raised this
way will in all probably be a poorly developed queen as well.
Swarming
Strong hives of bees will swarm. Swarming is the way honey bees increase naturally. Swarming
season occurs in early spring when fruit trees are in bloom. This is approximately a month after
the first sources of nectar and pollen are brought into the hive. If one is present during the time a
hive swarms, the memory is not easily forgotten. The air is filled with bees flying in circles. It has
been described as a cloud of bees. The bees will move slowly (you can keep up with a swarm by
walking briskly). Most swarm will alight not far from the hive and remain there for a few days.
However, some swarms just seem to take off. I have lost swarms as they cleared a line of trees -
they flew over the trees and I was left to guess where they went from there. I have seen swarms
settle high up in trees (too high for an intelligent person to think about getting them) and I have
seen them settle low to the ground and even on the ground. However, the vast majority of them
will be easy to recapture because they seem to prefer to settle on tree branches four to six feet
above the ground.
A swarm is made up of a number of older worker bees, drones, and the old queen. It may also
be an after swarm (sometimes called a secondary swarm) that contains a number of virgin
queens. The swarming behavior of bees has been used to make increases and many beekeepers
have started beekeeping by capturing swarms. It is also a way to lose a valuable queen - one
that is purchased and considered to have special characteristics. It is still possible to find a
swarm of bees but the number of swarms available now has diminished because the wild bees

Lesson Eight
have mostly died out. It is not a dependable source of bees today.
Swarms will vary in size. Some can be quite large. It is not unusual for after-swarms to be small
and sometimes the swarm will be in a divided cluster. I found a swarm a few years ago in a tree.
There were seven different clusters of bees - each had its own virgin queen.
When bees leave the hive, they leave in such haste that the grass in front of the hive is matted
down from bees that were pushed by those coming from behind. The queen follows rather than
leads this charge. When a swarm does leave the hive, you should check the ground in front of the
hive to see if you find a small cluster of bees in the grass. Sometimes the queen will be in this
cluster and she can be caged and held for later use. The bees in a swarm without a queen will not
go very far and within a short period of time will return to the hive. If the queen should have
been lost, the bees will wait until the young queens in the queen cells emerge and will leave again
with one of them.
A number of things have been done by beekeepers to prevent swarming. Queen and drone traps
have been placed at the entrance of hives to prevent swarming. They don't really work. They fill
up with drones and catch the queen but virgin queens can pass through them and the swarm will
leave anyway. Other beekeepers have clipped the wings of queens. A queen with wings clipped
can not fly and will drop to the ground as she tries to leave the hive. Again, the bees will leave
when a virgin queen is available to fly. Others have followed the practice of cutting queen cells
every ten days. What happens if just one queen cell is missed? So what is a beekeeper to do?
If you are interested in raising some excellent queens from an outstanding stock of bees,
swarming time will give you the opportunity. You will need equipment to do this--mainly a hive
for each queen you plan to save. These hives do not need to be full size hives. (See lesson nine for
information on raising queens)
What are the signs that a hive of bees is about to swarm?
You need to know what queen cells look like. They are peanut shaped. They
hang down from either the face of the comb or at the bottom of the comb as
pictured to the left. They are quite distinctive.
1. The bees will be building queen cells along the bottom of frames. Maybe
20 or more.
2. If the hive is in two brood chambers, the beekeeper can separate the two hive bodies and
check the bottom of the frames in the upper hive body. One can spot the queen cells if
they are there. Looking at the space between the frames in the lower brood box may
expose some queen cells that were tore away when the two boxes were separated. If cells
are present, you know the bees are in the process of getting ready to swarm.
3. Bees will often be hanging on the front of the hive. (This is called a beard) During very hot
weather the same behavior may be observed but the bees are not preparing to swarm -
they are just trying to stay cool. Do you remember the picture at the beginning of this
lesson? This was more than a beard. It was a swarm that had returned to this hive after

Lesson Eight
the queen was lost. If nothing was done to this hive, it would swarm again when the
young virgin queens emerged from their cells.
4. A hive will have no room for brood expansion. Bee hives with queen excluders will require
more management because the queen will be limited to laying in the brood chamber.
Sometimes, the bees refuse to carry honey up into the honey supers through a queen
excluder, thus, they fill the brood chamber with honey and the hive becomes honey bound.
What this means is simply - the queen has no place to lay eggs. The cells that were once
available to her are now filled with honey and brood.
What can be done?
1. Our first recommendation would be to make sure the bees have room to expand. This
means adding supers for the storage of honey. If queen cells are already present, adding
supers will not prevent the bees from swarming. Once bees get the swarming impulse, it
is very difficult to stop them.
2. Second, we must spend time with the bees. We can not set them out on the back lot and
wait until it is time to take off honey. A hive should be checked every two weeks in the
spring of the year and maybe more often to prevent swarming.
3. If the brood chamber is becoming crowded with brood and bees, the beekeeper can move
brood up into the honey storage area and replace the full frames of brood with empty
frames of comb. This swap will give the queen more room to lay eggs and the brood above
will be emerging to add to the overall population of the hive. To carry out this type of
management system, the beekeeper must use a uniform super size. If uniform supers are
not in use, a method might be devised to hold brood from several colonies above a queen
excluder on a weak hive. All hives would benefit. Do not place frames from the brood
chamber into a half empty box on the hive. If you should forget about the frames moved
up or just don't get around to checking on them, the bees will build one nice mess of new
comb. This comb will be build to the sides of the box, attached to the inner cover, and
make it very difficult to examine your hive. This is not being a beekeeper; it is being a bee
haver.
4. One could also make a number of increases during the swarming season in the following
way: Take a frame of brood from each strong hive and replace the removed frame with
either new foundation or drawn comb. Add the removed frames to a new hive box. Let's
say you have three hives. This means that if all three hives are strong, you will have 3
frames of bees and brood in your box the first week you carry out this exercise. You will
need to provide these three frames of brood and bees with either a queen cell or a new
queen. The second week you will take three more frames to add to your box. You will now
have six frames of bees and brood. You will need to add another hive body with frames to
this new hive. The third week, you can take three more frames from the strong colonies
and add them to the lower brood chamber of the new box. You will now have 9 frames of
bees and brood plus a laying queen. You will need to feed the bees in this new hive box. At
the end of three weeks, you will have a new hive. Instead of making a split which weakens
both new hives, you have made an increase that produces one new hive with a population
of bees to equal any other hive you own. You will not have weakened the original hives by
much. In fact, you will have reduced crowding, given the queen of each hive more room
to lay eggs, stimulated the bees to build new wax foundation, and headed off the

Lesson Eight
swarming. Even with this method, bees will sometimes swarm so it is still necessary to check for swarm
cells when you are removing frames of brood from your strong hives.
You might just now be asking yourself, how many hives could I make up this way and how long
can I pull frames from the brood chamber to build new hives? Our answer is only during the
swarming season which last for about six weeks. If one wanted to sacrifice a honey crop to make
increases by removing frames of brood from the brood chamber, the process might be carried on
for another four weeks. But we do not recommend this after mid July. A hive must have time to
build up honey stores to survive the winter and this will depend upon the amount of nectar and
pollen that can be gathered from the time the colony is made up until all nectar flows stop. A
beekeeper must be willing to feed bees to help them survive if no honey surplus can be gathered
in time for the winter season.
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Lesson Nine
Intermediate Beekeeping 201 Lesson Nine
Out-yards and Queens
Objectives:
1. The beekeeper may need to find someplace besides home to keep bees. You should be
able to go about finding the yards and what you need to do to show appreciation for the
opportunity to keep bees in this new out yard.
2. You will learn several techniques for installing new queens into your hives.
3. You will learn the basics of raising a few queens for your own use.
Establishing Out-yards
When does a beekeeper need out yards?
It depends upon the beekeeper's needs. I needed out yards as soon as my back yard was full of
bee hives. In fact, I had 50. Of course, I lived in a rural area and my back yard is quite large. 50
hives are too many to keep in one location. I try to maintain no more than 20 at any one location
and sometimes that is too many. One may need an out yard just to get the neighbors off your
back - neighbors (some of them) are difficult to deal with and the best way around a problem is
to move the bees. In this type of case, you might not care for your neighbor and decide to "H"
with them. As long as you have just a few hives, you can manage them on your own property in
an urban sitting.
How does a beekeeper get out yards?
I used friends as a starting point. Some of them were willing to let me put bees on their
property. As I became known, some individuals came to me wanting bees put on their property
to pollinate fruit trees. However, I wanted to locate my bees where they would have a good
chance to get a honey crop. This meant that I would have to contact people who lived in those
areas. The first thing to do is identify an area where you might want to put bees. The second
thing is visit the local feed store or grain elevator. I printed up signs and placed them in the local
feed stores and places where farmers would likely visit. It proved very successful. My sign was
very simple. I asked for permission to place bees on farm property with the following
requirement:
1. I did not want the bees close to livestock
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Lesson Nine
2. There needed to be a near-by water source such as pond or stream.

3. I did not want bees close to inhabited buildings
4. I would not be interested in paying rent. I would give honey however
for the landowners personal use.
5. I did not want to locate bees close to areas that would flood.
6. I would have to be able to get to my bees during all times of the year.
7. I would not want to drive across lawns, etc. to get to the yard.
8. I would prefer that the yards have a drive that would pose little
chance to get stuck.
It is important to develop a good working relationship with landowners. Do not keep a trashy
bee yard. Offer or ask what it is that you can do to meet the farmers needs. In most cases, a jar
or two of honey goes a long way. Once in awhile you may be asked to help round up a stray cow.
I always discuss the problem of having bees on a property with the owner. Bees sting. I want
them to understand that. They can become pests under certain conditions. I want them to
understand that. Pest you say? How? What happens if the wife hangs her clothes out on a
clothesline to dry and the flight path of your bees is right over that clothesline? Those little
brown spots that appear on her dry clothes will be noticed and if she discovers where they are
coming from, then they will have a problem with your bees. Or maybe as I indicated earlier in
the course, what if your bees are visiting the livestock feeding troughs and are stinging livestock
trying to eat-especially if the farmer is feeding molasses in the feed.
You need to be able to work with people. Most farmers understand the value of honey bees so
one does not need to do much convincing. Should the farmer show some hesitation, back off and
wait for him to make up his mind. Once the sign goes up, you will have a number of possible
locations to put bees so choose with care. It is not necessary to jump at the first bee yard that is
available. Take time to set up an appointment to look at the site and discuss problems that you
would like to avoid. Discuss how often you plan to visit the bee yard and what kind of vehicle
you drive. Give the landowner a way to contact you. If the landowner must call you long
distance, offer to reimburse for the phone charges. Finally, place a sign in the bee yard warning
of the danger of bee stings. This sign should also contain your name and address.
Requeening
I am frequently asked how often one should requeen. I can in reply ask a question: Why do
you think you need to requeen? A hobby beekeeper must realize that the value of a young
queen in a hive is a distinct advantage to having a queen several years old. Young queens are
much more productive egg layers than older queens and more bees results in more honey. But,
is a person requeening because somewhere they read or were told that a beekeepers needs to
requeen every two years or something like that? Your hives are most likely requeening
themselves without your knowledge. Every time they swarm they requeen themselves. On
occasion they will supersede the queen which means the bees for some reason begin building a
few select queen cells. These queen cells will produce a queen and often the two queens may
exist in the hive at the same time. Eventually however, the old queen will disappear and the
young daughter takes over. It is not common for a new introduced queen to be superseded
within the first year. Almost all beekeeper who get marked queens can describe a new queen

Lesson Nine
that was replaced by the bees with a new supersedure queen.
Valid reasons for requeening:
1. The queen regardless of age is not laying a uniform brood pattern.

2. The queen is not laying many eggs in relation to the size of the bee population.
Remember, she normally reduces egg laying during periods of (scarcity of food; and in
the fall/winter season).
3. The queen is producing aggressive bees. You can change the behavior of bees in a very
short period of time by requeening a nasty hive with a queen of known gentleness.
4. You would like to replace a queen of one race with a queen of another race: Carnolian
for Italian as an example.
5. You want to increase honey production.
Once a decision is made to replace a queen, the beekeeper has several options available. First,
is the option of where to buy the queen. The beekeeping magazines are full of ads for queens.
The selection is mostly based on bias. Some people prefer Italian queens and others prefer
Carnolian. This is what beekeeping is all about--learning to develop a bias. Beekeeper often
seek advice on which type of queen to buy and that is okay but remember you are also dealing
the the bias of the person who makes a recommendation. Expensive is not always best! Many
queen breeders have been in business for a long time -- some for over two generations. I would
advise the new beekeeper to go with the experience of the breeder. Check old bee magazines for
queen ads and compare with current issues of magazines. Don't fall for the old line that ours
are better! Words like resistant to mites are tempting but don't buy a queen because you think
this queen will make all of your mite problems disappear. The mite problem is being worked
on but as of yet, I know of no queen that can be guaranteed to produce bees resistant (means
never have mites) to mites. Ask a breeder that makes claims like this if they will replace the
cost of the bees in the hive and the queen, if the queen you buy eventually is discovered to have
offspring in the hive with either of the mites.
The next option is the method to be used to introduce the queen. Several of these are listed:
1. Use the cage the queen was shipped in. Today two types of shipping cages are in use by
queen producers. One is plastic and the other is wood of several designs.
2. Use specially designed introduction cage. This will require more work but when you
have a valuable queen, it will provide the highest success level. See picture of the Miller
introduction cage discussed below.
3. Combine a small hive unit with a larger hive unit. We have already discussed the
newspaper method to combine two hives.
4. Queens are sometimes shipped in a battery box (so called because it holds a battery of
queen cages). If you order 25, 50, 100 queens at a time, the shipper sends them overnight
delivery in battery boxes. The cost is not much when you think about the expense
involved with that many queens. You would need to check with the queen breeder to
determine how they ship queens and in what kind of cages.

Lesson Nine
Another option is to mark the queen. Queen breeders often offer for an addition charge to
mark a queen or clip her wing. Clipping a wing is also a traditional way to mark a queen.
Some might use a system such as clipping the right wing in even numbered years and clipping
the left wing in odd numbered years. I do not recommend clipping a queens wings. If the job
is not done properly, damage is caused to the queen and the bees will most likely supersede
her. A better way is to have the queen breeder mark the queen with a dot of paint for you. For
2001 the color used by breeders will be white. For 2002 the color will be yellow, and red will
follow in 2003 and then green and blue. In 2006 the color will again be white. Breeders are
following the International Queen Marking Color Code and you should do the same if marking
your own queens. Note: Very valuable queens are usually marked with a numbered marker
glued to the queens thorax. Since each queen is individually marked with a number it is
possible to keep track of this queen by just writing down a number in the log book when using
her to produce offspring.
Now for several advantages of each type of introduction described above:
The wooden or plastic cage
These cage protect the queen from aggressive bees that would kill her if she were just
dropped into a hive to fend for herself. These cages have an opening for the queen to crawl out
of the cage when the bees of the hive eat the candy that holds her in the cage. If using the three
chamber Benton wooden cage, a beekeeper can use a nail to place a small hole through the
candy so bees can eat the candy to the queen faster. One of the three chambers is filled with
Candy. However, the plastic cages and wooden California cages have a tube that holds
approximately one and a half inches of candy in a tube no greater and 3/8" in diameter. Bees
can eat through this candy very quickly. Do not put a hole through it. These cages are
adequate and come ready to install in the hive. All one needs to do: Remove a cap or a cork
from the entrance containing candy. The bees will do the rest.
Special wire introduction cages: Two types: (Both can be made by the beekeeper)
Miller introduction cage This cage was designed by Dr. C.C. Miller and is as good as any
you might try. Its construction is quite simple. You will need some hardware cloth (screen
wire) and some small pieces of wood. The size of this cage is approximately: 1 inch tall, 3/8
inches wide, and 3 inches long. It is not a self release type of cage as the ones described above.

Lesson Nine
This is a picture of the Miller introduction cage

copied directly from Fifty Years Among the Bees
which Dr. Miller wrote. It is very simple in
construction. The wire is bent around a block of
wood 3/8"x1"x3". The cage constructed as
shown is slightly different. But once the cage wire
is formed, the beekeeper will need to cut plugs that
fit into the ends of the formed wire. One end will be
stapled permanently in place. The other end will
have a removable plug or a plug can be constructed
with an opening for the queen to crawl out. This
opening would then be closed with either a cork
plug or a piece of tin to prevent the queen from
getting out.
In use the beekeeper would place the queen in the

cage, plug the open end of it, and place the cage
into the hive between frames. Because the cage is very narrow, it should fit between two top bars well. After
several days, the beekeeper would return to the hive and release the queen by removing the plug on the cage.
It is important that the end plug of this cage is firmly in place. You will introduce the queen when you feel the
bees are ready to accept her.
A method that I use often with breeder queens is to take a sheet of wire screen and cut it into a
square about 5 inches by 5 inches. I place this over a square block 4 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches, center
the screen wire and bend all four sides down. I tuck the corners firmly so they are strong.
This cage is easy to use. It fits over the comb. The edge of the wire screen is pressed into the
wax. I select a spot that contains some capped brood just ready to emerge. If I can include a
few adult bees that have just emerged-- so much the better. I place the queen on the face of the
comb where I want her and then quickly push the wire cage into the wax around her. I want
enough room between the wax and the surface of the wire to allow the queen room to move
about. The newly emerged workers come into contact with her without incident. Our newly
introduced queen has an opportunity to begin laying eggs almost immediately. After three or
four days have passed, I remove the cage from the wax and the bees accept the queen. Using
this method has been 100% successful for me but I also wait three or four days before letting the
queen out. No method is going to work if there is still the old queen in the hive. Therefore, you
must find the old queen first before trying to introduce any new queen.
Very important: Find the old queen. Remove her. It has to be done or you are going to fail in
the introduction of the new queen.
Other points:
1. It is best to let the hive be queenless for a day before you introduce your new queen.
However, many other beekeepers like myself have introduced queens in the self release
cages at the same time we killed and removed the old queen with good success. A
beekeeper can expect about 90% success with self release cages.
2. It is important to wait about a week before going back to check to see if the new queen
has been released. You will accomplish two things by waiting. First, the new queen will

Lesson Nine
have time to be accepted by the bees -- any disturbance could cause the bees to ball the
queen and kill her. Second, you would be able to find evidence that the queen had been
accepted without actually seeing her --- if you check worker cells and find eggs, you can
bet that your queen took.
Raising a few queens
Every beekeeper should raise a few queens. Do it for the experience. It is not hard. It is even
nice to have a queen available if you need to replace a queen.
Our suggested method: The Miller Method
1. Requires no grafting experience

2. Will produce fine queens
Before we explain our suggested method, you need to know that queens are produced by the
worker bees and not you. Your role is to create a situation for the worker bees to produce a
queen. The process will take planning.
First, you will need to make some preparations. What will be needed? Answer: A separate
box for each queen to be raised, a nuc box to build cells, and a good number of worker bees to
build and feed the cells to be created. You will also need an egg source. Hopefully, you have an
outstanding queen producing good gentle bees with some mite tolerance.
Steps:
1. You will need a calendar. On day 1 -- place a frame of new foundation into the hive that
has your queen source. This frame is just a regular frame nothing fancy. The comb is
cut into "V's". The only thing I would suggest is to place the frame between two frames
of brood. See the pictures:
This is day one. The picture to the right is a frame -- not even complete at that. It
has no bottom bar but your frame could. It really doesn't make any difference. It
has new thin wax foundation --- the type used for comb honey production but again
that is not important. It could be brood foundation. This frame is placed in the hive
with your Mother Queen. The mother queen will lay eggs in the cells the worker
bees build on the new wax foundation. Queens seem to prefer to lay in this new
comb. Notice that the foundation has been cut into "V" shapes. Again at this point
this is not really critical.
Approximately One Week Later
The frame will look like this

Lesson Nine
The bees will have drawn out the comb into worker cells. The queen will have started
laying eggs into the cells. You can see the eggs by looking down into the cells but
because they are white and the comb is very bright yellow, it may be difficult at
first. Eggs will look like little grains of white rice. You will not put this frame into
your cell builder until Red letter day #3.
This is our red letter day. Day # 1 Mark the calendar because this
date is critical. On this day you will need to prepare a box to receive this frame if you are
going to raise any queens. This box will be called your cell builder. It must be furnished with
the following:
1. Several frames of brood, and frames of honey and pollen and a lot of young bees. It
could be placed in the same location as your mother hive (you would need to turn the
mother hive around so that the entrance faces in another direction).
2. You will need to provide an ample amount of sugar syrup for the bees to fed on.
3. This cell builder hive must be queenless.
4. After three days, the bees will have started emergency queen cells. To prevent one of
these queens from emerging and killing the queens you are trying to raise, it will be
necessary to cut any started queen cells (these are called emergency cells) in the cell
builder.
On day #3 take the frame you have prepared with the new eggs in it. This is Red letter day #3.
Cut the cells as shown in the picture to the right. Cut away the lower cells. The most
important point I can make here is to emphasize the importance of having either
eggs or very young larva near where the cuts are made.
It is now necessary to decide how many queens you want to raise. You will need a
nuc box for each queen to be raised and enough bees and feed to help her survive. If
you want only one queen you really don't need to do anything more. The bees will
build a number of queen cells -- Often 10 to 20. One of these queens will survive the battle among the queens
that emerge.
Beautiful queen cells ready to be put into nuc boxes and raised for future queen needs. Since queen cells raised
in this fashion are built close together and often connected as shown in the picture, it is not possible to move all
of the cells to a nuc. One could cut between these cells and save three of them. The three cells could then be
placed in individual nuc boxes.

Lesson Nine
From the day the eggs are laid by the

queen and the bees begin to provide
special attention to raising queen cells, a
period of 16 days will pass before the
new queens emerge. It will take
another 10 days for virgin queens to
mate and start to lay eggs of their own.
We wish you happy queen rearing.
Back to top of page

Lesson ten
Intermediate Beekeeping 201 Lesson Ten
Getting Bees Ready for Honey Crop
Objectives:
1. The beekeeper must know when the major honey crops begin to produce nectar.
2. You will learn several techniques for getting bees ready for the nectar flow (honey crop).
3. You will learn the basics of what what to look for when a nectar flow is in progress.
4. You will learn the pros and cons of using queen excluders.
5. You will examine some facts about bee kills.
6. You will examine the 10 frame hive and compare it to the 8 frame hive.
Honey Production Basics
Everything done up to the honey flow is done to ensure a strong foraging population in a hive of
bees.
Management for a honey crop actually begins in the fall of the year. Strong hives gather large
amounts of nectar. Weak hives generally manage to sustain themselves and produce very little
surplus honey. So the beekeeper looking to get a good crop of honey must do everything prior to
the honey flow.
Do you know the approximate date you must have your bees ready to gather the major nectar
flow in your area? You need to find out. The timing of this event varies across this country and
it varies within some smaller areas. Many states have multiple honey (nectar) flows and some
areas rely only on one flow. The state of Georgia for example has such a variety of nectar crops
that produce select varieties of honey that a beekeeper must plan for each crop. By moving
hives of bees from one crop to another is highly profitable.
In other areas such as Ohio, the beekeeper is faced with the possibility of two flows at the most.
And in areas with a shorter growing season the beekeeper is faced with only one major flow.
Lets take a look at what a beekeeper must do to prepare for a nectar (honey) flow. Notice that I
have been using both nectar and honey flow interchangeably. The correct term is nectar flow --
however the term honey flow is in common usage and I will use both.
● If the honey (nectar) flow is early -- such as black locust the beekeeper must have the
hives built up strong as early as possible. This may require feeding hives to stimulate
brood production and the feeding of a pollen substitute.
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Lesson ten
● All hives of bees must be at their strongest to produce a good crop. This is done by
frequent inspection for good brood patterns and the replacement of queens if necessary.
It also requires that the beekeeper is alert to bee diseases. Any disease weakens a hive.
● It pays to have fewer strong colonies than many weak colonies. Too often a beekeeper is
in a hurry to increase hive numbers. If a honey crop is expected, then the beekeeper
might begin combining weak hives with hives that are fair but not strong. One might also
switch the location of a weak hive with a strong hive if the hive with the weak population
has a good queen (one you have replaced just recently).
● If the beekeeper is wanting to increase the number of colonies he/she has, it would be
better to take only one frame of bees and brood from a number of hives and build slowly
rather than splitting all the hives at one time. If the honey flow comes later in the year,
splitting makes sense.
● The beekeeper must have a plan to prevent swarming. The beekeeper must provide
adequate space for brood production and honey storage. A swarm defeats all the effort
put into getting a hive of bees ready for the honey crop.
Supering bees for the honey flow/nectar flow
Supering is defined as adding supers (boxes for honey storage). These supers are added above
the brood chamber either with or without a queen excluder.
Two types of supering are practiced by beekeepers -- top supering and bottom supering.
Top Supering
Top supering is a common practice among many beekeepers. As

a hive needs additional supers they are added one on top of
another. Super (A) is placed on the hive. Super (B) is placed
above super (A) as shown on the left. When it is time to add a
third super we are calling (C), it is added above super (B). The
bees will work their way up into the supers placed on the hive.
This is the easiest and quickest way to add supers. If all supers
are added at one time, the bees may fill frames near the middle of
the stack and not fill outside frames. This is called the
"chimney" effect.
Bottom supering

Lesson ten
Bottom supering is always placing the new empty super just

above the brood nest. This requires that the beekeeper remove
supers that are filled with honey from the hive, place the empty
honey super on the hive, and then replace all full or partly full
supers back on the hive. Notice that the super labeled (A) was
the first super placed on the hive. When the bees had filled it
with honey and 3/4 of the frames were capped, a new super (B)
was added below (A). When this super was nearly full and
capped, super (C) the third super was added. It is claimed that
bees will move up into the empty new super faster because the
honey in the upper supers draw them into the new honey super.
When adding new foundation to a hive you have helped the bees
by putting this new super with foundation in the warmest place fore wax builders to work -- just
above the brood chamber. Adding new foundation above all the supers as in top supering will
result in comb not being completely drawn out.
Additional points about supering:
● A good working guide for adding supers is to examine a honey super on the hive to see if
the bees are filling it with nectar. If 3/4 of the cells are being filled with nectar it is time
to add a super.
● It is better to super early rather than late.
● If supering with new foundation, use 10 frames to the honey super. If you leave too
much of a space between frames of new foundation, the bees will build burr comb
between the foundation such as when you place only 8 frames in a 10 frame honey super.
Some beekeepers have used 9 instead of 10 frames of new foundation in a honey super
successfully.
● Bees can be encouraged into a new super with new foundation by adding two frames of
drawn comb in the center of the honey super.
● Many beekeepers use only 8 or 9 frames (drawn frames of foundation) in honey supers.
The bees will pull the cells further out from the comb to fill the space between frames.
The result is: a) You get just as much honey from 8 frames as you would 10; b) you have
fewer frames to extract; c) you have fewer frames to build and manage.
Use of queen excluders
This is a controversial subject. Should you use queen excluders? It will depend upon your point
of view. We would suggest that if you are having trouble with bees carrying nectar (honey) up
into the honey supers above a queen excluder that you examine the beekeeping techniques you
are using. A queen needs open cells to lay eggs in. If they are not available, then the bees are
going to swarm. What happens if bees do not carry honey into honey supers above the queen
excluder -- they will store the honey in the brood chamber and eventually the hive becomes
honey bound. The queen has no place to lay eggs and the bees swarm.
The beekeeper must examine hives during nectar flows to determine what the bees are doing

Lesson ten
with the nectar. If they are storing the honey below the queen excluder, the beekeeper must
either remove the queen excluder or develop a plan to open up the brood chamber so the queen
has room to lay eggs.
● I have used queen excluders successfully.. However, my method of beekeeping is not for
everyone. I have a large number of bees and sell queens and packages. We use a swarm
control technique that will work for the person wanting to increase the number of hives
they have or the person who wants to sell bees. Our technique is simple. We use a single
deep brood chamber with a queen excluder above it. We then put our honey supers
above the queen excluder. The ten deep frames in the brood chamber are adequate for
a queen to produce a lot of brood but we prevent swarming by moving a frame of brood
from the brood chamber every week or two and replace the removed frame with a frame
of new foundation. By taking only one frame, we open up the brood area for bees to
build new cells and the queen has a place to lay eggs. If the bees are putting honey into
the outside frames of this brood chamber, we remove them as well.
● A technique a person could use that did not want to build up new hives with the removed
frames is to use a double deep brood chamber with a queen excluder above the first deep
box. The beekeeper could then move frames full of brood into the box above the queen
excluder and replace the removed frame with an empty frame of comb or a new frame as
we do. Using this method the beekeeper would be taking advantage of a super large
population of bees to gather a honey crop.
● If the beekeeper is not particular about brood in honey supers -- it makes the cells dark
and difficult to uncap at times, the beekeeper may want to avoid queen excluders
altogether. This requires the beekeeper to check honey supers for capped and uncapped
brood when removing supers from the hive. Queens may also be accidentally killed when
the supers are removed as well. The queen could be anywhere in a hive without a queen
excluder.
● If the beekeeper does use queen excluders, the beekeeper will need to watch for swarm
cells during the season -- even more so than the person who just goes out and stacks a lot
of supers on a hive. With room to roam, the queen will develop her brood nest upward
and with the extra room will be less likely to develop the swarm impulse.
Poison/bee kills
We are much more aware of the effects of chemicals on crops than we were twenty years ago.
The number of approved pesticides has been reduced and the applicators are licensed for
restricted use pesticides. But this doesn't mean that you will not have a problem with pesticide
kills.
Pesticides kill in three major ways.
● Direct contact -- such as coming into contact with a spray while a chemical is being
applied to a crop.
● By taking the poison internally. Example -- larva fed with poisoned pollen.
● Fumigation

Lesson ten
The most common pesticide kill is to adult bees. The beekeeper may find a large number of
dead bees in front of the bee hives in the apiary. On occasions the beekeeper may observe bees
on leafs that seem to be drunk. Chemicals generally affect the nervous system so that bees have
trouble flying, walking, or remaining upright.
If you think you have a pesticide kill, document what you see and if you can take pictures, do
so. If you are aware of any commercial spraying within the flying radius of your bees, find out
who was spraying and what chemical was used. Applicators are required to notify beekeepers
of applications of certain pesticides and can be held accountable if you can prove they are
responsible for the damages. However, the burden of proof is on your shoulders.
We would like to point out one other poison problem. You most likely will never encounter this,
but if you move bees into certain areas of the United States, your bees may not be welcome.
Commercial beekeepers often tell stories of going to a bee yard and finding "only nails".
Individuals can kill a hive easily. They pour gasoline in the inner cover hole and light a match
to it. Or they may use a common pesticide such as carbaryl (Sevin) which is available at almost
any store that sells chemicals for insect control. It comes in both a liquid or powder form. If
dusted in the hive, bees will die in the hive and residue from the chemical can easily bee seen
and collected as evidence. If sprayed into the entrance, the bees will die as well but it is hard to
see any evidence that a chemical was used. If you suspect foul play with your bees, contact your
state apiary division of the Dept. of Agriculture. If they agree with you, then call in the law.
Various types of hive equipment you may encounter
We are more fortunate in the U.S. to have a standard hive. However, even with the standard
hive, one does run into problems. Hives are generally 10 frame hive bodies 16 1/4 inches wide.
But some beekeepers maintain 8 frame equipment. Eight frame boxes will not interchange with
10 frame equipment without some modification. So what are you going to see when it comes to
equipment?
By far the most typical equipment is going to be 10 frame equipment and equipment
manufactured by one bee supplier will fit with other suppliers. This applies to top cover, inner
covers, bottom boards, queen excluders, and other devices used with bee hives. Sometimes, the
bee boxes will have a space at the top and some will have a space at the bottom. If two such
boxes are placed so that a space of more than 3/8 of an inch should exist, the bee space will be
violated and bees will build burr comb between the frames.
A typical 10 frame hive is located at the left.
Shown are a standard double deep brood chamber hive with two supers on
top. To the left of the tall hive is a standard hive in a deep bottom box with a
medium (Illinois) super on top for the upper half of the brood chamber. The
bees in the colony to the right have excess stores. The colony to the left must
be checked often in the spring to make sure the bees have not used up all their
honey stores and that they will have room for expansion when a honey flow

Lesson ten
hits.
It is important to standardize all of your beekeeping equipment. I know of no bee catalog

available today that offers the beekeeper 8 frame equipment. It is available because it is still in
use. Beekeepers needing 8 frame equipment often advertise in the bee journals for used
equipment. If purchased new, it must be special ordered.
Our recommendation is to stick with 10 frame equipment. It can be sold when needed and is
ready to work for another beekeeper without having to reduce your price to get rid of
something most beekeepers can not use.
This is an eight frame hive. Notice that it has two deep brood chambers.
This hive is not interchangeable with the 10 frame hive. The top cover,
inner cover and bottom board are about two inches (14 1/4 inches) less wide
as compared to the standard 10 frame hive. It will hold just 8 frames
compared to the 10 the ten frame hive will hold. Its chief advantage is that
more hives can be loaded on a truck and in pollination work it is about
equal to a 10 frame story and a half hive.
I apologize for the condition of my equipment. My boxes need new paint

and some maintenance when I get to them. The bees are fine however.
Both of the above pictures were shot from the same angle and the same distance from the hives.
They make look the same but they are not. For a better comparison, check the photograph
below. It shows a top cover and a shallow honey super up against the top cover side by side.
This gives a better

picture of the
difference. The 8
frame super to the
right has 8 frames in
it. The 10 frame super
to the left has 8 frames
in it. Notice the
difference. The 10
frame super has a lot of
space between frames.
The frames in the 8
frame super fit well but
are tight.
Under normal honey

production, supers are
placed upon a brood
chamber for bees to

Lesson ten
store honey. The 10 frame super is used with eight or nine frames. The bees pull the cappings
out from the face of the comb -- storing just as much honey as if 10 frames were in the super.
Uncapping a frame that has cells built beyond the top bar allows for easier extracting. When 10
frames are used in a 10 frame box, the bees will respect the bee space between the frames and
not build comb into that area. The result is that the beekeeper will have to use a honey knife to
dip into the comb to uncap the shallow cells.
This is by no means all you will see. A few hives exist and are still in use from nearly 75 years
ago. I found an old Buckeye Hive (double walled hive) in good shape. It takes standard 10
frame equipment. One may find the Deep Dadant hive. This is also standard for 10 frames but
the deep frames are 18 1/2 by 11 1/4. Such a hive has about the equivalent capacity of a twelve
frame standard Langstroth hive. On rare occasions one might run into some older antique
beekeeping equipment. Antique beekeeping equipment has great value. At on time it was
thrown on the burn pile -- hopefully no more. The value of old bee books lies in the information
we can get about beekeeping in the past. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on an ABC
and XYZ of Bee Culture prior to 1925 enjoy hours of reading about things like the Danzenbaker
hive, the Hendon hive, the Bingham hive and others.
Back to top of page

Lesson eleven
Intermediate Beekeeping 201 Lesson Eleven
The Honey Crop
Objectives:
1. The beekeeper must know when the honey crop can be removed.
2. You will learn several techniques for removing honey from the hive.
3. You will learn the basics of producing comb honey
4. You will learn how to extract the crop
5. You will examine some facts about honey
The Honey Crop
This is the beekeepers reward for a year of hard work. The

question about honey removal comes up often. The honey in
this super is ready to come off. Notice how the bees have
fattened up the comb. Eight frames were used in this super.
Almost 100% of the cells are capped. Usually the frames to
the outside are the ones you will need to watch for uncapped
cells.
Many areas of the United States have periods of certain

nectar/honey crops being produced. A beekeeper who tends his hives often will see the beginning
of a honey flow and the end of a honey flow. When a honey flow is in progress the bees are easy
to work and are not aggressive. As soon as a honey flow comes to an end and the bees are
unable to find a new source, they become testy. In addition, they seem to look for weak hives to
rob. Maybe you have noticed that bees will fly right by and over a super with honey or a
container with sugar water during a good honey flow. But if that flows stops, they will descend
on that honey super with a little bit of honey in it or that container of sugar water like banshees.
You will have clouds of bees in the area.
Different plants produce different honeys. The variety is so great that I can not begin to list
them. Some are very light and others are very dark in color. They will vary by taste and
aroma. Some granulate very quickly while other do not.
Light honey generally sells at a higher price than dark honey.
First, lets take a look at what honey is! The conversion of nectar to honey involves a chemical
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Lesson eleven
change and a physical change. As the honey bee gathers nectar, she will regurgitate this small
droplet many times while on her mission to gather nectar (Approximately 20 minutes for each
trip). The actual chemical change involves sucrose being converted to glucose and fructose by
the enzyme invertase from the hypopharyngeal glands of the honey bee. This process is
continued when the drop is deposited with one of the house bees. The house bee then will find a
cell to place this droplet in for evaporation purposes. Later this same droplet is moved again by
house bees after its water (moisture content) has been reduced to another cell to further dry out--
ripened--moisture removed from it.
The physical change that occurs is the process of evaporation. Depending on the moisture
content of the nectar, the bees will reduce the amount to under 20%. House bees place droplets
in cells around the hive. Currents of air are distributed around the hive by the bees fanning.
You will see bees at the entrance of a hive fanning in dry air and fanning out moist air. It is
popular in some areas to recommend a ventilation hive cover to aid the bees in their effort to
remove moisture from the hive. You can even buy hive covers with built in fans. Bees really
didn't need them until someone decided that a beekeeper might be willing to pay 100 dollars plus
for one if they believed that the cover might increase honey production by a third. Not many
beekeepers use them and we don't recommend them. You might want to drill a 1/2" hole in the
upper corner of your hive bodies. That works.
Honey is composed of:
● 18% water
● 35% glucose (dextrose)
● 40% fructose (levulose)
● with the balance being made up of other substances. You can look at honey under a
microscope and identify the various pollens from plants that are mixed with honey. It
helps identify the source of the honey. 3% of the other substances probably make up the
characteristics of what gives a certain honey a particular flavor, smell, and color.
When is honey ready to be removed from a hive of bees?
Unless 75% or more of the cells in a frame are capped, the frame should not be removed.
The photograph at the beginning of this lesson shows a super of honey ready to be removed.
Uncapped honey has a high moisture content and will ferment. That is a nasty word -- ferment.
Fermentation is caused by sugar being converted by yeasts to alcohol and Carbon dioxide. The
honey is ruined -- it can be fed back to the bees but it has an obnoxious odor and sour taste. If
fermenting honey is placed in a closed containers, the gas produced from CO² will cause the
container to expand and bubble out or burst. Don't get the idea that you can add a little water to
honey to get more honey. You will ruin the whole lot. You might consider making mead --
honey wine.
When two honey crops are expected one following the other, the beekeeper might want to
separate the two varieties. Some varieties bring much high prices than those honeys of a mix
with other honey. For example, the bees are bringing in a very light water color honey. To
avoid the bees putting a darker honey in the cells with the lighter honey, the beekeeper needs to

Lesson eleven
removed the light capped honey taking some frames that may be only 50% capped. The
beekeeper then supers up with new supers for the darker crop. Honey can be artificially dried.
The honey supers with the light uncapped honey can be placed in a warm dry room with a
humidifier. The humidifier removes moisture from the air and also from the honey. Honey
should never be stored in a moist area. Honey is hydroscopic (means it absorbs moisture). Even
if honey has a moisture content of 18.6% or less when harvested, it can absorb enough moisture
from damp air to ferment. It can even ferment in the comb. If you are uncapping honey and
you notice what looks like little bubbles in the honey, you might take some time to check the
moisture content of that honey. It can be done with a refractometer. If you don't have one (most
of you will not) take a sample of honey to your apiary department with the Department of
Agriculture to get it tested. Most state Land Grant Universities will also have equipment which
can test the moisture content as well. It doesn't take long.
Removing Honey Crop
The hobbiest has a number of options available. One is rather easy. Remove the frames one at a
time and brush the bees from the frame. The frames are then set in a separate box and are taken
immediately into a garage, house, or down in the basement. A few bees may tag along. It is
difficult to remove all the bees. Bees do not react peacefully to this action.
A better method is to use a fume board. A fume board is also called an acid board. Don't get
confused by the two terms (they mean the same thing). At one time beekeepers used Carbolic
acid (no longer legal) to drive bees out of supers. A fume board is a box that fits atop a hive
exactly. It looks somewhat like a telescope cover but is build in the same dimensions as the
supers (16 1/4 x 19 3/4 inches.) It usually has a metal cover but I have seen some with 1/4"
plywood painted black. Metal works better. A cloth fits below the metal cover and it is
sprinkled with a little bit of ("Bee Go" or "Honey Robber"}. The lip of the fume board is high
enough for the burr comb over the frames to be below the cloth to prevent the comb from
coming into contact with the chemical.
This works best on warm sunny days. The fumes from the chemical drive the bees out of the
hive if you leave it on too long. The literature says three to five minutes and that is about all the
time you have on a sunny day. If you have several hives, you can remove the top cover, the inner
cover and place the fume board with the chemical applied to the top most super. You might
want to put the fume board on in such a way that some air space is allowed at the corners of the
super. After only a few minutes you can remove the fume board to check if the bees have been
driven down. You will hear their roar as they do not like this stuff and they move down and
away from it. If you leave it on too long, all your bees will be rushing head first out the entrance
to get away from it. When bees have exited the super, you may remove it (most if not all the bees
will be gone). Replace the fume board on the next super and work down to the brood chamber.
You will not have a lot of bees in the air like you would have if you brushed the bees off the
comb.
One other hint: Don't get this stuff on you. You will notice that people that are near you will
begin to move away. It does stink!

Lesson eleven
Escape boards --- Several types of escape boards exist. The most common use has something
called a Porter Bee Escape. It is used in the inner cover to allow bees to get of the honey super
but does not allow them to return. This works better when the bees are subjected to cooler
temperatures and they leave the super to join the cluster in the brood chamber below, thus
removing them from the honey super. You need to make sure no openings exist for bees to get
back into the super. This is not fast and may take several days for most of the bees to get out.
Another escape board is called "Triangle Escape board". This board has a triangle maize which
allows the bees to escape but the bees are then unable to find their way back in. In both of the
above methods, the beekeeper places the escape board below the supers he/she wants cleared of
bees. Once the bees leave they can not get back in. It takes time.
Bee Blowers --- One can buy a commercial bee blower or make one from a leaf blower. In
principal, you are blowing bees out of the honey super. The super is elevated on a bench or some
kind of stand, and the nozzle of the blower is run across the frames of the super to remove the
bees. This is used by many commercial beekeepers. It is fast and does a good job in both hot or
cool temperatures. Although the bees fill the air and form clusters on the ground, they don't
seem to become overly aggressive. They are disoriented and by the time they collect themselves,
they try to find their way back to the hive.
Comb Honey
I have always maintained that a good beekeeper is one who can produce a good comb honey
crop. Producing comb honey is more labor intensive than producing extracted honey. In fact,
many honey buyers today are not aware of how you eat comb honey. It is available but not
produced as it once was.
First, we must define what we mean by comb honey. Honey bees store honey in comb and at one
time, by purchasing honey in comb was the only sure way to know that you were buying the real
stuff. One often finds cut comb in bottles with honey. Cut comb is produced in normal super
frames and then cut to size to fit the package it will be placed into. This might be a plastic box
without honey or a jar with honey. There is no special management techniques required to
produce cut comb honey except the use of new thin foundation in the honey supers.
Section Comb honey
There are three comb honey equipment choices the beekeeper must make. We will describe the
equipment and then the management required to produce comb honey.
The most popular is Ross Round® sections. They make an attractive store or marketing

Lesson eleven
display. One usually buys a complete super already assembled. The

beekeeper must add thin foundation before putting this super on his/her
bees. Most bee supply catalogs have a complete listing of parts and labels for
Ross Rounds.
Another system using a modular comb system is Hogg Half Comb honey supers. This super is
made up of one piece boxes designed to function as comb honey modules -- they interlock to form
self supporting columns of individual comb honey sections in the super. Since the prefabricated
boxes have beeswax coated embossed foundation on the bottom you
have no need to add any thin foundation. All one needs to do is
purchase either a complete Half Comb honey super or buy a
conversion kit to build a cassette comb super.
Traditional comb honey comes in basswood section boxes. This system

requires more labor to assembly the equipment needed to produce comb honey and the two
above. Section boxes must be formed. They arrive flat and have V grooves in the corners that
must be dampened to prevent the box from breaking while putting it together. If you buy a
comb honey super, it will arrive unassembled and you must put everything together before
using. This includes nailing up the section holders, adding flat tins, and separators to each comb
honey super you will use. The section boxes must have thin foundation added and usually you
will need a split section device to install the comb. The labor involved is one reason many
beekeepers are choosing the plastic systems.
If you are new to comb honey production, we would recommend one of the plastic modular
systems.
Management for producing comb honey
You must realize that bees are reluctant to work in these unnatural arrangements and in order
to be successful with comb honey production you must adjust your management techniques.
● To produce good quality honey in the comb it is necessary to produce it quickly to avoid
staining of wax cappings. This browning of the wax makes the product less appealing. It
is called travel stain.
● The beekeeper must know the honey crop. If the honey produced granulates in the comb,
the comb honey will be less attractive to the consumer.
Bees must be forced up into the comb honey supers. The queen must be kept out of the comb
honey supers and a queen excluder is required. So in order to manage for comb honey
production, you must:
● Have very strong hives. Swarming strength--This will require you to keep young queens
in hives, and will required swarm management techniques. You might be cutting queen

Lesson eleven
cells every eight days or so. If you wait for 10 days, it might be too late.
● Comb honey can be produced only when you have a strong honey flow. Supers must be in
place at the start of the honey flow rather than at the end.
● The beekeeper will always bottom super and check to make sure the bees have capped
completed sections before removing from the hive. Part filled sections are of little value
and all comb honey producers face this problem. The beekeeper must keep maximum
colony populations prior to the honey flow to take advantage of the honey storing capacity
of the bees.
● If a good flow does not materialize or if the colony swarms, it is often better to give up the
idea of section honey and revert back to normal honey production. The cost of comb
honey sections/boxes/rings ruined by partial filling will discourage many who try.
● A good reference on comb honey production is Dr. Richard Taylor's book Comb Honey
Book.
To review comb honey production, keep the following steps in mind.
● You must put equipment together before the honey flow. You must have your bees ready
to gather a crop. Weak hives will not do the job.
● You must use a queen excluder to keep the queen from laying eggs in the foundation/comb
and avoid the storage of pollen in the comb.
● You must manage for swarm prevention.
● You must harvest the crop when section boxes, ring, or cassettes are capped over. Often
this will require the beekeeper to move supers up as new supers are added. The bees must
be crowded to force them to fill the sections.
● Bees can be removed from comb honey supers by using chemicals sparingly. You are
producing a product for human consumption. It would be best to use no chemicals to
remove the honey. Best would be an escape board - either an inner cover with a porter
bee escape or a triangular escape board. A neat idea for several hives with comb honey
supers to be removed is to stack the comb honey supers over an inner cover with a porter
bee escape on top of a weak hive. This will add strength to the weak hive and also empty
the comb supers of bees.
● For some reason bees prefer to work a little better in the sections to the back of the hive.
When sections are filled to the back, one can turn the super a full 180 degrees and the
unfinished sections will then be filled and the comb honey will be more uniform.
● You can check all sections for pollen in cells by holding the sections up to a strong light.
Pollen filled cells are easy to see -- honey will allow light to pass through --- pollen will not.
Small scale extracting
A beekeeper that wants liquid honey must remove the honey from the cells in the comb by some
method. It takes some effort by the bees to build comb and efforts should be made to keep
drawn comb for the bees to fill again. Some beekeepers want wax as a bee product and
extracting homey from the comb provides both a surplus of wax cappings and honey.
From simple to more complex --- I was working with a new beekeeper who did not have an
extractor. It was too much money, he said. He had purchased plastic foundation and was using

Lesson eleven
it in his honey supers. I suggested that he take a clean hive tool and chisel the comb and honey
into a pan and then let the bees have the frame back to build more comb which they will do. The
mid rib of plastic foundation remains and bees will build new comb on it again. You can not do
this with wax foundation because you will gouge into the mid-rib.
To separate the honey from the comb is a simple matter. Before removing any honey or comb
from the frame, get a good cheese cloth -- a ladies hose will work and place over a five gallon
bucket. Then you can scrape the honey from the frame so that it will fall into the cheese cloth.
The honey will drain into the bucket and the wax will be left behind. You can put the wet wax
(has honey on it) out for the bees to clean up which they will. You will have liquid honey and
dry bees wax.
Small scale extracting
You will need some kind of device to throw honey from the comb by centrifugal
force. This is called extracting honey (removing honey from the comb). We first
should describe several terms you will find in bee equipment catalogs. By the
way, we have limited the total cost for an extractor to under $500.00 and all
references in this lesson will describe equipment available for that amount. One
handy with tools could build one from a 50 gal. drum or garbage can.
●Non-Reversible -- This is an extractor usually hand operated in which the

frames are placed into the extractor and the outside of the comb is extracted.
After the honey has been removed from the outside of the combs, the frames must be
removed from the extractor, the frames are reversed so the honey filled side is facing
outward, and the frames are spun again.
● Reversible -- A reversible extractor is one which hold frames in swinging baskets. Once
one side of the comb has been extracted, the extractor is stopped, and the operator swings
the baskets so the honey filled side is facing outward. There is no need to remove frames
from the extractor to reverse them. This is usually a hand operated extractor but motors
can be attached for power operation.
● Mann Lake offers what is called a 3 Frame Motorized Tangential Extractor --This
extractor is illustrated in the picture above. It is a one step process and can handle 3
deep, 3 medium or 6 shallow frames at a time.
● Radial extractor -- This extractor is the most common among beekeepers having a
number of hives. Mann Lake sells a hand crank radial 9/18 Frame extractor for under
$500.00. Most will have motors and cost much more. In fact an industrial extractor may
have room for 70 frames at one time. 9/18 refers to the number of frames an extractor
will hold. In this case, 9 deep or 18 medium or shallow frames.
In addition, the beekeeper will need something to remove the cappings from the honey comb.
The hobbiest has the choice between a capping scratcher or a knife ( non-electric or electric).
There is also a device called a honey punch which looks something like a roller with pins/nails
that are rolled over the comb surface. It punches holes in the comb and allows the honey to run
out when the comb is extracted.

Lesson eleven
The beekeeper will also need honey storage buckets. This can be a five gallon bucket or one
could buy a bucket with a honey gate. It is also helpful to have something for the cappings to
drop into such as a bucket but plastic uncapping tanks are available at reasonable prices. The
final piece of equipment is some kind of strainer or strainer cloth. This removes the impurities
from the honey. Raw honey almost always includes wax, bee parts, etc. These must be removed
if the honey is to be sold.
Now for the procedure -- The honey must be removed from the hive. You must determine
where you are going to set up your extracting equipment. Let me warn you that this is going to
be a sticky job and many wives dislike this mess in their kitchens. It should be done in an area
secure from stray bees.
A typical set up might include a wash tub with a 2" wide board across the top. A nail is driven in
the middle of the board, and the end of the nail is filed to a point. This nail will allow the frame
placed on it to swivel while you are removing the wax cappings. It's like having another hand.
The uncapping knife in general use is electrically operated. It is much easier to remove
cappings with a hot knife than with a cold knife. A honey scratcher could be used as well. If you
use the honey scratcher, you will have less wax.
The knife is drawn across the face of the comb so that the cappings peel off in a nice sheet of
wax. It breaks up as it falls into the uncapping container (in this case our wash tub). I might
add that a screen made of 8 mesh hardware cloth will allow the honey to drain from the
cappings.
Once the honey is exposed in the comb, the frame is then put into the extractor. If you have a
hand crank extractor, you will turn a handle to get the baskets or frame within the extractor
spinning. As the basket or frame with the frames of honey spin, centrifugal force throws the
honey against the side walls of the extractor where it will run down and collect at the bottom of
the extractor. Extractors have a honey gate near the bottom that is used to empty the extractor
of the honey.
Straining the honey as it leaves the extractor is the next step. Nylon strainer cloth is a very good
material to use. Double sieves are nice but cost much more. You might check prices in several
equipment supply catalogs before ordering.
You can then bottle the honey for your own use, to give as gifts to friends, or to sell.
Small scale wax recovery -- Quite frankly, you will not get much wax from only a hive or two. If
you collect wax over a period of time, it will add up and you might have enough then for candle
making. Warning -- Be careful when you work with wax. More an a few beekeepers have
burned down their houses. The melting point for wax is 147 degrees plus or minus a degree.
Wax is insoluble in water and will float to the surface when placed in water.
What do you do with the wax cappings you have left from the extracting process? You have
several choices. You could set the cappings out for the bees to clean up or you could wash them

Lesson eleven
in water. Some people have made mead (honey wine) from the wash water. If you plan to do
this, find a good formula for mead. It usually requires about four pounds of honey to each
gallon of water.
Finally, you can melt the wax in a water bath. The wax should not be heated to a temperature of
over 150 degrees. Some metals will stain the wax and you should use stainless steel if it is
available. Iron will cause severe discoloration of the wax. Another method for small amounts of
wax is the solar wax melter. It is a box in which a pan is set. The box is then covered with a
pane of glass and placed in the sun. Often the interior of the box is painted black to absorb
heat. It placed on a small incline, the wax will melt and flow to the bottom part of the pan. Wax
produced this way is bleached by the sun and will be of very light color.
Other Bee Products -- It is hard to say what each individual wants from bees. You should be
aware that bees produce other things than honey.
● Pollen - Pollen is the male germ cell of flowering plants. It is the principal source of
protein, fat, and minerals in the honey bee diet. It is also in demand by individuals who
take pollen for health food. It can be collected as a hive product by something called a
pollen trap. Most beekeeping supply companies will handle this as a stock item.
● Propolis -- Propolis is a resinous gum the bees collect from trees and other plants. It is
also called bee glue. Honey bees use propolis to fill cracks in the hive, to reduce the
entrance, to smooth the interior of the hive, and to cover intruders when they are killed in
the hive and too large to carry out. You may also see propolis used to seal menthol bags
when placed on the top of frames. Propolis is used for health purposes. It can be
gathered by placing special inserts into the hive. A market for propolis exists. Check the
bee magazines for buyers.
● Bee Venom -- Bee venom is used in the pharmacological industry. It is collected by
electrical stimulation of a population of bees in a colony. It is not something in great
demand and most venom produced is done by only a few individuals.
How do you sell your honey?
Most hobbiest beekeepers end up with more honey than they use. What to do with it often is
asked. We would suggest that you take advantage of this wonderful product -- It is natures
gold. The honey you sell is not refined and blended with foreign honey. It has a local flavor and
value that no other honey can have.
● Put up a sign (if you are allowed in your front yard).

● Get table space at a local farmers market/flea market.
● Put up signs at Laundry bulletin boards (Any bulletin board that allows you to place
notices).
● Sell friends and fellow workers. (People at work are a good source of customers who will
return again and again).
● Some even sell right out of the trunk of their car. Set up along the highway and have big
signs--honey for sale.
● Go door to door in your community.

Lesson eleven
We do not recommend commission sales or consignment sales. You should be able to get at least
$3.00 or more per pound of honey. On commission or consignment sales, the dealer will get a
cut of the action. Usually it will amount to 25% or more of the sale price. Check to see what
honey is selling for in grocery stores in your community. Then create a special label for your
honey. Identify it as local honey. Ask at least 20% more than the store prices. After all, your
product is better than the other (so called honey).
Selling honey
If you are going to sell honey, do it right. The public can be turned off with dirty honey, dirty jars, and sloppy
appearances. All honey should be sold in clear jars to show off the rich golden clear color of honey. All jars should
have labels that identify the honey, the amount of honey by weight, and the producers (that's you) name and address.
Make people want to buy honey! Presentation is the key to success as you can see in the packaging of a product and
the display table used by the beekeeper. Honey has a reputation. Don't do anything to spoil what others have been
doing to promote the wholesomeness of honey
This is John Jessels honey stand. You can click on this picture to make it larger and we suggest
that you do that. Selling excess honey is profitable. The difference in price between wholesale
and retail is considerable. As a hobby beekeeper, it may pay to bottle your own honey and sell it
as John does -- from the back of his car. He is mobile and can set up where ever a group of
people can be found. Factory parking lots at shift change, local flea markets or farmer markets,
and even sporting events. Be sure to get permission before
setting up. The wholesale price of honey varies from time to
time. For the summer of 2002, the price of wholesale honey
skyrocketed to well over $1.40 per pound for almost any honey.
Honey prices are not stable and depending on the world market
and honey crops produced in Canada, Argentina, and China find
their way to the countries paying high prices for honey. Thus,
the summer of 2002, is unusual in honey prices. How far honey
prices drop on the wholesale level should not affect the hobby beekeeper sell his/her own honey.
Don't give your honey away! The production of one bottle of honey involves much work and
investment. Equipment to extract honey can be paid for with honey sales. Your labor is worth
something. Bottles and labels are worth something. The honey is worth something! Charge a
fair price for all that you put into this product. After all, you are selling something that most
people can not buy at the grocery store. Your honey product is local honey --- produced
locally. Your honey product is not commercially filtered, heated honey. Your honey product is
raw natural honey with all the rich ingredients that have not been removed by heat or pressure
filtration. Your honey is a perfect food. It is as natural a food as the public can buy.

Lesson eleven
Intermediate Beekeeping 201 Lesson Twelve
Getting Ready for Next Year
Objectives:
1. The beekeeper must keep accurate notes.

2. You will learn to make preparations for the next bee year during the previous fall.
Keep valuable records for this beekeeping year
● Keep accurate information for you locality and write it down

● Keep accurate information on what your hives have done and progress made during this
first year.
● Take photographs of brood and brood chamber during spring, summer, and fall. They
will be reminders of what your hives looked like and what they will most likely look like
again when the new year starts.
Being able to look over these notes during the winter is one step in the direction of having a
handle on the upcoming bee season.
Develop a goal for next year.
● Do you plan to produce more honey? If so, how!

● Do you plan to increase the number of hives you have?
● Have you considered winter losses? Have you done everything you can to prevent
unnecessary loss?
● Make your goals realistic. I know a person who wanted to start beekeeping and he
wanted to order 100 queens. He didn't need any bees. The queens would lay eggs and he
would have bee hives from the work the queens did!
Problems that all beekeepers face from time to time--
● Loss of a high percentage of bees. Check hives often when you can in early and late
winter. Order packages to replace lost hives if necessary. This needs to be done by mid -
February. Some beekeepers wait until it is too late. Queens and packages are hard to get
in April because package operators are all booked up.
● Order equipment early in the winter. If you wait until spring, everyone else is doing the
same thing. Bee Equipment supplies may be out of what you need or you may be on back
order for several weeks or more. Wise beekeepers place orders early.
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Lesson eleven
A check list for Late Summer and Fall Management for Next Years Honey Crop.
● Have you requeened--See that every colony has a good queen going into winter.
● Unite weak hives before winter. Take your losses in the fall--Make your increases in the
spring.
● Prepare for winter - Remove queen excluders, reduce entrances, and see that all
equipment is bee tight. You might allow for upper entrances for good ventilation.
● Be sure your hives have plenty of honey stores for the winter.
● Provide wind protection for your bees. Bales of straw work well.
● Do as much of the spring work in the fall as you can. Clean up equipment -- paint, etc.
while the weather permits.
● Have you checked your mite populations? Did you medicate your hives for fall? Many
hives crash (sudden loss of population) just about the time the first frost arrives. If you
wait until the crash, it will be too late. Best time to treat is right after the honey is
removed. For us in Ohio this is late August and early September.
Finally, check for dead hives in February and March. Clean up the equipment before you need
it again in April. The new bee season always begins in fall rather than spring. If you have not
done the things that should be taken care of in the fall, it will be too late to do anything about
what you should have done in the spring.
Other Beekeeping topics you may want to investigate---
What is going on in my state? Do we have a university working on honey bee research? If so,
what are they doing? Do I have one of the USDA labs near-by. Can I arrange a visit?
What is my state beekeeping organization doing? Are they promoting honey? Education?
Research? Getting Young People into Beekeeping? If not, what can you do to help!
Could you volunteer to teach beekeeping classes in your community? How about talking to
school principals to see if any of the classes study insects in their science lessons. Offer to give
talks.
We wish you a successful beekeeping year.
Dana Stahlman
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labeldocument
Return to Lesson 4 Intermediate Beekeeping 201
This is a Menthol Label which contains information for the legal use of Mite-A-Thol. We are going to point out
in areas of this label what the law requires.
Mite-A Thol
Menthol
FOR USE IN OVER-WINTERING HONEY BEE HiVES FOR
THE CONTROL OF TRACHEAL MiTE
Packed and Distributed by Mann Lake Ltd.
Active Ingredient:
Mite-A-Thol 99.94%
Inert Ingredient 0.06%
Net Wcight..1.8 oz. (50 Grams)
EPA Registration Numbcr 6167 1-1
EPA Est Number 061671MN001
KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN
DANGER
PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS
HAZARDS TO HUMANS AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS
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labeldocument
DANGER
Causes irreversible eye damage. Harmful or fatal if swallowed. Do not get in eyes, on skin, or on clothing. Wear goggles and chemical resistant
gloves. Wash thoroughly with soap and water after handling. Remove contaminated clothing and wash before reuse.
Note that the label includes a warning and how the handler should handle the chemical. It also contains a statement of what to do if the
chemical is swallowed, inhaled, comes in contact with the skin, or gets in ones eyes.
STATEMENT OF PRACTICAL TREATMENT
If SWALLOWED: Call a physician or Poison Control Center immediately. Do not give anything by mouth or induce vomiting to an
unconscious person.
If INHALED: Remove victim to fresh air. Apply artificial respiration if indicated.
If ON SKIN: Remove contaminated clothing and wash affected area with soap and water. Get medical attention if irritation persists..
If IN EYES: Flush eyes with plenty of water for 15 minutes. Call a physician immediately.
The label then contains directions for use. Note that it is a violation of Federal Law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its
labeling.
DIRECTIONS FOR USE
It is a violation of Federal law to use this product in a manner inconsistent with its labeling. Treat each over-wintering hive with 1.8 ounces
(50 grams) of Mlte-A-Thol during this period when there is no surplus honey flow and daytime temperatures are expected to reach at least 60
degrees Farenheight. Mite-A-Thol should be enclosed in approximately a 7 inch square plastic screaning or similar porous packet
placed on the top bars or on the bottom board of the over-wintering hive. Menthol placed on the top bars is the preferred method of treatment at
temperatures below a dayatime high of 80 degrees Farenheight. If daytime high is above 80 degrees Farenheight, place the Mite-A-Thol
packed on the bottom board. Replace the packets in the over-wintered hive with fresh packets as needed to maintain Mite-A-Thol in the hive.
Ten to twelve weeks after the initial treatment remove all Mite-A-Thol packets from the hive. Remove all Mite-A-Thol packets from hives at
least 1 month before the beginning of the surplus honey flow to prevent contamination of marketable honey. If colonies are treated during the
honey flow, the bees may be repelled from the bee hive and honey production reduced.
Note: above statements on contamination of honey crop - how long to leave the product in the
hive, and when it is to be removed. Did you know you are responsible for any contamination of
marketed honey sold by you. Packers often require you to sign a statement that you have not
used chemicals illegally.
The use of Mite-A-Thol in areas where there is no stop in brood production may result in reduction of honey production.
Worker Safety Reentry Interval. The reentry time is zero, but when opening treated hive, allow accumulated vapors to vent before working
hive.
[This label must be in the possession of the user at the time of the pesticide application.]
When you sell or give away any restricted Chemical be sure to include a label with it. I have heard of a beekeeper who sold equipment--break
a 100 pack of Apistan up into small units and sold them in plastic freezer bags. He was caught and fined $1000.00. His total sales did not
come to half of that. He now advises other to forget about helping your fellow beekeeper out by giving or selling Apistan in two or four
strips.
STORAGE AND DISPOSAL:

labeldocument
Do not contaminate water, food, or feed by storage or disposal.
STORAGE:
Keep container tightly closed. Store in original container. Keep cool in storage.
DISPOSAL:
Cardboard Containers With Plastic Liners: Completely empty liner by shaking and tapping sides and bottom to loosen clinging particles.
Empty residue into application equipment. Then dispose of liner in a sanitary landfill or by incineration of allowed by State and Local
authorities. If cardboard container is contaminated and cannot be reused, dispose of it in the same manner.
Paper and Plastic Bags: Dispose of empty bag in a sanitary landfill or by incineration, or if allowed by State and Local Authorities by burning.
If burned, stay out of smoke.
Wastes resulting from the use of this product may be disposed of on-site or at an approved waste disposal facility.
● You are responsible for disposing of the containers and the packets in approved manners.
They are listed above. Throwing them on the ground is a violation of the law.
PACKED AND DISTRIBUTED BY:
Mann Lake Ltd.
501 S. lit St. - Hackensack, MN 56452-2001
Office - 218-675-6688
Order~ - 800-233-6663
FAX- 218-675-6156
WARRANTY
This product conforms to the chemical description on the label thereof and is reasonably fit for the purposes stated on such label only
when used in accordance with the directions under normal use conditrions. It is impossible to eliminate all risks inherently associated
with the use of the product. Bee injury, ineffectiveness or other unintended consequences may result because of such factors as
weather conditions, presence of other material, or the manner of use or application.
Mann Lake Ltd. in no case shall be liable for consequential, special or indirect damages resulting from the use or handling of this
product. All such risks shall be assumed by the buyer. Mann Lake Ltd. makes no warranties of Merchantablility or fitness for a
particular purpose nor any other express or implied warranty except as stated above.
The warranty at the end of the label is the statement that is provided by the manufacturer of the
product. It protects their butt.

Nosema
Back to: Ohio Information Sheets Lesson three
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Nosema
CAUTION: should not be mixed in hot syrup; antibiotic will break down.
(Fumidil B is the trade name for fumagillin.
When feeding established colonies is is important the medicated syrup be fed early enough in the fall, so the bees
can remove excess moisture. Package bees should be fed as soon as they are installed, usually about one gallon
of medicated syrup per colony.
Do not use antibiotic during honey flow.
State Apiarist
Ohio Department of Agriculture

Ohio Information Sheets
Ohio Department of Agriculture Bee Information Sheets
Back
Picture provided by Britt Floyd
You will need to click on the document to see it. The following documents are available from
the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Ohio Apiary Laws
94-1 Moving Bees
94-2 Purchasing queens and package bees
89-3 Installing Package Bees
91-4 Antibiotics for American and European Foulbrood Disease
89-5 Nosema Disease
91-6 Pest of Honey Bees
94-7 American Foulbrood- AFB
89-8 European Foulbrood - EFB
91-9 Honey Bee Tracheal Mite
91-10 Varroa Mite
89-11 Colony Conditions
89-12 Manipulating Bees
89-13 Honey Bee Colony
94-14 Fall and Winter Management
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Ohio Information Sheets
94-15 Spring Management
89-16 Value of Bee Pollination to Ohio Agriculture
90-17 Using Apistan Strips to Control Varroa Mites
92-18 Chalkbrood Disease
92-19 Menthol for Tracheal Mite Control
94-20 Three Point Varroa Exam
94-21 Using Terramycin 100D Extender Patties
95-22 Vegetable Oil Patties to Control Tracheal Mites
95-24 Parasitic Mite Syndrome (PMS)
95-25 What the Farmer/Grower Should Know About Honey Bees
98-26 Swarm Prevention and Control
98-27 Keeping Bees In A Suburban or Urban Area
00-28 Sugar Roll to Detect Varroa
00-29 Small Hive Beetle Facts and Observations
We would like to thank Mr. Gordon Rudloff for giving us permission to use the Ohio Department of Agriculture Bee Information
Sheets.
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http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/od111.htm
Back to Ohio Bee Information Sheets
Table of Contents
OHIO APIARY LAW
Section Page
909.01 Definitions 1
909.02 Application for registration;
certificate; renewal 2
909.03 Control and eradication of
serious diseases 3
909.04 Quarantine orders established
by the director of agriculture.. 4
909.05 Apiary entry; inspection
purposes; search warrant 5
909.06 State apiarist and deputy state
apiarists 6
909.07 Deputy apiarist appointments by
boards of county commissioners;
reports 6
909.08 Annual inspection of queen
rearing apiaries; certificate... 7
909.09 Permit necessary to transfer
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ownership 8
909.10 Shipment of bee colonies into
this state; queen and package
bees 8
909.11 Serious bee diseases and their
removal; eradication of bees if
unclaimed, not registered and
harbors disease 10
909.12 Crosscomb hives declared a
public nuisance 10
909.13 Revocation of certificate or
permit 11
909.14 Annual report 11
909.15 Moneys credited to general
revenue fund 12
909.16 Appeal 12
909.17 Prosecution of all violators.,. .13
909.18 Prohibition 13
909.99 Penalty
OHIO REVISED CODE

CHAPTER 909. APIARY LAW
Section 909.01 Definitions.
As used in sections 909.01 to 909.18 of the Revised Code:
(A) "Person" includes corporations, companies, societies,

associations, partnerships, any individual or combination of
individuals, or any institution, park, or other public agency
administered by the state or by any district, county, municipal
corporation, or other governmental subdivision thereof. When
construing or enforcing such sections, the act, omission, or failure
of any officer, agent, servant, or other individual acting for or
employed by any person as above defined within the scope of his
employment or office is deemed to be the act, omission, or failure
of such person, as well as that of the officer, agent, servant, or
other employee.
(B) "Bees" means any stage of any species of the genus Apis.
(C) "Bee diseases" means any infectious or contagious disease that is

pathogenic or parasitic and affects the eggs, or the larval, pupal,
or adult stages of the bees.
(D) "Apiary" means any place where one or more colonies or nuclei of
bees are kept.
(E) "Queen rearing apiaries" means any apiary in which queen bees
are reared for sale or gift.
(F) "Hive" means any modern frame hive, box hive, box, barrel, log
gum, skep or any other natural or artificial receptacle, or any part
thereof, that may be used as a domicile for bees.
(G) "Equipment" means any used hives or parts thereof, used frames, used
honey houses, used tools, used machines, or used devices employed in
the handling or manipulation of bees, honey, or beeswax, or any used
container for honey or beeswax that may be used in any apiary.
(H) "Serious bee diseases" means any bee disease the director of
agriculture determines to be a threat to the beekeeping industry
within the state.

(I) "Africanized honey bees" means any bees identified by the United
States department of agriculture by approved identification methods
to be classified as apis mellifera scutellata.
(J) "Swarm" means a population of bees that is not permanently

established.
(K) "Colony" means the hive and its equipment, including bees,
combs, and brood.
909.02 Application for registration; certificate; renewal.
Any person owning or possessing bees shall on or before the first

day of June of each year, or thereafter within ten days after coming
into ownership or possession of bees, or upon moving bees into this
state from outside the state, file with the director of agriculture
an application for registration setting forth the exact location of
his apiaries and the number of colonies of bees in each apiary,
together with such other information as is required by the director,
and accompanied by a registration fee of five dollars for each
separate apiary owned or possessed by him at time of registration.
Any person who submits his application after the dates specified by
this section, or after the dates specified in rules adopted by the
director, shall be subject to a ten-dollar late filing fee in
addition to the five-dollar registration fee. Upon acceptance of the
application, the director shall issue to such person a certificate
of registration. All certificates issued in accordance with this
section expire on the thirty-first day of May next following date of
issuance or renewal, and shall be renewed according to the standard
renewal procedure of sections 4745.01 to 4745.03, inclusive of the
Revised Code.
No person shall maintain an apiary located on premises other than

that of his residence unless such apiary is identifiable by an
apiary identification number assigned to such person by the
director. Such identification number shall be posted in a
conspicuous location in the apiary. The moving, raising, and
production of bees, beeswax, honey, and honey products shall be
deemed an agricultural pursuit.
Section 909.03 Control and eradication of serious diseases.
The director of agriculture may make and enforce such rules and

orders as in his judgment are necessary to control, eradicate,or

prevent the introduction, spread, or dissemination of any bee
diseases or Africanized honey bees. No person shall fail to comply
with the rules adopted under this section.
In the control or eradication of serious bee diseases, the director

or his authorized representative shall diagnose the disease and
recommend approved control options for it to the beekeeper. If a
control is available to the beekeeper for the disease diagnosed but
no attempt is made to implement a control within an appropriate time
frame as determined by rule, the director may destroy by burning or
otherwise any diseased bees, hives, honey, Africanized honey bees,
or equipment that he considers necessary for such control or
eradication, without remuneration to the owner. Such diseased bees,
hives, honey, Africanized honey bees, and equipment are a public
nuisance.
Section 909.04 Quarantine orders established by the director of agriculture.
Under sections 909.01 to 909.18 of the Revised Code, the director of

agriculture may establish and maintain quarantine orders prohibiting
the shipment into or within the state, or any subdivision thereof,
of any bees, queen bees, used hives or any part thereof, used
equipment, or any material capable of transmitting any bee diseases,
or Africanized honey bees for such periods and under such conditions
as he considers necessary to control, eradicate, or prevent the
introduction, spread or dissemination of any bee diseases or
Africanized honey bees, giving such notice thereof as is prescribed
by him. During the existence of such order, no person shall remove or
ship from such area any such material except by special permission
or order of the director; provided that before the director
promulgate3 the order of quarantine as provided in this section, and
after due notice to interested persons, he shall give a public
hearing under such rules as he prescribes, at which hearing any
interested person may appear and be heard, either in person or by
attorney.
section 909.05 Apiary entry; inspection purposes; search warrant.
To enforce sections 909.01 to 909.18 of the Revised Code, the

director of agriculture or his authorized representatives, during
daylight hours, shall have access to and egress from any apiary or
to any premises, buildings, or any other place, public or private,
in which he has reason to believe that bees, including Africanized
honey bees, honey, wax, used hives, or used equipment is kept.

During the inspection, the director or his representative may

inspect bee colonies to determine their condition and health, take
samples for disease diagnosis or race determination, decide if live
colonies exist for apiary registration purposes, and control or
eradicate serious bee diseases and Africanized honey bees.
If the director or his representative is denied access to any

premises where access is sought for the purposes of this section, he
may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for a search
warrant authorizing access to the premises for those purposes. The
court, upon receiving the application, may issue the search warrant
for the purposes requested.
section 909.06 State apiarist and deputy state apiarists.
The director of agriculture shall appoint a competent entomologist as state apiarist and such
number of deputy state apiarists as are necessary to carry out
sections 909.01 to 909.18, inclusive, of the Revised Code. Said
state apiarist and deputy state apiarists shall be vested with
powers of police officers in the enforcement of such sections, and
shall be furnished with official badges or other insignia of
authority which shall be carried while on duty.
Section 909.07 Deputy apiarist appointments by boards of county

coamissioners; reports.
The board of county commissioners may appropriate such funds as it

deems sufficient for the inspection of apiaries in its county. It
may appoint a deputy apiarist with the consent and concurrence of
the director of agriculture, said deputy to serve during the
pleasure of said board except as specified in this section. Such
deputy shall be paid such salary as the county commissioners
determine for each day, or for each half day of inspection work
actually done, together with such expenses as are necessarily
incurred in the doing of the inspection work. Before the board
approves said salary and expenses for payment, such deputy shall
submit the same to the director for his approval. Such deputy shall
work under the direction of the director and shall be responsible to
him for the enforcement of sections 909.01 to 909.18, inclusive, of
the Revised Code. The director may terminate the appointment of any
deputy upon submitting to the board a statement thatsuch deputy has
shown himself to be incompetent, inefficient, or untrustworthy in
the discharge of his duties. Such deputy shall furnish to the
director such reports as are required and upon blanks furnished by
him. A duplicate of such reports shall be presented to the board

each time that a statement of salary and expense is presented for

payment.
section 909.08 Annual inspection of queen rearing apiaries;

certificate.
Each person within the state engaged in the rearing of queen bees
for sale or gift, before the first day of April of each year, shall
file with the director of agriculture a request for the inspection
of his apiaries where queen bees are reared. The director shall
require all queen rearing apiaries to be inspected at least once
each year. If the inspection results in the diagnosis of any serious
bee disease or indicates the presence of Africanized honey bees, the
owner thereof shall not ship, sell, or give away any queen bees
until he has controlled or eradicated the disease or bees to the
satisfaction of the director.
When such diseases or bees have been controlled or eradicated in the

queen rearing apiary, or if no serious bee disease is diagnosed or
Africanized honey bees are found, the director shall issue a
certificate, signed by the state apiarist, a copy of which shall be
attached to each package or shipment of queen bees mailed or
shipped. The certificate shall be valid for, but not to exceed, one
year. The use of tags or other devices bearing an invalid or altered
certificate and the misuse of any valid certificate is prohibited.
Section 909.09 Permit necessary to transfer ownership
No person shall sell, offer for sale, give, offer to give, barter,
or offer to barter any bees, honeycombs, or used beekeeping
equipment without a permit from the director of agriculture. The
permit, or a copy of it, shall accompany any such transfer of
ownership. The director may refuse to issue the permit until he
finds by inspection that any Africanized honey bees are eradicated
from and any serious bee diseases are controlled or eradicated from
the bees, honeycombs, or used beekeeping equipment.
This section does not apply to the transfer of ownership of

honeycomb for human consumption.
Section 909.10 shipment of bee colonies into this state; queen and package bees.
(A) No person shall ship or move bee colonies or any used beekeeping
equipment into this state from any other state or country without an
inspection certificate issued by an authorized inspector from the

state or country wherein shipment or movement originated. The

certificate shall identify all pathogens and parasites diagnosed and
any controls that were implemented.
In the absence of inspection facilities in another state or country,

the director of agriculture may issue a permit authorizing the
shipment or movement of the bee colonies or used beekeeping
equipment into this state, provided that upon entry the bees or
equipment is inspected by the department of agriculture.
The cost of the inspection shall be paid upon completion in an

amount determined by rule of the director. The inspection fees shall
be paid to the director and deposited by him with the treasurer of
state to the credit of the general revenue fund.
If any serious bee diseases are diagnosed, appropriate controls and

eradication measures immediately shall be implemented by the person
shipping or owning the bee colonies or used beekeeping equipment. If
the person shipping or owning the bee colonies or equipment does not
implement any controls or eradication measures within forty-eight
hours from the inspection, the bee colonies or equipment shall be
removed from this state at the cost of the person shipping or owning
them.
(B) Any person selling, shipping, or moving into this state any
queen bees or packaged bees shall submit to the director an
inspection report issued by an authorized inspector from the state
or country wherein shipment or movement originated. One such report
shall be submitted annually thirty days prior to the initial sale,
shipment or movement of queen bees or packaged bees of that year.
The report shall identify any pathogens and parasites diagnosed and
any controls that were implemented. If any serious bee diseases have
not been controlled or if inspection reports are not provided as
required under this section, such shipments shall be prohibited from
entering this state.
(C) The director may deny entry of the bee colonies or used
equipment if he determines they are a threat to the bee population
of this state.
(D) No person shall ship or move into this state any Africanized
honey bees.
Section 909.11 serious bee diseases and their removal; eradication

of bees if unclaimed, not registered and harbors disease.

(A) The removal of any bees, honeycombs, honey, or used beekeeping

equipment from any apiary in the state wherein a serious bee disease
is known to exist is prohibited until such disease is controlled or
eradicated. The removal of any bees, honeycombs, honey, or used
beekeeping equipment may be made from any such apiary, under a
special permit signed ].y the state apiarist, when properly
safeguarded to prevent dissemination of such disease.
(B) If any swarm or apiary, for which no person claims ownership and
that is not registered as required in section 909.02 of the Revised
Code, is found to harbor a serious bee disease or Africanized honey
bees, then the bees and equipment, if applicable, shall be
eradicated.
Section 909.12 cross-comb hives declared a public nuisance.
No person shall keep or maintain bees in any hive if all frames and
honeycombs cannot be readily removed therefrom for inspection or
keep or maintain bees in any hive situated where adequate and
efficient inspection is difficult, impracticable, or impossible. All
cross-comb hives or domiciles for bees, from which the frames and
honeycombs cannot be readily removed, are hereby declared to be a
public nuisance.
If any owner is found using such cross- comb hives or domiciles, the
director of agriculture shall notify said owner in writing to cease
using them. If, after the expiration of one year from receipt of
said notice, the owner has failed to cease using said cross-comb
hives or domiciles for housing bees, the director may seize and
destroy them without remuneration.
Section 909.13 Revocation of certificate c~ permit.
The director of agriculture, in accordance with sections 119.01 to

119.13, inclusive, of the Revised Code, may revoke any certificate
or permit issued under sections 909.01 to 909.18, inclusive, of the
Revised Code, for cause, including any violation of such sections or
nonconformity with any rule or order promulgated under such sections
in accordance with sections 119.01 to 119.13, inclusive, of the
Revised Code. There shall be no revocation of a certificate or
permit until the certificate or permit holder first is given an
opportunity for a hearing by the director in regard thereto in
accordance with sections 119.01 to 119.13, inclusive, of the Revised
Code. An appeal may be taken from the action of the director in

revocation of certificate or permit to the court of common pleas as

provided in section 119.12 of the Revised Code.
Section 909.14 Annual report.
The director of agriculture may publish an annual report and such

other information concerning the inspection of bees, or bee
diseases, as he deems necessary to the carrying out of sections
909.01 to 909.18 inclusive, of the Revised Code. He shall, from time
to time, publish all rules or orders promulgated under such
sections.
Section 909.15 Moneys credited to general revenue fund.
All moneys from registration fees and from fines imposed and
recovered under sections 909.01 to 909.18 of the Revised Code, shall
be paid to the director of agriculture, who shall deposit such
moneys in the state treasury to the credit of the general revenue
fund.
Section 909.16 Appeal.
Any person in interest or affected by any order of the director of

agriculture, or state apiarists, may appeal therefrom to the
director within five days of the service of such order upon him
setting forth in writing specifically and in full detail the order
on which a hearing is desired, and every reason why such order is
deemed unreasonable. In receipt of such appeal, the director shall
with reasonable promptness order a hearing thereon, and consider and
determine the matters in question. Notice of the time and place of
hearing shall be given to the petitioner and to such other persons
as the director may direct. Such appeal shall suspend the operation
of the order appealed from except as to the orders of the director
promulgating a quarantine as provided in section 909.04 of the
Revised Code. All hearings of the director shall be open to the
public, and his decision shall be final. The appellant may be
represented by an attorney.
The director of agriculture or his representatives shall prosecute

all violations of sections 909.01 to 909.18, inclusive, of the
Revised Code, before any court of competent jurisdiction in the
county in which the violation occurs or person accused thereof
resides. The complainant shall not be required to give security for
costs. The prosecuting attorney of each county, or the attorney
general, shall conduct such prosecutions.

Section 909.18 Prohibition.
No person shall violate sections 909.01 to 909.18, inclusive of the

Revised Code, or any rule or order of the director of agriculture
promulgated under such sections in accordance with sections 119.01
to 119.13, inclusive of the Revised Code.
Section 909.99 Penalty.
(A) (1) Whoever violates sections 909.03 and 909.10 of the Revised
Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree on a first
offense; on each subsequent offense, the person is guilty of a
misdemeanor of the second degree.
(2) Any person who violates division (D) of section 909.10 of the
Revised Code also shall not be remunerated for the eradication of
his Africanized honey bees.
(B) Whoever violates any section of Chapter 909 of the Revised Code
for which no penalty otherwise is provided is guilty of a
misdemeanor of the fourth degree on a first offense; on each
subsequent offense, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the
second degree.

http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/odoa94_1.htm
94-1 rev.
BEEKEEPING INFORMATION
OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Division of Plant

Industry - Apiculture 8995 East Main
Street Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068-3399
MOVING BEES
You will probably find it necessary to move your bee colonies if you keep bees for any
length of time.
The reasons to move might be to relocate an apiary, to pollinate a specific crop or

because you are establishing new apiaries. What ever the reason you should be aware
of the importance to plan your move and observe some safey precautions. The
following steps should be seriously considered when moving bees.
1. Plan your travel route in advance, avoiding extremely rough roads or

areas where construction can cause extended travel delay. The smoother
the ride the less disturbing it is for the bees.
2. Know exactly how many bee colonies are being moved and your
destination address.
3. Contact your apiary inspector in advance for a colony inspection. A

certificate of inspection signed by the state apiarist should be obtained
before entering another state.
4. If moving bees within Ohio make sure the new apiary is registered. If
not under quarantine they can be moved without an inspection or permit.
5. Prepare to cleat, staple or band each hive to hold hive bodies and parts
together. Do this a day or so in advance of the move. Sometimes during
hot weather the outer and inner covers can be replaced with a screened
cover to improve ventilation.
6. Plan to move bees after they have stopped foraging, about dusk or on a
cool, rainy day as long as they are not flying.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/odoa94_1.htm (1 de 3) [25/07/05 08:07:36 p.m.]

7. To close the hive entrance wire screening can be pushed into the
entrance opening, prohibiting
- thebees from leaving and allowing easy removal once at your

destination. This screen insertion should be done just before loading up
the hives.
8. Any other hive openings should be sealed or plugged; many times a

sticky tape works well.
9. Often large numbers of hives are moved with their entrances left open.
However, a bee tight net screening is used to cover the entire truckload of
hives.
10. Movement on the highway can also be conducted at night to reduce

bee loss.
11. Smokers should be filled with fuel and be producing a cool smoke.
12. Use the smoker very liberally on each hive before loading. This will
keep the bees under control. Also, smoke the hive entrances before
screening the hives.
13. Keep the smoker handy at all times and never hesitate to smoke the
bees if they are coming out.
14. Avoid using flashlights and turn vehicle headlights off. Engine
vibration tends to calm the bees, so keep the motor running.
15. Always secure the hives by properly tying them down. A little extra
time spent can avoid a major problem if the bee hives are upset.
Although beekeepers may have their own particular methods of moving colonies, the
goal is to accomplish the move with a minimal amount of bee loss. Today anyone
moving bees should be especially cautious, because of the introduction into Ohio of
Varroa and Tracheal mites. It is important to recognize that increased mite distribution
may occur if bee movement is poorly planned.
State Apiarist


94-2
OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Division of Plant Industry -

Apiculture 8995 East Main Street
PURCHASING QUEENS AND PACKAGE BEES

Invariably beekeepers always ask the question, 'Where do I purchase bees?" Until
recently it was recognized that purchases from queen and bee producers were
satisfactory, if they supplied you with productive bees at the time requested.
However, this opinion has changed drastically with the introduction of Varroa and
Tracheal mites, and Africanized honey bees. It is now time for beekeepers to ask
some specific questions regarding the bees they plan to purchase.
The following are some possible questions to ask.
1. Have the colonies in your operation been regularly inspected by your

state apiary inspector? (Proof of inspection results may be available.)
2. Have your colonies been inspected for Varroa and Tracheal mites and
what were the findings?
3. If mite positive, are controls used?
("Apistan" for the control of Varroa mites; "Menthol" for the control of
Tracheal mites.)
4. Are "Apistan" package bee strips used in the packages?
5. Do your queens have "Apistan" Queen tabs in the shipping cages?

(These strips have proven to be an excellent control for Varroa.)
Being inquisitive by asking a few simple questions may help avoid future problems.
The adage "Let the buyer beware" is now especially true for beekeepers.
State Apiarist


89-3

INSTALLING PACKAGE BEES

Package bees are sold by various bee supply companies and commercial bee
producers. Orders should be placed early, so that the bees can be delivered during
April and the first half of May (fruit and dandelion bloom). A three pound package with
queen should be ordered if you are going to introduce the bees to foundation. The
following steps should be observd to avoid problems with installation.
1. When packages arrive, place in a cool dark room; ideal temperature is

about 65 to 70 degrees F.
2. Feed bees by brushing or sprinkling sugar syrup (1:1 ratio of sugar to

water) over the screen surface.
3. A one story hive (bottom board, deep hive body, 10 frames, inner cover
and outer cover) must be ready before the installation of the bees.
4. Install bees in the late afternoon so they will settle down and not drift.
5. Reduce the hive entrance with an entrance reducer or lightly stuff green
grass in the entrance.
6. Shake the cage vigorously so that the clustered bees will fall to the
floor of the cage.
7. Remove the wooden cover of the cage.
8. The feeder can will then be exposed; remove this can.
9. Remove the queen cage and check the queen to make sure she is alive.

10. Using a nail, puncture the candy in the queen cage, so the queen can
be released easier by the workers.
11. Half of the ten frames should be removed leaving five frames in the
hive. Place the queen cage with the candy end up between two frames in
the hive -_ the cage screen should be exposed to the bees.
13. Replace the frames which were removed so that there is a total of ten
frames.
14. Then the package bee cage can be placed in front of the hive entrance
so the few remaining bees will crawl into the hive.
15. Next, provide the bees with a gallon can or large jar of sugar syrup.
16. Place an empty hive body on top of the new hive.
17. The syrup can is then placed inside the hive body resting on the top
bars of the frames.
18. The feeder can should be checked in about five days and refilled if
empty. (it is very important to provide sufficient food to the bees.)
19. In about a week, inspect the colony for eggs and larvae.
20. Remove the empty queen cage.
21. If the queen fails, a new queen should be introduced immediately; if

not, unite the package with another colony or package.
State Apiarist

TreatmentforAFB
91-4 201 lesson two

ANTIBIOTICS FOR AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN

FOULBROOD DISEASE
Feeding antibiotics to honey bee colonies is the Ohio beekeeper's management
decision. The only F.D.A. approved antibiotic is "Terramycin", the trade name for
oxytetracycline manufactured by Pfizer. Beekeepers can feed in a preventive manner
and also as a disease control. Preventive feeding implies that antibiotics are applied
to apparently healthy colonies. This is done in the early spring and late fall to avoid
any possible honey contamination. As a disease control beekeepers have the option
to feed antibiotics or they may dispose of the disease by burning.
What about TerramycinTM
* It
prevents bacterial spore germination or delays germination beyond the
time bee larvae can be harmed.
* Allows the colony to clear out dead brood so symptoms disappear.
* Antibiotics
must be present constantly while larvae are being fed so as
to prevent spore germination in healthy larvae or prevent bacterial
growth.
* The
use of antibiotics (Terramycin) must always be accompanied by
good management.
Important considerations
* Feed only the recommended dosages of Terramycin.
* Terramycin loses effectiveness more rapidly when exposed to sunlight.
* Store Terramycin in a dry, dark refrigerator until used.

TreatmentforAFB
* Do not mix Terramycin into hot syrup. The antibiotic will lose much of its
effectiveness.
*A diseased colony must have sufficient numbers of nurse bees available

if the antibiotic (Terramycin) is to be effective.
* Terramycin
should not be fed during a honey flow and all surplus supers
must be removed.
* Prepare Terramycin mixture only as needed and not in advance.
The preferred Terramycin feeding method is to dust the hive frames, using a mixture
of the antibiotic and powdered sugar. A method of dissolving Terramycin in syrup and
then feeding colonies is used by beekeepers. However, it is not recommended
because of Terramycin's breakdown when in solution and when exposed to light.
The following formulas are suggested for beekeepers choosing to feed Terramycin.
Terramycin is readily available at most bee supply dealers.
6.4 oz foil packet
6.4 oz packet TM }
Mix well
1-1/2 pounds powdered sugar }
Use 2 tablespoons or 1/8 cup per feeding.
Feeds about 50 colonies one feeding.
For feeding 1 colony, mix 1 teaspoon of TM plus 5 teaspoons of powdered

sugar.
TM 25

TreatmentforAFB
1 pound of TM 25 } Mix well

TM 50D
1 pound of TM 50 Mix well

USE ONLY PRODUCTS LABELED FOR BEES!
Usually 3 dustings at 4-5 day intervals are required in the spring and fall. Use at least
4 weeks before the main honey flow to prevent contamination of marketable honey.
Dusting should be directed on the outside edge of the frame top bars in the brood
area, avoiding direct contact between the brood and the Terramycin mixture.

Americanfoulbrood1
94-7 201 lesson two

Industry -Apiculture 995 East Main
AMERICAN FOULBROOD - AFB

Cause: It is caused by a spore forming bacteria known as Paenibacillus larvae. Only
the spore stage is infectious to honey bees. All castes of honey bees are susceptible
to the disease, but worker larvae are particularly susceptible. However, larvae become
immune to the disease about 3 days after the egg hatches.
Effect: The strength of a recently infected colony will not be noticeably affected, and
only one or a few dead larvae or pupae will be seen. Occasionally enough larvae
become infected to weaken or kill the colony the first season. On the other hand, the
disease may not develop to a critical stage until the following year.
Symptoms: Death occurs rather uniformly after the larvae have been capped over,
have spun their cocoons, and are fully extended on the floor of the cell. Also death
can occur after the pupa has formed but before the body is pigmented.
Soon after death the glistening white or formerly healthy larvae and pupae changes to
dull white. About 2 weeks after death they become light brown and the well-rounded
appearance is lost. The dead brood gradually sink in the cells during decay and
become darker, changing from a light coffee brown to dark chocolate brown by the
end of the fourth week. Scales are very dark brown or nearly black. The decay and
drying of dead brood ordinarily require a month or more. Scales are difficult to
distinguish in old brood comb, since they are about the same color as the comb, but
in new comb they are easily identified.
During the early stages of decay, the body wall is easily ruptured and the tissues are
soft and watery. Occasionally, the body divisions of the dead larvae are more clearly
marked than are those in healthy ones. The consistency of dead brood becomes
characteristically gluelike about 3 weeks after death. When a toothpick is thrust into a
decayed larvae and withdrawn, the decaying mass adheres and can be drawn out an
inch or more in a gluelike thread (rope test). Decayed larvae finally become dry, brittle
scales.

Americanfoulbrood1
These scales lie extended along the lower side wall, with their posterior end curved in
the bottom of the cells. A small raised swelling may occur near the head of the scale,
but it is rarely prominent. In advanced cases, rows of cells contain scales uniformly in
this position.
Occasionally, cross markings, which represent the segmentation of the larvae, can be
seen on the scales. When completely dried, the scale adheres to tightly to the cell
walls that it is difficult to remove without breaking. When death occurs after pupation
has started, the form of the pupa can be recognized. The mouth parts of the dead
pupa may protrude from the head and appear as a fine thread slanting slightly
backward into the cell and at times adhering to the upper wall.
In the first stages of decay, while the remains are still white, practically no odor is
detectable. When the remains begin to turn brown and become ropy, an odor
develops. In later stages, when the dead brood is brown and decidedly ropy, the odor
is always present (gluepot odor); but it practically disappears when the scales are
completely dry. In advanced cases, when much decaying brood is present, the odor
can be detected even a foot or more from the combs.
Spread: 1] Nurse bees transmit bacillus spores to young larvae.
2] Honey stored in cells that once contained diseased larvae.
3] Bees are exposed to contaminated honey.
4] The same equipment is used for both diseased and healthy

colonies.
Nurse bees can inadvertently feed bacillus spores to young larvae. Soon after the
larva has been sealed in its cell or just after it changes to a pupa, the spores will
germinate in the gut of the larva and multiply rapidly, causing death. New spores will
form by the time the larva dies. When the house bees clean out the cell containing the
dead larva, spores will be distributed throughout the hive, thus infecting more larvae.
Honey stored in cells that once contained diseased brood becomes contaminated and
may be fed to susceptible larvae. As the infection weakens a colony, the colony
cannot defend itself from robber bees from strong colonies. The robber bees take the
contaminated honey to their own colony and repeat the cycle of infection and robbing.
When bees are exposed to contaminated honey, or the same equipment is used for
diseased and healthy colonies, there can be a danger of disease spread. Therefore, it
is extremely important that diseases are detected in their early stages, and that
equipment is free from disease organisms.

Americanfoulbrood1
Control: The beekeeper has the following control options:
1] Feed antibiotics (Terramycin) per label.
2] Destroy diseased colonies by burning.
3] A combination, both 1 and 2.
Many times the degree of infection will determine your control option. Therefore, it is
important to choose the correct control for best results.
State Apiarist

89-9 201 lesson two
OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Division of Plant - Industry -

Apiculture 8995 East Main
EUROPEAN FOULBROOD - EFB

Cause: A bacteria known as Melissococcus pluton. All castes are susceptible to EFB.
Effect: European foulbrood is most common in the spring and early summer, but it
occasionally stays active through summer and fall. A good nectar flow hastens
recovery. In severe cases, colonies are seriously weakened or killed. Usually the
worker bees remove dead brood, but in some weak colonies it will accumulate.
Symptoms: European foulbrood infected larvae lose their plumpness and white color.
They become a dull white (gray). A faint yellow might also appear on the larvae before
death.
Most larvae die while coiled on the bottom of open cells. Many also die at the age
when they would normally be spinning their cocoons. Few larvae die while fully
extended. Larvae dead of European foulbrood, therefore, are usually coiled on the
bottom of the cells, but may be irregularly twisted or fully extended.
The appearance of the dead larvae changes gradually during decay and drying. The
gray and the yellow color deepen during decay, but the depth of color in scales varies
considerably. Larvae that die before the cells are sealed dry rapidly, and decay is
soon stopped; hence these scales are usually light colored. Larvae that die after the
cells are sealed usually become dark brown or nearly black.
For a short time after death, larvae can be removed from the cells without tearing the
skin. Within a few days the skin and other tissues become soft. The larvae settle
against the lower wall of the cells and appear moist, melting, and flattened. At this
stage of decay they are somewhat translucent and watery and cannot be removed
whole. Upon drying, they become pasty and finally rubbery. Scales with European
foulbrood usually do not cling closely to the cell walls and are easy to remove.
Larvae that die of European foulbrood in sealed cells may sometimes become ropy
and resemble larvae dead of American foulbrood. Since the bees remove dead brood
from open cells first, it sometimes happens after disease ceases to be active that the

brood which died in sealed cells is all that remains in the combs. When this happens,
it may be difficult to tell whether American foulbrood or European foulbrood or both
of these diseases are present.
Spread: The organism Melissococcus pluton become mixed with the food fed to the
young larvae by the nurse bees, multiplies rapidly within the gut of the larvae, and can
cause death within about 4 days after egg hatch. House bees cleaning out the dead
larvae from the cells distribute the organism throughout the hive. Since the honey of
infected colonies and the beekeeper's equipment are undoubtedly contaminated,
subsequent spread of the disease is accomplished by robber bees, exposure of
contaminated honey by the beekeeper, interchange of contaminated equipment
among colonies, and perhaps to some extent, by drifting bees.
Control: Colony stresses can be factors in the disease's appearance. Management to

ensure strong, healthy colonies may help prevent EFB.
Use Terramycin per label directions. Requeening colonies may also help.
State Apiarist

http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/od91_9.htm

HONEY BEE TRACHEAL MITE

Cause: A tiny endoparasitic mite, Acarapis woodi, (Rennie) which is not
visible to the naked eye.
Identification: A positive mite diagnosis should be made in the laboratory with the aid
of a microscope. The presence of the mite can be observed through the large thoracic
trachea. A bees respiratory system consists of trachea and spiracles (breathing
holes).
The trachea are branching tubes which lead from the spiracles to all parts of the body.
Spiracles are located on the thorax and on the abdomen. Oxygen is transported
directly to the cells by these tubes and carbon dioxide is eliminated in the same
manner.
The appearance of an uninfested trachea is glistening white in color. Light mite

infestations will cause the trachea to appear translucent. Severe infestations will
show bronze or black spotted areas on the trachea. Many times adult mites and eggs
are visible in the infested trachea.
The female mites measure from .004 - .007 inches long and the males, .003 - .005
inches long. The eggs are large, often exceeding the size of the adult male.
Spread: The spread of the mites can occur from: 1) drifting of workers and drones
between colonies;
2) robbing; 3) transferring bees; 4) sale of bees; 5) swarming. The most serious

of these is robbing.
Colonies heavily infested by mites become weak and subject to robbing. The colonies
doing the robbing

can become heavily infested.
Infestation can begin with a female mite which has mated and has left the trachea of
the host bee. The mite crawls out of the trachea on a bee hair. where it waits to make
contact with another bee. Once contact is made, the mite moves to the spiracle, then
enters the trachea to lay 5 to 10 eggs. The mites breed and migrate all year. Mites
usually die within 24 hours if removed from the bee.
Effects: Workers, queens and drones can all be invaded by the mite. This invasion of
the trachea shortens the life of the bee and weakens the bee so it is unable to fly.
Bees will die in the field and also can be found crawling in front of the hive.
Pollination benefits and honey yields from infested colonies are reduced because of
the shortened life of the worker bee.
Tracheal mites could persist in a colony for years causing little damage, but
combined with other diseases, unfavorable conditions, scarcity of pollen, and/or a
poor foraging season, the disease could significantly increase the mortality of
colonies in the winter.
Control: Menthol crystals have shown to be effective in controlling the mites.

Experiments have indicated approximately 2 oz. of the crystals killed 85% of the adult
mites in only three days time. In four weeks all adults were apparently dead. The
menthol is placed in packets. Remove all honey supers before any treatment. Always
follow label directions.
Menthol can be obtained from most bee supply dealers.
For treatment of tracheal mites:

State Apiarist
Acorapis woodi in feeding

position
(X500) photo: Baker & Slyer


VARROA MITE
Cause: The Varroa mite, Varroa iacobsoni is an external parasite of honey bees that
attacks adult bees and their developing brood.
Identification: In the life cycle female mites lay up to 12 eggs in a bee brood cell.
Preference is for drone cells. However, mite eggs are soon laid in worker brood cells.
Nymphal stages of the mite feed on immature bees. After the mites mature, females
are fertilized and the males die. Female mites may then alfach themselves to adult
bees. Older female mites may move from one brood cell to another, continually
feeding and laying eggs. The mites are dark red-brown and measure .04- .08 inches
wide, about the size of a pinhead and shaped like a tiny clam shell.
Spread: Varroa was originally confined to tropical Asia. Since 1950 the mite has been
found on Apis mellifera in Europe, Africa and South America. South American
infestations were thought to be a result of imported queens. In 1987 the mites were
first diagnosed in Ohio.
During their life span, adult female mites continue to feed on adult bees. The female
mites eventually migrate to bee larvae in brood cells that are about to be sealed.
There, the mites lay eggs and renew the life cycle.
In summer, female mites can live for about two months. Later in the year they can live
for up to eight months, surviving the winter with clustered bees.
Effect: The mites feed on adult larvae and pupae, weakening the bees and causing
disfigurement or death to developing brood. Some bees emerge crippled or with their
wings incompletely formed. Heavily infested colonies may show very reduced bee
populations.
Detection: Two methods are currently being employed. They are ether roll method and
Apistan (fluvalinate) method.

First the ether roll method is a quick and simple diagnostic examination for Varroa
mite infestation, It consists of a three part process.
1] Examine young bees.
2] Uncap brood.
3] Use ether roll test.
Examine bees: When a frame is removed from the brood chamber, closely examine
the adult bees. Sometimes the mites can be seen crawling on the bees' thorax or
abdomen. However, don't count on a
visual exam only; many times the mites

will be hidden within the abdominal
segments. It is not necessary to spend
excessive time examining adult bees.
Uncap brood: The varroa mites develop

within the brood and feed on larvae and
pupae. Therefore, it is important to uncap
brood, looking at both drone and worker.
You might want to remove cell contents
from the comb to examine closely. Uncap
approximately ten to fifteen cells.
Use Ether Roll Test: When doing the ether

roll test a clean jar (pint or quart) and
carburetor starter spray (aerosol) are
needed equipment. Procedures to follow:
1] Collect bee sample from brood combs. Fill jar about 1/3 full
of bees.
2] Sample should be from a minimum of 20% of the colonies.
3] Give bees a short burst of ether. Result: inside of jar is

slightly moist with all bees down.
4] Cover jar and roll bees for about 20-30 seconds.

5] Examine side of jar for mites.
6] Dump remaining bees from jar and clean before next test.
The apistan detection method is probably the most effective. A plastic strip
impregnated with the pesticide fluvalinate is used to detect the mites. Fluvalinate kills
mites, but does not harm bees. Two strips are hung between the frames in a beehive's
brood chamber. If mites are present, they fall onto a white sheet of sticky cardboard
placed in the bottom of the hive, where they can be seen.
Control: Presently fluvalinate is recommended to beekeepers for varroa control,

trademark being "Apistan" Strip. All honey supers are removed before treatment,
however, they can be replaced after treatment. Follow label directions carefully. Other
controls are currently being tested for possible use. Apistan can be obtained from
most bee supply dealers.

89-11

COLONY CONDITIONS
Starvation: Starvation can occur in a colony if there is a lack of honey or the bees are
unable to reach the honey in extremely cold temperatures. The larvae are removed by
the nurse bees if short of food. When colonies are found during the spring to have
died in cluster, head first in the cells, a diagnosis of starvation can be determined.
Dysentery: Dysentery is not a disease but a condition where the bees are unable to
eliminate themselves away from the hive, and therefore defecate on the frames and
combs or on the outside of the supers, appearing as dark spots and streaks. The lack
of elimination flights and consumption of high moisture honey can cause the
problem.
Chilled Brood: Chilled brood is a condition which occurs mostly in April and May,
when the weather is unusually warm and there is a sudden cold snap. The outer
edges of the brood pattern are chilled and die, because there was more brood than
the bees could keep warm during the inclement weather. Both larvae and pupae are
killed by the cold. The dead larvae many times are removed by the bees very quickly.
The chilled brood's color appearance is often yellowish-white, tinged with black. The
texture can be dry, greasy or watery, but never ropy. The odor is faint and can be
sour.
Drone Layer: When a queen is unable to lay fertilized eggs either because of not
mating or her lack of sufficient spermatozoa, she is considered to be a drone layer.
Drones are produced in worker sized cells, with the cappings being more pronounced,
extending out from the comb surface. The colony usually tries to replace queens by
supersedure.
Laying Worker: If a colony has been queenless and unable to requeen itself, a worker
bee can begin to lay eggs. The worker's egg laying pattern many times, is scattered
and several eggs are placed in one cell. Since the worker's abdomen is considerably
shorter than a queen's the eggs are usually deposited on the sides of the cell instead

of the base. It is impossible to introduce a new queen, unless frames of unsealed

brood with bees are added and all the frames where the worker has layed are moved.
State Apiarist

OD89_12
89-12
Back to:Ohio Information Sheets

MANIPULATING BEES
Stings should be avoided in the manipulation of the colony, since the odor of the
venom greatly irritates other bees. However, a beekeeper handling bees must expect
to receive an occasional sting.
A bee does not sting at random but in an effort to protect the colony. A bee away from
the colony usually will not sting unless provoked. A honey bee colony is generally
'cross" on cool, cloudy days when the bees are unable to fly and gather nectar. Bees
dislike jarring of their nest and respond to sudden movements of unfamiliar objects.
Darker clothing, rough, wooly, suede or leather, horsehide or any type of hair seem to
irritate bees and should not be worn when inspecting a colony. A veil should be worn
to protect the head. Bees dislike animal odors. Pets should not be handled before bee
inspections. It is advisable to also remove a ring or wristwatch since these objects
excite guard bees to sting around them. The proper use of the smoker and the gentle
handling of hive parts are the beekeeper's best means of protection against stings.
Smoke disorganizes guard bees and causes the bees to gorge themselves with honey
in preparation to leave their "burning" nest. Gorged bees are less apt to sting.
Smoke is used at the entrance and over the combs to subdue the bees. Extra supers
are removed and stacked upon the upturned hive cover to avoid crushing bees and
dripping honey (possible spread of disease). Combs to be examined are carefully
removed as to not roll or crush the bees. The combs are leaned upright when
temporarily placed outside the hive body. The comb on which a queen is located is ~
placed outside.
Combs containing brood should be returned to the broodnest after inspection to

prevent prolonged exposure. This is especially important if the brood is unsealed.
Combs should be replaced in their original positions unless there is a specific reason
for not doing so.

OD89_12
INSPECTING A FRAME OF BROOD
A comb being inspected for disease should be directed

so that the sunlight illuminates the lower side walls
and bottoms of the cells. This makes it possible to see
any disease "scales" which might be present.
If no dead brood is found in open or uncapped cells,

sunken, discolored or punctured cappings should be
removed and the cell contents examined. Capped cells
found scattered in an area from which young bees
have recently emerged should also be uncapped and
examined.
1] Age of the brood when death occurred.
2] Appearance of cappings.
3] Position of dead brood in cell.
4] Color of the dead brood.
5] Consistency of the dead brood at various stages of decay.
6] Type of scales, if any.
7] . Odor of the decaying brood.
8] Type of brood affected.

OD89_12

89-13

HONEY BEE COLONY

A colony of honey bees during the active season is composed of a queen, several
hundred drones, 30,000 - 80,000 workers and brood in all stages of development.
Honey bees have become so highly specialized in their functions that no individual
bee, including the queen, is capable of establishing a new colony alone.
Queen bee: The queen is the only member of the colony capable of laying eggs which
have been fertilized by spermatozoa. A prolific queen is essential to have a strong
colony. She will lay up to 1,500 eggs during a 24 hour period. A young queen normally
takes one or more mating flights within 4 to 12 days after emerging from her cell.
Queen bees may live 6-7 years, but are of the most productive value during the first
Iwo seasons of their life. Her sting resembles a wasp's, being relatively smooth, and is
used to destroy rival queens.
Drone bee: The drone's sole function is to furnish spermatozoa. Mating takes place
outside the nest in the air and the drone dies after the act. Drones range 8 miles or
more in their flights and are welcomed into any colony, provided there is an
abundance of nectar and pollen.
Worker bee: The worker bee is a nonreproductive female (no spermatozoa). Her sting
is used only as a defensive weapon. It can be thrust into other insects. However, when
the sting pierces the skin, barbs on the sting cause it to be torn from the bee.
Normally, young worker bees perform hive duties while older bees forage in the field.
The length of the worker's life depends on her wings. They last only 6 weeks or less
during the peak season. Workers which emerge in fall generally live through the
winter, but die during the spring.
Brood: All castes of the honey bee pass through four stages in the development: egg,
larva, pupa and adult. The bee larva is a legless grub. At the end of the feeding period,
attendant bees seal the mature larva in its cell by means of a porous wax capping.

After the capping is in place, the larva spins a cocoon lining the inside of its cell.
During its growth, the larva sheds its skin (molts) five times. The last molt produces
the pupa which molts once before the adult bee emerges from the cell.

94-14

FALL AND WINTER MANAGEMENT

Management during the fall and winter is very important because it is the starting
point in providing strong colonies for the next year. The beekeeper should consider
the following management practices:
A. Requeening colonies in early fall if weak or recently queenless.
B. Very weak colonies should be united with stronger colonies.
1. Use newspaper method by placing a sheet of newspaper

between the two colonies being united and puncture about six
(6) small holes in the paper.
C. Check honey reserves.
1. Each colony should have about 60 pounds (a deep super).
2. Fall feeding of sugar syrup is provided in a 2 to 1 ratio

(sugar to water). Syrup can be supplied to the bees inside of
the hive by:
a. Friction-top pail - placed on top bars within an empty hive

body. Punch 20.30 holes in syrup container with 3 penny nail
or drill with 1/16 inch drill.
b. Division board feeder - container that replaces a comb in

the brood nest.
D. Inspect colonies for any diseases before wintering. Mites can be

controlled once honey is removed.

E. Reduce hive entrance to prevent field mice from entering.
F. Provide upward ventilation such as:
1. Drilling 5/8 - 3/4 inch hole in top super just under hand hold.
2. Raising inner cover by placing nails under front edge of

cover. This provides only about a 1/8 inch gap. However, it
allows moisture to escape.
G. Remove queen excluders if used.
H. Provide wind protection for the winter.
1. Shrubs, fences can provide windbreaks.
2. Colonies should be placed where cold air flows away (high

ground) and the hives should receive sunshine (southern
exposure).
I. Paint and clean up equipment to be used in the spring.
State Apiarist

94-15 Back to: Ohio Information Sheets
OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Division of Plant Industry - Apiculture
8995 East Main Street
SPRING MANAGEMENT
Management is the key to successful beekeeping. Spring is an ideal time for beekeepers to
check colonies for honey and pollen reserves, to clean equipment, practice swarm
prevention and establish new colonies.
A. Check colonies for honey and pollen reserves.
1. Briefly check honey reserves in late winter-early spring;

temperatures can be 40° - 50° F. and sunny.
2. Honey should be on both sides of the cluster with at least a 10-

20 pound reserve or 2-3 well filled combs.
3. If feeding is necessary, it can be done by:
a. exchange of honey combs from another colony (only if disease

free)
b. sugar syrup poured directly into combs - 1:1 ratio
c. sugar syrup poured in division board feeders or feeder pails
d. feeding dry sugar
4. Some areas may need pollen substitute and supplement feeding

more than in other areas. Pollen substitute can be purchased from

bee supply dealers.
5. A thorough colony examination should be conducted when

temperatures reach 600 - 65°
F. Then the brood and queen can be checked more extensively.

However, colonies can be examined in temperatures below 60° F.
if done quickly so that the brood is not chilled. (Recognize disease
symptoms.)
B. Replacing and cleaning up equipment.
1. If colonies are packed, they should be unpacked.
2. Equipment (bottom boards, top covers, hive bodies) should be

repaired and painted if needed.
4. Remove old combs, especially from lowest hive body, before

being refilled with brood and honey. Replace with foundation or
drawn comb, free of drone cells.
C. Swarm prevention should be a concern to the beekeeper once the colonies

have survived the winter and bee populations start increasing.
1. Reversing is accomplished by exchanging the position of the top

and bottom hive bodies during April and May, weather conditions
permitting.
2. Adding supers also provides a means to relieve congestion.

However, just adding supers might not be enough. It is better to
reverse and add supers.
3. If the colony is very strong, remove sealed brood and add to

weaker colonies. (Make sure colonies appear disease free.)
D. Establish new colonies.
1. Package bees - should be ordered in January if possible, so that

arrival will be during early fruit and dandelion bloom. If introducing
bees to drawn comb, a Iwo pound package with queen can be
purchased. When using all foundation, a three pound pack is
better. Feeding sugar syrup is especially important for bees
introduced to foundation.

2. Dividing colonies provides new colonies to replace losses or to

make increases. It is also a means to control swarming. One
method is to divide the bees, brood and honey in equal parts, then
give the queenless colony a queen.
E. Colony inspection for any disease symptoms or mites.
1. Examine brood for American foulbrood.
2. Examine adult bees, brood and possibly conduct an ether roll

test for Varroa mites.
3. Take an adult bee sample for Tracheal mite examination.
State Apiarist

89-16

Industry-Apiculture 8995 East Main
VALUE OF BEE POLLINATION TO OHIO

AGRICULTURE
The pollination mechanisms for some Ohio crops are poorly understood, particularly
hybrids and new varieties A few crops have been investigated and the pollination
requirements are well known. An example is the pickling cucumber. In this case, bees
provide nearly 100% of the pollination. The amount bees contribute to the pollination
of other crops is sometimes less. Strawberries vary in their need for bee pollination.
The 'average' variely requires about 24% insect pollination for complete seed set. The
remainder is due to self-pollination Strawberry growers usually have a crop of berries,
but without bee pollination, the qualily is sometimes inferior to a crop produced with
the aid of bee pollination. With apples, bees are essential for cross-pollination. New
varieties and cultural planting methods add new questions as to how apples are
pollinated.
UNMEASURED POLLINATION BENEFITS
There are areas where it is almost Hpossible to place a dollar value on bee pollination
One is the contribution that pollination of plants makes to wildlife food production.
Another is the natural beauty resulting from pollination of wildflowers. Many shrubs
and countless annual plants reproduce by bee pollinated berries and seed, which
provide food for birds and other animals. Ornithologists may suggest that humans
"feed the birds in the winter," but the birds also depend upon naturally grown seed
and fruit resulting from bee pollination
The beekeeper with a small scale operation is very valuable in providing honey bees
for this unmeasured contribution to pollination, because there are many Ohio
hobbyist beekeepers spread through the state who increase food production for
wildlife.
POLLINATION AND SOME AGRICULTURAL CROPS
Pumpkins and squash - Because the anthers are in one flower and the stigma is in

another, transfer of pollen is essential to fruit set. Observations indcate that

pollination is most effective in the early morning.
The value of bees has been shown in terms of fruit produced Wolfenbarger (1962)
showed the correlation between colonies/acre and increased production in baskets of
squash/acre
no colonies -- 148 baskets Two colonies --168 baskets
1/2 colony -- 155 baskets Three colonies -- 173 baskets
one colony -- 161 baskets
Concrete data is scarce, however, evidence shows pumpkins and squash must be
pollinated and honey bees are the chief pollinators. Recommendations are 1 to 3
colonies/acre. If yields are low, consider 3 colonies/acre. If yields are low, consider 3
colonies/acre. Colonies placed nearby are most effective.
Melons (cantaloupes. all cultivars of muskmelons) - The flowers open sometime after
sunup, depending upon the sunlight, temperature and humidity. When the
temperature is low, the humidity is high or the day cloudy, opening is delayed. Bee
activity begins on the flower shortly after it opens, reaches a peak at about 11:00 a.m.
and ceases about 5:00 p.m. (McGregor & Todd 1952) Collection of pollen by bees
usually ends before noon, but nectar collection continues into the late afternoon.
A high correlation exists between the number of seeds in a muskmelon and its size.
The more seeds, the larger the fruit. Increased bee visitation is associated with a
greater number of seeds.
Honey bees visit muskmelon flowers as soon as the flowers open. They collect both
nectar and pollen, move freely from flower to flower and plant to plant, and continue
visiting the flowers until late afternoon. McGregor et al (1 965) showed that a honey
bee visit to each flower about every 15 minutes is desirable for maximum fruit set.
Whitaker and Bohn (1 952) showed that variations in visits by honey bees occur
between plants sometimes only a few feet apart if there is a variation in the
microclimate around the plants. This means that many flowers must receive more
visits than necessary if all are to receive the optimum number.
When there is heavy bee activity, a heavy crown set results. (Rosa 1924, Whitner
1960) Such fruits are sweeter (McGregor & Todd 1952) and usually more oval. Taylor
(1955) studied 37 muskmelon fields in relation to proximity to honey bee colonies. In
20 fields with an average of 1/2 colony per acre within a mile, production was 1.06
melons per plant and 242 crates per acre. In 17 fields with no hives of bees in visible
vicinity, production was only .67 melon per plant and 161 crates per acre.

Recommendations by (McGregor & Todd 1952) suggest 1 colony/acre. Sims (1960)

suggested 1 good strong colony/acre, the colony filling 2 deep hive bodies. Most
research has been done on cantaloupes, however pollination requirements are the
same for all muskmelon cultivars.
Cucumbers - The need for insect pollination of cukes has been known for years.
Before the turn of the century honey bees were used to pollinate cukes grown under
glass. More recent tests have verified the need for bees. The best time of the day for
effective cucumber pollination was from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Con nor-Michigan 1
969). A cucumber flower should be visited 8 to 10 times for satisfactory fruit set.
Viability in pollen grains decreases with increased bee travel distances.
Depending on if you have monecious or gyneocious hybrids, the pollination

requirements vary from 1 colony per acre to 2 to 3 colonies per acre (Hughes 1971). If
you walk into the cuke field on a clear day and cannot count 30 to 40 bees within a 30
ft. diameter or cannot hear a noticeable hum, you probably need to bring in more
bees.
Apples - The apple flower produces both nectar and pollen and is important to the
colonies' spring buildup.
Usually the more seeds that develop in the apple, the larger the fruit (Schowenget 1
935). About 6 or 7 seeds are necessary for good fruit set (Hartman & Howlett 1954).
The average blossoming period for apples is about 9 days. However, cool weather
lengthens and warm or dry windy weather shortens this period (Morris 1 921).
The pollination recommendations are that honey bees be placed near or distributed
within the orchard. Colony numbers are from 1 to 3 per acre, being fairly strong and
not weak. Removal of all colonies is important at the conclusion of pollination to
avoid spray damage.
State Apiarist

Return to Varroa page
Return to: Ohio Information Sheets


Chalkbrood
Back to: Ohio Information Sheets 201 lesson two

Chalkbrood

mentholfortracheal
92-19

MENTHOL FOR TRACHEAL MITE CONTROL

ACTIVE INGREDIENT:
Menthol crystals - food grade with a purity of 98%+.
RATES:
Treat each 2 story colony with 1 .8 oz or 50 grams of menthol.
METHODS OF TREATMENT:
Prepackaged menthol can be obtained in 50 gr. packets making preparation and

handling easier.
Bulk menthol also should be placed in 50 gr. packages. A possible package would be
to place the menthol in aluminum foil and fold the foil over a wire mesh screen,
forming a screened package.
A menthol/grease mix can be prepared by using equal weights of menthol and

vegetable shortening. Heat the shortening to 65°c or 149°F and add the menthol. Then
immerse corregated cardboard (size: 12"x12") until saturated. Remove and let cool,
storing in an airtight container, in a cool place. Put one sheet on the bottom board of
each colony.
APPLICATION:
When there is no surplus honey flow, during daytime temperatures of at least 60°F.
Place menthol packet on the top bars or on the bottom board. If the temperature is
below 80°F, place on the top bars and if above 80°F place on the bottom board.

mentholfortracheal
The menthol should remain in the hive for about 2 weeks. It can be reapplied as long
as there is not a honey flow.
Remove all menthol from the colonies at least one month before the surplus honey
flow to prevent contamination of marketable honey.
SAFETY AND CAUTION:
Menthol should be handled in a well ventilated area and avoid any eye contact. If there
is skin contact, wash with soap and water. If ingested induce vomiting and consult a
physician.
State Apiarist

Three Point Test 94

Three Point Test 94

94-21

USING TERRAMYCIN ®100D EXTENDER PATTIES

Extender patties have been around for several years. Their use has been to control
both foulbrood diseases (AFB and EFB). Some recent research also has indicated
extender patties help in the control of tracheal mites. However, the legalily of their use
was questionable, because the manufacturer of terramycin, Pfizer, Inc., did not have
instructions for making extender patties. Now Terramycin ® 1OOD has a label for
making antibiotic extender patties.
The instructions must be followed carefully due to the high drug concentration of this
product.
Prepare mixture:
1. TM 1OOD is highly concentrated and must be first mixed with powdered

sugar.
2. Depending on the total quantity needed, follow any of the mixture ratios
listed below.
TM 100D Powdered sugar
7 lbs. mix with 200 lbs.
1 lb. mixwith 29 lbs.
8 ozs. mix with 14 lbs.
4 ozs. mix with 7 lbs.
2 ozs. mix with 3-1/2 lbs.

Extender Patty Directions:
1. Use 4 ozs. (113 g.) of the mixture (TM 1OOD and powdered sugar) with
approximately 6 ozs (165 g.) of vegetable shortening (Crisco) and
approximately 12 ozs (330 g.) of sugar.
2. The patties can then be sandwiched between wax paper and placed on
the top bars of the brood frames.
Ready to use antibiotic extender patties called Terra~Patties can also be purchased.
This product is recommended for those beekeepers wanting to avoid the mixing
procedures when making the patties. Any antibiotic feeding should be conducted
before any nectar flows to avoid honey contamination.
State Apiarist

95-22 Back to: Ohio Information Sheets
OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Division of Plant Industry - Apiculture
VEGETABLE SHORTENING PATTIES TO

CONTROL TRACHEAL MITES
Using vegetable shortening and sugar patties, to treat colonies infested with tracheal mites,
appears to cause a disruption in the mites' life cycle. Treatment is most effective when
colonies are known to have lower mite levels. Studies conduced at the Ohio State University
showed the continuous presence of a shortening patty, with or without Terramycin, helped
lower tracheal mite populations and increased colony survivor ship..
The following are guidelines for the preparation of shortening patties with and without
Terramycin:
SHORTENING-SUGAR PATTY
• Use shortening that is considered to be a vegetable shortening, such as (the

solid white) Crisco.
• Sugar should be white granulated, however, powdered sugar has been used.
• Shortening to sugar ratio is 1:2 (ex. 1 lb. of shortening to 2 lbs. of sugar.)
• Patty placement should be on top bars in the brood nest of the colony, where
bees are forced to eat.
• Patty size should be about 1/2-1 lb.

• Additional patties can be given to the colonies if consumed.
• Continuous exposure to the shortening can help reduce mite populations.
SHORTENING-SUGAR-TERRAMYCIN PA1T(
• Use shortening that is considered to be a vegetable shortening, such as (the

solid white) Crisco.
• Use TSP, terramycin soluble powder.
• In contrast to the shortening-sugar patties, terramycin patties should NOT be

used during a nedar flow. Also, remaining patties should be removed.
• Make sure terramycin is distributed uniformly throughout patties. Ingredient

ratios are as follows:
6.4 oz to vegetable to sugar
terramycin shortening
packet (Crisco)
1 packet to 4.6 lbs to 9.1 lbs
Good management practices in combination with these shortening treatments may

significantly suppress tracheal mite populations.
References:
D. Sammataro, S. Cobey, B. H. Smith, G. R. Needham 1994. Controlling Tracheal Mites in

Honey Bees with Vegetable Oil. J. Econ. Ent.
K. S. Delaplane, L. F. Lozano April 1994. Using Terramycin in Honey Bee Colonies. A.B.J.
State Apiarist


95-24 201 lesson two

"PARASITIC MITE SYNDROME (PMS)"

Upon examination of your honey bee colonies' brood, you observe symptoms that might
resemble EFB, AFB and/or Sacbrood disease. However, you are not sure what the problem
is, because they are not the characteristic disease symptoms with respect to each disease;
they may be a combination of symptoms from all three brood diseases. Also, the colony is
infested with the Varroa and/or Tracheal mites.
The USDA, Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland calls this condition parasitic
mite syndrome (PMS). PMS is thought to be caused by a secondary infection as a result of
the mite infestation. Presently no known pathogen has been found to be predominant. The
following are adult and brood symptoms that may be observed in the colony.
Adult Symptoms
1) Varroa mite present
2) Bee population reduction
3) Crawling adult bees
4) Queen supersedure
5) Tracheal mite may or may not be present
Brood Symptoms
1) Varroa mite present

2) Spotty brood pattern
3) Affected brood from the 'C" stage larva to the prepupa stage
4) Larva may be twisted and light brown in color - no ropiness
5) Scales observed, but are not brittle and difficult to remove like AFB
6) An odor is not evident
When determining if a colony has PMS, comb samples should be taken in preference to a
smear. The Bee Research Lab recommends sending a piece of comb about 2 x 2 inches,
loosely wrapped in paper, and send also about 100 adult bees from the same colony.
Prepared by: Gordon Rudloff Reference:
State Apiarist H. Shimanuki, N. W. Calderone
Ohio Department of Agriculture and D. A. Knox 1994,

95-25

WHAT THE FARMER/GROWER SHOULD KNOW

ABOUT HONEY BEES
Outside the bee hive:
A. Size of the hive is not always important. Counting the number of

supers (boxes) does not always equal colony strength.
B. Watch for bee flight. On a warm and clear day dozens of bees
should be flying in and out of the hive.
II. Inside the bee hive:
A. The best indicator is to view the colony population, usually with

the help of the beekeeper.
B. The brood area must have developing young and adult bees.
C. Serious honey bee diseases should be controlled or eradicated.
D. Colony strength guidelines:
1. Strong single story colony (1 deep hive body)
a. When opened, bees should cover tops of frames.
b. 4 to 6 frames of brood.

c. When a frame is lifted out, bees cover most frames.
2. Strong two-story colony (2 deep hive bodies)
a. Numerous bees on top when cover is removed.
b. When hive bodies divided, a blanket of bees should be

seen.
c. 6 to 10 frames of brood.
3. Strong three-story colony (3 deep hive bodies)
a. 8 to 12 frames of brood in lower and central hive bodies.
b. When cover lifted, a few bees seen on top.
c. The top super removed, bees should blanket top of

middle super.
Ill. Costs:
A. Varies significantly depending on the strength and condition of

the bees.
B. Rates may range from: $25.00 to $75.00/colony.
IV. Donts to prevent stings:
D. Don't wear hair oils or perfumes.
E. Don't directly block the bees' entrance to the hive.
V. Colonies per acre:
A. Generally, at least one strong colony per acre is recommended

for many crops. Colony strength will determine numbers needed.
B. Visual observations within the field many times will tell the
farmer/grower if honey bees are pollinating.
CONSlDERX~IONS FOR POLLINATION

AGREEMENTS/CONTRACTS

A. Identification of parties
1) landowner/grower, address and phone number
2) beekeeper, address and phone number
B. Rental price
1) how much based on colony strength
2) form of payment - check, cash, etc.
3) when payment is due
C. Time of delivery of colonies
1) dates
2) adverse weather causing alternative dates
D. Number of colonies
E. Strength of colonies
1) number of frames of brood
2) number of frames of bees
F. Placement of colonies
1) easily accessible to beekeeper
2) away from public and animals
G. Protection of colonies from pesticides
1) grower's spray program
2) when beekeeper should be notified
3) any penally if colony damage occurs
H. Removal dates of colonies

I. Penalties or rewards for:
1) prompt payment
- 2) stronger colonies
3) late delivery
4) weak colonies
5) failure to remove bees
J. Open lines of communication
1) both parties must be easily contacted
State Apiarist

98-26

"SWARM PREVENTION AND CONTROL"

When honey bees swarm it is a natural process where the colonies divide. In essence,
it is nature's way of trying to increase bee colony populations. Beekeepers can not
stop all swarming. However, swarm prevention should be incorporated info a
beekeeper's management program, if he/she is interested in obtaining a good honey
crop.
The following are some things that can be done to reduce swarming.
1) Colonies should be requeened every 2 to 3 years. This can

be done in the spring, fall, after a honey flow or as conditions
dictate.
2) Clipping the wings on a new queen is another attempt to

prevent swarming. This procedure slows down swarming, but
may resutt in the colony swarming anyway with a virgin
queen.
3) Reversing the hive bodies in the spring results in having an

empty hive body being placed above the brood chamber, thus
providing more room for queen laying, pollen and honey
storage. This procedure may be done several times in the
spring.
4) Colonies can be split. This entails dividing the colony

population in half to make up
2 hives. This is an effective method in swarm control.
5) Cutting queen cells is a method many beekeepers use.

However, the bees usually win out. Once the queen cells are

eliminated the bees will produce more queen celIs.

98-27

KEEPING BEES IN A SUBURBAN OR URBAN

AREA
Ohio has many areas within or near cities and towns where honey bees can obtain an
abundance of nectar and pollen. Ornamental trees and shrubs many times can
provide early forage for bees. However, beekeepers must always keep in mind, many
people are frightened by the sight of a bee hive. As a result beekeepers need to
position, keep and manage their bees to avoid any problems.
Property lines should be an important consideration. In confined locations, placing

the colonies on or near the property line in clear view by neighbors is not
recommended. The bee hives should be concealed by hiding them behind a solid
fence or dense shrubbery. In urban areas hives can even be placed on a flat roof away
from public view and above pedestrian traffic. The hive placement should be made so
the bees normal flight pattern does not interfere with a busy street, sidewalk or
clothesline.
Good management practices by beekeepers are also important. Knowing when and
how to manage correctly can make beekeeping acceptable to your neighbors.
Beekeepers should observe the following:
1) Practice swarm control.
2) Provide bees with a constant water supply.
3) Do not overpopulate an apiary location. Consider your location and

available forage sources. Usually a suburban or urban apiary can support
from two to six colonies.
4) inspect and manipulate your bee hives when the bees are foraging.
This will cause less disturbance and be more acceptable by neighbors.
5) Keep colonies with good behavior characteristics. This may require

requeening.
6) Register annually with Ohio Department of Agriculture and abide by the

Ohio Revised Code and its rules. Contact the apiary section if you have a
question or need assistance.
State Apiarist




"SHB FACTS AND OBSERVATIONS"
Small Hive Beetles (SHB) were named this because in South Africa there
is a large hive beetle.
Majority of SHB were found to pupate in sandy soil at 1-10 cm ('/2-4 in)
depth and within 30 cm (1 2 in) from the hive entrance.
Adults (SHB) are the overwintering stage and can be found in the bee
cluster.
Adults can survive for up to 5 days without food or water.
Mature larvae crawl from the hive and into the soil to pupate.
Beekeepers could break the life cycle by moving colonies or by soil

treatments.
Temperature and humidity are key components regarding the percent of

SHB eggs that hatch and adults emerge. (Higher temperatures and
humidity result in increased percentages of egg hatch and emergence.)
When SHB larval slime trails are observed on hive bodies - colony can be
considered as infested.
Temperatures determine where you look for the SHB in a colony. (Cooler -
top, hot -bottom.)
SHB will try to avoid light when looking in a hive.
Ground drench works good if hive has one entrance.

Larvae are attracted to light in the honey house.
Soil around the honey house can be treated for SHB.
Research indicated about 80% of the SHB were found under or in close
proximity to the hive entrance (less than 30 cm or 1 2 in).
No SHB's were found at 1 80 cm (6 feet) from the hive.
Another document on SHB follows this one below
Prepared by:
Gordon Rudloff
State Apiarist
Resources:
Dr. Jeff Pettis,
USDA
Beltsville
2/2000
Document mailed to Ohio Beekeepers in 1999

Small Hive Beetle - Aethina tumida

(a new beehive pest in the U.S.)

The adult is black in color and about

1/3 the size of a worker bee. It is found
in South Africa and has been
diagnosed in Florida, Georgia and
South Carolina. So far, no positive
finds in Ohio. The beetle moves
rapidly across the combs and is
difficult to pick up by hand.
Larvae may be mistaken for wax moth

larvae, however, beetle larvae have 3
pairs of legs, do not spin cocoons and
must complete their development in
the soil outside the beehive. In heavily
infested colonies they can be seen
crawling out the hive entrance or
across the floor from within the stored
honey supers.
This pest may enter our state through

the movement of colonies, nuc hives
and/or package bees. Check your
colonies regularly and if you susped
beetle infestation, please let me know
immediately.
Prepared by:
Gordon Rudloff
Reynoldsburg OH 43068-3399

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strong hive management

Strong hive management
Back
Hopefully, you now have a strong hive to work with.

The information in this lesson begins with a description of a strong colony of bees. If your hive of bees fits the
description below, you can begin the management of it to fit this hives need, otherwise, you will need to
continue to work on building your hives strength.
● A full strong hive of two deep brood bodies with a large population of bees reaches this stage when a
queen has had an opportunity to lay over at least an eight week period, has a large population of nurse
bees as well as forging worker bees, and a fair number of drones. Not all queens are equal and hives
develop as individual units and reach this peak at various times. Management technique goals are to
have hives reach this point prior to a honey flow so the hive can store the maximum amount of honey.
This isn't always possible because some hives enter the spring in a very weak condition and others are
started from packages or nuc's.
● Things to look for to see if your hive fits what we think a strong hive should look like:
❍ We are going to show you three pictures. These pictures will illustrate 1} a weak hive 2} a
strong hive and 3} a hive with too many bees and needs room to expand.
■ Weak hive Notice that the bees do not cover all the
frames. They are clustered in one corner of this hive.
This is typical of a hive just coming out of winter into
spring. This hive needs time to develop the bee
population necessary to add honey supers. This hive also may need
feed to encourage the bees to build a larger population. If the queen
is a year or two old, one might also consider requeening the hive.
Strong hive Our example for a strong

hive shows both deep boxes of the brood
chamber. Note that both boxes are full of
bees. This hive has some room but the
bees need to have honey supers added
now. This hive has started building
swarm cells. We will discuss this problem
in the management of bees for spring.
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Crowded hive I have never seen a

hive of bees with so many bees on the
outside of the brood chamber. This
hive had bees clinging to all four sides
of the hive. The inside was crowded
with bees. Normally, a hive like this
would have swarmed long ago. Upon
checking it, I found that it had
swarmed. It was filled with queen cells with young queens just
emerging. The original swarm evidently returned to the hive
because the old queen was lost. When one of these new queens
developed enough to leave the hive, the swarm would go with
her. I quickly made three hives (splits) from this one hive and
used the virgin queens running around inside the hive to requeen
each of the new hives. Adding supers to this hive would not have
stopped it from swarming.
Management techniques for the strong hive.
We are not going to give you any particular dates for this section for the following reason.
● Your hives reach this point based upon how you started beekeeping (packages, nuc, or full hive). Many
hives started with packages do gather good amounts of surplus honey so you need to determine when
this particular stage of development is reached with your own hive/hives.
A queen bee supported by as many as 60,000 worker bees will lay approximately 2000 eggs per day as long as
nectar and pollen are being brought back to the hive by foraging bees. Not only must the queen have a place to
put eggs, the bees need a place to store the pollen and nectar. If additional supers are not added, the bees will
store the nectar and pollen in the brood nest restricting the number of cells available for the queen to deposit
eggs. This crowding is recognized as one of the causes for the bees to start building swarm queen cells. Once
this process begins, it is hard to stop. So what do you do?
1. Check your hive often (at least every two weeks). There is no need to find the queen but you will need to
put on your protective equipment and open up your hive. You will need to determine the strength of
your hive. You can observe the following:
1. How much foundation has been drawn out if this colony has new foundation in frames recently
installed. Typically, the bees will draw out the foundation in the outside frames last. If these
frames are in the process of being drawn out, it is time to start adding honey supers.
2. If the combs seem to be well covered with bees as the photo
illustrate and you see many frames filled completely with sealed
brood, you need to start adding honey supers.
1.

If you see queen cells as shown to the left, you need to start
doing something about the situation now. First, you can
make up several nuc's and use the queen cells to produce
new queens for later use. You could even make up a new
hive. (See queen cells below before you begin to cut queen
cells) Or you can cut out all the queen cells, move some of
the brood above a queen excluder, add new comb to the
brood chamber and add honey supers. What is important is
to open up the brood chamber so the queen can continue laying more eggs. By opening
up, I mean to remove any frames that are filled with honey and replacing them with
drawn comb or foundation (this depends on several things which is discussed under
spring management). You can place a deep hive body above the queen excluder and
move much of the capped brood above it, and replace the combs that you removed with
frames taken from that deep super.
Before you begin to cut any queen cells -- do you know the difference between swarm
cells and supercedure cells?
Swarm cells are usually located near the bottom of frames and appear almost like the
queen cells as in the picture above. If a hive of bees determines that the queen is failing
for some reason, they will construct several supercedure cells on the face of the comb
usually higher up on the comb. If there are only three or four cells located in the center
of a frame of comb, don't cut them out. The bees are trying to replace their failing
queen. A hive constructing swarm cells will often have twenty or more of them. They
will be located at the edge of the comb either next to the end bar or bottom bar of the
frame or in any opening which might appear in the comb of the frame.
Supercedure is the process of a normal hive replacing an old or failing queen. One
might even find two queens in such a hive.
2. Add supers if you are unsure of what to do! It is always safe to add supers. The bees will move up into
them as needed. However, do not add a whole stack of supers and decide that you do not need to check
your bees anymore for quite awhile. If you do this, you are on your way to becoming a "beehave-or".
Bees will sometimes put nectar only in the center of a stack of hive bodies and ignore the outside
frames. This is called the chimney effect.
1. Determine if a honey/nectar flow is occurring. If one is occurring, add supers.

1. Nectar flows (commonly called honey flows) occur during periods that plants are in bloom. For
example, in Georgia the crimson clover blooming period arrives in early April and is over by
May. In Ohio, the major honey flow from clover begins in May and continues to early June.
Determine what the honey plants are in the area around you bee location.
2. If you pick up a frame of drawn foundation and shake it slightly, the nectar which has not been
completely converted to honey will drop from the cells as small droplets.
3. The bees will be busy at work flying to and from the nectar plants. There will be little robbing
during such a time. In fact, the bees may ignore sugar syrup being feed to them and concentrate
on the nectar flow.
4. If a nectar flow is over, you may notice more bees clinging to the outside of the entrance and not
flying in the numbers that you saw earlier. They will eagerly seek out any sweet source of sugar
syrup and they will begin to rob weaker hives.
2. Those of us who have kept bees for some time are well aware that not every year is the same. For
example, in Ohio, we can get a Black Locust honey/nectar flow that amounts to anything-- on average

one year out of every five. Some years are wet, some years are dry, and some years are just a
combination of the two -- too much rain, and then no rain. As a beekeeper you will need to observe
weather patterns as well as study the nectar plants in your region of the country.
3. Now for the good news! A good strong hive of bees at the start of a good nectar flow should fill a
shallow super with 30 pounds of honey in just a few days time. I have seen
flows that produce 10 to 15 pounds of honey in a single day. So how many
honey supers should you have for each strong hive of bees. Answer, I would
suggest at least four shallow supers, three medium supers or two deep
supers. If you are using new foundation, it takes the bees more time to draw
out the foundation and store honey in the cells. Drawn foundation is a
valuable asset in your efforts to keep bees. You can reduce the number of
supers on hand if you remove honey supers from the hive when they are
full, extract the honey from them, and then place them back on the hive.
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The World of Bees

The World of Bees
Back
The World of Bees
So often, individuals who want to get started in beekeeping are impatient. "Just do it"
is a common expression in today's world. You can start that way and learn by doing.
Just reinvent the wheel all over again. However, we are offering you an opportunity to
build a good foundation in understanding beekeeping so you will not have to reinvent
what past beekeepers have already learned. We are going to begin with the bees
themselves.
Bees
When the word bee is used, one usually thinks of a yellow and black flying insect with a mighty
sting. Often mistaken for bees are yellow jackets which are not members of the bee kingdom at
all but are members of the wasp family. We might also point out that when one thinks of bees
they are usually thinking of honey bees but there are many types of bees.
What is a bee?
There are well over 10,000 different kinds of bees. They fall into many categories such as:
● Miners and Carpenters

● Masons and Plasterers
● Leaf-cutters
● social bees
● cuckoo bees
Apis We are going to concentrate on the social bee Apis mellifera however, all bees have some
things in common and we will look at those characteristics. At the same time we should be aware
that the insect family is the largest in the animal world. They have been arranged in orders (large
groups of insects with similar characteristics). One example is the butterfly order called
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The World of Bees
Lepidoptera. They also visit flowers to gather pollen and nectar and pollinate just as bees but differ
in other respects. Bees belong to the class Hymenoptera.
Diptera
The word Hymenoptera has a descriptive meaning and is taken from the Greek words: 'hymen' (a
membrane) and 'pteron' a wing. Members of the Hymenoptera family include: bees, ants, wasp
and some other insects loosely called flies. However, flies in the true sense of the word are not
members of the hymenoptera family. They belong to a family called Diptera which are two winged
insects.
As with all insects, the body of a bee is made up of three parts: the head, the thorax and the
abdomen. Members of the bee family differ from other insects in that they have two sets of wings
and thus cause some confusion when one looks at flies except under close inspection. Many
members of the bee family have a sting or the rudiments of a sting although some members do not.
It should be pointed out that only female members of this family have the ability to sting. The sting
is a female organ.
Assignment: Visit some flowering plants. Examine the insects that visit. You should find a large
variety of insects. You should find beetles, ants, flies, butterflies, bees and other insects as well. It
would be good to take some time to look at the world that exist in this little patch of beauty just
outside our windows.
You will discover such a wide range of insects in size, shape, and color. Many of these will be
bees. You will most likely need a magnifying glass to examine these insects closely. So lets take a
look at what distinguishes a bee from other insects you might find.
● All bees are covered in hairs. These hairs will be either barbed, branched or finely
feathered. (not straight single hairs)
● All bees will have four wings. These wings will be attached at the thorax and be transparent
with visible membranes and if you look closely, the wings will be connected by small hooks
allowing both wings to work as a single unit.
● On the head, the bee will have three eyes called ocelli in addition to eyes on the side of the
head. The head will have antennae used as a sense organ, mandibles used to bite and mould
building materials, and a tongue (tube like organ called a proboscis) to suck up nectar and
other fluids.
● The thorax is usually bulky nearly as large as the abdomen. The thorax has six legs and
supports the two pairs of wings. It contains the muscle tissue that control these appendages.
● The abdomen can be moved freely in almost any direction. It is made up of several segments
which look like bands or rings. Within the abdomen lie the organs of digestion, excretion
and reproduction. And if it is a female, the sting.
You can not use color or size to distinguish between bees and other insects. Some bees are
quite large such as the common bumble bee and others quite small such as the orchard bee.
Most bees are solitary which means that a single female takes over the entire job of building a

The World of Bees
nest, collecting food and feeding her young. These bees are very valuable for pollination.
Some like the orchard bee are active for only a short period of the year while others like the
bumble bee establish an annual nest and others such as the honey bee develop into large colonies
and spend the winter surviving on honey stores gathered thru the spring and summer.
Before we go and look closely at the honey bee, there are several topics we need to consider
before doing so.
● Are bees aggressive insects?

● Do bees have intelligence?
● Do bees have enemies?
Aggressiveness in bees
In nature, bees are seldom aggressive. In fact you most likely have had bees around you many
times and you were not aware of them. They go about their business of gathering pollen, nectar
and water. The temperament of bees depends on a number of things:
● weather
● time of day
● season
● genetics
● vibrations
● colors
● odors
● how you react to them
● how you work with them
The first three items can be grouped together. All have a bearing on how the bees will behave
under certain conditions. Bees are not active outside the hive during periods of darkness,
periods of cold weather, and periods of windy rainy weather. Opening a hive during any of the
conditions listed above will find all the bees present within the hive. At night the bees will fly
toward any visible light (red excluded). A flashlight will certainly attract flying bees. Using a
red filter will stop the bees from flying toward the light. One of the nasty things about opening
a hive at night is bees do not fly but crawl. They can find openings in clothing and make life
miserable for the person who bothers them. Bees are easily upset when examined in bad
weather. There ill temper seems to be magnified at these particular times. Cold weather
causes the bees to cluster and slow down. Opening a hive in very cold weather will cause the
bees to be disturbed but they are slow in searching out the disturbance. And in very cold
weather the bees can not fly for long -- maybe just a few seconds before they drop to the ground.
Genetics is a most interesting topic. Aggressive behavior is a genetic trait. Some bees are more
aggressive than other bees. An aggressive hive of bees can become a gentle hive of bees if just
a queen from a gentle line of bees are introduced into the hive. As soon as the bees produced
by the new queen replace the old bees the behavior changes drastically. The results can be seen

The World of Bees
in approximately 40 days. We need to point out that there is a distinct threat of very aggressive
bees which have been introduced into the Western Hemisphere in this last half century. In the
mid 1950's an African honey bee was introduced which has caused the Western bee world to sit
up and take notice. The Africanized honey bee is considered a threat to the safety and well
being of citizens where ever they are found. They are now located in the border states with
Mexico and if identified anywhere, they are destroyed as they should be. This particular bee's
sting is no more powerful than a regular honey bee's sting but the fact that this bee attacks in
large numbers is a problem for anyone living near it. People have been hospitalized with 200+
stings from one incident and many have died from massive stings.
Vibrations, colors and odors can be grouped as well. Honey bees do not have ears and thus do
not hear sound. They can feel vibrations in the air however. The senses of bees are acute.
Anyone trying to mow grass around a bee hive can testify to the reaction of bees to vibration
from the lawn mower. And in regard to smell, the sense of smell is probably better than in
humans. Bees react to various hair sprays, perfumes, and other smells thus the warning in
many bee books about not wearing or putting on hair sprays and perfume. Honey bees do
react to something called the alarm pheromone and if you happen to be wearing anything that is
similar, the bees will be attracted to it. Bees will also react to certain colors while other colors
do not seem to excite them. Black is a common target as is red. Bees seem to be attracted to
small areas of black or what looks black to them. Black socks are a good target for them. It
may be that over the years the enemies of bees have created this reaction to human breath and
dark colors. Enemies of bees do include skunks, bears, mice, and other mammals. Have you
noticed how bees seem to fly around the head. It could be that they are attracted by the dark
color of our hair and the carbon dioxide we exhale.
The enemy of bees are many and they do cause the bees to become aggressive. For example, a
hive of bees being visited nightly by a skunk will exhibit aggressive behavior during the day.
The bees are quick to react to any disturbance and this reaction has nothing at all to do with
any of the other conditions which are listed.
All of this takes us to the final two items. How do we react to bees? How do you work with
them? As explained above, we know that quick herky jerky movement and clumsy bumping of
the hive can cause the bees to react in an aggressive way. I often have fun telling visitors to my
bee yards that my bees know me. It is not true but some tend to believe me because as soon as a
bee flies near, they begin to swat at it and the bees seem to just ignore me. The key to working
with bees is to work in slow deliberate movements without pinching and crushing bees as frames
are examined in the hive. A little smoke will encourage the bees to load up on honey and turn
the other way and avoid me completely. One should always remember that there are never two
hives of bees exactly the same and their behavior is variable within a race and variable from
race to race.
Intelligence of Bees

The World of Bees
Much thought has gone into the study of the intelligence of bees. Karl Von Frisch observed the
behavior of returning honey bees to the hive and developed many experiments to reveal what he
called their dance language. He was able to show that the dance of returning bees to the hive
influenced foraging bees to seek out the location of the sugar reward he was giving to them.
A recent PBS television program compared the intelligence of the top 10 animals in the world.
The honey bee beat out dogs for the ninth spot in their list. Believe it or not, the Dog was listed
as number 10. Of course the primates were at the top of the list.
Too many of us are willing to accept the honey bee in human terms. Notice how often the honey
bee is referred to in popular slogans and literature. "Busy as a bee" for example. I can
remember a course in psychology in college when the topic of animal intelligence came up. The
question was, "Can a squirrel remember where it buried it nuts in order to survive the
winter?" After long discussion, we had two groups -- one group that thought the squirrel
certainly would starve unless its brain could remember exactly where it buried the nuts and
another group that was certain that the squirrel was a slave to its environment and found the
nuts by instinct and a condition of smell. Unless we were squirrels and could think in human
terms, we most likely will never know what the true answer is and the same applies to bees.
They do not go to school in human terms and knowledge is not passed from one generation to
another. It is entirely possible to hatch out young bees in a comb of brood in an incubator and
once enough of them have emerged, give them a queen, and they behave just like bees from any
other hive of bees. Mankind has found a way to manage bees, not a way to tell them what to do.
Bees will always do what bees do. Thus it is up to us to learn what bees do!
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The Honey Bee
Beekeeping Made Easy The Honey Bee
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The Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

We will begin this study by examining the honey bee. Honey bees are social bees. This means that
they have developed highly specialized skills which contribute to the well being of the entire
colony. As a colony, the individual must work for the good of the whole. In this highly specialized
world, two caste have developed. A female and male caste. The female caste is composed of perfect
females and imperfect females. These are called queens and workers. As we look at the bees in a
hive, we will need to know what each type of bee looks like, and recognize the special job each has.
Physical Description
A honey bee is not large. It is composed of three distinct

parts.
We are going to
keep the anatomy of
the honey bee quite
simple. It is
important for you to
understand that all
hymenoptera have
three body sections
and they are (head,
thorax, and
abdomen). As you learned in The World of Bees, all bees are covered in body hair. You will not
need a microscope to see them.
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The Honey Bee
The inhabitants of the hive include a large number of worker bees

(female), at most several hundred drone bees (male) and one queen
(female). In highly socialized bees, division of labor is essential for
survival and the honey bee colony expresses this in many ways. The
worker bees are highly specialized. As female, they have dormant
ovaries and can lay unfertile eggs but their major task is to care for
the collection of food, care of the young bees, defense of the hive, and
house cleaning. The queen is a specialized egg laying female. She can not care for her young
such as feeding etc. nor can she gathered food. The population of a hive of bees is in direct
proportion to the ability of the queen to lay eggs unless some other environmental condition
exist -- disease or lack of forging plants. The drone is also highly specialized -- his purpose is to
provide the queen with sperm for future generations.
Since most of your time will be spent studying honey bees, we are going to examine the worker
in some detail. It is the worker that contributes to the amount of honey produced and the
amount of work collectively done by the hive. The diagram below is taken from The Behaviour
and Social Life of Honeybees by Ronald Ribbands.
The glands
in many
instances
controls
what the
female
worker bee
is able to do.
We will take
a brief look
at some of
them.
Pharyngeal
glands -- Located in the head-- These glands are the largest glands in the worker honey bee.
These glands produce the bee milk fed to young larva.
Mandibular glands -- Located in the head -- Have to do with production of or be responsible

for some of the different ingredients of the saliva-- to be specific they secrete 10-hydroxy-2-
decenoic acid, the main lipoid content of larval food.
Postgenal glands -- Unknown function
Thoracic glands -- Located in the thorax -- We have shown these glands to indicate that the
thorax has a set of glands but these glands are derived from the cocoon-spinning gland of the
larva and are well developed in workers, queens and drones. They are said to secrete an
alkaline fatty substance.

The Honey Bee
The glands located in the abdomen are extremely important to the functions regarding
pheromones in the worker bee.
Wax glands -- One of the important functions of worker bees is to build wax comb (the basic
structure of the nest). The wax glands are located on the underside of the abdomen of segments
four to seven. These glands secrete wax in liquid form onto the wax plates and harden into wax
scales which are then used by the bees to construct comb.
Scent gland -- This is a gland located at the very rear of the bee above the sting. Bees usually
will expose the ducts in this gland with the abdomen elevated and fan its wings. It is called the
Nasonov scent gland and the pheromone produced attracts other bees. It is often observed
clearly when bees are landing in a swarm. The bees which already have landed will be seen with
the gland exposed attracting other bees to the location.
Sting gland -- The sting gland releases an alarm pheromone which attracts other bees to the
site where the alarm is given. This pheromone is used "to mark an enemy and make it a more
obvious target." From Pheromones of Social Bees by John B. Free.
Vision of the honey bee
A honey bee has a compound eye. They do not see as we do! They have no lens to focus on
objects as we do. The honey bee eye is made up a large number of facets. Bees see their world
as a mosaic because each facet is like a narrow tube which is stimulated by light rays. Thus
each bee perceives the field of vision from these facets and the number of facets will determine
the amount of detail the bee will see. These facets are called ommatidia. It has been pointed out
by C.R. Ribbands in his outstanding book The Behaviour and Social Life of Honeybees
published by the Bee Research Association in England that the "acuteness of vision varies
inversely with the angle of the visual field which is covered by each tube." Thus in every day
terms, a bees eyes are a bundle of tubes set in the side of the bees head and each tube sees only a
small part of the entire scene. However, this book estimates the number of facets in bees as
follows: worker bees with 6300, a queen with 3900, and a drone with 13,000. In various studies
it has been determined that the honey bee can distinguish between two squares of light when the
brightness of one is reduced to 70% of the other. In addition, their eyes function more
efficiently along a narrow vertical line and definition drops off as the distance between the
object and the eye increases. From a practical standpoint, the honey bee can see vertical
objects and distinguish lines but not shapes such as circles, triangles, and squares. The studies
by Hertz clearly show that the bees preferred those patterns that were broken rather than
solid. In addition, a scientist by the name of Wolf, found that bees react to objects that move
more than to objects that are fixed
In addition to the two compound eyes, bee have three ocelli located on top of their head. Ocelli
are found in almost all flying insects. Many experiments have been conducted on finding out
just what purpose the ocelli serve. It is clear from this research that the ocelli are of special
value to flight

The Honey Bee
I would like to point out the practical application of what scientist have discovered. As a
beekeeper, one should realize that vertical objects are more noticeable to bees than horizontal
objects. Also, objects that move are more noticeable than objects that remain still. Thus, if
you are in the presence of bees, rapid movement will be noticed by them more than standing
perfectly still and standing up will be noticed by them more than laying down. So, it is wise
advice from beekeepers not to slap at flying bees because the bee sees the rapid movement and
reacts to it. Slow movement is better than rapid movement.
In addition much research has been conducted on the color that honey bees are able to see.
Karl von Frisch did much in this area and found that bees did not distinguish various shades of
gray but that they did distinguish various colors and ultraviolet. The ultraviolet spectrum
replaces the red spectrum in the honey bee thus the bee can distinguish the following colors:
Ultraviolet, blue-violet, blue-green, orange-yellow.
Taste of the honey bee
Research has found that bees are attracted to sugars (sucrose, glucose, and fructose). They can
distinguish the sugar concentration of a sugar solution with their mouth parts and if very weak
find it less attractive. This may account for the foraging habits of bees. Some plants offer a very
weak nectar secretion and thus the bees are not attracted to that particular plant. Again Karl
von Frisch did an amazing amount of research in this area of study and it would be worth your
while to read his book, Bees, their vision, chemical senses and language.
Odor perceptions of the honey bee
Much research has been conducted on odor perceptions of the honey bee. Scents are perceived
by the antennae of the honey bee. This was discovered by amputation of both antennae and it
has been found that the odor perceptions are located in the eight terminal segments of both
antennae. In additional studies, it has been determined that honey bees react to much lower
concentrations of odors than man. (From The Behaviour and Social Life of Honeybees by Ronald
Ribbands) Thus the honey bee can detect very slight odors (pheromones) and distinguish hive
mates from those of a different hive. More will be discussed on this topic in regard to behavior
characteristics which are affected by the pheromones released by the glands of honey bees.
Sound/Vibration perception of the honey bee
Honey bees do not have ears as warm blooded animals do. Sound waves are conveyed by very
small vibrations of solids, liquids, or gasses. Honey bees detect these vibrations through their
legs and it has been shown that mechanical vibrations cause the honey bee leg to respond. It is
also believed that the bees antennae are sensitive to vibrations when they touch other bees and
may contribute to communication of dancing bees and the piping noise made by the queen. In
a practical sense, when the lawnmower creates sound to us, it is creating vibrations (sound
waves) which are transferred to a solid (the walls and floor of the bee hive) which are then
detected by the feet of the honey bee. The further away the lawnmower is from the hive the
lower the vibration level.

The Honey Bee
What have we learned: Bees are not like humans, they:
● see the world a bit differently than humans do

● have a highly distinguished sense of taste for sugar content in a liquid
● can perceive very slight odors (pheromones) and react to them
● detect sound through vibration of sound waves transferred to solid objects
References for Further Reading:
● The Behaviour and Social Life of Honeybees by Ronald Ribbands

● Pheromones of Social Bees by John B. Free
● Anatomy and Physiology of the Honeybee by R. E. Snodgrass
● The Dancing Bees by Karl Von Frisch and translated by Dora Ilse
● The Honey Bee by James L. Gould and Carol Grant Gould (Published by Scientific
American Library) and should be available in many larger library systems.
Topics to explore:
● The bee dance

● Bees reactions to various colors
● Defensive behavior of African honey bees
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honey and pollen
Beekeeping Made easy Pollen and Honey
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Topics included in this lesson:
● Honey
● Pollen
Any student of beekeeping needs to know some basic facts about pollen and honey. You should realize that honey, pollen, wax, royal
jelly, bee venom, propolis, queens and bees are all at times products of the hive. Services rendered by a hive includes pollination.
Pollen
A honey bee must forage for food to supply food for its own metabolism, to feed young growing larva, and to
provide a surplus of honey and pollen for winter and spring survival. Eva Crane in her fine book, A Book Of
Honey estimates that it takes three orbits around the earth to produce one pound of honey and during each
orbit one ounce of honey is used as fuel.
A colony of bees needs a large work force to gather the necessary nectar and pollen if it is to survive. The
beekeepers share of honey produced by a colony of honey bees depends on the beekeeper managing the bees so
that large populations of bees are maintained to gather enough for the bees to survive on over winter and get the extra that the
beekeeper will harvest.
I am indebted to a number of sources for the material about pollen used in this discussion. By far the most important source I used
was: Agriculture Handbook No. 496 "Insect Pollination of Cultivated Crop Plants. This was published in 1976 by U.S.D.A. Some of the
other books used were: Honey Plants of Iowa , 1930, Pollen Grains by R.P. Wodehouse published 1935, The Pollen Loads of the Honey
Bee by Dorothy Hodges published 1984, Pollen grains of Canadian honey plants by Crompton and Wojtas published in 1993 and
Insects and Flowers by F. G. Barth published in 1985.
Adequate pollen stores are required by a hive of bees any time brood is being raised. It has been estimated that a hive might use 40 to
70 pounds of pollen a year and those who collect pollen in something called pollen traps can attest to the fact that bees bring in large
amounts of pollen. Many bee classes and books recommend the use of pollen substitute in the spring when brood is being raised. When
to use a pollen substitute will be discussed in a later section.
Pollen supplies young nurse bees with the ability to produce "royal jelly" sometimes called bee bread which is fed to the young larva.
Royal jelly This substance is rich in the protein, vitamins, fats and minerals which are converted by the worker bees pharyngeal
glands discussed in an earlier chapter into a creamy substance which is fed to young larva. Royal jelly is also produced commercially
as a product of the bee hive. For those interested in producing royal jelly we suggest you check out queen rearing. Bees feed young
queen larva with mass amounts of royal jelly. This can be collected (harvested) from queen cells cups and sold. Most of the
commercial production of royal jelly is located in China due to the very low labor cost. Producing and collecting Royal jelly is very
labor intensive.
Pollen is produced by plants. Some plants depend on insects to transport pollen from one plant to another for fertilization to take
place. The male gametophyte is enclosed within a pollen grain and when it germinates a pollen tube will make its way to the ovary of
the plant where the male gametes reaches an egg cell and a seed will result.
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honey and pollen
This is a picture of a perfect flower (Apple) taken from Insect Pollination of Cultivated Crop Plants (Agriculture Handbook No. 496).
We should have a basic working knowledge of a flowering plant. In this case, I have chosen an apple blossom to show the various
parts. There are four unique features of this apple blossom that are high lighted.
● The style and stigma (female organs)

● The anther and filament (male organs)
● nectar glands
● ovary
For an apple tree to produce apples, pollination must take place. The fruit is adjoining tissue that develops around the seeds in the
ovary. If the flower is fully pollinated the seed set will produce an apple fully developed. If the flower is only partly pollinated (some
seeds fail to set) then the apple will be distorted -- lopsided. For pollination (fertilization) to take place, pollen grains must be
transferred from the anther to the stigma. Honey bees visit apple flowers for the ample supply of nectar and pollen. In reaching for
the nectariferous areas at the base of the flower they come into contact with pollen grains which adhere to the many hairs on the bees
body. As the bee flies from blossom to blossom it transfers these very small pollen grains on the stigma of the blossoms it visits thus
pollinating the plant. The reward for the bees is the nectar gathered and the pollen brushed from its hairs by the special comb on its
legs and carried back to the hive in its pollen basket.

honey and pollen
Pollen grains are very small. They vary in color and shape. Pollen can be detected in honey and is used as a way
of identifying nectar sources. Since honey is produced from a number of nectar sources, it will also have a
number of pollen indicators as well. Generally speaking, if a honey sample contains 45% pollen grains from an
individual plant source it is considered predominant. Secondary dominating rating is 16 to 45% of a plant source
in a honey sample. Vary rarely will a honey sample be 100% of one source.
For example, if in early spring one would sample some honey from a hive, one would find pollen in the honey from maple, apple,
willow, dandelion, and others. Thus the nectar making up that honey came from maple, apple, willow, dandelion and other sources.
What is in bee pollen?
A number of Chemical analysis of the composition of bee pollen have been done. These studies have found: amino acids, minerals such
as potassium, magnesium, calcium, copper, iron, silicon, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine, and manganese, vitamins and hormones, water,
reducing sugars, starches, fatty acids and others. It has been referred to as the "perfect food" by some.
Honey
What is sweeter than honey?

What is more pure or more nourishing?
It is the milk of the aged, it prolongs their existence, and when
they descend into the tomb, it still serves to embalm them.
Alexis Soyer The Pantropheon 1853
Humans have been gathering honey from the honey bee for at least the last 10,000 years. We can document this through cave
drawings found in caves in Spain, Natal, South Africa, and India. For a rather complete story of man's story and beekeeping, I would
suggest a copy of Eva Crane's book, The Archaeology of Beekeeping. Our interest here is to describe honey as a product of the hive.
From the very beginning of my beekeeping education, I can remember Vic Thompson, the right hand man of Walter Rothenbuler of
Ohio State University fame, correcting my use of various beekeeping terms.
Honey is not nectar. It is created from nectar by the honey bee. So bees do not gather honey from plants but rather they gather
nectar from plants which is then converted by them into honey! Lets take a look at this process.
Nectar undergoes a physical and a chemical change to become honey.
● The Physical change occurs as the bees reduce the amount of moisture in nectar. Nectar may have as much as 70 to 80%
moisture. Dr. James Tew of Ohio State University has often describe the honey bees behavior of collection flights as, "shopping
for nectar with the highest sugar content much as a housewife shops for bargains at the local grocery store." Most flowers
secrete nectar but this nectar is not always attractive to honey bees. Thus, honey bees will visit flowers which provide the honey
bee with just the right access to its nectar rewards. After gathering the nectar, the bee must reduce the moisture in the nectar to
less than 18.6%. This 18.6% figure is the maximum amount of moisture in honey which prevents fermentation at or below this
moisture level.
● The chemical change occurs as the bee change sucrose (the sugar content of nectar) into the sugar of honey (glucose and
fructose). We will take a look at both processes in more detail.
As we discussed above in the pollen section, a honey bee visits a flower to gather nectar and in the process transports pollen. The nectar
is located in nectaries that secrete a liquid containing sucrose. Honey bees (Apis mellifera) have rather short proboscises compared to
other insects. The proboscis is a sucking tube. In the honey bee the proboscis is about 6.5 mm compared to the bumblebee with a
proboscis that varies from 8 to 16 mm according to species. In the Lepidoptera family (moths and butterflies) the proboscis varies
from 16 mm to 250 mm. As a result, certain flowers are not desirable to honey bees although they produce good amounts of nectar.
Honey plants are covered in Level II course work.
On the road to becoming honey
You should take some time to examine a honey bee gathering nectar and pollen. They will crawl over the corolla of flowers probing
with their proboscis into the nectaries. They will hurry from flower to flower searching for an inviting liquid reward. The nectar is
sucked from the plant and the honey bee will dilute it with saliva containing secretions from several glands such as the hypopharyngeal
gland which add enzymes: invertase, diastase, and glucose oxidase. The nectar load is then stored in the honey crop (stomach) for the
trip back to the hive.
Honey is made in the hive!

honey and pollen
Upon arriving at the hive, the foraging bee seeks out a house bee to transfer her nectar load and once the nectar load is transferred, she
returns to the field to gather more nectar. This process can be observed in an observation hive if one is available. Often the foraging
bee is surrounded by several bees ready to receive the nectar. Usually the receiving bee will manipulate this small nectar load in her
mouthparts. She will unfold and refold her proboscis exposing the nectar to the air circulating within the hive. During this process
more glandular secretions are added by the bee. Thus as the nectar is exposed to the air of the hive it slowly thickens and is then
suspended from the upper surface of a cell wall where it will continue to lose moisture (dry out so to speak). When the moisture
content has been reduced to 18.6% or so, the honey is ripe and is capped over by the bees.
I had not given much thought to how much nectar a bee hive must gathered to produce one pound of honey, but the question was
asked recently. Since nectar comes from many sources, it is impossible to say with a great deal of accuracy without knowing the exact
sugar content of the nectar. However, a few percentages may be helpful for you to realize the amount of work required by the bees. If
a plant has a 40% sugar content -- then in order to produce one pound of honey, the bees will need to collect two pounds of nectar.
And if a plant is producing nectar with a sugar content of 20%, then four pounds of nectar will be required to produce one pound of
honey.
Assignment: Make a list of flowering plants in your neighborhood. Observe which are visited by honey bees. Record dates of your
observations and whether the bees are active or not. One way to do this is to time your observations so that your data has some means
of comparison. For example, During a three minute observation of a single flower, how many bees visit that flower? You may find
that no bees visit the flower you are watching. Record it anyway. Be sure to include time of day in your data. If you have access to a
microscope, it would be good to take a look at the pollen grains produced by the plants you observe. Can you distinguish by color alone
what pollen the bees are carrying in the pollen baskets? This project should be extended out over the flowering period of all plants in
your neighborhood.
Example format: (you may choose any format -- this is only a suggestion.
Flower Date of Obs. Time of Obs. Location of flower Bee visits Pollen color
Dandelion 4-11-03 1:00 p.m. my back yard 3 in 5 min. yellow
What have we learned:
● Nectar is not honey! Honey is created by both physical and chemical changes in nectar by the honey bee.
● Pollen is required by the bees to survive. It is food for the young developing larva.
● A hive of bees requires a large work force to gather enough honey and pollen for survival and surplus.
References for Further Reading:
● Eva Crane A book of honey

● Eva Crane The Archaeology of Beekeeping
● Sue Style Honey From Hive to Honeypot
● Dorothy Hodges The Pollen Loads of the Honey Bee
● Royden Brown Bee Hive Product Bible
● William Kirk A colour guide to pollen loads of the honey bee
● F.N. Howes Plants and Beekeeping
● Friedrich G. Barth Insects and Flowers
● USDA Insect Pollination of Cultivated Crop Plants Agriculture Handbook No. 496
● Rex Sawyer Honey Identification
Topics to explore:
● Use of the microscope

● Pollen Identification
● Bee communication
Back to top of page
Facts about Pollen

honey and pollen
Pollen is an integral part of a honey bee colonies nutrition. Pollen is a complex material providing food (proteins etc.) for
young brood. A shortage of pollen will cause a hive to decrease in bee population and eventually cause the death of the
colony.
● The pollen grain is the male part of the fertilizing unit.

● When pollen is gathered from the flower of the collecting bee gets much of the pollen all over the body hairs. This is
scrapped off using a comb and rake on the legs. At the same time the pollen is mixed with a small amount of nectar
used by the bee to pack the pollen in the pollen baskets.
● The pollen grain has a strong coating to protect the nucleus and its nutritive matter inside from all sorts of extreme
environments thus the existence of fossilized pollen grains which allow the identification of plant species that grew
many millennia ago.
● Pollen is a source of protein and varies in two ways:
First -- Total protein content is calculated by measuring the amounts of nitrogen in the sample. This is referred to as
"crude protein."
Second -- The amino acid content of pollen varies from one plant species to another. Some pollens provide a balance
of amino acids ideally suited to the bee's requirements while other pollens are missing one or more of the amino acids
and thus are of limited value to the honey bee.
● Pollen supplies minerals, vitamins and some fats for the bee's diet.
● Pollen has only a small amount of carbohydrate and thus is not a source of energy for adult bees. Honey is a
carbohydrate and thus it provides adult honey bees with the energy to fly and exist.
● Fresh pollen has the highest level of nutritive value. Once stored it begins to deteriorate. If you are collecting pollen
and want it to be viable for the longest period of time, you should freeze dry it.
● Air dried pollen must be kept in air-tight containers and not exposed to moisture. Otherwise, pollen will develop a
musty smell and mold will grow in it.
● Bees will compact pollen in cells with their heads. This pollen is often covered with honey and capped over. It is then
used by the bees when needed.
● Pollen grains of the same species and of closely related species tend to be alike and the degree of their similarity is a
measure of the closeness of relationship.
Some Scanning electron microscope images of pollen. These images were taken from Pollen Grains of Canadian Honey
Plants published by the Canadian Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food which has one of the best guides to pollen
identification that I have seen.
Two views are shown in each set of photographs. The left side photos show the end view of a grain of pollen. The
right side views are side views of a grain of pollen. Pollen grains vary in shape, size, and various features.
These are examples from the family
Acer Better known as Maple
Cichorium Better known as chicory

honey and pollen
Helianthus Better known as sunflower
The price of this book when purchased was $57.00 U.S. when purchased in 1995. I do not know if the book is still in
print. One might try:
Canada Communications Group -- Publishing Ottawa, Canada K1A OS9
If you are serious about this topic and want to identify pollen grains with a microscope, this book is invaluable.
Canada and the United States make limited use of pollen grain analysis because pollen content is mot part of the
honey grading regulations. However, Europe, the Middle East and Asia do examine lots of imported honey. Thus if
selling honey for foreign trade, if a honey is listed as clover, it must contain a percentage of clover pollen grains of
more than 70%.
Pollen Grains in Honey
Have any of you watched Forensic Files on TV? There is a science of identifying pollen grains found in almost any sample that might
be examined. The pollen helps the scientist understand where the pollen grains originated. This can get very exact -- Almost down to
the exact geographic location.
This is a sample of pollen in honey.
This honey sample has three different identifiable pollen grains in it plus some additional
particles which can be found in honey. It is 1/3 sunflower (Helianthus), 1/3 basswood (Tilia),
and 1/3 Rape (Brassica).
What are some other things found in honey?
● bee parts
● soot from the smoker fuel
● yeast
● algae
● fungal spores
● bacterial spores
● in fact, anything the honey can come into contact with. Even diatoms from filters used by commercial firms to filter honey.
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What you need to start!

What you need to start! Part I The Beekeeper
Back
Part I A beekeeper (One who keeps bees) (Could be you!)
I have often been amazed at the number of reasons given for a person to
keep bees. I don't attempt to tell you why you should keep bees. It
has been an individual decision and it will always remain an individual
decision. However, I must warn you about a common aliment that
many persons have when they start beekeeping -- it is called bee fever.
Bee Fever
I do not want to offend anyone when I discuss this topic. Beekeeping can be exciting and
exhilarating. Even those of us who have kept bees for many years have bee fever because we
have stuck with it for so long. It affects individuals in various degrees. Serious cases end with
the beekeeper loosing connection with reality. We hope you have some bee fever but we do not
want you to carry it to excess. How do you spot someone with a serious case of bee fever?
● They talk bees day in and day out.

● They dream bees day in and day out.
● They think of quitting a job in order to take up beekeeping full time.
● They place God, spouse, and kids behind bees. (It does get this serious).
● Bee fever is the greatest danger of beekeeping. It can make an idiot out of the best
intentioned person.
There are several things which also determine who should have bees and keep bees.
● Who can and should consider beekeeping!
Nearly everyone with an interest in honey bees. Honey bees are fantastic insects. The are among a few
insects which are managed by man for fun and profit. Honey bees are extremely useful as pollinators
and anyone with an orchard could benefit by keeping them.
● Who should not keep bees!
Anyone who has an allergic reaction to bee stings (This is a general recommendation) I know of at least
one who has a great love for bees and has over come the disadvantage by taking treatments for the
allergic reaction from a medical doctor. He still carries a sting kit which can be purchased easily and
wears protective clothing at all times when working with his bees. If you love bees and want to keep
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them and have reactions to the sting, I would suggest you talk to your doctor and find out who the
doctor would recommend for allergy treatments.
What you will need:
We will discuss each of these items as the course proceeds but you can use this list as a check list
to see if you have everything you need before getting any bees.
For yourself:
● A bee smoker
● A bee veil
● A hive tool
● Possibly a bee suit but clothing to protect you from stings.
● Bee gloves
For the bees: (required for each hive)
● A bottom board (solid or screened)

● Entrance reducer
● A hive deep hive body *Many beekeepers keep bees in two deep boxes.
● Shallow or Medium honey supers (count on at least 3 or 4 per hive)
● Frames to fit the hive bodies and supers (Could use all plastic frames)
● Foundation for the frames (either wax or plastic) (not needed if you use all plastic frames
with foundation)
● A feeder of some type
● Inner cover
● Top cover
Incidental equipment (Equipment you may desire but can get along without)
● Queen excluder
● Queen and drone traps
● Hive stands
● Slatted Rack
● Bee Brush
● Hive carrier
● Uncapping knife
● Honey extractor (This is highly desirable and if you keep many colonies of bees you will
at some point benefit by having one)
And -- the bees!

We will also discuss the various way bees are purchased and how to manage them.



Good Neighbor Guidelines
Back
"A good fence makes good neighbors" was a line in a poem written by Robert Frost. If you live in the city you
may not be able to build a fence due to lot restrictions or ordinances. The threat of bee stings has been on the
general public's mind since headlines in our newspapers and news stories on television warn of the dire
consequences of the sting of the "African honey bee." They don't call it an African honey bee. They call it the
"killer Bee!" Many people perceive this as "all bees are killer bees! Once this mind-set has occurred, there is
little you can do to change it. But there are things you can do to educate your neighbors about your bees and
there are things you as a beekeeper can do to prevent or reduce neighbors dislike for honey bees.
Educating your neighbors
● Prepare a factual report on the worth of the honey bee as a pollinator. Remind your neighbors that the
honey bee produces "honey." Also let them know that there is a difference in the bees you keep and
the "Killer Bee" they have heard so much about from news stories.
● Invite them over for a visit and if you have a VCR show a brief video on honey bees. Your public
library may have what you want or you may ask them to order one. Most libraries try to meet public
demand for materials. The other option is to purchase a video. There are two good ones that I own and
share with school children as well as adults. The first is: Buzzin' Bees produced in 1991 by: Avatar
Entertainment, Inc and distributed by: Mntex Entertainment, Inc. of Prior Lake, Mn. 1991. The
second video is: Bees produced in 1995 and distributed by Diamond Entertainment Corporation of
Anaheim, California. Both are entertaining and informative for beekeepers and non beekeeper.
● Give your neighbors a jar of honey.
Beekeeping Practices or procedures to follow:
● Place your hives well away from any lot line or occupied building. The placement of hives on your
property is very important. I read old bee magazines and it seems many beekeepers of years ago found
that placing bees where the flight path crossed a path that humans or horse were sure to use was bound
to cause a reaction from those who used the path. The truth is people still care if bees are flying in and
through the space they use. It is your job as a beekeeper to locate your hive in such a way that this does
not happen.
● Erect a barrier of some kind between your neighbors and your bees. This could be a fence, dense
shrubs, or in some cases if possible, keeping the bees on a roof.
● Provide a near by water source for your bees. A water source might consist of a tub of water filled with
rocks so the bees do not drown as they land to take up water. If your bees begin to use this water source
immediate after you get your bees, you will not be faced with irate neighbors who own swimming pools
or hot tubs. This is a real potential problem and a court case in Ohio ruled bees to be a public
nuisance. The beekeeper maintained that he should be able to keep what-ever he wanted on his
property. The court ruled that he did not! By the way, the bees were visiting the neighbors pond and
thus deprived the neighbor of enjoying his property.
● Work your bees during times that the neighbors are not out in their yards.
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● Avoid creating a situation for robbing bees. Do not expose honey or sugar water to where the bees can
get to it. Reduce the entrance of weak hives so the hive can defend itself against other bees.
● Work very hard to prevent swarming. Bees in a swarm just reinforce what the news stories tell people
about bees. The air is filled with bees seeking another home. People who see this react in some very
unusual ways.
● Keep no more than three hives of bees on a city lot. If you want more bees, look for a place to keep
them. There are a number of farmers and others who would be delighted to have you put bees on "their
place."
● Immediately requeen any hive of bees that becomes aggressive. Aggressiveness is a genetic
characteristic and it should not be tolerated by the beekeeper or by the neighbors. A queen from a
gentle line of bees will make beekeeping fun and safe for your neighbors to use their yards.
● Accept the fact that your bees may cause problems. It is your job to limit these problems. Today is a
time when people are eager to file law suits. Law suits can be expensive even if you win! Be prepared
to move your bees to another location where they are accepted and wanted.
And that fence! It is not a bad idea.
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Part II Getting started

Part II Getting started Equipment
Back The Standard 10 frame Langstroth Bee Hive
If your browser does not allow hot spots, then you can click on the following pages individually to see the same items as linked on the
picture above. Top cover and inner cover Honey Supers Queen excluders Brood chamber Frames Bottom board
Protective equipment
We would like to thank the Walter T. Kelley Co., Inc. for being able to use this picture of a complete bee hive. They sell some of the
best bee equipment you will find. Contact them at www.kelleybees.com. This picture contains what are called hot spots by web page
writers. Get more information by clicking on the hive parts. We have tried to include various terms and fact regarding the parts of a
hive body.
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Part II Getting started
The basic hive shown in this picture has been around for about 150 years. It has proven to be simple, rather inexpensive, and widely
adapted in the United States. However, in your bee reading or discussion, you may come across others talking about 8 frame hives
and jumbo hives. These were popular in the past but less so today. Most bee supply dealers will sell only 10 frame
equipment.
Protective equipment and Tools for the beekeeper. Click here to view and read about protective equipment and tools a person needs
to take care of honey bees.
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frames

Frames
Previous page
Frames are used in a bee hive to hold the wax comb. This comb is build on some type of foundation by the bees. Honey
bees will build comb in a frame without foundation but it will not be straight and perfect like we are accustomed to seeing
in a bee hive. Many states require that bee hives be easily inspected and this requires frames with no cross comb.
We would recommend that the beekeeper buy his/her frames rather than try to make them. The purchased frames fit neatly together and are
uniform from one frame to the next. Again, you may want to sell your equipment at some time and homemade frames could cost you a sell. I
believe you can buy them cheaper than you can make them.
Frames will vary in size. It depends upon the depth of the hive body they are going to place in. Frames are sold as:
● Shallow frames These frames will fit a standard shallow super of 5 3/4 inch depth. All frames have the same size top bar and
bottom bar. The end bars will determine the height of the frame. The shallow end bar is 5 3/8 inches from top to bottom. We need to
let you know that there are top bars with removable wedge bars and top bars with a grove cut into them for plastic foundation. There
are also special order top bars available for the individual who wants a slotted top bar to produce cut comb honey. Bottom bars are of
two types -- Solid and divided with a variation being solid with a grove to accept plastic foundation. We will discuss these top bars and
bottom bars later on this page.
● Medium frames These frames are designed to fit the standard medium super of 6 5/8 inch depth. The medium end bar is 6 5/8
inches from top to bottom.
● Deep frames These frames are designed to fit the standard deep super of 9 9/16 inch depth. The deep end bar is 9 1/8 inch from
top to bottom.
When ordering frames, the beekeeper needs to know several things.
● What kind of foundation am I going to be using? (wax or plastic)

● What am I going to use the foundation for? (comb honey? brood comb? extracted honey?)
● Will I need to wire the frames to give the comb additional support?
● Will I need an imbedder melt the wax foundation onto my support wire?
● And oh! yes, you need nails. Are they included with the frames? If you have an air stapler, the job is quicker and easier.
Foundation
Foundation is the wax or plastic base on which the bees build the comb. Just like a house, if you have a good foundation, then everything will
be square and your house will be sound. With bees building comb, the same applies. If the foundation is good, then the comb will be drawn
out well. If the foundation has holes in it, then the comb built on the foundation will not look so great and will not be as good -- bees like to
build drone comb into such openings.
● Wax foundation
If you are new to beekeeping you may be perplexed to find that their are many different choices when it comes
to buying wax foundation. Regardless of the size of frames you have, you will have choices such as: plain
foundation (not wired), brood foundation - wired and not wired, thin foundation for comb honey and a few
others. You need to decide on foundation before you select your frames or select foundation that will fit your
frames.
● Plastic foundation
Plastic foundation is preferred by some beekeepers and despised by other. It can be purchased in white or
black. It is not made for shallow frames at the present time. It can not be used if you plan on comb honey. It
does offer some of the following advantages: 1) fast and easy to put into frames, 2) wax moths can not destroy it,
3) mice do not eat through the mid-rib of the plastic, 4) black plastic foundation allows one to see eggs the queen
has laid much better than any other comb, 5) If the bees do not do a good job of building comb, the old comb
can be scrapped off and the plastic sheet used again (a power washer does a neat job of cleaning them up), and
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frames
finally, 6) the plastic foundation can be bought as a complete unit with the frame molded into one unit including
the foundation -- no need to build anything at all. It is ready to be put into the hive. We will discuss
management techniques later in the course.
Some general comments about frames:
● Many commercial beekeepers use wooden frames with a slot in the top bar and the bottom bar to accept plastic foundation. The
plastic foundation is just snapped into place. No wiring is required and when extracting the comb, there are no blow-outs.
● If one uses wax foundation and fails to use wire to support the wax, the following could happen: 1) when extracting new comb, the comb
may be thrown out of the frame (a blow out), the comb could sag in hot weather, or the comb may buckle in the frame and be wavy not
straight.
● When one mixes wood frames and plastic frames, the bees seem to build burr comb on the plastic frames.
● It takes more time to build frames, insert wire supports, and insert foundation than any other beekeeping project.
● Wood frames should be glued at all joints and 10 nails used to nail the frame together. See the diagram below.
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bottom board

Bottom Board and Entrance Reducer
Previous Page
Bottom boards serve a very useful function in a bee hive. It is the landing area and floor of the hive. When buying or
building a bottom board, the beekeeper is faced with several choices. An entrance reducer is used during the winter to
prevent mice and cold air from entering the hive. These are made of wood or metal. An entrance reducer design is
included below following the design of the bottom board.
● Solid bottom board
This has been the standard for years. Purchased bottom boards are going to be very much alike. They will have a shallow side and a
deep side. The deep side has traditionally been used for winter with a entrance reducer installed at the entrance to keep out mice and
cold windy air. 75 years ago a beekeeper would be expected to reverse the bottom board to the shallow side for summer and some bee
books still teach that method. It was a good practice because the beekeeper would be cleaning the deep side of bees that dropped to the
bottom board during the cold winter season and turn it down so the bottom summer side was up and gave the bees a very clean floor.
Over time we have become a bit lazy and most beekeepers no longer flip the bottom board over. To clean the bottom board, these
beekeepers either just let the bees do it or resort to a homemade cleaner such as a cloths hanger folded into the shape of a hook which
reaches deep into the hive and the hook is then drawn forward, pulling out the debris and dead bees.
● Screened bottom board
The screened bottom board has been around for several years. It was developed to allow varroa mites to drop thru the screen
rather than land on the solid bottom and then crawl back up into the hive which they do. Those who have used them claim very
good results with varroa mites. They are now being sold commercially but you could build one just as easily. It is important to
remember that this type of bottom board has another working piece which completes it use. That is a sliding sheet of either
metal or plywood which is used as a solid bottom during the winter to block drafts of air from reaching the bees. This is slid in
to the bottom board in the fall and removed in the late spring. You can build a screen bottom board much like you would a
regular bottom board with the exception that an opening must be cut into the bottom and covered with hardware cloth (not
window screen wire).
You have more options if building your own bottom board. Many years ago, Dr. C.C. Miller advocated the use of deep bottoms with a slatted
rack to help prevent swarming and over heating during hot summers. He described his bottom board as a plain box, two inches deep open at
one end. Other comments he made: "With such a bottom board there is a space two inches deep under the bottom bars, a very nice thing in
winter." "I leave the deep side up summer and winter." "I shove under the bottom bars a bottom rack. I value this bottom rack highly. It
prevents building down and at the same times gives the bees nearly the full benefit of the deep space, preventing over heating in hot weather,
thus serving as no small factor in the prevention of swarming. It also saves the labor of lifting the hive off the bottom board to reverse the
bottom board and then lifting the hive back again, spring and fall." From Fifty Years Among the Bees.
Plans for building your own bottom board are shown below. This shows a bottom board that will look like a purchased bottom board. We would
recommend that construction because if you want to resell your equipment, it will certainly be more desirable to prospective buyers.
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bottom board

bottom board

deep hive body

Deep Hive Body
Previous Page
Hive boxes are call hive bodies or supers. When used to hold brood they are referred to as brood chambers. Brood chambers can be any size
box. One could keep bees in all shallow, medium, or deep boxes. However, the most commonly used set up would use a deep hive body or two
deep hive bodies for a brood chamber. A beekeeper begins to develop his/her beekeeping style when selecting the type of brood chamber he/she
will use.
In the Southern part of the United States, one will find a deep brood chamber in use with a shallow or medium super above it for the queen to
lay eggs. This is adequate. However, in the North, the bees will need approximately 90 pounds of surplus honey to make it thru the winter
season. Thus, the popularity of two deep hive bodies used as a brood chamber. One brood chamber is not quite large enough to keep a viable
queen producing over 60,000 worker bees. We have seen problems when a student buys a starter set ( These are sold as beekeeping starter sets
and include smoker, bee veil, hive tool, boardman feeder, one deep box, frames, foundation, top cover, bottom board and inner cover.) The
problem is that only one hive body is included in the set. It will do well for a short period of time after a package of bees is introduced into it
but the population of bees literally explodes and as the population grows, the bees need more room. This is fixed by adding more hive bodies
(supers). If the supers are not added, the hive and the queen will swarm. (more on that later)
The general dimensions of a brood box will vary according to bee supply manufacture design. Some boxes will have a space above the frames
(called a bee space) and some will have the bee space below the frames. 3/8 of an inch may not seem like much, but it can cause trouble. Mixing
boxes with the space at the top with boxes with the space at the bottom creates a problem for the beekeeper. If such an event should occur as
much as 3/4 of an inch could be left between two hive bodies. This is not good! Why? Because the bees will build burr comb in the space
between the two boxes with 3/4 inch space. On the other hand, when two boxes leave no bee space at all, the bees will use propolis to glue the
hive bodies together. When buying hive bodies, try to purchase all hive bodies from the same bee supplier. Also realize that hive bodies are
sold in different grades. #1 is a box without knots. Commercial boxes will have some tight knots and budget boxes will have larger knots.
There is a big price difference between #1 and budget boxes. Also check what wood is used to make the boxes. Many are made from Ponderosa
Pine and I have noticed that many bee suppliers do not state which wood the hives are made from. Just one, Rossmans Apiaries of Moultrie,
Georgia have made hive bodies from quality Cypress for a long period of time. One of the best bee boxes ever made was made by the A.I. Root
Company but they no longer make their own boxes.
The deep hive body:
When buying hive bodies, they are KD. KD stands for knocked down. This means you must nail them together and add the hardware in order
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deep hive body
to use it. The ends of the hive body have rabbets cut into them for frames to rest. This rabbet is usually equipped with a metal frame rest.
Usually 10 frames are used in a brood chamber. However, some beekeepers will use 9 frames. We will discuss Stoller Frame Spacers when we
get to honey supers.
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Queen excluder

Queen Excluder
Previous Page
A queen excluder is a device used above the brood chamber through which worker bees can
pass but because queens and drones are larger -- are excluded. Queen excluders are made of
various metals or plastic. The proper way to place a queen excluder on a hive is with the
support wires on the bottom side of the queen excluder.
We have checked various catalogs for available queen excluders. We have found several that we would like to
share with you.
We would like to thank

Dadant & Sons, Inc. for
using this photo from
their catalog. You can
purchase beekeeping
items from Dadant &
Sons, Inc. by visiting
their web site:
www.dadant.com
● Wood bound queen excluders have been around for many years. Wood bound queen excluders are
precision wire grids enclosed in a wood frame. The cost of a wood bound queen excluder is higher than
other queen excluders. The wood rim around the excluder protects the wire from being bent and
provides some protection to the spacing between the wires. All queen excluders should be handled with
care. If the space between just one set of wires is accidentally increased the queen may find a path into
the honey supers above. The major problem with wood bound queen excluders is that the wood will
eventually rot out at one of the corners or break by prying the excluder off a hive body with a hive tool
or pry bar.
● Metal bound queen excluders are usually preferred by commercial beekeepers. They are sturdy, take
less room to store, and last a long time.
● Zinc or plastic queen excluders -- We could find only one firm selling zinc queen excluders and only in
lots of 100. The cost is not much less than the metal bound queen excluder. Zinc queen excluders are
fragile, get bent easily, and are sometimes difficult to remove from a hive. The center of the excluder
sags and often is glued to the frames below the excluder.
● Plastic queen excluders -- A firm selling a plastic excluder describes it this way: The plastic excluder is
flexible, durable plastic. It has a rough and smooth side and must be used with smooth side up. Easy to
clean and corrosion proof. We would like to add from our own experience with a few plastic excluder
which we have disposed of. Our experience -- queen excluder broke easily in cold weather, they were
more difficult to clean than metal, and it is possible that our plastic excluders were not as flexible and
durable as the ones described in this catalog. They are much less expensive than metal when initially
purchased, but we feel they were the most costly because they only lasted a season or two.
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Queen excluder
Why is there such a controversy concerning the use of queen excluders?
Some queen excluders are called honey excluders by some beekeepers. It is true that bees must
be crowded in the brood chamber before moving up through the wires of a queen excluder.
Some bees seem very reluctant to pass through queen excluders.
Queen excluders are mandatory if the beekeeper is producing comb honey for sale. One thing
that a beekeeper does not want in comb honey is dark comb. Dark comb is created from the
cocoon of pupa raised in the cells and excessive travel stain. Bees also store pollen in comb
around brood. Good comb honey is characterized by having no pollen stored in the cells, being
made of new wax comb which is easy to digest, and capped over honey with no travel stain.
Thus, every effort must be made to keep the queen from entering the comb honey super and
depositing eggs in the cells of the comb.
If the beekeeper is managing bees for extracted honey, the decision to use or not use excluders is
up to the techniques used by the beekeeper. Without a queen excluder, a queen might be found
anywhere in a hive. This is okay if the beekeeper does not remove brood along with honey
supers when extracting time comes. Often during the cycle of producing honey crops, the bees
will store honey above the brood nest and by late summer, the queen will move down into the
lower brood chamber thus leaving only honey above. However, the queens don't know the rules
and sometimes don't listen to me.
One of the more interesting uses of a queen excluder is using it to locate a queen. The fact that
eggs hatch in three days is useful in the following management technique. If one must find the
queen and almost every effort has failed to that point, the beekeeper can place a queen excluder
between hive bodies and wait four days. After four days have past, the beekeeper only need to
examine the box or boxes with eggs to look for the queen. Eliminate the boxes without eggs.
This is also a technique which can be used prior to splitting a hive of bees. In that case, it is not
necessary to actually see the queen. The hive body with eggs is set aside -- it already has a
queen and the box without eggs can then receive a new queen. More on that later when we
discuss splitting hives for increases.
The use of queen excluders require more management of the hive. Because the brood chamber
might become crowded, the bees will be more likely to swarm. Bees tend to store a great deal of
honey in the brood chamber below a queen excluder -- much more than they will need. This
reduces the number of cells available for eggs. Crowding is one factor which encourages
swarming behavior of bees.
Use of queen excluders From Beekeeping 201 Lesson Ten
This is a controversial subject. Should you use queen excluders? It will depend upon your point
of view. We would suggest that if you are having trouble with bees carrying nectar (honey) up
into the honey supers above a queen excluder that you examine the beekeeping techniques you
are using. A queen needs open cells to lay eggs in. If they are not available, then the bees are
going to swarm. What happens if bees do not carry honey into honey supers above the queen
excluder -- they will store the honey in the brood chamber and eventually the hive becomes
honey bound. The queen has no place to lay eggs and the bees swarm.

Queen excluder
The beekeeper must examine hives during nectar flows to determine what the bees are doing
with the nectar. If they are storing the honey below the queen excluder, the beekeeper must
either remove the queen excluder or develop a plan to open up the brood chamber so the queen
has room to lay eggs.
● I have used queen excluders successfully.. However, my method of beekeeping is not for
everyone. I have a large number of bees and sell queens and packages. We use a swarm
control technique that will work for the person wanting to increase the number of hives
they have or the person who wants to sell bees. Our technique is simple. We use a single
deep brood chamber with a queen excluder above it. We then put our honey supers
above the queen excluder. The ten deep frames in the brood chamber are adequate for
a queen to produce a lot of brood but we prevent swarming by moving a frame of brood
from the brood chamber every week or two and replace the removed frame with a frame
of new foundation. By taking only one frame, we open up the brood area for bees to
build new cells and the queen has a place to lay eggs. If the bees are putting honey into
the outside frames of this brood chamber, we remove them as well.
● A technique a person could use that did not want to build up new hives with the removed
frames is to use a double deep brood chamber with a queen excluder above the first deep
box. The beekeeper could then move frames full of brood into the box above the queen
excluder and replace the removed frame with an empty frame of comb or a new frame as
we do. Using this method the beekeeper would be taking advantage of a super large
population of bees to gather a honey crop.
● If the beekeeper is not particular about brood in honey supers -- it makes the cells dark
and difficult to uncap at times, the beekeeper may want to avoid queen excluders
altogether. This requires the beekeeper to check honey supers for capped and uncapped
brood when removing supers from the hive. Queens may also be accidentally killed when
the supers are removed as well. The queen could be anywhere in a hive without a queen
excluder.
● If the beekeeper does use queen excluders, the beekeeper will need to watch for swarm
cells during the season -- even more so than the person who just goes out and stacks a lot
of supers on a hive. With room to roam, the queen will develop her brood nest upward
and with the extra room will be less likely to develop the swarm impulse.

shallow honey super

Honey Supers
Previous Page
Honey Supers
Honey supers fall into a number of categories:
● The standard shallow super

● The medium (sometimes called Illinois) super
● The traditional comb honey super
● The Ross Round - TM super
● The Hogg Half Comb Honey super
● The cut comb honey super
● The deep honey super
All of the supers shown below come from the various catalogs we have received for 2003 They all have online
web sites and are valuable sites to visit. See www.dadant.com www.mannlakeltd.com and
www.kelleybees.com
The shallow or medium honey super
This picture is from the Walter T. Kelly Catalog for 2003. www.kelleybees.com
The shallow super is 5 3/4" deep. It takes a shallow frame 5 1/2". It will hold approximately 30 pounds of
honey when all comb is drawn out and filled. For those who do not like lifting the large deep super or heavier
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shallow honey super
medium supers full of honey, this super would be fine. One will need to use these for the honey supers and not
the brood chamber. Often one can find a beekeeper that uses a deep super with a shallow super for the brood
chamber. This is true especially in the southern warmer areas of the U.S. I do not know of any beekeepers
using just shallow supers for both honey supers and brood chambers; however, I don't see why it would not
work.
The cost for a shallow super is going to be just a dollar or two less than the cost of a medium
super. The cost of the frames would be the same regardless of the depth of the end bars.
Shallow supers seem to be preferred over other sizes for cut comb honey. They also require one
horizontal wire for supporting the foundation rather than two or more required in the larger
frames.
The choice for foundation is more limited. At the time that I put this topic together, plastic
frames with foundation were not available in the shallow size. One can buy wax foundation in
all the various varieties such as wired or unwired, thin, brood and special cut comb foundation
in which the cells are larger than brood cells.
The Medium Super
The medium super is 6 5/8" deep. It is attractive for a number of reasons. It will hold approximately 40
pounds of honey when all comb is drawn out and filled. For those who do not like lifting the large deep super,
this is a good compromise. In fact, the "Bee Lady," Florence Beathard of Columbus, Ohio recommends this for
anyone who has trouble lifting heavy weights especially those of us who are older. Three medium hives will
equal the same hive size as two deep hives. We know of a number of beekeepers who use nothing but medium
hive bodies for both the brood chamber and honey supers. It holds more honey than a shallow super.
The medium super is sometimes called an Illinois depth super. So if you hear someone talking about Illinois
supers you know they are talking about medium depth supers.
The cost for a medium super is not much more than the cost of a shallow super. Regardless of
the frames you buy, they cost the same for any depth of super. Remember that it takes just as
much time to build a shallow frame as it does a medium or deep frame and for the cost you are
getting about 1/5 to 1/4 more honey with the same labor by using medium supers than shallow
supers.
The beekeeper also has access to many of the choices in foundation found offered for deep
supers. One can buy wired medium foundation, medium brood foundation (not wired), thin cut
comb foundation, and plastic foundation in the medium size. Plastic frames in the medium size
are also available.
One clear advantage of having all medium supers is everything would be standard throughout.
All frames would be of one size and completely interchangeable from one box to the next. All
boxes would be of one size. All heights of supers would be uniform in size. This is important if
moving hives of bees and the hives must be stacked one on top of another as commercial
beekeeper do when moving bees by the truck load. However, commercial beekeepers would
most likely be using deep supers. The deep super will hold approximately 60 pounds of honey.
The commercial guy doesn't have to worry too much about lifting -- they have equipment to do
the lifting.
The Traditional Comb honey super

shallow honey super
This is the traditional 4 3/4 inch comb honey super. It will hold 28 sections in
which the bees store about 12 oz. of honey. Many of these are available as used
equipment. The basswood section boxes are popular with the buying public but are being replaced by the Ross
Round Plastic sections described below. We checked several of these catalogs and only found the basswood
sections in the Kelly catalog. I remember when they bought the equipment of A.I. Root a few years back to
manufacture these boxes.
Comments: The wood basswood sections must be put together. They are sold flat and the beekeeper must wet
the "V" grooves at each bend to prevent breakage. This is a good winter job. If the separators are not used the
section boxes are not filled uniformly with some boxes having comb extending out beyond the edges of the box
and the section boxes will be hard to fit into the cartons. Also each section box will vary considerably in weight.
I am sure others can supply them. The parts to this honey super include:
● The super
● Flat tins which hold the sections holders in the box
● Section holders
● Section honey boxes
● Super springs
● Separators
● Thin wax foundation (comb honey foundation)
● And something to market the basswood section honey (Window cartons are available)
❍ A note about the window cartons: People can not resist the temptation to poke their finger at
the comb honey inside the carton. Sometimes this causes damage to the cappings and lets honey
drip or bleed from the damaged cells.
The Ross Round - TM honey super
This comb honey super is becoming popular and has resulted in

the shift by many suppliers because beekeepers find less labor
involved in getting this super ready for the honey crop and it is
enclosed in a plastic protective cover which prevents leaking of the
honey inside. The parts to this honey super are:
● The super If you do not buy the super, you can adapt other honey supers to hold the plastic section
frames. A conversion kit is sold.
● Section frames which are plastic
● Section rings (plastic)
● Section covers (plastic - either clear or opaque)
● Thin wax foundation (comb honey foundation)
● Labels for the sections

shallow honey super
It is popular because it doesn't require the time to put together as the basswood sections. The section frames
can be reused and once the initial cost is out of the way, the rings and covers can be purchased separately. A
super will hold 32 sections and each will weigh about 8 oz. each. However, the selling price is about the same as
the wood sections.
The Hogg -TM Half comb honey super
This picture is from the Mann Lake Ltd. 2003 catalog. www.mannlakeltd.com
The Hogg half comb honey super is another comb honey system. It compares in start up price with the other
comb honey systems. It is a modular comb honey system in which modules (one -piece plastic cassettes interlock
to form self-supporting columns of individual comb honey sections) are placed into the honey super.
Conversion kits are sold to convert standard shallow supers to hold the plastic modular boxes. What you need:
● A half comb honey super or conversion kit.

● 40 modular cassettes and lids
● labels
Comments: This system requires no thin wax foundation. The bees build wax on the embossed plastic on the
back of the cassette which is coated with a spray cover of beeswax. It requires no separators and no assembly as
the other two system thus it is very fast to put together. The boxes are square much like the wooden basswood
sections and can be stacked easily. The major use of the product is unlike the other two in that it is only 1/2 of a
comb. The user must spoon the wax and honey from the cassette. This might be considered an advantage but I
like to pick up the product and chew on it to get the honey. It is not possible to cut the wax comb out of the
cassette, put it into a dish, and use it in the traditional fashion. On the plus side, it is not as messy and the
cassette is a handy way to serve the honey in the comb.
The cut comb honey super
This picture is from the Mann Lake Ltd. 2003 catalog. www.mannlakeltd.com
Many beekeepers dispense will all the special conversions required to produce
comb honey in boxes, rings or cassettes. Producing comb honey is an exacting
skill and failure in poorly filled containers has always been part of producing a
comb honey crop. Special management skills are required and it usually takes several seasons before complete
success is achieved. For the beginning beekeeper and the beekeeper who doesn't want to invest a great deal of
money in producing comb honey, this is mostly the best choice. First it requires very little different than regular
extracted honey. You can use either standard shallow supers or medium supers. You would need to build the
frames just like the extracted frame. The major difference is you would use thin wax foundation rather than
brood or wire foundation. As the comb honey producer you can also use the comb in what is called chunk
honey bottles. Chunk honey is simply a strip of comb honey placed in a honey jar and then filled with honey. It

shallow honey super
makes a nice product and is popular with the buying public. If you like the idea of comb honey, you can
market cut comb honey in square comb honey containers which are designed just for that purpose. These
containers are readily available.
To produce cut comb honey, you will need a cutting board for the excess honey to drip from the wax and a firm
surface to cut or use a special comb cutter to remove the comb from the frame. The Kelley Company
www.kelleybees.com sell a nice comb slicing pan which we have used with delight to cut the comb. It has a
perforated stainless steel tray that is fit into a stainless bottom tray. The honey drips through the holes in the
steel tray into the bottom tray. Once enough honey has collected in the bottom tray, it can be poured into a
glass jar. Thus you can have cut comb honey in containers and chunk honey in bottles. The poorer capped
comb can be used in the chunk honey bottles.
What you need:
● Standard honey super -- shallow or medium

● Standard frames to fit the above
● Thin wax foundation
● A knife, comb cutter, surface to cut on or stainless steel tray
● Comb honey containers
● Labels to market your product
The deep honey super , Standard shallow, and Medium super for extracted honey
This picture is from the Dadant 2003 catalog.
www.dadant.com
The large majority of beekeepers produce bottled honey. The honey is extracted from
the comb by using a device called an extractor. Because of the force of gravity on the
comb, it is necessary to wire frames to prevent damage to the comb. One can also buy
reinforced comb which is called "wired". Wired comb is foundation which has wire embedded into the wax at
the factory. Because it is wired, don't assume that it does not need to be cross wired in the frame. Often the
force on the side of a full comb of honey in the extractor is very great. The result is a blow out -- the comb is
thrown out of the frame completely. To prevent damage to comb used in an extractor we suggest that deep
frames have four cross wires, medium and shallow frames have at least two cross wires. Another choice in
foundation is the introduction of a complete plastic frame with plastic foundation (no labor required for
assembly) or plastic foundation inserted in wood frames. You have the choice of several products. We would
also like to point out that a shallow super will weigh about 40 pounds to lift when full of honey (about 30 pounds
of that weight is honey), a medium super will weigh about 50 pounds to lift when full of honey (about 40 pounds
of that weight is honey) and a deep super will weigh about 70 pounds to lift when full of honey (about 60 pounds
of that weight is honey). Commercial beekeepers often use deep supers for honey supers because everything is
interchangeable, they have equipment to handle them, and less investment in number of boxes needed. It cost
just as much to buy shallow frames as it does deep frames. It takes two times as much labor to build shallow
frames than deep frames to get an equal amount of honey. It also takes two times the amount of time to handle
the shallow supers at extracting time. We consider deep honey supers not suitable for the hobby beekeeper
because of the weight but that is a decision for the beekeeper to make not us.
Comments: In our experience, bees draw real wax foundation faster than they do plastic coated with wax.

shallow honey super
However, the plastic foundation does have some advantages.
● It does not require wiring in the frame (You need to buy frames with slotted top bars and slotted bottom
bars).
● It requires much less labor to put into the frames. It just snaps into place.
● Wax moth and mice can not destroy the mid rib made of plastic and thus the frame and plastic
foundation can be reused by cleaning up the frame. We use a high pressure water device to do this.
Plastic should never be subjected to high heat such as boiling in water.
● It can be purchased as white or black. Black makes it easy to see newly laid eggs.
● If the bees do a poor job of drawing the foundation out, it can be scrapped and given back to the bees to
do over again.
● For a beekeeper who does not want to invest in a honey extractor and has only a super or two of honey
to harvest, we found a beekeeper with an ingenious idea of getting the honey out of the plastic frames.
He took his hive tool and like a chisel, pealed the honey and wax into a large bowl. He had both comb
and honey. He later figured that he would like to separate the wax from the honey so he simply
strained the honey and wax through a nylon sock (I think he used one of his wife's old socks). He then
took what was left in the sock and hung it up for the bees to rob out. He was left with wax after a few
day which he then boiled out of the sock and recovered. He reused the frames with the plastic
foundation the next year. One could not tell they had been a year old. The bees reworked them by
building new comb on the old foundation.
Back to top of the page




covers top inner

Top Cover / inner cover
Previous page
A bee hive needs a roof. It also needs some way to ventilate the moisture given off by the bees.
The topic of top covers seems so cut and dried but it isn't. New beekeepers are faced with an
array of terms and choices when selecting top covers/inner covers. So lets take a look at the
topic:
Top covers/inner covers
● As shown in the photo -- A traditional top cover and inner cover Our recommendation would be to
follow in the traditional beekeeping practice.
The traditional top cover is called a telescoping cover. It fits down around the sides of the upper
most super on the hive approximately 2 inches providing protection to the bees from the
weather. The top wood covering is covered with metal to protect the wood from the weather.
The bottom sides of the cover are exposed to the weather and need to be well painted to last.
The inner cover used with this top cover is located directly below the telescoping cover. It has a
hole in the center to allow moisture from within the hive body to escape. Ventilation during
winter is extremely important. If not for ventilation within the hive during cold winter
condition, one would find the moisture released by the bees condensing producing frost and /or
creating moisture droplets that would fall back onto the cluster. This would prove deadly for
the bees. Since warm air rises, it would pass through the hole in the inner cover to the air space
created between the inner cover and the telescoping cover thus carry much moist air away from
the cluster. Wood inner covers are better in our opinion than plastic. Plastic inner covers seem
to allow moisture to condense on the under side and drop this back into the hive as droplets
develop. Wood being more porous allows the moisture to be absorbed and breaths freely.
● A plastic top cover -- We rather like the white plastic top cover. They hold up well and do not require
assembly as do the wooden telescoping covers. Plastic top covers are also sold in black. The plastic top
covers that we have used out-last the wooden ones by far and do not require the maintenance that wood
requires. Plastic top covers can also be turned over and used to place honey supers while awaiting
extracting. The dripping honey collects in the top cover and can be recovered and prevents a messy
floor. They also require an inner cover.
● A solar hive ventilation unit -- Very expensive. This fits on top of the hive and replaces the traditional
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covers top inner
top cover. Promoters claim up to 30% more honey produced in hives equipped with the solar hive
ventilation unit. It would take a lot of honey to pay for such a device. As a beginner, don't be tempted
to buy anything fancy just because literature indicates it is the best. Beekeepers have been creating and
patenting various bee devices for years and years. Moses Quinby over 150 years ago warned unwary
beekeeper about people who sold a better this or a better that to get your hard earned money. Look at
what most beekeepers use for hive equipment. That should tell you a lot! It is sold under the name
"Bee Cool" - TM It is solar-powered and thermostatically controlled. If you are interested they can be
contacted at : www.beecool.com .
● Migratory top cover -- This is popular with commercial beekeepers. It requires no inner cover but
some northern beekeepers use migratory top covers with inner
covers. You may ask why there is a migratory cover! The reason for
the migratory top cover is to allow hives to sit very close together on a
pallet. A telescoping cover has a lip that fits down around the hive
body. Thus it requires at least two inches between hives. Commercial
pallets do not allow this much room. Often the hives are fitted against
one another with no space. Thus the need for a cover that is the same
size as the top of a hive body. The migratory cover usually is wood
with no metal top to protect the wood and it does not telescope down around the hive body. This photo
was taken from the 2003 Mann Lake Ltd. Catalog. You can email them at:
beekeeper@mannlakeltd.com or visit their site: www.mannlakeltd.com .
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working bees

Protective Equipment for the beekeeper
Previous page Protective equipment Smoker You can click on the links to the left or you may click hot spots on the
beekeepers suit to read in detail about tools and equipment the beekeeper uses.
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protective equipment

Protective Equipment
Back to Previous Page
Bee Suit Bee Veil Bee Gloves
Experienced beekeepers do not like stings. However, getting stung is part of the game. You can do something
about reducing the risk of being stung by using proper protective equipment.
If you can afford good protective equipment, you should invest in it. A protective bee suit like the one shown in
the photograph would be ideal. It is light colored. White, yellow, tan are good colors -- avoid red or black. We
would suggest a full suit rather than a pullover jacket length affair. Bees do find ways to get under clothing and
since they climb upward, the openings at the belt line provide excellent access to your environment. We realize
elastic waist bands or tie strings help keep critters out but you will find on various unexpected occasions when a
bee will make its way in. Bee suits are sold for young beekeepers as well as very large beekeepers.
If you are restricted in budget, then we suggest either coveralls (white or light blue) or several pairs of pants and
long sleeve shirts. Wear long white socks which can be pulled up over the legs of the pants You will need a veil
and hat. The most popular veils are designed with a draw string which pulls fabric netting from the veil down
around your shoulders, under the arm pits and then tied tight. Hopefully bees will not find their way under the
netting and up into your bee veil. These are not 100 % bee proof. Most bee helmets are ventilated and the veil
fits over he helmet with a stretch band that makes tight contact with the helmet. The purpose of a bee helmet
brim is to hold the veil so that the wire of the veil is several inches from your skin. If the veil should touch your
skin, a bee on the surface of the veil could possibly sting through the veil.
Bee Gloves Your choice of a good bee glove is important. Canvas gloves will not protect you as well as leather
gloves. Some beekeeper have used the rubberized gloves sold for washing dishes--they work. Bee gloves will not
allow you to pick up queens without danger of crushing them and you loose the special touch you have when you
are not wearing gloves. I have been asked about those thin medical gloves and my response after trying them is --
they don't work. They tear easily and bees can sting through them -- not always but sometimes.
We have used a page from the Walter T. Kelley Co., Inc. Catalog for 2002 , Clarkson, Kentucky to illustrate the
choices one may have in protective equipment. Visit their web site: www.kelleybees.com .
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protective equipment
Comments: Some of the items which I have not discussed are shown in their catalog.
Slip on sleeves Not needed if you buy gloves. They prevent bees from climbing up your shirt sleeves. They do not protect
your hands.
Dry Brow If you spend a lot of time in the beeyard on a hot humid day, they come in very handy. I wear glasses and I
always have several around. It prevents sweat from dripping down onto the lens of my glasses when I am working.
Leggins They fit over your shoes and use velcro to hold the canvas together so bees can not sting your ankles or climb
up into a pant leg. Our feeling is that several pair of good heavy white socks will work just as well.
Leg Straps They are used to strap around the pant legs to prevent bees from climbing up the leg. A good roll of duct
tape will do the same thing plus you can use the duct tape in other ways as well.
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smoker

The bee smoker
Back to Beekeeper
The bee smoker is a vital tool for working with bees. A hive tool helps too.
This is a page from the Glory Bee Foods, Inc. mail order catalog for 2000. Their web site is:
www.glorybee.com .
Smokers
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smoker
Bee smokers come in a variety of sizes from small to large. The smoker is a container that holds
some burning material and is enclosed with a spout to direct the smoke in the direction it is
pointed. To enable the fire to burn, oxygen is provided by a bellows attached to the firebox. The
more the bellows are worked, the greater the amount of oxygen sent to the firebox and if used
improperly the smoker can become a virtual blow torch. However, the beekeeper want a gentle
white smoke to subdue the bees, not a blow torch to kill them.
The reaction of bees to smoke varies on colony populations, internal and external conditions and
use of the smoke it self. Too much smoke may cause the bees to run, to cluster on and under
frames, run out the front of the hive, or just drop to the bottom board in a stupor. Generally
speaking, a few puffs of smoke directed across the top bars of a hive body will drive back guard
bees and other bees will retreat to the nearest honey cell to engorge themselves. This smoke
forces the bees downward and away from the top bars allowing the beekeeper to work the hive
with little aggression from the bees.
Some rules in using a smoker!
● Light the smoker before working with the bees or opening a hive.
● Keep the smoker going during any inspection of the hive. A smoker not lit well will go
out at the most inopportune time.
● Select a fuel that will produce a cool white smoke.
● Fuel needs oxygen to burn. Don't be in a hurry to fill the firebox with fuel. Get a small
quantity of fuel burning nicely before adding more fuel. Once you have a bed of glowing
coals established, you can fill the smoker with the remaining fuel. A few puffs on the
bellows every now and then will keep the smoker going.
Fuels used to burn in smokers:
● Dry rags
● Pine needles
● punk dry wood
● burlap bags or material made of burlap
● Bailer twine
● Straw
● Dried cow chips
● newspaper
● Sumac bobs - dried flower parts
● cattle bedding/ wood chips
The important thing about fuel is to find a readily available source which is free or cheap and use it and store
some for future use.
The hive tool
A good pry tool to separate the hive parts and something to raise frames from the frame rest is
invaluable. Some beekeepers use just a common screwdriver. I have found that the standard
hive tool is better. It can be used to scrape burr comb, propolis, etc. from frames or hive bodies.
I even use mine to scrape paint from hive bodies before repainting.
Bee brush

smoker
It brushes bees off comb etc. It is nice to have. I use mine in my saw room to brush saw dust
away from my saw blade. Several old bee books suggested that the beekeeper take a hand full of
stiff grass to brush bees off comb. The grass is free.
Frame Grip
Used to remove frames from the hive. I guess these are designed for the individual who does not
want to get stung while trying to remove frames from a hive. However, they are practically
worthless if the frames are glued in by the bees. It will still take a hive tool to pry the frames
loose.
Porter Bee Escapes
A rather nice gadget that has been around for a long time. It can be placed in the hole of an
inner cover and used when it comes time to get the bees out of supers at extracting/harvest time.
This will be discussed under the topic -- removing honey.
Acid boards, Cone Bee Escapes
These will also be discussed in the topic -- removing honey. The cone bee escape is used
somewhat like the porter bee escape above and acid boards are used with Bee-go or honey
robber to drive the bees out of the honey supers.

Building equipment

Building you own bee equipment
Back
For the beekeeper, working with wood can be an enjoyable past time. It requires some skill to make accurate cuts with
woodworking equipment. The job is made easier if the proper woodworking tools are available such as a table saw.
One of the reason L.L. Langstroth never became rich is because his hive design was simple and easy to build. Therefore, why
pay for a patent to build the thing if you could just go out a whip up one so easy. There are no secrets to constructing bee
equipment. Homemade equipment often sells for far less as used equipment than equipment manufactured with finger
joints.
Butt joints are just two boards butted together and nailed. Many homemade hives have these joints and they say
"homemade." Often a dado joint, will also imply that the box was homemade, but Rossman's Apiary in Georgia make
equipment with the dado joint. Rossman's have not only dado joints but the best hand hole cut into the side of a box one
would want. Their boxes are made from long lasting cypress.
Two things you must keep in mind if you are going to build your own equipment:
● Build your equipment to fit standard size equipment

● Respect the "bee space" between all bee fixtures and parts. Measurements must be exact.
What you can build with ease:
● Hive stands
● Hive bodies
● Bottom Boards
● Inner covers
● Top cover
What you may have difficulty with:
● Frames
Lets take these items one at a time. If you are a hobby beekeeper and will be building equipment for only two or three hives,
we suggest you take your time and do the best job you possibly can. For the individual thinking they can save a great deal of
money by building their own equipment -- I say, buy it! Often the cost of the material will equal the price of a piece of bee
equipment manufactured for you. What you will get out of the experience is a great deal of satisfaction.
The hive stand
This is a very simple hive stand. It gets the hives up off the ground six inches
and will hold two hives.
It is constructed of treated 2 x 6 material. It will take one 12 foot 2 x 6 to

construct each stand. Two lengths are cut four foot long for the sides. Two
lengths are cut 16 inches long for the inner supports. The inner supports are
set 8 inches in from each end. This can then be nailed with 16 common nails or
screwed with lag bolts or treated deck screws 2 1/2 inches long. This hive stand can be moved about and easy to
transport.
A more permanent hive stand can be constructed by sinking 4 x 4 post in the ground to a depth of 18 inches.
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Building equipment
Rocks are dropped down the hole before the 4 x 4 post are set.
A platform is then built on the post which support the whole
thing. This type of hive stand can not be moved. It can be
built 12 inches or more above the ground and looks great in a
garden setting. If it is raised 16 inches or so from the ground it
will keep the skunks out of the hives. This is a picture of my
friend, Dan Hicks from Sandusky, Ohio. Dan is new to
beekeeping and wanted to get two hives or gums going. The use of the term "gums" can tell you a lot about
Dan's background. Most likely his father or grandfather had "gums." These were tree sections cut from a tree
with a wild nest of bees in the section. The log sections were then set upright and boxes were then placed above
to gather the honey. This is a rather large gum hive in Michigan. The beekeeper is attempting
to get the bees to move up into the standard boxes above. Once they do, he will get rid of the gum.
It will make fine fire wood.
Bottom Board
If you are a novice woodworker, we would encourage you to get the series of Bee Culture Magazines which
include articles by Peter Sieling on building bee hive equipment. The articles are a step by step process of how to
use the saw and make the various cuts required. The January 2003 issue covers Bottom boards and top
covers. The December 2002 issue covers making Super Supers. This includes hive bodies and frames. If you
are serious about building good bee equipment, these two issues are way beyond what we can offer. Peter is also
the author of a book, Bee Hive Construction published by Garreson Publishing, 7201 Craig Rd., Bath, N.Y. 14810
or visit www.beesource.com.
A simple homemade bottom board can be put together easily. The outside measurements are 16¼ by 21¾
inches. This bottom board looks homemade.
This bottom board is nothing more than two

bottom cleats 16¼ x 4 inches wide x ¾ inches to
which are nailed slabs of wood that measure 16¼
wide by 21¾ long. Above the wood floor are three
strips of 3/4 x 3/8 inch to support the hive body
above the floor board so bees can come or go from
the hive. One of these strips will be 14 1/4 " long for the back and two will be 19 7/8" long for the sides.
A bottom board constructed to look manufactured
This bottom is constructed from only four parts. The bottom board floor can be made
from 3/4 in plywood (treated) or boards. We would suggest that the bottom board be
protected by using material that will last a long time. The rails are made from from
treated 1 X 1 7/8 inch boards. These may need to be sawed to get the 1 7/8 inch width. 2
inch board are really 1 1/2 inches. We have used treated lumber with no ill effects on the
bees. Some people have worried about this. Before long the treated lumber will not be
available due to U.S. regulations.
Lets look at the rails first. A dado cut is made in the length of 1 x 1 7/8 inch board for its full length. We generally buy 10
foot boards and cut them to five feet in length to make it easier to work with the board. We then cut the 5 foot board into
strips 1 7/8 wide. One 5 foot board will make the rail for one hive. We then dado a slot in the rail board 3/4 inches wide 3/8
inches deep. This slot is measured 3/4 inches from the top of the rail. When done we have a 5 foot rail with a dado cut exactly

Building equipment
3/4 inches from the top of the rail. The outside dimensions of a bottom board are 16 1/4 inches by 21 7/8 inches. Our bottom
will be cut to the exact size of 15 1/2 inches wide by 21 1/2 inches. This will allow 3/8 inch of the bottom floor to fit into the
dado cut completely around the rail except at the front. Our rails will need to be cut as follows: 2 side rails will be 21 7/8
inches long. 1 end rail will be 15 1/2 inches long. The material should fit solidly together -- a nice tight snug fit. The floor of
the bottom board can be glued to the rail and screws used to fasten it in place. This bottom board should like just like the
one you would buy. Be sure to give the bottom board two coats of paint.
Hive Bodies
You can click on this image to enlarge it.
This again is a home made bee hive and looks like it. It will work just as well as the commercial
hivebody1.png (268206 hive bodies but the resale value is poor. Too often, pictures and plans like this do not give you the
bytes) full story on building hive bodies. We would like to share some important points below which you
need to take into consideration before you begin your project.
Thing you should know:
● Hive bodies are made with the bee space above the frames and the bees space below the frames. If the space between
two supers (boxes) leaves a space of more than 3/8 of an inch, the bees will try to fill the space with comb. If the space
is less than 1/4 of an inch the bees will try to glue the space together. Both of these situations cause trouble for the
beekeeper trying to remove the top super from the bottom super.
● Usually the space between the frame and the side of the hive body is not a problem, but should the "bee space" be
violated as described above, the bees will glue frames to the side of the box and surely, you will have to pry and possibly
break frames to get them out of the box.
● Hive joints are important. The hive box shown above uses rabbets cut into the hive ends to fit the sides together. This
is an easy joint to cut on a saw. This joint is fairly strong in nailed from both the side and the front of the box. If
nailed only from one side, any pressure on the box from any direction will cause the box to be out of square. Square
boxes are important. The weakest joint is the butt joint and the strongest joint is the finger joint so often seen in
manufactured equipment.
● Avoid green lumber. It will warp and all the nails in the world will not prevent it from happening. And if the nails
hold, the wood will crack. When buying wood, check at your local lumber mill or yard to see what is available and
what the cost is. Soft lumber is much easier to work with than hard lumber. Soft lumber also make supers lighter to
carry around.
● To avoid the common mistakes one makes in building a hive body, you might purchase a commercial hive body to use
as your pattern. This is one way to get it correct.
● Cutting hand holds. Be very careful. A friend of mine lost a finger trying to cut hand holds in one of his home made
hives. Do not attempt this unless you can make a jig to do the job. A Jig is very easy to make and will keep your hands
from getting anywhere close to the saw blade.
Click on the picture to see bee space above the frame.
beespaceabove.png beespacebelow.png
(45115 bytes) (47986 bytes) Click on the picture to see bee space below the frame.

Building equipment
This drawing is from Circular 1125

published by the University of Illinois.
Dimensions of the various hive bodies

are clearly shown. Note that at the
bottom is a box with the dimension of
the inside. These inside dimensions are
very important for frame spacing.
These boxes are for 10 standard
frames. About the only thing you need
to do is decide on the depth of the
rabbet cut to hold the frames. Are your
boxes going to have bee space at the top
of the box or at the bottom of the box.
Once you make your decision, all boxes
must be of the same design to avoid
burr comb and gluing of equipment by
the bees.
Hive cover
There are many different types of hive

covers used for bee hives. The simplest
one is called a migratory cover as
shown in this plan.
Top covers protect the bees from rain

and snow. They should not have any
cracks to allow moisture to drop
below. Many beekeepers have
telescoping top covers with a metal
cover. These top covers are not very
difficult to make.
It is made of a rim that will slip down

over the outside dimensions of the hive
boxes for a distance of 2 inches. Once
the rim is made a sheet of 3/8" plywood
is nailed to the rim and then this is
covered by a sheet of metal --
Aluminum or tin are common
materials.
The bees will do just a well in a homemade hive that respects the bee space as they will in a commercial made hive body. The
only reason you should consider the commercial made product is the resale value of the equipment. We have decided that the
cost of making a hive body is more than purchasing commercial hive bodies, we elect to buy ours. Our only labor is putting
the hive bodies together.
Using ads found in current bee magazines, we found that boxes can be purchased for the following:
● Full deep boxes Commercial grade Budget grade

❍ $7.90 $6.95
● Medium boxes $5.95 $5.30
We checked at the lumber yard to see what a 6 foot 12" x 1" board without knots would cost. Cheapest cost was to buy 1 --
12 foot board at $1.75 per board foot. At that price we could get two deep supers out of a board. We would need to cut the
pieces, dado the rabbet joints, and still construct the hive. Cost = 21.00 divided by 2 = $10.50 per hive body and we do all

Building equipment
the work. If you are interest in the address of the above bee box manufacturer it is: Humble Abodes, Inc. RR#1, Box 570,
Coopers Mills Road, Windsor, ME 04363. They can be emailed at: humbleabodes@prexar.net. We have been pleased with
the equipment we have received from them. They sell frames as well.
Frames
We would recommend that you purchase your frames rather than build them. However, if you desire to build everything
yourself the following pattern will help you make a frame that will work.

Building equipment
Final comments:
Avoid the use of plywood with the exception of using it under the metal in the top cover. We have made bottom board floors
from plywood and they just have not held up and solid wood floors have. The same applies to hive bodies made from
plywood. We have a nuc's made from plywood. We can expect to replace them every four to five years. We have shifted to
making all our nuc's out of white pine treated with a penetrating stain before painting. We use 12" pine and buy it in large
quantities which has reduced the price of a 8 foot board to $5.50 per board. We watch the prices and buy a large quantity
when we can get a good deal. We still buy all of our honey supers.
Back to top

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nuc

Nuc -- small hive
Back to previous page
A nuc is a small hive. It traditionally contains three to five frames of bees, a queen, and brood. A five frame
nuc will develop much faster than a package of bees will but the cost is also higher.
● Advantages of a Nucleus hive
● Since the bees, queen, and frames already are started, there is no need to
build all the frames and go thru the process of starting a new hive such
as you would with a package of bees.
● All you as a beekeeper will need to do is transfer the frames from the nuc
into a deep hive body set up on a bottom board and add the number of
frames to complete the brood chamber. Usually this would be five or six
frames of new foundation.
● Normally, the nuc will have some honey and pollen in the frames but you
will still need to feed the nuc for it to progress as you would like it to.
● Most important, a nuc will develop faster than a package of bees. It will
take a package of bees approximately 10 to 12 weeks to reach strength to
gather a honey crop. It will take a nucleus hive only six to eight weeks to
reach that same strength. The reason for this is: A queen already is
laying eggs in a nuc and has brood which will be emerging as adult bees.
The bee population is stable. In a package, the queen will be delayed the
time it takes the bees to release her from the queen cage before she lays
her first egg. It will take 21 days before this first egg emerges as an
adult bee. In the mean time, a number of bees that arrived in the
package will die. It is estimated that about 1/3 of the bees that arrived in
the package will die within 30 days. This means that the population will
decrease until enough new bees are born to replace the bees that died.
Until this state is reached, the hive will struggle to survive. If for some
reason the queen fails, the package is in great risk of failing as well.
● Disadvantages (It will cost more than a package but you are getting more).
We can only think of one great disadvantage of a nuc. That is

the possibility -- repeat possibility -- that the comb on which the
bees arrive is infected with American Foulbrood. Even with an
inspection certificate, AFB can be masked if the beekeeper is
using TM-25 as a treatment. Unless you continue the TM-25
treatment, the AFB could return.
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Full hive

Bees -- Full Hive
Previous page
The absolute easy way to begin beekeeping is to buy an established hive. One needs to be careful in this,
however.
Review the parts of a hive so that you have a good idea of what should be included in a hive of
bees.
● When buying any hive of bees it is important not to buy someone else's problem. Check
the various bee magazines for Classified Ads to get an idea of what others are asking for
similar bee equipment. Major bee magazines are Bee Culture at www.beeculture.com
and The American Bee Journal at www.dadant.com .
Things you should do: (Check list)
❍ Have the hive of bees inspected by a competent beekeeper. (This should be

preferably a state bee inspector if you have that service).
❍ Make sure the equipment is sound. You can use a sharp point to find soft spots
in hive bodies, bottom boards, etc.
❍ Examine the condition of frames and condition of comb. Be sure frames can be
removed without breaking.
❍ Have the competent beekeeper take a mite sample using one of the approved
mite detection methods.
❍ Look for any sign of disease -- small white pellets looking like chalk on the
landing board -- this is chalk brood but not serious; however, if a glue like
substance in cells with a coffee color, and rotten smell are present -- be prepared
to walk away from the hive and do not proceed with the purchase. Even a free
hive of bees is not going to free if these conditions exist. If American foulbrood
exist, your state may require you to burn the hive or worse yet, quarantine your
bee yard.
❍ Establish the price you are willing to pay before visiting the bee hive. Compare
what the cost is compared to new equipment and a package of bees. Why pay
more for older equipment! I have been made aware of several situations when a
new beekeeper was taken -- repeat -- taken to the cleaners by an unscrupulous
beekeeper. Keep in mind that boxes with holes, home made equipment, and
generally poor condition are worth very little.
❍ Find out how you are going to transport the hive. Will the seller transport it for
you to your location? That is worth something!
❍ Get a bill of sale and inspection certificate if available in your state. Some states
such as Ohio require an inspection report before a hive is sold.
❍ Know where you are going to put the hive after you get it! Check with your
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Full hive
spouse before you buy!

❍ Check the good neighbor guidelines before you buy. Your neighbors may not
take too kindly to your new hobby.
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swarm

Bees -- Swarms
Back to previous page
Older copies of ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture have the introduction that A.I. Root wrote for
the first edition published in 1877. In it he describes , " about the year 1865, during the month
of August, a swarm of bees passed overhead where were at work, an my fellow-workman, in
answer to some of my inquiries respecting their habits, asked what I would give for them. I, not
dreaming he could by any means call them down, offered him a dollar, and he started after
them. To my astonishment, he, in a short time, returned with them, hived in a rough box he had
hastily picked up, and at that moment I commenced learning my ABC in bee culture."
This is a great way to get into beekeeping. Notice that it happened without prior planning and
was a spur of the moment thing. The learning about bees commenced after the bees were in his
possession. Many beekeepers became beekeepers in a like fashion.
However, most of use were not lucky enough to find bees looking for a home. We bought our
first swarms in the traditional way -- package bees. Contrary to what is being said about the
lack of swarms in these pages, swarms do happen. Any hive of bees whether wild or managed
will swarm if the conditions are right. This is usually in the months of March (in the South),
April in the (North), and sometimes in May and June. Once the bees leave a beekeepers hive
and cross onto others property, the beekeeper has lost control and title to "his/her" bees. Under
old English common law, a beekeeper could pursue the bees as long as he/she kept them in sight.
However, the beekeeper runs into the problem of trespassing onto others property to claim
possession of the bees. If you find a swarm of bees and a property owner gives you access to the
swarm, it is yours. By the same token, if you register with the fire department/police
department and they call you to get a swarm from a public place, the first person who arrives to
capture the swarm is the new owner of that swarm. My experience is that several people are
called and the first one there is the lucky one. The goal of the public service departments is to
rid the bees as a public nuisance and the quicker they are gone the better for public safety.
How do you capture a swarm of bees?
● The first thing you must do is be prepared. You may use the following check sheet to
help.
❍ Ask questions -- How high off the ground are they? How long have they been
there? Are they easy to get to? I once received a call from the police department
to retrieve a swarm in an apartment building. When I got there, I found that the
bees were really under a guys car and it wasn't possible to get them quickly or
easily. The guy that owned the car was quite irritated -- he had to go someplace
and was late. I ended up recommending to the owner of the car that he spray
the bees with an insecticide if he wanted to get rid of them fast. I saw too much
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swarm
trouble for me to get this free swarm. What I didn't tell him was he could just
get in his car and drive down the road to get rid of them -- at least most of them.
❍ Have a hive with a bottom board and top cover ready for the swarm before the
call comes in. You could use a cardboard box as a temporary container but it is
better to do it right to begin with.
❍ Have your protective clothing available -- don't spend an hour looking for it.
❍ Do not attempt to retrieve a swarm that could lead to you falling and harming
yourself. The cost of an emergency room visit is far greater than the value of a
swarm.
❍ Avoid getting others stung as they watch while you retrieve the swarm. Order
them back for their own protection. Most people will comply.
❍ Bees that swarm are usually very easy to handle. However, if they have started
building comb on the branch or location they selected to settle, they may be
defensive.
● What happens if the bees refuse to go into your bee hive or box.
❍ First, most likely the queen did not enter the box. If she did, the bees would
follow.
❍ You just can not set a box on the ground and expect the bees to enter. They
must be forced to enter the box. You can do this in several ways:
■ If it is possible to cut off the branch the bees are hanging on, one can cut
it off and place the branch over the frames in the hive body and with
gentle smoke encourage them to move down into the box. Once they are
in the box, the top cover can be put on and the box then transported to a
new location.
■ Another method shown in books is to place a sheet on the ground under
the swarm, then place the box on the sheet, and shake the swarm from
the branch. The bees fall in and around the hive. Sometimes they will
march in -- other times they will take to the air. I know a fellow
beekeeper who chased the same swarm three times before he finally got
it.
■ If you can not get permission to cut the branch, then you will need to lift
the box to just below the cluster of bees. It is best use a ladder to support
the hive body in this case. A sharp shake of the branch will cause the
bees to drop onto the box. Give the bees a few minutes to go down. If
they fly back to the branch, you can be sure the queen was not among the
bees that were shook from the branch. You will have to repeat the
process.
■ If the bees land on something that can not be shaken, then you will need
to place the box as close to the cluster as possible. I like to take a frame
from the box and scoop as many bees as I can onto the frame. I then set
it into the hive, and get another frame and repeat the process as often as
needed to get the majority of bees into the box. I then check the location
of the swarm for a queen that may be wandering around the site where
the cluster was located. I had to use this process when I retrieved a
swarm from a fire hydrant several years ago. Bees sometimes select the
darnest things to land on when they swarm. I have seen bees on car
external mirrors, in out houses, under the eves of a house, etc.
● Advantage of a swarm
❍ It is usually free and not hard to catch
● Disadvantage of a swarm
❍ The bees may be carrying some disease.

swarm
❍ It may be too difficult to get and cause much distress to yourself and others
watching.
❍ Some swarms may be small and some may be caught too late in the season to
survive.
Swarms are treated just like a package of bees when you start them.

Observation hive

The observation hive
Back
The mystery of what happens within a dark hive can be solved with an observation hive. Watching worker bees go about their business is
fascinating.
Observation hives serve several different purposes:
● An observation hive can give you insight to the various things that are happening within a hive of bees.
● An observation hive can be used for demonstration if you give talks at school or fairs.
● An observation hive can help you study the habits of bees.
● An observation hive can be built larger to represent a normal hive of bees and studied year round.
Keeping an active observation hive with only a few comb is not difficult during the spring. The bees will build up and most likely swarm due to
the crowded conditions they will face. You will be able to observe this process and gain knowledge as you watch the bees build queen cells and
watch the new queen put her own stamp on this observation hive. If you would like to keep an observation hive on an annual basis, you will
need to build an observation hive that holds at least 10 frames. Even then it may not be big enough for the bees to survive through the winter
season without feeding. Observation hive are notorious for dwindling out during winter months even if the beekeeper feeds them regularly.
We will show you some pictures that were taken of bee activity in an observation hive. The only way these pictures could have been taken was
by close observation of bees through a clear glass separating the bees from the camera.
A number of plans exist for building an observation hive. We will share several with you. Observation hives can be purchased -- we will share
photographs of several of these and tell you where they can be purchased.
First, some pictures taken of bees and bee activities in an observation hive.
How can you take pictures of the various stages of a bees life while the young egg, larva, or pupa is still in its cell?
The answer: An observation hive designed to allow the bees to build comb right up to the window.
A camera with a macro lens can get very close to the inside of a cell. Notice that this egg is photographed from the side
rather than top down as would be required if you were trying to do the same thing with a frame of eggs. Of course, you
could damage comb by cutting it and do almost the same thing. The advantage of the observation hive is you do not
need to open the hive to observe the mystery inside.
Or have you ever wondered how the honey bee deposits pollen into the cells? With an observation
hive you can watch the pollen being deposited and packed into the cell.
Or lets say you want to take close-up photographs of honey bees. The observation hive allows you to do so much.
Watch them making wax comb. Watch them feed the larva. This is only the beginning of what you can do!
Or lets say you just want to watch young bees emerge from their cells, and watch them as they perform their duties. Some of the experiments
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Observation hive
that can be conducted with an observation hive can be pretty amazing. In fact, without observation techniques, some of the greatest
discoveries of bee behavior would not have been possible. Down to some experiments
Note: The photographs above would not have been possible in the typical observation hive. Let me share with you why!
The typical observation hive will usually have one, two, three, or four frames set into a wood frame parallel with the glass panels that keep the
bees in the hive. This allows only looking into a cell from the top in. It is fine for general observation but if you are interested in photographs
such as those shown above, you will need to design the observation hive a bit differently.
Observation hive with frames:
The plans we are using were published in the Beekeeping Information sheets published by Ohio State University Entomology Extension, 1735
Neil Avenue, Columbus, Ohio.
Observation Bee Hive Number 10
Click on either of these drawing to see enlarged photographs.
We thought that this was interesting. It is an observation hive

on a swivel which allows the observation hive to be moved
sidewise. It also shows a possible way to connect an outside
entrance to an observation hive located inside a room.
If you would like to purchase an observation hive, we have

found two listed in the 2003 catalogs we have received:
They do not include bees. Once the observation hives have been order and set up, you will need to install bees in them. It will take only one
pound of bees to get one of these observation hives started. If you buy a two pound package, you will have way too many bees.
Dadant Catalog contact: www.dadant.com

Observation hive
This observation hive is a basic

one and 1/2 tall hive. It is made
from finished wood and is a bit
more expensive than the one listed
below. According to the
information in this listing, it will
hold 1 deep frame and 1 shallow
frame which will need to be order along with foundation for the frames. It does not say anything about glass. You will need to ask some
questions to make sure that when the observation hive arrives, you will have everything you need to get it started.
Kelley Catalog contact: www.kelleybees.com
When you buy this observation hive, you will need to buy the glass or plastic locally. It
does include 1 frame, 1 sheet wired foundation, feeder cap and a 1 foot plastic tube to run
through a wall. An additional observation hive super can be purchased to set on the base
observation hive making an observation hive two frames high. You could add a third or
fourth super if you desired. As you add supers to such a narrow base you need to provide
additional support to prevent it from falling over.
An observation hive without frames:
First let me say that these are illegal because the comb can not be examined for American foulbrood in many states. We are going to suggest
that you either build a single frame observation hive or buy one, and then place this special observation hive box on top of the other hive. In
that way, the comb in the observation hive in a frame can be removed and inspected. The comb in the box on top will not be open to
observation except from the exposed cells next to the glass.
How to build the frameless observation box.
First, we are not going to include any dimensions. The reason for this is it is going to sit on your observation hive which you either bought or
made. The sizes will vary and our guess is that our suggestion of dimensions will only serve to confuse you.
Materials:
What you need will be five sheets of glass. Glass can be purchased in several strengths and weights. Standard window glass is available at
most hardware stores and we would recommend that. Plastic is much harder to keep absolutely clean later when clean up time arrives. These
sheets of glass will serve as:
● sides --- You will need two Glass will be cut according to the measurements you will make from the plywood base which is
described below.
● top --- You will need one
● ends --- You will need two
● You will also need one sheet of plywood cut to fit the exact top of the observation hive.
● Some scraps of wax or foundation.
● You will need four screws and two rubber bands.
● A bonding material such as epoxy glue which will hold glass.
Step # 1
Cut the plywood to fit the top of your observation hive's outside dimensions. The red lines should represent the cut size of the plywood.
Step #2
Determine the thickness of the glass and cut 1/4 deep slots for the glass as shown in the diagram below. The slots are represented by the
black lines. These slots are cut 1/2 of an inch from the edges.

Observation hive
Step # 4
Getting the glass cut: Measurements are critical.
Measure first the side glass parts. They should be no more than 5 inches high and should measure from the points a to b for one side and c to
d for the second side. The end glass pieces need to fit up snug to the side glass sides. They are also the same height as the side glass and are
represented by the distance from a to c and b to d. The top piece of glass must overlap the glass sides. This needs to be cut to fit a the
rectangle formed by the letters a - b - c -d. This top piece of glass will need to be finished so no sharp edges can cut. Many glass shops will
grind this edge for you.
Putting it together:
Apply bonding material to the slots and then the four sides are slipped into the slot cut for them. These pieces of glass should fit tightly into the
slot as well as at the corners. Apply bonding material between the glass sides and place a good strong piece of tape completely around the
sides to hold it in place until the bonding material sets.
While the bonding material is setting up for the sides and plywood, you can begin to fasten the comb to the bottom side of the top cover. A
small amount of heat is applied to the glass (an electric iron set on medium heat and covered with a towel will work). When the glass is warm
to the touch, take several short steps of wax foundation to the middle part of the glass and gently press them into the glass at a 90° angle from
the long side. The wax should slightly melt as it touches the glass and adhere to it. Remove the top from the heat. Hopefully you have
several pieces of wax (you could add more if you like) now stuck to the underside of the top piece of glass. If the wax foundation falls off,
repeat the process when the glass get a little hotter.
We are almost done:
The final step is to apply bonding material to the top edge of the upright glass sides and carefully square up the top glass cover with the wax
foundation facing down. Gently lower it until it makes contact with the glass sides. Now screw four small screws into the plywood at points
opposite a, b, c, and d. You will then stretch a rubber band from point a to point c and point b to point d. This will hold the top in place until
the bonding material sets. The absolute final step is to fasten this plywood base to the top of your observation hive. You are now ready to
watch your bees work this new foundation and add to it.
You should now have your own special observation hive in which the bees will build natural comb. You may photograph the bees working in
this upper chamber on your observation hive much as shown in the photos above.
Exercises you can conduct with your observation hive:
● Mark some newly emerged worker bees and observe them over a period of 20 days. Keep record of the activity in the hive they perform
day by day.
● Replace a queen (yellow or black) with a queen of the opposite color. Watch to see what begins to happen 21 days later when the new
queens young begin to emerge from their cells.

Observation hive
● Study the communication system of the honey bee. We suggest you read, The Dancing Bees by Karl Von Frisch. It should be found in
larger public libraries.
● Observe when the bees are bring in pollen and nectar. Again, keep records of what you see. Date, what color pollen, and how much
comb building is going on.
● Or just sit back and enjoy being close to your bees.
Back to top of page

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Beekeeping Made easy A short History of Beekeeping
Beekeeping Made easy A short History of Beekeeping Part I
Back Go to History of Beekeeping part II
As a way of introduction into this topic, many people have requested some information about the history of Beekeeping. As a former history
teacher (many years ago), I decided to take a look at the topic. I have relied heavily on Eva Crane's book The Archaeology of Beekeeping and
Frank Pellett's book History of American Beekeeping. Both are highly acclaimed books and to study the subject in detail, it is recommended that
you try to get a copy of either of these books.
The history of beekeeping is long. We have no direct evidence of when man began to keep bees (become a beekeeper). We do however, find
many references to bees in the Bible, and in early writings by such people as Virgil who lived from B.C. 70 to 19 and earlier Egyptian paintings
representing beekeeping. But we know that honey was gathered much before that. Possibility as long ago as ten thousand years, ancient hunters
were leaving a record on cave walls of hunts for animals and food. Included among these records are cave drawings that are commonly seen in
bee books pointing to the past.
This is an era of honey hunting rather than beekeeping. Honey hunting continues to this day not only in Asia with individuals
gathering honey from the Giant Honey Bee of India Apis dorsata to the individual in search of a bee tree Apis mellifera for its
honey in the United States.
We are going to separate beekeeping into two basic eras. The first, the pre Francois Huber era. We will talk about Huber a bit later but he was
the first to examine the behavior of honey bees in a folding leaf hive. Thus, he opened the book on modern beekeeping. A number of
developments rapidly occurred in beekeeping after Huber but prior to his time, beekeeping had been carried out as a tradition in various
countries without change from one generation to another. You must realize that there was a period of transition between the two era's. Some
beekeepers maintained that the old way was better while more progressive beekeepers began to test old theories and seek new solutions in the
methods used to keep bees.
The "Pre-Huber Era" of beekeeping
At some point in the history of mankind, he relied less on hunting and more on farming. This required that he establish a more permanent place
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to live. He most likely did not have to go find the bees -- they came to him. Honey bees swarm as a means of propagation. Man most likely
discovered that bees could be transferred into vessels of some sort and would remain -- establish a colony producing honey.
The type of container used to keep bees in varied from region to region. Regardless, they all had something in common. They were for the most
part natural hives. The comb could not be manipulated to examine activity inside the nest. Removing the honey also meant killing the bees.
Due to the nature of annual swarms, the beekeeper could restock his hives from season to season and with some eye on the future, keep a few
hives for the next season.
During the "Pre-Huber Era" bees were kept in many different types of hives/containers.
In ancient Egypt, we find painting of bees being kept in containers stacked one above the other. Eva Crane describes seeing examples of this on
her trips into Egypt. She pictures one group of cylindrical hives stacked 8 to 10 feet high into approximately 400 hives. These were made up of
mud spread over lath as she describes it. This lath was then rolled around a pipe and left to dry. The comb removed from such hives is round.
The photograph above is taken from January-February 1995 Aramco World.. It show some of the honey produced in Wadi Du'an just a few
years ago. The bees in that part of the world are still kept in terra-cotta hives. Wadi Du'an is located in Yeman for your information. These
beekeepers still use the time-tested techniques of ancient beekeepers. Honey sold is still far different from what consumers are accustomed in
the U.S. According to the article, "traditional beekeepers prefer to sell honey in the comb to attest to its purity, or simply squeeze the honey
from broken combs into plastic water bottles. Bits of wax and odd dead bee float into the neck of the bottle, offering another indication that the
honey was locally produced." We can guess that honey has been sold this way from the very beginning minus the metal can shown in the picture
or the water bottle.
Another tradition developed using pottery hives. Some of these have survived to the modern day. and are found in museums. Most of these
artifacts have been found during excavations of ancient sites in Greece. Eva Crane also describes finding bees still kept in hives like this on her
visit to Kashmir.
Like the Egyptian hives these hives were also set on their sides with the comb being built
parallel to the circumference of the pottery hive.
Materials used to make such hives varies from region to region. For example, Crane refers
to sun dried mud rather than pottery hives and even mud, dung, and chopped straw in
some areas of the Middle East
The Romans were beekeepers as well. It may be from the Romans that beekeeping from
150 A. D. to well into the 1800's took a new look at hive materials. Again, I refer to Crane's
book The Archaeology of Beekeeping to find information. The Roman's seem to have kept
bees in "a hollow tree", in hives made of cork bark, some references are to hives of wood
boards, and the woven wicker. Some of these hives seem to have been of the vertical
rather than horizontal design we have mentioned earlier.
Africa still finds the use of wood logs hung in trees in a horizontal fashion.. The horizontal fashion is found in many places around the Mid
East into Asia and Africa.
Spain has archaeological remains known as bee walls. Both vertical and horizontal hives were used. Some colonies were kept in clay pots set
into the wall in an opening called a horno which was kiln like opening. Other walls were designed much like the parallel pipe hive except that a
woven straw conical hive was slid into them.
Northern Europe with its temperate climate and cold winters developed beekeeping a bit differently. Records indicate that bees were located in
trees and an opening was cut into the tree to remove some comb and honey. The tree was not cut and the bees were managed. However, this
was a cause for a number of court cases in which foresters complained that beekeepers were cutting holes into tress and destroying the value of
the timber. Tree beekeeping as it was called was soon replaced with ground apiaries -- keeping bees in log hives on the ground.

The transition from tree beekeeping to keeping bees in individual hives came about for several good reasons.
First, the beekeeper often did not have permission to gather honey from land which was owned by the
aristocracy. Often a payment in wax and honey was demanded. So some beekeepers (peasants) resorted to
cutting a door into the tree which could be closed up to make it appear that nothing was noticeable on the
tree. They had to sneak into the forest to gather honey and when caught were severely punished.
The second major change came with the reformation and the social changes occurring in Europe. As trade
became more important, cities grew. The powerful landlords lost some of their power and eventually "the
world turned upside down" when the peasants revolted against the Nobility. This social change gave some the
opportunity to own land. Thus began a period of keeping bees in upright hives in an apiary.
Simple log hives have been found in peat bogs of Germany that date 1500 years old or more. The general
design of one of those found indicate that it was 39 inches high and 12 inches in diameter. It was made of
beechwood with a cover fixed on with wooden pegs. It was in three pieces and these fit together to form a
hollow log. This hive is now located in the Staatliches Museum in Oldenburg, Germany. This type of beehive
is very similar to the bee "gum" which was common in the early history of American beekeeping.
It wasn't long that bee boxes were being built from wood with doors in place so the beekeeper could have more access to the honey in the hive
and do a little more bee management.
Wicker baskets went through a evolution of sorts and differ from the general idea of a skep we have today. Early skeps had what was called a
crownpiece which was used to hold the skep (A handle sort of). These early baskets were shaped somewhat like a tepee. Later baskets were built
by coils of straw by skilled craftsmen and had the characteristic crown or dome that we see in skeps today.
It is interesting to study the development of the coil straw skep. At some point beekeepers decided that something could be added either on top
of the skep or the skep could be set on another coil and the honey collected in these devices rather than sulfuring the hive (killing the bees) to get
the honey. By the 1800's many bee books were being written about the management of a hive of bees. As a result, we have excellent material to
refer to when we want to study the art of keeping bees in straw skeps. Yes, some beekeepers were still advocating the use of straw skeps even
after the introduction of the wooden hive body with frames. Primitive beekeeping overlapped modern beekeeping by more than 50 years and
you should understand that in more primitive lands, keeping bees in clay containers (tubes), logs, etc. is still practiced. If you are interested in
skep beekeeping, I refer you to The Handy Book of Bees by A. Pettigrew published in London, England in several editions. The copy that I own
was published in 1875 and he is still insisting that this is the best way to keep bees.

The keeping of bees by most beekeepers in logs and skeps ended when the disease American foulbrood was fully understood. It is a very
contagious disease and the above types of hives do not allow for inspection of brood and combs which is required to detect the disease. But we
are getting a little a head of our story.
Bees in the New world
There are many bees native to the North and South American continent. However, the honey bee is not one of them. Just when it arrived and
by whom, we do not know. It did make the trip along with colonist that is sure. By 1638, a John Josselyn wrote "The honeybees are carried
over by the English and thrive there exceedingly." Thus the migration of honey bees westward began. Frank Pellett reports that the honeybee
was not found in Western New York until 1790 and were not found in Kentucky until 1780. The honey bee was imported into Florida by the
English in 1763 and from there in 1764 to Cuba.
Fortunately we have many records that point to the early introduction of honey bees to the colonies. These are found in town records such as the
one from the town of Newbury, Massachusetts. Pellett quotes his sources as follows, "The town received it first settlers in 1635, and five years
later the "seven men" or, as we would say, the select me, established a town apiary which was undoubtedly intended as an educational
experiment station. " A man by the name of Eels was put in charge of the apiary.
Again, in May 14, 1641 a case came up for trial involving a swarm of bees which had escaped and established itself in a hollow tree in Salem,
Massachusetts. However, we find very little written about bees. John Greenleaf Whittier wrote a poem called, "Telling the Bees." But as far as
books about keeping bees -- nothing. Then a number of things began to happen in the 1800's as patents were taken out for the various designs
on hives. We have an interesting look at beekeeping in Ohio from the 1859 Annual report of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture. Evidently
enough interest in honey production caused the board to ask for help in determining the amount of honey and number of hives each county
could report. In addition, a question was asked about the type of hives. We get a very good idea of the state of beekeeping (I would assume that
other states would have produced similar results). Types of hives used: box hives 14 1/2 inches square, common hives?, straw and gums, the
Warren patent hive, the Pallace patent hive, the Weeks patent Hive, Eddy's patent hive, and a few mentioned the Langstroth hive. Quinby
dismissed most patent hives as being a way for a beekeeper to spend his/her money foolishly. There were hives designed to allow wax moth to
roll out of the bottom of the hive, hives designed with fancy windows and drawers, and one that revolutionized beekeeping "the Langstroth
moveable frame hive." At the time Langstroth developed his patent hive, most people who kept bees used equipment based upon past
tradition. The common box hive reported by county agents in Ohio was most likely built by the beekeeper along certain general standards
(there were none for exact dimensions). A general idea of this common hives is as follows: It was made from 1 1/4 boards, so that it was
approximately one foot square on the inside and about 20 to 24 inches high. A honey chamber was placed above a hole for the bees to store
honey. Some were fancier with a chamber built into the top of the box with a door or drawer to fit the chamber so honey could be removed
without affecting the bees in the box below.
A hive fitting the description of the "common hive" came up for auction on Ebay during the winter. Pictures of that hive are included here to
give you some idea of the common box hive.
There are several interesting things that can be seen in these pictures. 1) The box is 13 1/4" by 14 1/2 inches (not quite square). It is made of
single slabs of boards nailed together with square headed nails. 2) A cap is permanently nailed to the top of the box and as you can see in the
photo above a hole was provided so the bees could enter a box placed above it. You can still see the impression of the box that sat on this hive in
the center picture. It was used to collect honey. Often these boxes were made of glass and the honey collected was sold right in the glass box. 3)
Looking down into the box from the bottom, a pair of hand hewn cross bar supports for the wax comb were placed about 1/2 of the way from the
top. These bars supported the comb which was prone to break if the hive was moved. 4) The box was set on a wood board for support. The bees
would fly into and out of the box through the cuts made in the bottom as shown in the front view of the hive. This was the modern "common
hive" hive until Langstroth developed the moveable frame hive respecting bee space. You need to remember that other less progressive
beekeepers were still using "gums" or straw skeps. "Gums" were parts of tree trunks cut from a bee tree that held the "swarm" of bees.
These were then set on the ground and boxes were set above them as in the example above. Then again some beekeepers just sulfured their
bees. The quantity and quality of honey sold during this period was not great. Moses Quinby who began beekeeping in 1828 and would
become the father of commercial beekeeping kept hives much like those shown in our pictures. In reality there is very little difference in the
"common box hive" and a skep except the material the hive is made. Skeps were also designed with flat tops so a container might be placed on
them. Some beekeepers continued to use such hives well into the early 1900's.
The Post-Huber Era
Huber was not the first to observe bees. Many times people had observed bees through glass jars set on top of Skeps to gather honey. What
Huber did was scientifically set about making observations from which he arrived at fact "not speculation of what goes on in a hive of bees." It
is his scientific inquiry into bee behavior and bee truths that cause me to consider him the dividing line between primitive beekeeping and
modern beekeeping. Huber's Observations on Bees is perhaps the most important bee book ever written. It is followed closely by Langstroth's A
Practical Treatise on the Hive and Honey-Bee.
During the early 1800's general interest in building a better hive began and would continue well past the introduction of the Langstroth hive
which is the model for today beekeepers. I think it is important to take a look at the hive Huber used to make his observations.
Now compare this hive with those of earlier make.

The page to the right is from Bee-Keeping New and
Old Described with Pen and Camera by noted British
writer W. Herrod-Hempsall.
I should point out that most books published in the

U.S. are very pro Langstroth equipment books
while the British books consider many more options
for the bee keeper.
But if you were a beekeeper prior to Huber, your

choices would vary widely as to what type of hive
you would put your bees. The hives to the right
are made from straw and represent many different
designs.
Hive development after Huber
There is evidence that bar hives existed as early as

the Greeks. Bars placed over a bee container
(hive) encouraged bees to build comb down from the bars. The bees would attach the comb to the bar as well as side of the container. To
remove the bar required the beekeeper to cut the comb from the side of the container prior to lifting the frame from the hive. So the idea of a
bar hive was not new. Bees had also been observed behind glass. From Huber's point of view, the observation in a single comb behind glass did
not reveal the true nature of what occurs within a hive. To solve the problem, he designed a hive which opened up like the leaves of a book. In
this way, observations could be made of each leaf (frame) of his hive.
This was a fine hive for observation, but it was not designed for getting a honey crop. What followed in Europe and in the United States was vast
experiments in hive design. This was driven most likely by the desire to profit from patents which could be secured to prevent others from using
the hive unless they paid a small royalty for the privilege. In many instances the designer and owner of a patent hive also published a book
describing the use and design of the hive. We are going to give you just a brief look at some of them. There are so many that it is impossible to
visit them all.
This is a drawing from W. Augustus Munn's book Bevan on the HoneyBee. This hive is a
bar-frame hive as he calls it and evidently had been in development as early as 1827.
In Russia, a Russian by the name of Prokopovitsh designed the hive below with frames. Many
hives had drawers and this hive used frames that were slid out to be removed from the hive
(drawer like fashion).
If one visits the Ohio State University Bee Museum in Wooster, Ohio, you can find hives of
various design and some using the pull out frame idea like the hive above.
Beekeeping took a remarkable step forward with the publication of A Practical Treatise on the
Hive and Honey-Bee by L.L. Langstroth. It was first published in 1853, and many editions
followed. The title but not the content is printed to this day by Dadant.

This book detailed plans for building this hive and provided the beekeeper with a handbook on bee
management. It is a remarkable book. The pictures I am including in this short history are from the 1857
second edition. The plates are so interesting for modern beekeeping that I am including a number of them
for you to look at.

This hive really doesn't look like the hives we have today. The fact that it had frames was not
new. The discovery by Langstroth that bees would not build wax comb or propolize parts together
if there was a space of 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch between all parts of the hive was the difference. In fact,
Langstroth did not make a fortune from his patent. Many people saw the distinct advantage of
being able to remove frames from the hive without the need to pry or cut them out because the bee
space had been violated. From 1853 on, a number of hives of different frame sizes existed in the
United States as shown in the page below from an old ABC and XYZ in Bee Culture published by
the A.I. Root Company in 1908.
All fit into boxes of varying size and depth. Beekeepers as individuals had preferences for hives
that fit their particular whims and beliefs. The controversy over hives continued well into the early
1900's. As can be seen in the picture below, frames varied considerably. The closed-end Quinby
hive was really a frame that included a slid clip on one end which allowed the hive to be built to
varying widths depending on the number of frames being used and the Danzenbaker hive was hive
that used rivets to pivot the frames in the hive body.
A close up of the Danzenbaker frame is shown below.
A major headache occurred in

beekeeping when a beekeeper
acquired equipment which included
the various sizes. Frames were not
interchangeable.
By the 1870's the A.I. Root Company

in Medina, Ohio was producing a number of manufactured hives
based on the Langstroth size of frame. The Dadant Company also
used the Langstroth size and a standard size developed because
these manufacturers of beekeeping equipment realized that
commercial honey production depended upon interchangeable
equipment. That does not mean that all hive boxes were the same.
The A.I. Root Company designed a double wall hive called the "Buckeye Hive" to help beekeepers in colder climates and the Dadant Company
provided a "Jumbo Hive" called a Dadant Hive which held more frames and was deeper. However, the manufactures of this equipment all used
the principle of "Bee Space."
By the 1920's the hive controversy had ended and the now standard hive holding a frame with a top bar 19 inches long and a depth varying from
a deep super of 9 1/8 inches, the medium with a depth of 6 5/8 inches and the shallow super of 5 11/16 inches in depth.
Our standard bee hive today

If your browser does not allow hot spots, then you can click on the following pages individually to see the same items as linked on the picture
above. Top cover and inner cover Honey Supers Queen excluders Brood chamber Frames Bottom board Protective equipment

History of Beekeeping part II
Beekeeping Made easy A short History of

Beekeeping Part II
Back Go to History of Beekeeping Part I
The story of modern beekeeping equipment does not go back more than 150 years. Primitive
beekeeping did not required all the tools and equipment that are now designed for the hobby
beekeeper and the commercial beekeeper. The tools of the trade prior to the modern day
included axes for cutting trees open, saws, knives and something for protection.
The introduction of commercial beekeeping (the production of a lot of honey) brought a need
for equipment that would make taking care of bees easier and more efficient. Listed below are a
few of the items which have been developed and as just as important to making it possible to
process large quantities of honey.
Smoker
This is an early smoker. It was made by the

Funsten Brothers Company in St. Louis,
Missouri. It was adapted to work with bees by
some beekeepers. The Funsten company made this
item to fumigate furs. This particular smoker is
36 inches from the tube barrel end to the handles
on the bellows.
It was known early that smoke had an effect on bees. Old bee veils had a hole in the face of the
net so the beekeeper could use a pipe to blow smoke on to the bees. The bee veil shown here is
over 100 years old and has such a device sewed into the netting.
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This method was quite inadequate however because not enough

smoke could be generated and directed where needed.
According to Pellett no practical method of using smoke
efficiently existed prior to 1875. Quinby had devised a device
which was a tube which was held in the teeth. He describes how
to build it in the following excerpt from his book The Mysteries
of Bee-Keeping Explained. "Get a tin tube five-eights of an inch
diameter, five or six inches in length; make stoppers of wood to
fit each end, two and a half or three inches long, tapered at the
ends. With a nail-gimlet make a hole through them lengthwise;
when put together, it should be about ten inches in length. On
one end make notch, that it may be held with the teeth, which is
the most convenient way, as you will often want to use both
hands. When ready to operate, fill the tube with tobacco, ignite it, and put in the stoppers; by
blowing through it, you keep the tobacco burning, while the smoke issues at the other end. This
requires blowing almost constantly to keep it burning."
In 1875 Quinby added a bellow to his tube of tin. He is given credit for the first smoker. But
was he? I can not answer that question but the smoker shown above existed prior to that date
and was adapted to smoking bees. No record exist of by whom or when.
Other improvement followed rapidly.
To the left is The Simplicity Smoker described in the 1880 issue of

ABC of Bee Culture largely written by A.I. Root. This smoker was
evidently created in 1877. He states, "You will observe from the cut
above, that we have in reality retained the kettle idea, but the smoker
is small and made of tin. To prevent its being overturned, we have
given it a large base, like an oiler.... " "The shape of the upper part,
or funnel, is such that there is very little danger of any fire getting
out, even if no wire cloth is used over the mouth, and if you first give
it a puff to dislodge any loose matter, there will be very little chance
of blowing ashes or fire among the bees."
The clark cold blast smoker was offered for sale in 1879. Evidently in the
year of 1879, two individuals introduced smokers based on the cold blast
principle. They were a Mr. J.G. Corey of Sanata Paula, California and
Norman Clark of Sterling, Illinois. The 1880 issue of ABC of Bee Culture
provided readers with plans to build their own smokers using the cold blast principle.

20 years later the most popular smoker was the

Bingham smoker. It was designed by Mr. T. F.
Bingham of Farwell, Michigan and based upon the
original smoker of Quinby.
The A. I. Root company introduced what was called

the improved Root smoker. These smokers were of
the hot blast principle. The blast of air from the
bellows is blown through the fire.
The difference between the two is quite marked. In

the cold blast smoker the air is conducted from the
bellows through a tube to a point ahead of the fire.
What happens is the vacuum created by the blast of
air pulls the smoke along with it. Thus the smoke is cool. In the hot blast smoker, the air is
blown through the fire, produces more smoke and faster, but the result is a hot smoke. In fact
the hot blast smoker can become a blast furnace if pumped air is continuous.
The smoker in use today is

unchanged since the
introduction of the improved
Root smoker. Modification
have been made but the
general construction remains
unchanged.
Comb
Prior to the development of foundation, the beekeeper would design frames with a guide for the
bees to build comb. The Langstroth frame included a "V" or triangular guide for the bees to
build in straight comb. Getting good straight comb was a difficult accomplishment. It was
found that if a frame without foundation was placed between two frames with comb, that the
bees would generally build straight comb. But in many cases, the bees would build drone comb
much to the annoyance of the beekeeper who wanted worker cells. If you look at the frames
from a plate in Langstroth's book, you will see the "V" or triangular guides under the top bar.

This was an improvement but still did not solve the problem. The inventor of foundation was
Johannes Mehring, a German. He produce a crude press to impress wax wafers with
indentations like the bottom of cells. This first attempt at foundation was 1857.
By 1876 A. I. Root hired a man by the name of A.

Washburn to develop metal rollers with
impressions for a mill. This attempt was
considered a complete success. Again, there is
some controversy over who was the first to
develop a foundation mill. A. J. Cook, a noted
professor at Michigan College of Agriculture,
indicated that the invention really belongs to
Frederic Weiss in 1873. Weiss's machine
evidently made foundation which was about six
inches long with a shallow wall raised between the
cells. (From Pellett's History of American
Beekeeping)
In time the rolls became larger. Wax sheets were prepared by dipping a board or plate into a
tall vessel of melted wax. The plate was rubbed lightly with soap and water and immersed in
cold water before being dipped into the wax. The wax sheet would then be stripped from the
plate and taken to the rollers. The rollers were covered with a lather made of soap and water to
prevent the wax from sticking. The sheets would then be squared and trimmed. It was a hand
made product. Produced as Root writes in the 1880 ABC in Bee Culture, "Two men after a
little practice, will roll it about as fast as it can be dipped. This means one sheet at a time.
The production of wax foundation today is still very labor intensive. Modern wax plants such as
those at A. I. Root and The Walter T. Kelly have a number of specialized machines designed to
speed up the process and produce a product that is very uniform from sheet to sheet. These
factories have machines that now produce wax sheets in rolls which are then feed into rollers

that put the impressions into the wax and into cutters that trim and in some cases imbed wire
into the foundation. As the wax sheets now come off the line, individual sheets are gathered by
hand and packed into boxes. Individual thin paper sheets are placed between each sheet of
wax.
A new introduction to the foundation story is the use of other materials. At one time, light
aluminum was used as a base and coated with a very thin layer of wax. Then, an attempt was
made to mould plastic into sheets to replace wax foundation completely.
In the mid 1920's the A. I. Root began to introduce a foundation made of three layers. The
middle layer was a slower melting wax than bees wax. Much concern was express by the British
about the contamination of wax as a result of this type of comb being melted down later and
sold as beeswax.
In 1963 the Dadant & Sons Company introduced a plastic base comb foundation. It was called
"Duragilt" as is still sold today.
Today one can find plastic used in foundation and frames and used together in a one piece unit.
The names used were "Plasticell", "Rite-Cell" and "Pierco." Natural wax foundation still
outsells the plastic foundation but many commercial beekeepers are using the more expensive
plastic because it is less labor intensive to put into frames or no labor if the plastic and frame
are one.
The Honey Extractor
In 1865 Major Hruschka, an Austrian,

recognized that centrifugal force could free
honey from comb. The common story is that he
was watching his son sling some comb in a
basket around his head. The honey was thrown
out of the comb and thus was born the idea of
the extractor. Is this a true story? We really
don't know but the fact remains that Hruschka
recognized the principle.
Once it was reported in the American Bee

Journal in 1868, many jumped on the band
wagon to build a device that would remove
honey from comb without injuring the comb.
Dadant immediately set about building an extractor in the United States. We really don't know
who was first in the United States because so many beekeepers tried building their own before a
manufacturer began producing them. We do know that in addition to Dadant, Quinby,
Langstroth, and Root. Root began selling the "Novice Extractor" and in the 1880 ABC's book

describes how to build one.
H.O. Peabody of Boston, Mass. is credited by

Pellett as having been the first manufacturer to
offer extractors in the United States for sale. This
extractor is shown to the left. The idea quickly
spread, and many manufacturers in the United
States, England, and the mainland of Europe
began producing them for the beekeeping
market. Extractors have gone through a
revolution from the merry-go-round design called
a radial extractor to the horizontal shaft ferris
wheel type extractors used by commercial
beekeepers as a part of a conveyor system which ejects extracted frames and loads frames with
honey in one motion.
Uncapping honey
At one time all honey to be extracted had to have the cappings removed by a cold knife, a knife
warmed in a hot water bath, or operated by steam. When electricity became available, electric
uncapping knives came upon the market. The Stollers of Latty, Ohio developed a unique
uncapping affair in the 1940's. This uncapper operated with two guillotine knives to slice the
capping from a frame. It was not accepted by the beekeeping public. Two automatic
uncappers seem to have survived the test of many beekeepers and are found in use today.
One is a Cowans uncapper. It is constructed of heavy stainless steel and uses a gravity slide
feeder to feed combs into a slot operated by a chain drive allowing a frame to slide into the slot
and then be carried downward between steam or electric heated knives. After passing through
the knives, the frame is moved along a rail where it is removed and placed into an extractor.
The other is made by Dakota Gunness. This uncapper is operated by using rotating chain flails
that cut the cappings from both below and above the frame as the frame passes on a conveyor
between the rotating frail.



Bee Books 1700 to 1900 A review of the bee keeping literature of the 18th and 19th centuries
Bee Books Ancient to 18th and 19th

Centuries. A review of bee keeping
literature.
This section is under development and will be added to on a consistent basis.
Home Page
Table of Contents
Aristotle on bees --Greek author "Historia Animalium"
Comumela on bees -- Latin author of "De re rustica
Beekeeping in the 1700's
Collateral bee Hives Comments about the book "Collateral Bee-Boxes by Stephen White
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/bee_books_1700_to_1900.htm [25/07/05 08:14:47 p.m.]

aristotle on bees
Aristotle on Honey Bees

from “History of Animals in ten books”
What did early English beekeepers know about honey bees? It is evident from
what I have been able to find on the subject that prior to Charles Butler’s famous
treatise on bees general beekeeping knowledge was based upon ancient lore
handed down from generation to generation and with the introduction of ancient
text due to the development of the printing press – two sources stand out and are
often quoted by British authors of this early time period. Available to the English
reader were English translations by Dryden and Warton of one of the most
classic poems of antiquity by Virgil called the Georgics and Aristotle’s History of
Animals translated into latin by Schneider. It is this later text of Aristotle that I
have used which was translated into English by Richard Cresswell of St. John’s
College , Oxford , England .
Aristotle was Greek and lived during the time of Alexander the Great.
He had been selected by Philip, King of Macedon, to educate his son Alexander.
Thus Aristotle maintained a very close relationship with Alexander the Great and
was in position to study much of what existed in Alexander’s Greek empire. We
can be thankful today that Aristotle recorded much about natural history in his
writings.
Aristotle’s History of Animals is divided into ten books. Generally they are about
the animal kingdom and describe various animals, parts of animals, generative systems, and
other useful information observed and studied. It is still worthwhile reading not for exact
modern science regarding animals but for the link to the ancient world and the concept of life as
Aristotle and his peers saw it. In that world, Man was the perfect animal. Man had reason, the
ability to speak (communicate) and think. The fourth book discusses animals without blood and
in the Fifth book Chapter XVIII he makes a number of remarkable observations about bees.
So what is in this book that the beekeeper of the middle ages used for their authority on bees?
Aristotle states that all persons are not agreed as to the generation of bees. Some say the
young are produced from flowers such as Honeysuckle, Reed, and olives. Others claim the
rulers produce the young bees. His own observations :
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aristotle on bees
On comparing honey bees and other insects:

The winged insects, in addition to other parts, have wings. Some have two wings, as the
flies; others fours, as the bees. Insects do not direct their flight with their tail, and their
wings have neither shaft nor division.
They have neither spine nor bone. For the body is its own protection by its hardness, and
requires no other support.
Insects, whether they have wings or are apterus, can smell from a great distance, as the bee
and the cnips (ant?) scent honey, for they perceive it from a long distance, as if they
discovered it by the scent.
The power of uttering a sound is connected with other parts also; insects have neither voice
or speech, but make a sound with the air within them, not with that which is external, for
some of them breathe not, some of them buzz, as the bee with its wings, and others are said to
sing, as the grasshopper. These insects, bees, and all other insects raise and depress their
wings in flight, for the sound is the friction of the air within them.
From Book IV Chapter 7
On Queens/King Bee:
Their size is double that of the worker bees. By some they are called the mother bee, as if
they were the parents of the rest; and they argue, that unless the ruler is present, drones only
are produced and no bees. Others affirm that they have sexual intercourse, and that the
drones are males, and the bees females.
From Book V chapters 18 and 19
The other bees originate in the cells of the comb, but the rulers are produced in
the lower part of the comb, six or seven of them separated, opposite to the rest of the
progeny. The bees have a sting, which the drones have not: the kings and rulers have a sting
which they do not make use of, and some persons suppose that they have none.
From Book V chapters 18 and 19
The king bees never leave the hives, either for food or any other purpose, except with the
whole swarm; and they say that, if a swarms wanders to a distance, they will retrace their
steps and return until they find the king by his peculiar scent. They say also that, when the
king is unable to fly, he is carried by the swarm; and if he perishes, the whole swarm dies

aristotle on bees
with him.
From Book IX Chapter 27
There are two types of kings, the better sort of which is red, and the other sort is black and
variegated, and in size double that of a good bee. The best kind is small, round, and
variegated; the other is long, like the wild bee.
From Book IX Chapter 27
On Drones:
Some persons say that the drones build cells for themselves, dividing both the hive and
the wax with the bees; but they make no honey, but both themselves and their young are
supported by that of the bees. The drones generally remain in the hives; and if they fly out
they rise in the air with a great noise, wheeling about as if they were exercising; and when
they have done this they return to the hive and feast themselves on the honey.
From Book Nine Chapter 27
As long as the king bee is alive, they say that the drones are produced in a separate place;
but when he is dead they are produced by the bees in their own cells, and such drones are
more passionate; for this cause they are called stingers, not that they have any sting, but that
they would sting, if they had the power to do so. The drone cells are larger. Sometimes they
are placed by themselves, but are generally combined with those of bees, for which reason
they cut them off.
The drone is another sort: it is the largest of them all, has no sting, and is stupid.
It is good for the bees to have a few drones among them, for it makes them more
industrious.
From book nine Chapter 28
On worker bees:
The small bees are more industrious than the large ones, so that their wings become worn at
the edges, and their colour black and burnt, but the bright and shiny bees are idle, like

aristotle on bees
women.
From Book nine Chapter 28
On other bees:
The bees that are produced from those that inhabit cultivated places are different from the
natives of mountainous countries, for those produced from wood bees are more hairy, small,
less, more diligent, and more violent. The best bees elaborate a smooth comb, with a polished
surface.
On rulers:
There are two kinds of rulers among bees, as I observed before. In every hive there are
several rulers, and not a single one, for the hive perishes if there are not rulers enough; if
there are too many rulers they perish, for thus they become distracted.
From Book V chapter 19
On workers flight:
When the wind is high, they carry a stone with them for a balance.
Book nine Chapter 28
All the bees emit their excrements either on the wing, as it has been said before or into a
single cell.
Book nine Chapter 28
On Progeny:
When it is damp, their progeny multiplies; for which reason, the olives and the swarms of
bees multiply at the same time. They begin by making comb, in which they place the
progeny, which is deposited with their mouths, as those say who affirm that they collect it
from external sources. Afterwards they gather the honey which is to be their food, during
the summer and the autumn; that which is gathered in the autumn is the best.
From Book five chapter 18

aristotle on bees
After the progeny is deposited in the cells, they incubate like birds. In the wax cells the little
worm is placed at the side; afterwards it rises of itself to be fed. The progeny both of the bees
and drones from which the little worms are produced, is white.
The progeny of the king-bees is not a worm, but comes forth a perfect bee…
They only build cells for the drones when there is plenty of honey.
On Wax:
Wax is made from flowers.
From Book V chapter 19
The bees collect the wax by climbing actively on the flowers with their fore feet. They cleanse
these upon the middle pair of legs, and their middle legs again on the curved part of their hind
legs, and thus loaded, they fly away. During each flight the bee does not settle upon flowers of
different kind, but as it were from violet to violet, and touches no other species till it returns to
the hive.
On honey comb:
Honey comb is pressed when the wild figs begin to appear; and they produce the best grubs
when they can produce honey.
They commence the formation of their combs from the top of the hives, and carry them
down until several reach the floor of the hive. The cells, whether for the honey or the grubs,
are constructed with two mouths, for there are two cells built on each base, like a double cup,
one on the inside, the other on the outside.
On the Use of Wax:

aristotle on bees
The horns of a calf, if anointed with wax, may be directed in any way that is desired, and
they suffer less in the feet if their horns are rubbed with wax, pitch or oil
From Book seven chapter 9
On Pollen and Propolis:
They have another kind of food, which is called cerinthus (bee bread) which is of inferior
quality, and sweet like figs. They carry this upon their legs as they do the wax.
For when a clean hive is given them, they build their combs, bringing the drops from flowers
and trees, such as the willow, the elm, and other glutinous trees. With this they smear the
floor of their hive, for fear of other creatures. The honey dealers calls this substance
commisis, and they build up the entrance of their hive if it is too wide.
They spread the substance called mitys at the entrance of their hives, near the opening. This
material is black, as if it was the purification of the wax, and of a harsh smell. It is
considered a remedy for contusions and suppurations.
On Honey:
Bees do not make honey, but simply collect that which falls ( “honey falls from the air,
principally about the rising of the stars and when the rainbow rests upon the earth); for
those who keep bees find the cells filled with honey in the course of one or two days.
Honey becomes thick by ripening for at first it is like water, and continues liquid for some
days, wherefore it never becomes thick if it is taken away during that time. It requires
twenty days to make it consistent; this is very plain from the taste of it, for it differs both in
sweetness and solidity.

aristotle on bees
There are two seasons for making honey, the spring and autumn. That formed in the spring
is sweeter, whiter, and, on the whole, better than that formed in autumn. The best honey is
made from the new wax and young flowers.
On Honey Quality:
Red honey is inferior on account of the wax; for, like wine, it is injured by the vessel which
contains it; this honey therefore should be dried up.
From book nine chapter 28
The gold-coloured honey is also good. The white honey is not formed of pure thyme, but is
good for the eyes, and for wounds. Weak honey always floats on the surface, and ought to be
separated. The pure honey is beneath.
On length of Life:
The bee will live for six years, some have lived for seven, and if a swarm lasts nine to ten
years, it is considered to have done well.
On stings:
When they have stung anything they perish, for they cannot withdraw their sting from the
wound without tearing their own entrails; but they are frequently saved, if the person stung
will take care to press the sting from the wound; but when its sting is lost, the bee must
perish. They will kill even large animals with their stings, and a horse has been known to
perish, if attacked by bees. The rulers are the least cruel and stinging.
From Book nine chapter 28

aristotle on bees
Young bees do not sting so severely as old bees.
On what animals eat:

The bee is the only insect that never touches anything putrid. It uses no food that has not a
sweet taste. They also take very sweet water, whenever they fall upon any that is pure.
From Book eight chapter 8
On Swarming:
It is a sign that the swarm is strong when there is much noise and movement, as they leave
and return to the hive, for they are then busy with the grubs.
Bees also appear to have pleasure in noises, so that they say that they collect them into their
hives by striking earthen vessels and making noises. But it is very doubtful whether they
hear or not, and if they hear, whether they collect together from pleasure or from fear.
Olives and the swarms of bees multiply at the same time.
From Book five Chapter 19
Swarms are most abundant when the olives are fertile.
Insects generally thrive when the years is of the same kind as the season in which they were
born, such as the spring, moist and warm.
From Book seven Chapter 26

aristotle on bees
On winter and weather:

They (insects) are torpid in the winter. Some conceal themselves for a good while, others
only in the coldest days, as the bees.
From Book Eight chapter 16
When the dealers in honey take the combs, they leave the bees some food for the winter. If
sufficient is left, the swarm is preserved; but if not, they either die in the winter, or, if the
weather continues fine, desert the hive.
The bees only cease from their work for forty days during the winter solstice.
Bees discern the approach of cold weather and of rain; this is plain, for they will not leave
the hive, but even if the day is fine are occupied in the hive. By this the bee keepers know
that they expect severe weather.
On disease:
Certain creatures are produced in beehives, which destroy the combs, and a little spinning
worm, which destroys the wax. This creature produces a spider like animal like itself, which
causes sickness in the hive, and another creature like the moth, which flies round the candle.
It is not killed by the bees, and is only driven out by smoking it. They suffer most from
diseases when the woods produce flowers infected with rust, and in dry seasons. All insects
die when plunged in oil, and most rapidly if their head is oiled, and they are placed in the
sun.
From Book Eight chapter 26
There is another disease, which is like a wildness in the bees, and causes a strong smell in the
hives. The bees should be fed on thyme, the white sort is better than the red. They suffer the
most when they work with materials affected with the rust.
On pest:

aristotle on bees
The ictis is about the size of a small Maltese dog; in the thickness of its hair, its appearance ,
its white belly, and the cunning of its disposition, it resembles the weasel; it is easily tamed; it
attacks hives of bees, for it is very fond of honey.
Book nine chapter VII
Wasp are very injurious to them, and so is the bird called titmouse, and the swallow, and
merops. The frogs also in marshes destroy them when they come for water, for which reason
bee-fanciers destroy the frogs in those marshes where the bees come for water.
On Work:
The most laborious of all insects, if compared with the rest, are the tribes of ants and bees.
They all have their proper work to perform. Some bring flowers, others water, and others
polish and erect the cells. Water is brought when they are rearing their young.
When the day is fine they work without ceasing, and as soon as the young bees are three
days old, they set to work, if properly fed.
On Taking Honey from Bees:

When they are fumigated and suffering from the effects of the smoke, they devour the honey
greedily, which they are not observed to do at other times.
Book nine chapter 27
On Robbing:
The thieves and the drones do not work, but only injure the other bees, and when taken they
are killed by the useful bees. Many of their rulers are also frequently killed, and especially
the bad ones, in order that the swarm may be dispersed by the numbers. They are more
disposed to kill them when the swarm is not fruitful, and no casts are formed. At such times
they destroy the royal cells, if any have been prepared, for they are the leaders of the swarm.
They destroy also those of the drones, if honey is scarce, or the swarm is short of honey.

aristotle on bees
They fight boldly for their honey with those that would take it from them, and drive out any
drones that may be in the hive, and are seen sitting upon the hives.
If they (the hive being robbed) prevail, it seems to be a sign of a very strong swarm; but if
the others conquer, when left alone, they are idle, and do nothing that comes to good, but
perish in the course of the autumn.
Conclusion:
Aristotle observed bees and wrote about bees but he was no beekeeper. It is certain that he
knew beekeepers and honey sellers, observed the work of bees and read about them. Often he
repeats, “Others say, other persons affirm, and not all people agreed”. This indicates that much
of his material was gathered from others and he is reporting the various points of view then
held.
This translation also differs somewhat from written statements in other research reports on
Aristotle. Eva Crane’s fine book, The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting refers to
Book IX (9) as having been written by a Pseudo-Aristotle.
I am not a scholar and certainly early Greek Literature is out of my ability to study in the
original and I have no way of knowing how the translation I have differs from other
translations. But with that issue mute for the most part – I found the History of Animals to be
an interesting book. Aristotle wrote much in these ten books about other animals – domestic as
well as wild.
I was somewhat disappointed in not finding anything about the hives used or the hives being
described. Should you be interested, Eva Crane’s book covers the subject quite well and
indicates the hives were most likely horizontal pottery hives. They must have been so common
that Aristotle did not bother to describe the home of the bees but rather concentrated on the
bees themselves. He does touch on swarming but does not discuss the beekeeping practice of
putting them into hives or how to prevent swarming. Thus, I assume that swarming was an
expected event.
It was common belief that the hive was lead by a King Bee. This concept was held for more
than 1700 years before Butler set us straight. Although I found it interesting in the text of this
material that some thought the leader to be a female and the drones male but this was not the
prevailing belief. It is rather hard for us to accept that individuals thought that the young bees
were gathered from flowers. Yet, some English writers of the 1600’s still held the belief that
bees collected the stuff that made young bees (Moses Rusden).

Bee Books
Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella on Bees from "De Re Rustica" On Agriculture
Home Page
Bee Books -- A review of the bee keeping literature of the 18th and 19th centuries
Table of Contents
Who was Columella?
Columella was a Roman soldier and farmer. As a young man, Columella served as a tribune of
the legion stationed in Syria, but an army career nor the law attracted him, and he took up
farming in Italy. Columella was quite aware of other ancient authors on bees such as: Hyginus,
Euhemerus, Virgil, Aristotle. Euthronius, and Maro and quotes from them frequently. The De
re rustica ("On Agriculture"), in 12 books has survived from his ancient writings. The
information in these 12 books cover many Agriculture topics and includes quite a bit about
bees. Book IX covers the care of wild cattle and the rearing of bees. He is often quoted by Early
English writers.
I have read this book looking for beekeeping information. As Columella tells us, much of the
information about bees in the ancient world was written by individuals more intent on flowery
words. He attributes their information more to poetic license than submit to the test of our
belief. Thus the existing stories :
● Hyginus --- a woman of surpassing beauty called Melissa, was changed into a bee by
Jupiter
● Euhemerus -- bees were bred from hornets and the sun -- that the daughters of Phryxon,
reared them.
● Virgil -- bees are created in the carcass of a young bull.
"were subjects more agreeable to the students of literature, who can read at their leisure, than
to farmers who are busy folk, seeing that they are of no assistance to them in their work or in
the increase of their substance." So lets take a look at what Columella was able to discover
about bees.
About kinds of bees:
"for the larger and rounder a bees, the worse it is, and if it is unusually fierce, it is
by far the worst kind of all."
"The irascibility of the better kind of bees is easily soothed by the frequent
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intervention of those who look after them: for when they are often handled, they
quickly become tame."
The queen: "Now the king bees are slightly larger and more oblong in shape than
to other bees, with straighter legs but less ample wings, of a beautiful shining color
and smooth, without any hair, and stingless, .."
The drone: "They are insects of a larger growth, very like bees.... for the do not
collect food but consume that which is brought in by others. Never the less these
drones seem to contribute something to the procreation of the younger generation
by sitting on the seeds from which the bees are formed, and so they are admitted
on terms of some intimacy in order to sit upon the eggs which produce the new
offspring; then, when the young bees are hatched, they are hustled out of the hives
and, as the same old poet says, "they are kept away from the fold.""
On the beekeeper:
"very great care must be taken by the man in charge, who feeds the bees, when he
must handle the hives, that the day before he has abstained from sexual relations
and does not approach them when drunk and only after washing himself, and the
he abstains from all edibles which have a strong flavor....from acrimonious stench
of garlic and onions and all other similar things."
On management:
"Usually in the tenth year all the population of the whole hive is destroyed and
exterminated"
Making increases: "Fresh stock must be continually propagated and care must be
taken in the spring, when the fresh swarms issue forth, that they are intercepted
and the number of dwelling places increased"
Equipment: "The store-house should be chiefly occupied by hives ready for the use
of new swarms..."
Clipping a queens wings: "he must be despoiled of his wings, when he oft times
attempts to break out with his swarm and fly away; for we strip him of his wings,
we shall keep the vagrant chieftain as though in fetters chained..."
Replacing poor queen: "Sometimes the king bee has to be put to death when an
old hive falls short of its proper complement of bees and its want of numbers must
be made up from another swarm."
Combining weak hives: "In the early spring a young brood is born in the hive, the
new king bee is squeezed to death, so that the multitude of bees may live with their

parents without discord. But if the combs have produced no offspring, it will be
open to you to bring together the population of two or three hives into one, but
only after they have been sprinkled with sweet liquid...."
Overcrowding: "for when the disaster to the crowded hive is recognized, you must
examine any combs which it contains. You must then next cut away, from the wax
which holds the seed, that part in which the offspring of the kingly race comes to
life. It is easy to see this, since almost at the very end of the wax there appears as if
were the nipple of a breast projecting somewhat and with a wider cavity than the
rest of the holes, in which the young bees of the common kind are enclosed."
Bait traps: "But you should also have empty hives placed in the apiary; for there
are some swarms which, as soon as they have come forth, immediately seek a home
for themselves nearby and occupy on which they find empty."
Chilled brood: "For if we transfer the honey combs when the brood has not come
to maturity, the young bees will die when they cease to be kept warm..."
Hive inspections: "From the first equinox (spring), ... during these days the bees
ought to receive attention for the first time by opening the hives, so that all filth,
which has collected during the winter season may be removed, and after the
spiders have been got rid of, the hives may be fumigated with smoke produced by
burning ox dung."
"during the winter time it is not expedient to move or open the hives."
On disease and pest:
"bees are often over taken by disease."
"The little worms also which are called moth-caterpillars and also the developed
moths must be killed.
"But great care will have to be exercised between the rising of the Dog star and
that of Arcturus that the bees are not surprised by violent attacks from hornets,
which generally lie in wait in front of the hives for them to come out."
On hive location:
"feeding grounds ought to be assigned to the bees of which you approve."
"feeding grounds void of cattle and with a sunny aspect"

"located where they are little as possible exposed to storms."
"A position must be chosen for the bees facing the sun at midday in winter, far
from noise and the assemblage of men and beast."
"It should be situated in the bottom of a valley, that the empty bees, when they go
forth to feed, may be able more easily to fly up to the higher ground, and when
they have collected what they require, they may fly with their burden on a down-
hill course without any difficulty."
"If the apiary join a building, it must be on the side of the house which is free from
the foul odours which come from latrines, the dunghill and the bathroom."
"Where ever the hives are placed, they should not be enclosed within very high
walls."
On honey taking:
"Honey of the finest quality is at its best at the autumn equinox which falls before
the first of October."
On leaving honey for the bees: "the bees store up honey which they have collected
for winter food from the tamarisk flowers and woodland shrubs. Of this nothing
at all must be extracted, ..."
"We conclude that the honey is ripe when we notice that the drones are being
expelled and put to flight by the bees."
"The morning should generally be chosen for the removal of the honey; for it is
not advisable that the bees should be provoked when they are already exasperated
by the nidday heat."
"Two iron instruments are required for this operation, measuring a foot and a half
or a little more, one of which be an oblong knife with a broad edge on both sides
and having a curved scraper at one extremity, and the other flat in front and very
sharp, so that with the latter the honey combs may be cut out better..."
"When the hive is opened from the back, we shall apply smoke from from
galbanum or from dried dung; moreover, these ingredients are mixed with live
coals and put into an earthenware vessel. When a pot of this kind is applied to a
hive, the smoke is conveyed to the bees by the movement set up by the breath. The
bees, unable to endure the smell of burning, immediately move to the front part of
their abode and sometimes outside the porch."

"But whatever be the number of honey combs that are harvested, you should
make the honey on the same day, while they are still warm. A wickerwork basket
or a bag rather loosely woven of fine withies in the shape of an inverted cone, like
that through which wine is strained, is hung up in a dark place, and then the honey
combs are heaped in it one by one. But care must be taken that those parts of the
waxen cells, which contain either young bees or dirty red matter are separated
from them, for they have an ill flavor and corrupt the honey with their juice."
"the honey collected is transferred to earthenware vessels."
"the fragments of the honey combs which have remained in the bag, are handled
again and the juice squeezed out of them. What flows from them is honey of the
second quality and is stored apart by itself..."
On processing wax:
""The remains of the honey combs are thrown into a brazen vessel; water is then
added to them and they are melted over a fire. When this has been done, the wax
is poured out and strained through straw or rushes. It is then boiled over again a
second time and poured in such moulds as one has thought suitable, water having
been first added. When the wax has hardened, it is easy to take it out, since the
liquid which remains in the bottom does not allow it to stick to the moulds."
On bee needs:
"ever flowing water, if it is available, or water drawn by hand and provided,

without which neither combs nor honey nor even young bees can be formed."
On provided water, "it should contain heaps of sticks and stones for the use of the
bees..."
On bee hive construction:
"if the place is rich in cork trees, we shall certainly make the most serviceable
hives from their bark, because they are neither cold in winter nor hot in summer"
"or if it grows plenty of fennel stocks, with these too, receptacles can be quite as
conveniently made by weaving them together.
"or they be made with the wood of a tree either hollow or cut up into boards."
"Those made of earthenware have the worst qualities of all, since they are burnt

by the heat of summer and frozen by the cold of winter."
"Two kind of hives remain to be described, those which are either made of dung or
built of bricks."
On moving hives:
The question arises as to what ought to be done for the sake of the bees themselves,
when it is advisable that they should be sent to another district because they are
suffering from disease or from the barrenness and poverty of the locality."
"If we are obliged to convey them over long distances, we shall be careful that they
are not disturbed by the roughness of the road, and they will be best carried on the
shoulders and at night; for they must be given rest in the day time and liquids
which thy like must be poured into the hives, so that they may be fed while
remaining shut up."
"They should be place in position until evening comes, so that the bees may go
forth quietly in the morning after a whole night's rest."
On hive management:
"they will have to be so placed as to be at a little distance from one another, so

that, when they are being inspected, one which is handled in the course of being
attended to may not shake another which is closely joined to it, and alarm the
neighbouring bees."
"The fronts of the hives, which afford entries for the bees, should slope down more
than their backs, so that the rain may not flow in"
"The holes through which they go in and out ought to be very narrow, so as to
admit as little cold as possible"
On winter protection: "we shall daub outside with a mixture of clay and ox dung,
and we shall only leave entrance by which they may come and go... we shall cover
them by heaping stalks and leaves on the top of them and fortify them, as far as
circumstances allow, against cold and bad weather."
On feeding: "if too long a fast occurs, it is best to pour sweet liquids through the
entrance of the porch by means of small pipes and thus support them during the

temporary scarcity until the rising of Arcturus and the coming of the swallow with
promise of more favorable weather for the future."
On swarms:
"These come to us either by purchase or without being paid for."
"Bees which come to us by gift or by capture are accepted less scrupulously,

although even in these circumstances I would not care to possess any but the best,
since good and bad bees require the same expenditure and the same labor on the
part of their keeper; also (and this is especially important) inferior bees should not
be mixed with those of high quality, since they bring discredit upon them; for a
smaller yield of honey rewards your efforts when the idler swarms take part in the
gathering of it."
"He will be able to find out beforehand their decision to escape by putting his ear
to each of the hives in the evening; for about three days before they intend to
break out an uproar and buzzing arises like that of an army setting out on the
march."
"It is the duty of a good overseer in spring time to keep an eye upon the hives until
about the eighth hour of the day."
"when the host of bees has settled in a mass on the neighboring branch of a leafy
shrub, you should take notice whether the whole swarm hangs down in the form of
a single bunch of grapes. This will be a sign either that there is only one king bee
in it...."
"If the swarm is divided into two or even more clusters, you need to have no doubt
that there are several chiefs..."
On hunting bees:
"First we must try to discover how far away they are, and for this purpose liquid
red ochre must be prepared; then after touching the backs of the bees with stalks
smeared with this liquid as they are drinking at the spring, waiting in the same
place you will be able more easily to recognize the bees when they return. If they
are not slow in returning, you will know that they dwell in the neighborhood."
"The joint of a reed with the knots at either end is cut and a hole bored in the side
of the rod thus formed, through which you should drop a little honey or boiled

must. The rod is then placed near a spring. Then when a number of bees,
attracted by the smell of the sweet liquid, have crept into it, the rod is taken away
and the thumb placed on the hole and one bee only released at a time, which, when
it has escaped, shows the line of its flight to the observer, and he, as long as he can
keep up, follows it as it flies away. They when he can no longer see the bee, he lets
out another, and if it seeks the same quarter of the heavens he persists in following
his former tracks."
"The searcher for swarms should choose the morning for his search, so that he
may have the whole day to spy out the coming and goings of the bees."
"If it is hidden in a cave, the swarm will be driven out with smoke..."
"If the swarm has its home in a hollow tree is cut through with a saw which should
be very sharp so that the operation may be more quickly carried out, and then the
lower part so far as it seems to be inhabited and when it has been cut off at both
ends, it is covered with a clean garment and carried to the place where bees are
kept and put in position like the rest of the hives."
On honey plants:
The region should be rich in:
thyme, marjoram, savory, rosemary, trefoil, holm oak, ivy, red and white jujube-
trees, tamarisks, almond and peach trees (majority of the fruit bearing trees) and
woodland trees .. acorn bearing oaks, linden trees, plus countless herbs and wild
plants such as mustard, wild radish, wild turnip wild endive..."
"But of all the plants which I have suggested, thyme yields honey with best
flavour; the next best are Greek savory, wild thyme and marjoram."

On the caretaker of bees:
"for in beekeeping perfect honesty is necessary, and since this is very rare, it is
better secured by the intervention of the master."
"for beekeeping revolts alike against a lack of cleanliness and against fraudulent
management."

Bee Books 1700 to 1900 A review of the bee keeping

literature of the 18th and 19th centuries
1700’s Beekeeping
A Look at Early English Bee books (Late 1600's)
It is apparent that any discussion about English bee books should start with Charles Butler’s
Feminine Monarchie. Butler ’s book can still be read and appreciated for his observations and
management of bees. A recent search of allbooks.com returned one 1634 issue being offered for
$1750.00. Fortunately, this book has been reprinted and is available at a reasonable price.
Butler is quoted frequently by other authors because he determined that the ruler of the hive
was in fact a Queen and not a King bee. This was a departure from the ancient thought that
the ruler had to be a King bee as was shown in my article on Aristotle. Later English writers
such as Thorley still struggled with the concept "that the bee kingdom be ruled by a female" page
90 of his "Female Monarchy" published in 1744.
Early1700 beekeepers had a number of books to study. These included: A New Discovery of An
Excellent Method of Bee=houses & Colonies by John Gedde; The True Amazons: Or, The
Monarchy of Bees Being A New Discovery and Improvement of Those Wonderful Creatures. By
Joseph Warder; Female Monarchyby John Thorley ; and Collateral Bee-Boxes: Or, a New, Easy,
and Advantageous Method of Managing Bees by Stephen White.
A study of these books reveals much about the social structure of early English life and how this
affected beekeeping as the world knew it at that time. As a background to what these books
have to say about the nature of bees, we must understand a little history. In 1634 when Butler’s
3rd edition was printed, Lord Baltimore was getting a land grant for what is now Maryland and
100 years would pass during which time England faced a number of crisis in government and
wars before we even get close to the American Revolution. We read of Gentlemen and
commoners as if there is great division between those of wealth, land and power and the poor
uneducated classes. Surely the people who lived and kept bees during this period of time in
history had much to worry about in addition to the various points of view about the nature of
bees.
Obviously many colonies of bees were kept in England and the majority of these were kept by
commoners and most likely the woman of the house in straw hives. Honey was gathered by the
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time honored method of sulfur and brimstone. Keeping bees during that time presented the
owners of the hives many of the same problems beekeepers face today. Bees still die during
winter, grow weak and need feeding, face pest such as mice and wax moths and the ignorance of
their owners. Swarming was encouraged as a way of increasing hives and with the exception of
very few beekeepers, little was known about the nature and habit of the bees themselves. Most
beekeeping knowledge was based upon the ancient lore passed on by such authors as Virgil,
Pliny the Elder, and Aritstotle.
Then with the enlightment certain individuals began to question wisdom of the ancients. This
was brought about with the introduction of the printing press more than anything because ideas
could be spread and information examined with a critical eye and the black death which caused
all to question everything concerning the cause of this feared evil of their day. The advances in
science also brought what was unseen into focus with the introduction of the microscope. Now
the great mysteries of nature could be examined and studied and answers to the many why's
would be examined and put into focus.
Therefore, lets jump right into this subject by first looking at a book written by John Gedde
called, A New Discovery of an Excellent Method of Bee-Houses & Colonies written in 1675.
Gedde’s book is short and to the point. It is not filled with diatribe about religion or
government as are the later books we will take a look at. He states some fundamental truths
about bees. I am going to repeat some of these that ring true to this day.
● It is natural for all bees to begin at the top, and to work downwards.
● That Bees swarm for want of room
This is a book about his new invention approved by the Royal Society at Gresham – College.
His boxes for bees were constructed so that one box could be placed below another thus raising
the top box as additional boxes were added. The box was constructed in the shape of an octagon
with the sides nine inches in breadth and not exceeding twelve inches in height. Its breatdth to
be one third more than the heighth and contain a bushel (volume). This is the design that bee
boxes would follow for the next 100 years. In the side of his bee boxes he placed a pane of glass
“not only for pleasure, to behold the work and labour of the Bees; but also to know their
strength, idleness, fullness, or want of room, that so you may in large or remove them as you
please.”

This box also contained an inner structure called a “frame”. This is described as: “Within each
box there is a square frame made of four posts jointed together by 12 small sticks and 6 other
crossing these, and one standing perpendicular in the middle of the frame. This frame was
placed within each box and fastened with screws and when removed from the hive with honey
by unscrewing it, “you may take out all the work with/out breaking the box frame or work, and
then you may with pleasure behold the excellent fabrick, which these industrious Insects have
ingeniously fram’d.”
The hives were to be placed in a bee-house. This house was to be made from wood, bricks, or
stone and covered over. The house provided protection for the hives and bees from the weather
as well as vermin. He advises the reader to locate this bee house “ with the greatest conveniency
for the warmness, quiet, and conveniency of flying abroad, and returning home of you bees.”
● The bee keeper is advised to place bees where there is planting and hedging for bees get
their most profitable food.
● The beekeeper is advised to place bees to guard against the north-wind or cold storms
● The beekeeper is advised to place bees in the most valley-ground “so that the ascent may
be when they go abroad, and the descent when they return home laden with work.”
● The beekeeper is advised to locate the bee house on a point or two from the South-east to
the North-west “because the bees come not forth in the morning before the sun is risen.”
● The beekeeper is advised to not to “overylay the ground with too many colonies".
● The beekeeper is advised to plant for the food and nourishment of bees.
● Finally, he advises the hives be placed near meadow, where cattle feed “it will conduce for
their thriving.” He also adds the need for water and recommends placing water near the
bees.
He provides instructions for hiving swarms in his boxes and placing boxes under the colony
when they become crowded; taking honey during summer-take off; feeding bees should the bee
master through indiscretion or mistake leave too small a quantity of honey for the bees for
winter. He discusses the disadvantages of the old way and the advantages of the new way. The
chief advantage being the prevention of swarming and the reduced time required to watch the
bees during the swarming season as well as the preserving the bees from one season to the next.

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Table of Contents
“Collateral Bee-Boxes: Or, a New, Easy, and

Advantageous Method of Managing Bees” by
Steven White.
Introduction:
The octagonal bee hive introduced in the mid 1600’s was in use well into the late 1700’s. It
continued to be promoted by both Joseph Warder and John Thorley. That hive was useful in
preventing swarming and provided a way to harvest honey without killing the bees as was
common with straw a skep. The basic octagonal hive was adapted by these several authors to fit
a management style they advocated.
However, a new idea was developing in hive construction. Steven White wrote a book titled
“Collateral Bee-Boxes: Or, a New, Easy, and Advantageous Method of Managing Bees” in
1756. It is not a large book. His idea presented the beekeeper with a way to manage bees in a
slightly different way. Rather than adding a box under the hive as was practiced by the
octagonal beekeepers, White introduced the idea of adding a box adjacent to the primary box.
In his own words, “The min drift therefore of all my observations and experiments has been, to
discover an easy and cheap method, suited to the abilities of the common people, of taking away
so much honey as can well be spared, without destroying, or starving the bees: and, by the same
means, to encourage, rather than prevent swarming.”
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His box was square and quite simple to build. According to his advice, this box was nine and
five eights inches in height and breadth. In included a hole in the back to be filled with a glass
for observation, and the sides were to include a space to be cut at the bottom the whole breadth
of the box an inch in height and a passage made at the top three inches long and more than half
an inch wide. These were passages for the bees to pass from one box into another box sit next to
it when needed. These holes were to be covered with a slide called a shutter when not in use. To
this main hive box, one could add boxes to the side as needed. Again in White’s words, “No
directions are necessary for making the other box, which must be of the same form and
dimensions: The two boxes differ from each other only in this, that the side of communication of
the one, must be on your right hand; of the other, on your left.”
Comments on bees by White:
● A certain degree of cold, and a greater degree of it an is commonly imagined, is

favourable to bees in winter.
● The sun ought to shine on the mouths or entrances for the bees.
● The hives must be protected from the sun.
● On killing bees – making a comparison between bees and sheep: it would be a criminal
Piece of Cruelty, as well as folly, to butcher an innocent sheep merely for the sake of its
fleece, which we might take again and again, without hurting it.
● The proper time to take honey: “is in the middle of the day: and though the bees are
active and busy at this time, yet as you stand behind the frame, you, will need no armour
for the attack, except perhaps a pair of gloves, and a broad-brimmed hat slouched over
your eyes.
● On removing bees from a box of honey: I cut a square nich in a piece of deal more than
half an inch wide; in this nich I hand a little trap door, made of a thin piece of tin, turning
upon a pin, with another pin, crossing the nich a little lower, so as to prevent the hanging
door opening both ways. This being placed close to the mouth (opening of the box) the
bees wanting to get out will easily thrust open the door outwards, but cannot open it the
other way to get in again.
● On overstocking an area with bees: My scheme, I am well assured, will furnish them with

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stock, at a cheap and easy rate, but I must tell them once more, that they must find
pasture.

Some Giants in Beekeeping
A Beekeeping Hall of Fame Back to table of Contents
Francois Huber
Francois Huber wrote "Nouvelles Observations."
He is the "father of modern bee science." Although he was

blind, he had the able assistance of a servant by the name
of Francis Burnens. Burnens ways Hubers eyes and ears
and as Huber said of him, "I judged readily, from his
remarks upon our readings and through the consequences
which he knew how to draw, that he was comprehending
them as well as I, and that he was born with the talents of
an observer.
Huber's letters describe the many experiments carried out

and his interest in the truth. A review of the topics in his
book indicate the length to which he investigated all
writings and statements regarding honey bees. He
repeated experiments to see if the results could be duplicated by himself and others. He
established the truth about bee science.
Lorenzo Lorraine Langstroth
The "father of American Apiculture." No one single person has

had more influence on modern day beekeeping practices than
L.L. Langstroth. His book, Langstroth on the Hive and Honey-
bee, published in May of 1853 described his observation of the bee
space and illustrated his patent hive which had removable
frames. This hive is universally used in many parts of the world
today.
Langstroth patented his hive but never realized the profit of his
patent. It was a simple idea that could be copied by anyone
getting a plan of his hive. And it was widely copied.
His book has had a profound influence of the "Art and Science of
beekeeping." The management of honey bees could be conducted by anyone with his improved
hive.
. A. I. Root
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When A.I. Root turned his energy to doing something, it resulted

in an effort that included asking for the Lord's help. He was a
devout Christian and this can be read on almost any page of his
"Our Homes."
He provided the beekeeping public with outstanding quality bee

equipment. He would settle for no less. He was a leader in the
early bee package industry and the A.I. Root Company for many
years raised queens and sold bees in addition to the equipment
listed in their catalog. He was a prolific writer and filled pages of
"Gleanings in Bee Culture" with lessons learned from the bees on
a variety of topics. One of the best general books on bee
practices was his creation of the "A B C of Bee Culture". It was
later named, " The ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture." It continues
to be updated and revised on a regular basis to this date.
Charles Dadant
Contributed articles on beekeeping to numerous bee journals---

American and European. He was the founder of Dadant and Sons
which kept many bee yards and established a manufacturing firm of
bee supplies and equipment. Dadant acquired The American Bee
Journal and Dadant and Sons have published it since. He translated
Langstroth's Hive and Honey-Bee into French so the rest of the world
would learn of Langstroth's contributions to beekeeping.
He strived to import Italian bees into the United States and according
to ABC in Bee Culture 1890, he succeeded by shipping 250 to the
United States in 1874. He was not the first to bring Italian queens into
the United States but he was always seeking a better way to keep bees. Just as he had begun
with the old European "eke" he quickly abandoned that kind of beekeeping for the modern
Langstroth hive concept.
Brother Adam

Brother Adam is known as the man in search of the perfect bee. In 1950
he set out to gather/collect queens for bee research. He was seeking out
isolated pure strains. It is lucky for our generation that this project was
carried out at that time. Due to ease of travel, much cross breeding has
occurred among many strain of bees.
Brother Adam is best known for the development of the "Buckfast"

stain of bees. It exhibited the characteristics that Brother Adam was
seeking.
However, one of the results of his study/collection is lesser known and

extremely valuable to those who study the morphometric data of Apis
mellifera. As a result of his collections, the morphometric data bank of the Institute of
Apicultural Research Oberusal, University of Frankfurt added valuable honeybee samples
which are no longer available in consequence of later hybridization.
. Moses Quinby
The father of Commercial beekeeping in the United States. He

wrote "Mysteries of Bee-Keeping Explained". Quinby was a
practical beekeeper. His influence was based upon his practical
experience as a beekeeper. He lived in the transition from the box
hive without moveable frames to the Langstroth hive. Rather than
stick with the old methods then in use, he developed his own hive --
called a Quinby hive. The Quinby hive has since disappeared from
modern use, but the practical advice he gave to beekeepers still
remains as valid as ever.
In the words of A.I. Root, "His investigating mind had plenty of

scope for operation and he made a diligent study of bees and their
habits."
Francesco De Hruschka
One will not find much about Francesco De Hruschka other than a
line or two in modern bee books. Usually with a simple statement such
as " The principle that honey could be removed from a comb with
centrifugal forces was discovered by Major F. Hruschka of Italy in
1865." However, that simple principle is responsible for the huge
honey industry the world sees today. It required the standard frame
that Langstroth introduced and has done much to standardize
equipment size as anything. The idea was quickly seized by American
beekeepers. In Charles Dadant's words, "As soon as we heard of the
discovery, we had a machine made. .... It worked to our satisfaction and
we became convinced, by actual trial, of the great gain which could be obtained, by returning the

empty combs to the bees."
A.J. Cook
The author of "The Bee-Keepers' Guide; or Manual of the

Apiary." In 1866 he was appointed instructor at Michigan
Agricultural College and in 1868 Professor of Entomology and
Zoology. He became one of the first great teachers of bee culture
on the college level. His book began as a course of lectures which
he gave at the college. He wrote many articles for the bee
journals of his day. The demand for his book was so great, that
from 1876 with the first publication, the 10th edition was
required by 1884. A.J. Cook was not only a great teacher but a
practical beekeeper in his own right. It was during this period of
time that many different hives were still being used and Cook was
an advocate for the Gallup frame which was 11 1/4 inches square.
He said, "the reason I prefer this form are, that the comb seldom
breaks from the frame, the frames are convenient for nuclei and save the expense of
constructing extra nucleus hives, and these frames permit the most compact arrangement for
winter and spring, and thus enable us to economize heat." He is recognized for his wise counsel
and advice to beekeepers and the major impact these teachings had on modern day beekeeping.
Dr. C.C. Miller.
Like Quinby, he is one of the few who actually made a living from
bees. By 1878 he made beekeeping his sole business. He was very
practical and as a naturalist, when he took up beekeeping as a
hobby in 1861, he began the long journey that would lead to the
articles and books he wrote on the subject.
He was a popular speaker at bee meetings and all who knew him
say of him that he was of a jolly good nature. His book, "Fifty
Years Among the Bees," is one of the classic bee books. His
influence on bee management continues to this day.
Dr. Walter C. Rothenbuhler

Dr. Rothenbuhler discovered that honey bee behavior had a

genetic basis. He is the author of a large number of papers
dealing with two strains of honey bees. One of these strains was
very likely to have American foulbrood because of poor house
cleaning -- not removing dead larva from cells in a timely
fashion and the other was a strain that had good house cleaning
habits -- removing dead larva from cells and being resistant to
American foulbrood.

Honey Plants
Back to search page Back to table of Contents for Beekeeping Made Simple Back to Nectar-
Pollen Flows for Honey Production
Honey Plants
Flowering The honey plants of the United States included in this
list is by no means complete. It is designed to help a
Plants/Trees beekeeper find the possible source of nectar his bees
are gathering. This is done in several ways: each link
below will take you to a particular plant. Each plant
Our attempt to help you identify the
source of nectar which the bees use to
is identified by photographs and a map location .
produce your honey crop has not been Following the map and pictures are descriptions of
done without a great deal of study. We the plants features, pollen color and pollen grain
owe a great deal to the various sources identification. We will be adding more honey plants
of information listed in these pages. No from the southwest and other areas as we can get
one person can be an expert of where pictures to include in our descriptions. Watch the
honey plants are found and our maps
are not meant to be all inclusive. We
web site for updates.
would like to credit the following
sources and recommend you purchase
any that you may find valuable.
The color of honey
The color
of honey
varies
considerably
according
to the
nectar
source of the honey. I would like to
thank Dave Heilman of the OSU bee
lab in Wooster, Ohio for providing me
with these samples of honey. These
samples represent the wide range of
colors found in honey and are
identified from the left to the right as: Honey Plants Click on the links below to find out more about each
very light clover honey, amber star one of them.
thistle honey, dark amber blueberry
honey, and buckwheat honey which is Alsike Clover
almost black. To help with some
description of honey, these colors may
be of some help but the pollen grains in Apples
these honey samples can tell us the true
source. Looking at color alone can not
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Honey Plants
determine what the nectar source is or Black Locust

if it is a combination of nectar sources.
A dark honey for example, might be
overheated lighter honey. Taste is also
a factor to take into consideration.
This is the clover honey with

backlight. Buckwheat
This is the star thistle honey Catalpa

with backlight.
Clover: crimson, red,
This is the blueberry honey white
with backlight.
This is the buckwheat honey

with backlight. Without light
the buckwheat honey looks
black.
Citrus
Dandelion
Reference books
Goldenrod
The reference books we used to collect
information about honey plants are
listed below. The two best honey plant
books on the subject are by Frank
Pellet and John Lovell. We have relied
on the information in them; however,
they were written 50 to 75 years ago
and farming practices have changed Honeysuckle
quite a bit since then. We have tried to
update material to be current with
Linden/Basswood
today's plant information.
● Our Trees How to Know Them

Maple
photographs by Arthur Emerson and
text by Clarence M. Weed.
Copyright 1936 by J. B. Lippincott
Company
● Honey Plants of North America by

John H. Lovell copyright 1926 by The
A. I. Root Company. This book is
Milkweed
available as a reprint for the A.I.
Root Company and if you do not have
a copy of a honey plant book, we Mints
strongly urge you to purchase a copy
of this one. We consider it better
than the next book listed.

Honey Plants
● American Honey Plants by Frank C. Pumpkin, Squash,

Pellett Copyright 1920 and published
by Dadant & Sons. Many editions of
Cucumber
this book have been published and it
is often available at used book stores.
You might search the internet for a
copy.
● The Pollen Loads of the Honey Bee by

Dorothy Hodges copyright 1984 by
International Bee Research Raspberry, Blackberry, Dewberry
Association. This book has also been
through many editions. This is a
classic for anyone wanting to study Sourwood
pollen.
Sumac
● A colour guide to pollen loads of the
honey bee by William Kirk copyright
1994 by International Bee Research
Association. A larger and expanded
number of pollen plants compared to
Hodges book.
● Pollen grains of Canadian honey Sweet Clover

plants by Clifford Crompton and
Walter Wojtas. Copyrighted in 1993
by Minister of Supply and Services Tulip Tree
Canada.
● An Atlas of Selected Pollen Important Tupelo

to Honey Bees in the Eastern United
States by Stephen Bambara and
Nancy Leidy. Copyright 1991 by
North Carolina State Beekeepers
Association.
● Florida Honey and Beekeeping by

Waldo Horton and Isabelle Thursby.
Published in 1958 at Bulletin No. 66
by the Department of Agriculture, Wild Mustard
State of Florida.
willow
● Geological Survey Bulletin No. 7
"Honey Plants of Iowa" by L.H.
Pannel and Charlotte King and
others. Published 1930 by the Iowa
Geological Survey by the state of
Iowa.
● Weeds of the North Central States

Bulletin 772 published by the
Agricultural Experiment Stations of
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South
Dakota, and Wisconsin in 1981.
● Peterson Field Guide to Wildflowers

by Tory Peterson and Margaret
McKenny published in 1986.

Honey Plants
● Beekeeping in California publication

21422 by Eric Mussen, Len Foote,
Norman Gary, Harry Laidlaw,
Robbin Thorp and Lee Watkins
copyright 1987 by The Regents of the
University of California, Division of
Agriculture and Natural Resources.
● Beekeeping in Western Canada by P.

Pankiw and D. L. Nelson published in
1975 by Canada Department of
Agriculture, Ottawa.
● Beekeeping In Ontario by G. F.
Townsend and P. W. Burke published
by Ontario Agricultural College,
Guelph.

Nectar/Pollen Flows for Honey Production
Topic: Honey Production/Nectar/Pollen Flows for

Honey Production
Honey Production
Strong hives of bees gather honey crops -- Weak hives maintain themselves.
Bees can not get a honey crop if there are no nectar/pollen sources available
to support the number of bees placed in a location.
Some honey crops sell for more than other honey crops because it can be
identified as from a particular nectar source.
● Tupelo , Sourwood, Kazoo and others are in great demand and seldom enter the commercial
packers inventory.
Honey crops vary from year to year depending on a number of factors
● Weather -- moisture -- temperatures -- amount of sunshine

● Farming practices and demand for crops being grown
● Varieties and cultivars of plants grown -- soybeans for example (Some produce honey
and some don't)
● Conditions beyond the control of the beekeeper such as pesticide uses by farmers
● Others... population of bees in hive, swarming,........
The commercial beekeeper should have in his/her library the following books:
● Honey Plants of North America, by John H. Lovell. This book was originally published in
1926 by the A.I. Root company and is back in print. The Reissued printing is available
from the A.I. Root Company.
● American Honey Plants, by Frank C. Pellett. This book went thru many editions and is
available in the used book market. To find a copy use a search engine such as Google to
locate a copy.
● Insect Pollination of Cultivated Crops Plants, by S.E. McGregor. This was published by
the Agricultural Research Service as Agriculture Handbook No. 496 in July 1976. It is
harder to find but a search of used books may turn up a copy.
This disk also contains information about honey plants. You may check it -- the information is
general but a study is helpful for the commercial beekeeper. Honey Plants
A commercial beekeeper intending to gather a honey crop with his bees needs to know what
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plants are going to produce the nectar for that honey crop. The beekeeper needs to identify the
potential acres available to the bees to forage for this crop. How long can this crop be expected
to be in bloom is another issue to deal with as the honey producers considers the crop potential.
The overall the number one honey crop in the United States is produced from clover. However,
there are many types of clover grown in the United States.
A review of the honey crop reports for 2003 will give you an idea of the honey crops sold by
domestic producers. Figures provided by USDA National Honey Report by major producing
states by packers, handlers, and other users. Keep in mind that the information contained does
not report all honey produced within each state. Some states are omitted because large quantities
of honey produced were not reported. Such examples would include many states east of the
Mississippi River which are not considered major honey producing states but honey is produced
in them never the less. Some crops from the states listed below are not reported because they
never reach the packer as a pure identifiable honey source in large quantities. Beekeepers who
produce and sell their own honey are not reported in the figures below. Several good examples
include Georgia which produces fine crops of clover, raspberry, sourwood, tulip poplar, cotton,
gallberry, Tupelo, etc.; California which produces fine crops of star thistle, safflower, sunflower,
eucalyptus, manzanita, avocado etc.; or Michigan which produces fine crops of knapweed,
blueberry, raspberry, fireweed, milkweed, etc.
A honey producer must seek out and find the available sources in the area
he/she intends to keep bees. To many commercial beekeepers, honey is
honey regardless of where it comes from. They sell honey by the barrel
and do not separate the various floral sources.
Arkansas
Soybean, Chinese Tallow,
California
Alfalfa, cotton, orange, sage, mixed flowers, knapweed, buckwheat,
Colorado
Alfalfa
Florida
Brazilian pepper, gallberry, orange blossom, saw palmetto, wildflower, Tupelo
Georgia

Mixed flower
Idaho
Mint, alfalfa, clover
Illinois
clover
Iowa
Mint, mixed flowers,
Louisiana
Chinese Tallow
Michigan
Mixed flowers, clover,
Minnesota
Clover
Montana
Alfalfa, blue curl, clover, Sunflower
New York
Mixed flowers,
North Dakota
Clover, mixed flowers, alfalfa,
Oregon
Mixed flowers, Alfalfa, clover, berry,
South Dakota
Alfalfa, clover

Texas
Chinese Tallow, mixed flowers,
Utah
Clover
Washington
Alfalfa, Buckwheat, Mint, Peppermint, mixed flowers, Raspberry, knapweed, blackberry
Wisconsin
Clover, Buckwheat, wildflower,
Wyoming
Clover, sage

Honey Production
Honey Production
Return to 301
Honey bees produce honey. In order to harvest a good honey crop you must have:
● good strong hives of healthy bees with good queens

● favorable weather
● good locations
● good bee management techniques
● and proper equipment
Introduction:
This is a good time to be talking about honey production because we just finished the poorest
honey season in many beekeeper's recent memory. It had nothing to do with the strength of
colonies, management techniques, equipment or anything else except for one thing -- weather
and growing conditions for nectar producing plants.
If one beekeeper had a poor honey production year and all other beekeepers have good honey
production, the problem could be laid at the door step of the beekeeper with the poor honey
crop but this was a year that all most all beekeepers reported a shortage of honey in the supers
and some even report that the bees have very little winter stores.
This is the reality of keeping bees. I do a lot of reading and found the following from a
beekeeper who kept bees in England in the early part of the 19th century. "The season,
however, it is well-known, was so wet as to be very unfavourable for bees: -- the summer of 1830
was not by any means what is called a Bee-year; and early in the autumn I could see that,
instead of adding to their store, they were under the necessity of living upon it."
From Humanity to Honey Bees: or, Practical Directions for the Management of Honey Bees by Thomas Nutt. 1832
This is the reality that all beekeepers live with. Those who spend their honey crop before it is
taken in by the bees can expect to be very disappointed in keeping bees. You can find in the
literature of bee hives collecting several hundred pounds of honey in a season and those reports
are correct. But keep in mind that location and weather conditions have a large bearing on
what the bees are able to gather and store.
Instruction on how to get good honey crops are found in most beekeeping text. However, I am
going to present you with my ideas and they may or may not agree with what others tell you.
Since we all develop a particular beekeeping style, we tend to be very protective of the way we
keep bees. Do not hesitate to try something if you feel it will work but if it doesn't work for you,
then seek a method that will work. The modern day beekeeper is struggling with a number of
issues. They are asking questions even of themselves -- questioning their own techniques and
why? Because today's beekeeper faces heavy bee losses from mites and other diseases. One of
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Honey Production
the topics found at bee meetings today is: IPM (Insect pest management). No longer are
beekeepers able to point to a constant 10 % loss over winter. Some of them are looking at 50%
or more and they are the ones doing everything they can to prevent heavy losses -- medicating
the bees etc.
Bees come first
Rather than discussing getting enthusiastic about bees or when one should start with bees or
where to find bees, I am going to assume that if you have reached the Beekeeping level 301 and
you have already gone thru those steps. Another thing you will often find in bee books is the
amount of money one can make with bees. Our goal is to present facts, management techniques,
and little else. Honey is a commodity that can easily be sold. A honey producer has a number of
choices on marketing his/her honey and they are discussed in another section of this lesson.
Fact: Success depends on:
● Knowledge of honey bee biology - (Colony development - growth, behavior, etc.)

● Honey bee management for honey production (the topic of this lesson)
● Bees and equipment
● Locations of bee yards
Honey Bee Management for Honey Production
From the earliest days of honey bee management for honey production in hives, beekeepers
have struggled with the issue of preventing swarms, placing box (supers) on the hive at the
proper time -- including the placement of windows in the side of boxes to watch the development
of the comb and check progress of bees, and preventing robbing of weak hives. There are a
number of individual practices that go into the management of bees for honey production and
all are important.
Each of the following topics are important:
● Building Strong Hives

● Feeding
● Swarming
● Robbing
● Queens
● Out-yards/production yards
● Nectar-Pollen Flows for Honey Production

Honey Production
● Supering for honey Production

● Extracting the honey crop
● Honey super storage
● Selling the Honey Crop

menupage301
This class is made up of a number of topics which can be studied individually or in sequence.
The hobby beekeeper can gain insight into the workings of the special areas of beekeeping
practiced by commercial operations. Our topics are:
Introduction to Advanced Beekeeping 301 Introduction: Commercial beekeeping
Queen Rearing
Applied Queen Rearing
Package Bee Production
Pollination
Honey Production
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Introduction: The Commercial Beekeeper
This course is arranged by topics rather than lessons. You can skip topics or you can study each
topic. You may study them in any order that is of interest to you. Our first topic is the
Commercial beekeeper.
The Commercial beekeeper
The purpose of an advanced beekeeping class is to acquaint beekeepers with the skills developed
by commercial beekeepers who make a living at beekeeping. To many hobby beekeepers,
making money is not the issue! The issue is to be a better beekeeper. However, commercial
beekeepers must become better beekeepers to succeed at a livelihood in beekeeping. The
number of commercial beekeepers has declined steadily in the past 50 years. The reason for this
is pure and simple -- economics.
A person must consider labor saving equipment and methods if becoming a commercial
beekeeper today. The person must be well grounded in understanding what the priorities are in
beekeeping. The person must understand "beekeeping." You can benefit from some of the
tricks of the trade they use.
Beekeeping to the commercial beekeeper may not be beekeeping to the hobbyist. What I mean
by this is: " a hobbyist may worry about the color of a hive, or where to put bees. Do I use
queen excluders or not? What should I use for a bottom board (Screened or unscreened?),
Should I buy ventilated covers? When is it time to requeen? When can I take off my honey
crop? Should I make a split or how do I make a split? The list could go on and on.
Major difference between the hobbyist and the Commercial beekeeper.
● The commercial beekeeper will move bees often from location to location.
● The commercial beekeeper will have equipment to do the job.
● The commercial beekeeper will have buildings to store, extract, and work on bee equipment.
● The commercial beekeeper will not have time to get sick or go on vacation during bee season.
● The commercial beekeeper will work from sun up to sun down and on occasion all night long.
● The commercial beekeeper will have liability insurance.
● The commercial beekeeper will have a number of bee yard locations.
● The commercial beekeeper will have networked with others to provide needed support
services.
● The commercial beekeeper will have a vast understanding of a particular method of bee
management.
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A commercial beekeeper worries about the bottom line (Am I going to make money from the
bees?) In order to make money, the commercial beekeeper already knows that splits have to
made up in the spring to replace any colonies that died out over the winter. The commercial
beekeeper must know where to put bees! When to take off the honey crop! When to use queen
excluders! And what about equipment? Some don't even paint their equipment, some paint
the hives any color they can get in large quantity for low price, but one thing they do. They
standardize everything.
Bottom boards are replaced with pallets that can be picked up and loaded with a mechanical
loader such as a skid steer, or "Swinger". All hives are the same height so pallets of bee hives
can be stacked one on top of another when being moved. All honey
supers are of the same size.
Moving Bees
Here a commercial beekeeper is moving hives for pollination. The

sun is going down. This truck is moving 120 hives. Note the Skid
steer loader is being pulled on a trailer behind the truck. The bees
are loaded late in the afternoon and moved to a new location during
late evening and night hours.
Management of bees is specialized into categories such as queen

rearing, package bee production, pollination, honey production or a combination of these.
Standardize all equipment
For the advanced beekeeper it is important to have all equipment meet some standard. If you
are a hobbyist, you can standardize all hive bodies, honey supers, top cover lids, and bottom
boards. I know of a number of beekeepers who have all medium (Illinois) supers. They use
them for brood supers as well as honey supers. The advantage is they have only one size of
frame to deal with and everything can be lifted easily. For the commercial beekeeper, it may be
all deeps. They will use deeps for brood chambers and honey supers. Of course, the handling
of full honey supers will require the use of heavy equipment. Again there is an advantage of
using deep supers. Less expense in equipment and labor. Keep in mind that it takes more
supers if you are using medium or shallow supers rather than deeps. More frames means more
extracting time and more construction time. Each box must be handled and if fewer boxes are
handled, then time is saved.
Pallets
Usually, what bee hives sit on -- sets the hobbyist apart from the commercial beekeeper. Not all
but most commercial beekeepers will keep bees on pallets. The reason for this: Commercial

beekeepers move hives several to many times during the bee season.
This is a photo of Billy Engle of The Rock, Georgia moving bees into a
Sourwood area of northern Georgia. This is a 16 foot trailer, two hives per
pallet handled with a hand truck. Notice the load is covered with a bee net.
A bee net is used when hauling a load of bees during day light hours. Some
states require a bee net to be used at all times because bees are considered
a hazardous cargo.
Bees on pallets can be handled easily. Pallets have solid bottoms

and have something called "hive clips" to hold the hive bodies to the
pallet. The pallet is the bottom board. Usually four hives are placed
to a pallet, but some beekeepers use pallets that will hold two hives.
An entire truck load of 250 to 500 hives can be loaded in an hours or
so with a skid steer or 32 hives can be loaded on a trailer in about the same time with a hand
truck. Telescoping covers are not used. A commercial beekeeper is not worried about how far
apart hives should be kept. His hives almost touch one another on the pallet. Because the
commercial beekeeper is using heavy equipment, the bee yards themselves must be fairly level
or flat.
Should you be in a position to increase the number of hives you manage, you must consider
putting your bees on pallets. We are going to present three options to you.
1) For the person with little capital to invest in large equipment: a two hive pallet will work.
All that is needed is a special hand truck to move the pallets about and a trailer.
2) With a little more capital, a person can purchase trailers for permanent placement of hives of
bees. The trailers are really moveable beeyards on wheels.
3) The four hive pallet requires a fork lift to move it around as shown above.
Putting hives on trailers
For the beekeeper who doesn't have long drives or many hives to move, the trailer option is
great. First, one can add trailers as pollination contracts increase. Sizes of trailers can also be
designed for specific types of grower needs. This still requires an
investment in trailers and something to pull them with. This is a
homemade trailer with 10 hives placed on pickles.

Old house trailer frames can be easily converted into bee hauling trailers
as is shown to the right. It has a sturdy frame and can haul up to 40
hives.
The photo to the left shows such a trailer on a

field of clover. Placing bees in such a location,
allows the farmer to get a good seed set and the beekeeper gets a very
good honey crop. Here we have 30 hives on a trailer in over 200 acres
of clover.
We are going to share a few photos of a small commercial operation. These were taken at
the White Star Honey Farms. They own over 2,000 colonies of bees, have four trucks, two skid
loaders, and a multitude of buildings and equipment.
These pictures give you just a little idea of the work commercial beekeepers are involved in:
moving of hives to pollination, the storage of full honey supers , the extracting machinery, and
how dry and fine the wax cappings are when they are spun dry. If you are considering
beekeeping as a career, visit a commercial beekeeper before jumping into this profession. As
Billy Engle once told me, "Many people get into beekeeping but it is like jumping out of an
airplane with a parachute. They think everything is okay until they look down and see an anvil
tied to their ankle." In order to make $20,000 dollars a year with 2000 hives of bees, a

beekeeper needs to make at least $10.00 per hive after all after expenses. Expenses for an
operation like White Star includes such things as labor, (one full time person and three part
time people); insurance for trucks, equipment, and buildings, license fees, usually a tanker load
of corn syrup a year, repair cost, new equipment and replacement equipment, road usage fees
and gasoline, and a multitude of other expenses that must be taken care of. Mr. Grant who
owns this operation thinks that when the final figures are in for the bee year, he makes just as
much money as a cab driver. However, he is his own boss.

Advanced Queen Rearing 301

Queen Rearing
This is one of the specialties in the beekeeping industry. It can be carried out on a small scale by
the hobby beekeeper as well as the commercial beekeeper to produce queens for personal use or
for sale. Queen rearing was carried out by some notable early beekeepers. Among them
included Langstroth, Quinby, A.I. Root, Alley, and Doolittle.
Before the age of the movable frame [Langstroth did not invent the movable frame] scientific
knowledge about the production of queens was unknown. Some even referred to the queen as a
King. Among one of the first to study and prove that queens were produced from worker larvae
was Francois Huber. Huber designed a folding frame hive (designed like pages in a book)
which would allow an observer access to the mysteries within the hive. Using scientific methods,
Huber proved beyond a doubt that queens were produced from worker larvae. Huber's work is
still recognized for his outstanding observations and contribution to our knowledge of the honey
bee.
The accumulated knowledge from previous beekeepers should be recognized here. They
include: F. Pellett, J. Smith, O. Mackensen, F. Ruttner, Laidlaw and Eckert, and current bee
scientists such as W. Rothenbuhler, S. Taber, T. Rinderer, S. Page, and J. Latshaw.
Queen rearing is based upon scientific fundamentals. They must be observed by anyone
attempting to raise queens. The following fundamental facts are:
● Queens are raised only from fertilized eggs [eggs that produce female bees]
● The development time from the time an egg is laid by a queen until the time a new queen
will emerge is 16 days +/- a few hours.
● Young larvae must be well nourished.
● An adequate population of young bees are needed to feed and care for the young larvae
and provide the necessary temperature in the hive.
Conditions under which queens are raised naturally.
● The most common condition is when a colony is about to swarm.

● However, if a colony becomes queenless and eggs or larvae are present, the bees will
attempt to raise what is called an emergency queen.
● If a queen becomes old, is injured, or for some other reason -- the honey bees will try to
replace the old queen with a supersedure queen.
Methods of raising queens Varies:
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For the sake of history, I am going to list several methods that have been used. Many of these
methods are explained in books by the authors of these methods. Brief explanations of each of
the following methods can be found by clicking on the name of the person who developed the
method. By far the most common method used by commercial queen producers today is the
Doolittle Method. This method will be explained in Applied Queen Rearing.
Miller Method
Alley Method
Smith Method
Introduction to Applied Queen Rearing
Why queens should be reared?
The inherited and physical qualities of a queen are transmitted to the colony. The
characteristics we like to see are produced by superior queens. For example, a new SMR queen
has been introduced just this past year. The "Russian" queen was introduced just a few years
ago. We would like to find genetic stock that can resist the varroa mite damage being done to
our hives today. This is accomplished by breeding these characteristics into stock sold to the
beekeeper consumer. When one finds superior queens, every attempt should be made to
propagate that stock. This is something all beekeepers can do to improve their own stock. Or
the beekeeper might purchase a breeder queen.
A breeder queen is a queen of outstanding characteristics. She is the queen providing the larvae
for future queens. However she is found (your own outstanding stock or purchased) special
care must be taken to make sure she does not swarm and thus you loose her. Most breeders
will clip the wings of the breeder queens so they can not fly off with a swarm and keep the
breeder queen in a single deep hive with marked frames so they can determine the age of the
larvae to be grafted. In some cases the breeder queen is confined to a restricted space within
the hive by queen excluders and new frames of drawn comb inserted daily for her to lay in.
Other beekeepers have use the Jenter cage to keep the queen confined to select larvae without
grafting. Many purchased breeder queens are artificially inseminated and cost a great deal of
money. If a breeder queen cost $800.00, you can bet the beekeeper will take very special care of
that queen. (Note: $800.00 is not an outrageous amount for a very good breeder queen).
Other reasons for raising queens would be to have a few on hand to replace old or failing queens
or even queenless hives. Queens raised from superior stock even by the hobbyist can be better
than the stock sold by some queen breeders. Or raise your own queens just for the experience
of it. Or you might want to replace all of your queen each year by raising new queens to replace
all your old queens and requeen each fall rather than in the spring.
Before we move into applied queen production, I should point out that natural queen cells

produced under the swarming impulse can be cut carefully from the comb and then used to
raise more queens. One will often find 20 or more queen cells in a hive determined to swarm.
If the stock is good, you can have no finer queens that those produced under the swarming
impulse. Some fear that by using such cells that you are propagating a stain of bees that will be
prone to swarm. Let me tell you, bees (all bees) will swarm. If you have a characteristic such as
mite resistance, wouldn't it be better to use these cells? On the other hand, if the hive was very
aggressive, I would think twice before using those swarm cells.
The next part of this lesson takes up Applied queen production methods. You will be
introduced to a number of new terms. Applied queen rearing

Miller Method
Dr. C. C. Miller Method of Raising Queens
Every beekeeper should raise a few queens. Do it for the experience. It is not hard. It is even
nice to have a queen available if you need to replace a queen.
Our suggested method: The Miller Method

First, you will need to make some preparations. You will need a separate queen nuc box for
each queen to be raised, a nuc box to build cells, and a good number of worker bees to build and
feed the cells to be created. You will also need an egg source. Hopefully, you have an
outstanding queen producing good gentle bees with some mite tolerance.
Steps:
1. Place a frame of new foundation into the hive that has your queen source (This is your
mother queen). This frame is just a regular frame nothing fancy. The comb is cut into
"V's". The only thing I would suggest is to place the frame between two frames of
brood. See the pictures:
This is day one. The picture to the right is a frame -- not even complete at that. It
has no bottom bar but your frame could. It really doesn't make any difference. It
has new thin wax foundation --- the type used for comb honey production but again
that is not important. It could be brood foundation. This frame is placed in the hive
with your Mother Queen. The mother queen will lay eggs in the cells the worker
bees build on the new wax foundation. Queens seem to prefer to lay in this new
comb. Notice that the foundation has been cut into "V" shapes. Again at this point
this is not really critical.
Approximately One Week Later
The frame will look like this
The bees will have drawn out the comb into worker cells. The queen will have started
laying eggs into the cells. You can see the eggs by looking down into the cells but
because they are white and the comb is very bright yellow, it may be difficult at
first. Eggs will look like little grains of white rice. Remember eggs hatch in three
days. So if you see eggs, they are from one to three days old already. You will now
need to get your cell builder hive ready. The cell builder hive-- In Miller's words,
"The next thing is to find the right kind of bees to start the cells, not only to start them,
but to take the very best care of them." The kind of bees he was referring to were bees that were already
building queen cells -- as in hives building swarm cells. In this hive, Miller would destroy all queen cells and
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Miller Method
remove the queen and the frame she was on. He would then take the frame of comb with the eggs from the
mother queen (a superior queen by the way), and insert that frame into the space occupied by the frame the
queen was on.
Often in summer, it is difficult to find bees building queen cells and a person will need to create the conditions
under which the bees will build queen cells. That method can be adapted to the Miller method.
1. Several frames of brood, and frames of honey and pollen and a lot of young bees are
placed into a single deep super.. It could be placed in the same location as your mother
hive (you would need to turn the mother hive around so that the entrance faces in
another direction).
2. You will need to provide an ample amount of sugar syrup for the bees to fed on.
3. This cell builder hive must be queenless.
4. After three days, the bees will have started emergency queen cells. To prevent one of
these queens from emerging and killing the queens you are trying to raise, it will be
necessary to cut any started queen cells (these are called emergency cells) in the cell
builder.
5. To this hive you would add the frame of eggs from your mother hive just like Miller
suggest above.
Miller suggested cutting the comb with eggs in a saw tooth fashion as illustrated to the right.
Again in Miller's words, "For a little distance at the edge, the comb contains eggs only. This part
is trimmed away, leaving the youngest of the brood at the edge of the comb. One reason for this is
that, other things being equal, the bees show a decided preference for
building on the edge of a comb. Another reason is that I decidedly prefer
to have cells on the edge, thus making them easier to cut out when
wanted."
Cut the cells as shown in the picture above. Cut away the lower cells. The most
important point I can make here is to emphasize the importance of having either eggs or very young larva near
where the cuts are made.
On day 10 the queen cells should look like those in the picture to the left..
It is now necessary to decide how many queens you want to raise. You will need a nuc box
for each queen to be raised and enough bees and feed to help her survive. If you want only
one queen you really don't need to do anything more. The bees will build a number of
queen cells -- Often 10 to 20. One of these queens will survive the battle among the queens
that emerge.
Beautiful queen cells ready to be put into nuc boxes and raised for future queen are the result. Since queen
cells raised in this fashion are built close together and often connected as shown in the picture, it is not possible
to move all of the cells to a nuc. One could cut between these cells and save three of them. The three cells could
then be placed in individual nuc boxes. A queen nuc box is nothing more than a small queenless

Miller Method
hive having three to five frames..
From the day the eggs are laid by the

queen and the bees begin to provide
special attention to raising queen cells, a
period of 16 days will pass before the
new queens emerge. It will take
another 10 days for virgin queens to
mate and start to lay eggs of their own.
We wish you happy queen rearing.

Alley Method
The Henry Alley Method of Raising Queens

This is a copy of Henry Alley's 1882 book called, "The New Method of Queen-
Rearing".
We will use illustrations from Henry Alley's book to explain this method. Alley
placed special emphasis on selecting queens carefully. They needed to be perfect in
every respect and of undoubted purity and prolificness. You can follow no better
advice than this even today.
In Alley's own words, "If a large number of queens are to be reared, the mother queens should not
be kept in full colonies as the risk of killing them in securing eggs for cell building is too great..."
"I do not use the combs in standard frames for this purpose, as in the course of the season a large
number of nice brood-combs would be either badly mutilated or destroyed in so doing. Small pieces
of comb the size of the nucleus frames, described in another place, are generally at hand and far
preferable to larger combs."
Alley used these small frames with new foundation. He mentions that these frames need to be
properly numbered and marked for use. He says, "A good prolific queen will fill this small comb
in less than twenty-four hours. The exact age of all eggs is easily and exactly determined."
For cell builders he advised, "Always select the strongest colonies for cell-building and never the
weak or feeble ones." Alley used a swarm box to get his cells started. A swarm box is similar to
a nuc box with this exception: The top and bottom of the box are covered with wire for
ventilation and once bees are placed in the box, the box is kept in a bee room. Bee can not
leave. He says he put three pecks of bees into the box. In today's language, you could probably
get a five frame nuc box, convert it into a box with a wire screen bottom and a removable screen
top. Into this box you could place four frames that include honey, pollen, and capped brood and
add two or three pounds of bees. He says, "The bees should be kept in this box at least ten hours.
Soon after being put into it they will miss their queen, and keep up an uproar until released. This
prepares them for cell-building. I find it a good plan to keep them in a cool, dark room, or cellar
until needed, as they will keep more quiet and there is less danger from suffocation. The bees must
be kept queenless for from twn to twelve hours, else the eggs given them for cell-building will be
destroyed."
The process of getting eggs to put into the cell builder.
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Alley Method
Alley cut a strip of cells from a frame of comb in which the queen had laid eggs. A figure from
his book shown below:
He destroyed every other egg. "This gives plenty of room for large cells to be built, and the bees to
work around them and also permits of there being cut out without injury to adjoining cells."
Many later beekeepers using this method, left two empty cells between cells with eggs.
The strip of comb with eggs is then fastened to the bottom of a frame of 1/2 comb to make room
for the queen cells. See the figure he used in his book below:
"You will notice that this comb is cut with a slightly convex curve. By putting the prepared strips in
after this manner, still more room is given to each cell owing to the spreading caused thereby."

Alley Method
The strip I might interject was fastened to the upper comb base by dipping the edge which had
not been prepared for the above into 1 part beeswax and 2 parts rosin. Much care had to be
taken to avoid getting the strip too hot.
This frame was then placed into the swarm box. As he indicated, "Everything is now ready for
the queenless bees in the box, impatient to be released and anxious to commence cell-building."
He also added, "I usually prepare the bees in the morning for queen rearing and give them the
eggs at night. By the next morning they will usually become reconciled to the new state of things
and from twenty to twenty five queen cells can be started; this of course depends upon the number
of eggs given them. If not permitted to complete over twelve cells, the queens will be found as good
as, if not superior to, those reared under the swarming impulse."
From this point on, queen rearing is pretty much the same. The queen cells are built, fed,
capped, and allowed to develop. The beekeeper must plan on getting nuc's ready for each queen
to be raised. If you mark the frames with the day the eggs were laid, you know your queen cells
will need to be moved on the 14th day into individual nucs for breeding the new virgin queens.

Smith Method
The Jay Smith Method
Jay Smith was an Indiana bee breeder that wrote a book titled, "Queen Rearing
Simplified" published by the A.I. Root Company in 1923.
First, let me say that the Smith Method is a combination of Doolittle and Alley
methods. It does require grafting larva into cell cups as in the Doolittle method.
Smith used the swarm box method to get queen cells started. He added a
Finishing hive to complete the job of getting queen cells "finished."
A grafted cell bar frame with three bars and approximately 60

drawn queen cells.
This is a picture of the swarm box he used.
You will need to read the section on grafting in Applied Queen Rearing. Grafting allows the
transfer of a number of young larva into special queen cell cup that are attached to a bar. Like
Alley, Smith liked to use a swarm box to get these cells started. So lets take a look at Smith's
method.
Filling the Swarm Box in his own words, "Two combs containing some honey and pollen are
placed in the swarm box. These should be old combs and not too heavy, for, in the handling they
are to receive, they will be liable to break down if new or if they contain much honey. These combs
are placed one at each side of the box and are held in position by the two blocks that are to support
the cell bars. A funnel, such as is employed in filling pound packages is used for putting bees into
the box." Smith suggested six pounds of bees for this swarm box. The bees in the swarm box
were then taken to what Smith called his "dungeon." He says, "back in the dungeon the bees
remain qu9iet at though it were night, away from noise, light and strong air currents, and are as
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Smith Method
contented and satisfied as though they were in their own hive." The dungeon was his basement.
"I usually fill the box at one o'clock in the afternoon and leave the bees confined there in the
basement until three o'clock. I find that two hours of confinement is all that is necessary, for, as
the bees are queenless, broodless, and on strange combs, they realize their queenlessness to the
fullest extent in that length of time.."
He goes on, "When all three are finished -[He is referring to the grafting process]- , they are
ready to be placed in the swarm box....Now pick up the swarm box on each end. Raise it about six
inches from the concrete floor and bring it down with a jar. All of the bees that were hanging to
the cover in a cluster will fall to the bottom in a mass. Now remove the upper cover, take up the cell
bars and place the in the box.. Have ready a quart Mason jar, with perforated lid, filled with
sugar syrup or honey, diluted with about one-fourth water, set the swarm box back into the
dungeon, and the bees will do the rest."
The next step:
The bees should remain in the swarm box until three or four o'clock of the day following. Smith
uses a finishing hive to complete the job of raising the queens. Lets pick up from him, "If the
work has been properly done nearly all of the cells should be accepted. One should average an
acceptance of eighteen cells out of twen and frequently all should be accepted. When the bars are
taken out the larvae should have an abundance of royal jelly literally swimming in it, and the cells
be drawn out into proper shape. If conditions are right all sixty are accepted."
The finisher hive:
A finisher hive is a hive that will complete the process. It must be strong and have a number of
nurse bees. Smith indicates, "The best results are secured by placing frames of unsealed brood on
both sides of the frame that holds the cells, for this draws the nurse bees right to the cells and the
immediately take hold of the cells and carry the work on to successful completion. Replace the
cover and see that the feeder is kept liberally supplied with feed so that the bees will receive an
ample supply. Take the other two bars and give them to the other two finishing colonies. Go back
to the swarm box, take off the lower cover, remove the combs and shake off all the bees possible
and brush off the remainder. Replace the combs, put on the covers and take it back to the
basement to remain till needed again."
Notice that this method requires one additional step between introducing larva into a cell
builder and the time the cells are removed to go into a nuc for the mating flights. The step is the
finishing hive. Each finishing hive is to complete the job started by the swarm box. It is said
that one of the most difficult things in raising grafted queens is to get the cells started. Smith's
method works even in periods when bees are not in the swarming mood.
Many copies of this book were published and it may be available from time to time on the ebay
auction site.
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Applied Queen Rearing
Up to this point we have discussed the various methods used to get queen cells. We are now
going to get into the nitty gritty of raising queens. What we are getting into is controlled queen
rearing -- forcing the bees to do something that under natural conditions they do only during
supercedure, emergency, or swarming conditions.
Cell building Colonies: You will need one or more depending on the number of queens you
want to raise.
● Each colony used as a cell builder should be fed continuously to stimulate the production
of royal jelly and the secretion of wax.
● It should have a large population of young bees and have access to stored or fresh pollen.
The Queenless cell builder:
● I have found more success with queenless cell builders than with queen right cell
builders. If you are interested in queen right cell builders, we will include a little
information about them at the end of this section.
● It is easiest to produce queen cells when the bees are in a swarming mood. This is the
natural time for them to build natural cells.
● You have a choice in selecting the hive. It should be one of your strongest hives, free of
disease, and well supplied with honey stores and pollen frames. For the commercial
queen producer, a cell builder hive is multiplied many times with as many as 50 or more
cell builders in one location. A single hive body colony is used when only a small number
of cells are to be raised. Most queen breeders use two or three story colonies to raise
queen cells. I spent some time five or six years ago with Sonny Swords of Swords
Apiaries in Moultrie, Georgia to
examine how they raised
queens. His operation is typical
of many commercial queen
producers. His cell builders
were two stories high. We also
visited the Tate Brothers Apiary in Milray, Alabama. They have cell builders configured
a bit differently. Notice that they are using a three story
configuration with a feeder on top of the hive and the queen cells are
located in this top story.
In the Swords operation they got cells drawn out by making a queen right
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colony queenless by setting off one of the supers with the queen in it to the back side of the
original stand. The queen would be located and many of the bees were shook off into the
original stand making it strong with young bees. I should also point out that only eight frames
are used in these colonies. Notice the number of bees in these cell building hives. It is
important to feed this cell building hive several days before you put cells into it
and continue with the feeding once the cells are in. The bees in the cell builder
will accept grafted queen cells within a few hours after it has been made
queenless but a wait of 24 hours is preferred. It is also a common practice of
commercial queen producers to place an extra two to three pounds of bees into a
cell builder. These come from other hives just like you receive package bees in
the mail. In this way the cell builder is increased in strength with young nurse
bees to care for the queen cell larvae.
● It is also important to arrange frames in the cell building hive so that the frame with the
grafted queen cells sits between a frame of emerging brood and a frame of pollen and
honey. It is desirable to remove any frames that contain young larvae or eggs from this
cell building hive. Honey bees prefer it seems to build emergency cells with their own
larva rather than accept the grafted larvae you give them. If one of these emergency
queens were to emerge, she would go about cutting down your grafted queen cells and
because the hive would be queen right, the bees would reject all future grafts placed in
the cell builder.
● The bottom line in raising good queens is: You must select larvae from the best stock you
have available, and provide the grafted larvae with the strongest cell building hive you
have -- adequately provided with young nurse bees and plenty of pollen and honey/sugar
syrup.
I should point out that Jay Smith used something called a swarm box to get queen cells started
and then moved the cells that were started into a finishing colony. If you are interested in this
method, see Smith Method
Queen right cell builder
It is possible to raise queen cells in a hive/colony that has a queen. However, this requires a
method to isolate the queen to insure acceptance of the grafted larvae. The queen could be
removed from the hive for a period of three days during the time that grafted larvae are
introduced to the hive and then returned to the hive and kept away from the queen cells by a
queen excluder. I have seen another easier method used with success. It involves keeping the
queen in the bottom brood chamber with a queen excluder. Above the queen excluder is a
device of special construction that allows the beekeeper to slide either in or out a solid lid of
either wood or metal. This in effect creates two complete separate sections of the hive when the
barrier is in position. After queen cells are started in the upper chamber, the barrier is
removed and the hive returns to a single unit where the queen cells are finished by the bees.
The major objection with this method is that the hive must be kept so strong that they have a
tendency to swarm thus reducing the number of bees in the hive and often the loss of the queen
in the bottom brood chamber. Colonies can be strengthened by the addition of combs of

emerging brood from other colonies.
Doolittle Method of Raising Queens
Grafting procedure:
One needs to prepare a grafting bar with cell cups. These cell cups are usually made of wax but
plastic is becoming quite popular with commercial producers of queens. Selecting the right
larva becomes the next task for the person doing the grafting. A frame containing young
hatching larva should be selected from the
breeder queen's hive. Selecting the
smallest larva is best. Notice that in the
photo to the left -- larva are in various
sizes. The larger larva have already begun
to fill the bottom of the cell. Commercial
operations usually confine the queen to
three frames with a queen excluder
dummy board arrangement. Each frame
is marked with the date of being placed in
with the queen. The frame is checked the
next day for eggs and moved out of the egg
laying section of the hive to the nurse
section of the hive if eggs are present. The
date is clearly written on the top bar of the
frame. This way the person doing the
grafting knows exactly the age of the larva in the frame. For the hobbyist, a good selection can
be made from frames removed from the hive by looking at the size of the larva. 12 hour old
larvae can barely be seen with the naked eye. Larvae grow very rapidly. If the larvae has taken
the shape of a complete half circle within the hive cell, it is too old for grafting. Larvae that
produce queens must be provided with royal jelly over the
entire period of their development. So the sooner a larvae
can be grafted and provided with royal jelly and over a
longer period of time that food is continued, the larger and
better developed will be the resulting queen.
Grafting is done with a tool of some sort. One can

●
purchase a grafting tool called an "automatic" grafting

tool. This tool has a fine steel tongue that slips under the
larva when a small handle is depressed to lift the larvae
from the cell. When the larvae is removed from the cell, it
is transferred to a cell cup. When the handle is released
the small steel tongue is withdrawn into a tube and the
larva is released into the bottom of the queen cell. The
idea is to lift the larvae in a pool of royal jelly without touching the larvae and causing
damage to it. Tools are sold as grafting needles. Some of these are fine. Others are quite
worthless. Many professional grafters make their own grafting tool. One made his from

a simple paper clip by flattening one end and using an emery cloth to smooth the edges.
The picture to the left is a plan for making a homemade grafting tool. We would suggest
that you write to:Dr. Marla Spivak,
University of Minnesota to see if copies
are available. It is found in MI-6346-S
1994 Successful Queen Rearing produced
by the Department of Entomology,
Minnesota Extension Service, University
of Minnesota. Others use nothing more
than a match stick or toothpick which
they chew on and get the right shape for
their needs.
● Grafting is usually more successful if
the cell cups are primed with royal jelly

and the new larvae is placed on a pool of royal jelly.
● "Dry" grafting is placing the larvae into a cell cup with only the royal jelly picked up
with the larvae from its own cell.
● Cell cups need to be warm and clean before placing larvae in them. The location of the
grafting room is important. Good light is necessary as are the right temperature and
moisture conditions. Some commercial operations use a specially designed grafting shed
or house. The shed or house is small with a shelve to rest the grafting bar on and a good
overhead light with a small heater to keep the temperature at 85 degrees F. or higher.
Water is sprinkled on the floor to provide moisture so the young larvae do not dry out.
Careful consideration of the right temperature, light, and moisture conditions will
improve grafting result.
● Once larva have been transferred into the queen cell cups, the bars are covered with a
moist cloth and kept warm until they are given to a cell building colony. As soon as a
frame of 30 to 50 cells are grafted, it is immediately inserted into the cell builder. Young
nurse bees will visit the cell almost immediately and if accepted will start feeding the
young larva.
● Practice will increase speed and skill in grafting. This why we recommend for the hobby
beekeeper non grafting techniques to produce queen cells. See the discussion of the
Miller method for procedures to produce "home grown queens " without the need to
graft. All of the facts below apply to queen raising regardless of whether a person uses
grafting or non-grafting methods.
● Time is critical in raising queens. The following table will give you information about a
queens development.
Queen production schedule:

Adult queen
Adult Virgin
Egg stage The Larvae The Pupa cutting her way
Queen emerges
out of the cell.
approx.72 approx. 192 approx. 120 approximately approximately

hours (days 1 hours (days 4- hours (days 12 - 384 hours 384 hours
-3) 12) 16) (day 16) (day 16)
In commercial operations, every graft is recorded with the date of the graft, the queen mother,
and any other code that helps the operator remember critical information about the graft. The
bars on which the cells are placed is also marked with a code, and a calendar is kept to chart the
progress of each graft. If a mistake is made in removing cells from a cell building hive, the
emerging queens will begin to cut down cells of other queens and fight among themselves until
only one survives. All the work and effort to raise a number of good queens goes down the
drain. As a result every operation is scheduled exactly so that queen larvae is grafted on certain
days, frames with cells are removed on certain days, and nuc's are prepared for taking queen
cells on certain days. When raising queens there is no such thing as a vacation or rain day off.
To check your understanding of this concept, lets assume that we graft for queen cells on June
1.
What is the age of the larva being grafted? ______

●
● When should the larvae be capped into a fully developed queen cell? _______ day of the
month.
● When should the queen cell be moved from the cell building hive? ______ day of the
month.
● When should the new queen emerge from her cell? ______ day of the month.
1. The answers are (4 days old - 72 to 90 hours are best)

2. The answer is by the 8th of June.
3. The answer is by the 11th of June.
4. The answer is on the 12th of June. Why? Because the larva was already 4 days old
when it was grafted.
Calendar for the Month of June
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wed. Thur. Fri. Saturday
2
1 3 4 5 6 7
Graft date

8 10
11
Nucs to 12
Queen
Queen cells receive Queens
9 cells must 13 14
should be queen begin to
be moved
capped cells emerge.
to nuc.
made up
21
Check to
15 16 17 18 19 20 see if
queen is
laying.
For the hobbyist, all this discussion is of importance so you know how the commercial queen
producers do it. They want to produce thousands upon thousands of queens. In your case you
might want just a few. The process is going to be the same but on a much smaller scale. Most
likely the queenless single story colony will be best for you. Because a batch of queens can be
raised in 12 days (16 days for a queen to go from egg to emerging from her queen cell), the
queenless hive could then be reunited with the queen right hive and no more cells would be
needed. Remember addition of days is important in the production of a queen. Eggs hatch in
three days, and queens emerge on the 16th day. One or two days before the queens are to
emerge from their cells, the beekeeper must remove them from the cell building hive to avoid
disaster. A very strong cell builder hive supplied with young worker bees from other colonies
can start and finish 30 to 50 good queen cells when they are supplied with this number every 4
to 5 days.
Handling queen cells
Queen cells are fragile. They should never be shaken. They must be protected from cold chills.
Queen cells that are chilled one day before the queen emerges usually result in queens born
without fully developed wing. On the other hand, they should not be exposed to high
temperatures such as that found in the cab of a truck during mid summer. The normal
surrounding temperature of developing queen cells in a hive is near 92 degrees F. If you are
using the grafting method to produce queen cells, the following procedure should be used.
● The bar on which the queen cells is located should be handled gently.
● The bees that adhere to the frame need to be brushed off carefully. Never shake them
off.
● Once the bar is free of worker bees, each queen cell can be removed by using a sharp
knife to separate the base of the cell from the wooden bar. Do not grasp the queen cell
between your fingers in this cutting operation. Always hold the queen cell by its base.
● Queen cells thus removed from the bar can be placed in a towel and covered over for
protection.

● Queen cells can lay on their sides for a short period of time without damage.
● A queen cell needs to be placed into a queenless nuc or hive as soon as possible. (Before a
queen emerges from her cell).
Commercial beekeepers often have a device for holding queen cells in the normal down position
and a carrier to keep them warm. For any extended period of time (several hours), a small ice
cooler with a water bottle filled with warm water works well. The cells are placed into the
cooler/warmer and carried about in the nuc yard until they are all installed into the nucs. One
of the neatest queen cell holders I have found is the styrofoam containers that spark plugs are
delivered in.
Getting Queen mating nuc's ready:
Every queen to be produced must have her own hive. This hive may be quite small such as a
mini-nuc. ///see picture. Or it may be a full size hive divided into sections with a flight hole
facing in different directions. It is important in such a hive that a queen can not cross from one
section to another section. Commercial breeders may use a full deep hive body divided into four
sections with special frames designed to fit the sections of the hive. Others use a single mating
nuc of 3, 4, or 5 frames.
● Each nuc is made up with a comb of honey if available and a feeder for syrup to feed the
nuc. In addition an ideal nuc would also include a two frames of bees and some brood. It
is important that enough bees be placed in the nuc to keep the cluster large enough to
cover any brood placed in the nuc. A frame of new foundation could also be added.
● This nuc must be made up at least two miles from the nuc's final location for breeding
queens. It is not uncommon for commercial queen producers to make up nuc's with bees
that are shook from other hives and started just as you would start a new hive from a
package of bees, except that a queen cell is provided to the bees rather than a queen as in
a package.
● The bees in a nuc should be queenless at least a few hours before a queen cell is
introduced to it. It is better if the time is a bit longer and I prefer 24 hours.
● One queen operation uses bees shook from colonies to place into the small mini nuc's they
use. This is done in a warehouse on an assembly line. The queen cell is added
immediately to the new nuc and the bees are unable to get out of the nuc because they use
a disc that has three setting to allow the flight they desire from the nuc. (Remember
these shook bees are often queenless for some time before being put into the nuc). The
disc settings by the way are: holes too small for any bees to pass into or out of the nuc
{used for ventilation while bees are confined}, a small opening to allow worker bees to
leave but too small for a queen to leave, and a regular small opening which would allow
the queen to leave and return and give the colony a chance to defend itself against
robbing bees. These nuc's are stored for a day in a specially designed room with
controlled temperature to keep the nuc's from getting overheated. They are then loaded
on trucks and taken to the nuc yard.
● See Miller's method for the design of nuc's you could build for your own efforts at queen
rearing.

Nuc's must be attended to more often than full size hives. As the queen begins to lay eggs, the
nuc will quickly become crowded with little or no space for egg laying, honey storage, or pollen
storage. If queens are not sold and the cycle of raising queens continued, the management of
nucs requires attention to details such as moving the nuc into a larger size hive with more
frames. Otherwise, your newly raised queens will swarm or abscond (leave) the nuc. The
smaller the size of the nuc box, the greater the need to visit and check a queens progress.
Harvesting Queens
Queen should be laying before harvesting. Eggs should be placed uniformly at the bottom of the
cells. It is best to watch the development of these eggs to make sure they are worker eggs rather
than drone eggs. If the queen is harvested at this point, she is referred to as an untested queen.
It means that we do not know what her daughters are going to look like. Queens sold as
'Breeder queens' on the other hand, have been observed to be 1) laying uniform patterns of
brood, 2) the daughters seem to have been bred true to the race of the bee, 3) the queen
producers is satisfied that the queen will produce young queens from her eggs that will have the
characteristics similar to their mother.
Some preparation is necessary before removing queens from a nuc. First a decision on the type
of holding cage for the queen must be made. This cage is often referred to as an "introduction
cage." There currently three types used in the United States. One is called a Benton three hole
cage. This cage has been around for a long time. It has been used to ship queens directly
through the mail with just a mailing label attached. They can be racked into a bundle of cages
and shipped without any special container other than wooden strips stapled around the cages to
hold them together as a group. Benton cages usually have 6 to 10 attendant bees to take care of
the queen. They are also labor intensive to build.
Newer methods have come along in recent years. One is the reduction in the weight of the
queen cage. The second is the development of the battery box to ship queens in.
The California cage is made of wood like the benton cage. However, it has one elongated hole
with a tube of queen cage candy in one end. If shipped in a battery box, the queen cage does not
have attendant bees.
The EZ-BZ cage is made of plastic. It is also a single compartment with a tube for queen cage
candy on one end. Unlike the other cages, bees can approach the queen from all sides because
this cage allows direct contact from all sides except the candy end of the cage. It is becoming
very popular among queen breeders because of its light weight, and labor saving value. It will
also fit between the space of top bars even in a ten frame hive.
Queen cage candy:::
Queen cage candy at one time was made with honey and powdered sugar. Honey is no longer
used because of the risk of using honey that contains American foulbrood spores. It is
important to prevent the spread of disease. One source for queen cage syrup is The Walter T.

Kelley Co. This is an inert sugar syrup which is mixed with powdered sugar to make a solid
flour dough like candy which is then inserted into one of the holes in the benton cage or pressed
into the tube of either the California cage or the EZ-BZ cage. It is important to get the
consistency of this mixture right. If mixed too wet, it will get on the bees and possibly kill
them. This candy will also melt under very warm conditions with the same results. When
queens are shipped in the California or EZ-BZ cage, the tube end of the cage always faces down
to prevent the candy from dripping back onto the bees in the cage. On a small scale, one might
try mixing 1 teaspoon of liquid syrup with five teaspoons of powdered sugar. On the
commercial scale, they use a commercial mixer to make up a batch at a time. Powdered sugar is
dumped into the mixer bowl and the syrup added slowly as the mixer is turn on to a very low
speed. As the mixture begins to dough up, the mixer will begin to labor with the load. At this
point either more syrup is added, or the mixture is removed from the bowl and kneaded. The
right consistency is reached when the mixture can be rolled in one's hands without sticking or
falling apart. A lid is placed over the container to avoid the mixture from becoming rock like
which it will do if exposed to moisture.
Several other topics in this session need to be discussed. One is a queen bank and another is
sending queens to customers. Lets take a look at the queen bank.
Queen bank::::
Anyone raising a lot of queens or buying a number of queens that will not be used within several
days needs a queen bank. I normally can keep a queen in a cage with attendants for up to a
week if the following conditions are observed: 1) they are kept in the dark (a closet works), 2)
they are given a drop of water every day, and 3) are held at a temperature that is comfortable to
you. However, this will not work with a large number of queens being held for a week or so.
The beekeeper would be wise to develop a queen bank. A queen bank can be simple or
complex. However, for the hobbyist, the following will work just fine.
Queens need to be attended to by workers that will feed them.

●
● Workers must be unable to eat the candy from the cage to release a queen.
● Workers that feed the queens must have a supply of food.
I have used the following plan with small as well as large numbers of queens. I build a frame
that will hold the cage the queen is shipped in. The frame is the exact size of a normal frame
and I place this into a queenless nuc box with a number of bees and capped brood. If the
queens are shipped in benton cages, I must build my frame to accommodate the larger size of
this cage. Thus I will get fewer cages into the frame than if I used the California cage or the EZ-
BZ cage. The cages need to be supported so they do not shift or fall out. All that needs to be
done is to adjust the height of the bar spacing to fit the size of the cage you are going to bank.
Queens can be held safely in this queen bank for up to three weeks. However, any queen you
have that is not laying eggs, is being wasted away. You need to find a place for them in a
regular hive by either making new hives or replacing old worn out queens as quickly as possible.
Sending queen in the mail:::

Queen breeders are challenged to get queens to the customer in a timely manner and in good
condition. It is getting more difficult as I write. I have always had good luck sending queen by
mail as priority mail or express mail. However, with the changing postal rules in effect, this is
becoming more difficult for breeders. Queens are delivered to the post office just like other
mail would be. You provide the queen cages with a package that has openings cut for
ventilation. I like the normal standard priority mail VCR shipping package that has been
adapted to my use by cutting four inches of the sides out and replacing the sides removed with
standard wire screening like that used in screen doors and available at any hardware store.
This gives good ventilation to the queens in the cages inside the package. The queen cages are
taped to the bottom of the box to prevent them being tossed around during shipment. The
package needs to be marked "Live Queen Bees". "Keep at room Temperature". It is my
understanding that the post office will no longer insure bees sent through the mail. You will
need to check with your postal people to find out what rules they are following before you begin
to ship queens to customers. The other option is sending queens by UPS but this is the most
expensive. I sent one batch of queens to Georgia last year with a next day delivery date. The
cost was $76.00. If the buyer wants to pay for the added cost of getting bees overnight, then
UPS is the way to go. By the way, UPS does charge a special handling charge for bees, and an
extra charge for delivery to a non business address. This is the only way to ship if you want to
be assured that the bees will arrive in good condition. UPS will not insure bees.
The commercial shipper will send orders of 25 or more queens in a battery box. Battery boxes
are available from Mann Lake, Ltd. and can be purchased in several sizes. A battery box is a
novel idea. Queens do not need attendants in their individual cages. The queens are caught and
put into individual cages without the need to add worker bees to the cage. The queens are then
placed in the special holders that go into the battery box. The battery box will hold candy for
the worker bees to use during the trip and a short time afterward. The queen producer will
then dump one-half pounds of bees over the queen cages and seal the battery box preventing the
worker bees from escaping. These bees will cluster over and around the queen cages and feed
the queens enclosed in the cages. When the battery box arrives at the queens destination, the
battery box is opened by the beekeeper to allow the bees inside to fly. They will return to the
battery box. The box needs to be placed in a shaded area to prevent overheating the queens
inside. Warning labels on battery boxes tell you to take the queens out of the battery box and
place them in a queen bank. You can hold queens for several days in the battery box but don't
trust your luck too far beyond this. By all means do not leave them in your car. If the sun heats
up the interior of your car, all the queens and the bees in the battery box will be dead in 15
minutes. Many queen breeder are of the opinion that if the queens reach you alive -- they are
your queens. Without insurance now available for shippers and buyers, the risk of buying
queens that are shipped may well rest with the buyer. If you can get queens from a local source,
do it. This mailing situation opens up a number of opportunities to the individual who can raise
queens for local beekeepers.
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Package Production

Introduction: Package Bee Production
Many individual beekeepers seeking an additional source of income should consider selling package bees. The
commercial package bee industry of the United States is located primarily in the Southern states and California.
However, it is entirely possible for beekeepers to produce small numbers of packages from strong hives in the north.
There may be a stronger incentive since the postal service has put restrictions on shipping bees in the United States.
While much has been written about raising queens, very little has been written about methods used to shake packages
of honey bees. As an experienced package producer with experience in Georgia and Ohio, I will provide you with
information to produce packages bees for your own operation.
General Comments:
Lets take a look at what is needed. #1 and most important Strong healthy hives of bees. A colony of bees will usually cast at least one swarm
per year. For a very strong colony, I have seen swarms in Georgia as early as late February and normal during March and April. For Ohio,
we see swarms in mid April and normal during May and into June. The person producing package bees deals with the swarm control issue by
selling those extra bees rather than watching them fly away into the far reaches of the trees.
For the package producer, good queens are necessary. Package management begins in the fall of the year regardless of a southern or northern
location. Hives are often requeened in the fall of the year with young vigorous queens. The young queen will produce larger patterns of brood
than an older queen and thus more bees. The hive must be stimulated with sugar syrup or corn syrup at least two months before packages are
to be shook. For Georgia, that means feeding begins in January and continues until the bees are able to bring in nectar from foraging. For
Ohio, that means feeding begins in February and continues until the bees are bringing in nectar. In both cases, a pollen substitute is sometimes
used along with the additional feed.
Bees are removed from hives during late March and April in the South. The honey flow comes on in Mid April in Georgia and shaking bees
from hives at this time creates a problem of shaking frames of bees that contain high moisture nectar. The bees get very sticky and funnels used
must be washed continuously because the bees will not slide down the funnel but stick to its sides. Ohio bees are best shook from mid April
thru May.
Equipment and supplies that are needed:
A funnel - Bees are put into packages with a large funnel. A funnel can be round, square, or rectangular. Most are made from sheet metal.
The top of the funnel must be at least 19 inches across to accommodate the standard Langstroth frame. The nozzle of the funnel must fit the
hole in the package box top which is usually 4 or 4 1/4 inches in size.
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Package Production
The type of funnel that we use is round and light weight. We went to a local tin smith who made this in about an hour. The top of the funnel
was rolled around a heavy wire to reinforce the strength of the upper lip and the body of the funnel was made from standard sheet metal used
for house duct work. Everything was spot welded together. The cost for the funnel was about $40.00.
The Package
The types of packages in which bees are sold vary from producer to producer. Most are made up over the winter and ready for bees by
spring. If one is selling only a few packages, used packages might serve well. Many beekeepers have these around because they bought bees at
one time or another. On the other hand, they are quite easy to build. The key piece of equipment is a hole saw for the can opening in the top of
the package. If you are planning on producing only few packages, the hole could be made with a hand jig saw.
A standard three pound package is 16 inches long and 5 1/2 inches wide. As the diagram shows, you will need a top with a hole 4 to 4 1/4 inches
to accept the syrup can. The bottom piece is solid. The ends are 8 inches by 5 1/2 inches wide. The "H" support that goes into the middle of
the cage is made from 3/4 inch stock. The size of it will depend on the size of can one uses. A two pound cage is built exactly like the three
pound cage with the exception that it is 12 inches across the top rather than 16 inches across the top.

Package Production
Standard wire screen is used for the open sides on the package. Black metal wire allows one to see the bees a bit better than aluminum wire
but under no conditions should plastic substitute wire be used. The wire is usually stapled to the box with thin strips of wood covering the
outside wire and providing a surface for the staple to hold the screen wire a bit better.
The Can
Commercial package producers usually have a can sealer machine that takes filled cans with syrup and the lid is sealed in place with a standard
lid sealer. These are available but are moderately expensive. This can is usually 4 inches wide and hold just less than a quart of syrup. For the
individual making up 50 packages or so, we would recommend the 4 1/4 inch quart paint can as an alternative. These are readily available and
are found under container sales in most large city phone books. For the person selling just a few packages, we would recommend that you
save plastic containers that are about a quart in size. If the customer does not have far to go and is going to install the package immediately,
no can is needed. However, you can brush or spray sugar water on the outside of the cage to give the bees something to survive on for a short
time. The lid of the can is punched with two or three very small holes so the bees can get the syrup. The syrup will not run out of the can as
long as there are no holes in other parts of the can.
A Lid for the package box
A lid is needed to hold the can in the package and also to prevent the escape of bees when the can is removed. This is usually 1/4 inch thick 5 1/2
x 5 1/2 square. Some package producers use cardboard for the lid.
A queen!!
Packages are sold with a queen. You will need to purchase queens to go into your packages or raise queens to go into them. A queen can easily
represent 1/4 the cost of the package. Commercial package producers in the south usually raise their own queens. In the north, the package
producers usually buy their queens. One advantage of selling just a few packages is the ability to order a particular type of queen for your
customer. Remember, its not the kind of bees in the package that counts. It is the queen. The bees in the package will most likely be dead in
another 40 days. The features of a package hive is that the population will decrease until the eggs the queen lays begin to emerge as adult
bees. Once this population begins to grow, the package hive is on its way to success. The bees in the package are important to gather pollen
and nectar to feed and take care of the young brood as well as build wax comb. Any delay -- such as queen loss -- will result in the possible
death of the package hive unless the problem is recognized early by the beekeeper and a new queen is introduced ASAP. The young bees will
be of the stock represented by the queen not by the bees in the package.
Steps in package bee production
As was mentioned earlier, we need to have very strong hives of good healthy bees. Almost every state requires individuals selling bees to have
some type of inspection before the bees are sold. This is particularly true if the bees are to be shipped out of state. If the decision has been
made to sell bees then you should be familiar with the rules and regulations of your state Apiary Laws. All diseased colonies should be
treated. For example, almost everyone has problems with mites. Treat your bees for mites. It is good to fed Fumidil B with the sugar syrup to
provide the customer with a good healthy bee. Also you need to eliminate American foulbrood from your colonies! The easy way is to
eliminate any colony with AFB. Many commercial operations feed Terramycin to their bees both fall and spring.
Lets assume that you have your packages ready. The cans of syrup ready and your queens ordered for delivery. Lets also assume you have
customers for packages.
Package bee production is more certain in the south for several reasons. First, the climate is favorable for an early start. Bees are gathering
nectar and pollen and bee populations are way ahead of any hives in the north. Second, queen production is early enough for the April demand
for packages by northern beekeepers. To raise queens requires an adequate population of drones of the right age to mate with virgin queens.
For early queens, this only occurs in warmer areas of the U.S. Package producers in the south, generally are taking bees out of their hives by
early March to build up queen nuc's. Most hives of bees can spare two or three frames of bees and brood at this time of the year to make up the
nuc's.
How much feed will a strong hive take? A strong hive of bees will empty a division board feeder filled with 1/2 gal. of syrup in one day. A one
gallon bucket is not going to be enough. Most commercial beekeepers have a truck with a syrup tank on it make the rounds every two or three
days. A strong colony can easily go through a gallon of syrup in a week. The colony may need as much as five gallons of syrup minimum
during spring build-up. More would be recommended.
The hive shown on the left is a Georgia hive in early March. The top super has been removed and sits next to the
bottom super. Notice the number of bees present. This is what a good hive of bees should look like early in the season.
Bee will be shook from this hive in approximately 30 days. A hive in this condition needs lots of feed to keep up brood
production and prevent starvation. Supers may be added to provide additional room if needed. At this time it is
important to find the queen and mark her. She is then placed in the bottom brood super, and a queen excluder is placed
on the hive to prevent her from going into the upper super which may or may not contain brood.
This is an excellent time to place two frames of foundation into the bottom super with the queen and raise two frames of brood up into the
upper box or to make up a queen nuc. There is always a danger that a strong hive like the one shown in the picture may get swarm fever and

Package Production
head to the woods. Placing new foundation in the brood chamber gives the worker bees something to work on and provides extra room for the
queen to lay. This can be done almost every week during the swarm season.
Once the queen has been confined to the bottom brood box with a queen excluder, the beekeeper must be alert to the crowding conditions in the
hive. Within a week, packages are ready to be shook from this hive. Bees for the package are taken only from the boxes above the queen
excluder. Warning: if you see eggs above the queen excluder a week after putting the queen down, she has found a way up thru the excluder.
You will need to check all frames for the queen or you will shake her into the package with the bees. This is not good for the package (she is an
older queen) and it is certainly not good for the hive because no new brood is going to be raised during the package season. Any queen placed
into a package with bees will result in the death of the introduced queen placed into the package with her and her bees.
Bees will tend to cluster with the queen in the bottom brood chamber to keep the brood warm on chilly days. If the upper box contains no
brood, most likely 95 % of the bees may be in the bottom chamber keeping warm. We have found that the best way to get the bees into the
upper box is to smoke the entrance to get the bees moving up thru the queen excluder. This happens quickly on a warm day but is slow on a
cool day. The bees will move better if a few drops of BeeGo are added to the smoker fuel. A very strong hive will yield a good three pound
package of bees without causing any harm. That same hive in two weeks will be ready to be shook again. It is a waste of time to try to shake
bees from weak colonies. A weak colony needs every bee it can get to grow in strength.
The commercial package producer must come up with hundreds of packages in a single day. Each producer has a system to save time. It is
generally agreed that it takes one person for every 50 packages to be shook in a day. The day starts early and doesn't end until late in the day.
If queens must be located before the bees in a hive can be shook from it, fewer packages can be expected per person. For a person selling only a
few packages (Let me say that it makes no difference if a person is shaking one package or 100 packages) the process is the same.
If only a few packages are going to be shook in a day, I would suggest that you wait until past noon to start getting the bees from the hives. By
that time, the bees will most likely started to move about the hive and go on foraging flights. The bees are easier to work as well. If you work
hives early or late, you will find the bees to be disagreeable. I don't like working with gloves and as a result, always come home with 100 stings
or more to show for my days effort. Wearing gloves reduces the stinging problem.
Procedure
We are going to show you through a number of pictures of how this work is accomplished.
The first step is to remove the top cover from the hive or hives to be shook. We have found that if we remove the top
covers of all the hives to be shook in a yard, the bees will come up into the top super to protect it from robbing bees. It
addition bees are not flying about to steal other hive's honey as robber bees-- they stay home to protect themselves.
Robbing can be a problem when little nectar is coming into the hives. Notice that the hives illustrated in the photo are 1
and 1/2 story hives. It really doesn't make much difference if it is a one and a half story hive or a two story hive as long
as each hive has a queen excluder keeping the queen in the bottom box.
The second step is blowing smoke into the entrance of the hive and just a light smoking of the top of the hive to remind the bees to stay on the
frames rather than to fly up and get in your face.
The picture to the right shows Billy Engle shaking a frame of bees into his funnel. Notice that his funnel is rectangular
shaped and the exact top dimensions of a standard hive body. It is supported by legs on a stand. Single frames can be
shook into it or a complete shallow super can be shook into it -- which he sometimes does if the super is not filled with
honey. A frame is held as Billy is holding this frame over the funnel. The frame is given a sharp shake to dislodge the
bees. The bees free of the comb drop into the funnel and slide down into the cage below.
This is a thumbnail picture to save downloading time. You may click on it to enlarge and
get a better idea of what the bees look like as they are shook into the cage. Notice that the neck of the nozzle of
the funnel extends down into the cage. The reason for this is to prevent the bees from climbing back out of the
cage as the bees are dumped into the package cage. They want to climb upwards. They use the screen wire to
climb up and then form a cluster at the top of the cage rather than climbing down the nozzle and back out of the
cage and up into the funnel.
One must weigh cages to get an idea of what a typical cage weight is. Once this is arrived at, and the bees are
shook into the cage, the cage can be weighed. Many commercial producers do not weigh cages but have a very
good idea of how many bees are in the cage and always try to put extra bees to make sure an honest weight is
arrived at. We have found that scales carried into the bee yard are not always accurate. Generally, the "H" support for the syrup can is a good
indicator of the number of bees in the package. If the bees in the package are jarred to the bottom of the cage, and form a level clump of bees
from side to side in the cage, the bees ought to come within 1/2 inch of the support bar under the can. A three pound package including the
syrup can should weigh at least 8 1/2 pounds.
When a package is shook, the job is not over. Syrup can and the queen need to be added to the package. This can be done in the bee yard or
packages can be transported back to the "shop" where this is done. Commercial package producers have a garden sprayer filled with a light
mixture of sugar water to spray packages while the bees are waiting for their new queen and syrup supply. The bees in the package must be

Package Production
kept in the shade and as cool as possible. If left in the sun, the bees in the package will quickly die.
Sounds to listen for:
If bees in a package are quiet and well clustered, you have nothing to worry about. However, when shaking bees, the bees are undergoing a
great deal of stress. It is normal for them to scurry about inside the package box. When the package cage is filled with either the 2 pounds of
bees or the 3 pounds of bees, it needs to be placed in the shade. Here the bees will begin to cluster. If the day is hot, the bees will run around
inside the package making a considerable roar. This is not good. Water can be sprayed on the package to cool the bees inside. When I say
spray the package, I don't mean the full force of a water hose. A light spray of water --not enough to knock bees down -- is about right. You
will notice an immediate change in the sound of the package.
Some very important points about package bees............................
1. The less time a bunch of bees spend in a package the better. For example, if the bees are shook on Friday afternoon and picked-up
later that after noon and installed into a new hive, so much the better.
2. Bees can not be kept in a package for more than three days without some loss to the bees in the package.
3. The person buying the bees needs to be responsible. This requires that the bees be installed in the hive and the queen checked to make
sure she is accepted by the bees.
4. The responsibility of the package bee producer is to see that the customer gets fresh healthy bees with no shortage weight wise and the
queen is alive. If the queen is dead, it is accepted practice to replace the queen without charge. However, if the bees are alive at pick-
up time and the queen is alive when the package is placed in the hive, the producer has done all that is required.
Some pictures from our film library:::::::::::::
One good reason for selling package bees
A commercial crew getting ready to shake bees.
This is a photo of Sonny Swords and Grandville Youmans loading a package order onto a customers trailer.
Hauling package bees:
Package bees undergo stress during any movement of the package. Moving bees require attention to details:
Keep bees from direct wind blowing into the package. Build a head board and side boards for
your truck or trailer before getting the bees. The top should be open for good ventilation.
Protect bees from heat and extreme cold.
Vehicle hauling the bees should be in top mechanical condition.
Avoid a rough ride for the bees. Trailers without shocks and springs for example.
Always be prepared for unexpected weather. Some package producers do not shake bees in the rain. Your selected

Package Production
pick-up date may be delayed because of weather. Be sure to provide some protection for the bees from heavy downpours
of rain. Light rain might be beneficial. Always call ahead before you drive several hundred miles to get bees. Ask the
package producer for some help and ideas for hauling your packages.
If you are picking up 200 packages of bees, what size of trailer would you need?
Lets assume you have a trailer with a bed 6 foot wide (72 inches) and 15 1/2 foot long (186 inches). We know that three
pound packages are 16 inches in length and 5 1/2 inches wide. However, we must allow ventilation space between each
package of approximately the width of a single package (5 1/2 inches). So we can put from 6 to 7 packages per row across
the width of the trailer. The first package should be at least 3 inches from any side wall and can fit against the head wall of
a trailer. Packages must have cross ventilation.
If our headwall and sidewalls are four foot high as a standard sheet of plywood would be, then we can stack the packages
five high although 4 would be preferable. We might get six high but would be wise to add another strip of wood around the
top to direct wind away from the cages. Thus each row across could have from 24 packages with 6 inch spacing to 28
packages with 5 inch spacing stacked four high. We get that number by multiplying the number of packages in each row
by the number of rows high. For example, 6 packages on each level, times 4 levels high.
Then we need to determine how many rows back we can put on the trailer. This is done by dividing either 12 inches for
two pound packages or 16 inches for three pound packages into the total length of the trailer. In this case the length is 186
inches long. We can get 15 rows of two pound packages on the length of the trailer. 15 times 24 packages equals 360 two
pound packages. Or 11 rows of three pound packages which is 11 times 24 or 264 three pound packages. As you can see,
this 15 1/2 foot trailer would be adequate for hauling 200 packages without any problems of having to squeeze packages
onto the load.
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Pollination for the Beekeeper

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Introduction:
Many plants require insect pollination to set fruit. This plays right into the hands of anyone
who can provide honey bees for growers of these fruits. First, the demand for insect pollination
has never been greater in our history. Many things contribute to the success of a crop. Among
these are the following:
1. Weather conditions
2. Growing Days
3. Fertilizer
4. Labor
5. Equipment
6. Healthy trees or plants
7. Pollination services
8. others
Growers have special needs and they look for individuals or companies that can provide these
needs at reasonable cost. The beekeeper getting into pollination needs to understand the
seriousness of this business. When a grower contracts for pollination services, the provider of
those services (a beekeeper) has an obligation to provide hives with sufficient bees to do a good
job of pollinating. A grower can not succeed with a beekeeper:
● that doesn't show up with bees

● that has weak hives
● shows up late with bees
Many recommend that a beekeeper have a contract with a grower to make sure they get
compensated for their bees including any damage including insecticide poison . While this is
good for the beekeeper, many contracts also obligate the beekeeper to provide hives of sufficient
strength to do the job of pollination. This is a two edge sword. Yes, it protects the beekeeper,
but on the other hand, the beekeeper is obligated to provide bees. This could become a major
problem for the beekeeper.
Exploring the possibility of getting into the pollination
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business
The first thing anyone thinking about getting into pollination is income - but we will consider
that last.. I think the first thing you should think about is becoming vary familiar with crops
that need pollination by honey bees.
Gathering information about pollination:
It is easy to think that moving a few hives of bees into an apple orchard is quick easy money.
However, before you even think about it you should understand the needs of the grower and the
crop your bees are going to pollinate.
Things you need to know:
● What crops are grown that you might be interested in renting bees out for pollination?
● As much about the plant's growing habits as possible.
● As much about the current research on that particular plants pollination requirements.
● As much about growers expectations for placement, timing, etc. for that crop.
● As much about pesticide applications used on that crop as possible.
● As much about farm practices connect with that crop.
The grower will certainly expect the beekeeper to be less knowledgeable about some of these
items. However, when it comes to pollination requirements, placement and timing the grower
will expect the pollinator to have a good understanding -- period! You can shoot yourself in
the foot faster by making some incorrect comment about a plants needs during a conversation
and anything else you might do. For example, lets say you are asked about placement of bees!
Where is the best place to put the bees in an apple orchard? You should know that answer
before you even begin to discuss with the grower pollination needs.
Things you need to consider:
● What kind of time commitment are you willing to make to make a go of a pollination
business?
● What kind of investment are you willing to make?

Regardless of the number of hives you are going to use in pollination, you will still be required
to commit a certain amount of time and effort in moving bees into and out of the crop. This
time will be dictated by the inflorescence (flowering) of the crop, chemical applications,
weather -- all things you have no control over and even the time table of the grower. Bees are
generally moved late in the day with darkness approaching and during the night hours.
Everyone who has pollinated crops for pay has a "war story" to tell.
One bit of advice I can give is to go slow. If you want to work into this type of beekeeping
income it is much better to start small and grow into the business rather than thinking large and
jumping into an agreement that you can not fulfill. If you do a good job, word will get around.
Growers get together just like beekeepers and share information. You will be learning on the
job and gaining valuable experience in the process.
You can not pollinate crops without having bees.

Honey bees have an advantage over other pollinating insects. They live in colonies with large
populations, can be managed, and can be moved from place to place with little trouble.
Growers also realize that the honey bee in many cases is the only option for their pollination
needs.
Important facts about bees for pollination:
● You need strong hives -- weak hives are next to worthless.

● Hives used for pollination need constant management.
● Equipment and condition of equipment used for the bees reflects back on the beekeeper.
Getting Started
Almost anyone with a few hives of bees can move them for pollination. This might be for a
small grower with a need for only a few hives of bees. These growers have a harder time
finding beekeepers willing to rent hives because they need so few. Many of the large pollination
beekeepers have skid loaders and heavy trucks to move bees. It takes just as much effort to
move an entire load as it does 1/2 a load or even 1/4 of a load. This is exactly where the new
pollinator can find a place to start. It is important to follow up the pollination season with visits
to see how the bees accomplished their job. And by doing a good job, this grower will help
introduce you to other growers.

Many individuals think that they can find growers by making cold calls. An established
grower already has a pollinator and unless he/she is unhappy with that pollinator the grower
will not want to upset an established relationship he or she has with a pollinator. There are
beekeepers who will undercut another beekeepers rental price for bees to get the business but
beware of this. The grower who drops an established pollinator for a new unproven pollinator
is taking a great risk -- a risk that the new pollinator will not do a good job and a risk that the
old pollinator will refuse to return should things not work out. If a pollinator is doing a poor
job, the grower will be the first to start looking for a new provider for pollination services. Do
not think for a minute that the grower will not know if the hives were weak and not doing
their job. The grower will see the results when the crop is harvested. That will give the
grower plenty of time to think about the management of his crop for the next season.
As in any business enterprise failure is a constant threat. Much failure can be prevent with
knowledge, experience, and luck. Don't count on luck!
I would like to share several stories of real people (no names) who are succeeding and why! If
you are not willing to work as hard as these two, then maybe you might consider not getting into
the pollination business.
Success story One
I am often asked how many bees or hives does it take for a person to make a living by keeping
bees. The following example is of a small Georgia beekeeper with 300 to 400 hives. All 300 to
400 hives are rented out to cucumber and watermelon growers during the summer growing
season. Bees are not on permanent locations and moved a number of times during the year.
But the pollination income is just one source of income for this beekeeper. He bottles and sells
his own honey -- built a fairly good honey trade with local stores and sells honey to local
customers from his home. He also sells nuc's and packages in the early spring (April). Because
of his location (Georgia) all of this is possible.
Why is he successful?
First, he devotes his full attention to his bees and has a wife that works with him. He lives in a
modest home and has a pick-up truck most likely 10 years old or more. All bees are moved on a
16 foot trailer using a hand truck to get the hives on and off the trailer.. He moves 32 hives at a
time and sometimes can make two or three trips per night to drop off bees or pick up bees. His
vacations are taken to the various national meeting if they are held within a days driving
distance. His equipment is well maintained and his bees are regularly checked for diseases,
poor queens, etc. He has the good old boy approach with each of his growers. He is a native
Georgian pollinating crops in his own state and always willing to visit and take calls from his
growers. One of the few luxuries he allows himself is a cell phone.

Success story Two
This second story is not about a beekeeper who moves bees from Texas to California and then to
the Dakotas or from Florida northward to Maine. Some commercial beekeeping operations
over winter in the South and then move bees for pollination to those areas requiring
pollination. Operations of this sort are usually family operations of several generations of
beekeepers. It is not the goal or plan of this article on pollination to explain their operations
because only they can do that.
This second story is about an instate beekeeper with 2000 hives of bees more or less. His income
is derived from two major sources. One is the honey crop produced by the bees and the other is
the pollination contracts he has with Apple growers and pickle producers. The beekeeping
operation is managed by two men and a sometimes part time helper.
The owner of this business is very particular about his bees and spends considerable time
keeping them in top notch condition. Some bees are kept in permanent locations and some are
moved from holding yards into the pollination fields or orchards as needed. All honey is
extracted and sold in barrels to a local honey packer. Because honey crops are not consistent
from year to year and the price of honey varies from year to year, this operation has its good
years and its bad years. The one consistent income is the pollination work they do. Much of the
income from this business is directly spent on improving equipment, buildings, and hives.
(Reinvested back into the business -- as a result the business continues to grow)
Why is he still in business?
What strikes me about this beekeeper and the first beekeeper is that they are local boys who
have grown up in the communities they live in and seem to know just about every farmer or
grower around. They have established firm reputations with their customers over many
years. Both are known for having helped growers out when hard times hit, delaying payment
for pollination, or in some cases, forgiving a debt entirely. They don't generally like to talk
about their individual operations and neither one requires growers to sign a contract. Maybe
they are old fashioned or they just feel a hand shake is enough and a man's word is his word.
Established pollinators usually do not seek out new customers -- new customers usually come
to them because another grower has recommended them.
What is so hard for me to understand is why people think they are going to make a fortune.
The more they are told it is risky and not all that profitable, the more they desire to get into the
business -- maybe they think we don't want them in the business and they are sure we are lying
to keep them out or trying to discourage them because we don't want competition..
So you are still with me. Good!

What follows are some facts and hints on being successful. The requirements in bee hives,
strength of hives, management of hive, and growth of your business. The first thing I am going
to ask you to do, it take a short self evaluation question session. This will not take long and any
time you answer the question with a no, you should really stop and reconsider the pollination
business.
Things you need to do to start a pollination business
Are you ready to answer some really hard question?
Evaluate yourself
1. How much time do you have available for your beekeeping operation? (some) (a lot)
(unlimited)
2. How energetic are you? (some) (very)
3. How healthy are you? (fair) (good) (excellent)
4. How many hives of bees do you own? (none) (1 - 10) (11-25) (26 - 50) (51 - 100) (100+)
5. How much of your own money do you have to invest in the business? (none) (some) (a
lot)
6. How much knowledge about pollination do you have? (none) (some) (a lot)
Your answers many tell you the follow:
1. You have no business thinking about pollination

2. You need to spend more time studying and thinking about a
pollination business
3. You are sure you have a basic ability to get into the business.
If you have evaluated yourself and you can honestly say that you are sure
you have a basic ability to get into the business, then what follows is for
you!
Setting up for pollination

The first criteria of any pollination business is to have strong hives of bees to rent to the growers
(customer). Thus the pollination season really begins the previous fall.
Many commercial pollinators take their bees south for the winter. The favorite states for spring
build-up seem to be Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana as well as Texas. Alabama has strict
laws governing the transportation of bees on comb into their state -- you can not legally do it.
A commercial pollinator will take strong hives of bees to over winter and then begin the process
of splitting them either one or two times before heading North or West for pollination
contracts. These individuals all have their own methods of making increases but many will
make up single deep hives as splits and introduce queen cells rather than mated queens into the
new splits. There are many variations of this. Keep in mind that time is money so many of
these beekeepers find short cuts to accomplish this increase in colony numbers. One method is
to split a full hive three ways each into a single deep super. All equipment is prepared well in
advance of the actual job of making the splits. This equipment is carried to the make-up yard
before the splits are made up.
Queens or queen cells are raised well in advance of the split time and scheduled to be ready
when the splits are to be made up. Some do not bother to look for queens when dividing
colonies! Frames of bees and brood are moved from strong hives into the boxes prepared for
them. Each box getting at least five frames of good strong brood and bees. Queen cells are
then placed in all colonies regardless of whether they might have the queen or not. From the
build-up yard, many of these single hives on four way pallets are loaded onto a truck to be taken
to a feeding/developing yard. Many beekeepers do not even bother to move these new splits to
other yards but keep them in the same location.
All splits are well fed and the queens progress in each is checked in about 20 days after the
split. By that time the new queen should be laying well. Between 80 and 90 percent of the queen
cells introduced to these new splits will mate successfully. The 10 to 20 percent that fail to raise
a queen are combined with the weaker splits and new splits are made up to fill the holes in the
pallets. These new splits are usually given a queen. When using pallets for moving or keeping
hives of bees, all hives must be kept equal in size and the beekeepers major task is to see that
(dead out) are replaced with live colonies of bees. The goal is to have four hives/colonies of bee
of equal strength on each pallet. (Believe me, this is difficult to do and may be almost impossible
with a large number of pallets).
The bees are then prepared for transport to the crops. This may involve moving them long
distances to either the locations for pollination or holding yards. If placed in holding yards, a
second move is required to get them to the crops. Once a crop has been pollinated, the bees are
moved again. This process takes coordination and good planning. An operation described is
not a one man operation. It requires a great deal of labor, equipment (skid loaders and trucks),
and established contracts. You just don't head out cross country with a semi load of bee hives
without knowing where you are going to set them down.

This information has been provided to give you a little insight into the commercial pollinators
routine.
Starting with a few hives of bees
Individual getting started in pollination will not be moving hives to the South, will not have the
heavy equipment to move pallets around, and most likely will not have many pollination
contracts.
To be realistic, lets start with the idea that a beekeeper has 20 hives of bees. They started out
the winter in good shape and as well know, about 30% of these bees may not make it thru the
winter. In a very hard winter, losses may amount to 50%. So in the spring the beekeeper may
have 10 to 14 hives of bees to work with. If you promise a grower that you will put 20 hives on
his property for early apple pollination, you will have to be very creative to come up with 20
colonies. However, all is not lost but it will take a bite out of pollination profits.
A person living in the North does not have the advantage of an early start in making up splits.
Usually splits can not be made up until early April. What is to be done?
Feeding bees is one way of stimulating the bees to build up fast. Feeding can begin in February
and once feeding is started, it should be continued until nectar begins to be gathered naturally
by the bees. The use of pollen patties is highly recommended but over wintered colonies should
have adequate supplies of pollen stored in frames. If the bees are stimulated, the beekeeper will
be able to begin to make up splits by the first of April in many Northern states but not all.
If pollinating an early crop, the job begins to get more difficult. If pollinating a summer crop,
the beekeeper has plenty of time to make increases.
Making increases in the North is considerably different that the methods used in the South.
First, time is critical. A Northern beekeeper must have mated queens to put into splits made up
for any crop requiring bees by mid to late April. A split will require more frames of brood and
bees to do an adequate job of pollination.
A pollinator is definitely short changing a grower (Assuming the grower is paying top dollar for
renting bees) if a hive containing only 5 frames of bees and brood are placed on a crop for
pollination. If the grower is paying for five frames of brood and bees, that is one thing but if the
grower is paying a completive price for the bees that some one else is getting for a full double
deep full of bees, then the grower has every right to feel cheated. It might take three small units
to do the same job a full double deep full of bees can do.

A beekeeper who is in the pollination business must know as early as possible how many hives
had made it through the winter and what condition the hives are in regarding honey stores and
queen laying ability. Poor queens need to be replaced as quickly as possible and the hives
stimulated with sugar syrup or corn syrup and maybe pollen patties.
Lets assume in the above example that the beekeeper lost only 6 hives of the 20. This means that
6 splits will need to be made up as soon as possible to replace the hives that died out. Lets also
assume that 4 of the hives that are alive are weak. So the beekeeper is left with just 10 hives to
make splits from. You would never - never take bees and brood from the weak hives. You
might consider two things that might help their conditions:
● Replace the queens. The queen is the heart and soul of the hive. A good queen will more
than pay for what is spent buying her. A good queen can lay several thousand eggs a day
if there are enough bees in the hive to care for them. Do the math -- 2000 eggs a day x 20
days = 40,000 bees.
● Buy package bees to supplement the bees in the weak hive (give the hive a good
population of bees as well as a new queen to help the older bees in the hive reestablish
themselves.).
So much for the weak hives, lets move on to the dead hives.
These dead hives can be made up from the remaining strong 10 hives. It should be done as early
as possible. Again feeding is extremely important. The first thing to do is relocate six of the 10
hives to new hive stands when the splits are to be done. On the old locations the beekeeper
needs to set up the six boxes that splits are to made into. Remember that field bees will return
to the old locations so many of the older bees will repopulate the new split. Remove at least two
frames of honey stores to put into each split as well as three of four frames of bee and brood
depending on what each of the six selected hives can give without taking too much from them.
You will need to replace any frames removed from the strong hives with comb frames from the
hives that died out. From each of the four other hives remove two frames with some brood to
add to the splits. You must guard against chilled brood which results when there are not
enough bees in a new split to cover all the brood. Equalize these frames so that the new splits are
about equal in strength.
You can take approximately one frame each week from each of the four hives that splits were
not made up and give them to the splits. It is better to do this than make up 10 weak splits.
Equalize the strength of these new splits so they develop almost equally. Do not use any new
foundation -- this requires the bees to work much harder and slows down progress. Use all the
drawn foundation in older combs if you have available. You will also need 6 new queens for
these 6 new splits. These queens need to be installed at the time the splits are made up.
If one starts on April 1st, it is possible to have some pretty strong splits by the 21st of April if the
above plan is followed and the 10 over wintered hives are strong enough. Lets assume each
split gets a good start -- the new queen is accepted and released from her cage in a day or so.
She then will have gone to work and it is quite possible that she will fill available frame space

with her own brood within 17 days or so. It all depends on the number of worker bees available
to keep brood warm and care for the young larva. Providing the necessary food at this time is
critical.
Unfortunately, things can be worse. The pollinator must be prepared for the worst case
scenario. Only you can answer the question of what do you do if more than 6 hives die out.
And this is on a small scale.
Many Northern Pollinators who do not move South for the winter, usually
buy package bees to supplement hives that may be lost over winter. This is
just the cost of doing business.
I hope you are not a person easily discouraged, but there is more to pollination than taking in
the money for hive rental.
My recommendation:
● Go slow
● Don't take on more pollination than you can handle.
● Be prepared to share problems with your growers -- The last thing they want to hear is
you do not have bees for them.
● You may have to discount the price to them for weaker hives. Some pollination is better
than none at all.
● Don't lie to your growers!!! If you can not take care of the growers needs, let them know
immediately so they might have a chance to do something before it is too late.
And don't:
● Put out hives with only a few frames of bees in them. You will give all beekeepers a bad
rap.
● Over charge for your bees -- you will not be in business very long -- you are entitled to a
fair wage/profit. Many growers talk to each other and it is impossible to keep secrets.




Building Strong Hives
Topic: Honey Production/Building Strong Hives

Honey Production
See Feeding bees Feeding
The job of getting ready for the next season begins just after the honey crop is removed from the
previous season. It has been typical for large numbers of bee hives to die out over winter since
the mites became a problem in the mid 1980's.
Today's beekeeper must treat bees with the various miticides or other treatments to help the
bees combat the mortality that occurs when bees are not treated. This is done following the
removal of honey supers in the fall and again as soon as the bees are examined in the spring.
Bees with deformed wings indicate a serious varroa mite problem. Immediate attention to a
hive with this condition must be taken to prevent its loss and even then it may be too late.
Fall preparation includes:
● Replace poor queens or requeen most hives (Queens are less expensive in the fall and
young vigorous queens in the spring will add to the strength and early build up of the
hive.)
● Treat for mites, etc. and check for disease.
● Place entrance reducers on hives to prevent drafts from wind as well as keeping mice out.
● Slope bottom boards so water can run out of a hive rather than into the hive.
● Provide wind protection.
● Feed early in the fall if necessary with liquid syrup or later with dry sugar around the
inner cover hole.
● In cold areas, wrap hives. Hive wrap can be purchased and is called colony quilt or it is
made from treated corrugated paper or plastic. They provide a hive with just that little
bit of extra protection that may be needed during a very cold winter.
Combine weak hives with strong hives. An old beekeeping adage goes "Take your losses in the
fall and make your increases in the spring".
End of Winter
I like to use this term because queens are laying eggs by this time. The hive may already have
considerable brood or none at all. Because it is winter doesn't mean that winter like conditions
exist all the time. On warm days the bees will be flying and the beekeeper should be in the
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yards checking for various things:
● Damage to hives (Fallen branches, trees, etc).

● Lack of activity in a hive when others show activity
● Wax particles at the entrance/bottom board (Mice at work in the hive)
● Clogged entrance (Clean bottom board of dead bees)
● Check hive weight -- lift corner of hive to see if it has any weight. If light, feed dry sugar
immediately.
You may want to take a brief look inside the hive during 60 degree days but don't make it a
long look. You should be able to evaluate the condition of a hive quickly. There is no need at
this time to tear a hive down looking for the queen unless you see signs that something is
wrong.
Beginning of Spring
This is the time that your real work begins. You may have been able to identify dead hives
during the winter visits. It is important to replace these lost production units. Yes, I called them
production units! Without strong hives or any hives, you are not going to make a honey crop.
The bees are the producer of that crop!
Most commercial beekeeper can not tell you how many life hives they have until after the early
spring inspection. It is important to know what has to be done! After a few years experience
the commercial beekeeper know just about how many new queens he/she needs to order each
fall. These queens must be on hand early in the spring. Usually this is March or April.
I am going to use an example but this example can be multiplied times the number of bee yards
a beekeeper operates.
Lets assume we have a bee yard with forty hive in it. These are established as ten four-unit
pallets. As we begin our inspection, we find ten dead hives, two that are next to dead, five really
weak hives, 12 hives very strong and the rest doing okay but not real strong.
What do we need?
● We need to build up seventeen hives to the strength of the others. This is not half but
just about half of the bee hives in the yard.
How are we going to do it?
● We are going to need at least 17 new queens for this operation. There is a reason the 7
hives with queens are weak -- a hive is no better than its queen. The queens do not have
to be available all at once.

● We are going to make up the new hives from the 12 strong hives in the yard. There is a
possibility the other okay hives can help several weeks down the road.
● First, You could split the 12 hives into 24 units. That would replace the 10 dead hives.
But would it give you 24 hives equal to the 11 hives that you have considered okay but not
as strong as these 12..
● Or, you could do the following:
1) Lets start with the five hives that are very weak and the two hives that
are almost dead. Find the queens in these hives and kill them. Our goal
is to have these hives equal to all the other hives in the yard. (You will
need 8 queens for this phase of the operation.)
2) Your goal is to have seven frames of brood and enough bees in each
hive when you give it a new queen. You will need to assess how many
bees are in each of these seven hives and how much brood. Once you
have assess the number of bees and brood, you will need to find bees and
brood in the 12 strong hives to add to these units. "I am assuming that
these 12 hives have brood both in the top and bottom brood chamber" and
large populations of bees..
Example: The two weakest hives have only two frames of bees and just
a very small area of brood.
● Reduce each hive to a single brood box. and add a feeder.

● Remove six frames without brood and bees from these hives.
● Remove three frames of bees and brood from four of the
strongest hives and replace these frames with frames from the
weaker hives.
● Add these frames of bees and brood to each of the two hives. This
should leave you with eight frames of bees and some brood. The
frames of brood must be clustered together so that the bees can
keep the existing brood warm. Remember that some of the bees
on these frames will return to their home hive so you need to
get a good number of young bees on these frames. The
younger bees will be found on frames with young larva in
them.
● Introduce the new queens in her cage to each of these two
hives.
● And feed these bees (in fact all hives will need feed).
Example: The five weak hives. "Lets assume they have three or four
frames of bees and brood"
● You will need to repeat the process above -- kill the old queens,
pull empty comb from the hive, reduce them to a single deep

brood chamber, and feed.

● Now with the extra empty frames pulled, you will need to go to
the other strong hives and pull no more than three frames of bees
and brood from each to put into these hives to equal seven frames
of bees and brood. Lets assume this will take brood and bees from
five more of the very strong hives.
Now what have we done?
● We have made up the seven weak hives into units with brood, feed, and a
new queen. It will take some time for these hives to develop into productive
units but you can expect this to be very short compared to starting a
package in the same hive! Why?
❍ First, you have brood which will continue to emerge to build the
population of these hives.

❍ The hives population will continue to grow during the time it takes
the new queens eggs to develop and emerge as adult bees. In a

package, many of the bees that came with the package will have died
during the development of the new brood, thus the population
actually decreases in the hive built up with a package.
❍ The strong hives that have contributed brood should still be strong.
By feeding these strong hives, they should built back very quickly.
You have also reduced the population, added new comb space to
open up the brood chamber, and reduced the chance of swarming in
them!
● We should have 3 hives still available to take brood from.
The remaining three strong hives
● Take one of the dead hives, reduce it to a single brood chamber. Remove all the
frames from this brood chamber and add a feeder.
● Now take brood from the three remaining strong hives -- hopefully you will
have at least seven frames to put into this last hive. Introduce the queen as
before and feed all hives with syrup.
You have now 31 hives in this yard built up into fairly good shape. You still have
nine hives to build up into production hives before the honey season begins. You
have reduced your swarming problem and building these nine hives will be easier
than you thought possible.
How?
You now have 31 hives with good queens, you are stimulating
them with feed, and you have reduced your swarming problems.
A good queen will lay 2000 eggs a day. 2000 x 10 = 20,000 new
bees to the population. A package of bees will usually have 3.500
bees per pound more or less. Already your 31 hives 31 x 20,000
will be providing you with great possibilities for a honey crop.
And that is only 10 days of stimulated brood rearing.
You need to solve your swarming problem! Queens producing

this number of new bees will quickly provide populations of bees
which if not managed will swarm.
Managing these 31 hives
In 10 days you will need to remove frames of brood from the brood chambers of some
of the very strong hives and add a brood chamber to the hives you just built up.
Feeding should continue.
You will need -- more new queens.
Method
Prepare the nine hives that died out much in the same way you did with the newly
made up hives. Pull frames from them, add a feeder, and get ready to move
frames from the strongest hives into the newly prepared single brood chamber
hives. I always believe it is better to build up hives with at least seven frames of
brood and a new queen rather than dividing a strong hive into two units and
forcing them to build up at a slower rate. The strong hives need to remain strong.
Lets assume that the 12 strong hives have generated new brood into the three
frames you placed into them when you made up the hives 10 days earlier. You
should be able to pull two frames of brood from each of these plus a frame from
the other hives that should now be stronger than they were 10 days before. If any
of them show signs of lagging behind, you will need to find the queen in that hive,
kill her and replace her. The quicker you find poor queens and replace them, the
stronger your hives will be when the honey flow arrives.
Build as many new hives as possible by pulling brood from the stronger hives. Be sure
that each of these newly built hives have at least 7 frames of bees and brood. Add a
new queen and feed.
Lets assume that when you enter the yard in the 10 days that have passed, you find that

all your queens in the newly created hives have took (this is not always the case), the 12
strong hives have filled the new comb with brood, and the average hives that no brood
was removed from have really taken off with the feeding. These hives will now add to
the number of frames available to build up the other nine hives into production units.
If all the conditions are ideal, you will have 12 strong hives + 11 hives that have now
kicked into brood production. From these 23 hives you should be able to pull 35 frames
of brood and bees. This should allow you to build 5 more new hives. Can you see
where we are going with this! You can continue to build hives in all of your yards in
this manner. If your hives are stronger than described, you can add more than 7 frames
per new hive. In another 10 days the entire process can be repeated. Now, you should
have the opportunity to add brood to the hives which failed to build as expected. In a
30 day period, all of your dead hives should now be replaced and the second hive brood
unit added. If you had 30 bee yards, you can see that your time and labor will be really
stretched to get this job done.
Don't mess with weak hives. Replace their queens -- add new ones -- add brood and
give them plenty of food. In this one month of intensive expansion, you will have
returned to the normal number of production hive units and each unit will be prepared
to gather a honey crop. The bottom line -- What is the average production of honey
per hive. It takes just as much time to move, manage, super, and inspect a weak hive
as it does a strong hive. Only strong hives will bring in a honey crop to pay for the
expenses of running your operation. The weak hives are just dead wood.
Honey Production

Feeding
Topic: Honey Production/feeding bees in the spring

Honey Production
Why feed bees?
● Bees may be short of winter honey stores in the spring.

● Feeding stimulates a hive of bees to produce brood.
Large populations of bees in strong healthy colonies will gather more honey than hives with
weak populations. This is a fact. It has been recognized since written records about beekeeping
were kept and all experienced beekeepers have observed the truthfulness of the statement.
Hives with large populations of bees which have made it through the winter season must be
watched carefully. In fact, in 1712 Dr. Joseph Warder warns his readers that the strong heavy
hives of the fall may die if the spring weather is cold and does not allow the bees to gather honey
from the flowers. Although we know that bees collect nectar not honey, the fact remains:
Strong hives of bees consume large quantities of winter stores to produce brood. They also use
large quantities of pollen and nectar to raise spring brood as bee populations build rapidly.
It has been said that it takes one frame of pollen and one frame of honey to produce one frame
of bees! Personal observation of the bees over my 60 years in beekeeping would indicate that it
is pretty close.
What is used as bee feed?
● High Fructose Corn Syrup either Type 55 or Type 42

● Sugar
● Honey but be careful
What to avoid?
● Brown sugar
● Molasses
● contaminated honey
Feeding requires a careful examination of all hives before the feeding program begins. During
the feeding program bees and brood from the stronger hives can be shifted or given to the
weaker hives to avoid swarming. This is covered under bee management.
Commercial beekeepers use high fructose corn syrup to feed bees for several very good reasons:
● It is easy to pump and handle.

● It requires no extensive mixing as does granulated sugar.
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Feeding
● It can be purchased in large quantity at reasonable cost.

● It is free of dirt and disease.
● It reduces all around labor cost.
Methods of feeding:
Most commercial beekeepers used division board feeders (inside the hive feeders that take up
the space of 1 or two frames), top feeders such as the Miller feeder which will hold several
gallons of feed, or use a frame filler to fill empty drawn comb in frames. It really doesn't make
much difference which of these methods one uses. It is important to feed.
Briefly, feeding once begun must be continued to be effective. I have been asked how much feed
is required for a hive of bees. I can only answer this way: A lot. My preferred method is with
division board feeders placed against the outside wall of the top brood chamber. I use a honey
pump to pump the corn syrup from a tank on my truck directly into the division board feeder in
the hive. This requires moving the top cover and inner cover from over the feeder just enough
to allow the nozzle of the feeder hose to reach the feeder. The nozzle is exactly like that found
on your everyday gas pump. It operates with a hand pressure switch for on and off. No lost
syrup spilled on the ground and very little mess. A single bee yard of 40 hives can use up one 50
gal. drum of syrup on each visit and the bees will empty the feeder in one or two days. This
means repeated trips to the bee yard to keep the feeders filled. You will soon see that the bees
use this for producing more bees although they will store some of it and use it as needed. The
object is to fill the hive with brood not syrup. Once stimulated the queen will lay 2000 or more
eggs a day which will translate into a large -- very large bee population if there are enough bees
to take care of the brood -- keep it warm and provide the labor to feed this vast number of
hungry larvae.
Read the section on swarming.
Read the section on Honey production management
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Swarming
Topic: Honey Production/swarm management

Honey Production
Swarming is the normal natural habit of bees to propagate the race. It is a genetic trait. For
the honey producer a swarm is bad news because the bees that make up the swarm are lost as
honey gatherers for the hive. And for good honey production, the hive needs all of these
workers in the field gathering the available nectar for storage in your honey supers. The loss of
a swarm is the loss of a super of honey or more.
What contributes to swarming behavior?
● It is a spring event (but not always) usually associated with rapid build up of bee
populations.
● Some say it is due to the reduced pheromone production of older queens.
● Almost always related to the reduced number of open cells available for a queen to lay
eggs.
● Crowding within the hive -- bees laying on the outside of the hive because there is not
enough room inside the hive for them.
● Some queens produce bees more inclined to swarm than others (A genetic trait).
You will need a swarm management plan. Your plan will need to fit your style of beekeeping!
It should include the following:
● A plan for replacing queens on an annual basis. Young queens will pay for themselves
quickly
● A plan to use strong hives to add strength to weaker hives.
● A plan for replacing dead out hives.
● A plan to examine and inspect all hives. Many books describe various methods to remove
queen cells to prevent swarming. I recommend you stay on top of the situation before cell
building begins because once the bees begin to build queen cells you will have a swarming
problem.
Swarm prevention:
● Replacing old queens

● Adding room for expansion of bee population
● Hive management (Making splits, moving frames from strong to weak hives, etc).
So lets take a look at what we have pointed out!
Queens:
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Swarming
Young queens are more prolific than old queens. They are less likely to swarm but do not
jump to the conclusion that a young queen will not swarm. They will if other conditions
in the hive are favorable for swarming. Finding a good breeder of queens and get your order
in early will be your greatest challenge.
Replacing dead hives and increasing the strength of weak hives:
A loss of many hives of bees over the winter season can be disastrous for the honey producer.
However, it is a problem faced by many beekeepers and is handled effectively by many of
them. As mentioned under feeding, one way to prevent swarming is to use your strong hives
to strengthen your weak hives and to make increases to replace the hives that die out.
Replace the queen in any weak hive! (See hive management for honey production)
Some beekeepers place bait trap hives around their bee yards to capture swarms. The swarms
that enter these bait hives can be used to increase hive numbers or used to strengthen weak
hives.
Hive inspections:
This is the most neglected task of the commercial beekeeper. Hive inspections take time.
Inspection during the spring should include:
● Evaluate the queen and brood nest for brood production.

● Check for disease/treat if found well before honey production is to begin.
● Check for surplus food (honey and pollen). Supply if needed.
● Check for damage to frames from mice, etc. Replace if necessary.
● Check for the presence of skunks which can do considerable damage to your bee
population and upset your hive of bees to the point they remain in the hive to defend it
rather than gather honey. Eliminate them by trapping.
● Check for any repairs or replacements needed for the equipment.

Swarming

Robbing
Topic: Honey Production/Robbing

Honey Production
Honey bees have no moral values in human terms. Robbing usually occurs in the spring or after
the honey flow in the late summer when no nectar sources are available. Honey bees unable to
gather nectar from flowers in the field will begin to look for other sources. They can become
quite a problem around any place that has available honey like substances such as the molasses
mixed with feed for livestock, open supers of honey in a building, or even other bee hives. If a
hive is weak, it becomes a quick target for other bees in the area during such times
The beekeeper must constantly be on the lookout for failing hives to prevent robbing. The
best defense against robbing is strong hives.
Hives fail for a number of reason:
● Disease -- One of the greatest dangers of robbing. Bees will take AFB contaminated
honey back to their own hive which in turn spreads the disease.
● Failing queen -- a situation that can be corrected if caught in time.
● Lost queen/laying workers
● Poor management
If a queen is lost during the beekeeping season the bees will first try to raise an emergency
queen. In many cases the bees will be successful and the new queen will be mated. However,
during the period it takes to raise an emergency queen the population of the hive will steadily
decline. It will take the hive 12 days to produce the newly hatched virgin queen and another ten
days will pass before she begins to lay eggs. That is a total of 22 days without a laying queen.
And of course, the virgin queen may be lost during a mating flight and never return to the hive.
The beekeeper can expect very little honey production from these hives or none at all. And as
soon as a nectar shortage arrives, the rest of the bees will discover the hives weakness.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/robbing301honeymanagement.htm [25/07/05 08:15:49 p.m.]

queens
Topic: Honey Production/Queens and brood production

Honey Production
Queens:
If you are going to count on good honey production year after year, you will need to find a
reliable source for queens that can be depended upon to have the following characteristics:
● Productive egg layers

● Active foraging behavior in worker bees
● Disease tolerant
● Good disposition
● Non swarming behavior
● other
A good queen is judged by her prodigy (worker bees). Since honey production is of prime
importance, the first two items in the above list are very important.
Finding a good queen producer:
● Many queen producers hype their queens. "Ours are best" etc. Avoid the hype
● If a queen breeder is "sold out" Why? Why do beekeepers want his bees?
● Does the breeder have other interest besides raising queens? Breeding queens is very
labor intensive and a good breeder does not have time to build equipment for sale,
produce honey, pollinate crops, etc.
● Talk to commercial beekeepers in your area and find out who they buy queens from.
Young productive queens pay for themselves.
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outyards
Topic: Honey Production/Out-yards/Production Yards

Honey Production
Where bee hives are located make the difference between a good crop or none at all.
What are the characteristics of a good honey producing yard?
● The area has a history of good honey production.

● Crops which produce nectar/pollen must be within short flying distance for the bees.
● The yard must be accessible to truck and other vehicles at all times.
● The site must be level or nearly level and have water available nearby.
● It must not be in a low area subject to flooding
● The site must be within close driving distance to other bee yards.
● The site must not be close to human dwellings.
Honey bees are known to forage great distances from the hive but the fact is they gather nectar
generally close to their hives. For the honey producer, the closer the better because a honey bee
can make more trips to the field in a single day and use less energy in flying to the crop.
Commercial honey producers will move bees for various seasonal honey/nectar flows.
Competition for good locations between beekeepers is often regulated by state law and
historically good locations have been occupied by the same beekeeper for years. Check any
state regulations regarding the movement and placement of bees before planning this type of
operation.
How does one find out yards? For the commercial beekeeper, it is not so much finding a yard
but many bee yards in good locations. It is a difficult and time consuming project for a
beekeeper. On the other hand, finding just the right place can be just as challenging. It is
important that you let people know you are looking for bee yards.
● First, a visit to a Growers Convention. Various group will have state meeting and these
groups are a valuable source for contacting those individuals who grow certain crops.
This might include seed growers groups, fruit and vegetable groups, etc.
● Join the Farm Bureau -- The cost is not great and contacts will be helpful.
● University extension/county extension -- These are very valuable contacts
● Join State Beekeeper Organizations -- These contacts are invaluable.
● Place ads in Trade Magazines or newsletters seeking bee yard locations.
Do not take any yard just because it is available!
● Visit each location. Talk to the owner and make sure both of you understand the details
of what each expect of the other. Often the owner of the land is glad to have bees placed
on a crop at no charge. The owner gets free pollination in exchange for the use of the
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outyards
land where the bees are set. Disagreements can be disastrous and the land owner has the
advantage because you may have to trespass or go to court to recover your bees. Most
farmers will want to locate the bees in an area which is out of the way and usually not in
agricultural production. The land may be low and hard to get to. Avoid areas like this!
I know of a commercial beekeeper that placed hives at the back of a field-- appeared to
be fine area (hard a road to the bees open all the time), but the area was low and during
an excessive rain, the hives (40 of them) were bobbing around in a swamp-- all died out as
a result. The farmer indicated that he was not responsible for an act of God. "The area
never had a rain like that ", he said.
What the agreement should include for the beekeeper:
● A defined area where the bees are to be placed.

● Access to the bees at any time.
● Freedom to work the bees without interference from the owner of the land or his
employees.
● Freedom to move the bees from the location for just cause.
● Reimbursement for hive losses which are the fault of the farmer for: placing the bees in
an area with danger from flooding, poison kills from insecticide, run over by farm
equipment, etc.
What the beekeeper should do for the owner:
● Keep the site clean of debris and respect the land as if it were your own.
● Be prepared to move the bees if problems develop such as listed below.
● Be aware of any potential problems the bees may cause and make the owner aware of
them. Examples include: cattle near hives, finishing lots where molasses is used in food
for livestock, hot tubs or swimming pools which the bees will visit, bee poop on clothes
hanging on lines for drying outside, etc.
● Repair any damage done to the property by trucks etc.
● Provide the owner with honey for personal use. This is often called honey rent and helps
continue a good relationship with the owner. Some beekeeper provide a single jug
usually 5 lbs. to a gallon of 12 lbs. In a very good location the beekeeper might provide a
case of 1 lbs. jars of honey to the owner. This allows the owner to share his honey with
children and employees.

outyards

Alsike clover
Flowering Plants/Trees Back to Honey Plants
00mast6.png (996972 bytes)
Alsike Clover (Trifolium hybridum)

This is an outstanding honey plant. It grows 12 to 24 inches high and has a bloom that is white with some
reddish/pinkish color in it. Alsike clover grows well in clay soil and in northern regions of the United States
and Canada. It has a long blooming period and can be found along road sides, railroad right of ways, and
meadows. It is a good hay or pasture crop for the beekeeper lucky enough to have a farmer near by who raises
livestock. Unfortunately, modern farming methods result in the cutting of hay crops before the flowers bloom
and thus this crop is not available for bees to gather nectar unless the farmer is a bit slow in cutting the crop. It
is a cool weather plant and is found in the northern latitudes of the United States.
Description of nectar
Honey produced by the bees from the nectar according the Frank Pellett's book American Honey Plants is one of
the very best. It is considered white in color, mild in flavor and granulates slowly. All other honeys are
compared to the clover honey. It is nearly impossible to distinguish one clover honey from another. Very
heavy yields have resulted when bees are located near a Alsike clover field.
Description of pollen
The color of the pollen carried back to the hive by the bees is almost a light brown
color.
Description of pollen grain
A member of the Leguminosae family. The pollen grain is distinctive. I have used a student grade compound
microscope to view the pollen collected from a dandelion plant. These are photos taken through the eye piece of
the microscope set at X1000. The pollen grain is oval shaped with a granular surface with predominate
pores.
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Alsike clover
The grains of
Alsike clover are
smaller and more
oval than the
pollen grains of the
other clovers
which have the
appearance of
small loaves of
bread.
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Apples
00applemap.png (971812
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Apples (Malus species)

Apple trees species include the many varieties of trees from cultivated fruit orchard trees to the hundreds of
varieties known as crab-apples. These tree grow in temperate regions of the United States and Canada and are
a valuable cash crop requiring pollination by honey bees. Because of the variation in cultivars, the blooming
season extends over two to three weeks in early spring. Crab-apples have even a greater blooming season and
are found growing in fence rows, abandoned fields, and way sides.
According to Lovell, "The honey from apple bloom is pale yellow, with an agreeable flavor, and granulates
quickly. " It secretes nectar abundantly. However, honey bees usually use the pollen and nectar in brood
raising and very little is saved for surplus.
Description of Apple Family
These plants are members of the Rosaceae family. They grow commonly from Zone 3 to Zone 5 but hardier
varieties may be found outside this area. These plants are quite adaptable to varying soil conditions and are
found growing in full sun.
The pollen grain is yellow to tan in color.
Pollen grains of this family are oblong when viewed from the side and triangular when view from the top of a
grain. Pores are quite evident. The photographs below were taken with a microscope set at 1000X and clearly
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Apples
shows both views.
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Black Locust
00locustmap.png (1044056
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Black Locust (Robinia pseudo-acacia)

This is an outstanding honey tree. It is native from Pennsylvania to Iowa and southward according to Frank
Pellett's American Honey Plants. It grows best in hilly and waste land areas. According to John Lovell's book
Honey Plants of North America it is native from Pennsylvania to Georgia and westward to Missouri and
Arkansas. It has been naturalized in Canada, New England, and in Northern California. We have found
abundant growth of Black locust stands along the Ohio River River Valley and south into the mountains of
Northern Georgia. Because it is grown for a durable long lasting wood for posts, it has been planted in areas
outside the map above. When this has occurred it will naturalize in those locations. The tree blossoms from
late April to early June starting in the South and progressing northward as the climate changes. The flowers
are white pea shaped hanging in a pendent cluster. When in full bloom, the fragrant smell is quite noticeable.
Its blooming period is short (about 10 days). This tree often reaches 70 to 80 feet tall. Our map shows the
major area of growth but it is found in many states as an ornamental tree.
The page to the left is from Iowa Geological Survey

Bulletin No. 7 Honey Plants of Iowa published in 1930
for the Iowa Geological Survey by the state of Iowa.
Described as a tree planted as an ornamental tree in

Iowa and as wind breaks. It has become naturalized in
Iowa.
Honey produced by the bees from the nectar is almost

water white. It granulates very slowly. It does not
consistently produce a honey crop year after year.
Weather conditions can have quite an effect on the
amount of nectar collected. In Ohio, we generally can
count on a good honey locust flow in one out of five
years.
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Black Locust
The color of the pollen carried back to the hive by the bees is yellow similiar to the
patches shown to the left.
A member of the Leguminosae family. The pollen grain is typical of members of that family. I have used a
student grade compound microscope to view the pollen collected from a black locust tree. These are photos
taken through the eye piece of the microscope set at X1000. The pollen grain is oval shaped with a smooth
surface with predominate pores.
In the family Leguminosae pollen grains

are generally ellipsoidal with three pores. The
pore slits can easily bee seen under 1000X
magnification as shown to the left. The grains
of Black Locust are oval in shape but if viewed from above top looking
down they appear round in shape.
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Buckwheat
Flowering Plants/Trees Back to Honey plants
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum)

Buckwheat can be cultivated throughout the north temperate zone. At one time beekeepers in New York state
could depend on a crop of buckwheat year after year. However, buckwheat is no longer grown as it once was.
Lucky however is the beekeeper who happens to find a field like the one above. It is a late crop sometimes
planted when other crops due to wet weather can not be planted early and it is sometimes used as a second
crop. It is a short crop which means that three seedings can be made in one year on the same ground. It flowers
about 20 days after planting. A field of buckwheat looks like a white blanket of snow. The bees eagerly work it
and produce large amounts of honey from it.
I can speak first hand of buckwheat honey. It is very dark in color and has a strong taste. If a jar of
buckwheat honey is held up to the light, a slight purplish cast can be seen. It looks almost like used oil. It is in
demand today because it is no longer grown as it once was and a number of people desire nothing else. We
have found it delightful on pancakes. It granulates slowly.
We could not find any micro photographs of pollen and we have no examples in our slide collection.
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Catalpa
catalpamap.png (1075708
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Catalpa (Catalpa Speciosa)

Catalpa trees have been planted thru the mid west as shade trees and wind breaks. They bloom in late June and
early July. The Iowa Geological Survey "Honey Plants of Iowa" indicates that large amounts of nectar are
produced. We have a number of Catalpa trees growing in our vicinity (Ohio) which bees eagerly visit. There
are not enough of them to provide a honey crop however. The tree is very fragrant and the tree blooms for
about 10 days. Canadian distribution is to Southern Quebec and Southern Ontario. It is native to Eastern
United States. It is not mentioned at all by Lovell and Pellett mentions that beekeepers who have bees situated
near such planting should find the trees of material value.
We could find no reference to the color of honey produced from the nectar of Catalpa.
Description of flower and pollen grains from The page to the bottom is from Iowa Geological Survey
Bulletin No. 7 Honey Plants of Iowa published in 1930 for the Iowa Geological Survey by the state of Iowa.
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Catalpa
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clovers
Clover (Trifolium species)

This is a valuable honey plant. We have included pictures of three different species above. Clover plants
require sufficient rain to insure good growth.
The top picture is of a field of Crimson Clover (Trifolium incarnatum) in Georgia. It is grown extensively in the
middle and southern states for seed. It is also used in many cotton areas as a mulch to protect soil moisture.
Prior to going to seed it is sprayed to kill the plant and then cotton is drilled into the ground. However, before
that happens, many beekeepers move colonies to bees to these areas to gather the early honey crop which occurs
in early April. It grows along road ways and in medium strip in great abundance. It is not seen much in the
north due to its inability to survive the cold winter months.
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) is in the lower picture to the left. This is grown extensively in the United States.
Honey bees are said to gather little red clover honey because the flower tube is so deep but when the weather is
dry and plant growth somewhat retarded, honey bees have been known to gather great amounts of honey from
red clover. It is used as a seed and hay crop.
White Clover (Trifolium repens) grows in most areas in the United States. It blooms very early in the season and
blossoms dry up as hot weather arrives. This can bee seen in the picture we have used to illustrate white clover.
White clover as a honey plant is restricted to lime soils according to Lovell and honey crops obtained in the
north far surpass that of the south. The white clover belt includes the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan,
Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa.
The honey is white or nearly white. Very mild flavored and does not granulate readily.
Description of Pollen
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clovers
The pollen is yellow to dark brown in color.
Pollen grains of this family are spherical to oblate-spheroid and triangular as can be seen in the drawings above
from
Iowa Geological Survey published in 1930. This is an excellent resource book.
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orange
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Orange (Citrus species)

Orange trees and honey produced from them are confined to semi-tropical climates in the United States which
includes Central Florida, The lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas, Arizona and California. Actually there are
many varieties of citrus grown including grapefruit, , and tangerines. The blooms are easily set back by frost
and freezing. Many northern beekeepers transport bees into Florida to take advantage of the orange early crop
for spring build up and a honey crop. It begins to bloom in mid February and continues into April.
Lovell describes it as "nearly white or light yellow in color, has the fragrance of the bloom, and a most pleasant
flavor." It is described by the Department of Agriculture in Florida as, "Genuine orange blossom honey is light
amber in color, heavy in body, and has the real aroma of the grove in bloom and does not darken or change
flavor much with age. In aging it granulates readily."
We could not find any micro photographs of orange or citrus in any of our references.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/citrus.htm [25/07/05 08:16:29 p.m.]

dandelion
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Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

Not a native plant of the Americas. Was introduced from Europe and has naturalized over North America. Each plant
produces hundreds of seeds which are scatted by the wind over large areas. The dandelion is a sure sign of spring. Its
blooming period is short. It is found in abundance along road sides and in waste areas. It has invaded a number of
residential yards and where the home owner does not treat or spray for the noxious plant, the beekeeper can expect the bees
to work this plant and return with an abundance of pollen and nectar.
Honey produced by the bees from the nectar according the Frank Pellett's book American Honey Plants is dark and strong.
Most of this honey is consumed in the production of early brood. John H. Lovell's book Honey Plants of North America
indicates that the honey is deep yellow, and sometimes granulates in a week or two. He adds, "It would not be liked by the
person accustomed to a mild honey."
The color of the pollen carried back to the hive by the bees is orange in color.
A member of the Compositae family. The pollen grain is distinctive. It is for the most part round with a distinct surface
structure consisting of ribs radiating out from a circular polar end of a grain. I have used a student grade compound
microscope to view the pollen collected from a dandelion plant. These are photos taken through the eye piece of the
microscope set at X1000.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/dandelion.htm (1 de 2) [25/07/05 08:16:36 p.m.]

dandelion
The above photograph of an enlarged dandelion pollen grain gives you a better idea of the surface structure. This
photograph is taken from An Atlas of Selected Pollen Important to Honey Bees in the Eastern United States by Stephen B.
Bambara and Nancy A. Leidy. If you can find a copy of this book, it should definitely be added to your library.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/dandelion.htm (2 de 2) [25/07/05 08:16:36 p.m.]

goldenrod
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Goldenrod (Solidago varieties)

This is one of the most widely distributed of all native plants. There are over 160 varieties of goldenrod growing
in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It is a late blooming plant. In Ohio goldenrod produces good crops
in September and because of the late flow, it is used for winter stores. It blooms over three or four weeks and
grows in many road side areas, along waste land near streams and fence rows, and in nature preserves.
Honey produced by the bees from the nectar is a golden color of deep amber. It has a marked flavor and
granulates quickly. It is gathered in the fall of the year. When bees are collecting the nectar, one can smell the
distinct odor in the hive and beekeepers not familiar with the smell often complain of the smell. According to
Pellett, various reports indicate that the goldenrod plant does not produce a honey crop in some parts of the
United States.
The pollen is a light orange to almost brown in color and will vary quite a bit.
The pollen is distinctive and not confused with other pollens gathered at this time of the year.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/goldenrod.htm [25/07/05 08:16:39 p.m.]

honeysuckle
Honeysuckle (Diervilla Lonicera)

There are more than 150 species of honeysuckles in the Northern Hemisphere. Many of these have deep corolla
tubes that are only accessible to humming birds and insects with long proboscises. The bush honeysuckle
shown above is a valuable honey plant. It is very hardy growing from Newfoundland South to North Carolina.
This variety usually blooms in late April into May. There are other species such as the winter honeysuckle (L.
morrowi) that blooms in February and March in Arkansas. The fly-honeysuckle (L. involucrata) grows from
California north to British Columbia. All of these are visited by honey bees and produce nectar.
Honey produced by the bees from the nectar is a light amber, slow to granulate, and mild in flavor.
The color of the pollen carried back to the hive by the bees is almost a light
brown/tan color.
At 1000X the surface is just visible and does not show up well in the
photographs taken through my microscope.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/honeysuckle.htm [25/07/05 08:16:43 p.m.]

Basswood
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Linden or Basswood (Tilia Americana)

At one time this tree was a major source of honey in the Eastern States. It has been harvested for its
outstanding fine grain, light color, and easily workability. The blooming period is approximately 10 days but
during those blooming days, it is covered with honey bees yielding large quantities of nectar. However, like the
Black Locust, honey crops produced by Basswood are a hit or miss affair. The American Linden is planted in
many cities as shade trees and the European Linden is also found in city plantings and is reported in areas of the
west including California. Hot clear weather contributes to a fine honey crop. It blooms in early summer,
usually late June early July.
Lovell says Basswood honey is white and has a slightly aromatic flavor. Honey sold as basswood is often mixed
with other nectar sources and the honey sold is amber in color. At one time it rivaled clover and alfalfa in
demand as a light colored honey.
The color of the pollen carried back to the hive is a yellow to light orange color.
This is a member of the Tiliaceae (Linden family). The grains are tricolporate with
visible pores.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/basswood.htm (1 de 2) [25/07/05 08:16:49 p.m.]

Basswood
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clovers
Maple (Acer species)

This is a valuable honey plant. It grows in all regions of the United States and Canada. It is one of the first
major nectar/pollen sources for bees in the spring. Due to the growth of several species in the same region, the
blooming period last for several weeks. Most of the nectar/honey/pollen is used for brood rearing. It is widely
grown and common. The above picture shows some of the fall color associated with the maple tree. The color of
leaves in the fall will vary from yellow to red. It begins to bloom in the south in February and continues to the
north and is in bloom in Ohio by early April.
The honey produced in Ohio (Acer rubrum and saccharum) from the nectar is yellow with a green tint color. I
collected some in 1995 and it has a strong flavor. Pellett reports that the honey is amber with a poor flavor.
Lovell reports that the honey from Maple in Washington and Oregon (the Oregon maple) produces white or
light amber colored with a faint pinkish tinge with a fine flavor.
The pollen is dark brown with a tint of green. If looking at a frame of brood in
the spring, one can find dark pollen (most likely maple) interspersed with a bright yellow pollen (most likely
dandelion).
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/maple.htm (1 de 2) [25/07/05 08:16:54 p.m.]

clovers
The pollen grain of all maples is somewhat football shaped. Some of the grains are a
bit more blunt on the ends than the example shown to the right. The grains are more
accurately described as tricolpate, oblate spheroidal in the equatorial view. The
surface of the pollen grain has a number of small ridges visible under 1000X
magnification. It has predominate pores.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/maple.htm (2 de 2) [25/07/05 08:16:54 p.m.]

http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/maplesbybridge.JPG
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milkweed
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Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

Milkweed is considered a noxious weed growing and spreading in uncultivated fields, and is found along
railroad right of ways as well as land along our highway system. It is a member of the Asclepiadaceae family
which have a milk like juice which bleeds from stems when broken. There are several species of milkweed. In
some places it is called Butterfly weed because butterflies are very attracted to it. We observed a number of
insects visiting these plants including Bumble bees, honey bees, various native bees and butterflies. It is claimed
that the most milkweed honey is produced in the Southern Peninsula of Michigan by both Pellett and Lovell.
Milkweeds bloom and flower in the summer season from July thru August. There is little likely hood that a
beekeeper outside the Michigan area will collect enough nectar from this plant for it to be considered pure
milkweed honey. However, it will provide ample nectar to supplement the honey crop in many areas of the
United States shown on the map.
The honey is described by Lovell as being "so light in color that it is usually classed as white, but it not
unfrequently has a yellowish tinge. The flavor is excellent with a slight tang. Milkweed plants are heavy
nectar producers. Usually milkweed honey is mixed with other nectars from plants blooming during the same
time period.
Lovell indicates that the pollen is of little use to the honey bee. "The pollen grains are bound together in waxy
masses called pollinia, and are useless to bees".
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milkweed
We gathered the pollen shown in these

photographs from plants growing in Ohio. It is
distinctive. However, we could find no pictures of
Asclepias syriaca in any of the reference books
listed in the introduction to this series.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/milkweed.htm (2 de 2) [25/07/05 08:17:03 p.m.]

Mints
Mints (Mentha species)

Neither Lovell or Pellett have much description in their books on honey plants about mints except to say that it
is a valuable honey plant in areas where grown. Pellett mentions spearmint Mentha spicata growing in
abundance in Sacramento County, California and describes the honey as amber colored. Peppermint Mentha
piperita is described as growing in the muck soils of southern Michigan and northern Indiana. Lovell describes
the area as Massachusetts, New York and Ohio and Michigan. The most complete listing of distribution sites
came from the Iowa Geological Survey completed in 1930 which was a long time ago. That report listed
Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas,
Minnesota, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, and Oklahoma. The Canadian book Pollen grains of Canadian honey
plants indicate that the plant Mentha spicata L. is found from Nova Scotia to British Columbia and bloom from
July to August.
Many mints are now found growing wild and have hybridized. Many gardeners started various kinds of mints
(over 600 varieties) and these have also naturalized themselves. Mints spread rapidly because of their invasive
root system. They grow in all areas of the United States as herb plants. Bees are highly attracted to the
blooming plants. A beekeeper located close to railroad right of ways and isolated abandoned field may be
surprised to get quite a bit of nectar from these plants.
The honey is amber and has a slightly aromatic flavor.
Description of Mint Family
These plants are members of the Lamiaceae family. This family includes a number of valuable nectar plants
visited by honey bees. These include Horehound, Hyssop, Catnip, Henbit, Hedge Nettle, horse mint, bergamont
and the sages.
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Mints
Pollen grains of this family are spherical and display a number of surface textures.
This is an example of pollen grains from Iowa Geological Survey

published in 1930. It is an excellent resource book.
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Squash family
Squash/Pumpkins/pickles (Cucurbita species)

Cultivated crops grown in areas from the south to the north. The seeds for these plants are not planted until soil
temperatures reach the mid 50's. Production of fruit is greatly improved with honey bee pollination. This
means that in the North, the plants are usually not put into the ground until July and bloom continuously from
late July to September. Bees gather both pollen and nectar in large amounts. Cucumber producers must have
honey bees to pollinate their crops. To get good straight cucumbers like those shown in the center picture
requires complete pollination of the cucumber flower.
I can speak first hand of pumpkin honey. It is amber in color, and granulates within weeks. Some describe the
taste as not of high quality but I would describe it as mild - no after taste or bitterness. It is an amber color and
a bit cloudy.
Collected pollen is bright yellow.
We could not find any micro photographs of orange or citrus in any of our references. Our slides of pumpkin
and squash pollen indicate that pollen grains are extremely large. These are magnified 400X.
The grains are pentagonal in shape and display a rough

exterior surface.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/pickle.htm (1 de 2) [25/07/05 08:17:12 p.m.]

Squash family
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/pickle.htm (2 de 2) [25/07/05 08:17:12 p.m.]

Blackberries
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Blackberries, dewberries and raspberries (Rubus

species)
These are all closely related plants and are good sources for honey. It is a member of the Rosaceae family. They
are widely scattered growing in many parts of the United States and Canada. These plants are grown
commercially and are found growing wild. In the Southern states Blackberry can be found growing in vast
areas of recently cut timber land. All can be found growing in waste land, along stream and creek beds, and can
become a very evasive pest. This plant blooms from April thru June depending on climate zones.
Honey produced from the nectar is light amber and very mild in flavor. Honey bees in certain areas produce
large amounts of blackberry honey or raspberry honey.
The pollen grain is brown to greenish with blackberry being just a little darker
than raspberry .
Pollen grains of this family are oblong when viewed from the side and triangular when view from the top of a
grain. Pores are quite evident. They look very similiar and greater magnification is needed for positive
identification. The photograph below was taken with a microscope set at 1000X .
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/raspberry.htm (1 de 2) [25/07/05 08:17:17 p.m.]

Blackberries
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/raspberry.htm (2 de 2) [25/07/05 08:17:17 p.m.]

Alsike clover
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Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)

This is an outstanding honey tree. According to Frank Pellett, it is the source of the best honey in the
southeast. I tend to agree with him. It is a common tree from West Virginia to north Georgia and west to
Arkansas. The tree is 30 to 40 foot tall and grows in mountain areas of the Appalachian range. The flowers
which cover the tree are white and bloom for two to three weeks during mid summer.
the very best. It is considered white in color, has a fine flavor, and is slow to granulate. Often sourwood honey
is mixed with other nectar sources and the result is a more amber color honey. The taste of sourwood honey is
distinct.
We have no samples of pollen pellets from the blooming flowers collected by bees. We are looking forward to
getting a sample.
We have no picture of pollen grain as of now. It will be added later this summer.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/sourwood.htm [25/07/05 08:17:20 p.m.]

Sumac
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Sumac (Rhus species)

There are fourteen species of sumac found in the United States according to Pellett. When found it usually
grows in large stands. It is not a tall tree but rather shrub like. It grows along the borders of woods, along
railroad right of ways, along highways, and in waste areas. The range of this plant and its various species can
be found from Nova Scotia to Florida and west to California. It is an important honey plant. It is a mid
summer flowering plant -- June and July. This is a member of the Anacardiaceae family.
Pellet describes the honey as a grade of white honey. And Lovell describes it as "golden color". Our
observation of sumac is that it is Amber tending to be a bit darker and influences the color of lighter honeys.
It is usually found mixed with other honeys.
We could not find any micro photographs of sumac in any of our references. We found the pollen grains to be
quite small from the sample we took here in Ohio. Shown below are micro photographs we took.
The pollen grain is subspherical with clear pores showing in the

micro photograph to the right. These appear
as bumps on the surface of the pollen grain.
We hesitate to call the pollen square but it
comes close when viewed -- it is not spherical
round.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/sumac.htm [25/07/05 08:17:23 p.m.]

Sweet Clover
Sweet Clover (Melitotus species)

This is an extremely valuable honey plant. Lovell devotes 8 full pages to it in his book and Pellett gives the plant
9 full pages in his book. We must limit our description. There are several species grown in the United States
(Yellow Sweet Clover - Melitotus officinalis and White Sweet Clover Melitotus alba). Both are shown in our
photographs above. The yellow sweet clover plant blooms in June and is followed several weeks later by white
sweet clover. As a field crop, it has been replaced with soy beans in the mid west but is found growing along
road sides and in waste fields. It is a biennial. It is used to improve the quality of soil and is still found in vast
areas of the Great Plains where a good amount of clover honey is produced. It is wide spread in distribution
and we have not singled out any particular area for its growth in our map above. It will grow in areas with
lime. It grows especially well where other clovers will not.
The honey is white or nearly white. Nectar is secreted freely and if in the vicinity of a sweet clover field, the
aroma of the plant will surely get your attention. In the 1940's and 50's, Northwest Ohio (Paulding County was
my home), sweet clover was grown for seed and fields of it could be seen for miles. It was not unusual for a hive
of honey bees to produce 200 pounds of honey from clover alone.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/sweetclover.htm (1 de 2) [25/07/05 08:17:30 p.m.]

Sweet Clover
The pollen is yellow to dark yellow in color.

The bee collecting pollen in the picture above is
clearly carrying a bright yellow pollen in its
pollen baskets.
Pollen grains of this family are oval.
To the left is an example of pollen grains from

Iowa Geological Survey published in
1930. It is an excellent resource book.
Below is a photograph from a sample of yellow

sweet clover pollen grain taken with a 1000X
magnification through our own microscope.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/sweetclover.htm (2 de 2) [25/07/05 08:17:30 p.m.]

Alsike clover
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Tulip Tree (Liriondendron Tulipifera)

This is a large magnificent tree growing from the New England states west to the Mississippi River and south to
Florida. It is grown as an ornamental tree in many areas. This tree grows in large numbers in areas of the
Appalachian highlands and Piedmont. It is considered a reliable source of honey in the Piedmont regions of the
United States. In southern states the tree comes into bloom in late April and extends its blooming period into
the north till mid-June. The leaf is rather large with a distinct shape and the blossom is bell shaped with the
three sepals being yellowish-green and the petals are large yellowish-green with bright orange-yellow spots. The
tree has a two week blooming season during which it produces large amounts of nectar. Lovell reports, " when
the blossoms are late in opening and the weather is warm and dry, the honey flow is very much heavier than
when the bloom is early." It is reported as growing in Southern Ontario and flowers there in early to mid
June.
The honey made from the nectar of the tulip tree is rather dark and resembles molasses. It is a strong tasting
honey with a pleasant flavor. It is popular with honey consumers in the south.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/Tulippoplar.htm (1 de 2) [25/07/05 08:17:34 p.m.]

Alsike clover
A grain of pollen is ellipsoidal in shape.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/Tulippoplar.htm (2 de 2) [25/07/05 08:17:34 p.m.]

http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/Dscf0068.jpg
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http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/tuliptreeblossom2.JPG
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Alsike clover
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TUPELO (Nyssa)
This is an outstanding honey tree. The flower is not showy and is green-white color appearing with the leaves,
hanging in clusters. Shown on the map is the famous area where much of the Tupelo honey gathered in the
United States is located. The 2003 honey crop from Tupelo ended earlier than usual with beekeepers in the
region extracting a crop short of the average. The Tupelo tree is a swamp tree and according to Lovell is found
in desolate, unwholesome swamp where mosquitoes are prevalent, roads are absent, and an absence of late-
blooming plants to maintain the strength of colonies in the fall. Many pictures of raised platforms to hold bee
hives are found in past magazine articles of 50 to 100 years ago gathering Tupelo honey. Some of these locations
had several hundred hives to a location and are known for producing good crops of Tupelo honey year after
year.
Tupelo honey
the very best. It is has a pale lemon-greenish hue as a color, has a fine flavor, and is very slow to granulate--
some say it never granulates. Often Tupelo honey is mixed with other nectar sources to prevent them from
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/TUPELO.htm (1 de 2) [25/07/05 08:18:23 p.m.]

Alsike clover
granulating quickly. The taste of Tupelo honey is distinct. It has been described as having a mild exquisite
flavor and a thick body.
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http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/DSCF0056.JPG
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Wild mustard
Mustard (Brassica capestris)

Common yellow mustard is common all over the United States and Canada. It is a member of the Cruciferae
family. Common mustard bloom early in the spring in many cases before farmers are able to plow fields. It
provides honey bees with abundant forage if they are close to it.
Lovell says that the nectar produces a honey light in color, but the flavor is generally regarded as inferior. It is
also a honey that granulates quickly.
The pollen is yellow .
Pollen grains of this family are subprolate and tricolpate. The surface is
heavily netted. It is football shaped with predominate pores. These photos
are taken from Pollen grains of Canadian honey plants. These are SEM
(Scanning Electron Microscope pictures).
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/mustard.htm (1 de 2) [25/07/05 08:18:36 p.m.]

Wild mustard
The photographs thru my microscope above do not show the heavy netting on the surface but clearly show the
shape and pores. Often in a picture of pollen, several grains will be present and on occasion one can
photography both a grain from the polar view and the long side view. If you look closely, an end polar view is
located at the top of the circle of light.
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willow
Willow (Salix varieties)

According to Pellett, there are over 160 species of willows. They are confined to the cooler temperate regions of
the United States and Canada. There are a few varieties that grow in the southern states west to California. In
the North, weeping willow and pussy willow (Salix discolor) are among the earliest of blooming plants and the
nectar and pollen gathered is used for feeding brood.
Honey produced by the bees from the nectar according the Frank Pellett's book American Honey Plants is "a
dark amber and bitter." As indicated above, much of it is used in raising brood.
We have no sample of pollen. This will be added this year.
The pollen grain of willow shown to the left appears much like the pollen of the maple
family. It is a bit smaller in size.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/willow.htm [25/07/05 08:18:39 p.m.]

Supering for honey Production
Topic: Honey Production/Supering and taking off

honey crop
Honey Production
Add Supers before the nectar flow begins
For the commercial honey producer, any day lost adding supers to hives bringing in a nectar
crop from the field is money down the drain.
Add Supers before the nectar flow begins Add Supers before the nectar flow
begins
I guess I have said this enough! You can only extract what the bees store away in your honey
supers and by supering you provide the room necessary for the bees to store away the honey
they gather as nectar and provide room to prevent swarming.
Having enough supers on hand is a challenge for many beekeepers. Commercial beekeepers
handle this in many different ways. One can have a supply of four or five supers for each hive
in inventory or have only two or three on hand for each hive.
● One can put them on all at once . Just remember, that if the bees do not fill the boxes,
you will have a considerable amount of labor involved in collecting empty or partly filled
boxes when the crop is harvested.
● One can put on several to begin with and then remove honey supers as they are filled,
replacing them with empty supers, extracting the crop and returning supers as needed.
● One must always have extra supers on hand ready to use if needed.
● If bees are moved from crop to crop, honey supers are generally removed before any
move is made and thus the beekeeper must either be extracting the crop as it is removed
before the move -- moving the hive as a complete unit with boxes for the brood chamber
and maybe one honey super; or store the honey crop until time can be found to extract it.
In either case, extra supers are needed to place on hives when they reach the new
location.
How do you know if there is a nectar/honey flow beginning?
● Depending on the area where you keep bees, the season, weather factors, etc. honey bees
will begin to gather nectar/pollen just as soon as temperatures are about 60 degrees and
some plants/trees are producing nectar/pollen. Much of this early flow comes from trees
such as Maple, Willow, etc. The bees use this much needed nectar and pollen to feed
young larvae and thus build hive populations. As long as nectar and pollen can be
found, the bees will be humming with activity. The beekeeper will see bees going to and
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from the hive in considerable numbers. Arriving bees will be loaded with pollen and
nectar. Little time is lost depositing this load and returning to the field.
● The beekeeper upon removing frames from such a hive will notice a considerable amount
of new white wax on various parts of the frame and cells. If the frame is tipped slightly
and shook, nectar will drop from cells freely somewhat like rain. This indicates that a
good honey/nectar flow is in progress.
● When there is no nectar flow, you will notice less activity at the hive entrance and more
of a tendency for the bees to rob weak hives. If you see great activity at a hive during this
period -- bees entering and leaving a hive -- it is most likely being robbed. Notice that the
bees entering the hive do not carry in pollen on their legs and instead of flying directly to
the hive entrance, the entering bees will circle and often land on the front of the hive and
climb down to the entrance before entering.
● Nectar flows occur whenever there is a plentiful nectar supply for the bees to gather and
it will continue as long as the nectar is available.
The job of the beekeeper is to anticipate a honey flow before it begins.
● Know the area and the plants growing in that area which produce nectar/pollen for bees.
● Know the length of the nectar season -- the amount of time the plants remain in bloom.
● Know when the plants generally bloom -- this may vary according to seasonal weather
changes.
The time to super
● It is time to add supers to your bee hives after you have prepared them for spring build
up -- the hives have reached sufficient strength to fill the brood chamber with some honey
stores and lots of brood.
● It is time to add supers when the above conditions have been achieved and a honey flow is
just about to begin.
● It is time to add supers if the bees are beginning to store honey in the brood chamber at
the expense of leaving cells for the queen to lay eggs. Usually the bees will fill the outside
frames of the brood chamber and then start building swarm queen cells. More is needed
in this situation than just adding supers. I would recommend the following:

Remove all the frames from the brood chamber looking for the queen. If she is found the job is
made easier, however, it is not necessary. Replace only the frames that have no eggs, larva, or
capped cells in the brood chamber and add drawn comb frames to fill the rest of the brood chamber.
Place a queen excluder above the brood chamber and a deep box above the queen excluder. You will
put the frames with eggs, larva, and capped brood into this box. Then, shake all the bees off the
frames with brood in front of the landing board and place them one by one in the box above the
queen excluder. In this way you have accomplished the following:
● Placed the queen below the queen excluder.

● Opened up the brood chamber for her to lay many more eggs
● Retained all the brood that was in the lower brood chamber
● Prevented swarming if you cut out any queen cells that were present on any of the frames
● And once the capped brood in the box above the queen excluder have emerged the bees will
quickly fill it with honey. You did not weaken the hive and you have increase the prospect
of a good honey crop from that particular hive. In fact, you will find the bees eagerly passing
thru the queen excluder to be with the brood and many bees remaining in the lower brood
chamber to care for the newly laid eggs of the queen.
● It is prudent to add supers if you have a gut feeling that they are needed. This is usually
developed from experience.
● It is important to add supers to any hives moved into a honey producing area as quickly
as possible.
When should the honey crop be removed?
Honey contains moisture. Too much moisture in the honey will cause it to
ferment.
Acceptable honey has no more than 18.6% moisture content. Under normal conditions capped
honey will be less than this. Thus, you should not remove frames of honey from the bees until
the cells of the frame have mostly been capped. However, some beekeepers who move bees from
location to location remove all honey supers which contain large amounts of uncapped honey.
This honey must be dried and there are commercial methods to do this.
Honey with a low moisture content can be mixed with a honey of a higher moisture content to
give a good average moisture content which is done on a large scale when honey producers are
mixing honeys from various nectar sources. This can be done in the extracting process when all
honey supers are extracted without regard to where or what the honey source is and all honey
from the extracting process is pumped into the same holding tanks before being put into drums.
The honey processor will take samples from drum lots and determine color, moisture, and the
possibility of contamination before writing a check for the honey. It would not be surprising for

a honey processor to reject any honey lot with a high moisture content or a honey that has been
contaminated with chemicals above government standards.
Fixed base honey producers -- those who do not move bees or those who
move bees within their own region or state and extract at one location, may
at times wait until late fall to remove the honey crop. Honey crops are
usually removed by September but some beekeepers delay until after the
first frost. In this case, the beekeeper needs to warm the honey before
extracting and delays the application of any treatment for mites. It is an
individual decision and it must be made by the beekeeper according to his
labor and management needs.
Selling the crop
Honey is a commodity traded and bought just like wheat and corn. The price is determined on
a daily basis and what a producer gets for his/her crop will depend on what the honey
packers/processors are paying for honey at the time. For example, the price for honey in
October 2002 in bulk sold at $1.30 to $1.75 depending on color and source. This would have
been for honey produced in 2002. The price for honey in October 2003 in bulk sold at $1.25 to
$1.60 again depending on color and source.
The decision to hold or sell is up to the beekeeper. A beekeeper in heavy debt usually has no
choice to wait for a higher price -- the crop must be sold at the end of the season.


Extracting the honey crop
Topic: Honey Production/Extracting the honey crop

Honey Production
Extracted Honey
Most large scale honey producers produce only extracted honey. There is a
good reason for this.
● It is less labor intensive

● It is easier to market
● The demand is greater
At one time in the United States comb honey production exceeded any other type of honey
production. Customers were afraid to buy extracted honey because of the fear that it was not
pure honey. All of that has changed. In fact, many young consumers have no idea of how you
would even use comb honey! There is still some demand for it but chunk honey (comb added to
extracted honey) seems a better way to go if you are interested in producing comb honey.
Chunk honey does not need to be as perfect as comb honey and requires no special equipment to
produce other than thin wax foundation.
Our emphasis is going to be with extracted honey.
Once the honey crop is removed from the bee hive, it must be transported to a location where it
must be protected from robbing bees. The design of a honey house is again an individual thing
but I am going to try to give you a general idea of what you will need if such a facility is not yet
available to you.
An ideal honey house will have:
● An unloading area --a loading dock -- truck can be backed up to the dock to unload the
honey supers or a concrete pad situated so a fork lift can remove pallets of full honey
supers from the truck and moved into the building.
● A building with a concrete floor large enough to contain the following areas: A heated
extracting room with some room to store and handle the honey crop coming into it
(according to some health districts this area must have hot and cold running water and
all stainless steel equipment), an area for storing the wet honey supers as they come from
the extracting room, and an area to contain a large storage tank to which the liquid
honey is pumped (This area should have facilities for filling drums and room for a fork
lift to move the drums).
● Additional building for storage, work rooms, and vehicles.
● Expansion room around the building to place from time to time hives of bees, nuc's,
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queen banks, etc. and even the addition of future buildings.
The extracting room
The extracting room must be easy to clean and concrete floors with proper drains are almost
mandatory. The room must be bee tight. Modern facilities are usually built without windows
and cooled with fans and air conditioning. They are entered through a door large enough to
admit forklifts and other equipment such as pallet jacks. This means a door usually eight feet
wide and seven feet high. In colder regions of the country, the room is usually heated with hot
water run through pipes in the floor or gas heaters mounted near the ceiling.
This particular extracting room is 30 feet square. It contains enough room for four extractors,
the uncapper, honey sump, wax capping spinner, honey pumps, 750 gallon holding tank, and
room to store 48 pallets of honey supers. It is well lighted and has controlled heat controls. In
addition a rest room and wash area are available thru an exit door within the same building. If
thinking about how to go about this, visit commercial beekeepers in your area, visit vendors at
major conventions, and design a honey house to fit your needs. But always know what the
health regulations are in your county and state regarding the processing of honey.
The book, The Hive and the Honey Bee published by Dadant & Sons and available at almost all
bee supply dealers is an excellent choice to review equipment needed and floor plans. An article
appearing in the January 2004 issue of The American Bee Journal page 31 would be of interest
to read. The article is entitled "Making the Jump from Sideliner to Commercial Beekeeper"
and has some good material written based upon the experience of an individual dealing with
many of the problems you will deal with.
Sending for catalogs from major honey-extracting equipment is another step you should take.
Buying used equipment is always available but sometimes this equipment may be more of a
bother than a help. One thing about new equipment: It usually doesn't break down just when
you need to use it.
Check with the following:
Cowen Manufacturing Co, Inc. 1-800-257-2894
Dakota Gunness, Inc. 701-553-8393 dkgunn@rrt.net

Maxant Industries, Inc. 978-772-0576 sales@maxantindustries.com
Dadant & Sons, Inc. 1-888-922-1293 www.dadant.com ask for commercial

division
You must determine what you can spend and to what extent you can afford
the type of honey house you want. It may be better at the beginning to
work with limitations until you are sure you can make a go of beekeeping
on a commercial scale. Many have started small and gradually built their
business a little at a time and over time accumulated the knowledge and
experience to have a successful business. Others have jumped right in
getting money from the bank and learning while getting experience (my
friend Billy Engle has a nice way of putting it -- they jump out of a plane
thinking that all they needed was a parachute but didn't know they had an
anvil tied to their ankle when they jumped).
By the way, the extracting process is much the same for the small
beekeeper as the large one except -- the scale. Larger automated
equipment is used by the commercial beekeeper due to the number of
hives and time required to complete the job.
See Lesson eleven The honey crop in 201 beekeeping lessons

honey super storage
Topic: Honey Production/Storage of Honey Supers

Honey Production
What do you do with honey supers after the honey has been extracted from
them?
This is a question often ignored by beekeepers but for the commercial honey producer, it is very
important because honey supers are valuable. Drawn comb in honey supers require less work
for the honey bees to fill them with honey and thus, drawn comb in honey supers is a real asset.
It is a practice for some beekeepers to set wet honey supers out for bees to rob and clean up.
This practice is often encouraged by hobby beekeepers but is also recognized as a way to spread
disease. The commercial beekeeper has far too many supers to set up outside thus must find
another better way to deal with them.
If honey supers stored with the wet honey still in the comb are placed on hives in the next
honey season, bees will eagerly go into them much quicker than dry supers. This is a decided
advantage for the beekeeper.
The usual practice is as follows:
As the frames from the extracting process are placed back into the hive/super body, the super is
placed onto a pallet and when the pallet is full (usually a pallet will hold 4 box stacked six to
eight high), it is treated with moth crystals and shrink wrapped in plastic. The pallets are then
moved by forklift to the storage area and stacked again two or three pallets high. The shrink
wrap does a very good job of holding the supers onto the pallet and the forklift allows the pallets
to be stacked all the way to the ceiling of the storage facility which usually has twelve to sixteen
foot ceilings. The honey supers are kept in weather tight buildings so they are not exposed to
moisture or critters such as raccoon.
The major problems associated with comb storage:
● Wax moths -- this is the reason for the moth crystals

● Rodents -- the crystals discourage them as well but the beekeeper should bait the building
with a proven rodent killer.
● Raccoon like to get into a stack of supers, pull out frames, and build a nest to raise
young. They can do considerable damage to frames.
Honey supers should not be moved during very cold temperatures. Jarring and movement may
cause the fragile brittle comb in the frames to break. This is common with honey supers
because the comb has never had brood raised in it and as a result do not have the cocoons from
the pupa development to reinforce the comb as brood comb has.
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honey super storage
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Selling the Honey Crop
Topic: Honey Production/Selling the honey Crop

Honey Production
The commercial beekeeper can deal with this question in two ways:
● Sell the crop in drums to honey packers/processors

● Sell the crop directly by bottling and processing their own crop
The larger honey producers usually do not bother with bottling and selling
their honey to the honey consumer. They sell their honey to the honey
processor. There are advantages to this:
● Once the crop is harvested, they fill drums with honey and deliver or
have it picked up by the processor. The honey season is over and
time is used to prepare for the next honey season.
The down side is they receive market price for the honey which is being
paid by the processor. Large honey producers usually have developed a
good working relationship with packers/processor and have little trouble
selling the crop. Sometimes the processor will give the large producer
several cents per pound more than others because of the past quality of
honey sold to them.
Large commercial honey producers think in terms of truck loads of honey

being sold -- 50 barrels to the semi-truck load.
On the other hand, many smaller commercial beekeepers sell their own
honey.
● Rather than selling the honey at $1.00 a pound, they sell it for $2.50 a
pound or more.
Many successful small commercial beekeepers have developed a number

of wholesale outlets such as grocery stores, health food stores, gas stations,
feed mills, restaurants, orchards, etc. to sell the honey. They can sell
distinctive local honey with a private label.
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Selling the Honey Crop
However, this requires just as much work as producing the honey and it
requires selling skills, business knowledge, and personal relation skills.
● First the beekeeper must process the honey beyond just extracting it.
This means bottling it, labeling it, delivering it, and servicing
accounts.
● Second, the beekeeper must find a market place to sell large
quantities of honey.
● Third, the beekeeper is held to a higher standard -- His/her name is
on the label. The honey in the bottle is expected to meet all health
standards including the facility where it is packaged. The producer
must sell a quality product.
● In the digitized age, the beekeeper may be expected to put bar codes
on labels so the reading devices at the retail level can scan the
product and record information on sales as well as print out a sales
price for the customers grocery bill. As a management tool for the
retailer, the bar code has been an accounting miracle. It will indicate
what products are selling and which ones are not. Shelve space
holding a product which is not selling is quickly identified and that
product is replaced with one that does sell.
● The beekeeper as a salesman/saleswoman must have people skills.
Dealing with customers, complaints, etc. is part of the business. And
this is an area that many beekeepers fall short.
● Finally, the beekeeper must be a good book keeper, record keeper.
Batches of honey sold need to recorded, amounts of honey sold need
to be recorded, dates when honey is sold need to be recorded, and one
might want to purchase product insurance. We live in a world today
far different than just a few years ago. Product recalls due to
contaminated honey are not unusual and legal proceedings are
common place. If you sell your honey to the public, you are held
accountable for any fault found in that product. As they say at an
auction, "Fair warning"!
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Biology
101-Lesson one
Biology
Features for you to explore:
Biology of the Honey Bee Part I
Continue Bee Biology Part II
Is it a Honey Bee
These pages are copyrighted. You may use material for personal educational purposes. They may not be down loaded and used on other sites or published without our permission.
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Biology of the honeybee
Biology of the honey bee
Apis mellifera L.
● What a scientific name for the honey bee. You will see the word honey bee spelled as two
words and as a single word. But it is correct to spell it as two words like House fly, and
bumble bee. Apis mellifera L. is the scientific name for the honey bee. The honey bee is
an insect. Insects are classified as having
● 3 body parts (head, thorax and abdomen)
● one pair of antennae
● three pairs of legs
● and usually one or two pairs of wings
As a member of the order Hymenoptera, the honey bee is related to wasps, and ants but is
classified in the superfamily Apoidea. Apoidea have some interesting characteristic which
separate them from other Hymenoptera such as yellow jackets which are sometimes mistaken
for honey bees. These are:
(the following applies to all bees but I am using honey bee in the description below.)
● honey bee bodies are covered with body hairs

● Honey bees have special body hairs for carrying pollen on their hind legs called pollen
baskets.
● Honey bees use pollen and nectar from plants as the sole source of food.
According to Theodore B. Mitchell who spent 38 years of his life studying bees "Bees are
essential to our economy, being the chief pollinating agents of the flowering plants. They have a
relation not only to agriculture, but to the conservation of wildlife and game management, and
constitute an important element in the various ecologic factors that combine to form our
environment. Thus the production of fruit crops such as apples, pears, melons, cucumbers,
grapes, dewberries, huckleberries and strawberries, as well as cotton and various seed crops
such as alfalfa, several clovers, vetch, onion, asparagus, buckwheat and celery, are dependent
upon a sufficient population of bees, either the domesticated honey bee or some of our native,
wild, solitary or social species."
Lets realize that there are over 700 species of native bees in the eastern United States alone and
Dr. Dewey M. Caron, in his book Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping, indicates that "perhaps
4,000 are found in America north of Mexico."
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Apis mellifera L. is not a native bee. It was introduced by Europeans as this hemisphere was
being settled and was called the "White man's fly" by the native Indians.
Most Apis mellifera L. in what is now the United States were called German black bees but that
began to change with the introduction of Italian bees into the United States in the 1860's. Most
of the honey bees seen on flowering plants today are golden banded bees and thus are commonly
mistaken when yellow jackets invade fairgrounds, back yard picnics, and pop cans to get the
sweet sugars and get blamed for the bad manners of the yellow jacket.
Honey bees do sting. Yellow jackets and hornets sting. But the poor honey bee dies as a result
of its sting. If stung by a honey bee one will find a stinger with the poison sack still attached at
the site of the sting. If stung by a Yellow jacket or hornet, you will find no stinger -- only a small
reddish dot surrounded by a white welt that begins to swell and hurt--all stings hurt.
It is not the purpose of this web page to give you a detailed description of the biology of the
honey bee. We will however, attempt to give a general overview and if you need more, we
suggest the following books:
Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping by Dewey M. Caron published by Wicwas Press
The Hive and the Honey Bee Edited by Joe E. Graham published by Dadant &
Sons.
Honey bees are social insects. They benefit mankind by being crop pollinators, producers of
honey, wax, propolis, and pollen.
Honey bees live in a colony of many individuals whose joint effort is required for survival.
Within this colony of bees are both females and males. The males are called drones and are
necessary for mating with the queen. They gather no nectar or pollen for the hive. They also
have no stinger. There may be 300 to 500 of these in a strong hive. Each colony will have a
queen. She is the mother of all the bees in the colony. The queen is a female as are her
daughters the worker bee. Both the queen and workers have stingers but only the worker bee is
usually associated with stinging. I have handled thousands of queen bees and have yet to be
stung by one. The queen uses her stinger to kill rival queens.
Queens can lay unfertilized eggs or fertilized eggs. The drone comes from an unfertilized egg.
Thus it does not have a father. This may seem strange to you but it does have a grandfather.
The queen also lays fertilized eggs which result in all female offspring. Most often the fertilized
eggs become worker bees but on occasion the bees may feed a fertilized egg with a special diet of
royal jelly and produce a queen bee.
Queens leave the hive on several occasions during their life. One is to mate with drones
(estimates are 12 to 20 drones) and the other is to swarm from the hive. A queen that does not
mate becomes a drone layer and produces only drone bees. A colony with a drone layer will not
last very long because the production of worker bees is required for a hive to gather nectar and

pollen. Neither the queen or drones are equipped to collect nectar or pollen.
A colony of bees naturally swarm in the spring of the year. This is the way they have been able
to increase the population of bee colonies over the millions of years they have existed.
Honey bees have developed a highly structured existence. The worker bee lives just a short
period of time. The time reported in many text indicate a life span of only 40 days once they
emerge from the cell. During those 40 days the worker bee will be engaged in a number of task
within the colony and spend the last 20 days or so, gathering nectar, water, propolis, and pollen
depending on the colonies needs. Honey bees emerging in the fall may live thru the winter into
spring. Honey bees do not hibernate as bears do. Honey bees eat the stored honey, maintain a
core temperature in the cluster so that some activity is going on (Queens reduce egg laying in
the fall and stop and then begin laying eggs again in January), and bees feed and nurse the
young brood that will maintain the colony into the spring and prepare the hive for the mass
build-up that comes in the spring.
Continue Bee biology

Continue with bee biology
101-Lesson one
One should understand the development of the honey bee.
There are three distinct types of cells within a colony of bees. By the way, honey bees build a
nest from wax secreted by their wax glands. This nest is build vertical to the ground and in
nature built in cavities of trees and between walls of houses, barns or sheds. They do not build
their nest in the ground.
Egg Larva Pupa Emerges
Queen 3 days 4-5 days 8 days 16 days
Worker 3 days 5-6 days 12-13 days 21 days
Drone 3 days 6-7 days 14 days 24 days
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The above diagram comes from the book Bees, Wasps & Ants by Rev. Charles A. Hall.
Although not the best of pictures that could be shown, this picture does contain a number of
details which show queen cells, drone cells, worker cells , cells with eggs and larva in them and
queen cells with the queen emerging. For better pictures, check with a current text or one of
the recommended text.
A queen can lay between 1000 to 2,500 eggs a day and a colony may have as many as 60,000 to

80,000 bees in it.
Prepared by Dana T. Stahlman

Is it a honey bee
Is it a honey bee?
101-Lesson one
Is it a honey bee? Yellow jacket? or a Hornet?

Any thing that stings is usually referred to as a honey bee. Such as, "I just got stung by a honey bee!" Many people do not really
know what stung them. What follows will help you decide.
First, if you are stung it helps if you place ice on the site of the sting. Or if you have them, swabs offered under
the trade name "Sting-Kill" prove effective. This will help with the pain. Second, check for a stinger. If you
find a stinger, then the insect that stung you is a honey bee. If you find a red spot with a white ring around it,
and no stinger, then you most likely were stung by one of the commonly mistaken insects called honey bees.
These insects look somewhat like a bee but differ in a number of respects.
Check out the pictures below. Are these honey bees?
Do they look like this?
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Is it a honey bee
Or do they look like this?
Often beekeepers get calls in the spring of the year concerning a swarm of honey bees. In the past many
individuals got their start in beekeeping by catching a swarm. Picture number 3 in group 2 represents a typical
swarm. Bee swarms have been known to settle on fence post, fire hydrants, automobiles, rural mailboxes, and
on the side of houses. They often cause considerable alarm but bees in a new swarm are full of honey and are
not as defensive as when in a hive.
The honey bees are in group 2 above if you haven't already guessed it. The top group are yellow jackets and the
last picture is a reproduction from the 1952 Insects The Yearbook of Agriculture. As the picture indicates, this is
a hornet nest and often is mistaken for a honey bee nest. Compare this last picture with the center picture of
group 2. Notice that the honey bees do not build a paper covering around their comb. Usually honey bees will
seek a cavity to build a nest, but they sometimes will build a nest in an exposed spot like this picture. In the top
set of pictures, notice that the nest is built in a structure protected from the weather. This is typical of honey
bees and yellow jackets.
Another important difference is that honey bees build their nest out of wax and it is built vertical to the
ground. In both case with yellow jackets and hornets, their comb is build parallel with the ground with cells
facing down rather than out to the side and their nest is made up of chewed fibers that are constructed into a
protective paper covering up the actual comb which is also made up of a paper like substance.
Now as far as stings are concerned, be aware that yellow jackets and hornets have a
smooth stinger which can be used more than once. A single insect of either family (Yellow jackets or Hornets)
can inflict several stings just moments apart.
A honey bee can not use its stinger again following a stinging situation. The reason for this is that the stinger of
a honey bee has barbs which remain attached to the stinging site and these barbs continue to work after the

Is it a honey bee
honey bee pulls free leaving its stinger behind. Of course the honey bee will die in a short time after it uses its
stinger.
Below is a picture taken with a scanning electron microscope of a honey bees stinger. Note the barbs which
catch and hold in the victim. A honey bee stinger also has a venom sac attached and this continues to pump
venom into the wound. It is important to scrape a bee stinger from the sting site rather than grabbing the
venom sac and squeezing it to pull the stinger out. By grabbing the venom sac, you are only squeezing more
venom into the wound. See the picture below:
These pictures are from A Scanning Electron Microscope Atlas of the Honey
Bee by Eric H. Erickson, jr, Stanley D. Carlson, Martin B. Garment published by the Iowa State University Press.
They are the business end of the honey bee as far as most people are concerned. One should realize that some
honey bees are aggressive and some are quite gentle. The Africanized honey bee has received a great deal of
attention because of the violent nature of stinging incidents. The European honey bee which is raised by
beekeepers in the United States is not the aggressive "killer bee" described in the press. However, a single bee
sting can kill an individual if that individual is allergic to bee stings. A normal reaction is swelling around the
sting site and pain and maybe some minor itching. If one reacts with extreme itching and breaks out in hives --
this is not normal! See a doctor immediately. Even more dangerous situations can occur. If breathing become
labored, immediate attention is required or death may result. It is very important that you get help at an
emergency room and those who know they have a problem will have a kit to inject themselves immediately after
the sting. Common treatment consist of applying ice to the wound. Some would advise the use of Benadryl
but you should read the warning label on the bottle or package before using it. It is an over the counter drug
available at drug stores.
Prepared by Dana Stahlman

Welcome
101-Lesson one
Good Neighbor Beekeeping Guidelines
Being a good neighbor is not building fences as Robert Frost once put it. As a beekeeper our
bees don't get fenced in. I always recommend common sense.
The following list is from an unknown source. I picked it up at a bee school many years ago.
The information in apply to today just as it did then.
1. Place your colonies of bees away from lot lines and occupied buildings. If near buildings,
place colonies away from used entrances and lines of traffic. Colonies should be in full sun if
possible.
2. If your colonies are near the line, erect a six foot barricade between the bees and the line.
Use anything bees will not pass through: dense shrubs, fencing, etc. An alternate solution may
be to place the hives on a roof. Anytime bees are flying close to the ground and across the
property line of a neighbor, there are potential problems.
3. Bees may be annoying at their water source. If you do not live within 500 feet of a natural
water source, or if you live near a swimming pool, place a tub of water in your apiary with wood
floats in it. This is to allow the bees to drink without drowning. Change the water weekly to
prevent stagnation and mosquito breeding.
4. Minimize robbing by bees, since those which are being robbed become very aggressive. To
accomplish this, work your bees only during a nectar flow, keep exposed honey to a minimum,
and use entrance reducers on weak colonies.
5. Try to prevent swarming. Though gentle, swarms are a nuisance.
6. Do not keep more than three or four beehives on a lot less than one-half acre. If more
colonies are desired, find a nearby farmer who will allow you to keep your hives on his land in
exchange for some honey.
7. Do not work your beehives when close neighbors are in their yards.
8. If you have a mean colony that may bother neighbors when you are working it, requeen it.
9. A pound or two of free honey each year to neighbors bordering on your property often
makes bees much more acceptable to them.
10. Please remember: the successful beekeepers' bees are not a nuisance to his neighbors.
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Welcome
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Needs of the honey bee Odor perceptions
Physical description of the honey bee Social insects Sound perception
Bee Strains Taste of the Honey Bee Vision of the Honey Bee
Working with bees
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/0b.htm [25/07/05 08:19:07 p.m.]

Search bee products

to search
Royal Jelly
Other bee products
Honey is composted of:
Honey
Wax, honey candy, and presentation packs
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/0beeproducts.htm [25/07/05 08:19:08 p.m.]

getting started

to search
Getting Started
Getting Started
Bees
Working with bees
Protective equipment
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/0start.htm [25/07/05 08:19:10 p.m.]

harvesting honey

to search
Harvesting Extracted honey

Removing honey from hives
The Honey crop from Beekeeping Made Easy
Removing the honey crop from Beekeeping Made Easy
The honey crop 201 Lesson eleven
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/0harvesting%20honey.htm [25/07/05 08:19:11 p.m.]

Search hive parts

to search
Hive Parts
The modern bee hive
Parts of a hive
Building bee equipment
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/0hiveequipment.htm [25/07/05 08:19:11 p.m.]

Search nuc

to search
Nuc's
Nuc's from lesson one
Nuc -- a small hive
Production of nuc's
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/0nuc.htm [25/07/05 08:19:12 p.m.]

produce nuc

Making money producing a few nuc's
Back to search
Nuc's
Often beekeepers ask how to make money with bees. Usually the answer is honey production. However, many
beekeepers have found a ready market for a few nuc's in their own community. Since many people begin
beekeeping each year, they are always looking for a way to get bees. If you are interested in selling bees, nuc's
are an easy way to get into the business. You may even find that you would like to increase the number of nuc's
you produce in the future.
How to produce nuc's. [Sounds like nuke]
Things you must decide on or have prior to making up a nuc for sale.
● Make sure you have good strong hives of bees

● Make sure you have a queen purchased for each nuc you will make up.
● Decide how the customer will pick up the nuc and in what kind of box. There are several choices you
can make.
● How many frames will go into your nuc?
● When will your nuc's be ready for the customer?
Nuc's should be made up of deep frames from strong hives of bees. Any nuc sold no matter how many frames in
it (3 - 4- 5 frame nuc) should have at least 2 frames of brood. At the minimum you should have one frame of
honey. You will also add to the brood and bees a new queen and introduce her in the same manner as you
would introduce a queen to a full size hive. The following arrangements are suggested:
Three frame nuc:
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produce nuc
Just because this is only three

frames doesn't mean it should
have a lot less bees than a four
frame nuc. You will need
enough bees to cover the brood
on the two brood frames
completely otherwise, you may
have some chilled brood (dead
brood due to cold) because
there were not enough bees to
cover the brood. This requires
about two pounds of bees. The
one frame of honey and pollen
should be able to hold the nuc
for food stores while the nuc is
in the three frame box. The
frame with honey must be
always set to the outside rather than between the two frames of brood.
Four frame Nuc
The four frame nuc is a better

nuc to sell or buy than the three
frame nuc. First, it is going to
hold more bees than the three
frame nuc and second, it has a
greater supply of pollen and
honey. It should have about 2
1/2 pounds of bees. This extra
supply of honey is important if
the nuc is put together early in
the spring. Please note: The
brood frames are always kept
together to give the bees the best
opportunity to keep the brood
warm.
Five Frame Nuc

produce nuc
The best nuc is a five

frame nuc. It contains
about three pounds of
bees and three frames of
brood. This nuc will
increase in population
very quickly and thus
brings a price greater
than package bees or any
of the 3 or 4 frame nucs.
Once the choice of nuc size is determined, the task is to select the hives from which frames will be taken to make
up the nuc. Use only strong healthy hives. You could be held responsible for selling AFB with your nuc if the
new hive should be inspected and found to have developed AFB. You do not want that reputation!
Remove the frames and check for the queen of the parent hive. You do not want to accidentally move her to the
nuc. Once the queen is located (place the frame she is on in a spare nuc box so you will not accidentally lose
her), you can begin selecting the frames you will place into the nuc. Frames of brood should be fairly solid with
honey toward the top of the frame and pollen just below (That is ideal). Also locate the number of frames of
honey you will add to the nuc. Now, before adding any frames to the nuc, take several frames from the hive you
will not be using in the nuc but loaded with bees and shake the bees from them into the box of the nuc. Add the
brood frames with bees to the center of the box. Finally, add the frame or frames of honey and bees to the box.
You will still need to close up the parent hive. Take the frame with the queen from the spare nuc and put it into
the center of the space left vacant from the removed frames. Add other frames with brood next to the center
frame. Now add new frames of foundation or drawn frames to the outside of the brood chamber. This hive
should rebuild nicely within two weeks if it was strong when you took frames from it.
Nuc's made up as described above do not have to be held for a long period of time. Once the frames and bees
have been removed from the parent hive and placed into the nuc, the nuc will need to be moved to another
location to prevent the older bees from leaving and returning to the parent hive (two miles is suggested or
more). A new queen still in her queen cage is introduced to the bees in the nuc either before it is moved or after
it is moved. If it is installed before the move, you will need to check to make sure the queen cage did not drop to
the floor of the nuc (this will result in a dead queen if the weather gets cold).
Generally, two days after the nuc is made up, you will need to go back to the nuc's to check on the queen. If she
has been released from her cage, remove the cage and close up the nuc for several more days. If the queen was
not released, release her. Close up the nuc and do not open it up for another couple of days.
Make sure the new queen is laying
A check of the nuc is usually made two or three days after the queen cage is removed from the nuc. This should
be five or six days after the nuc is made up. It is very important the queen has been accepted and laying eggs.
It is nice if the queen is marked so you can find her easily and your new beekeeper customer can find her as

produce nuc
well. If you find that the queen was not accepted by the bees, you will need to get a queen to go into the nuc.
After the second queen is installed and before the nuc is sold, you will need to add more bees to the nuc and
exchange a frame of brood for a new full frame of brood.
Getting the nuc to the customer
If you use homemade nuc boxes to put your frames into, the entire box and frame might be sold to the
customer. However, many beekeepers like to keep the nuc boxes and reuse them. One way to handle this is to
charge a deposit for the replacement of the nuc box and when the customer returns the box, you can return the
deposit. If they don't return, you pocket the deposit. Entrances to the nuc box or hive body described below
need to be shut with a wire screen to allow for ventilation or the bees could die from too much heat during the
trip home.
Others, like to have the customer bring the hive body the nuc will be put into with them, and helps the customer
put the nuc into the new hive box along with the new frames, etc. The customer can then haul the new hive
home.
What price to charge?
To be fair to yourself, don't sell too cheap. You deserve something for your labor and bees. Lets take a look at
your expenses:
● Queen --- A queen can cost from $8.00 to $15.00. You need to shop around. You get discounts when
you buy 10 or more from most queen breeders.
● Frames --- I generally think of a frame with drawn foundation being worth at least $2.00 and more if
the frame includes good drawn foundation.
● Bees --- A two pound package of bees delivered can cost from $38.00 to $50.00 A three pound
package can cost from $43.00 to $55.00. If you buy packages with queens, you eliminate the queen cost
listed above. Then again, you are using your own bees so you should charge at least as much for the
bees and queen as the package producers are charging for packages.
● A box -- If you are selling the box along with the bees, you need to charge for it. It is possible to buy
cardboard boxes ($3.00 or so each), buy them ($20.00 or so), or build them ($5.00 or so). If you are
building them, cost will depend on your material cost and time needed to put them together.
So lets take a few minutes to look at price structure:
A nuc will need : 1 queen, two to three pounds of bees, frames with brood and honey, and a
box. You will add labor (estimate -- two nuc's an hour).
Sample price for producing a three frame nuc: Five frame nuc:
Queen $ 12.00 $12.00
Frames $ 6.00 $10.00
Bees $ 30.00 $45.00
Labor $ 10.00 $10.00

produce nuc
Total $ 58.00 $77.00
Plus the box depending on how you sell your bees.

Search package bees

to search
Package Bees
Package bees/swarm
Working with bees--starting with packages
Package Production
Hauling Package bees
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/0package.htm [25/07/05 08:19:16 p.m.]

Skep
Back to search
Skeps
Bees have appeared in early art as being kept in Skeps
and so the typical advertisement picture we see today of
bees is not in a bee hive but in a skep. The romance of
beekeeping is surely back to the yesterday of keeping
bees in skeps. Many U.S. beekeepers quickly adapted to
the the wood hive with moveable frames but in other
areas of the world, beekeepers kept at the tradition of
keeping bees in skeps and other hive containers.
Keeping bees in the United States in a skep is illegal

and if you know of a state where it is permitted, please
correct me. The reason for this is the inability to
examine the comb for American foulbrood.
As a
symbol,
it has
served
well.
We have found some beekeepers who dislike seeing pictures of

skeps displayed in commercial ads because they do not
represent the true present day home of the honey bee. From a
practical point of view, the honey bee is much less threatening
by the presentation of a skep in an ad than by a wood box hive.
The other advantage of showing a skep is the fact that it takes
up much less of the picture area than would be required by a
full size hive of bees.
The charm of the "age of skeps" can not escape any beekeeper.
The history of beekeeping can not be ignored. The skep for
many centuries was the best way of keeping bees. One will find much material in The Archaeology of
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Skep
Beekeeping by Eva Crane. She has a complete chapter on Bee Boles which covers over 600 years of beekeeping
in Britain and Ireland.
It is the state symbol for the state of Utah (The beehive

state) and appears in numerous religious drawings.
What fortune the honey bee is held in such high esteem.
Beekeepers
of old used
the method
shown in
this
picture
from an
old (1941)
American
Bee
Journal to
examine a
colony of
bees kept
in a skep.
There is a
renewed
interest in
collecting
these old
skeps and prices are quite steep. I know of one that sold to the Walter T. Kelley company at auction that
brought over $200.00. Many people make reproduction skeps. There is a demand for them. Materials used
are wire, grape vines, and even clay. I tried to purchase a real reed skep but they are no longer available
because labor cost to make one are very high. In fact, the art/skill of making skeps is almost a lost art. Many
of the old English bee books have details about these skeps and one that I have read is The Handy Book of Bees
by A. Pettigrew and published in 1870 in London, England. Pettigrew maintained that the straw skep was still
better than the wooden box hive with frames of his day. "Straw hives, we sewed with split canes or bramble
briers, are incomparably better for bees than any other kind of hive yet introduced."

Skep

Spring management

to search
Spring management
Spring Management from Lesson one
Management of Bees -- spring
Population cycle late winter
Feeding bees
Honey production basics
Task for spring management
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/0springmanagement.htm [25/07/05 08:19:54 p.m.]

Summer management
Back to search
Summer Management
Late Summer Honey Bee Management
Taking off honey crop
Summer queen replacement
Getting bees ready for honey crop
Summer management and tasks
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/0summermang.htm [25/07/05 08:19:55 p.m.]

Spring management
Back to search
XYZ
We are stealing a page from A.I. Root. He began a series of articles called the ABC of beekeeping. After 1905,
he added XYZ to ABC . What a great way to cover the topic of beekeeping "Almost everything under the
sun."
We would like to add our tribute to all the great beekeepers who gave to the world and us, the
information gained by experience and experiment.
http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/0xyz.htm [25/07/05 08:19:56 p.m.]

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xyphoneag

CD Bee class Sign In

Up dates will appear on a regular

Now includes latest version of 2004 Disk.

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Send: Your name _________________________

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Beekeeping Made Easy

Search Page Use this page to find topics quickly Home

A.J. Cook plan for Alley Method of raising

Bees Bee caste Bee Law Bee meetings

Bees on pallets Bs Bee space Bottom supering

Building your own

Carniolan bees Caucasian bees Chalkbrood Chemical use

Clipping wings of Commercial

Diseases and pest Disease of Adult bees Drifting Drone

Drone laying worker Dividing Dwindling populations Eight frame hives

Escape board European foulbrood Extracting Extractor

Fall Management Feeding bees Fermentation Fire ants

Getting started in Good Neighbor

Gift packs Grafting Granulation Handling queen cells

Harvesting honey Harvesting Queens Hauling package bees History of Beekeeping

Hive inspections Hive parts Honey honey crop

http://www.beeclass.com/0search.htm (1 de 3) [25/07/05 08:02:42 p.m.]

Honey plants Intelligence of bees Production Basics Increases

Miller Method of Miller plan for

Moving bees Nectar New built comb Nosema

Picture of queen Pollen Pollen facts Pollen grains

Selling honey in small

Small scale wax Smith Method of

Smoker and other

strong hive Summer management

Swarm control Top supering Tracheal Mites Uncapping

What we can see in

http://www.beeclass.com/0search.htm (2 de 3) [25/07/05 08:02:42 p.m.]

http://www.beeclass.com/0search.htm (3 de 3) [25/07/05 08:02:42 p.m.]

Beekeeping Made Easy

Year around management includes:

starvation Dwindling population Winter survival

Special topics under late fall and

Increasing number of hives Making splits Summer Management

http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/yeararoundmanage.htm (1 de 27) [25/07/05 08:03:28 p.m.]

Uncapping The honey Packaging honey

Selling honey Commercial honey Winter management

http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/yeararoundmanage.htm (2 de 27) [25/07/05 08:03:28 p.m.]

Winter survival begins with fall management.

Fall management consist of the following task:

● A good examination of each hive for:

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Special topics under Late Fall and Winter Management

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Early Spring Management

Task for Spring Management

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http://www.beeclass.com/DTS/yeararoundmanage.htm (6 de 27) [25/07/05 08:03:28 p.m.]

This is a topic we can discuss in spring

I maintain that it is almost impossible to stop swarming. Bee intent on swarming

● Many bee books recommend clipping a queens wings so

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Increasing number of hives

■ Some beekeepers purchase more bees to increase their numbers. This is

■ For the hobby beekeeper

and a new queen added to the part without a queen. This is