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How to Start Your First Amazing Hive and Positively Thrive!

Advice on getting started with keeping honeybees by Linda Tillman of 'Linda's Bees'. Includes tips on hive location, equipment, books, and where to begin.

The queen is the most important member of the honey bee colony. Without her, the hive cannot survive. There are times when the hive becomes queenless and the beekeeper must step in to provide a new queen. This is called requeening. What is a Queenless Hive? A queenless hive is a hive that does not have a queen. On the other hand, a hive that has a queen is called queenright. It is important for a beehive to have a queen at all times because the queen is the only one that is able to lay fertilized eggs. Sometimes the colony is able to make a new queen on their own by feeding royal jelly to a young worker bee larvae. However, this only works for young larvae. If all of the larvae are too old, they cannot make a queen. In that case, the beekeeper must step in and provide a new queen for the hive. If a colony is unable to make, or receive a new queen, they will eventually become weak and die off. However, if the beekeeper is able to quickly recognize that the hive has become queenless, he or she can fix this problem. What Causes a Hive to Become Queenless? There are a few reasons why a hive may become queenless. Sometimes their own colony will kill them. This usually happens if they colony detects that the queen is under-performing her duties. Other times, a queen can be killed by another queen. This happens when the colony produces their own queens. The first virgin queen to emerge will find and kill the other queens. However, if 2 queens hatch at the same time, they will fight to the death. It is possible that this fight can kill both queens. Sometimes the beekeeper will accidentally kill the queen. During hive inspections, it is easy for bees to be smashed if the beekeeper is not careful. Beekeepers may also choose to remove the old queen and replace her with a new one. This could be because the queen is an unproductive egg layer, or to introduce new genetics the the colony. Finally, you may find yourself needed to requeen a queenless hive if you loose your queen to disease. Signs of Queenlessness How to Requeen a Queenless Hive There are 2 ways to requeen a queenless hive. You can either allow the colony to raise a new queen, or take matters into your own hands and introduce a new queen yourself. Allow the Colony to Raise a New Queen The colony will naturally attempt to raise a new queen when they realize that they are queenless. The problem with this, is that making a new queen takes time, and sometimes, they do not have a larvae young enough to be a queen. This can be a little risky because if the bees fail to raise a new queen quickly, the colony may have already weakened to the point of no return. Another potential issue is that there may not be enough drone bees in the area for proper mating. That’s why it is important for all beekeepers to learn how to requeen a queenless hive. Introduce a New Mated Queen Because of those risks, beekeepers will often opt to introduce a new mated queen to the hive. Mated queens are usually bought from bee supply companies. You can choose from different breeds, and the queen is shipped through the mail with a few of her attendants. Direct Once you have your queen, it is not recommended to directly release her into the hive. This is called the direct method. Doing so will result in her being immediately killed. Instead, use the indirect method. Indirect For this method, the queen is introduced to the colony slowly, so the other bees have time to accept her. You will receive the queen in a small box called a queen cage. On one end of the cage, it has a hole that is blocked with a candy plug. Sometimes the candy plug is covered by a cork or plastic cap. If this is the case, remove the covering, being careful to leave the candy plug in the hole. Then, locate a central area in the hive with brood and place the queen cage between 2 frames. Place the cage just under the top bar of the frame, and gently squeeze the 2 frames together to hold the cage in place. This will leave a larger than usual gap between the frames, but it is only temporary. Make sure that the end with the candy plug is facing upwards. This ensures that in case the attendant bees inside the cage die, they won’t block the exit. Within a few days, the bees will eat through the candy plug, releasing the queen from her cage. By then, the colony should be used to the queen’s pheromones and accept her into the hive. This whole process can be stressful for the colony, so most beekeepers will wait 1 week before checking on the bees again. After 7 days, look for signs of queen acceptance. You want to see the queen walking around on the comb, as well as new eggs that has been laid. It is possible that the queen has not yet laid eggs. If this is the case, check back in 3 more days. Sometimes it can take a little longer for her to get started. When to Requeen a Hive If you hive has suddenly become queenless, you have no choice but the requeen as soon as possible. Leaving a colony queenless for too long could risk collapse. If you are requeening a hive by choice, the best time is during warm months, from late spring to early summer. This gives the queen time to get established before winter. Summary Learning how to requeen a queenless hive is something all beekeepers must do. Colonies become queenless due to natural reasons, or the beekeeper may choose to replace her. When introducing a mated queen to the colony, it is best to use the indirect method. No related posts.

Spring is an important and busy time for beekeepers. It’s finally warm enough to open up the hives and see how their bee colonies have fared over the winter. They also have several tasks they must do to prepare for the upcoming season. What do Beekeepers do in Spring? Honey bees typically follow a seasonal pattern, so it’s easy to predict what beekeeping tasks must be done throughout the year. In the spring, beekeepers must check on their overwintered hives and prepare them for spring, as well as start new hives. Beekeeping Spring Management Beekeeping spring management times vary depending on the temperatures in your area. Some areas of the US get spring temperatures as early as late January, however other areas may need to wait until March. What you are looking for is consistent temperatures over 60° F. Check Hives The first thing beekeepers will do is check on their hives to see how their bees are doing after the winter. This includes undoing winterization on the hives, and cleaning and storing any dead out hives. Dead out hives are beehives in which the entire colony has died. This sometimes happens in the winter due to starvation, or due to pests and disease. If you have a dead out hive, it is a good idea to examine it to learn what caused the colony’s death. This can help you adjust your hive management practices in the future to avoid another dead out hive. Once you have determined that your colony has not died due to American Foulbrood or Nosema, you can dispose of the bees. The hives can then be cleaned and sanitized, then reused or stored. Replace Frames and Foundation This is also good time to look for any frames with old, dark comb. They should be replaced with new frames and foundation. In general, frames and foundation in the brood box should be replaced every 3-4 years. For honey supers, frames and foundation do not need to be replaced quite as often. It helps to change out every other frame at a time, as to not cause the colony too much stress. If you notice that the wax on your frames have become a dark or black color, you know it is time to replace it. Reverse Hive Boxes Once the weather is warm enough to open your hive, you will see that the colony has moved into the top box of the hive. At this time, you should move this box to the bottom of the hive and remove any extra boxes. Store them for later use. Check on the Queen At this time, beekeepers need to assess the health of the queen. If she does not appear productive, now is the time to replace her. Requeening should occur when the queen gets older and is not able to efficiently lay eggs. Feed Bees Early spring is the ideal time to feed bees pollen supplements. Eating pollen will help bees with egg laying, brood rearing, and colony development – all things they are trying to do at this time. When the bees start eating pollen, they create more brood cells. The queen will then start laying more eggs and nurse bees will begin making royal jelly to feed larvae. Pollen supplements are usually given in the form of pollen patties. Install New Bees If you ordered new bees, they can be installed into their new home now. Put up Swarm Traps Swarming occurs when the queen leaves the hive with half of the colony. It is a natural occurrence, but something beekeepers try to avoid as it sets back the colony’s growth. Beekeepers must check their hives periodically for signs of swarming such as increased drone cells and queen cups. In the spring, swarm traps can be set up to catch both the beekeeper’s own swarming bees and other swarms from the area. Add More Boxes As Needed When your colony shows signs of expansion, it is time to add another box. This will happen in spring, as that’s the time that the colony will naturally explode. Watch your timing, though. Adding a box too early may invite pests to move into them. Adding a box too late could cause your bees to swarm. It is a good rule to add another box once the uppermost box is 60% -70% drawn out with wax comb. Treat for Varroa Mites A varroa mite infestation can be deadly for a bee colony. Beekeepers must be diligent about monitoring for signs of varroa mites in their hives. Visual signs of varroa mites include seeing mites on bees or in the hive, chewed down brood, and deformed wing virus. If the beekeeper finds that there are mites in their hive, treatment is needed. Early spring is a good time for varroa mite treatment, as there are no honey supers and not much capped brood. However, treatment can be done in the summer and fall as well. Summary Spring beekeeping tasks include cleaning up from winter and preparing and helping the bees to thrive in Spring. The beekeeper must clean and check hives, replace frames and foundation, check on the queen, and feed the bees pollen. All of these tasks will give the colony the greatest chance of a healthy and productive season. No related posts.

Beehive - If you are considering which beehive to buy then this review gives ratings, pros and cons of different beehives to help you decide.

Jack Bauer, the gun slinging agent in the television show “24,” wasn’t there at the Vogue on Sunday night.

Who is ready for 🐝 season?? 🙋🏻‍♀️ The beekeeper in me is getting so excited to hear the buzz of 100s of bees around again! I have posted a lot about our Bee Journey over on IGTV. Check it out! 💛 P.S. We are bringing home our bees on the 25th of April! 👏🏻👏🏻

When the weather starts to get colder and daylight gets shorter, you know fall is approaching.  For beekeepers, there are certain tasks that must be done in fall in order to prepare their hives for winter.  Why Fall Management is Important Fall management is important for your hives because you want to make sure that your bees can survive the winter and then build up quickly in the spring. You want your colonies to stay healthy, well fed, and disease free.   While the bees do most of the hard work to prepare for fall and winter, there are a few things that the beekeeper can do to help them out.  See the Fall Beekeeping Checklist below for things you should be doing to get your bees ready for winter, or click below for your free printable fall beekeeping checklist. Fall Beekeeping Checklist Protect the Hive Entrance Mice, and other rodents will look for shelter during the cold months.  That means that a beehive is the perfect place for them to inhabit.  It’s warm, dry, and contains food.  If a mouse gets into your hive, it can cause a lot of damage. They’ll chew up the frames and comb to nest in the hive. Luckily this can all be prevented by installing an entrance reducer or mouse guard to the front of your hive.  They are inexpensive and easy to install.  You can even make your own using wire mesh.  Look for the Queen Inspecting your hive in early fall is important, because it is the last chance you have to improve weak colonies before winter hits. As with all of your other hive inspections, when you inspect your bees, you are looking to see that a queen is present.  When checking for the queen make sure that there are both eggs and larvae in the hive.  If you see both, there is a queen present. If there is no queen in the hive, you must either requeen, or combine colonies. If you requeen your hive, do it in the early fall, as that will give the colony time to adapt to their new queen. If the colony is weak, and contains less than 5 frames of bees, you should consider combining the colony with a stronger one.   Check Varroa Levels A colony with a high level of varroa mites is unlikely to survive the winter. That’s why it’s important to check for varroa in the early fall, so you have time to administer treatment, if needed.  More on Varroa Mite Treatment. Adjust Colony Size The bee colony should naturally get smaller as it gets closer to winter.  The average colony should have about 30,000 bees in the fall.  A colony that is much larger than that can have problems because they would eat through the food stores too quickly. If you find that your colony is too large, there are things you can do to reduce it’s size.  A simple method is to feed the bees heavy syrup, daily.  This will cause the bees to store the syrup in the brood nest, so there won’t be space for the queen to lay more eggs. You can also restrict the queen to the lowest brood nest for some time, so she isn’t able to lay eggs. Doing so will reduce the size of the colony.  On the other hand, a colony that is too small will have problems generating enough warmth during the winter.  In that case, you can take steps to raise the population. To increase the colony size, try placing some empty drawn frames near the brood nest and giving small doses of supplemental pollen.  Check Honey Reserves In the fall, you need to check on the colony’s honey reserves to ensure that they will have enough food to last them through the winter. Most beekeepers will check for this at the end of October.  Bees living in cold climates will need roughly 60 lbs of honey to survive winter, while bees in warmer climates can make do with 40 lbs.  If you find that your hive is low on honey, you can feed them.   Disease free surplus honey from another hive in your apiary is best, but if you don’t have that, they can be fed sugar syrup, fondant, candy boards, and even granulated sugar. To add nutrition, a supplement such as Honey B Healthy can also be added.  Insulate Your Beehive You may or may not have to insulate your hive, depending on the climate in your area. However, if the temperature gets below freezing, it is recommended to add some insulation.  You can wrap your hive with black tar paper, or use an overwintering beehive cover. Just make sure that the ventilation holes and entrance are not obstructed. Ventilation is very important in the winter, as you want to avoid condensation build up in the hive.  For more information on insulating beehives, see: Insulating Beehives for Winter Provide a Windbreak and Secure Covers If you live in an area that gets alot of wind in the fall and winter, you may want to provide a windbreak for your hives to prevent them from being blown over. Shrubbery or a temporary fence can help to block strong winds. The windbreak should be 1 foot taller than the hive and placed 4-6 feet away.  For particularly strong winds and storms, beekeepers will also tie their hives down using ratchet straps or bungee cords to prevent the hive from tipping over. Another benefit of tying down your hive is that it also keeps animals from getting into the hive.  Summary Fall management for beekeepers is important because it gives the bees the best chance of surviving winter. Proper fall management also helps to ensure that your colony will build up quickly in the spring. By following the above Fall Beekeeping Checklist, you are keeping your bees healthy and protected.  No related posts.

Baroness Othindisa Bykona of the Barony of Delftwood will be answering a Writ of Summons from Their Majesties, King Titus and Queen Anna Leigh, to be elevated to the Order of the Laurel at the Feast of the Seven Deadly Sins on February 7th in Delftwood. The Æthelmearc Gazette recently caught up with Baroness Othindisa…

The Beekeeper and the Bewitched Hare ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids. A beekeeper rescues an enchanted hare as it's fleeing from a witch.

What a mouse in a hive looks like Once a mouse enters a hive they typically chew out the bottom corner of a few frames to make space. They will then bring in nest material. This is a view from the bottom of the box: You will probably see evidence of the nest on the ...continue reading Keeping mice, voles, and shrew out of beehives over winter

It’s been a while since I posted a slow motion bee video. 😊 If you watch closely you’ll see a bee that flies in all imbalanced bc she is loaded down with pollen. 🐝 ⁣ ⁣ Here are some questions you guys asked in my stories a while back:⁣ 1️⃣ Why do you use smoke when doing inspections? Does it hurt them?⁣ Smoke masks alarm pheromones which are released by guard bees. The smoke creates an opportunity for the beekeeper to open the beehive and work without the bees being as defensive. ⁣ 2️⃣ How much does it start to get bees?⁣ It depends on how you go about it. We invested in the @flowhive and are really happy with it! We also bought our bees from a local bee farm. If you choose to catch a swarm, or split a hive with a friend - it’ll be less expensive.⁣ 3️⃣ Why did you guys get star

Bottling honey is the final step of bringing in the harvest. Honey processing involves extraction, choosing the proper containers and more.

Lately there has been plenty of buzz over new types of beehives becoming available in the United States. It is no secret that many beekeepers are looking

Learn which types of beekeeping protective clothing are most important for the new beekeeper and how to choose.