Beginning BeekeepingWeek Two Starting Out with a Hive

Siting Your Hive: the ideal and the realIdeal:High and DrySouth/East facingWind protectedAway from property linesAccessible by car/truckNear-by storage

(From The Beekeepers Handbook Sammataro and Avitable)

(From The Beekeepers Handbook Sammataro and Avitable)

Siting: Ideal vs. RealReal:Best for your siteRead the South Portland ordinance and MSBA best practices

MSBA Best PracticesHive DensityUp to acre: 2 hives> to acre: 4 hives> to 1 acre: 6 hives1 acre + : 8 coloniesHive PlacementQuiet, low traffic areaNot against property line unless 6 ft barrier in placeEntrance should allow bees to fly across your property if possibleUse barriers to redirect flight if not possibleWater Source

Packages vs. NucsAdvantages of packagesReadily availableEasy to installSlow build up provides more gradual learning curve for beginners

Disadvantages of packagesWhere did my bees come from?Must be installed right awayPossibility of queen failureSlow build-up, lower odds of 1st year honey harvest

Packages vs. NucsAdvantages of nucsReal nucs vs. splitsAccepted queenEstablished colonyOver wintered, local?Faster build-upDisadvantages of nucsHarder to install, may harm queenFaster build-up

Write the date on newly installed frames

Installing a packageThe Backyard Beekeeper instructions are goodTips:Spray bottle for sugar waterInstall in the bottom boxPlace queen cage away from the center, so syrup wont leak on herRemove wooden plug from the candy side of the cage (BE SURE IT IS THE CANDY SIDE)Flottums instructions on queen release are quite cautious. Many beekeepers remove the candy the day they install the queen with no adverse effectIn either event, check in 3-5 days to insure queen has been releasedCheck in a week to see if you have eggsKnow your bee math

The package will contain a feeder can and a queen cage (and about 10-12,000 calm bees.)Mist them with a bit of 1:1 sugar syrup.

Remove the can the corner of your hive tool works well for thisRemove the queen cage brush the bees off into the new hive (with your hands) and check that your queen is moving around.Place the cover back over the opening

Pull out the cork from the candy end of the cage.Again, the corner of your hive tool gets the job doneAttach the cage to the frame candy side upSet this frame aside

Thump and Dump:Mist the bees again with syrupThump the package right side up so the bees fall to the bottomRemove the cover Pour the bees into a space left by leaving 2-3 frames out of the hivePut the package against the hive entrance so bees can crawl or fly into their new home. Theyll find the queen before nightfall.In lousy weather you can put the package inside a top hive body, above the inner cover(Click here to see a video of Erin Forbes installing a package in a hive.)

Installing a nucPull out one more frame than # of frames in your nuc from the bottom box of your hiveLight smokerGently smoke the nucRemove the nuc frames and place them in the box in the same order as they were in the nucReplace the one missing frame on the outsidePut on inner cover and feederCover feeder with extra empty superOuter cover on topLeave for at least 5 days before inspectingObserve the hive. You should see bees flying, doing orientation flights

Prop the nuc box at the hive entrance; the bees will find their way home

Feeding BeesWhen to feedFeed a new hiveFeed a weak hiveFeed a hive low on stores

What to feed1:1 in the summer

How to feedHive topQuail waterers Jar with holesBaggyBucket with screenAvoid Boardman feeders (attach to front of hive). They promote robbing.

Make a few slits or pin holes on the top of the bag. On top bars works great for keeping syrup warm but be careful not to leave that space on for too long or theyll build comb in unhelpful ways.Sandwich or snack bags above the inner cover work well for small amounts

Bucket feeders are useful if you cant be at your hive on a regular basis. Be careful not to let the plug come loose and flood your colonyOn cold nights this becomes a big chiller on top of your hive through the next day

Boardman feeders are convenient, cheap, and easy to keep an eye on, but . . .

. . . they can promote robbing like crazy.Always use an entrance reducer (and consider a robbing screen)If youre feeding one hive, put feeders on all other hives in the area

How is my hive doing?

Healthy queenEggsLarvaeBroodDrawing CombBringing home pollen = brood rearing

Bee Math

Worker:Egg for 3 daysLarva for 6 daysCapped for 12 days

Queen3, 5, 8

Drone3,7, 14

(See Bushfarms.com Heres the link)

When to stop feedingOverfeeding can promote swarming2/3 drawn comb, add a boxOnce brood boxes are drawn, add honey super and stop feeding

(Bushfarms.com also has a very thorough discussion of feeding heres the link)