managing bees for honey production - s tipton

7/29/2019 Managing Bees for Honey Production - S Tipton

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Managing bees forManaging bees forhoney productionhoney production

Steve TiptonSteve TiptonMeriden, KS.Meriden, KS.


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Bees are not domesticatedBees are not domesticated

livestock. Beekeeping is stilllivestock. Beekeeping is still

the exploitation of colonies ofthe exploitation of colonies of

a wild insect.a wild insect.

Do bees think or simply respondDo bees think or simply respond

to stimuli in predictable ways?to stimuli in predictable ways?

AnthropomorphismAnthropomorphism -- an obstaclean obstacle

to successful beekeepingto successful beekeeping

Learning to think like a beeLearning to think like a bee


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You can controlLocation of hives

Adequate foodstores for spring

buildup

Quality of queenSwarming

To assist the bees in the production of honey.


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6060

2020

COLONY POPULATIONCOLONY POPULATION

TimeTime

TARGET PERIOD

MAIN

NECTAR

FLOW

ADULT

BEE

POP

ULATION

Ad

ultBees

(Thousands)

Ad

ultBees

(Thous

ands)


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300300

250250

200200

150150

100100

5050

00

15,000 30,000 45,000 60,00015,000 30,000 45,000 60,000

HONEY PRODUCTIONHONEY PRODUCTION

Colony PopulationColony Population

Weight(kg)

Weight(kg)

C.L. Farrar (1937)


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Building colony populations toBuilding colony populations tocoincide with the main flowcoincide with the main flowa.a. SSelect apiary sites carefullyelect apiary sites carefully

b. Keep young queens in all coloniesb. Keep young queens in all colonies

c. Feed bees to stimulate expansionc. Feed bees to stimulate expansion

d. Control diseases and pestsd. Control diseases and pestse. Control swarminge. Control swarming

f. Divide strong coloniesf. Divide strong coloniesg. Equalize populationsg. Equalize populations


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Choosing Apiary LocationsChoosing Apiary Locations

Nectar and pollen resourcesNectar and pollen resources

Water sourceWater source

Southern exposureSouthern exposure

WindbreakWindbreak

AccessAccess

LivestockLivestock

Pesticides usePesticides use

Vandalism and theftVandalism and theft


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Good locations have a variety of pollenGood locations have a variety of pollen

and nectar sourcesand nectar sources


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In choosing apiary locations, considerIn choosing apiary locations, consider

all seasons. Note southern exposure,all seasons. Note southern exposure,windbreak, and drainage.windbreak, and drainage.


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Beekeeping in the cityBeekeeping in the city out of sight, 7 foot high fence to forceout of sight, 7 foot high fence to force

bees to fly above humans on adjacent properties, provide water,bees to fly above humans on adjacent properties, provide water,control swarming, work under ideal conditions.control swarming, work under ideal conditions.


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Remember that productive colonies will storeRemember that productive colonies will storemore than 200 pounds of honey in a good year.more than 200 pounds of honey in a good year.


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Morning shade reduces productivity. ShadedMorning shade reduces productivity. Shaded

colonies begin foraging later than colonies exposedcolonies begin foraging later than colonies exposedto morning sun. Midto morning sun. Mid--day shade may be beneficial.day shade may be beneficial.


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Exclude cattle and horsesExclude cattle and horses


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Easy access is an important considerationEasy access is an important consideration


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Drifting reduces overall productionDrifting reduces overall productionin an apiaryin an apiary


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N

Use color, orientation, distance between hives,Use color, orientation, distance between hives,and landmarks in apiary to reduce driftingand landmarks in apiary to reduce drifting


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Abandoned farmsteads make good apiaryAbandoned farmsteads make good apiarylocations. Beekeepers usually providelocations. Beekeepers usually provide

landowners a small amount of honey for apiarylandowners a small amount of honey for apiary

locations.locations.


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Building colony populations toBuilding colony populations to

coincide with the main flowcoincide with the main flowa.a. SSelect apiary sites carefullyelect apiary sites carefully

b.b. Keep young queens in all coloniesKeep young queens in all colonies



f. Divide strong coloniesf. Divide strong coloniesg. Equalize populationsg. Equalize populations


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Techniques for requeening colonies:

~Fair - Remove old queen, place new caged queen

in hive, let bees eat through candy to release her.

~Good - Remove old queen, place new caged queen

in hive, release in 4 days or when bees are no longer showing signs

of aggression to her.

~ Best - Make a nuc above a double screen with 3-4 frames of brood

and bees, introduce queen to nuc, after a month find and kill old

queen, then remove double screen.


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c.c. Feed bees to stimulate expansionFeed bees to stimulate expansion


f. Divide strong coloniesf. Divide strong colonies

g. Equalize populationsg. Equalize populations


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Beekeepers should strive to have 10Beekeepers should strive to have 10--14 frames14 framesof brood in their hives at the start of the mainof brood in their hives at the start of the mainflow. In eastern Kansas, the main flow typicallyflow. In eastern Kansas, the main flow typicallybegins around June 10. To achieve the optimumbegins around June 10. To achieve the optimum

colony population, colony strengths should be ascolony population, colony strengths should be asfollows:follows:

Frames of brood needed to achieve maximumFrames of brood needed to achieve maximumpopulations for the main flow.populations for the main flow.

April 15 3April 15 3

April 22 .. 4April 22 .. 4May 1 . 5May 1 . 5May 10 . 6May 10 . 6


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Feeding Bees Why feed bees?

Add food reserves

Stimulate queen to lay

Stimulate nest cleaning

Draw foundation

Stimulate bees to lavishly feednewly grafted queen larvae


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What to feed: Honey

Beet or cane sugar (sucrose)

1:1 to stimulate

2:1 to add weight

High fructose corn syrup

42 and 55

diluting


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Do not feed beesDo not feed bees Karo syrupKaro syrup

Brown sugarBrown sugar

Powdered sugarPowdered sugar

MolassesMolasses

Honey from storeHoney from store Any other sweetenerAny other sweetener


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Types of feedersTypes of feeders Division board

Boardman or entrance

Inverted pails or cans

Nipple jars Spray syrup into combs

Open feeding

Miller-type feeder


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Only feed honey from your ownOnly feed honey from your owndisease free hivesdisease free hives


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Miller Type Feeder


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d.d. Control diseases and pestsControl diseases and pestse. Control swarminge. Control swarming

f. Divide strong coloniesf. Divide strong colonies

g. Equalize populationsg. Equalize populations


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d. Control diseases and pestsd. Control diseases and pestse.e. Control swarmingControl swarming

oo Divide strong coloniesDivide strong colonies

oo Equalize populationsEqualize populations


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Control the swarming impulseControl the swarming impulse


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Factors that contribute to theswarming impulse

Colony size Forage abundance

Brood nest congestion Worker age distribution

Reduced transmission of queensubstance

Age of queen


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Swarm control measures Adequate room

Requeening Equalizing

Reversing

Dividing

Demaree method


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The best swarm control measures are preemptive

action rather than reaction.


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Dividing and equalizingcolonies


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Moving brood and bees among colonies

in an apiary

Any colony will accept brood from any other colonies

You can exchange positions of strong and weak colonies at

mid-day during a honey flow to trade field forces

You can exchange the position of a nuc and a hive

preparing to swarm


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Techniques for dividing colonies Find queen, divide brood and bees equally, move hive

without queen to a new apiary , introduce queen to new hiveShake bees from 3-4 frames of brood, place in hive body

and position above queen excluder on parent colony, set on

new bottom early next day, move to new apiary , introduce new

queen

Make up nuc above double screen, introduce queen, just beforehoney flow, move nuc to location of strong colony and

reposition the colony in the apiary


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Letting divides raise their own queen

often results in an inferior queen.

Poorly reared queen of productive stock will be inferior to

well-reared queens from less productive stock.

C.L. Farrar


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Credits:

*Dr. Marion Ellis, University of Nebraska,

Master Beekeeper Program


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Questions?

managing bees for honey production - s tipton

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