The Norfolk Bee Norfolk County, Massachusetts www.norfolkbees.org Volume 8, Issue 4 October 2009 Letter from the President Ed's Fall Summary Notes: April was great, early packages were very lucky. May was very good so May packages and Nucs got a good start. June was not so good and early July worse. The wet and cool weather slowed the normal bloom timing and curtailed natural foraging. The rain ended just in time for the normal late July dirth to hit. Some powerful overwintered hives were eating back 10 pounds of honey per week. Hives getting syrup fared better then those relying on foraging. Some robbing did take place. In others the queen slowed or stopped laying because the stored resources could not support brood rearing. Swarming started early and ran later. Hive assessments: For the most part equipment was used properly; in some cases very creatively for hive stands and pest management. Some things I harped on were SUN especially MORNING SUN (going into winter that will become more critical) and hive height off the ground. For the most part hives were not over managed. The challenges were weather-related, including comb building, brood counts, food gathering, queen behavior, honey super management and use and swarm activity. Honey supers: Honey supers should all be off by now, except if they have brood in them, in which case you should have a queen excluder underneath to keep the queen down and allow the nursery bees to birth the brood. Then take the super off. The 2009 flow season is effectively over. This is a month earlier then in most years. Goldenrod, the last major source of nectar bloomed weeks early and is now ending. The fall Asters are now in bloom as a pollen source but not nectar. The hives are now planning for winter, they know the days are getting shorter, some have been planning all summer based on comb building and stores. The bees need to know what space they have to work with and getting them down to brood supers (2 10 s or 2 8 s or 3 mediums). The bees need to store honey and pollen (often under honey) as nature intended. The space they have now is what they think they will have until April. The best way to store honey super frames for winter: The most important thing is to keep critters (ants, SHB, wax moth and wax moth worms, mice, etc.) out of the honey supers while stored. Of course, before putting frames to be extracted in an Extractor look for these (mice would be pretty obvious, but the others are not) and clear them off the frame and away from the honey. If you see SHB worms in cells you are better (continued on page 2) In This Month's Newsletter Ed's Fall Summary Page 1-3, 7-8 Administrative Page Page 4 A Taste of Honey Page 5 NCBA Meeting Minutes Page 6 Google Group Info Page 6 Howard in the News Page 8-9 The Buzz Page 10
(continued from page 1) off giving that frame up to the bees to be cleared of honey away from the hive after you remove the comb they have been living and leaving their waste in. Two options I like that work with no mold resulting in random order: 1) Right after extracting honey place the wet frames back in the super and place the loaded super in a heavy-weight plastic trash bag, pulled tight on all sides and sealed with tape. Store and stack indoors (out of the way in a garage or basement works well) until reused. Placing wet frames back on a hive in spring or summer always encourages bees to work them. 2) After extracting honey place the frames (spaced in a super or so both sides are exposed to the bees to speed cleaning) at least 100' from any hive and leave until the bees have cleaned off all the honey. This is pretty amazing to watch and leaves the frame clean to the touch. This is usually done in a day or at most two, I recommend taking them in after dark so you don't have furry mammals stopping by for a treat. Then stack the cleaned frames in supers with window-size screen bellow and above the super(s) and at least 6" off the ground to promote good ventilation until next spring. Also put a top board or outer cover a few inches above top screen to keep dust out and rain/snow if stored outside. I make the screens with shims that I then staple window screen to. Checking Hives: It is best to go in after 11 AM when the day has warmed up and before 3 PM. Before or after the hive is less warmed up and won't appreciate the visit as much. Also, that nice gooy propolis is now brittle and makes an alarming (to the bees) popping BANG sound when cracked. The bees don't like this noise at all so try and be slow and kind. For example, in July I pry up the back corners only and pull the super off. Now I pry up all four corners gently. Try it. Mites: All counties reported lower then normal mite counts this year, but mites are stil out there in most hives and can still cripple or weaken a hive when the brood bees now are the ones that need to be strong to survive the winter. Check for mites using: 1) the BB insert to see natural mite counts (least effective); 2) opening Drone Brood pupa (good if you have at least a dozen to open); and 3) Apistan Strips, 2 per hive (very effective, but a chemical treatment). Treatments: Do not treat if you find no mites, or even few mites. Sugar dusting Very effective if the natural count is low. Manages mites in an exposed phoretic state. Apitsan Chemical strips with Fluvalinate. 10 days. Very effective in warm weather (pre-october or an Indian Summer week) against Varroa Mites. Mite Away Formic Acid pads. Very effective in cooler weather (mid-spet to November). Need 21+ days. Not treating when mites are found can doom a hive. From malformed and weakened brood to viruses delivered by mites - your hive might make it to Spring but a weak hive in Spring often dies out by Summer. A concern about Treatment Free Beekeeping is the overwintering survival rate: 1/3 or less if the hive has mites or other weaknesses. Ken Worchal, the State Bee Inspector tells Worcester county beekeepers to use Apistan and Mite-Away. He has 49/50 survival rates and 100 pounds of honey on average per year. Nothing is more discouraging then losing a hive. For a new beekeeper it can end the relationship with honeybees. It is not uncommon, however - if this happens to you, don't let it discourage you. Feeding: At September's meeting I shared the recommendation that hives that had good weight should not be fed syrup (medicated or otherwise) until early/middle October. This is because it is critical that the queen lay wintering brood and you want lots of cells in the upper brood chamber for her to lay in, 5+ upper frames with brood space is ideal; spin out honey-bound upper brood frames if needed. Those upper frame open cells 2
would be used for 2:1 syrup honey if provided to the hives. HOWEVER, the cool nights of the past month and the decrease or complete dearth in foraging late-summer/ fall nectar are causing many queens to stop laying even if they have space, so after consultation with other NE counties we are recommending putting some syrup on, say a baggie's worth, in order to stimulate egg laying. Hives that are light (some I've seen had almost no honey and weighed about 10 pounds) should be fed 2:1 in quantity now until they stop taking it or they will starve. Hives with strong populations need to be watched for weight and stores need to be watched more closely. When you are feeding syrup to avoid or at least reduce robbing close the Inner Cover front entrance, remove any vent pins so the Outer Cover is flat, close any super holes and place an Entrance Reducer or better the Mouse Guard with only 4 holes open. Robbing is going to be a big issue this fall. Robbing will decimate an average strength hive in about 30 minutes. Syrup: (Syrup ratios are Pints of water to Pounds of sugar) 1:1 (5 pounds of sugar dissolved in 5 Pints of water (2.5 Qts)) is fed to hives in the spring and to mid-august as necessary. The light syrup is ideal for promoting brood rearing by the Queen Bee and wax production by Worker Bees. 2:1 (10 pounds of sugar dissolved in 5 Pints of water (2.5 Qts)) is fed to hives from late August if they don't have enough stored honey or from mid-october until they stop taking it, usually mid to late November or when the daily temperatures don't pass 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure when you mix 2:1 enough so that the sugar is fully dissolved and there are no sugar crystals suspended in the mix (these will become the foundation of crystal formations that will form on the bottom of a feed pail or jar and block the screen or holes). If this happens you will think the bees aren't taking syrup when in fact the feed screen or holes are blocked solid. The only way to clear this is to remove the feed and clean the inside space with hot water and a chisel knife; this is a pain to the bees (as well as to you!). Baggies - when using baggie feeders, try poking nail holes rather than cutting slits. We have found this leads to less mess and drowning. Recommendation from Europe: Add a 1/8 tsp. of salt per Gal.of syrup (non-iodized sea is best, agricultural salt next, don't use iodized table salt) to help breakdown the sugar syrup for the bee's digestion and processing of the syrup, (either 1:1 or 2:1). This small amount of salt makes the processing/digesting of the syrup by the workers five times as efficient and easier on the bees than plain unsalted syrup. Also... I've had a number of queries about non-chemical or organic alternatives to Fumagilin-B to treat for Nosema. Instead I use the following for bee health and digestive cleansing: 1) If adding Honey-B-Healthy it is 1 Tbl/Gal. 2) Add 1/4 cup of Bee Tea popular in Europe (Steep for 10 minutes in a large tea cup 1 bag of Chamomile tea, 1 bag of Dandelion Root tea and 1 Tsp of Thyme) to the 1:1 gallon of syrup with HBH or in addition to it. This may seem like small amount per Gal but this is all that it takes according to research in Europe. 3) 2 Tbls of cider vinegar/gal. to increase the acidic level of the bee's digestive system which Penn State and Europeans have seen keeps Nosema in check. The most common symptoms of Nosema (Apis or worse Ceranae) is dark waste spots like diarrhea in the hive and the entrance and a foul aroma, which is past the point of recovery. Prior to this final phase and crash the symptoms are extreme listlessness across the hive for many weeks, with the bees doing little or nothing because they are sick. Search the web yourself for more information about fall feeding and recommendations. Robbing: Watch for it as it is particularly bad this year. I have mouse guards with 3 holes open now on my remaining hives and all other holes (super and front inner cover) are blocked because I've seen some dead hives in the past few days (4/6 in one apiary) that were robbed to oblivion. (continued on page 7) 3
Norfolk County Beekeepers Association Administrative Page The Norfolk County Beekeeper s Association (NCBA), is dedicated to apiculture education and promotion of the art and science of beekeeping among beekeepers, agriculture and the general public. This is a Non-profit organization, meeting the first Monday of every month, at 7:30 PM (second Monday if the first Monday is a holiday). The meetings are held at the Norfolk Agricultural High School (Media Center Cafeteria) in Walpole, MA. Meetings in June-August will be held at members bee yards as announced. 2008-2009 NCBA Officers President Ed Karle 169 Seekonk Street Norfolk, MA 02056 (508) 541-6324 ewkarle@yahoo.com Vice President / Treasurer Tony Lulek 35 Dalton Road Holliston, MA 01746 (508) 893-7970 tlulek@gallery223.com Recording Secretary Lesky Lescoe 174 Beach Street Foxboro, MA 02035 (508) 543-0610 lesky@comcast.net Corresponding Secretary Kate Notman 136 East Street Sharon, MA 02067 (781) 201-9556 kate@notman.com Bee School Director Howard Crawford 360 West Central Franklin, MA 02038 (508) 528-9117 Bee School Director Tim Sullivan 101 Sherman Road Dedham, MA 02026 (781) 326-2834 Fair Committee Chairperson Sue Ito starlightducks@yahoo.com Librarian Susan Osgood 8 Hoper Blvd. Bellingham, MA 02019 (508) 966-3952 susanm_osgood@hotmail.com Here s a column where you can sell, swap, or give away just about anything. If you are a paid member, advertising is free for as many issues as you wish. If you are not a member, the cost is $8.00/ad/issue (so, it pays to become a member for just $15!) Raffle & Snack Tables We greatly appreciate all items brought in for the club raffle table. Please keep supporting this important club fund-raiser. This month's door prize will be a surprise, but sure to be great! If we could have some extra help with treats for the meeting, it would be appreciated. Please contact Susan Simmons at susanhsims@hotmail.com if you can contribute. BEEKEEPING ITEMS For Sale http://www.hivedepot.com Beekeeping Equipment For Sale - Several hives & accompanying equipment - Beautiful custom-made extractor call Dee Burleson : 508-528-3825 Swap N Sell N Wanted Classifieds Reseska Apiaries, Inc. We are now carrying a full line of beekeeping supplies: * Amish-made and assembl;ed woodenware * Assembled wooden frames with your choice Pierco foundation or crimp-wire foundation * Unassembled bee boxes and frames by Humble Abodes of Maine * Glass honey jars always in stock We are New England's Only Authorized Maxant Dealer for Honey Processing Equipment We carry the complete line of Maxant honey processing equipment on display, and in stock. Here are some samples: * 3100HL, 3100PL, 1400PL, 4000-30 Electro Speed Extractors * Bottling Tanks, Clarifiers, Wax Tanks, Cappings Spinners * Exclusive custom-made all stainless steel Uncapping Tanks (perfect for the small producer) * And much more! Come Visit Our Warehouse Store: 229 Lowland St., Holliston, MA, 01746 P: 508-429-6872 www.bostonhoneycompany.com Open every Saturday from 9AM - 4PM We accept cash, checks & Visa/Mastercard 4
A Taste of Honey Muffins 'n Honey Easy Honey Muffins Makes 12 muffins Ingredients: - 1/2 cup milk - 1/4 cup honey - 1 egg, beaten - 2-1/2 cups buttermilk baking mix - 1 teaspoon cinnamon - 1/4 teaspoon salt - 1/2 cup nuts, chopped - 1/2 cup seedless raisins - 2 eggs - 1/4 cup orange juice - 1/2 cup vegetable oil - 1/2 cup honey - 1 teaspoon vanilla - 1 teaspoon grated orange peel - 1 cup carrot, shredded Directions: In large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nuts and raisins. Set aside. In small bowl, blend together eggs, orange juice, oil, honey, vanilla and orange peel. Add to dry ingredients. Stir in carrots until moistened. Spoon batter into paper-lined or greased muffin pan cups. Bake at 375 F 20 to 25 minutes. both recipes from http://www.honey.com/consumers/recipes/recipes.asp Directions: Combine milk, honey and egg; mix well. Add baking mix and stir only until moistened. Portion into greased muffin tins. Bake at 400 F for 18 to 20 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Variation: Cinnamon Apple Muffins: Add 2 cups pared, chopped apples and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to basic recipe. Bake about 5 minutes longer than basic recipe. Golden Glow Muffins Makes 18 muffins Ingredients: - 2 cups whole wheat flour - 2 teaspoons baking powder 5
Minutes from the September 14, 2009 Meeting Meeting started at: 7:50 with 44 members in attendance. During the meeting we discussed: 1. We talked about the Google group email. A lot of people were not getting the emails. Tony was going to research and get back to the club. 2.We will be auctioning off the two club hives. Tickets are $5.00 each. 3.Ed talked about his case of AFB. There have been no other cases reported in Norfolk County. 4. Bee School 2010. We already have 6 people signed up. 5. Nominating committee was elected for upcoming elections: Petter Tulluck, Frances Key and Own Ackerman. 6. Treasurers report was given. All accounts were reconciled as of 8/15 and there is no outstanding debts. We are a good financial condition. 7. Presentation: Ed gave a detailed presentation on his experience this summer with bee inspecting and gave a slide presentation showing lots of different hive situations. Ed will send his report to all club members. 8. We auctioned off the hives. Kathy Smith and Mike Miconi were the winners. 9. We will be offering a soap making class this fall. Dates to be determined. 10. We had several new members at the meeting. New Club Google Email List Dear NCBA Club member, Due to the current size of our club (over 200 members), managing the email list has gotten to be a big burden. In order to help manage this we have created a google group. If you have not been receiving emails from norfolkbees@googlegroups.com, you will need to join the group. In order for you to become a member, you will have to follow 7 very easy steps. It shouldn't take you more than 5 minutes tocomplete this and you can use your current email address (you do not need to have a google email address). If you have any questions, you can contact me and I will be glad to help. Please follow these steps. 1. Go to www.google.com 2. Click on More, then groups. 3. Search for Norfolk County Beekeepers Association 4. Click on the group on the results page 5. Click on "Sign in and Apply for Membership" 6. Click on "Create an Account" 7. Fill out all the information and then click on "I Accept, Create My Account" 8. You will get an email from google and you will have to click on the link and activate your account. Once you have done this, I will get a message and will approve you. This will help greatly with sending out information to the club as a whole. Tony 11. There was an open Q&A session Meeting was adjourned at: around 9:30. 6
(continued from page 3) The dearth of forage now, weeks earlier than usual after a very wet summer, seems to have made robbing a bigger problem much earlier this year. Check the entrance activity on your hives, look for too active an entrance or fighting. Check the weight of the hive. They should have weight but not be too heavy now. If you are feeding any syrup in any quantity at all make sure the number of entrances is few. When you check inside your hives during a dearth watch the activity level for robbing and only check as far as you need to for brood or issues. Close the hive up quickly if robbing starts while the hive is open. Robbing Photos: Bees in a hive with no stores left, bushed away from brood that has been uncapped and is being eaten. Sun: I ve never seen a hive that is in the shade all day survive winter. 4 hours of sun is best, especially morning sun. Winter Planning: Moves all before October. Especially in new hives with new comb that is soft and will then become brittle in the cold. Weak Hives might be better combined with strong hives, your own or someone else s. Work a deal where the giver gets a planned Nuc from Swarm Management in the Spring. Wax cap flakes at the entrance of a robbed-out hive. If you see this you have problems and it may be too late. Layering above brood supers. Howard does none, but most put an absorbant layer above the inner cover in a shim or tacked to the outer cover. My hives all have their Bottom Board Inserts in place- With the inserts in place the bees are better able to control the temperature for the developing brood on these cool days and cold nights and if the queen is laying in the lower box (as she hopefully is if she needs room as in the case of Honey Bound Upper Brood Supers). I leave the BBI's in place now until June 1st. I don't spray the BBI's with Pam, I keep them clean, because I may not check for mite drops for a week or more now in the hives that were OK and I don';t want the Pam rotting and attracting ants and bugs. When I do a mite drop check I will spray with Pam and then check in two days and then clean well the BBI before placing it back in. The last stand of the hive bees. All dead. (continued on page 8) 7
(continued from page 3) Inspections: Protect your queen and brood. Try and check other beekeeper s hives. You will learn a lot. Ask your mentors for advice. I and your other officers are on call now too. We really want your hives to manage the winter as best they can. Good luck! Ed Wing Deforming Virus - Look for it Bees affected with a wing deforming virus are usually gray in color, not the usual bee color depending on type. The deformed bee in the photo also has a varroa mite attached. Forager bees near Retirement also may have worn down wings, but their color is normal. How many you see like this and how many mites you also see will determine how strongly you must treat for the varroa mites that are the deliverers of the virus to the developing pupa and workers they live on. If you only see a few mites or deformed wings you still should treat. Not treating will often lead to varroa collapse of the hive by January. Howard In the News (Again!) 8
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Escape Boards are a great way to get bees out of honey supers. The correct way to use one is to place it below the honey super you want to get the honey bees out of with the HOLE UP and TRIANGLE DOWN. If the hole is down and the triangle up you will in a few hours have all the workers up and in the super you want removed, and they will all be very unhappy and packed in like sardines, and it gets worse from there. Next place the honey super you want vacated on top of the Escape Board. The Buzz - Escape Boards Next place the Inner Cover with the FRONT HOLE TAPED OVER OR CLOSED on the honey super and then the Outer Cover. It is important that there be no external openings above the Escape Board for the honey bees to come back in or you need to start over. Escape board wrong-side up Leave the Escape Board on over night or no more than 24 hours and the super should be empty or almost empty of bees that have calmly moved down and out of the super to the brood boxes below. If you place an Escape Board below two Honey Supers at one time you should have enticed all the honey bees out in 24 hours. When you take the hopefully-empty honey super off the Escape Board leave the Escape Board be until you've brushed any remaining bees off the frames and moved the honey super away. Correctly installed escape board From: Kate Notman 136 East St. Sharon, MA 02067 TO: 10