Honey Beekeeping

HONEY BEEKEEPING GROUP 1 1. E G A R O S A L I N D A 1 6 5 0 5 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 2. D E L F I E R O B R A H M A N T Y A 165050100111019 3. B T A R I P R A B A S I N I 1 6 5 0 5 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 3 6 4. C H A I D A S A F I N A 1 6 5 0 5 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 3 9 5. FA J R I N N A D L I E F

BREED OF HONEY BEES Italian – (Apis mellifera ligustica) • Italian honey bees were brought to the U.S. in 1859. They quickly became the favored bee stock in this country and remain so to this day. Known for their extended periods of brood rearing, Italian bees can build colony populations in the spring and maintain them for the entire summer. They are less defensive and less prone to disease than their German counterparts, and they are excellent honey producers.

The Carniolan ‐ (Apis mellifera carnica) • The subspecies A. m. carnica, from middle Europe (Slovenia Region), also has been a favored bee stock in the U.S. for several reasons. First, their explosive spring buildup enables this race to grow rapidly in population and take advantage of blooms that occur much earlier in the spring, compared to other stocks. Second, they are extremely docile and can be worked with little smoke and protective clothing. Third, they are much less prone to robbing other colonies of honey, lowering disease transmission among colonies. Finally, they are very good builders of wax combs, which can be used for products ranging from candles, to soaps, to cosmetics.

The German ‐ (Apis mellifera mellifera) • The German or “black” bee are not native to the New World, although North America has about 4,000 native species of bees. Honey bees were brought to America in the 17th century by the early European settlers. This stock is very dark in color and tends to be very defensive, making bee management more difficult. One of the German bees’ more favorable characteristics is that they are a hardy strain, able to survive long, cold winters in northern climates.

The Caucasian – (Apis mellifera caucasica) Its most notable characteristic is its very long tongue, which enables the bees to forage for nectar from flowers that other bee stocks may not have access to. They tend to be a moderately colored bee and, like the Carniolans, are extremely docile. However, their slow spring buildup keeps them from generating very large honey crops, and they tend to use an excessive amount of propolis-the sticky resin substance sometimes called “bee glue” that is used to seal cracks and joints of bee structures-making their hives difficult to manipulate.

The Russian • Russian bees tend to rear brood only during times of nectar and pollen flows, so brood rearing and colony populations tend to fluctuate with the environment. They also exhibit good housecleaning behavior, resulting in resistance not only to varroa but also to the tracheal mite. They have excellent winder hardiness. Bees of this stock exhibit some unusual behaviors compared to other strains. For example, they tend to have queen cells present in their colonies almost all the time, whereas most other stocks rear queens only during times of swarming or queen replacement.

FEEDING BEES WHEN • Make up and use feeds of good quality pure sugar. White granulated sugar is the most suitable source today. • Pollen and water may also need to be supplied. • For convenience, especially for larger scale beekeepers, obtain a prepared bee feed from a suitable commercial source. • Avoid feeding honey as it carries the risk of spreading bee diseases and the odour increases the likelihood of robbing. • Use the right method, time and type of feeder for the task. • Avoid spilling or leaving syrup open to bees in the apiary. • Take care to avoid robbing.

BEE CANDY • Candy or bakers fondant was first used to feed bees in the 18th century because it was the purest form of sugar then available. • Today candy is used by many beekeepers to top up honeybee colonies in winter and for use in package bees, queen mating mini nuclei and queen introduction cages. • It is best purchased from a bee supply merchant. If you wish to make your own recipes can be found in relevant text books but consistency tends to be variable when home made.

MAKING SUGAR SYRUP

• To make sugar syrup use white granulated sugar. With modern production methods it makes no difference if it was sourced from cane or beet. • Do not use brown or raw sugars as they contain impurities. • The syrup should be made up in the proportion of 1 kg. of granulated sugar to 630 ml. of water or 2 lb. sugar to 1 pt. of water. There is no need to boil the mixture but using hot water helps. Stir regularly to remove the air bubbles and dissolve all the crystals. When fully dissolved the mixture is clear and a very pale straw colour.

CONT. • If syrup is stored for any length of time then a scummy black fungal growth may appear. This can be prevented by adding a little thymol. Thymol does not dissolve readily in water but a solution can be made up in a small sealable bottle. Fill it to one third with thymol crystals* and top the bottle up with surgical spirit. Add 2.5 ml. of this solution to 4.5 l. of sugar syrup or half a teaspoon to a gallon of syrup. *Obtainable from bee equipment suppliers. • For some feeding, usually when it is for immediate use by the colony, thin syrup is used. This contains twice the quantity of water and is best made up for use as required. • Sugar syrup can be stored and moved around in suitable clean plastic drums. In the apiary a plastic watering can is a useful device for filling feeders.

F E E D I N G WAT E R

• Honey bees require water for processing stores, making brood food, maintaining humidity to ensure that eggs hatch, etc., and also for cooling the colony in hot weather. It is not stored in the hive, although ‘reservoir bees’ will be carrying it in their honey sacs. • It is notable that feral honeybee colonies tend to follow water courses when they swarm indicating the importance of water to them. • Apiary sites need to be assessed for the availability of suitable water. Many public complaints are made because of bees obtaining water from swimming pools, garden ponds, drying washing, etc., especially during dry periods. • If bees do not have adequate natural supplies, then provide a supply by using a water feeder. Entrance-type feeders