Coweta Sustainable Beekeeping Steven Page Sharpsburg, Georgia © 2014-2017 Steven Page www.cowetabeekeepers.org

My Frustration....

My Frustration.... Low honey production Winter losses Swarming Weak colonies - Varroa and disease Expensive replacement costs $$$ Queens - poor quality, not adapted Colonies, packages - not adapted Mites kill colonies Can’t catch up or get ahead

The Problem Low honey production 80% © 2014-2017 Steven Page

2014 There has to be a better way The books are too simple (old methods) Great ideas are out there How do other beekeepers operate? This should not be a game of catch-up Got to get ahead and stay ahead..... © 2014-2016 Steven Page

Adapting Methods More than 100 years of experience Mel Disselkoen Walt Wright 1932-2016 Mel Disselkoen Mike Palmer More than 100 years of experience © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Adapting Methods Mike Palmer - Vermont Walt Wright - Tennessee Overwintering nucs Walt Wright - Tennessee Nectar Management, less swarming, more honey Mel Disselkoen - Michigan On the spot queen rearing (Emergency queens), Varroa mite control © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Knowledge “The fact that you will find none of this information in your favorite reference book does not make it any less true.” Walt Wright © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Congestion “Species survival by generation of the reproductive swarm is the basic objective of every over-wintered colony.” Walt Wright © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Queens “Novice beekeepers can raise the best queens in the world” Mel Disselkoen author, OTS Queen Rearing © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Queens “As Mark Twain might have said, ‘The difference between queens you buy and queens you raise yourself is almost the difference between light and lightning’.” Kim Flottum, Author of Better Beekeeping: The Ultimate Guide to Keeping Stronger Colonies and Healthier, More Productive Bees. © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Honey Production “You don’t need a full strength colony all the time, only during the nectar flow” Mel Disselkoen, author, OTS Queen Rearing © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Nucs “Almost every emergency of management can be met by putting something into or taking something out of a nucleus, while nuclei themselves seldom present emergencies.” E. B. Wedmore, A Manual of Beekeeping © 2014-2017 Steven Page

The Solution Plan ahead – start the year prior Plan on winter losses of 1/3 or more Raise queens – OTS (notching) Control Varroa (OTS, splits) Duplex nucs (insurance) Swarm control (honey production) © 2014-2017 Steven Page

The Solution Plan ahead – start the year prior Use the resources in your hives Production hives next year plus 50% example 20 + 50% = 30 © 2014-2017 Steven Page

The Solution Raise queens to requeen and expand (your locally adapted queens) Notching (emergency queen rearing) (OTS) Evaluate colony genetics Evaluate colony strength Make a 2 frame split with the queen Notch young larvae cells Wait 7 days Make splits with queen cells © 2014-2017 Steven Page

The Solution Varroa control Emergency queen rearing controls Varroa Summer queens control Varroa Making splits controls Varroa Stop purchasing colonies to stop introducing more deadly Varroa © 2014-2017 Steven Page

The Solution Overwinter nucs in duplex nucs (10 frame deep with 2, 4 frame nucs sharing heat thru division board) Replace dead colonies Replace queenless colonies Capped brood for weak colonies Make honey Sell © 2014-2017 Steven Page

The Solution Swarm control = more honey Nectar Management requires supers of empty drawn comb Timely swarm prevention split © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Simple Splits May 15, Atlanta – nectar flow ending Evaluate genetics Evaluate the strength, 6 frames of brood minimum Make a split with the queen and 2 frames of capped brood and 1-2 shakes of nurse bees, move to another bee yard, feed Notch young larvae cells (<36 hour old) © Steven Page 2015

Simple Splits Colony Production Notch young larvae cells (<36 hour larvae) Remove the bottom 1/3 of cells to foundation © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Simple Splits Colony Production Notch young larvae cells (<36 hour larvae) Remove the bottom 1/3 of cells to foundation © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Simple Splits May 15 2 frame split with queen All brood frames with young larvae notched © Steven Page 2015

7 Days Later – Time to split Simple Splits 7 Days Later – Time to split © Steven Page 2015

Simple Splits 7 days later – split 2 frames of capped brood, one with queen cells. Only two queen cells in each split. Set up splits in same bee yard (queens are delicate) Feed splits, do not inspect for 30 days 30 days after making splits check for new queen Continue to feed © Steven Page 2015

Simple Splits 7 Days later Split with 2 frames of brood and only 2 queen cells Leave one frame with queen cell in hive Split with original queen © Steven Page 2015

Simple Splits Questions © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Varroa Control IPM Varroa control Make a split (physically divide the mites) Raise an emergency queen Broodless period forces mites to wait for 8 day larvae Many mites enter the first few cells that reach 8 days old On day 9 cell is capped trapping mites Mites die of starvation if more than 3 mites in cell Raise summer queens Prolific egg laying into the fall (mite ratio low) Broodless period kills mites © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Varroa Control bees ratio mites http://scientificbeekeeping.com/ © 2014-2016 Steven Page

Varroa Control © www.mdasplitter.com © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Varroa Control Oct 13 © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Varroa Control Questions © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Coweta Sustainable Beekeeping Overwinter extra colonies in duplex nucs Reduce swarming to increased honey production Enhance production hives before the nectar flow Raise queens for splits and requeening Control Varroa while queen rearing Requeen all colonies with summer queens after June 21 Enter winter with 150% of spring requirements Reduce costs while increasing honey production. © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Stay in Touch www.facebook.com/sustainablebeekeeping/ © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Free Email Mentoring www.cowetabeekeepers.org Click here Fill in form Email , first & last name  It’s Time to.... Confirmation email © 2014-2017 Steven Page

More Reading www.mdasplitter.com  OTS (On the Spot) Queen Rearing: A Survival Guide for Beekeepers Worldwide, By Mel Disselkoen www.mdasplitter.com © 2014-2017 Steven Page © 2014-2017 Steven Page

My Frustration....

Coweta Sustainable Beekeeping February – 4 July - 17 © 2014-2017 Steven Page

The Future First year Bought 2 nucs Raising queens 4 hives & 4 nucs Phil and Lauren © 2014-2017 Steven Page

Coweta Sustainable Beekeeping Questions © 2014-2017 Steven Page