The fee Line. Creating good and healthy beekeeping throughout MICHIANA

The fee Line Creating good and healthy beekeeping throughout MICHIANA Published by the MICHIANA Beekeepers Association OCTOBER 2011 MBA CONTACTS AB...
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The fee Line Creating good and healthy beekeeping throughout MICHIANA

Published by the MICHIANA Beekeepers Association

OCTOBER 2011 MBA CONTACTS

ABSOLUTE DEADLINE: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11th ! Our Fall Beekeepers Banquet will be Saturday, October 15, doors will open at 5:30. It will be a Polish style dinner catered by The Skillet. Please fill out and mail in your reservation immediately but no later than Saturday, October 8 to give snail-mail time to deliver. If you have some doubt about being able to attend or the number of your group we can accept phone reservations from Oct 8th up to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, Oct 11 at which time we must give The Skillet our final count. Because this is an

PRESIDENT Bob Baughman

574-276-3959 [email protected]

VICE PRESIDENT AND RECORDING SECRETARY Tim Ives off-site catering we are unable to take walk-ins the night of the 574-910-0060

Banquet!. Cost is $10.00 per person; children 12 and under free. While I iq u id gold2009@em ba rq ma i I. com you are at it, why not fill out the membership renewal and send it in too. The location is the Madison Elementary School, 66030 Dogwood Rd., at the corner of Dogwood and Pierce Roads in St. Joe County with the entrance to the parking lot on Dogwood Road just south of the intersection with Pierce. Madison Elementary is six miles west of S.R. 19. Turn west on C.R. 40 and go through Wakarusa. C.R. 40 in Elkhart County becomes Pierce Rd. in St. Joe County. Madison school is about 2.75 miles east of U.S. 331 south of Mishawaka or about 6.5 miles north of U.S. 6 near Bremen. Our guest speaker will be Dr. Joe Latshaw. -4=1-1

TREASURER David Emerson

574-295-1855 [email protected] EDITOR Henry Harris

574-875-9617 [email protected]

Elkhart County

St. Joe County

To Elkhart

2.75 miles U.S S. 331 Pierce Rd

6.5 miles to

U.S. 6 ♦

Madison Elementary School

To Nappanee

Greetings MICHIANA Beekeepers, Fall is once more quickly approaching, indicating to everyone that another beekeeping season is in the record books, in many ways. 2011 has been wrought with many challenges. Reminder that liquid 2:1 sugar syrup should be pulled when daily highs level out at about 50 degrees. The colonies need time to cure the product rendering it edible over the winter. Additional overwintering aid for questionable hives might be a good idea based on the past two MICHIANA winters (see the Wandering column). A few dollars spent now could mean the difference between life and death come March 2012. Please consider attending our 2011 Banquet and get your reservation in. Come enjoy a great dinner, other beekeepers, and Dr. Joe Latshaw, know in Beekeeping circles around the world. Keep up the good work MICHIANA Beekeepers, I am proud to be in your company' Bob Baughman - MBA President Pagel

FaLLIBOOKOOPOSS IISIVOUST ROSCIFIV2Ti0iil The Fall Beekeepers Banquet will be Saturday, October 15 at the Madison Elementary School, 66030 Dogwood Rd. in Saint Joe County, Indiana. Doors will open at 5:30. The Polish style meal will be catered by The Skillet from South Bend. Cost is $10.00 per person with children 12 and under free. Send reservation and checks made out to MICHIANA Beekeepers Association to David Emerson, 58303 C.R. 105 South, Elkhart, IN, 46517. Name Number of adults

at $10.00 each, number of children 12 or under

(free). Total enclosed

2012 MICHIANA Beekeepers Association Membership Renewal Membership is $15.00 per household and runs from January 1 thru December 31 each year. Renewing as early as possible relieves some of the last minute work and preasure on our volunteer treasurer for which we thank you. Send your renewal to David Emerson, 58303 C. R. 105 South, Elkhart, IN 46517. Make checks payable to: MICHIANA BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION. Name Street City Phone Number

State

Zip Code

Email There were 28 people at our September meeting in Warsaw. Out of 17 entries in our honey contest Ken and Amber Cecil took First place, Earl Schmucker Second with a box of cut comb honey, and Danny Slabaugh Third. Bob and Debbie Baughman demonstrated making a hive wrap, see page 4. Danny Slabaugh reported that Drift Watch works but it takes a good attitude

and compromise with the spray applicator: the applicator's responsibility is to notify the beekeeper before spraying and the beekeeper is responsible for taking action to protect the bees. Tim Ives talked more about his method of making strong colonies which will make lots of honey. He said that a three deep hive of bees in spring grows better than a two deep hive because they have the honey resources to keep building up during periods when weather is too bad for foraging. He feels it takes three years to get a colony to this advanced state. When feeding white granulated sugar to hives put several layers of newspaper over the sugar to absorb moisture so it does not fall back on the bees. Change the paper when it becomes wet. A short piece of 1/4" rope works as well as a small stick to hold the outer cover up for ventilation. Use dry protein patties instead of moist in cold weather to reduce adding moisture to the hive atmosphere.

Slabaugh Apiaries Honey and Supply

Local Honey Select Hive Bodes Select Deep and Medium Fr.. Screened IPM Bottom Boards

'"At

To. for

Local Maned Queens, Queen Cells

Danny Slabaugh 26123 County Road 52 Nappanee, IN 46550-9138 Horne (5741 773-2345

Cell (574) 315-5586 dolabugh@ernbarqmailcom

Page 2

Honey Sunnis Telescoping Covets Inner Covets Candy Boards Pmito Snap In Foundation Indiana 5 Frame Noes

14444:41

w%

m•

014 T.:4 ►4ti. by Henry Harris

Here a piece of

Most Winter Preparations are best taken care of

1 / 2 -

before bad weather sets in.

hardware Mouse Guards

cloth has

protect your valuable

been

frames, which mice

stapled

will chew through to

over the

get where they want

entrance.

to go in a hive, irreplaceable combs, which they will

destroy

Some young mice can get through a 1/2 - opening but

looking for food and to

I have never had it happen to one of my hives.

make room for their nest,

Technically 1/4 - mesh should be all right to use but I

and they will urinate and

think it is too small for a chilling bee to have to struggle

defecate in the hive mak-

through when returning from a potty break and also too

ing it a foul smelling mess

small for workers to remove dead bees through on a

for you and the bees, and

nice day. Bob mentioned that in early spring 1/4 -

This is only

worst of all mice eat bees

mouse chewing

and can destroy an entire

pellets off workers legs as they struggle through the

colony over a long cold

opening with their protein rich treasure.

damage.

hardweclotsikpnracgole

winter.

I now use a

Once again, an

piece of old

entrance reducer,

queen excluder

made of wood, is

with alternating

NOT a mouse

wires snipped

guard. Mice chew

out. In this

up wood and plas-

photo you can

tic almost as eas-

see where mice

ily as cheese.

trying to get into

You can use a

the hive gnawed

wood or plastic entrance reducer with a

at the wood metal mouse guard over the

around this entrance hole but they did not get in.

outside

WIND CAN R/U A HONEY BEE maw. THE WEATHER PERSON

of it.

TELLS US THAT '"THE TEMPERATURE /S

Right

21 DECREES BUT WITH THE

WIND &NU FACTORED IN IT HAS THE EFFECT OF

is a

-3 DECREES SO

BUNDLE We

c o m -

THAT SAME WIND CII/U BEAT/ND ON THE OUTSIDE OF A NYE

m ercial

PUUS AWAY THE HEAT THE BEES HAVE 70 EAT HONEY 70 PRODUCE

mouse

AND THAT MACES THEM EAT EVEN MORE AND IF THE EXTREME COLD

guard

MSTS THE BEES CAN CONSUME AU OF THE HONEY THEY ARE

that can

CLUSTERED ON AND STARVE TO DEATH WITHIN /NCHES OF MORE

be held in

HONEY.

place with

you ow

small nails

PROTECT YOUR

or tacks.

WYES FROM WIND

This is a

NUMBER OF. DIF-

home-

FERENT Wow

made

PDT THE laws

mouse

Atom THE SOUTH

guard made of a piece of sheet metal with 3/8 - holes

SIDE OF A 60/149INC.

drilled in it and held in place by tacks.

3.

PUT THE HIVES ON THE EAST OR Smirk SIDE OF A THICK HEOCE OR WOOD COT, EVEN WITH LEAVES CONE A HEDCE Will BREAK UP THE FORCE OF THE WINO 70 PROVIDE RELIEF FOR THE COLONY.

d welde

PUT THE HIES ON THE EAST

Tine 1" Styrofoam, was cut to py,atch the Sides

ae Sount

and ends

of the hive.

SIDE OF A WIND- MOCK-

The

/NC FENCE OR PUT UP

plastic Sheeting was* folded in half length wise

and laid on the

FENCE TO PROTECT THE

(

D

table.

saidL.oiched 4Sheeting, pushed against the fold, wax paper laid on the sheeting keeps the iron froth Sticking to the hot plastic. The Stear,, iron iS run up and down to 'weld' the two pieces of sheeting together.



&ewe STRAW OR SACS OF LEAVES AROUND THE WINDWARD

,

SIDE OF HUES.

The rod or broom, handle is. put under both layer-5 of Sheeting, waxed paper put over the Sheeting and the Steam, iron run up and down over the edge of the rod. TbiS welds a narrow Section of the Sheeting together between the styrofoan, pieces to create a joint.

KEEP IN MAID THAT THESE WM PROVIDE A 19000 PLACE FOR MICE TO BURROW SO

Waxed paper under iron A■s. End eld

HAYS YOUR MOUSE

hit MACE

GUARDS

70 PREVENT YOUR

y roiling joint weld

go

,

BEES AND THEIR

Joint weld ■sol

WINTER STORES

The finished wrap lS placed around the hive with the

FROM SECOMMIC

folded side down but just above the entrance and held in place with bungy cords or rope. The upper open end iS folded over the fop of the hive and the cover put on.

MOUSE SNACKtt

At our Seplet,,ber meeting Bob and Debby Baughman olet,,ordratecl t,,aking a plastic and Styrofoam, hive wrap to Sheffer a hive from cold winds* and to draw warfr41, on Sunny days.

Condensation is another

Tip the hive forward so any moisture that makes

of 6 1,4 black plastic

it to the bottom board

Styrofoam,.

will run right out of the

1"

Broom stick

honey bee killer.

The wrap is 1,,,acle

and

Styrofoam

ASSen, bly requires- a long table (or the

hive. In the drawing at the

floor), a 1" diameter

top of the next page you

dowel rod 3' long or equivalent brootr, handle, a roll of waxed paper and a

have a single pane of glass chilled by the cold weather outside and a tea pot sending out steam in front of the window. In a bee hive the cold is right around the

clean, iron. Bob

cluster, in fact the temperature just a few inches from the

wisely asked for pery,4SS/on to use the iron.

clustered bees is nearly the same as outside the hive. 4.

,4Sidepcofstyrawp

Like with us humans, exhaled

Research with clusters of honey bees in open wire

breath from honey bees contains

cages at the University of Wisconsin many years ago

moisture. The kettle, representing

demonstrated that bees can survive sub-freezing tempera-

the bee cluster, gives off steam.

tures in the open as long as they can stay dry and have

When the steam touches the cold

enough food to produce heat. So keeping the inside of a

glass it condenses to drops of

hive warm is not necessary.

water and runs down the

However, wrapping reduces the effects of wind chill and

glass to cause mold on the

can attract enough warmth from the sun so bees can

window sill.

move to reach honey stores on sunny days.

Inside the hive moisture

For many

from bee breath condenses on cold bees wax, the wood of

windows lean

frames, brood chamber walls as well as the underside of

picture from t

the inner cover. If it is really cold this moisture can freeze

front and sid

where it condenses. There is very little difference between

days. We u

320 ice and 320 water. If, when the temperature rises

windows for cl

enough to turn that ice into freezing water, it drips back

Your chances syrup are just whether sugar in cool weath temperature,

onto the bee cluster, it will chill the cluster and very likely kill it. Ventilation will help prevent this unnecessary tragedy. Since heat (containing moisture) rises there needs to be a

that warm weather makes possible, to

means for this air to exit the hive.

get moisture out of nectar

Here a 1/4" stick

or syrup.

holds the outer cover up enough to let Moisture and CO, escape

moist air out but not

through inner cover hole and

enough to let a

out crack left by 1/4" stick.

True, desperate. emergency feeding can be done by piling dry, white, granulated sugar onto yo ur inner cover and surrounding it with an empty Super or, as suggested at our September

mouse in.

There are a number of other ways to solve the ventilation problem. Newspaper and other absorbent things can be put over the top bars to trap and keep moisture. An insulating I super, pictured here, can be used. This is a shallow super, filled with insulation with plywood nailed on top and bottom. A groove is cut in the bottom plywood extending from the inner cover hole to the outside. CO 2 and moisture exit the inner cover hole and along the channel to the outside. The idea is for the insulation to prevent the moisture from condensing on its way out of the hive.

An empty super over the inner cover will hold the sugar in.

meeting, by putting newspaper directly on the top bars and piling the sugar on the newspaper. While bees work at chewing the newspaper away moisture from the cluster will turn the sugar semi-solid so it will not just fall to the bottom board before the bees can eat it.

Your best

bet

from now until early spring is the candy

board.

Danny Slabau9h makes candy boards its a wooden frame that can be set right on top of the brood box. The one pictured at right has a screen

bottom so bees can have access to candy without having to be right in the center of

Wrapping a hive to try to keep the interior warm is sort of like trying to keep your house warm while leaving the

the

front door open. It is just not practical.

5.

hive.

A more recent innova-

location the hives can be moved in mid to late November after cold weather has arrived but before snowfall makes moving hard.

tion, the candy frame, left, can be huhg in the brood box like a frame right next to the bee cluster.

/1,17wr

bee

Ali

Will bee cleansing flights be a problem9

hives

Flat field wihno protection

Moving bee hives is never easy but it doesn't have to be this hard. This beekeeper is moving bees to a good honey location may not provide any shelter in

remote location in Frovauce, France.

winter.

In fact moving hives in cold weather is easier than

These hives can then be moved back to the summer

most any other time of year.

location in late February or early March.

When there are blossoms to get nectar from or water to collect a portion of your field force will get

Fasten the boxes of the hive together securely so

left behind if hives are moved more than a foot or

they do not come apart while moving or even twist or

two.

shift so bees are spilled out loosing some and possibly

Creep with the tortoise i &rimer

getting you stung.

The rule is move a hive no more

Also once a cold propolis seal is broken it will not

than a foot or move it more than

stick together again until hot weather returns. You

two miles.

may have to nail or duct tape the hive together until

Go like the hare in winter

warm weather comes.

A move of more than two miles must be done at night or bees out foraging will return to find their home gone. It is foraging bees that get left behind when a hive is moved. I have twice been called to collect a swarm that was really just the forlorn foragers left when their hives were moved during daylight by the beekeeper.

This hive has a diagonal brace screwed into each box. another method is to use small pieces of thin plywood applied at an angle at

Once all blossoms are gone and weather turns chilly bees no longer forage. With nothing to forage for, bees only fly out of the hive to get rid of debris or for cleansing flights, so they do not leave sight of their hive and will not get lost no matter how much you move them.

each joint like the red marks added here. The strips leaning in opposite directions hold tight and prevent any hinge—like separation.

If the summer hive stand is not a suitable winter 6.