knowing your bees: becoming a better beekeeper
TRANSCRIPT
KNOWING YOUR BEES: HOW TO BECOME A BETTER BEEKEEPERJONATHAN R. ENGELSMA, PH.D.
OUTLINE
• Background
• Think like a bee
• 10 ways to get to know your bees better
OUTLINE
• Background
• Think like a bee
• 10 ways to get to know your bees better
QUICK BACKGROUNDER• We are a family of nine from Nunica, MI
• Mieke and Jonathan share a background in agriculture
• Jonathan works as a prof in GVSU’s School of Computing
• Starting keeping bees in 1984.
• Family runs a sideline bee operation
• run 50-70 colonies mainly for honey production
• retail the annual honey crop
• sell nucs when able.
• Website: http://hudsonvillehoney.com
A brief but relevant diversion on fastidious Dutch homemakers…
OUTLINE
• Background
• Think like a bee
• 10 ways to get to know your bees better
How do you think like a bee?
THE ANTI-PATTERN:
Bees are social… Bees dance …
Bees are industrious… Bees are community focused…
Have and care for their babies… Protect their home…
Love honey!!!
Sudden insight!
bee behavior = people behavior
The logical conclusion: Bees are
just like me, only a little bit smaller…
THINKING ANTHROPOMORPHICALLY ABOUT BEES
• Why we do this?
• We often learn best by comparing new concepts to things we already know.
• We are conditioned by our dogs & cats!
• The problem:
• Honeybee biology is way different than ours!
CLASSIC EXAMPLE: BRRR, ITS COLD OUT THERE…
Source: http://www.instructables.com/id/Insulation-for-National-Beehives/
Obvious Conclusion: The more you know about your bees, the more successful a beekeeper you will be.
OUTLINE
• Background
• Think like a bee
• 10 ways to get to know your bees better
#1 GET/BE A MENTOR
• Get a mentor
• Learn faster / better
• Avoid costly mistakes
• More fun than going solo!
• Your local club can help you find a mentor!
• Be a mentor
• Learn by mentoring others.
• Grow the community
• Give back Credit: Anne Marie Fauvel
#2 BE AN AVID AND DISCERNING READER
• Books
• Magazines
• Online Sources
• beesource.com
• scientificbeekeeping.com
IMMERSE YOURSELF IN OLD BEE BOOKS!!
• Electronic (free):
• bees.library.cornell.edu/
• https://archive.org/
• Reprints:
• http://www.wicwas.com/
• www.xstarpublishing.com/
#3 ATTEND CONFERENCES
#4 INSPECT YOUR COLONIES REGULARLY DURING THE BEE SEASON
• Once a week if possible.
• queen status
• availability of nutrition
• sufficient space?
• presence of pests / diseases
#5 CONSTANT AND CAREFUL OBSERVATION OUTSIDE OF THE HIVE
• What is currently blooming in your locale?
• Are the bees working it?
• Entrance activity?
• What’s that smell?
#6 PRACTICE GOOD RECORD KEEPING
• Record information gathered during inspections. (date & location)
• First swarm, first dandelion, maple pollen, colony loss, frost date.
• Note any reminders / todo’s.
• Computer based options - try hivetracks.com
#7 MONITOR YOUR HIVES ELECTRONICALLY
• Join the BIP Hive Scale Portal!
• “Locally Grown” at nearby GVSU!
• Record the weight and ambient temperature and more 24 X 7
• An eye opening experience!
HIVE MONITOR AVAILABILITY
• Purchase cost: $199 - $1500
• Operational costs vary.
• Vendors:
• Arnia
• BeeWatch
• SolutionBee
• Learn More: https://beeinformed.org/hive-scale-program/
BIP HIVE SCALE NETWORK
#8 RAISE YOUR OWN QUEENS
• Forces you to acquire more intimate knowledge of honeybee biology.
• Requires diligent record keeping.
• You truly get to know YOUR bees!
• Very fulfilling activity.
SMALL SCALE QUEEN REARING
• Small Scale: < 100 per season.
• Non-grafting techniques have worked really well for us.
• You need lots of bees of the right age in your cell builder!
• If you plan to mate in your yard you’ll need a fair amount of stock to make up mating nucs.
#9 MONITOR FOR MITES
• Sample / count at least monthly from April - November.
• Pre / Post treatment counts are important!
• In larger yards (+20) sample a subset to make treatment decisions.
MITE SAMPLING TECHNIQUES
• Sticky boards
• Sugar Roll
• Alcohol Wash
• Send to a lab!
• (Google for details)
WHY SAMPLE FOR MITES?
• You need to actively manage mite levels in your colonies when they are brooding or your bees will die.
• If your bees die, you’ve just created a “varroa bomb” for nearby colonies.
• Regular mite counts will help you learn when and how to treat most effectively.
#10 BEE A CITIZEN SCIENTIST!
• Participate in Bee Informed Partnership Programs:
• Bee Informed Annual Colony Loss Survey
• BIP Tier 4 Program
• BIP Hive Scale Program
• Learn More: beeinformed.org
ANY QUESTIONS?
Jonathan Engelsma’s Contact Info:
• email: [email protected]
• web: http://hudsonvillehoney.com
• twitter.com/honeyandcandles
• Like us! /hudsonvillehoney
• A copy of these slides are posted on:
• http://slideshare.net/jonathanengelsma