A Bee Yard in Stone Mountain, Georgia.

Swarm Catcher 5 gallow water bottle in action

2011-05-01T14:46:00.000-07:00

A dry run before we did it for
real

Lined up.... ready... see the links below for more

George Andl was at the Oakhurst Gardens and spotted a swarm from the large hive in the Garden Apiary. I came with the handy swarm catcher 5 gallon water bottle. The bees were approximately 20 feet hing in the tree. 10 minutes after our arrival we had the bees in the NUC Box. They went to George's house.

http://www.youtube.com/user/jdjonesiii?feature=mhum

http://s121.photobucket.com/albums/o222/fairyringz/Bucket%20swarm/?albumview=slideshow

Medium Frame used in a Deep Box

2011-04-27T07:18:00.000-07:00

Nylon fishing line was used to hold the pine
board against the medium frame.

Click on any picture for a larger view

I did a split and did not have any honey in a deep frame to put in the new split. Here is what I did and it worked out well. I cut a piece of pine the exact size to make up the difference between the medium frame and the deep frame. I then tied the pine board to the bottom of the medium frame with fishing line. It worked really well. When the split got established, the modified medium frame was removed from the deep box and replaced with a regular deep frame. I extracted the honey in the medium frame.

Swarm catching made easy with a 5 gallon water bottle

2011-04-25T16:34:00.000-07:00

Cut the Bottom Off

Tape the bottom to keep the Epoxy in

Be sure to push the insert down on the tape really
hard. You do not want the epoxy getting into the
paint roller handle cavity.

Finished product after tape removed. Water Bottle,
paint roller handle cut off, and epoxy.

This is the paint stick from Lowes expandable

The paint stick screws into the pain roller handle

Extender pole screwed in to Paint Roller Handle

Pole is expandable from 8' to 16' and in between

Pole extended

Take a look at the you tube link of the water bottle turned into a swarm retrieval device. I made one. It turned out so well I thought I would pass the pictures on and the technique. Total material cost about $67 plus tax. You can use the pole for other things since it is a painting product that extends from 8' to 16'. The parts came from Lowes.

YouTube links showing how this works

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0FAiOB9MzIY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jATmzF5UZ1Q&feature=player_embedded

Material List:
Sherlock Extension Pole from Lowes Paint section #190227 $41
5 gallon Primo Water bottle empty Lowes #307099 $ 8
60 minute Loctite Epoxy 8 oz #176220 $16
Paint Roller Handle to embed in epoxy #235010 $ 2

John Jones Stone Mountain, Georgia

A Friends Swarm - Piedmont Park Atlanta, Georgia

2011-04-04T17:18:00.000-07:00

Every now and again you run into very interesting things being a beekeeper. A swarm is one. I have been beekeeping for a number of years with my father in Jr. High and High School and later in life now. I have never seen a swarm. Only pictures of some. A bee buddy of mine had his best hive coming out of winter swarm twice. One one day and again a day later. He had bait hives in the area and was hoping one of the two swarms would take the bait hive. No luck. George took some great pictures and I hope he will enter one or two of these in the calendar picture contest being done by the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers. They are great pictures.

Solar Wax Melter

2011-02-27T14:57:00.000-08:00

The Plan (click on any picture for a larger view)

Steve's and my wax melter framed out

Wax Melter holds two deeps

Aluminum pan funnels melted wax to collector.
Hardware cloth keeps things from slipping.

Temperature went from 70 degrees to 109 quickly.
Then the sun went behind a cloud.

Finished. Solar Wax Melter....$65

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~reute001/Plan%20files/pSolar%20Wax%20Melter.pdf

Forever I have wanted a solar wax melter. The goods one are pricey. The cheep ones are not that good. I copied a plan and while I had the table and chop saw set up made two. One for Steve Altom and one for myself. Total cost including the Acrylic $65.00 for one which is a bargain. This plan has a few angles which were tricky. It worked out. Steve and I decided not to do the double pane glass (Acrylic). Another one could be added if needed later. It was 70 degrees out today. I briefly set it up and the temperature went to 109 real quick. Then the sun went behind a cloud. Oh well.. This Wax Melter will hold two deep frames (see picture). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pm-v8YJJ1Cs You tube link.

Modifications to the original design.

Three things were done as modifications to the original design. Have you every noticed that certain people cannot leave something alone and have to keep doodling. I am one. Anyway, 1. A handle was added to the end of the Solar Wax Melter. This really makes moving the Melter around much easier. 2. Screws were added to the platform inside the Melter to hold it in place. This keeps the platform in position when I bring the Wax Melter inside. 3. The original legs for the back of the unit were removed and a single leg was added. This allows the leg to be tucked up against the Wax Melter's body and the Wax Melter then can be carried in a car easy, stored in the corner and not take up much room, or it just gets the leg out of the way while moving the Solar Wax Melter around. See Photos showing the modifications.

A single leg replaced two legs in the plan. The

leg folds against the Solar Was Melter.

The new style leg extended. Note the handle

to carry the Wax Melter and to asst in moving

it around.

Screws hold to wax platform securely.

See the Results

Outside temperature at the Picnic Table 74.

Temperature inside the Solar Wax Melter

View of the Thermometer

1-29-2011 warm day I gave bees some pollen back

2011-01-31T12:12:00.001-08:00

On January 29, 2011, I decided to take some pollen I had put back and give it back to the bees. The pollen pellets they made were put into a coffee grinder and ground back to pollen powder. This was a great day of about 62 degrees and he 1st great day we had after some real cold for the past months. The powdered (real) pollen was poured into a container and put on top of a hive not in use. If you ever do this you need a container with high sides as the bees wings like to blow the pollen out of a shallow container. Loss of a lot of pollen.

It was not 20 seconds before the bees came over to see what was going on. In all my years beekeeping, this is the first time I had done this and it was a trip. The bees loved it. They would dive in the pollen, roll around, jump up and down. It was really funny. I did not have my veil on and they could care less of who I was. Look at this YouTube video I uploaded and you tell me if you think they had a good time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlk34_pAZUk

New Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association Logo

2011-01-05T10:12:00.000-08:00

A different way to remove Propolis from AJ Beetle Eaters - Ultrasonic Cleaner

2010-11-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

After getting most of the Propolis off by manual scraping here is what goes into the Ultrasonic Cleaner

The Ultrasonic Cleaner

Start of the cleaning process about 30 seconds

Time after about 5 minutes

After about 22 minutes

After about 30 minutes. Notice how clean. AJ Beetle Eaters are almost good as new.

AJ Beetle Eaters work great in my hives capturing and killing Small Hive Beetles but the propolis is really touch to get off. Many methods have been tried to remove the porpolis. This included soaking them over night is Dawn Dish Washing Liquid (does not work), freezing them and scraping (thaws out to quick - takes forever), and cleaning and scraping while sitting on the couch watching TV. What a mess. I have always wanted an Ultrasonic Cleaner. The propolis project gave me the excuse I needed to purchase one. Ultrasonic cleaners can be used for many things. I have used the cleaner two times on two different batches of AJs with propolis and have been satisfied with the results. Is it a 100 percent perfect? No.... 96 percent. Cleaning time is 30 minutes.

Ultrasonic Cleaners are really unique machines. When an electrical generator emits a high frequency signal, the transducer offsets rarefaction and compression waves in the liquid. With this rarefaction cycle, the liquid is torn apart. Consequently a vacuum cavity is created in the liquid. The cavities fluctuate in size, but when the cavity reaches a certain size, it cannot retain its shape. When this happens, the cavity collapses, creating an extremely high temperature of 5,000 degrees Celsius (9,032 degrees Fahrenheit), and a jet of plasma hits the object in the container. Millions of these bubbles are created and collapsed every second. These bubbles are what clean the object in the tank. The jet of plasma that hits the object causes the dirt to come off, and can be increased by adding a cleaning agent to the tank. The Chemical uses in the water inside the Ultrasonic Cleaner is organic and bio-degradable.

The pictures show the results of the cleaner.

Bees on some Propolis I removed from the hive

2010-10-13T05:59:00.000-07:00

When cleaning up the hive I ended up with a ball of Propolis. This was put on the hive front porch and immediately a couple of bees went to work on it. Interesting how they work it.

AJ Beetle Eaters versus the Beetle Jail Jr.

2010-10-09T13:04:00.000-07:00

BeetleJail Jr and AJ Beetle Eaters in hive. AJ captured
58 beetles and BeetleJail Jr. only 3.

AJ Beetle Eaters and BeetleJail Removed. Note propolis
over BeetleJail openings

AJ Beetle Eater installed between frame.

Propolis over openings. How can the beetle get in?

A closer look at the BeetleJail Jr. Humm..No beetles!

I went to the Georgia Beekeepers Fall Meeting in Pine Mountain, Georgia (Callaway Gardens) in September. If you have never been to a GBA meeting make plans to go. You will have a grand time. We (George Andl and I rode down together) hooked up with Steve Altom at the meeting and ran into one of the vendors that had new stuff with the name of BeetleJail. I purchased several items including the BeetleJail, BeetleJail Jr., hive bottom board BeetleJail. All of these products are designed to kill the Small Hive beetle. Google on BeetleJail for a look at interesting engineering in catching the hive beetle before it enters the hive.

Something new, especially a gadget, is always interesting. The new BeetleJail Jr. which competes with AJ Beetle Eaters were installed on the other side of each hive. The AJ Beetle Eaters have served me very well and I am thoroughly satisfied with them. A real pain to clean the propolis out though.

Hive beetles are a little heavy now so for a test I put in two BeetleJail Jr. and two AJ Beetles eaters in all three hives in the top medium. Numerical results are shown below. The BeetleJail Jr. and AJ Beetles eaters were put in fresh for a two weeks period. Here are the disappointing results of the BeetleJail Jr.

...........................................Number of Beetles Killed

Hive .................................#1 .............#2............... #3

AJ Beetle Eaters (2)....... 27.............. 14............... 17

Beetle Jail (2).................... 3................0..................0

I was totally shocked in the results (58 beetles in AJs and only 3 in the Beetle Jail Jr.) between the two products. The position of the Beetle Hive Traps were mixed up between the three hives so I know location in the hive is not a factor. For what ever reason, the beetles in my bee yard prefer the Australia AJ Beetle Eaters to the American Engineered, made in China Beetle Jail Jr. traps.

The temperature dropped, Pollen coming in

2010-10-09T12:38:00.000-07:00

First part of October the temperature dropped. We had days where the low were in the 5os. Goldenrod and whatever else sure has fired the bees up. They are bringing in pollen by the hand fulls.

Mites in September 2010

2010-09-14T16:56:00.000-07:00

I have three working hives this year instead of four. I had to combine one hive with out a queen into the other three hives in early spring. This has worked out quite well as three hives are more manageable. One of the three hives hit mite threshold and had to be treated. Numerous mites counts are made all year long. I predominately use Dr. James Amrine and Bob Noel formic acid treatment when needed. This is a 24 hour treatment. http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/varroa/FormicAcidppt.pdf
http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/varroa/2010/PaperPads-Oct09.pdf

Mites are the most serious problem in the hive that I have experienced, in my opinion. They can creep up beyond threshold at an alarming rate and devastate a hive. This is a must see video http://www.wncbees.org/pests/VarroaVideo.cfm The best I have seen. See the whole video on the link.

Picture from Calvin Robinson video - Varroa Mites

Wallace Honey un-Crystallizing Light with Thermostat

2010-06-06T13:21:00.000-07:00

Electric Water Heater Thermostat - Home Depot

Shop Light, cord, thermostat all hooked up

Light set up inside of Ice Chest

Light set up inside of Chest with crystallized

Honey

The next morning, no crystallized honey. Look

how pretty.

While listening to Jerry Wallace talk about how he uses a light bulb with a thermostat to un-Crystallized Honey, I was immediately interested and wanted to try it. The method I used was the water double boiler which required you to watch things and it was a real pain. Jerry's method uses a 60 watt light bulb, big Ice Chest, and a thermostat. This worked so well I named it the "Wallace Honey un-Crystallizing Light". All you need is a nice size Ice Chest $20 if you don't already have one, a shop light $9.95, and an electric water heater thermostat which I parched from Home Depot for $8.57 ( No. 8125 Water Heater Thermostat Model # 15417 Store SKU # 258417). The thermostat is preset at 120 degrees which is perfect. The light heats up the inside of the Ice Chest, the thermostat controls the temperature, the crystallized honey warms up, and over night - magic - un crystallized honey. I have to go hang around with Jerry some more to pick up another trick. You will not believe how well this works.

Jerry emailed me and had some additional information to share.

John,

I can actually put a couple of shallow supers in mine or a 5 gallon bucket...I love it. It will lower the moisture of the honey also. I think it would make honey drops if I had the right type container as a few spills I had turned as hard as peppermint candy. I also use mine to make my own yogurt as it keeps a consistent temperature. I use a nylon mesh for honey cappings to strain and convert it to a thick Greek Yogurt. It works great...my wife loves the yogurt! Thanks for the free press.

Jerry

Rain pounding the bees solution

2010-04-28T17:51:00.000-07:00

The other day when it rained I saw the bees on the landing board getting really soaked. Some the next morning even look like they may have drowned as it was a little on the cool side. Here is my solution which works great. The rain can not hammer the entrance board and the bees can hang out around the entrance and not get wet. In my opinion, the hive entrance board should have an angle slant to not allow water to stand when it rains. Hey...another project.

I combined my queenless hive using the Newspaper Method

2010-04-28T17:26:00.001-07:00

Note the newspaper between the two boxes.

Chewed up paper by the bees. This was found
below the screen bottom board on the inserted
debris board.

After several attempts of getting a queen less hive that had laying workers to make their own queen by giving them eggs and larvae from other hives, I gave up. Buster from Buster Bees - Jonesboro, Georgia told me to put newspaper over an existing hive and take one of the deeps from the queen less hive put on that hive. He told me to do the same thing with the 2nd deep and put it on another hive using the newspaper combining method. It worked like a champ. The combined hives are united and everything is back to normal. See the newspaper the bees chewed up and kicked out of the hive. Michael Bush said the method of adding eggs and larvae from other hives sometime worked. I tried it with no success over several seeks. This combining method was effortless.

Outside Temperature versus Hive Entrance Temperature

2010-04-28T17:17:00.000-07:00

Temperature outside 3-14-2010

Temperature inside at the entrance 3-14-2010

It is March 14, 2010, and the outside temperature is 48 degrees F. At the entrance of the hive as measured by the Fluke IR probe is 82. Interesting isn't it.

Honey Bee Georgia's state insect

2010-04-10T16:22:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the Honey Bee was Georgia's state insect? Yep. See the link below and learn a few things about Georgia.

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/georgia/

UGA researchers abuzz over rapid honeybee decline

2010-03-30T17:03:00.000-07:00

What do honeybees and hamburgers have to do with each other? A lot, actually. Go to Ted’s Montana Grill, McDonald’s or Flip Burger Boutique and give one of those burgers a good, long look. If there was no honeybee pollination, there would be no hay, clover and other forage for the cows that give you the beef. There would be no dairy products for the cheese. There would be no tomatoes, no ketchup, no lettuce. “And so the only thing you’re left with is the bun,” said Keith Delaplane, an entomologist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. There’s a list of reasons why the population is dying, Delaplane said. Some of it is the environment, but pesticides, parasites and viruses are the chief culprits.

“It’s very easy to import pathogens and parasites, and that’s been a big problem with honeybees." While the numbers have been steadily falling since the 1940s, the population -- 2.4 million beehives in the United States -- has been dropping 30 percent a year for the past three years.

A visit to Mountain Man Steve in Cedartown, Georgia

2010-03-07T13:15:00.000-08:00

How you pull up the hill. Notice the old

hive location. Click on any picture for a larger view.

Hives after we moved them to the new platform. What a view!

A view of the hives from afar.

Steve's blog link...

http://stevesapiary.blogspot.com/

I was invited to help move 4 hives on the side on a mountain onto a platform Steve built. Steve worked hard hauling all of the lumber up the hill and it is impressive at how great it turned out. Pictures like this have to be shown. If anyone has a hill and is thinking about putting bees on them, it can be done. Steve is a Certified Beekeeper in the State of Georgia, a member of the Cherokee Beekeepers Association and the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association. For fun he works for AT&T in information technologies. Steve's new name is Mountain Man Steve - Beekeeper. Especially after using the rope to pull yourself up onto the mountain from the road.

New Bottom Board Design

2010-02-28T11:32:00.000-08:00

Original Concept by Joseph Stafford - March 2010
American Bee Journal

Entrance slants up. Water cannot run into the
hive. There is no ledge for the mites to fall and
crawl back into the hive. They pass on through
the screen bottom.

A nice wide gap between the screen bottom and
the insert board.

Alternate view. Click on any picture to make

it bigger.

Complete setup up including the bottom board.

Rear view where the insert board is managed.

View of entrance hole and note no ledge for the

mites to collect.

At the bee yard.

Interesting ... Yes?

Ready for my early spring split.

In the March 2010 American Bee Journal Magazine, a very innovative bottom board design by Joseph Stafford from Cos Cob, Ct. was shown to the beekeepers. The more you looked at it the more you liked it. I went to work and in a few hours had my version done. Joseph Staffords concept is quite unique and extremely simple. What I like about it is that there is no ledge in the screen area where mites can land and get back into the hive. The entrance hole has a slant upward to not allow water to puddle at the entrance. The bees will have more control of the entrance due to the size of the opening. I will use the bottom board this bee season and give some feedback as the season goes on. Thank you Joseph Stafford....very creative.

2-28-2010, Tempature about 49 degrees Sunny

2010-02-28T11:19:00.000-08:00

Charlotte talked me into using river rock for
my watering station for the bees. A natural
approach to bees getting water. Click on any
picture to make it bigger.

The inverted 5 gallon water jug keeps the water
level just right for the bees. They think they are
at a creek bed.

The bee yard was very alive today. I was surprised as how many bees were at the watering station and just out and about. Several bees landed on me for a few seconds and then went on their way.

Small Hive Beetle Question Answered

2010-02-26T16:46:00.000-08:00

Cindy Bee told Cassandra Lawson that the Decatur High School Community Garden compost pile may be contributing to the higher Small Hive Beetle problems Cassandra was experiencing in the garden CSX Hive (a swarm captured at the CSX railroad yard). I said hummm... as I had never read that. While at a group meeting at the San Francisco Coffee House, Jerry Wallace was hit with the question after telling him about Cindy telling Cassandra about the compost pile. He was like me....hummmm..... So I emailed Jennifer Berry with the question. See the response. Very interesting.

Re: Small hive beetles in compost piles

Jennifer,

We have a hive at a community garden. Someone said the compost pile will attract hive beetles and that will cause a heavy hive beetle population in our hive. I have never heard that before. What do you know?

Thanks for the feedback!!!

John Jones
Stone Mountain, Ga.
404 319 6279 cell phone

Hey John,

Have also heard this about compost bins but nothing in the research. However, I have a yard were there is a large community garden and compost pile, and my beetle load is much higher in that yard than others, but haven't done any hard data collecting to see if in fact they are reproducing in the compost. Just get your beetle eaters or beetle buster traps in early (near the cluster now and then later when it becomes warmer in the upper corners of the supers or where you are seeing the most beetles). Plus, colonies in full shade have more beetle issues than ones more in the sun.

Take care
Jennifer

Jennifer Berry
Research Professional III
UGA Honey Bee Lab
1221 Hog Mountain Rd.
Watkinsville, Ga 30677
706-769-1736
www.ent.uga.edu/bees

From: John Jones
To: Jerry Wallace
Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 7:34 PM
Subject: Fw: Small hive beetles in compost piles

Jerry,

Good group meeting the other night. Remember we talked about hive beetles and compost piles. Cindy Bee had told Cassandra Lawson that compost piles attract hive beetles. I had not heard that and emailed Jennifer Berry. See her reply. INTERESTING........

Later,

John

Jerry's Comments

John,

If they are putting melons/fruit/vegetables or household stuff in the compost pile, I think it possible that beetles might be more of a problem. PN Williams says they reproduce over at the Farmer's Market in the trash dumpsters and he finds it almost impossible to keep bees at his home location. I have also heard that in the South GA counties that produce cantaloupes and watermelon that the beetles will quickly overrun a hive (I think Jennifer Berry or Keith Fielder reported this at a meeting several years ago). I compost all my leaves, plant litter, and small fallen sticks 2-3 feet deep at times within 20 feet of my hives and I have never seen increased beetle populations more than elsewhere. I do not put any household materials in the compost. I can say from personal experience that when I process/melt wax outside in the summer hive beetles land frequently on me, especially if near dusk. I do not believe they are coming from my hives which are only 30-40 yards away. I've read that the beetles can smell a hive from 7-8 miles away. I actually don't view beetles as that much of a pest except in the Sep-mid Nov time frame when they generally seem to have a higher population. I tend to believe most hives that get slimmed were going to die anyway due to disease or loss of queen.

Jerry

Jerry Wallace is a long time beekeeper with 25 plus hives and is the current president of the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association. He is always fun to talk to.

?? Future Beekeeper ??

2010-01-03T14:26:00.000-08:00

Future Beekeepers??? visit the Bee Yard. Jim
and his daughter Alex.

With a little Sugar Syrup on Alex's Finger, I got
Judy to jump on.

The intensity of Curiosity is in Alex's face.

Perhaps a future Entomologist??

We have some friends of Charlotte's, Jim and his daughter Alex. Both are interested in beekeeping. They wanted to come by the bee yard and take a look. Jim is considering putting a hive at Alex's grandparents house this next season. This was their first closeness to the bees. Alex could be a future Entomologist with her fascination of the bees.

January 3, 2010 ...It is cold outside

2010-01-03T11:16:00.000-08:00

Outside Temperature 18 degrees F.

Measurement taken under the insulation

41 degrees F. inside the dead air space above
the top inner board.

It is really cold outside for us here in Stone Mountain January 3, 2010. It was about 18 F. degrees early AM. I used a Fluke 62 Mini IR Thermometer to measure the outside surface of the wood the hives were setting one. The Fluke uses in infared beam to measure temperatures in commercial and industrial applications and has an excellent accuracy standards (1.5%). So at 50 degrees the accuracy is within .75 degree. The top of the hive was removed and the insulating batt was pulled up in the dead air space above the inner cover. The Fluke measured 41 degrees F. The bees were moving around when I peeked under the batt of insulation down into the opening of the inner cover. The insulation batt along with the Bee Cozy (NOD Apiary - Canada) on the outside of the hive makes it possible for the bees to manage the hive in colder temperatures as it retain more heat generated by the cluster. The bees can move around to get to stores even if it is 18 degrees F. outside.

Winter 2009

2009-12-20T13:19:00.001-08:00

The Bee Yard 12-20-2009 39 degrees 4:25 PM

Extended top keeps water off Bee Cozy at top

3" batt insulation in an air chamber medium

In the air Chamber medium I feed Sugar Syrup.

Sometime the bees take it and sometimes they

do not.

This is the insulation from Lowes

A picture of the extended cover and how it fits

over then existing hive telescoping top.

Softwood has a R value of 1.41 per inch of wood. Not much insulation. The typical insulation batt in a house wall is R 11. The Bee Cozy approaches R 11 and significantly enhances the 3/4 inch pine boards R value used in the hive.

The Bee Cozys are on the hives, everybody is buttoned down for the winter. Here are a few pictures of what is going on 12-20-2009. The temperature is 39 degrees at 4:25 PM. While in the bee yard, there was a drone who came out for a poop. The Bee Cozys are a product of Nod Apiaries of Canada the Mite Away II people. They have a YouTube post which you can view http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qAnnRe96-s This is my 3rd year using them and I am a believer.

Drone

2009-10-04T17:09:00.000-07:00

Drone - click on picture.

Click on Picture for a larger view.

I saw this Drone bee on one of the hives and happen to have my camera out. This is probably the first time I have been able to shoot a Drone by himself. - Click on the picture for a larger view.

Mites - Mite Away II

2009-10-04T16:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Bees now - dead mites.

Theses bees would have never made it through
winter without treatment. - Click on picture.

This hive started with a few frames from an existing hive and a new queen from Purvis Brothers 2009 spring. She did a greet job The bees are full in two deeps in October and I even got about 6 frames of honey. Replacing my queens without a reason is something I leave up to nature unless there is a problem. Mite counts are very important. The mites are the single biggest problem of the honey bee. Their numbers can come up really quick and if you are not paying attention you are in trouble. The count on this hive hit 35-45 mites in a 24 hour period and Mite Away II treatment was started getting the bees ready for winter. This treatment saved this hive as it would have been killed out over the winter. This is a picture of the bottom board after 4 days on the 21 day Mite Away II treatment. This is my 3rd year using Mite Away II and I am super satisfied. You get the added bonus of killing tracheal mites with the Mite Away II.

Bee Hive Water Deflector

2009-08-31T18:13:00.000-07:00

Components consist of Plastic Sign Board and
a metal rod (cut coat hanger).

Score the Sign Board by cutting along a rib to make
a 1.5 inch lip. Insert the lip between the hive and lid.
The metal rods lets you adjust the pitch.

Click on this picture to enlarge it!

Every feel sorry for the bees when it is raining and the water hits them on the landing board. I have been working on a water deflector that will give them some shielding from the rain. Of course if it is really raining hard hardly nothing helps. I am going to call this a Bee Water Deflector aka Beehive Water Deflector. It really does work.

Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association

2009-08-16T09:56:00.000-07:00

Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association Bee and Flower.
This picture has a long history of association with the organization.

Lands End Logo Number 0953038
Sewn out embroidery on white cloth by Lands End
scanned on a scanner and imported into the computer.

Finished shirts from Lands End

Close up ot the actual logo on a nice dress shirt.

I have been a member of the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association for over 2 years. The group unfortunately does not have any type of Association type of tee shirt, hat, dress shirt, casual shirt etc. that members can order to show ones beekeeping interest. The Metro leaders suggested that I make a proposal to the board for their consideration. I was told that even though the Metro Beekeepers did not have a "LOGO", that the "bee on the flower picture" on the web page http://www.metroatlantabeekeepers.org/ has a long history with the association.

Numerous contacts with Lands End Business Outfitters and their graphic design department resulted in a embroidery "bee on the flower" type logo that complements the "bee on the flower picture" and preserves the history of this picture with the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association. The embroidered "bee on the flower" design gives interested beekeepers the ability to have something to put on wears showing their beekeeing interest and at the same time promote the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association.

Lands End Business Outfitters can put this logo (logo number 0953038) on almost anything Lands End sells. This includes clothing, tote bags, book bags, etc. A special web page just for Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association was set up by Lands End Business Outfitters where anyone can place their own order. They often have promotions and sometimes do not charge for the logo embroidery when you purchase items from them as part of a promotion. The Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Store link (URL) is http://ces.landsend.com/metro_atlanta_beekeepers_assoc This link is typed: ces.landsend.com/metro_atlanta_beekeepers_assoc . If you get lost on the web page or need help call them toll free.

Robert Noel Mite Treatment Wins Again

2009-08-09T12:06:00.000-07:00

Robert Noel's Fume Board Design. Note space

bees can go up into upper boxes and fume pad where

50 percent Formic Acid and Honey Bee Healthy

is poured.

50 Percent formit acid mixed with Honey B Healthy

is poured on fume pad. Note bees could care less.

Top of Fume Board on hive. Place medium super

on top.

602 mites dropped after 24 hours. 85 ml of formic acid.

August 8, 2009 I started another mite treatment after reaching a 50 mite threashold in on of my hives using the Robert Noel and Dr. James Amrine's method of mite treatment with 50 percent formic acid and Honey B Healthy. Their suggested treatment period is only 24 hours. Last year I did not act quickly enough on mite threashold and one of my hives got into trouble. So when I hit 50 now after a couple of count days I treat. See their Links: http://www.reeis.usda.gov/web/crisprojectpages/99156.html

http://wvutoday.wvu.edu/n/2007/2/12/5348

I had 602 mites on the bottom board insert and I use 8 frame hives.

UPDATE July 26, 2009 Temperature Check after Garden Sun Screen Being Installed

2009-07-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

The Garden Sun Screen was installed at the Bee Yard Watering Station July 25, 2009 in hopes that shading the watering station would reduce the temperature of the water. This was successful as you can see by the temperature measurements.

July 26, 2009 Sunny outside temperature 91 degrees F. (6 degrees higher than yesterday)

Pressure treated table top 111 degrees F. (20 degree drop)
Brown Water Tray 105 degrees F. (32 degree drop)
Water with rocks 88 degrees F. (12 degree drop)
Koosie cover 103 degrees F. (7 degree drop)
Water jug below the water level 88 degrees F. (increase 4 degrees)
Water jug above water level 93 degrees F. (4 degree drop)

Temperature Check on a July day in full sun

2009-07-25T18:02:00.000-07:00

Decatur High School Community Garden Bee Hive

The outside temperature on this sunny day July 25, 2009 at 1:30 PM was 85 degrees F.
ALL TEMPERATURES ARE SURFACE MEASUREMENTS

Hive top was 89 degrees F.
Top medium wood tone 113 degrees F.
Medium super grey color 120 degrees F.
Deep on bottom wood tone 113 degrees F.
Landing board wood tone 110 degrees F.

Notice the difference in temperature of the wood tone and the grey color!

Bee Yard Watering Station

The outside temperature on this sunny day at 1:30 PM was 85 degrees F.
ALL TEMPERATURES ARE SURFACE MEASUREMENTS

Pressure treated table top 131 degrees F,
Brown water tray 137 degrees F.
Water with rocks 100 degrees F.
Koosie cover over water bottle 110 degrees F.
Water jug below water (koosie removed) level 84 degrees F.
Water Jug above water (koosie removed) level 97 degrees F.

Bee Yard Watering Station after the addition of garden shade screen

I went to the hardware store and purchased garden shade screen like goes in green houses or over an outdoor space to defuse the suns rays. This should shield the watering station from sitting in the sun baking significantly reducing the surface temperatures.

The temperatures for this interesting project was taken with a FLUKE 62 IR Thermometer which is accurate within 1 degree

Decatur High School Community Garden Bee Yard

2009-07-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

Bee hive in the Garden way in the back.

Cassandra, Bee Yard Director and me the assistant

Watering station in the bachground

July 22, 2009, Cassandra and I moved a split hive of hers to the Decatur High School Community Garden. We banded together to establish a bee yard at the garden to help the garden and to meet one of our Public Service requirements for the Journeyman Certification in Beekeeping from the University of Georgia. We both are working on our Masters. Two queens were to arrive July 23, however, one of them did not make it. This caused a re-think by Cassandra of what she wanted to do. The split hive had mean bees. Her plan was to split it, requeen and end up with better acting bees. The loss of one of the queens changed her plan. She return the split hive back to her house and brought another nice bees hive back to the garden. She took the mean bees and recombined them with the original split hive and put the new queen in that hive. The Decatur High School Bee Yard is quite nice and we have a happy bee yard. Cassandra is the Director of the Bee Yard and I am the assistant.

Mite treatment - Robert Noel Formic Acid method

2009-07-12T16:49:00.000-07:00

Click on picture for a larger view

Click on picture for a larger view. 113 dead mites
were on first row. 85 ml of formic acid was used
on two 8 frame deeps.

I did a mite count Friday July 10 and have hit the mite threashold of 60 mites (UGA Bee Lab) in a 24 hour period. I used the Robert Noel Formic Acid treatment (24 hours). I had 113 dead mites on one row. I did not count the whole board but estimated well over 1200 mites. The formic acid and Honey B Healthy solution is put on a paper pad on top of the two deeps. I would say this was very successful.

Robert Noel instructions by email (9-2-2009):
60-65 ml of the 50% formic acid with HBH added for a 10 frame full deep
80-85 ml for a full deep and an medium or shallow (1 1/2 story) 95 ml for two 10 frame deeps

For two 8 frame deeps start with 75 ml and see how the mite kill is and if there is any damage to the brood or bees. If the bees rush out of the colony you are using to much. remember to adjust the dosage as needed and it is better to start low and then to increase the dosage.

http://honeybhealthy.com/
http://rnoel50megs.com/

The 75ml dosage showed no damage to the brood or bees. Mite kill was adequate (9-4-2009).

Watering Station setup for the bees.

2009-07-05T15:34:00.001-07:00

I like to provide the bees with fresh water. For the first few years I filled the watering pan filled with river rock on a daily basis. This worked OK until I went on vacation. Last year I got my bee friend to come over while on vacation and add water and check on the bees. I came up with this setup using a 5 gallon water bottle from Home Depot and this saved the day. I still get fresh water but do not have to add it every day. This setup works just like the dog watering stations or the watering cooler at work. I change the water once a week.

Bees from a 2 pound package in a NUC ready for 8 frame

2009-06-20T18:34:00.000-07:00

A visit to the yard June 20, 2009. The temperature was a high of 97 today. This hive was started with a 2 pound package this spring. Tomorrow they will be moved to 8 frame boxes. Happy Bees!!

NUC swarm box

2009-06-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

Swarm Box

Swarm Box with NUC

A look inside NUC with Swarm Box

After Catching swarm put on inner cover

Put on telescoping cover - add strap to move

When home remove cover add syrup

Add NUC over Syrup and cover till next day

Move to hive location with a bottom board

Pick up NUC - place on Bottom Board -finished

Want a practical swarm box? This is very easy to build, easy to set up, easy to haul, easy to store. When you get a swarm the bees will jump on the frames with foundation in the NUC. When you move the whole NUC you do not disturb the bees as in a traditional swarm box. Click on the picture for a larger view.

Appointed by the City of Stone Mountain as expert contact on Bee Issues

2009-06-05T18:37:00.000-07:00

On June 2, 2009, I was honored by the City of Stone Mountain by being appointed the City Expert Contact for bee related questions or issues. This appointment allows me a contact platform to assist residents if needed for anything bee related. Whether they be swarm questions, educational presentations, swarm removals, etc. I help. This appointment also meets one of the Public Service requirements needed for the Master Beekeeping Certification by the University of Georgia Beekeeping Program. http://www.ent.uga.edu/Bees/master_beekeeper.htm

Two Purvis Brothers Queens for two new splits

2009-05-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

I was pleasantly surprised when my two Queens from Purvis Brothers arrived UPS overnight. I was shocked at how they were shipped but after looking at the packaging felt much better. Check out the photos. I did two splits and the two queens were put one each into each split. Pruvis Brothers (Rose) is an excellent communicator. She kept me informed and answered all of my questions. Purvis Brothers keep their queens for at least 21 days to make sure they are OK. The two splits seem to be doing quite well after 1 week. Rose wanted me to leave the splits queenless for 24 hours before introducing the new queens. They were releases when I checked them in 4 days by the bees.

Using an Uncaping Fork, Extracting Honey, Maxant 3100P Extractor

2009-05-09T18:22:00.000-07:00

See how an Uncaping Fork works, Uncaping Tank looks, and a Manant 3100P Extractor works. These are also on YouTube.

Items you need to hive a swarm

2009-04-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

My Bee Buddy Cassandra is determined to catch a swarm. http://cassandrasbees.blogspot.com/ Cindy Bee sent this list to Cassandra and Cassandra sent this to me. I thought I would post it for furure reference. I think it would be fun to catch a swarm

Items you should have to work a swarm

*A regular hive body with screened bottom board, inner cover and top cover.
*Ratchet strap for hauling (do NOT use bungie cords, they slip)
*spray bottle for sugar water
*scoop - milk carton works well and you can cut it so it has a handle
*white sheet or pillow case - don't use a nappie towel
*piece of cut foam (such as comes from a cushion) to block the entrance way
*clippers (be sure to ask before cutting anyone's shrubs or tree limbs)
*cardboard box (in case you can't handle a full hive body set up) with brood chamber-sized foundation and frames - a box that computer paper comes in works well. Cut an upside down horse shoe-shaped hole where the side meets the bottom and let this flap be the ramp they can march into.
*lemmon pledge as an option - place a small dab on your finger and run it along the inside of the box just above the flap you've made.
*a bee brush
*of course, your veil
Note: don't smoke a swarm. It won't do much except upset them and cause them to fly around. Just scoop or shake them into the box and place the sheet at the entranceway so they can march in. The first several scoops should go into the box with the lid off. Then replace the lid and let the rest march in after you've shown them the entrance way. For a while they'll want to keep collecting at the old site where they last smelled the queen. Be patient and keep gathering them and releasing at the entranceway. Wait about 35-40 min. or longer if you have the time so as many as possible will go in. You'll never get them all unless you leave the box and retrieve it after dark.
Ratchet your hive together tightly, block the entranceway with the foam and let the homeowners know what to expect ( a small fist-size returning clump that will hang for a few days or return to the parent hive). If the homeowner asks if it costs anything you might ask for gas money or a contribution to the Metro At. Beekeepers' Assoc. (We are a 501c3 organization so their contribution is tax deductible).

Relcaiming Bees Wax into a block

2009-04-12T16:52:00.000-07:00

I melted my very first batch of comb, bur comb, old frame comb, etc. today into a nice block of wax. A paper towel was used as a filter for the wax and it came out perfect. Solar Wax Melter are to slow. The toaster oven has a warm setting of 165 degrees and the oven worked perfectly. The stuff that was left behind in the paper towel was disgusting. This reclaimed batch of wax smelt more like pollen than what I call the traditional wax smell. A fair amount of the comb melted came from frames taken out of the hives that had pollen in them.

April 12, 2009 Happy Easter - The bees are out

2009-04-12T16:30:00.000-07:00

The bees were at it today Easter 2009. I was noticing how many Drones were leaving each of the hives about 11:00 AM and how many drones were coming back about 4:30 PM. Wonder where the guys went and what they were up to. I am still looking for a Done Congregation.

Drones fly out from their colonies every afternoon (season and weather permitting) in a search for virgin queens. Studies from other parts of the world and the United States conducted in the 1960's-1970's discovered that drones congregate in specific aerial locations day after day and year after year. These DCA's are of various sizes but often about 400 feet in diameter and, in these areas, they will fly higher (up to 200 feet) than the 40-65 feet elevation they fly as they leave the apiary or fly between DCA's.

Maxant 3100P Extractor

2009-04-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

The Maxant 3100P Extractor arrived in two days directly from Maxant. They were easy to do business with, answered all of my questions - a good move on my part. My first experience with extracting was done with a manual extractor which worked great. However, I have no help, so I have to do EVERYTHING myself including the extracting. From a production stand point having a powered extractor will really speed extracting along. I took a short video to show the 3100P and put it on YouTube for people to look at. Hey, it is made in the USA and has a very high quality Parvalux motor and gearbox made in the UK http://www.parvalux.co.uk/uk/index.php The manual extractor is from Italy and is a very nice extractor. However, you can see the commercial quality in the Maxant that does not exist in the Itilian manual extractor. The 3100P is a 6 frame medium or shallow or 3 deep extractor.

One medium 10 frame super equals how much honey

2009-04-03T13:25:00.000-07:00

I always wanted to know about how much honey you get from one medium super with 10 frames. Well I was fortunate enough to get two supers extracted and bottled up and got 32 1/2 pints or 16 1/4 quarts or 4 gallons of honey. So a accurate measurement for one medium super with 10 frames is about 2 gallons of honey.

Solar Wax Melter - the easy way

2009-03-26T16:54:00.000-07:00

Click on picture for a larger view.

This is probably the best, most inexpensive, best working, easiest Solar Wax Melter I have seen. What is really great about this setup is that the wax as it melts filters through a paper towel versus a piece of cheese cloth or a nylon stocking. The paper towel is a much better filter. And as you all know, wax naturally melted is yellowish. Solar wax gets bleached out by the sun and is more white.

Swarm Lure

2009-03-26T09:33:00.000-07:00

I have never used Swarm (Lure) Catch. I purchased some from Walter T. Kelley. Here is some info and a link to the manufacturer. High tech company, not just a back room mixer up of chemicals. Do not open the Swarm Catch. It is placed in the hive as is shown in the picture. See full instructions in Link below.

Swarm Catch With Nasonov

Swarming is a major problem for bee keepers. Use Swarm Catch, the honey bee orientation pheromone, to reduce loss of bees and honey due to swarming. Will catch Africanized bees too. Place lure in super of empty comb or swarm catch box. What is Nasonov? Nasonov pheromone is released by worker bees to orient returning forager bees back to the colony. To broadcast this scent, bees raise their abdomens, which contain the Nasonov glands, and fan their wings vigorously.Synthetically produced Nasonov will attract swarms to unoccupied hive equipment or a swarm catching box.

From: JOHN JONES [mailto:jdjones@bellsouth.net]
Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 5:04 PM
To: JP Lafontaine
Subject: Swarm Catch
Mr. JP,
I purchased Swarm Catch from Walter T. Kelley. They were sealed in an envelope so I put them on a shelf for future use. Finally opening one of the packages, I noticed it said to freeze the Swarm Catch until ready to use. It has been about six months since purchase from Walter T. Kelley. Should I discard these and purchase more??
John

Dear Mr Jones
If the Swarm Catch tubes were left in the sealed, clear plastic package that they were shipped in then they should be fine for use. We recommend freezer storage for long term but the pheromones are quite stable and will not degrade readily at room temperature. You should be able to see a liquid inside the sealed tubes. When new the liquid will fill approx 1/3 of the tube and these devices will be active until all the liquid evaporates. Do not open the tubes, the pheromone will permeate through the walls of the tube and release to the atmosphere once they are removed from the shipping package. I hope this helps you, please do not hesitate to contact me if you need any other information.
JP Lafontaine
Senior Chemist
Contech Enterprises Inc

http://www.pherotech.com/
Go through their web page and you can download detailed info about Swarm Catch.

http://www.pherotech.com/sites/pherotech/files/ProductInstructionSheets/Bee/Swarm-Catch-with-Nasanov-B202.pdf This is a link to the instructions.

Winterig Bees - October to March

2009-03-19T07:02:00.000-07:00

Click on the Graft for a larger view:

Although not perfect, this graft shows some interesting things about a hive of bees during the winter months. If we assume that a colony of bees begins the winter season with a population of approximately 40,000 bees then by mid-February to March the colony population will have dropped to 1/4 of what it was in the fall. In other words, the colony of 40,000 will drop to approximately 10,000 bees or just about three pounds of bees by March. However, by January the hive (colony) should be raising more brood to replace dying bees. Notice that the amount of brood increases rapidly and that the population curve follows it but is delayed somewhat. Remember it takes 21 days from the time an eggs is laid before an adult worker bee emerges from her cell. Also in the above chart, I have tried to show what happens to the supply of honey in the hive. With 90 lbs. of surplus honey, the bees will consume it on a gradual basis until brood is being raised and then the honey stores are exhausted rapidly. In the case of the hive with just 40 lbs. of honey surplus, the honey would be exhausted by sometime in February or March before nectar and pollen sources would be available to the hive and thus result in the death of the hive if it were not supplied with feed. Also notice the gap in the red lines. This is the period of time in the hive cycle that no brood is being raised and represents the coldest and longest night period of the year. In areas of the South, the gap in the red line is much shorter and may disappear altogether. Anytime the honey supply gets below the solid black line (about 10 lbs. of honey) the hive is in danger of starvation. A hive may have honey but the bees may not be able to reach it in very cold weather and this usually happens after brood rearing has started. Bees are reluctant to abandon the brood and move the cluster to the honey stores.

is common to find dead bees in the snow in front of a hive of live bees. As noted in the chart, 3/4 of the bees in the hive that start winter will die by March.

How much does a hive eat a day?? Don't Know!

2009-03-14T17:01:00.000-07:00

This email was sent to Michael Bush in hopes of getting information:

Michael,
Please give me your best guess. How much do you think an average hive would eat in a 24 hour period assuming they could not store any sugar syrup? What I am attempting to do is to guess at how much sugar syrup to give them when there is no flow. Last year I fed to much sugar syrup and had lots of sugar syrup honey. I want to try and manage that this year and get more real honey.
Thanks, John Jones

John,
The amount they go through when rearing brood and the amount they gothrough when they are not is different by at least 10 fold or more. I'd say there is no way to predict how much they would eat in 24 hoursunless you knew exactly how much brood they have and how many bees theyhave and could calculate based on that. Even then I don't know what thecalculation would be exactly. If it helps, a frame of honey will feed nine frames of open brood for aday, not counting feeding the rest of the bees.
Michael

Mite Treatment after winter March 7, 2009

2009-03-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

There are three hives in the Stone Mountain Bee Yard and three hives seem like they are coming out of winter OK. I did a mite count February 28, 2009 using a bottom board insert. In Georgia the University of Georgia mite threashold is 60 mites. One hive was OK and two needed attention. As the bee population increased after winter and with increases in brood the mite count was coming up quickly. A powdered sugar dusting of all three hives was done. A few day later the mite count did not move downward. The two hives were still at or above the 60 threashhold. I was going to do another Powdered Sugar dusting on March 7, 2009 (one week later) but after the count that day of 9 mites, 50 mites, 72 mites, respectively in the three hives, the decision was made to get this threashold under control quickly so I started a Mite Away II treatment. There were over 1000 deat mites on each of the two hive sticky boards. I stopped counting after 1000 on each board. 48 hours following the start of the Mite Away II treatment the number of mite that dropped was still over 1000 per sticky board. It has been one week since the treatmetn started and the count is tapering down to the 150 range. I am very satisfied so far with the kill. I have not noticed any effect on the bees. NOD Apiary (Mite Away II) has been great in answering questions.

(From Q&A NOA Apiary publication) Formic Acid as an active ingredient
Q) Why Formic acid?
A) Formic acid is an organic acid molecule that occurs naturally in honey and other foods. Some plants and animals have it as a defense secretion. Formic acid is a component of bee venom. It is a very tiny molecule. Imagine one carbon atom and one oxygen atom added to a water molecule. HCOOH. At high enough concentrations it goes through tissue and breaks down cells. Bees can withstand a much higher concentration of formic acid vapours than the mites, so it can be used as a miticide. The bees actually like to seek out the MAII, rubbing against it, like cattle do for a cattle oiler, a few days into the treatment.
Q) Will formic acid build up in the hive like the conventional chemicals do?
A) No. Formic acid levels will spike up during treatment then degas off, dropping formic acid levels in the hive to naturally occurring background levels.
Q) How long have beekeepers been using Mite-AwayII™?
A) MAII has been available in Canada since 2003. More and more beekeepers have switched to MAII as resistance to the nerve-disrupter "conventional" chemicals (fluvalinate, coumaphos, amitraz, fenpyroximate, flumethrin) is taking over in the varroa population, making them ineffective.
Q) How long will it be until resistance will show up?
A) No mite resistance is expected to develop to formic acid. It is simply a chemical burn.
Q) How does Mite-AwayII™ work?
A) MAII works by turning the Hive that the Colony lives in into a fumigation chamber. Formic acid is a temperature sensitive volatile acid with proven mite killing ability. In the MAII formulation formic acid vapours are released in a controlled way. A combination of chemical reactions, temperature changes, and material structure and placement, forms a vapour bubble and drives the acid fumes down through the brood chamber, killing mites.

The entire publication can be obtained from contacting NOD Apiary.

Winter in Stone Mountain, Georgia

2009-03-14T10:40:00.001-07:00

March 3, 2009

Click on a picture to make it bigger.
Stone Mountain, Georgia gets snow about once per year. My bees have never seen snow until today. It was pretty. Two days later the snow melted, temperatures came back up, and the bees were back doing their thing - look at the pollen.

US Bee Research Laboratory In Beltsville, MD

2009-03-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

If you run into trouble have you ever thought of sending samples to the United States Department of Agriculture Research Service. Bee Disease Diagnosis Service

http://www.ars.usda.gov/Main/site_main.htm?modecode=12-75-05-00

http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=7473

http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/site_main.htm?modecode=64-13-30-00

Mission:
The mission of the Bee Research Laboratory in Beltsville is to conduct research on the biology and control of honey bee parasites, diseases, and pests to ensure an adequate supply of bees for pollination and honey production. Using biological, molecular, chemical and non-chemical approaches, scientists are developing new, cost-effective strategies for controlling parasitic mites like Varroa destructor, bacterial diseases like American foulbrood, and emergent pests like the small hive beetle. An additional focus of the Laboratory is to develop preservation techniques for honey bee germplasm to maintain genetic diversity and superior honey bee stock. Bee Research Laboratory staff also provides authoritative diagnosis of bee diseases and pests for Federal and State regulatory agencies and beekeepers on a worldwide basis.

68 degree day January 2009 Pollen

2009-01-14T16:54:00.000-08:00

Saturday January 10, 2009 the temperature hit 68 degrees F for a good portion of the day. Every bee in all three hives were out seeing what was going oh. I was totally shocked at what I saw. Every other bee had some pollen. Lots of pollen. I bet with the number of bees bring pollen back there was probably a 1/4 pint per hive.

Getting Ready for Winter - Hive Wraps - Bee Cozy

2008-11-23T11:54:00.000-08:00

NOD Apiaries in Canada - the Mite Away II people, sell a quality hive wray called the Bee Cozy. http://www.miteaway.com/html/bee_cozy.php Had to order a minimum case of six to get three for my hives and I am very glad I did. My only bee buddy, Casandra Lawson, lives a few miles over the hill, brought one so with three hives I have 2 for future use. I know that hive wraps are probably overkill for lower North Georgia but why not? Many articles recommend it and say it reduces stress on the bees and helps control moisture as the surfaces are no so cold, which helps condensation on hive surfaces. As a newer beekeeper, I find it extremely frustrating when it comes to getting advice or answers to questions. You would think that as long as man has been beekeeping that there would be a documented right and wrong answer to everything and every way of doing things. NOT.... Beekeeping seems to be about like asking the question "what is the best motor oil" to a group of people. The answer you get depends on who you ask. Then you run into what is done up north may not be done down south. Then there is the hobbiest - me - where the money is not the driving force in beekeeping. Talk to a commercial beekeeper and it is all about money and most don't do anything that costs extra. A new hobbiest beekeeper sometime just has to go it alone. I added an extended top on the hive to keep the rain away from the top of the hive wrap.

Update 12/20/2008
The Bee Cozy seems to be working well. Casandra is also pleased. We were a little concerned about moisture in the hive. Casandra has a friend in the nothern states that put a nickle under the telescoping cover in the front and this gives just a little gap to allow moisture to escape. We collectively decided to do this to our hives. I did my three and she did hers. Casandra had noticable moisture symptoms in her hive. Since the nickles were installed under the hive cover she said the moisture symptoms disappeared. I did mine the same as it made sence. However, some beekeepers keep there hives closed and let the bees regulate the humidity - so which is really right.... or are we back to which is the best motor oil????

Mite Away II, Fogging with FGMO with Wintergreen Oil, Paper Towel with FGMO and Thyme Oil

2008-10-11T20:11:00.000-07:00

Mites....every article says if you don't control your mites you colony will NOT survive the winter. We are not verry good beekeepers if we let our bees die only to go out and order a new package or a NUC next season and start over again. I took an organic beekeeping course and have worked my tail off trying to keep 3 hives. I did well so far. I am running two deeps in each hive with a medium. I just pulled 4 mediums off full of honey and put them in the freezer for winter if needed or spring to get a jump on having Happy Bees. With all of my organic efforts my mite counts using the screen bottom board counts has creaped up to the point where the organic treatments is not keeping up. With 80-85 percent of the mites being inside capped cells really makes it tough. I tried Dr. James Amrine and Bob Noel formic acid treatment and knocked the heck out of them but the count inched back up and I am approaching cold weather soon. I finally broke down and today 10/11/2008 installed the Mite Away II treatment in each hive. Really went smooth. I did modify their instruction slightly. They want you to have two deeps and the spacer board where the formic acid pad is housed. I left my medium on as we still have a small honey flow and lots of pollen coming in. If my kids was sick even though I don't want chemicals in them, I would get the prescription filled if I tried everything. I will try and visit this post and give some feedback on how this product did. My Temperature Range here in Atlanta, Georgia is a high of about 79 these days. I do not like the 21 day treatment period - to long. Dr. Amrine and Bob Noel's method was for 24 hours. I liked that much better. Next year I am going to start a little earlier if I have to do a harder treatment if the counts come back up. I am running out of fall season before the cold hits this area and the mites must die to give my bees the best wintering chance.

April 1, 2009 update - The mite treatment went extremely well. No effects to the bees and all three hives made it through the winter.

See March 7, 2009 for a Mite Treatment Update

AJ Beetle Eaters

2008-09-26T11:48:00.000-07:00

AJ Beetle Eaters work. I started off using mineral oil. Graduated to mineral oil and vinegar. The vinegar omits enough of an odor to attract the Hive Beetles some. The bees actually run them in the Eaters. Since you have to adjust the frame to accommodate the Beetle Eater, I went ahead and filled the adjusted space with two eaters ene to end. That way you have eaters going the whole length of the frame. It is funny how this started. I brought 5. Put them in, they worked. Ordered 10 more, put them in. They worked so well I brought 10 more. Out of the last 10 I do have af few on my stock shelf. I do not put two in every box in the hive but two in many boxes in the hive.

Video on cycle of a Bee, Varrora Mite, Tracheal Mite

2008-09-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

Every now and again I run across a good video. This is worth watching.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7304562435786960616

also, the Tracheal Mite
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-530248919698814753&q=source:017616434995171573550&hl=en

How to clean the Creosote out of your smoker

2008-09-21T14:27:00.000-07:00

Torch the Creosote

Flake it off the Smoker Top

Clean Smoker

When I looked at the smoker today the hole that the smoke comes out of was about 1/4 to 1/2 closes up with Creosote (that thick, oily liquid typically black in color gunk that builds up on the inside to the smoker - expecially the top). I tried to scrap it and finally decided to put the propane torch to the Creosote. When you do this the Creosote dries up and flakes. It just fell off the top of my smoker with no effort. I could not believe how easy this was.

New Foundations for My Beehives

2008-09-03T18:33:00.000-07:00

New 2 x 8 rails - 4 x 4 post

Bottom view with the new rails

View all set up

Is the foundation for your Beehives a big deal? I was using the traditional concrete blocks with 4 x 4s on top. Lots of surfaces for all kind of bugs to come visiting the hive area. The surface area under the hive was partically blocked by the 4 x 4s and the blocks. I wanted hive debree, mites, etc. to fall far away from the hives. If you look at the pictures you can see a design I copied after seeing this in an article. It took a little work but really worth the effort. I can completely see under the hives and have wide open access to the bottom.

Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Hive Inspection

2008-07-24T10:55:00.000-07:00

Here you can see capped honey, Pollen in cells, brood larvue and drone cells

Some Of the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers at the Garden Hive Inspection

Can you see the capped honey (white area) and the pollen (yellowish) area.

Honey Bee Larvae, some cells are capped

Future bees...Larvae, a cell or two of pollen

Looks like someone smoked the beekeepers.

I went on a Hive Inspection at the Atlanta Botanical Garden where the Metro Atlanta Beekeeper Association has hives. Cindy Bee was the inspector in charge for the day. I asked Cindy if she changed her name to Bee because she like bees so much. She assured me Bee was her real name. Club members met and went up to the Bee Yard. Cindy went through a few of the hives talking, showing different things, and answering questions. Above are some good pictures of what we saw.

Nematodes to control Small Hive Beetles

2008-07-02T19:06:00.001-07:00

I was looking for something on the organic side that could help control Small Hive Beetles and article after article kept saying break the reproduction cycle. For fun I emailed Dr. Keith S. Delaplane from the University of Georgia and low and behold he responded back telling me to use Nematodes. They have been doing research on the Nematodes with great results.

"John, we do have a great bio control for SHB larvae, predatory soil nematodes. Call Southeast Insectary in Perry at 877-967-6777. Keith S. Delaplane, PhDProfessorDepartment of EntomologyUniversity of GeorgiaAthens, Georgia 30602 USAtel (706) 542-2816 fax (706) 542-3872 www.ent.uga.edu/bees"

The Nematodes (microscopic land worms) come in a zip lock bag with 5 million Nematodes packed in a shipping box with a cold pack from Southeastern Insectaries, Inc. Perry, Georgia for $25.47 including shipping. If you decide to order some you will end up talking to Dr. Louis Tedders, a retired entomologist from the USDA and the owner os Southeastern Insectaries. They grow the Nematodes at his facility. http://www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_8dc54m . You add water to the zip lock bag, pour the content of the package into a flower watering can, add more water and sprinkle the Nematodes in front, under, and behind the hives. Nematodes will actually seek out and eat Small Hive Beetle Larvae that have left the hive going to the gound from the inside out. These Larvae will never become an adult Hive Beetle. I did my first order about two months ago. Dr. Tedders said they must have food (larvae) to reproduce so just in case the first order did not find any larvae being a new bee yard, I just installed my 2nd pack which some are showing in the picture above. Dr. Tedders said if they find only one larvae they will reproduce inside the larvae making about 20,000 new nematodes.

"Sep 11, 2007 - article

Southern university researchers find new ways to battle pests and save money with USDA Regional IPM grants……..
Dr. Keith Delaplane at the University of Georgia will study small hive beetle behavior to find the most effective way to limit their population in beehives. In light of the national initiative to conserve the nation’s pollinators, this project will research chemical-free management tactics, including hygienic queens, adult beetle traps, and predatory nematodes."

Anyway, I feel like a pioneer.

Granulated Sugar into Powered Sugar

2008-06-23T17:36:00.000-07:00

Some say store brought Powered Sugar is not good for the bees as it has some corn starch in the sugar to keep it from sticking together. Check out this YouTube link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPmLJqk_lHM as it shows you how to make powered sugar from granulated sugar. Anyone that is worried about the corn starch now has an option. I tried it and it works well. You do need a good blender.

John Jones

Creatures that live in the hive

2008-06-17T18:00:00.000-07:00

Hive beetles after being soaked in dish washing liquid and water

Caught Hive Beetles in Mouth Aspirator

Varrora Mite top view - 40 power Microscope

Varrora Mite bottom view - 40 power Microscope

I am very fortunate to have a Invertebrate Zoologist (study of things that do not have a spinal column - Bugs for one) as a mate - Charlotte. She has microscopes, scopes, night lights, all kind of stuff for us to play with the bees, look at hive pests, and to learn more than I would had she not been a bug lady. When I went to my Organic Beekeeping Class in Lula, Georgia, I captured some hive beetles with my mouth aspirator. I had never seen one being new to beekeeping. Also, after a treatment of some organic thyme esential oils on a paper towel, I got a few dead verroa mites and collected them. Real space looking creatures. I do not exactly understand what function they play in the food chain of our world. Anyway for some of you that have not seen these creatures here are a few from our microscope.

http://www.ent.uga.edu/bees/Research/breeding.htm

Fun Facts

2008-06-16T20:19:00.000-07:00

Bee Facts:
- The queen may lay 600-800 or even 1,500 eggs each day during her 3 or 4 year lifetime. This daily egg production may equal her own weight. She is constantly fed and groomed by attendant worker bees.
- Honey Bees fly 15 miles per hour and their wings stroke 11,400 times per minute, thus making their distinctive buzz.
- Honey Bees are the only insects that produce food for humans.
- Honey Bees will usually travel up to 3 miles from their hive and visit 50-100 flowers on a single trip out of the hive.
- Honey Bees are the only bee that die after they sting.
- Honey bees are responsible for pollinating approximately 80 percent of all fruits, vegetable and seed crops in the United States.
- To make one pound of honey, the bees in the colony must visit 2 million flowers, fly over 55,000 miles and will be the lifetime work of approximately 300 bees. Each bee will produce about 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime.
- Honey is the ONLY food that includes all of the substances necessary to sustain life, including water. Honey is 80 percent sugar and 20 percent water. Honey never spoils and a hive can make up to about 400 pounds of honey per year.
- There are about 20,000 species of bees. Only 4 make honey.
- A populous colony may contain 40,000 to 60,000 bees during the late spring or early summer. Bees maintain a temperature of 92-93 degrees Fagrenheit in their central brood nest regardless of weather the outside temperature is -40 or 110 degrees.
- Honeycomb has 6 sides. Florida, South Dakota, and California are the top honey producing states.
- It takes about 1 ounce of honey to fuel a honey bee flight of 25,000 miles. A Honey Bee only lives about 45 days.
This information from Bee-Yond Wonderful Bee Farm catalog MCDonough, Georgia. http://www.beeyondwonderful.com/

Nitrile Gloves while working with the Bees

2008-06-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

I have been using Nitrile Exam Gloves like doctors wear in hospitals and use in surgery. They are chemical proof, stick resistant (bee cannot sting through them??? - I have not been stung through these gloves so far), and you can feel what you are doing. Grainger has several different ones. I personally use Kimbely-Clark purple Nitrile powder-free exam gloves number 55083. You can put in Kimberly-Clark 55083 in Google and get a hit. I find that these are cheep $12 for a hundred and I do get to use them on several visits to the hive before they have to be replaced. See what the people on beesource are saying on the blog http://www.beesource.com/forums/search.php?searchid=740769 . Also, if you visit your buddies hives wearing gloves is good for not bringing home any virus or other stuff we do not know about. http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1AV58See YouTube video on Nitrile gloves with me trying to stick a needle and knife through them. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7M143EyVv3E

Community Feeder

2008-06-14T19:44:00.000-07:00

In addition to feeding inside of the hive, a community feeder using Inverted Sugar Syrup with Honey B Healthy was set up after reading a few articles. Inverted Sugar Syrup requires a little more work but the Sugar Syrup will last for 6 months withut molding or crystaling. Inverting the sugar syrup makes the sugar solution closer chemically to honey which makes it easier for the bees to digest. A few jars with regular water was also added to the community feeding station so that the bees would have an alternate water source. This has really worked out well as there is always lots of activity.

http://wvbeekeeper.blogspot.com/2008/03/communal-feeding.html#links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_sugar_syrup

http://wvbeekeeper.blogspot.com/2008/01/making-invert-sugar-syrup.html

Take a look at the bee stinger I got out of my ear

2008-06-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

On June 7, 2008 I was getting a litttle confident and cocky and went to the bee hives to do some work without my bee veil. I have been stung many times but never in the face area much less the ear. That really hurt. And when it went through the itch stage healing... Wow. Charlotte has a 40 powered scope we took the picture with. You can see a bubble of air in the stinger tube in the venom. I am less confident now and over being cocky. I wear my veil.

6/3/2008 Organic Beekeeping Class - Dixie Bee Supply, Lula, Georgia

2008-06-09T19:39:00.000-07:00

Notice that none of the students are suited up. Nice gentle bees. Don is in the first picture with the straw hat. John Seaborn is a commercial beekeepeer from Centerville, Tenn. He helped Don some with the class. John is in the blue short sleeve T-Shirt and comes down to LuLa for days at a time for additional training from Don. We were in the class out in the yard all day. No one got stung. http://www.geocities.com/fatbeeman/

My first NUC May 3, 2008

2008-06-09T19:09:00.000-07:00

I got my first NUC from Don Duchenmeister of Dixie Bee Supply in Lula, Ga. I attended an Organic Beekeeping Class Don does once a month and picked up my NUC at that time. Don uses no chemicals in his hives and has a very interesting day in the Bee Yard teaching Organic Beekeeping. I was really happy I took the class as it allowed me to have some hands on experience with the bees. Don raises mixed very non agressive 4.9 cell bees.