3/16/2017 OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION Objectives Bee Basics • All about bees • Pheromones in the hive • Obtaining bees Amanda Bennett • Foraging and nutrition Extension Educator, ANR • Protecting pollinators March 25, 2017 Southwestern Ohio Beekeeper School Loveland, Ohio Honey bees Apis mellifera • White man’s flies • Females divided in a Caste system • Social Insects – cooperative brood care, – Worker bees and the Queen reproductive division of labor and overlapping • Drones (males) generations. • Differences in – Biology – Division of labor – Brood cycle Drones Drones • 6.5 days as a larvae • Males • Domed caps • 24 days to fully • Found on edges • Key differences develop – Larger eyes (2x) • Drones cannot: – Larger, barrel body – Produce wax – Longer, thicker antennae – Forage • Raised for reproduction – Clean house – Guard the hive • They are an expense 1 3/16/2017 Drones Drones • 6.5 days as a larvae • Start eating and flying • 24 days to fully • Drone Congregation Areas (DAC) develop • Number fluctuates during season • Drones cannot: – Produce wax – Forage – Clean house – Guard the hive • They are an expense Drones Worker Bees • All female • Underdeveloped reproductive structures • Can lay eggs in the absence of a queen • Workers removing drone brood Worker Bee Development Worker Bees • Size of cell determines fertilization • Complete • Days as larva = 6 • 95% should be fertilized metamorphsis • Days pupate = 12 • Days as egg = 3 • Eggs will remain upright for 3 days Total is 21 days of development 2 3/16/2017 Worker Bee Development Worker Bees • Brood Pattern • Lots of hive tasks that change with age – Eating – Cleaning – Feed others (including queen) – Comb construction – Takes nectar from foragers Worker Bees Worker Bees • Guards • Foragers – Inspection by odor – 3‐4 weeks old – Drawn to your face – Scout bee or recruited – Defend against intruders – Gather – Defense position • Nectar – 100 +/‐ on duty at one time • Pollen • Water • Propolis – Total lifetime about 6 weeks Queen Bee Queen cells • Days as egg = 3 • Can be found on both sides of frame • Days as larva = 5.5 • 2‐3 or 20+ developing at one time • Days pupa = 7.5 • First to emerge is the winner! • Queens are different = 15.5‐16 days • Fight to the death, often with help from sisters 3 3/16/2017 Queen Development Mating • Virgin queen continues to mature • DAC – 30’ to 300’ above open fields or – Eats and then takes orientation flights to forest clearings prepare for mating flight • Same place every year – how do they – Identifies landmarks near hive know? • Emits pheromone to entice drones Pheromones You’re outta here! • Virgin queens produce some • Crowding, aging queen, egg laying • Colony uniting scent after mating • Signals queen is present • “Queen substance” = 17 different chemicals produced in queen glands • Reduced over time Supersedure Races of Bees • Queen becomes • German Black Bee/Northern European lost, injured, bee crushed, – First imported bee diseased – Flourished along east coast • Workers choose – Stung a lot youngest larvae – Prone to serious diseases <3 days On the lookout for another bee 4 3/16/2017 Races of Bees Races of Bees • Italians (1850s) • Carniolans – Most popular – Austrian Alps (Yugoslavia) – Yellow in color – Gray/brown – Overwinter well – Conservative with winter – Build up quick in spring food stores – Prone to robbing b/c of large – Construct new comb slowly populations – Build up quickly in spring *Cordovans – Swarm frequently Races of Bees Races of Bees • Caucasians • Africanized – Caucasus Mountains (Black –East Africa & Caspian Seas) – Lead gray color – Imported by Brazil – Very gentle – Swarm infrequently – Poor overwintering – Slow spring buildup – Susceptible to Nosema – Propensity to gather large amounts of propolis Races of Bees Races of Bees to Fight Disease • Russians • Indiana Leg chewers (Purdue Leg – Some resistance to varroa mites Chewers) – Highly resistant to tracheal mites • Minnesota Hygienic Queens – Darker than Italians – Italian bee – Only raise brood during periods of – High hygienic behavior pollen availability • American Foulbrood, chalkbrood, mites 5 3/16/2017 Buying Bees Collecting Bees • Buy an established colony • Acquire a swarm – Market value – Disease, pests – Condition of equipment – Full strength colony difficult to manage for beginners (swarm prevention, disease management, pests, etc.) – Not recommended for beginners Buying bees: Packages Buying bees: Nucs • Come in pounds usually 3# • Nucleus • Come from Southern breeders • 5 frame boxes • Queen is mated, caged • Consists of mated queen, bees, drawn • Cheapest option - $110-150 frames of foundation with honey and • Get what you pay for pollen • Queen laying minimum of one month • Usually from a local breeder • Equipment compatibility Buying bees Foraging and Nutrition The big three… • Nucleus • Packages Pollen – Most sold out – Generally never Jan/Feb, possibly sell out sooner – Come from the – Find a local southern states breeder – Several – Availability associations place Nectar depends on winter group orders survival Pollen 6 3/16/2017 Worker Bee: Anatomy Foraging: Pollen • Protein, starch, fat, vitamins and minerals • Varies in color • Produced by flower anther Poison sac • Covered with layer of honey to preserve it Foraging: Pollen Foraging: Propolis • Use pollen baskets • Microbially active resinous substance to transport • Gathered on warm, dry days (77< degrees) • Alders, birch, willows, conifers Foraging: Nectar Brood Diseases: AFB • American Foulbrood Disease (AFB) • State Bee inspection programs • Easily spread by bees and keepers 7 3/16/2017 Brood Diseases: EFB Brood Diseases: Chalkbrood • European Foulbrood disease • Fungal spores • Chilled brood Adult Diseases: Nosema Adult Diseases: Nosema • Fungus Nosema apis or Nosema ceranae – Reduced lifespan, reduced output of brood food – Feces on entrances and inner parts – Increased supersedure rates – Periods of confinement or stress – Overall low populations and slow Spring build‐up – Symptoms are subtle – Large‐scale colony dwindling – Scientificbeekeeping.com ‐ sampling • Fumagilin ® B Parasites Parasites • Tracheal Mites • Varroa mite • Lives and reproduces in tracheal opening • See without microscope • Common symptom –empty hive • Thresholds 2‐5% • Pelletized menthol crystals or Mite‐Away II ® • Sampling • Api‐Life VAR ® or Apiguard – Cap scratcher • Grease patties – Sugar shake – Sticky boards 8 3/16/2017 Hive Pests: Wax Moth Hive Pests: SHB • Small Hive Beetle • Many marketed products Predators Bee Oddities • Drift • Bears –not in this part of OH‐IO • Ants ‐ Use cinnamon sprinkled on inner cover • Skunks • Hornets • Mice, moles, shrews, rats Bee Oddities OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION • Flower constancy Amanda Bennett [email protected] • Temperatures 937-440-3944 • Speed • Flower visits 64 9.