The Basics of Beekeeping by M. M. Peterson on behalf of the Dunblane and Stirling Districts Beekeepers' Association 2017 edition Contents 1 Introduction 6 1.1 The beekeeper . 6 1.2 Development of methods of beekeeping . 8 1.3 Significant bee forage plants in our Association area . 10 2 Beekeeping Equipment 11 2.1 Beehives and their accessories . 11 2.1.1 Introduction . 11 2.1.2 The National hive and its accessories . 12 2.2 Protective clothing . 15 2.3 Tools for working with bees . 15 2.4 Harvesting tools . 16 2.5 Miscellaneous and specialist items . 17 2.6 Appendix | other hive designs . 17 2.6.1 Introduction . 17 2.6.2 The (Unmodified) National hive and the Wormit Commercial hive . 17 2.6.3 The Smith hive . 17 2.6.4 The WBC hive . 18 2.6.5 Some more unusual hive designs . 18 3 The basic biology of Apis mellifera, the western honeybee 19 3.1 Introduction . 19 3.2 The place of the honey bee in nature . 19 3.3 Where bees live . 21 3.4 The end of summer . 21 3.5 Stings . 21 3.6 The casting of the drones . 22 3.7 Wintering . 22 3.8 The spring build-up: brood-rearing . 22 3.9 Foraging, colony growth and bee longevity . 23 3.10 Reproduction: Dzierzon's rule, and drones . 23 3.11 Swarming and the rearing of new queens . 24 3.12 Queen production in other circumstances . 25 3.13 Autumn returns . 25 4 Handling: Spring and Summer Management 28 4.1 Beekeeping | basic handling skills . 28 4.1.1 Introduction . 28 4.1.2 Opening a hive and inspecting the combs . 28 4.2 Spring and summer management . 31 3 4 CONTENTS 4.2.1 A disease inspection . 34 4.3 A swarm control system . 35 4.3.1 Finding, clipping and marking the queen . 35 4.3.2 Using a Horsley Board . 36 4.4 Taking a swarm . 39 4.5 Hiving a swarm . 40 4.6 Dealing with a swarmed stock . 40 4.7 Hiving a swarm on the site it came from . 41 5 Autumn and winter management: feeding of bees 42 5.1 Moving bees: the heather flow . 42 5.2 Removing honey . 43 5.3 Uniting stocks . 43 5.4 Feeding bees . 44 5.5 Preparing bees for winter . 45 5.6 Managing bees in winter . 45 5.7 The end of winter . 46 6 Diseases and pests 49 6.1 Introduction . 49 6.2 Viruses . 50 6.3 Bacterial infections . 50 6.3.1 American Foul Brood . 51 6.3.2 European Foul Brood . 52 6.3.3 Apiary hygiene and movement control to prevent the spread of Foul Brood . 52 6.4 Fungus infections . 53 6.4.1 Chalk Brood . 53 6.4.2 Nosema disease . 53 6.5 Protozoal infections . 54 6.5.1 Amoeba disease . 54 6.6 Arachnid infestations . 55 6.6.1 Acarine disease . 55 6.6.2 Varroosis . 55 6.6.3 Tropilaelaps clareae .................................. 61 6.7 Insect infestations . 62 6.7.1 Braula . 62 6.7.2 Wax moths . 62 6.7.3 Ants, wasps and hornets . 63 6.7.4 The Small Hive Beetle . 63 6.8 Amphibians, birds and mammals . 64 6.9 Human pests . 64 6.10 Useful contact addresses for help in dealing with bee diseases . 66 6.10.1 Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) . 66 6.10.2 SGRPID contacts . 66 6.10.3 The Scottish Beekeepers' Association's Science and Bee Health Officer . 66 7 Setting up as a beekeeper 67 7.1 The year's work in outline . 67 7.2 Setting up as a beekeeper . 69 7.3 Mutual support of beekeepers . 71 7.4 Appendix | Details of hive assembly . 73 7.4.1 Introduction . 73 CONTENTS 5 7.4.2 Top and bottom bee-space . 73 7.4.3 Assembling hive boxes and roofs . 73 7.4.4 Assembling frames and foundation in which the bees will build combs . 73 7.4.5 Spacing frames in the hive . 74 8 Dealing with the crop of honey and beeswax 76 8.1 Section honey . 76 8.2 Honey in shallow frames . 77 8.3 Beeswax . 77 8.4 The problem of Oil Seed Rape . 78 8.5 Heather Honey . 79 Chapter 1 Introduction: The beekeeper and beekeeping 1.1 What is needed in a beekeeper? The qualities which are needed in someone who is to be a successful beekeeper can be arranged under several headings. • Physique Beekeeping involves the lifting, carrying and gentle handling of awkward heavy boxes weighing up to 30 kg (60 lb) in round figures. Every beekeeper must have the strength for this. • Access to a suitable site Traditional requirements for an apiary site are: open sunny location but with some shade; ready access to clean fresh water.