Beginning With Bees TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ................................................................................................3 Swarms .......................................................................................................3 Established Colonies ..................................................................................4 Bee Removal ..............................................................................................4 Transferring Bees from Box Hives ............................................................4 Package Bees .............................................................................................4 Equipment ..................................................................................................5 Working the Hive .......................................................................................5 Biology of a Honeybee Colony ..................................................................7 The Queen Bee ....................................................................................9 The Worker Bee .................................................................................10 The Drone Bee ...................................................................................10 Seasonal Management .............................................................................10 Queen Introduction ............................................................................10 Fall Period .........................................................................................11 Winter Period .....................................................................................11 Spring Period .....................................................................................12 Summer Period ..................................................................................12 Swarming .................................................................................................12 Swarm Prevention..............................................................................13 Feeding .....................................................................................................13 Uniting Colonies ......................................................................................13 Honey Removal and Care ........................................................................14 Beeswax ...................................................................................................16 Nectar and Pollen Sources .......................................................................16 Pollination ................................................................................................17 Honeybee Diseases ..................................................................................17 Honeybee Enemies ...................................................................................18 Wax Moth and Other Moths ..............................................................18 Ants ...................................................................................................19 Varroa Mite ........................................................................................19 Tracheal Mite .....................................................................................20 Small Hive Beetle ..............................................................................21 Dragonfl ies ........................................................................................22 Mice ...................................................................................................22 Skunks ...............................................................................................23 Honey Bee Colony Registration ..............................................................23 Bee Books, Bee Journals, Newsletter ......................................................23 BEGINNING WITH BEES BEGINNING WITH BEES Authors: Dr. D. K. Pollet Professor (Entomology) Dr. E. A. Cancienne, ARS (retired) Keeping bees can be a fascinating and profi table hobby in Louisiana. Start with one or two colonies and, as you learn the mechanics of beekeeping, establish additional colonies. Two or three colonies of bees in a good location, properly cared for, should provide enough honey for your family and some to give to friends and neighbors. Beekeeping requires some heavy lifting and constant attention to the needs of the hives. Unless you are physically able to lift heavy supers (hive bodies) and willing to accept occasional stings, you should not attempt to keep honeybees. The valleys of the Mississippi, Red and Atchafalaya rivers are the most productive honey-producing areas of the state. Bees however, can be kept successfully just about anywhere. Since bees are easily killed by insecticides, locate colonies some distance from crops subject to pesticide application. Honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) are not native to the Western Hemisphere. Hives of bees were brought to the Virginia Colony from England in 1622 and to Florida, possibly by the Spaniards from Cuba, in the 16th and 17th centuries. How they reached our state—by swarming or in box hives transported by early set- tlers—is not known, but honey and wax were found in Louisiana in 1804. SWARMS Many beginner beekeepers start their fi rst colonies This will cut down fi ghting. The stronger of the two with a captured swarm. A hive containing either combs queens will survive in the colony. The larger the swarm or frames of foundation must be readied in advance to hived, the faster the colony will develop. Feed the new receive the swarm (see Equipment, p.5). Select a swarm colony sugar syrup for a few days until it establishes it- no smaller than a basketball or combine two or more self and the bees can begin to forage for nectar. To obtain smaller swarms (Fig.1). If you add a small swarm to an swarms from your area call the local county LSU AgCen- established colony, sprinkle peppermint extract and water ter Extension offi ce and give them your name and phone spray over the bees in the colony and the new swarm. number. Figure 1. A swarm of bees. 3 ESTABLISHED COLONIES syrup by painting or sprinkling the syrup on the screen of the cage. Allow time for the bees to take the syrup, and The quickest and easiest way to begin beekeeping is be careful not to drown them. Feed the bees again about to buy established colonies. Purchased colonies must be an hour before dark and then take the package to the inspected by the state apiary inspector, according to state hive. Remove the feeder can and the queen cage from the law, before they can be moved. This protects you from package as well as the small piece of cardboard or cork getting diseased or infested colonies. There should be a from the candy end of the queen cage. With a small nail laying queen, worker brood, several pounds of worker make a tiny hole through the candy. Place the queen cage, bees and from 10 to 20 pounds of honey plus some pollen candy end up, between two frames, and push the frames in the hive. The combs should be readily movable and tightly together to keep the cage upright. Shake all the consist mostly of worker-sized cells. Wooden equipment bees out of the package over the queen cage and install should be in good condition. You can usually get good the remaining eight frames. Replace the inner cover and basic information on handling bees from the seller. The place an inverted friction can top of syrup over the hole in price paid for a colony of bees will depend on the current the inner cover. Place an empty hive body over the inner price of honey, bees, and the amount and condition of the cover. Finally, put on the outer cover or use a top feeder. equipment. Make sure the hive entrance is nearly closed to prevent robbing of the bees from another colony. Use green grass or moss to close the entrance. As the grass or moss wilts BEE REMOVAL the entrance will gradually open. If you remove bees from walls and structures, call Except for fi lling the feeder when it becomes empty, your local LSU AgCenter Extension offi ce and give do not disturb the colony for about a week after the pack- your name, phone number and how far you will travel to age is installed. At this time, see if the queen has gotten remove bees from walls or structures. out, and remove the cage. Two to three days later, exam- ine the combs to see if the eggs and larvae are present. If TRANSFERRING BEES FROM you do not see eggs or brood, it may be that the queen is BOX HIVES dead. In that case, get another queen as soon as possible, or unite the colony with one that has a laying queen. A If you are a beginner beekeeper, you should not at- list of certifi ed packaged bee producers can be obtained tempt to transfer bees from a box hive (one without mov- from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forest- able frames) to a standard hive until you have had some ry, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the LSU AgCenter Web site experience in handling bees. If it becomes necessary, ask on bees www.lsuagcenter.com, or the spring issue of the for help. The procedure is involved, and space does not “Bee Ready” newsletter, available from your AgCenter permit detailed instructions. See pictorial demonstration county agent’s offi ce. in “How to Keep Bees and Sell Honey” (book listed on p.23). Spraying the package and the new hive with a pep- permint solution will help make the transfer easier. PACKAGE BEES The best time to start with package bees in Louisiana is in March or April. You can