Food Having bee keeping problems

[LYKURGOS]

So I need a little help and advice from more experience bee keepers. Here is a run down of my last 6 years bee keeping failures. I always wanted to try bee keeping and love the hands on experience it has given me but I am at wits end.

YEAR 1 I had been watching a wild hive 30 feet up in an old dead snag near our home. The tree was way to dangerous for me to cut so I waited and watched and waited and 6 years ago they swarmed I went and bought a starter kit and was too late they moved off the low easy limb the next morning. I should have sugar sprayed them and put them into the box even in the dark but I wanted to work them in the day light I had set the box up close but hadn’t baited it yet.

YEAR 2 The tree fell over and I found out why they swarmed! A beetle colony was eating the wax and honey. So I ordered my first bee package no nucs were available that year from our feed store. I placed them on top of a conex container facing south with good access to water and lots of open sky. They did fair but we had a dry year and they only pulled 7 frames of wax. There was a mild winter and I didn’t feed them that fall. They starved to death by the end of March of Year 3.

YEAR 3 I had found Bee University of Galuph videos and increased my knowledge. This time I bought a 5 frame nuk. They were delivered may 15 and missed a lot of the spring flowering. They did very well and had the lower 10 frames full and 6 upper frames drawn out with comb and only two frames partially filled. I did leave the super on probably a mistake.

YEAR 4 I checked them in warm late feb last year and could not find a bee one in the hive upper or lower. Yet 50% of the honey was still there hadn’t checked in on them since late Nov. I ordered a bee package. I always cleaned the boxes after a hive failure and only found very minor beetle issues and almost no mite indicators. The hive was still 8 ft off the ground away from mice and other pests. Before my third attempt arrived a wild swarm moved into the box. The mean little black wild bees common in the Ozarks. I left them alone for two weeks until my package arrived then I set up my new package into a new box. But their neighbors the wild swarm were very pissy. The next two weeks the new package took hold and the wild swarm got meaner and meaner. Upon examination the wild swarm was queen less I on week three I pulled a small new brood frame out of the package hive with new eggs and put it into the wild box. Sure enough they were able to raise a queen and within in 4 weeks brood frames were being made. Success I thought two hives the converted wild with new domesticated queen did great and filled upper super and the lower was full of brood. As I prepared them for winter I saw the package bees were week had very little honey frames only 1 1/2 so I used some of the upper frames out of the super of the converted wild hive and put the drawn out yet empty frames into the super of the strong colony. After the goldenrod I fed them for two weeks. I was doubtful the package bee hive would make it but I reduced the entrances
YEAR 5 So as soon as we were consistently above 55 degrees all day I noticed lots of activity on the outside of the stronger hive. I get up an check and find no bees in the weak hive and it appears the bees on the strong hive are a mixture of wild bees and domesticated bees I suspected robbing so I started feeding for a couple weeks into we had millions of pear blooms all around. I ordered a five frame nuc to put into the brushed out weak box from last year. I was very disappointed with this nuc it had only three frames of bees two empty new frames were stuck in the box there was mud stuck in the vent holes and duct tape holding the lid on. Not what I had expected for $185. I swapped them over to a cleaned box with 5 full frames of empty drawn comb. I checked the big strong hive and found no bees! Wax caps were strung all over the empty box I assume a large robbing operation. Decimated this hive as well.
I’ve given the new hive one week to settle in. Tonight I checked them and they are dead, some brood capped still some dead and emerging young.
So I must have a bee black thumb.

I really would like to win this little battle.I’m concerned about buying again. Should I try moving them? The old original wild hive may be established close by and be a pirate hive flying the Jolly Rodger swooping in and decimating my little tame mild bees. I’m looking at having to drop another $185 for another weak five yet thee frame colony

 

[cowboy]

First bet would be to get them off a hot tin roof. Feeding pollen or sub is even more important than sugar water in the late winter early spring.

Mite control is not a one time thing and needs done perpetually, it effects brood build up all summer long, it's just that in strong hives you don't notice it.

Leave a hundred pounds of honey on them to winter with, a good day in late winter it will give you time to rearrange frames if needed, when they first start flying they start eating differently and will burn thru what they ate all winter like nothing during there build up time. Without resources they won't build up. Miss the spring growth and they are runts during the dearth without help.

 

[Snettrecker]

You can also look into varroa mite resistant bees. I second getting them off the roof also. They're gonna be putting lots of energy into keeping the hive cool. Check out fat fatbeeman on YouTube he has some very good videos. If you are concerned about robbing, you can close down the entrance so that only 1-2 bees can get in at a time, much easier to defend their hive that way.

If you are buying package bees, you most likely need to feed like crazy to get their stores up before winter. Sometimes depending on flow, you'll have to do the same with a late season nuc. If things are dry and you do decide to feed I would definitely close the entrance down to 1-2 bee width.

 

[Freeholder]

Closing down the entrance is a good idea, but make sure you used a screen, not a solid block on the opening, so they still have some ventilation.

 

[tech]

Before you put another nuc in, fumigate those hives...the entire hive! You said there was almost no evidence of mites...that means you have mites. That alone can collapse a colony.

Quit cooking your bees. Get them off the hot connex box. A couple feet off the ground along a treeline works well.

I'm still trying to fathom why you put domestic bees in with a different variety of wild bee...you just don't do that.

Find a local beekeeper that has been successful for many years. They will be able to suggest what works in your area.

 

[mecoastie]

Find a mentor. Local bee club. When you get bees feed them until they have pulled all the foundation. It may take a while but keep putting the food to them. Get them off the roof. Too hot. In dry summers monitor their food closely. If it starts reducing feed them. What happens during dry summers is the nectar in the flowers dries up before the bees can get to it. Mites are the biggest problem. They make bees susceptible to a host of other diseases. I dont even check for them anymore I just treat. I use both formic and oxalic acid. I use formic end of Jul/Aug wen I pull honey. This is probably the most important one as this is when the winter bees are being developed. Again in mid Sept. The I will oxalic in end of Nov and mid Feb. When I stay on top of it then they do great. Going into winter the bees need to have a full deep of honey for food. If they dont feed them until they dont take anymore. Use 2 to 1 sugar to water.

 

[twobarkingdogs]

Other posts have offered good suggestions.

A couple of things I'd suggest

Put some swarm traps out to see if you can catch some wild hives. Free bees is good and will save you some money. You can always requeen in the future if you don't like them

If you have a strong hive come spring time then perform a split. It will keep the strong hive from swarming and give you 2 hives. Feed the hives after the split even if the pollen is flowing to strengthen the hives

Think about feeding the hives in late winter, early spring. Here in n.ga starting in january we get days up into the 50's where the bees will fly but not find anything to eat. So they go through their stores quickly. Its a balance though because you don't want the hive producing broad to quickly because those 50 degree days as followed by 20 degree nights which can cause the outer frames to freeze. The issue I have which a lot of local bee keepers in my area also have is keeping them alive over the winter due to the fluctuating weather.

Disclose though I don't raise bees for honey but I raise them to sell nucs. So I feed to build up strong hives as quickly as possible so that I can split them.

tbd

 

[cowboy]

Temp changes this time of year is hard on everything, gardeners have to learn to overcome this with early gardens as well as stock getting sick. I don't think the tin is really so much a overheating problem as it is 30' away is 20 degrees colder with no resources then at night it might be 20 degrees colder causing a chill.

How much this is affecting me trying to graft might be a problem. I fed early in the hive expecting early growth to make some splits. Hear in SE Kan. the weather can be very inconsistent day to night as well as every three days.

Anyway early march I grafted some dozon cells and had a couple cap but never hatched so I'm stuck with two splits already made up. I had a repeat grafting some ten days later with simular results except I had 8 cells make. I condensed my splits and added eggs and brood and let them make their own queen. While I didn't find tree or four cells being made two was common and looked good, so I grafted a third time and scored 14 out of 16 capped cells.

I can take the blame for the poor averages in the cells drawn but they should of hatched but appeared as thou they quit developing mid way.

The thing is with feeding and keeping the queens a warm spot to lay has allowed me to make 10 splits and I am nearing two boxes of brood most capped in each hive. They also are storing honey and clover is blooming.

 

[Old Gray Mare]

Please get the hives into some shade, even if it's just for part of the day?

Wild bees may be more aggressive than so called domesticated strains. This is not necessarily a bad thing.

I left some honey filled supers in a failed hive. Come spring I had free bees.

Do you have GMO corn or soybean fields near your hives? An old bee keeper told me that was a recipe for hive failure.

Don't put hive to close to the ground. Putting a few cinder blocks under them to raise them off the ground can help keep them out of reach of some problems.

Every county in the US has a USDA extension agent. They may be able to warn you of existing local bee problems you're unaware of and put you in contact with local keepers or beekeeping associations.

 

[Old Gray Mare]

Note for keepers with foul brood infected hives. Instead of burning them you can nuke them literally.
Fair use. Part #1

Hive Equipment loading for Irradiation for American Foul Brood (AFB).
Please note that MCBAPA has American Foul Brood Test Kits available. If you need some, contact Scott Famous by email at famous55@verizon.net.

New Instructions!

If you plan to irradiate boxes with honey in them, you must wrap them securely in heavy gauge plastic. Click here to see the new instructions.
Tim Ferris from Chester County Beekeepers is taking this over for Mark Antunes. This is an emerging program that allows PA and regional beekeepers to sterilize their hive wooden ware and other contaminated equipment using gamma irradiation. The program goals are to provide a viable, sustainable and cost effective alternative to burning hive equipment to control AFB and to allow the safe use of contaminated or otherwise suspect supers, frames and honeycomb after treatment.

Plan now to irradiate your American Foul Brood (AFB) infected or potentially infected equipment. The processing is typically scheduled for early March each year in order to have equipment ready prior to the arrival of spring packages. Please contact Tim Ferris from CCBA tto express interest by email at ferristj@hotmail.com See below for details and costs to participate. For a printable version, click here.

Check out the video on the right about Hive Irradiation.

What is American Foul Brood (AFB)?
AFB is a bacterial contamination of the hive that destroys the brood. The spore-forming bacteria Paenibacillus larvae ssp. larvae are ingested by larvae under 3 days old through the ingestion of bacterial spores in their food. The bacterial spores germinate in the guts of the larvae and the vegetative form of the bacteria feed on the larvae, killing them. The vegetative bacteria also die, but not before releasing as many as 100 million spores per larvae. Bees cleaning the contaminated cells spread the spores throughout the hive, and contaminate brood food, thus spreading the bacteria quickly throughout the hive. As the hive weakens, the hive may be robbed by invading bees, thus spreading the contamination to other hives. Similarly, beekeepers can spread the disease through their tools or transfer of hive components to other hives, or through feeding bees contaminated honey. In the spore form, the bacteria can survive for more than 40 years in honey and beekeeping equipment. Although pharmaceuticals have been developed for AFB, there is controversy for their use, as some bacterial resistance has been observed. Other methods such as scorching the interior of the hive, dipping in bleach or paraffin have also been tried, but rely heavily on adequate coverage and penetration of the affected surfaces. Therefore, prior to the advent of irradiation, the only sure control mechanism had been burning the hive and equipment.

What is gamma irradiation? Gamma irradiation is a physical means of decontamination – it kills bacteria by breaking down bacterial DNA, inhibiting bacterial division, using high-energy photons that are emitted from an isotope source (Cobalt 60). Energy (gamma rays) passes through hive equipment, disrupting the pathogens that cause contamination. These photon-induced changes at the molecular level cause the death of contaminating organisms or render such organisms incapable of reproduction. The gamma irradiation process does not create residuals or impart radioactivity in the processed hive equipment. The process has been used for years to sterilize imported leather goods, spices, wine corks, medical dressings and devices, pharmaceuticals, etc.

What are the advantages and benefits of gamma irradiation?

ALL hive components can be sterilized using gamma irradiation – boxes, frames, comb and honey. Hive equipment is ready for immediate use after processing. The process is clean; no chemical residues are produced. Most importantly, gamma irradiation destroys, not just suppresses, the pathogens (bacteria, viruses, fungi) that may contribute to CCD and other biological threats that contaminate hive equipment. The process also eliminates the need to replace equipment or comb contaminated by American Foul Brood (AFB). There is also some evidence that gamma irradiation reduces levels of toxins (i.e., pesticides) present in honeycomb by modifying their chemical structures.

Gamma irradiation is a proven strategy – Long-standing gamma irradiation programs for hive equipment have been operating in Massachusetts, California, Florida, Canada and in Australia. While in Florida, Dave Hackenberg, one of Pennsylvania’s largest commercial beekeepers, used gamma irradiation to sterilize selected hive equipment. During Spring 2008, Penn State University cooperated with MCBAPA in the successful processing of hive equipment that was known or thought to be contaminated with AFB, IAPV and other honey bee pathogens. Subsequent testing of the processed equipment proved it to be completely clear of all biological contaminants that could have threatened our honey bees!

Where will my equipment be irradiated?

The commercial facility for gamma irradiation in our area is the Sterigenics Corporation, 75 Tilbury Road, Salem, NJ 08079. This location offers beekeepers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Delaware the opportunity to clean their known and suspect contaminated equipment.

How do I prepare my equipment for irradiation? If you are interested in participating in our irradiation program, you will need to prepare your equipment as directed below. For the latest information, a video on stacking pallets, and a step-by-step tutorial on the requirements for wrapping individual boxes go to: https://www.montcopabees.org/ and look under the heading Services & Resources for IRRIADIATION It is the responsibility of each beekeeper to deliver his/her equipment to the irradiation facility or make arrangements to have it done by someone else. Groups or multiple individuals should select a regional staging site located away from known apiaries to load the equipment on whatever common carrier they have selected. If your equipment contains any honey at all and you are sharing a pallet of combined equipment, each individual box MUST be wrapped in heavy plastic or heavy gauge plastic trash bags that are tied and taped shut. You must print your full name and phone number on each piece of equipment and on a piece of duct tape fixed to the plastic or plastic bags it is wrapped in. Special Note: Any hive equipment known to be contaminated with American Foul Brood MUST be tightly wrapped and taped shut in heavy gauge 4 ml plastic or double plastic bagged before it is delivered to any staging site where equipment is being combined from different beekeepers. Single source pallets with hive equipment known to be contaminated with American Foul Brood must be palletized following all of the protocols.

 

[Old Gray Mare]

Fair use. Part #2 continued
**DO NOT send equipment with live ants, insects, mice, or mouse nests or other loose debris. It will be rejected from the load.**

• Extract honey from the comb or be prepared to bag supers individually (to bag supers, see the attached instructions).
• Pack frames in their respective hive boxes.
• Use standard 4-way pallets (40” X 48”). NO SMALLER or LARGER.
• Pallets must be in good repair and free of stones, soil and debris.

Sterigenics will no longer allow hive equipment to be stacked and wrapped on site. Therefore, you must deliver all hive equipment properly stacked and stretch wrapped and ready to be unloaded by forklift at the facility. For processing, all collected equipment must be stacked onto standard 48″ x 40″ pallets covered with a single sheet of heavy gauge cardboard, shrink wrapped, with a top and bottom sheet of 4 mil plastic before processing by Sterigenics can occur. You must follow these necessary steps to prepare your equipment for processing:

• Cover pallet top with a single sheet of heavy gauge cardboard. You may not piece or tape cardboard together to cover the pallet.
• The pallet and cardboard must be covered with a single sheet of heavy 4ml plastic that has no holes, which extends beyond the pallet on all sides by 12” which will then extend up the sides of the stacked equipment. This is to prevent any honey that liquefies from leaking out. Watch the video.
• Stack the hive boxes in a 6-column configuration. Supers may overhang the 48″ dimension by 1/2 inch. There can be no overhang in the 40″ dimension at all. All cleat handles or tie down hooks that extend beyond the face of the super or brood box MUST be removed. If equipment is delivered with cleat handles or tie down hooks that extend beyond the footprint of the pallet, that pallet cannot be processed.
• The total height of the stacked hive equipment including the pallet cannot exceed 78 inches (6’ 6”).

• Top-sheet the stacked equipment with 4 mil heavy gauge plastic sheeting to extend 12” down each side of stacked equipment.
• • All equipment must be tightly stretch wrapped from top to bottom before wrapping the top and bottom sheet plastic.
  • Extend bottom sheet of plastic 12” up the stack on the outside of the first layer of shrink wrap.
  • Shrink-wrap stack again, making sure that the top and bottom sheets of plastic are sealed under the second layer of shrink wrap.
  • IMPORTANT: DO NOT EXCEED 1,500 POUNDS TOTAL WEIGHT PER PALLET due to the weight limitations of carriers used in the irradiation chamber.
  • Your hive equipment and pallet may not have any live insects or mice in it. If so, it will be rejected and not processed. That may cause the entire run to be rejected.
• Special note: To prevent the spread of disease, any staging site where hive equipment is being gathered from different beekeepers should use a heavy gauge tarp to protect the location from contamination by stacking and wrapping all pallets on the tarp. No contaminated equipment should be set on the ground. At the end of the palletizing process the ground tarp should be neatly folded and stacked on top of the last pallet to be irradiated and disinfected along with the hive equipment.

Transporting Equipment to Sterigenics We need to have a minimum of 7 pallets of equipment get the lowest per pallet cost and make an irradiation “run” practical and economical. Persons who will be responsible for consolidating prepared equipment and delivering it to Sterigenics must follow the preparation and shipping rules below. Please note: Over the years the staff at the Salem, NJ Sterigenics facility has worked very hard to accommodate our special needs and allow us to work with them on this annual event. As a gesture of good will we have provided a 1 pound jar of local honey from each participating beekeeper to everyone on the staff at Sterigenics every year we have delivery hive equipment. Make sure you bring a jar or send a jar of honey for the kind folks at Sterigenics to whoever transports your hive equipment. Clearly label and ID all equipment on each side of the stack with a full 8.5″ x 11″ paper that has bold print on it. Tape this label to the equipment at eye level before it is shrink wrapped. (Note: If you are hauling in rain or bad weather, have extra labels on hand to insert at the loading dock in case the first set is illegible or place the labels in clear plastic sleeves before use.) Any pallets with combined equipment from multiple beekeeper’s must have each box labeled with the first and last name of the equipment owner on the equipment and/or the plastic wrapping of the individual boxes. Maximum allowable height of the stacked equipment, including the pallet, is 6 feet 6 inches tall. Advise Mark Antunes that a shipment is planned so that a shipment/processing date can be confirmed. Loading dock height trucks unload in the rear of the building, low trucks and trailers unload in front of the building. For the delivery of equipment known to contain AFB and prevent reinfection; it is highly recommended to line delivery vehicle with plastic or cardboard to prevent contamination of the delivery vehicle then destroy that liner after delivery. Schedule your arrival on the correct date with Mark Antunes at Sterigenics Corporation, 75 Tilbury Road, Salem, NJ 08079.

How long does it take to process the hive equipment? Sterigenics offers three different fee structures for the irradiation of materials all based on how quickly the materials need to be irradiated. This program uses the least expensive turnaround time which usually takes 3 – 5 business days. Same day service is three times as expensive and 48 hour service is twice as expensive. When the hive equipment is ready to be picked up, Sterigenics will notify Mark Antunes and he will then send out an e-mail to everyone who delivered equipment for that run stating it is available to be picked up. Picking up the processed equipment does not require the same unified timing that delivering the equipment does, so you can pick up your pallets of equipment within a weekday or two of when it is ready.

What are the costs and who do I contact? Please contact Tim Ferris if you have hive equipment that you wish to process at Sterigenics. Without exception, all expected processing costs for prepared pallets must be paid upon in the full amount with a certified bank check or money order made out to Sterigenics International, Inc. Note: There is a U.S. Post Office only 1/2 mile from Sterigenics where a money order may be easily purchased. If 7 or more pallets of equipment are delivered for 2020 the cost per pallet is $214.30. 1 full pallet can accommodate 48 deeps @ $4.45 per box all with frames or 66 mediums on a pallet for about $3.30 per box. Contact Information:

Tim Ferris

About MCBAPA

Serving Montgomery, Bucks and surrounding counties in Pennsylvania, the MCBAPA is an association of hobbyist and professional beekeepers. Our mission is to provide education, hands-on training, support and fellowship in all aspects of beekeeping. Both experienced beekeepers and novices participate in our monthly meetings, field trips and social events.

Our meetings are held at:

Montgomery County 4-H Center
1015 Bridge Road (Route 113)
Skippack, PA 19426

General membership meetings are usually held the 4th Thursday of the month at 7 pm, but please check our calendar

Link to source:

Irradiation Offered by Montgo Beekeeper's Association of PA

www.montcopabees.org