Beekeeping 101 by leahnorris13

101 BEEKEEPING A beginner s guide

BB THE BACKYARD BEEKEEPER

101 BEEKEEPING A beginner s guide

WEL CO

BEEKEEPING

the keeping of bees is like the direction of sun beams

So youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to become a beekeeper? Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve put together a series of lessons to help get you started. The tradition of keeping bees, teaching beekeeping and enjoying the late summer honey harvest is both a family tradition and an important part of our company. We invite you to share in this tradition â&#x20AC;&#x201C; let us help you get started with your first hive, some essential beekeeping tools, protective clothing, or additional beekeeping resources. Beekeeping can be a lifelong activity so it is important to understand both the bees and the inter workings of the hive to keep a long and sustainable colony.This book, Beekeeping 101 from the Backyard Beekeeper will give you a break down and provide essential lesssons and information to allow you to do just that.

Editor of The Backyard Beekeeper

HOW TO KEEP BEES

N A POLLEN BASKET TONGUE EYE

ABDOMEN STOMACH WINGS

SALIVARY GLANDS

SALIVARY GLANDS ANTENNA

DORSEL AORTA THORAX

GANGILA

O MY WAX GLANDS PROBOSCIS

WAX SCALES

HONEY STOMACH

MOUTH STOMACH

ESOPHAGUS

VENTRAL NERVE HEART

DIAPHRAGM STOMACH

POISON SAC STING

RECTUM

ANTENNA

BRAIN SALIVARY GLANDS

ESOPHAGUS

THORAX FRONT LEGS

SAVILARY GLANDS

AORTA

ESOPHAGUS

GANGILA

VENTRAL NERVE HONEY STOMACH VENTRAL DIAPHRAGM

WINGS

POISON GLAND DORSAL DIAPHRAGM

POISON SAC

TRUE STOMACH

ABDOMEN

HEART HIND LEGS

STINGER

15000

The

oldest

known

record

primitive

beekeeping paintings

3000

Written records on migratory beekeeping up and down the Nile river in ancient Egypt

2000

Exodus refers to Canaan as the land of milk and honey

King Solomon speaks of honey and honeycomb in many passages Proverbs My son eat thou honey because it is good and the honeycomb which is sweet to thy taste

384

Aristotle the Greek teacher did a lot of research on beekeeping His writings mention foulbrood and enemies of bees and he was apparently the first to notice that honey bees dont visit flowers of different kinds on one flight but remain constant to one floral species

700

Virgil

a famous Roman poet and beekeeper

recommended clipping the wings of queen bees and spoke of shade and wind protecting

It is thought that honey bees were first brought 800

to America by Irish and Norwegian explorers preColumbus

1850

West Coast bees were not introduced until when they landed in California and by wagon to Oregon

1851

Bees had colonized all over the world Lorenzo Langstroth

The father of modern beekeeping

developed the moveable frame Lorenzo was from the US and his work spread from here to England Europe and finally around the

2000

world His creation of the Langstroth hive is still the standard to this day

HISTORY BEEKEEPING

900

Primitive beekeeping was a crude art, at best. Hives consisted of pottery, baskets and holes in rocky cliffs. Beekeepers knew very little about the bees and in most instances, the bees were killed after the season was over to harvest the honey. Early man did, however, understand the importance of honey as a food source. For instance, in Biblical days it was recognized that milk and honey were essential for baby formulas.There is much historical data that indicates that beekeeping has been practiced for thousands of years. Below is a list of some important dates in beekeeping history. Depictions of humans collecting honey from wild bees date to 10,000 years ago.Beekeeping in pottery vessels began about 9,000 years ago in North Africa.Domestication is shown in Egyptian art from around 4,500 years ago.Simple hives and smoke were used and honey was stored in jars, some of which were found in the tombs of pharaohs such as Tutankhamun. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until the 18th century that European

understanding of the colonies and biology of bees allowed the construction of the moveable comb hive so that honey could be harvested without destroying the entire colony Primitive beekeeping was a crude art, at best. Hives consisted of pottery, baskets and holes in rocky cliffs. Beekeepers knew very little about the bees and in most instances, the bees were killed after the season was over to harvest the honey. Early man did, however, understand the importance of honey as a food source. For instance, in Biblical days

R AC ES OF BE E BROW N BE E I TA LI A N BEE CA RN I OLA N S CA U CA SI A NS

Brown Bee- German 1st, known to be mean, susceptible to AFB (American Foul Brood Disease), EFB (European Foul Brood Disease). Italian Bee- Brought into the US soon after 1859, originally from Italy. They are yellow bee races and vary in color from dark yellow to golden yellow and have three to five black bands. Generally not too gentle but can be. They have a very strong disposition to breeding, colonies start breeding early in spring and maintain a large brood area regardless of flows in late fall.Italians have an average amount of swarming. Italians winter in strong colonies and have a high consumption of food.Winter losses are high.Excellent wax builders. They show a tendency to rob, which undoubtedly is a factor in the spread of bee diseases. The golden queen is often easily located. Carnolians- Originally part of the Austrian Alps and North Balkan Yugoslavia. Dark colored, sometimes leather bands. Depends on strain of Carniolan, as hybrid bee today. Quietest and one of the most gentle races. Their rhythms of brood production is very steep. They overwinter with small colonies and with small food consumption. Brood rearing

starts with first income of pollen and fast development occurs thereafter. They maintain a large brood nest only if pollen remains adequate. In fall, the population of the colony declines rapidly. Overwintering very well. Strong disposition to swarm but this disposition can be influenced by selection. No inclination to robbing. Use of Propolis is small. Poor wax builders.Very difficult to locate queen. Work in cooler temperatures.

types of bees brown bee italian bee carnolian Caucasians

Caucasians- Originally from the high valleys of the central Caucasus mountain region. They have a shape and size similar to Carniolans. It is difficult to find a pure gray breed. Most strains we have today have been imported to us from Russia during the 40â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. They are very gentle, and calm on the combs. They are ardent brood producers and raise strong colonies.Their disposition to swarm is weak.They are great users of propolis.Overwintering very well.No inclination to robbing.Use of Propolis is small. Poor wax builders. Very difficult to locate queen. Work in cooler temperatures

DRONE QUEENS&WORKER B EES DRONE QUEENS&WORK ER BEES DRONE QUEENS&W ORKER BEES DRONE QUEEN S&WORKER BEES DRONE QU EENS&WORKER BEES DRON E QUEENS&WORKER BEES D RONE QUEENS&WORKER BE ES DRONE QUEENS&WORKER

Through the centuries, man has tried to solve the secrets responsible for the success of the honey bees. Only now are we beginning to lift the veil of mystery from the life of bees. To successfully manage your bees, you must possess a basic understanding of what is happening in your hives. There is a division of labor in the hive according to the caste of the different types of bees, which establishes a hierarchy. The queen lays the eggs, workers do all the work and drones serve for fertilization of the virgin queen. Understanding each individual beeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role in the hive will help you understand how to manage a hive more efficiently. For the most part, we will focus on the worker bee, as it does most of the work. The queen and drones are there to mainly just reproduce. Age does exert a

THE WORKING PHASE OF WORKER BEES Cell cleaning from 1-25 days Feeding larvae from 7-30 days Building activities including cappings 1-32

days

strong influence on the division of labor for the individual bee, but the determining factor seems to be based upon the needs of the colony as a whole. A normal colony consists of bees of all ages, and there is a certain general sequence of work which the bees perform; how

division offllabor in the hive establishes a hierarchy ever, this division of labor is very flexible, constantly changing according to the conditions inside and outside the hive. In summer, a worker spends half of her life as a hive bee and the other half as a fielder. Beeswax is the material used by honey bees in the construction of their combs. It is the product of their own bodies secreted through a gland on the bottom of their abdomen. The wax glands on the worker bee reach the height of their development and productivity when the bee is about 12-18 days old. Wax can be secreted only at relatively high temperatures and only after the consumption of large amounts of honey or nectar. Workers actively engaged in secreting wax will gorge themselves on honey and hang out near the site of building operations. Wax scales are removed by the bee using her legs and mandibles that are fixed to the comb. The mandible glands secret a juice used in masticating the scales building combs

A qu een can la y about a thous and eg gs i n one day

During the spring season, an efficient queen can lay about 1,500 eggs in a twenty-four hour period. Those 1,500 eggs collectively weigh about the same as the queen herself. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to estimate how rapidly the eggs are forming inside the queen and understand why she has no other responsibilities.

WHAT THE QUEEN DOES First she puts her head inside a cell to determine that it is empty Second she lowers her abdomen into the cell and stays absolutely still for a few seconds or more

1st Stage After three days a small white larva hatches from the deposited egg. 2nd Stage Larva stage- in six days after the larva hatches, it will complete its growth. During these six days its weight has increased more than five to six hundred percent. 3rd Stage Transformation stage- from larva to completed bee. Worker bees build a slender vaulted lid of wax over the cell, and beekeepers call this stage sealed brood. Inside the closed cell, the larva turns into a pupa. This stage takes 12 days, and at the end of the 12th day, the bee breaks the lid or capping and emerges a complete bee. During the larva stage, the worker bees feed the larva. Temperature: bees maintain a constant temperature of 95 degrees in the hive for proper brood development

EGGS ARE LAID IN A WELL DEFINED ORDER Eggs are deposited in the central portions of the cells on the frame Adjacent cells are filled with pollen and then honey is deposited in the outermost cells of the brood Eggs are deposited in the central portions of the cells on the frame

THE

G N I R A E R BROORODCIENSSG P

HOW TO KEEP BEES

First the entrance should be facing the morning sun There are several factors you should consider when selecting a site to place your hives. One of the most important factors is: will there be a sufficient food source near the bees? Bees can forage usually 1-1.5 miles away from the hive fairly easily, so make sure there are food

TH AP SIT

sources within that radius. Open fields with clover are excellent sources as well as near fruit trees and blackberry bushes. Take the time to examine your area to see what kinds of plants are available. Spring sources of nectar and pollen from willow, fruit trees & dande-

APIARY SITE

lions are very helpful for colony build-up during the spring. Next, you want to inspect the actual land where the hives will be placed. First, make sure there is adequate wind protection for the hives. Trees or hedges at level in the direction of the prevailing winds are a must. Second, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t select an area that is in the shade too much. Long dead grass around the hives can add warmth to a hive and allows for faster colony development. When the weather gets really hot later in the summer it can be necessary to move the hive into a partially shaded area so the bees donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overheat.

E IARY E

Factors when selecting Factors a site when selecting a site avoid avoid Flood Flood areas areas can can animals animals get get to to the the hive hive somewhat somewhat excluded excluded near near woods woods or or fields fields

When actually placing your hive on the site you have chosen there are a couple of things you should do. First, the entrance should be facing the morning sun. Second, the hive entrance should just be leaning forward just a bit like in the picture

THE 21

Immediately upon receiving the package, check to see if there is enough syrup in the feeder can. The best time to hive your package of bees is in the late afternoon, when the weather is moderately cool and bees will not want to fly. It is best to mist bees with sugar water (50/50 sugar and water) before removing Pic_PackagedBeesintoHivethem from the package. Simply spray the bees using a spray bottle. Remove the feeder can and the queen. Check the queen to see if she is still alive. Place her into the hive hanging between the two middle frames. The queen bee comes in her own package with one hole in the end that has cork in it and a screen on the top. While in the box, the bees feed the queen through the cage. When you take the

Have Your Equipment Ready Have your brood chamber super ready with only frames in the middle and a frame feeder on the right side with sugar water If you can obtain or combs of drawn comb from your hives your packaged bees will do better Drones usually die in shipment and normally you will see a few hundred dead workers bees Expect shipper to give overweight of bees

A n d H O W To C A R E FO R TH E m Delivery AND PROTECTION Traditionally packaged bees were shipped parcel post Today they are trucked to your region by local beekeeping supply dealers This is your best guarantee of timely delivery and better handling If temperatures are below freezing packages should be covered with burlap or paper Bees should be kept cool with temper

queen and place her into the hive, be sure to replace the cork in the hole with a gummy bear or marshmallow. When your bees get into the hive they will eat the candy and the queen will be able to get out. This timed release is crucial for a stable introduction and pheromone adjustment to the new colony. Shake the bees from the package over the queen. The reason we only have 4 frames installed is so the bees can fall to the bottom of the hive very easily. Be sure to also mist the inside of the hive with sugar water. Once the bees have been transferred, put in the remaining frames and immediately close up hive and reduce entrance of hive. It is important that the bees get their orientation of the new hive before they fly out so they know where exactly their hive is and will return safely

EES

PACK AGED

Spring is a critical time of the year for the bee colony to grow and strengthen. Special steps are needed to insure that the colony will grow and get ready for the busy summer months. Sometime in early February, you will want to check on the bees. Make sure the colony is still healthy and has enough food. If food is running out you may want to feed them some sugar syrup. queenFebruary and March are good times to check on the queen bee and see if she will need replacing. You must order your queen around this time to ensure delivery in April/May. As a rule of thumb- it is a good idea to replace the queen every other year. As Spring-time progress, keep an eye on the colony to see how fast they are growing. Check about every 10 days. If the hive is getting full and 7 to 8 of the frames are covered with bees, you will definitely want to add another brood chamber super. Finish up your bee disease treatments during the spring and make sure they end at least 30 days before the honey flow begins. For more info on diseases and treatment times. Watch out for swarming. Bees will swarm if they get too crowded. Bees will generally swarm after it has been cold out and and then a warm day suddenly appears.

If your colony is growing fast, you may want to also think about splitting the colony into two separate colonies. This will require another queen to support the additional colony. The most effective method is to use a nuc. A nuc is a small hive where you will transport two frames of brood with bees on it from a very strong colony along with 2 frames of honey. Do this during the middle of the day when the aggressive worker bees are out gathering nectar. Insert the four frames into the nuc along with a packaged queen bee. Seal the entrance and move at least a mile from the old hive location. Once the nuc is moved you can open the entrance. After about 10 days, check to see if the bees have accepted the new queen then you can move the nuc back. This nuc will be used to replace a queen that has gone bad or can be used when you split a colony to start another one. The nuc introduces the bees to the queen in a stable manner and makes it less likely that when you insert her into the new colony that the existing bees will want to kill her

managing the hive The entrance reducers will keep out yellow jackets that want to rob the hive of food Tilt hives a bit so that water falls off Create an upper entrance in the hive by drilling a small hole The hole will allow condensation and moisture to escape and keep the hive dry From the beginning of October to February dont bother the bees

B E E S

NECTOR&

IN THE STATES

MAIN HONEY PLANTS sorted by month Mustard March-pollen Oregon Grape April -pollen and nectar Cotton Wood April-pollen Willow April- pollen and nectar is warm Cherry Tree April-nectar and pollen Maple Large Leaf

May -pollen and nectar

Deciduous Fruit Trees April May-pollen Poison Oak May-nectar surplus Madrene May-nectar Manzanita May- pollen and nectar Vine Maple May-nectar surplus Cabbage May-pollen and nectar Crimson Clover May- pollen and nectar Snowberry Buckbrush May June- surplus Cascara May June-nectar Hairy Vetch May June-surplus nectar Raspberry June- surplus Thistle June- nectar and pollen Blackberry June July-nectar and pollen White Clover June July- pollen and nectar Dill oil July -pollen and nectar Fire Weed July august - variable nectar Cascara May June-nectar

You will be quite surprised at how many plants produce a surplus of nectar and pollen for the bees. For this section we will be focusing on the Pacific Northwest region. For your local region, it is best to research what types of nectar and pollen plants your bees will be visiting and if there is enough to sustain the hive. Remember a bee can travel up to 6 miles to find nectar but they can be a lot more efficient if the plants are nearby, especially during summer. There are great differences in honeys depending on what type of plants the bees visit. The color and flavors of the honey will vary tremendously from light amber to dark, and mild to strong flavors. Successful beekeepers learn to manage their bees so as to harvest only the best grades of honey. Some plants that bees visit will cause a lower grade of honey to be produced with inferior flavor and overall taste.

There are many factors that determine the nectar flow of a plant. Soil types, irrigation practice, quantity of rainfall, elevation, temperature and wind all have huge impacts on how much nectar a plant will give off. The more nectar there is from a plant means more honey to the bee, so finding good plants that have a surplus of nectar is important. A beekeeper must have available data on the nectar and pollen plants in the vicinity of his apiary for successful honey production. Such information enables him to determine when to install package bees, divide colonies, put on supers, use swarm-control measures, remove honey, requeen, prepare colonies for winter, and locate profitable apiary sites

Hairy Vetch May June-surplus nectar Raspberry June- surplus Thistle June- nectar and pollen Blackberry June July-nectar and pollen White Clover June July- pollen and nectar Dill oil July -pollen and nectar Fire Weed July august - variable nectar

BEEKEEPING EQUIPMENT

& HIVE ASSEMBLY To be successful in beekeeping, certain beekeeping equipment is necessary. All equipment must be uniform and standard when assembling a hive. Bee Space- Langstroth discovered that honeybees always allow a 3/8” space between combs. Any greater space is filled with additional comb and any smaller space is filled with propolis. Hive Stand- The entire hive sits on a hive stand. This can be built out of wood, cinder blocks or even placed on a stump. GloryBee also sells a hive stand made out of plastic. Bottom Board- This is the bottom floor of the hive and creates the entrance to the hive. Many beekeepers will use a screened bottom board. This helps with mite control and ventilation. Slatted Rack- Use a slatted rack for better egg laying and less gnawing. This adds a lot more cluster space for reducing the congestion. Entrance Reducer/Cleat - A reduces the entrance and can be used in the winter months to close up the entrance so it is very small. GloryBee sells both metal reducers and wooden reducers. Hive Body- Hive Body/Supers are the boxes that holds the frames in place. They can be a brood chamber or honey . Brood Chamber/Deep Super- This is

pollen and honey stored for maturing bees. A deep brood chamber is a 9 5/8” super. In the Pacific Northwest we use two 9 5/8” supers, everything in these two supers are for the bees.

when BEEHIVE FEEDERS are necessary Feeding medicine in liquid form Winter and Spring Feeding Divisions Starting with or bringing in Packaged Bees whe there are Nucs Bringing in a Swarm

Western Box/Honey Supers- This is where the bees will store the honey and this is where you will extract your honey from. A typical honey super is a 6 5/8” super. The reduced size allows easier handling when full. A full honey super can weigh up to 40 pounds! Ross Round Honey Super- This is used for making the round comb honey. A Ross Round super is 4 5/8” and should only be used on a thriving hive. Inner Cover- An inner cover is used so that the outer cover is easier to remove. Also used as an escape board for removing honey and as an entrance for top feeder of the hive

To be successful in beekeeping equipment is essential

SWARMING AND EXTRACTING

HOW TO HIVE A SWARM Swarming is an instinctive part of the annual lifecycle of the honey bee. The tendency is usually the greatest in the spring, when the bees increase their population rapidly before the major honey flow. Between April 15th - June 15, swarming is undesirable from the beekeeperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s standpoint and every effort should be made to understand the conditions in the colony which lead to swarming. The necessary steps should be taken to avoid and stop the swarm from happening. Before a colony begins to swarm, they will begin to create queen cells to raise a new queen for when the old queen leaves with the swarm. The bees create swarms cells and supersedure cells to raise the queen. In their haste to create

a queen quickly, sometimes the bees will raise a queen that will not be adequate to support the new colony which is why you will want to destroy the cells and add your own queen. A swarm usually leaves during the middle of the day from 10am to about 2pm. If weather is sultry, they will leave earlier or later in the day.

swarm and supersedure Swarm Cell On the bottom of the frame should be destroyed Supersedure Cell On face of combs near or next to regular cells Should be destroyed only if you are going to replace the queen

Remember we said that before the swarm happens, the hive had already built up queen cells and begun breeding a new queen? When the swarm leaves with the old queen, the new virgin queen will emerge from her cell. She will then mate with a drone in flight and return to the hive. At this point, the worker bees will destroy all the remaining queen cells and inhabitants, so there will only be one queen and no more swarming. In some cases, the new queen that has just emerged will mate and then form a second swarm and leave the hive also. In this case, the workers do not destroy the queen cells and will let another queen emerge and mate

As a beekeeper, there are some steps you can take to help ensure that your bees will survive the winter. Before the winter hits, your colony must be strong in numbers and have enough honey stores to last the winter. The hive will also need upward ventilation, easy communication from comb to comb, access to water, and all the hive entrances must be sheltered from piercing winds. Brood rearing tapers off in the fall after October, and begins again in late winter, normally in February. It can vary depending on the type of bee and conditions. Here is a list of things that should happen at the end of the brood rearing in fall before winter hits.

what should happen in the fall The queen bee will stop laying eggs but should still be productive Bees are covering combs thirty five lbs of honey fifteen lbs or more in lower chamber Adequate pollen stores Reduce lower entrances and put a one inch sugar hole in top chamber Protection from the wind Maximum exposure to the sun Good air

Small colonies require a larger proportion of their bees to care for the brood. Weaker colonies require less honey to survive than strong colonies, but use more honey for the number of bees present. A small cluster is unable to maintain brood rearing temperatures over a sufficient area to rear young bees that are necessary for replacing worn out bees, or those lost to cold temperatures or disease.

why bees die in the winter Starvation Weak Colonies Inadequate supplies of Pollen Nosema Disease Queenless

Winter any small colonies over larger ones and separate them with a screen-and auger holes in it for an entrance. Nosema disease and winter dysentery can claim substantial losses among the colony during the winter, especially in very cold climates where bees are confined to the hive for months at a time. When a bee cannot leave the hive because outside conditions are too harsh, the bees are forced to discharge feces within the hive. Normally bees will discharge feces when out on a flight

WINTERING THE HIVE

The honey bee colony has a remarkable capacity to adapt itself

COLONY TREATMENT FOR EE DISEASE CON DISEASE AND MITE MITE CONTR OL. COLONY TREATMENT BEE BEE DISEASE DISEASE AND MITE MITE C C TROL. COLONY TREATME TROL FOR BEE BEE DISEASE DISEASE AND MI MI CONTROL. COLONY TREA CONTROL

BEBE TROL FOR ONON NT TE TE TM-

A responsibility of every beekeeper, and one of the principles of productive beekeeping, is to keep all colonies in a â&#x20AC;&#x153;disease-freeâ&#x20AC;? condition. American Foulbrood (AFB) American foulbrood (AFB) is the most damaging brood disease. It is highly contagious among bee colonies (not to humans). Although it is not commonly observed in colonies, if left unchecked it will cause colony death. More over, AFB can spread to neighboring colonies within 3-5 miles, causing their demise. It is extremely important to be able to identify and control this disease if found.

main mite diseases American Foulbrood Varroa Mites Tracheal Mites Nosema Disease

American foulbrood is caused by the bacterium, Paenibacillus larvae. The bacteria infect young larvae, which die after the cells are capped. Infected pre-pupae turn brown, gooey and smelly, and sink to the bottom of the cell (Figure 2). The dead brood then dries into a characteristic hard scale on the bottom of the cell. The colony will eventually die from disease, but the infectious scales remain in combs and honey taken from diseased colonies. Varroa mites are visible with the unaided eye. These mites infest and feed on the blood of both adult and immature stages of bees. An adult mite enters the cell containing an older larva and is sealed within the cell when the workers cap it over with wax. The mite then lays

symptoms Discolored sealed brood will string out like glue Characteristic foul odor the capping sare perforated with one or more small holes are sunken and have a greasy appearance The brood pattern will be very scattered

When a colony is dying from mites, symptoms may include being able to see mites on adult bees, spotty brood patterns, numerous uncapped cells and pupae being removed from cells. At advanced stages of infestation, the adult population dwindles and larvae are abandoned and die and decompose. Some times this is called larval death parasitic mite syndrome

SWARMING SWARMING SWARMING Swarming is a very real problem for any beekeeper. When bees swarm, they usually divide the colony into a large group and look for a new hive. They do this for several reasons, which we will explain below, but whatever the reason, you should be happy to know there are ways to avoid it from happening. When the colony swarms, it splits the colony the colony that leaves the hive will leave with the old queen, and the colony in the old hive will have to create a new queen to run the show. Below are some common reasons why bees will swarm. Always give your bees more than enough room. Bees need room to rear brood, store honey, nectar, pollen and produce beeswax. If in doubt, always add more room! Too much room is better than not enough. When bees are in the process of building up the colony and growing, they should get a good amount of sunlight and warmth. Later on, during the honey flow periods, it may be necessary to

shade the hives if you live in a very warm climate. Give your colonies plenty of good ventilation in warmer weather. Take out entrance reducers during hot periods and try staggering the supers so they are not flush on top of each otherâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;this allows more air flow. Maintain good air flow and drainage to the hive at all times. Keep grass trimmed around the hive and place the hive in an area that gets good air flow. Use young queens if possible. Older queens have a tendency to fail during times of high growth and egg laying

CON

CAUSES OF SWARMING The population has grown too large and the hive is too small There is not enough room to store honey The temperature is too hot With higher temperatures more space is needed for each bee to maintain a cooler temperature The hive does not have proper ventilation and air drainage If the bees cannot ventilate the hive properly and temperatures rise they will be likely to move out of the hive High humidity and poor ventilation make the hive unbearable for the bees Problems with the queen Especially older queens have a tendency to fail to produce in times of high production of the colony

TROL

BB THE BACKYARD BEEKEEPER