MADISON COUNTY BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION

For many years, at the beginning of each meeting of the Madison County Beekeepers Association,  approximately 5 minutes was devoted to “Beginners Corner”. This time was used to answer any novice beekeepers questions, let him/her know what is normal and should (or should not be) happening in their colonies as well as advise what actions he/she should be taking at this time in the beekeeping year.

This practice no longer takes place so you will have to check back here for this information.
If you have questions feel free to email me.

Requeening a "Laying Worker" hive

Update 7/31/2023

1. The beekeeping year really starts right now. If you are not near a summer nectar source such as cotton, soy bean or the like, now is the time to remove all surplus honey and start treating for mites by whatever method works best for you.
   1. Make sure and leave enough honey for the bees to survive until the fall flow that normally starts around the first of September.
   2. If near a summer nectar source such as cotton, soy bean or the like, wait until the summer flow is over to medicate. 
2. Bees, in this area of north Alabama need a minimum of 60 lbs. of honey to survive winter and 100 lbs. is better. A typical medium super full of honey will weigh about 60 lbs.

Update 7/10/2023

General information

1. At this point, honey production, "per hive" looks the be far below normal.
2. Take off your surplus honey as soon as practical as this reduces the space that the bees have to defend against SHB.
3. If you are near cotton, you might still want to remove your surplus honey and replace the empty combs for your cotton honey crop. Cotton honey is very light in color and has a good taste BUT it does crystallize quickly therefore keeping it separate is not a bad idea. If you plan to make “creamed honey” cotton honey is a good choice because of the very small crystals when crystallized. If you prefer to use other nectar sourced honey for your “creamed honey” cotton honey is still a good choice to seed the process.
   1. You may not get cotton honey. For whatever reason the honey bees in north Alabama stopped working cotton in most fields some 15 or so years or so ago. In recent years, bees seem to have started back working cotton in some fields so you may or may not get surplus cotton honey (This is probably due to genetic modifications to the cotton plant)

4. If your bees are near Kudzu or Soy Beans, you may get summer honey from both. If you are real lucky and have Sourwood trees near you, you may get a crop of Sourwood honey. If you do, keep it separate as it sells for a premium price. In years past white bloom Soy Beans did not produce honey and pink/purple did but the guys with the lab coats have screwed that up with their genetic modification so give either or both a try, you never know!
5. There may be a fall wildflower honey flow but that seldom produces a harvestable surplus because that is normally left for the bees to winter on plus it may not be harvestable depending on when you medicate your bees.
6. Wax Moths are now a problem and will become a bigger problem, as the weather gets hotter. If you have “dead outs” or unused dark comb, treat the combs with PDB (Paradichlorobenzene) ir freeze and save it for spring “bait hives”.
   1. Use Moth Crystals (Paradichlorobenzene – normally available at Wall-Mart) do not use Moth Balls (Naphthalene)
   2. Stack supers to be treated 3 high, then place a ¼ sheet of newspaper with about 3 table spoons of PDB, repeat every 3 supers.
   3. Close all openings in the stack as well as the lower entrances, as the crystals evaporate, the fumes eliminate the wax moths. The fumes are heavier than air.
   4. If a "wood rimed" queen excluder is placed above the top PDB (under the inner cover), you will get better air circulation and more effective results (I specify wood because it is thicker than metal or plastic).
   5. Check the stack at least once a month, if the PDB has evaporated (actually sublimated), replaces it.
   6.  Before you re-use the PDB treated equipment let it air well (until no odor is present) before using with live bees.
   7. New, white combs seldom have a wax moth problem and will likely not need PDB fumigation. Wax moths seldom attack combs that are not dark and or have not had brood raised in them.
      1. Small Hive beetles are primarily attracted to pollen and the same PBD treatment, applied in the same way as for wax moth will kill the adult beetle, eggs and larvae.
   8. Probably, the best way to store supers with light (new) combs is to cross stack them in a well lighted location with good air circulation. If white comb is intermixed with dark combs, you may well get wax moth damage in both.
7. If you have comb that has been damaged by wax moths, render the wax and clean up the equipment and get it ready for reuse. Be sure and save any good used dark combs for use in bait hives next spring. Bees seem to like old dark combs that have been treated with PDB, obviously they have to have been thoroughly "aired out" before use. Also, the paper like combs left after the wax has been melted from old dark combs works quiet well in swarm trap hives.
8. Small Hive Beetle will attack weak colonies. It is the SHB larvae that do most of the damage.  They look a little like wax moth larvae but are much smaller and their head is darker. They will be concentrated in any area where there is pollen and or dark comb. Probably the best way to deal with them is to put the infected frames in a Deep Freeze for 2 days or so. PDB used the same as for Wax Moths will also kill the larvae. If SHB larvae are placed in an upside down plastic outer cover are exposed to direct sunlight, the larvae will die quickly. Do not let them get to the ground alive as they will burrow in and pupate.

Small Hive Beetle

Typical accumulation of SHB larvae found in corners and crevices.	Small Hive Beetle Larvae	Typical on surfaces of combs particularly on pollen.

Wax Moth

Typical wax moth cocoons found on any and all surfaces inside the hive.	Typical Wax Moth Larvae	Typical on surfaces of combs particularly on pollen.
Typical wax moth webbing. Occasionally the webbing will be so bad that frames are difficult to pull apart.	As the moth develops it cuts into the wood as shown on an inner cover.	Damage shown after actual moth larvae is removed.
Wax moth damage is a mess but does not render the equipment unusable. Clean the webbing and reuse the affected equipment. It does not need to be burned.

10. If you produce comb honey don’t forget to freeze it before selling or giving away.
    1. Virtually all comb honey contains lesser wax moth eggs. These eggs will hatch and the larvae will cut the comb and cause honey to leak from the combs and there will be larvae in the comb honey. All undesirable for you or your customers. Freezing for 24 hours in a deep freeze should prevent the eggs hatching.
11. Keep weeds trimmed from around your hives so they can control the hive temperature and also to reduce the possibility of  you getting snake bitten.
12. If practical, get your bees medicated as soon after 15 August as practical.
13. If winter feed is needed, try and get started feeding by late September to early October.
14. If your hives have lots of bees hanging on front of the hive and even down to the ground, that is normal and is caused by hot weather and or high humidity.
    1. If it happens in spring, it likely indicates a need for supers.
15. You might get summer swarms, they are not of much value but can be fun to make survive the winter.
16. If you have a summer swarm and see where it came from, check and make sure they still have a queen or that it is not an absconding.
17. In this area, bees need at least 60 lbs. of honey to survive winter. That is approximately one full medium super.
18. Do not take all of their honey and expect them to replace what they need this fall. You can easily rob them too close and they can starve during the summer.
19. Summer splits can be made but I recommend not doing so for beginners unless you have competent help/advice.