Beekeeping Meeting Tomorrow Evening. 😃
From:
"CIBA MEMBERS" <donotreply@PROTECTED>
Date:
March 19th 2023
😃 Beekeepers - Heads Up 😃
Our CIBA NEXT Beekeeping Meeting will be This MONDAY March 20th
🎉 Yes… We are back to our “Third Monday of the Month” Schedule 🎉
Holliday Park Nature Center
6363 Spring Mill Road
46240
Zoom Link: (We will do our best).
Tentative Agenda Includes
- Speaker
- New beekeeper information available - Getting Started
- We’ll be glad to take you aside for more one-on-one
- Updates on availability of packages and nucs
- Open Questions for Beekeepers of All Experiences.
- If you wish write out your questions and give them to someone at the back table.
- Refreshments
Highlights in the Hive
- On a warmer day with little wind take a look inside the hive.
- Temps in the 50s: you can pull a couple of frames for a quick evaluation. Each frame out for half a minute or less.
- Temps in 60s and above: frames can be kept out a bit longer
- External hive inspection:
- Are bees flying on warmer days? (Temps in mid 60s and above)
- Do you see pollen coming in on the hind-legs of some field bees?
- Are there dead bees in front of the hive? - OK sign, IF bees are flying. - Hive Bees are “cleaning house” 😃
- Use a small stick to reach in entrance and “sweep out” dead bees.
- If there are few - Good
- If there are a lot. Get out as many as possible, but don’t try to be perfect.
- Check to see if the hive has settled and shifted over winter. - Readjust as needed.
- Internal hive Inspection. What to look for
- Did you use a sugar board?
- Bees may have begun using it. - Add more fondant if most is missing.
- Add pollen-substitute patty if one was not included in the sugar board
- DO Not spend time looking for the queen. If there is brood, there is a queen.
- How much capped brood is there? Count by “deep frame sides” best guess. 80% full or more is good. (e.g.A frame full on both sides counts as two).
- Do you see nectar in cells. (Looks like water). Roughly how much? - (Highly unlikely to see any capped honey at this point).
- Are there drone cells present. (They are larger, dome-shaped, many grouped together on the bottom of brood frames).
- Do you see a lot of drones? - If you are not sure… Not to worry
- Mite treatment? - Seek advise from an experienced beekeeper
- Probably too late to use Apivar.
- Remember: most mite treatments should not be used when honey supers are on the hive.
Do you have Dead-Outs? - Hives of colonies that died out over winter.
- NOW is the time to clean them up in preparation for new bees.
- SAVE old comb! (It may look “dirty” to you - Your new bees will Love it). 💕
- Scrape off old propolis - Especially on contact points between frames, top-bar ears, frame rests
- Propolis cleans off better in cool weather.
- DO not scrub down with bleach or disinfectant. (Unless there is confirmed presence of foul brood. Highly unlikely).
- Residual bleach and disinfectants can be repellant to bees
A few other considerations
- Do you need new supplies?
- Replacement frames and foundation?
- Plastic foundation can be scraped of old wax and recoated with new wax
- Talk with an experienced beekeeper
- Want to order new bees? - Check with local suppliers -. Hopefully we will have a list available soon
- Packages will be less expensive. Around $140 this year
- Nucs (Nucleus Colonies) -
- Overwintered colonies are best
- These are more expensive ($180 to $250, depending on properties of the nuc)
We look forward to seeing YOU at Holliday Park Nature Center, Remember. MONDAY, March 20th
- This mailing list is a public mailing list - anyone may join or leave, at any time.
-
This mailing list is announce-only.
This is the All Members email list for the Central Indiana Beekeepers Association.
Privacy Policy:
.