Not Thinking About Bees

A thick blanket of snow has covered the ground since the beginning of December.



We even missed a few days of work. Children got three days off school. They weren't sad. Neither was I.

The bees are wrapped in their hives, snug as bugs in a rug.


The queens will finally get a vacation. They certainly deserve one.

Santa and his reindeer have come and gone.


We've eaten a lot of turkey.

Christmas trees have been taken down.

The fireworks are done, the champange sipped.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

The over-eating is finally easing down. The scales have not.... +++ I'll deal with that later.

Things are slowing down--not really but I remain hopeful--and now I have time to devote to other things.

I don't have to think about bees every hour of every day. I can take my mind off them. I can think of other things. I can do other things. Like deciding where I will hang the crochet bee that a friend gave me for Christmas.

Like redecorating the bathroom with an aquamarine theme...

using this glass honey dish.

Later I'll relax with some knitting. Maybe I'll make a vest or a scarf using this lovely pattern....

Before bed I'll relax and have a milk and honey bath.

Finally I'll have time to catch up on some reading. Something like this....






a book about how business would be so much better organized if only we copied the bees. I agree.







By the time I'm done all these things it'll practically be spring.







Then I'll have to start thinking about bees again.

2011 Beekeeping Resolutions

Don't wait for the last minute to get equipment.
Maybe all spring you were able to get equipment the day before you needed it. Then suddenly in mid summer you'll find the supplier is out of stock and you can't get what you need. This happened last year with supers. My hives had their supers almost full and I couldn't get any medium supers or frames with foundation. You can often find supplies farther afield but shipping costs really add up. Plan ahead and make purchases in winter too. That way the costs are spread out more.

Stay ahead of them
If you don't let them get ahead of you then you won't have a panic to catch up. They had all their frames filled and capped and I didn't realize they'd used up all available space. Then I couldn't get equipment to give them more room (see #1 above). Yikes! We were forced to do extractions right away to give them more room.

Stay on top of the Mites
Don't let those pests take down your best hive. It might be booming now but keep an eye on it so it doesn't end up in trouble later. Recharge your sticky boards regularly. It's a balancing act figuring out which is the best mite treatment. Formic Acid works great but its temperature reliant. I'll pay more attention to the weather when choosing a treatment.

Go for Power Every Time
Go for Power when it comes to an Extractor. We run our extractor for at least 20 minutes with 6 frames at a time with our radial extractor. Hand turning for that length of time would be exhausting, especially if you have more than one hive.

Spread Out Your Costs
Buy your equipment in winter too. You'll have more available money and more time between pay cheques to purchase equipment. More time to paint or nail frames together too. There's nothing like trying to nail 20 frames together in the rain while standing in the bee yard because the bees have filled every available cell in their super.

Think Twice about the Relatives
Is your brother eyeing your bees? Is Dad thinking he'd like to help out. Now this may be a blessing to have extra help but remember close relatives can be full of advice and opinions too... Before involving more family members you might want to read I've Created A Monster.

Take the Fall Harvest Earlier
There's no question in my mind that the fall harvest must end earlier. The bees need time to rebuild their stocks once the honey is taken from them and in southwestern Ontario the weather often turns cold by the second week in Sept. I ended up with hives which weren't as heavy as I would have liked. The good news is that I had some supers in reserve so I could give back to them. This year I'll do the last harvest the last week of August, allowing time for the bees to restock and for a decent mite treatment before winter.


Stop Worrying
This will be my most challenging resolution. I have worried about my inexperience and what it can do to the bees. It's a miracle they live through my mistakes. Last winter was not too cold and nice and short followed by a hot summer. Let's hope 2011 is another great beekeeping year.

Here's wishing you the best 2011 ever, even if you don't have bees.

A Small Matter: Lack of Storage

I'm just thinking about those 25 hives Dad and I thought we could manage.

Now I ask myself where would all that equipment be stored for winter?

Beekeeping involves lots of bulky equipment.

Good thing we're only running four hives.

There's more to think about than just running the bee yard and the time and expenses with that. At first that's the main focus. But then fall comes and you realize you might have a problem: Lack of storage space.

With just four hives I had no place to put 20+ honey supers and extra deeps.

The truck goes in the garage, leaving very little side room. Besides, I didn't want vehicle exhaust fumes in proximity to honey supers.

The wooden ware such as deeps and honey supers can't just be left outside. Mice and other insects would see them as either a food source or a potential home--or both!

Last year I stored my supers in the basement.

Since then I've discovered I've got tiny moths in the house. I'm not certain but it is probable that moths, eggs or larvae were in the frames of wax. Or they could have come in on some other food stuff.

Either way, a better storage solution was needed.

Dad and I made a trip to the local hardware store and purchased a 6'x6' vinyl shed.

During some cool days in November we worked to put it together.

First we built the base, which we soon discovered wasn't level enough. Strong winds and the lack of a level surface caused us to give up and wait for a calmer day.

We levelled the base and the next day was calm and we spent several hours putting the shed together.

We both noticed that we'd worked at it most of the day. Dad said, "You know, we haven't even had an argument."
I laughed and said, "The day isn't over yet. We could have one now if you like."

A week later I removed the clean and dry supers from the bee yard (I let the bees rob them dry). I bought extra inner covers (without centre holes) and I used them on the bottom. I stacked the supers and then covered them with another inner cover.

Three weeks later we had snow storms and ended up with 100 cm of snow.

Everything was covered in a thick heavy layer. In many cases the snow even hung well over the roof edges.

Our roofs are still covered in snow now, but not as much.

The shed held strong and when I opened it a couple weeks later it was dry and clean inside.

I noticed there's even extra room in there. I could probably fit another 15+ supers.

Now there's something to think about. Doesn't more room mean I can handle more hives?

A Crime Saga: Honey Laundering

"As crime sagas go, a scheme rigged by a sophisticated cartel of global traders has all the right blockbuster elements: clandestine movements of illegal substances through a network of co-operatives in Asia, a German conglomerate, jet-setting executives, doctored laboratory reports, high-profile takedowns and fearful turncoats."

This is the first paragraph to a well written article from Toronto's Globe and Mail.

Read the full article on-line by following this link to Toronto's Globe and Mail: Honey Laundering.

Swarm Collectors: Beekeepers in London/Middlesex, Oxford and Elgin Counties who will Collect Bee Swarms

Below is a list of beekeepers in the Oxford, Middlesex and Elgin counties in southwestern Ontario who will collect honey bee swarms or do hive removals.

Before you contact them, please read this article on Swarms to be certain what you think might be honey bees are actually honey bees.... No sense wasting your time and theirs if they're not bees.

If calling a pest removal agency ask if they will collect the bees to put in a hive or terminate them.... I hope you opt for collection.

Many beekeepers will take a swarm because it's a great way for them to get free bees. Bees are under great stress these days so I hope you opt to put the can of Raid away and let someone take the bees.

There are many types of insects that may look like honey bees that can take up residence in an attic, garage, a backyard barbeque or bird house. These insects could be wasps, hornets or other kinds of bees.

Honey bees have gold and brown stripes and are furry. They also build a wax honeycombs that can hang down from a surface. The combs [pictured above] look like double-sided rounded waffles. Honey bees don't build nests in the ground and are more likely to select a sheltered location such as a hollow tree or attic of a home.

[This honey bee has pollen attached to her back leg].

Most beekeepers will have a service charge for attending a call which usually only covers the cost of their gas to get there. Often there will be a charge regardless if the insects are honey bees or not.

If in doubt, why not email them photos? Or simply observe the nest/swarm for a few minutes and compare with the photos on this page. Are they coming and going with pollen on their back legs? If so, they will be bees... but which kind? They could be honey bees, bumble bees or carpenter bees, etc.

Wasps, bumble bees and hornets do not make honeycombs. Their nests are made from various materials such as mud or wood scrapings (paper wasps). Wasps are not hairy and both hornets and wasps can sting multiple times whereas a honey bee dies when she stings.

One of the most common hornets is the Bald Faced Hornet [pictured at left] which is white and black and quite large. These wasps build paper nests that hang from an object. The nests start small but then grow quite large - bigger than a basketball. They do have a few hairs on their body but no where near as many as a honey bee.

Wasps and hornets do not collect pollen and bring it back to their hives attached to their back legs - only bees do that.

Yellow Jacket Wasps are about the same size as honey bees and are common pests at fairs and picnics. Wasps and hornets are omnivores and will eat both your tuna sandwich and your sugary pop. Yellow jackets primarily nest in the ground. In the fall they tend to become more aggressive as food becomes more scarce and they sting more frequently.

Bumble bees [pictured below next to a honey bee] are the gentle giant fuzzy bees. They are very docile and not inclined to sting.

They make small wax pots to store small quantities of nectar. They primarily nest under ground in old mole tunnels. I'm happy to have a nest of them under my dog house. They help to pollinate the flowers in my garden and have never been a problem.

Bumble bees collect pollen as well and will attach it to their back legs, just like honey bees.

If you see a bee Swarms you can just leave them alone. They have a plan and they know what they're doing--they're house hunting and they know what they're doing.

Once they find a new home they'll leave as a mass. They'll fly off in anywhere from a couple hours to a few days. The best thing to do is simply leave them alone. Watch an amazing swarm video for fascinating details about a honey bee swarm.

If you have bees or another insect in your residence that need to be removed, be aware that many pest companies will only come and terminate the current nest of insects. If the insects' entry way into your home isn't closed off, within a short period of time more insects will move in. Repairing or closing off the entrance is the only way to ensure they don't return.

Thank you for caring enough about bees to take the time to read about them. I hope you opt to have the bees collected by a beekeeper.

List of Beekeepers Who Collect Swarms in Ontario:

This is a list of beekeepers in southwestern Ontario who will collect swarms.

If you have bees in an attic, garage, etc., or have a swarm you can find beekeepers who will collect them by checking with the bee clubs/associations for that province or state. I have a few of them listed on my web site Associations page.

Sometimes people will sign up to the beekeeping Yahoo group and post a message for help as well. They're also listed on the Associations web page.

The Fascinating Honey Bee Swarm

Why do Bees Swarm?

Swarms are a normal part of a hive's life. They are actually planned ahead by the bees. Because it's an organized event they'll be very calm--they have a plan, and they know what they're doing. They're not angry or upset. Instead they're gathering together and searching for a new home.

Dr. Thomas Seeley has created about 10 short videos of a swarm in progress. Beekeepers will love to see the stages of a swarm broken down and explained. The videos are posted on the http://www.sciencefriday.com/ web site.

Bees swarm when their current home is too full. The hive decides it's time to divide. Half will stay behind in the current home and make themselves a new queen. The other half and the old queen will leave to find a new home.

A swarm is actually how honey bees reproduce. The best thing to do when you see a swarm is first, get a camera and second leave them alone. They know what they're doing and they won't hurt you. Their mission isn't to sting or hurt anyone--they're house hunting!

A swarm is actually a good thing. It's a sign of a healthy and growing hive. Swarms usually occur in the spring and summer months from May to August.

The old queen will leave the hive, taking about half the bees with her. She'll fly to a spot not too far away and half the hive will gather around her, forming a cluster. Usually they'll hang from a tree branch, but sometimes they'll choose a picnic table or another nearby object.

The Mechanics of a Swarm:

Before the bees swarm they eat lots of honey which they store in their honey stomach. This is like packing before a big trip.

While the swarm waits, they send out hundreds and hundreds of scouts. These scouts are tasked with finding a new home. They'll search in a five mile radius, for a suitable home. The scout will carefully examine a potential home. Once satisfied she's found a good spot, she'll return to the waiting swarm.

Then she dances. The dance tells the bees where the location is. The better the location, the better the dance she'll do to convince them. Soon other scouts will go to check it out. Then they'll return and dance convincingly too. The bees will decide which location to go to based on the best dances of the scouts.

Before long, they'll decide to move to the new home. That's when the scouts will make piping sounds. The piping tells all the bees, get ready and warm up your flight muscles because we're leaving soon.

When everyone is warmed up and ready to go the scout will do Buzz Runs.

Once the scout bee does the buzz run all the bees will fly off within a minute. If you watch the video you'll see it's actually timed--60 seconds.

Once at their new home, the workers will get to work immediately secreting wax so they can create honeycombs.

Then they'll regurgitate that extra honey that they ate earlier into those combs. That way they'll have some food on hand.

Back in the old hive, the remaining bees will create a new queen who will take over that hive.

It's a real sacrifice for the older and experienced mother queen to leave the hive and let her younger inexperienced daughter queen remain in the established hive.

[Pictured at left is a bumble bee who yellow and black and considerably larger than the golden honey bee].

Many beekeepers want to collect swarms. It's a way for them to get free bees.

Click here for a list of beekeepers in the Oxford, Middlesex and Elgin counties who are willing to collect swarms.

Note that most beekeepers will charge a service fee for the trip.

Before you call a beekeeper to come collect a swarm, please look over these photos below to be sure they actually are honey bees and not some other insect such as wasps, hornets or bumble bees.

[The yellow jacket wasp is pictured in the center along with several honey bees. The yellow jacket is hair-less and coloured yellow and black. Their size is similar to a honey bees. They are omnivores and are much more aggressive than bees].

This black and white bald faced hornet builds a paper nest. This hornet is quite large and can be seen protecting a ball shaped paper nest hanging from an object.

Its sting can hurt like a $#%^# too. I know that first hand.

Update:

This is a list of beekeepers in southwestern Ontario who will collect swarms.

If you have bees in an attic, garage, etc., or have a swarm you can find beekeepers who will collect them by checking with the bee clubs/associations for that province or state. I have a few of them listed on my web site Associations page.

Sometimes people will sign up to the beekeeping Yahoo group and post a message for help as well. They're also listed on the Associations web page.

Book Review: Fruitless Fall

My sister found this book at the local library and got it for me. I must say this book is a keeper... except that the library might want it back.


It's very well researched and the author expresses himself in a very lively and interesting style that reads like a novel. He inserts humour at appropriate moments that will make you chuckle out loud.

The scientific and biological aspects are very well described using everyday analogies that we'd all understand. Beekeepers will find this book riveting.

Non-beekeepers will get answers to their questions about what's happening to the bees. You don't need any prior knowledge or understanding of bees to enjoy this book. As a beekeeper, you'll find all the research and interviews with the commercial beekeepers, scientists, etc., has been done for you and neatly laid out in a chronological order.

The book starts with the beginnings of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) in Florida. From there the author takes us back a little to review the history of bees around the world (briefly and not overdone) but necessary in order to understand how we got to where we are now. He covers some bee biology and life both inside and outside the hive to give the reader a perspective on the sociology of bees through time as well.

He covers the importation of bees, the spread of bee diseases around the world, transport bees to pollinate for the almond industry in California, the laundering of Chinese honey into North America, just to name a bit. Alongside the story of bees, the growth of agriculture is explained. The novel covers the rise-fall-rise of honey on the market and its affect on the beekeeping industry and the bees.

The list of reference material at the back of the book is substantial. I've been researching honey bees for a while now (for a children's novel I'm writing about honey bees) and the sources of information are so great that it's impossible to read them all or keep up.

This book is the finger on the pulse of the industry and condenses the whole story into one very readable book.

There are a few drawings showing the parts of the hive, parts of the bee, etc.

I'll be buying a copy for my personal library. I highly recommend this book as the best source of information on the whole story of what is happening to the honey bee and the beekeeping industry and our future in agriculture.