April 12, 2014
Central Oregon Beekeeping Association
Advanced Beekeeping Class
People I met for the first time:
Greg, Camp Sherman: bubble wrapped 3 sides and top
of hives for winter, leaving bottom and front side clear. Greg will be in
Sisters on May 3 to get pkg.
Bill on Newcastle (close to castle) getting two hives
ready—will be in Sisters on May 3 to get pkg.
Starr from Terrebonne, raising bees for medicinal honey.
And the others who come to monthly bee meetings….
Ramesh Sagili,
Professor at OSU in Horticulture http://horticulture.oregonstate.edu/content/ramesh-sagili
began the day with stats on colony losses (22% in 2013) citing that he
feels nutrition is the key in dealing with major problems such as Varroa mites;
bees need good immune systems. Nectar is 25-40% carbs; pollen has vitamins,
minerals, and protein, (10-40% protein). Therefore, one must include real pollen,
not just protein patties, in addition to sugar water when feeding the bees.
Amino acids are also needed; 10 essential for bees. Bees collect a variety of
pollen and nectar to cover their needs. HoneyBHealthy stimulates bee appetite;
no studies support its claimed benefits.
Ramesh suggests one plant for nectar/pollen dearth:
borage, bachelor button, pysillium, poppies, etc.
Branded protein supplements recommended: MegaBee (18%
CP); BeePro (12.5% CP); Global Patties (17%CP).
Must have 5-10% pollen added. Place protein patty between waxpaper
pieces and slit top for bee access. No
real substitute for bees’ own pollen; save pollen in freezer if extra when
collecting honey.
Remember: bees will eat only if necessary; otherwise they
are out collecting what they need or using stores. Protein feeding in
Willamette Valley at OSU during Mar-April and Aug-Oct 15.
Then on to bee anatomy: body hairs are sensory as well as
for heating. Bees warm up before leaving hive and hopefully return before
cooling down. Bee eyes are compound: different focus with each segment and
hairs between eye segments—only honey bees. Bees’ proboscis curls at end to
form a scoop to pool nectar and then a tube above to form a straw. Mandibles
(mouth parts) mold wax flakes from body gland for wax caps and cells and for
carrying debris out of hive and to pack pollen into pollen baskets on legs.
(Cells begin round and bees thin sides which are compressed and form into six
sided cells.
Ramesh talked about 15,000 commercial hives brought to
Madras area for hybrid carrot seed pollination in July. Unhealthy after 6 weeks
because of limited nectar and pollen source and mite increase.
5-10% drop from powdered sugar treatment for Varroa mites.
Varroa mites are the #1 killer of bees because they transmit viruses. Track mites by use of sticky boards (spray
cooking oil on white board and use a 3 day average) or use the alcohol wash
method. See http://scientificbeekeeping.com/sick-bees-part-11-mite-monitoring-methods/
for details.
ET=economic threshold or “action” threshold—the time to
act. ET percentages w/alcohol wash are 2% in spring and 10% in fall. July-Aug is the time in Oregon to treat for
mites. Different theories for mite control. One is that natural foundation is
4.9 compared to 5.2 commercial foundation; equals smaller bees which develop
faster (19.5 days incubation compared to 21 days) so mites are unable to
mature. However, drones take 24 days so longer time for mites. Also, shorter
cycles means more cycles so mites might be equal overall…
Mite treatments recommended: Amitraz (Apivar), contact
miticide, 2 strips per brood chamber; 87-95% control over 10 years in
Canada. Checkmite and another ?? don’t
work—don’t buy. Apiguard and Mite Away Quick strips are temperature sensitive—don’t
buy. HopGuard is a natural product to be used three weeks in a row. Exposing
hives to sun seems to control mites (keep hives in sun, not shade).
Nosema—May treatment.
Dewey Caron, http://honeybeespeak.com/speakers/dr-dewey-caron/,
was the afternoon presenter.
Started the presentation by suggesting we are creating “welfare”
bees by feeding sugar; are we training bees to change their digestion?
Went on to talk about pesticides and insecticides and
other negative factors:
-5 to 7 of the top pesticides found when wax/bees are
tested are miticides, applied by beekeepers.
-insecticides with IGR (inhibiting growth regulator)
tested to not affect ‘adult’ bees—what about incubation time?
-synergism: mite treatments now and next summer
pesticides=death.
-climate change: many blooming times changing and bees
are not ready to harvest nectar so beekeeper pushes bees by feeding earlier
which equals environmental stress.
-survivorship selection: queen factories select colonies
that produce queens, not what beekeepers want; worker bees wanted. (See article of March 2014, Queens for Pennies)
-swarms settling into hives in trees have a 20% winter
survival rate.
Best is NO TREATMENT for Varroa mites: hygienic stock;
new colonies break brood cycle.
Other tips/tricks:
Bait box for swarms: 10’ high in tree; use essence of
queen; include comb piece for bee smell
Ants over running hives: try a line of used oil around
base of hive if all else has failed.
Reference materials:
Dewey Caron “Honey Bee Biology” textbook used at OSU—I purchased
at class.
Oregon State Bee Group magazine newsletter
Book: Honey-Maker (form and function based) Gail Gibbons?
Cool key chain: taylorcustom.com pewter anatomical bee key chain
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