tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87121105016737320792024-03-16T02:33:15.951-05:00The Peace Bee FarmerPeace Bee Farm Master Beekeeper Richard Underhill of Conway, Arkansas muses on life with the bees and other things.Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.comBlogger678125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-78247016107813357912024-03-07T13:39:00.001-06:002024-03-07T13:39:52.728-06:00Splitting Honey Bee Colonies<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhviYOPeF9nHE-vf7hzt-68FRSeBiPjl0sOXP80X_cmNIX38wh32i31ZSbeDkOE5FBkkm5FLnlody_INmRRKOPny2Ut_dmVwGwCKhzuejCDzjYqFoWuchaSgpYKEDXsLdLsP_gomnZYGzogt5hID4crpt5D2prbwBwhAb_kKprmTJbsTO4NEwhVX31NHWY/s1049/005%20Hive%20Inspection.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1049" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhviYOPeF9nHE-vf7hzt-68FRSeBiPjl0sOXP80X_cmNIX38wh32i31ZSbeDkOE5FBkkm5FLnlody_INmRRKOPny2Ut_dmVwGwCKhzuejCDzjYqFoWuchaSgpYKEDXsLdLsP_gomnZYGzogt5hID4crpt5D2prbwBwhAb_kKprmTJbsTO4NEwhVX31NHWY/s320/005%20Hive%20Inspection.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Making colony divisions, also called making splits, follows
the natural behavior of honey bees. It is the natural behavior of honey bee
colonies to build up rapidly in the spring, outgrow their hive, and then divide
the population and swarm. By swarming, bees increase their number of colonies,
expand their range, and leave behind old, contaminated hives. When beekeepers
make a colony division or split, they are producing an artificial swarm. Splitting
hives is useful for creating new hives, for producing nucleus colonies for
sale, or for replacing over-winter colony losses. Splitting colonies is an
effective method of controlling swarming.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The simplest method of splitting a colony, though not
necessarily the best method, is the walk-away split. Here, the beekeeper divides
a hive’s frames among two hive boxes. The beekeeper puts frames of bees, brood,
pollen, and honey in a new hive box and leaves the bees to rear a new queen. Once
the bees have detected that they are queenless, they will produce a new queen
if they have the resources. If the split is successful in rearing a new queen,
she will be laying eggs in about one month. A more reliable method of making a
split is to take the same frames from a strong hive and put them in a new hive
along with the colony’s original queen. Then, a new queen is introduced into
the original hive. Splitting a colony while adding a new queen allows both hives to continue growing with little
delay in brood production. If a queen cell is used when splitting a hive, we
should expect a delay of almost a month before the new queen starts laying
eggs. Timing when to start splitting a colony is important. Often, beekeepers
start the process too early in the year, resulting in poorly mated queens and
weak colonies. We should inspect our hives and observe the drones. Splitting
hives should begin when there are plenty of drones walking on the frames. <o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">--Richard Underhill</span>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-14193908333477368952024-01-31T19:07:00.000-06:002024-01-31T19:07:16.346-06:00A January Thaw<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qwuHbO8MsLyPBxMrCWuOboCRnornbSPpHHPhWRkZC58FDceWfcia5aMx5N8k3JBFTtdoVYPS_E_MnFOw9Ngvd9pslKEnH_-uPMHZHr2ufkRLb4xhLZKzwyB9fZWALHKtkImxfrxlDJuguSmne88_rUsMgCkb8wz7Arp0YVN7K7YfdkGS-AkJ0KElF2I/s1200/1686%20January%20Foragers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1200" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4qwuHbO8MsLyPBxMrCWuOboCRnornbSPpHHPhWRkZC58FDceWfcia5aMx5N8k3JBFTtdoVYPS_E_MnFOw9Ngvd9pslKEnH_-uPMHZHr2ufkRLb4xhLZKzwyB9fZWALHKtkImxfrxlDJuguSmne88_rUsMgCkb8wz7Arp0YVN7K7YfdkGS-AkJ0KElF2I/s320/1686%20January%20Foragers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The bees are flying today. Even though it is the middle of
the winter, the weather is warm today, a January thaw. Bees are making foraging
and cleansing flights. Warm southern winds often bring a few days that allow
the bees to break out of their winter cluster. During these warm periods,
beekeepers get an opportunity to briefly open their hives for a quick check.
This will not be a thorough hive inspection; we will only check to see that the
colonies are alive and that they have enough food to survive until spring
flowers bring a nectar flow. The beekeeper gently smokes the hives and opens
the covers. Since bees tend to move upward in their hives through the winter,
the beekeeper may find the cluster at the very top of the hive. If that is
where we find the bees, it is likely that the bees have consumed much of their
winter food stores and the colony needs an emergency feeding of dry sugar
placed above the inner cover. If the bees are not seen, the colony may be
clustered in a lower box underneath a box full of honey. In this case, we may pull
a frame to peer into the box below. If we see the cluster of live bees there,
all is well; we can close the hive feeling comfortable about the colony’s chance
of surviving the remainder of the winter.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If a colony is found to have died, usually by starvation, its
remaining honey stores can be distributed to other hives. The combs of dead-out
hives need to be protected from hive scavengers. The equipment can be brought to
an indoor storage facility or the frames can be protected by the bees of strong
living colonies. Stacking hive bodies or honey supers on strong hives protects
the combs from wax moths and small hive beetles. This equipment can be used in
the spring to make colony divisions. Today’s photo: winter foraging flights.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">--Richard<o:p></o:p></p>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-68511955575973580942024-01-10T14:48:00.000-06:002024-01-10T14:48:23.637-06:00Rita Peace Underhill Memorial Beekeeping Scholarship<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVr65FgXtnQh2sPelLNNJfBJ-UpClDNjgF-jtw-5yi6lsac3OLanXRL9JyhZiDYfsOrswwWlyX4y_WpSIlpMEaXQLapv-1O8casuREDMtYW77Mm5_4w2eupo8bwaTAa5wIG-S8QKgFMmleL8oDTsBCefm9Bxzi26UdGUuLexml4TTFcZY260lAGtSMwu0/s1080/031LR%20Rainbow%20Over%20Bee%20Hives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1080" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVr65FgXtnQh2sPelLNNJfBJ-UpClDNjgF-jtw-5yi6lsac3OLanXRL9JyhZiDYfsOrswwWlyX4y_WpSIlpMEaXQLapv-1O8casuREDMtYW77Mm5_4w2eupo8bwaTAa5wIG-S8QKgFMmleL8oDTsBCefm9Bxzi26UdGUuLexml4TTFcZY260lAGtSMwu0/s320/031LR%20Rainbow%20Over%20Bee%20Hives.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I am pleased to announce that the Bemis Honey Bee Farm has
established a Memorial Beekeeping Scholarship honoring my late wife, Rita Peace
Underhill, who along with me built Peace Bee Farm. Rita loved the Bemis family,
and I value their friendship and generosity. The Bemises have been quite
instrumental in serving and promoting the beekeeping industry in Arkansas by
supplying bees, equipment, and training. Bemis Honey Bee Farm also hosts two annual
public beekeeping events at the Little Rock farm, Bee Day in the spring and the
Arkansas Honey Bee Festival in the fall.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The Rita Peace Underhill Memorial Beekeeping Scholarship is
designed to help establish a new beekeeper in Arkansas between the ages of 16
and 30. The scholarship will provide a Bemis Deluxe Beekeeping Kit with its
woodenware, jacket, gloves, hive tool, smoker, feeder, bee brush, and beginner
book. The scholarship also provides a live colony of honey bees and
registration to a beginner beekeeping class at Bemis Honey Bee Farm. I am
honored to be the instructor for this class.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The deadline for application for the scholarship is March 1,
2024, and the winner will be announced on March 2, 2024. Arkansas applicants
may apply for the scholarship at</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 4;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><a href="https://forms.gle/MFxvLgw6fdEqZ8QH8" target="_blank" title="2024 Scholarship Application"><span style="color: windowtext;">https://forms.gle/MFxvLgw6fdEqZ8QH8</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 4;">For a PDF file of the
application, email: emily@bemishoneybeefarm.com</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am humbled by the generosity of the Bemis family for
creating the Rita Peace Underhill Memorial Beekeeping Scholarship. It will be a
pleasure for me to participate in the training. It is a most fitting tribute to
Rita, who loved beekeeping and the people that she encountered along the way.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">--Richard<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQ8zIHXPerIBiuwpyKtv9qmIv87-oxRRqves2PT0xGtCIIT-Dl3olPxZU4F5mLiizOPNyZEvyDXHO2hiAdscTXVJnn5UtOnncC3A84eCU-uoWcg0Oei-PqL2qMtaNVT0PpqR60-JWXZ-0kd1VlE9dNtYGQ7V-ZyYR0S-0XRPXY8qzEhgSXM80xvHIyUI/s1080/002LR%20Uncapped%20Honey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1080" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQ8zIHXPerIBiuwpyKtv9qmIv87-oxRRqves2PT0xGtCIIT-Dl3olPxZU4F5mLiizOPNyZEvyDXHO2hiAdscTXVJnn5UtOnncC3A84eCU-uoWcg0Oei-PqL2qMtaNVT0PpqR60-JWXZ-0kd1VlE9dNtYGQ7V-ZyYR0S-0XRPXY8qzEhgSXM80xvHIyUI/s320/002LR%20Uncapped%20Honey.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Rita Peace Underhill<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-9082212232439852822023-12-21T19:23:00.001-06:002024-01-31T10:25:09.867-06:00Pax Vobiscum<p> <br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8k07yb6RZY9bW90wyy3QluaqCAzrIYEbshyrr8915tCUqNtgQo8BDX8gMpqlZZ1lJna4EvQFFrbaktYJ8VIiFQC47NPtluvOggvvUBpzS53FMjj4MH77CH9bD37dXlqI3jXncw2aflq7UQGfSAXsN7Hy12dzHxR3MXKxmpKJTPYQr9LG8etSK8bqIXw/s1080/IMG_1584%20Mullein%20(2).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="1080" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje8k07yb6RZY9bW90wyy3QluaqCAzrIYEbshyrr8915tCUqNtgQo8BDX8gMpqlZZ1lJna4EvQFFrbaktYJ8VIiFQC47NPtluvOggvvUBpzS53FMjj4MH77CH9bD37dXlqI3jXncw2aflq7UQGfSAXsN7Hy12dzHxR3MXKxmpKJTPYQr9LG8etSK8bqIXw/s320/IMG_1584%20Mullein%20(2).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />December 21 marks the winter solstice, the date with the year’s
shortest daylight and longest night. The solstice falls among winter days in
which religious and cultural holidays are celebrated around the world. The winter
solstice is also recognized as the start of the honey bee colony’s year. It is on
the solstice that queen bees start laying eggs after an egg laying interruption
in the fall. Today, when temperatures rose above 50 degrees allowing bees to make
foraging flights, I observed foragers bringing pollen into the hives. The
arrival of pollen is usually associated with egg laying occurring in the hive. When
brood is present, the colonies must warm their hives to 95 degrees by consuming
their honey stores to generate heat. Though there are few plants in bloom during
the late fall and winter, I have observed bees foraging on fall asters on the
foothills of the Ozark Mountains. Some honey bees and native pollinators have
been foraging the citrus-scented blossoms of mullein, shown in today’s photo.<o:p></o:p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">As we end the beekeeper’s year, it is a good time to reflect
on the friends we have encountered. I am especially appreciative of the Bemis
family, who operate Bemis Honey Bee Farm and Supplies in Little Rock. The Bemis’s
business includes the production of honey as well as bee hive equipment and bees.
The honey bee farm also provides beekeeping training, which I participate in,
as well as hosting two annual public events, Bee Day in the spring and the
Arkansas Honey Festival in the fall. I am overwhelmed by the generosity and thoughtfulness
of the Bemises who established the Rita Peace Underhill Memorial Beekeeping
Scholarship in honor of my late wife, Rita. The scholarship provides hives,
bees, equipment, and training for a starting beekeeper. Others beekeepers contributed
hives and colonies of bees. It is with great appreciation that I recognize our
beekeeper community. In the spirit of the season, I offer to all that peace be with you.<o:p></o:p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal">--Richard<o:p></o:p></p>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-59977401681778269392023-04-27T12:09:00.000-05:002023-04-27T12:09:43.836-05:00Bee Day<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bmMkhHmVGAo_fOk50IDIKsNI_nEaUUorzSbv9AtoycpTFfa13phXXWnWwNTDddLSbsCfnV8XxgFYuyeVB24EDpycPmewSle6mm8EYPpzlohz2L8Fs8pvOgJw3QnNXl0vVI5h-ufcLVMoRPdcjmZDdYRsKEDPee9VZL138tfWKu12Qr_swVzSzmJV/s1080/IMG_1313%20Dewey%20M%20Caron.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1080" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bmMkhHmVGAo_fOk50IDIKsNI_nEaUUorzSbv9AtoycpTFfa13phXXWnWwNTDddLSbsCfnV8XxgFYuyeVB24EDpycPmewSle6mm8EYPpzlohz2L8Fs8pvOgJw3QnNXl0vVI5h-ufcLVMoRPdcjmZDdYRsKEDPee9VZL138tfWKu12Qr_swVzSzmJV/s320/IMG_1313%20Dewey%20M%20Caron.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Following two days of rain, the sun broke out on a crisp and
cool April morning. My first presentation was scheduled to be conducted in the
bee yard. As a videographer was connecting my microphone and focusing the cameras
on the line of bee hives stretching into the distance, one hundred beekeepers
gathered. Thus began Bee Day at Bemis Honey Bee Farm in Little Rock, Arkansas,
a day when people came to receive hundreds of packaged colonies and nucleus
colonies of honey bees. They also came for speaking presentations and bee yard
demonstrations held throughout the day. I was honored to share speaking
sessions with Dr. Dewey M. Caron, the person who literally wrote the book on the
topic, <i>Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping</i>. Since Bee Day coincided with
Earth Day, Dr. Caron led off with a discussion of the importance of trees and
their condition in a world being altered by global warming. He spoke on the
biology of honey bee colony reproduction through swarming, and he explained how
to read the activity inside bee hives. Alternating with Dr. Caron, I made
presentations on the beekeeping year, illustrating how we manage bees that can
produce queens in five months but cannot produce them in seven months. I made a
presentation on potential pests of bee hives, which include people, pets,
livestock, raccoons, possums, skunks, bears, wasps, hornets, ants, and
parasitic mites. Dr. Caron concluded our classroom presentations by covering
measures to control colony-killing varroa mites. We both emphasized the use of
the resources available in the Tools for Varroa Management guide, much of which
was written by Dr. Caron. The guide is available through the Honey Bee Health
Coalition, honeybeehealthcoalition.org<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Throughout the day, beekeepers attended demonstrations
conducted in the bee yard. A state apiary inspector demonstrated hive
inspections, and Jody Carter discussed queen rearing and making colony
divisions. Jeremy Bemis demonstrated how to install packaged bees and nucleus
colonies in bee hives. Today’s photo: Dr. Dewey M. Caron.<o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">--Richard</span>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-6879442245855574492022-12-24T21:26:00.000-06:002022-12-24T21:26:55.855-06:00Pax Vobiscum<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1dtSooeYSn5mrPqWUAc0gJVvPIxAhsJ94dGhqyHwCeqPj5eEasW0w87QKhwSR6SEjn1p6aECTEmeqhHxRjNeQOxcZLb7q9hKKgD0gyxFqzRILfLmrCKVRTdOVUopc48GxbjCfomj15THZmCmfOece2-m2auTCAdad3S1e01A6eOvsR7dhIISCjbk/s1080/IMG_1149%20LR%20Palouse%20Sunset.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="1080" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU1dtSooeYSn5mrPqWUAc0gJVvPIxAhsJ94dGhqyHwCeqPj5eEasW0w87QKhwSR6SEjn1p6aECTEmeqhHxRjNeQOxcZLb7q9hKKgD0gyxFqzRILfLmrCKVRTdOVUopc48GxbjCfomj15THZmCmfOece2-m2auTCAdad3S1e01A6eOvsR7dhIISCjbk/s320/IMG_1149%20LR%20Palouse%20Sunset.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">The sun is setting across the snow-covered rolling hills of
the PalouIse of eastern Washington State . This is the region where I am spending
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the winter months with family members. Much
of the country is experiencing an exceptionally strong winter storm, and
beekeepers’ efforts to protect their colonies are being severely tested. Only
in the spring will we find how effectively we prepared our hives for winter.
The colonies relatively free of parasitic mites will survive if their hives are
adequately ventilated, and the colonies have enough stored food that the bees can
readily access. Healthy colonies generate heat by eating honey, the high-energy
food that they make themselves, and vibrating their flight muscles. Bees can generate
a temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit in their flight muscles. While I visit
the frigid Pacific Northwest, I am confident that my colonies in Arkansas are
faring well in their stormy weather. Before leaving Arkansas, I measured their
mite loads and ensured that they had plenty of stored food supplies. The bees
are clustered in dry hives.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I am most grateful for the kind sentiments and words of
support provided to me by beekeepers and acquaintances from around the country
and even around the world following the death of Rita, one of the founders of
Peace Bee Farm. As well as being a cheerful and devoted life partner, she was
an integral part of the bee business. Now, other family members are learning
the art and craft of beekeeping. In this cold, wintery holiday season observed
by many of the world’s great religions and traditions, I offer warm wishes that
peace be with you.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">--Richard<o:p></o:p></p>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-61553657672634878092022-09-13T19:25:00.000-05:002022-09-13T19:25:57.815-05:00An Ancient Tradition Repeated<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXl-ukx6RpgvfyJPhYdXXKUAJCh-1ljTTUHZmGlohRtVKxdicrhJd7A8N78PFQ6w0gtkO6UVRTlGznb4cJPwFIaxfBXY4nB8bf2QkEdR91qtGRjHv5GrN2EJouDJuVD77I3ONKSs824qfMBp7kpTebelZK1enljB0ak3uYgOX3RCcjRJXElngzRp6g/s771/012%20Goldenrod%20Pollen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="617" data-original-width="771" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXl-ukx6RpgvfyJPhYdXXKUAJCh-1ljTTUHZmGlohRtVKxdicrhJd7A8N78PFQ6w0gtkO6UVRTlGznb4cJPwFIaxfBXY4nB8bf2QkEdR91qtGRjHv5GrN2EJouDJuVD77I3ONKSs824qfMBp7kpTebelZK1enljB0ak3uYgOX3RCcjRJXElngzRp6g/s320/012%20Goldenrod%20Pollen.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />The death of Elizabeth II, the Queen of England brings
public expressions of sympathy conveyed in traditions dating back hundreds of
years. It also brings about a private expression of sympathy that also dates
back through the centuries. John Chapple, the queen’s royal beekeeper, quietly
notified the bees of the queen’s death, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/13/world/europe/bees-queen-elizabeth.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/13/world/europe/bees-queen-elizabeth.html</a>.
John travelled to Buckingham Palace and Clarence House to notify the bees that
their mistress had died and that they would have a new master, <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11199259/">https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11199259/</a>.
Aware of the significance of the loss of a loved one, it was Queen Elizabeth
who told us, “Grief is the cost of love.”<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As summer ends, goldenrod comes into bloom and attracts bees
and myriad native pollinators. Today, a honey bee collects pollen: protein,
fats, vitamins, and minerals to feed her colony’s brood. Flowers bring rebirth.
Reassuring, along with Elizabeth’s words.<o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">--Richard</span>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-88887857774903686902022-07-04T15:07:00.000-05:002022-07-04T15:07:14.261-05:00Move the Hives an Inch<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XjsFbXzYepi6HysjNBOHWbh2At-6aP-HQhaf6dP9waT0jHhMKSTqoPxm2BbmlrB8YxcrBWTTAUxqW7yosz-Dd3LXqV8TkOKs6hiNkmBr4QNULkbup8JH21tT_PLbrnZtvz0zDW7tt7YDC4mahS0lmGQbSD8hEMlZDzG-lgmK-EayMGJQnXR43VDJ/s2000/029LR%20Rita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1599" data-original-width="2000" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XjsFbXzYepi6HysjNBOHWbh2At-6aP-HQhaf6dP9waT0jHhMKSTqoPxm2BbmlrB8YxcrBWTTAUxqW7yosz-Dd3LXqV8TkOKs6hiNkmBr4QNULkbup8JH21tT_PLbrnZtvz0zDW7tt7YDC4mahS0lmGQbSD8hEMlZDzG-lgmK-EayMGJQnXR43VDJ/s320/029LR%20Rita.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />There is a tradition that has been passed down for hundreds
of years in which the bees are notified of the death of their keeper. The bees
are notified by moving the hives an inch. Today, we told the bees of the death
of Rita Underhill, who along with her husband, Richard, founded Peace Bee Farm.
Rita, formerly Rita Peace, helped convert the family farm, a row-crop operation
in the Arkansas Delta, into Peace Bee Farm. Together, the Underhills managed
bees in Tennessee and Arkansas. Rita bottled honey and greeted regular
customers at farmers markets. She regularly helped manage the bee hives and
grafted bee larvae to produce queen bees. Peace be with you, Rita.<p></p><p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;">--Richard</span></p><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsjAuFlJIL3cG9UNOMPx366LoZCH-o4u6uF8mBhRgh-uTQlL2lPwueY5FyUY5lrxkhzxvOQaWNKxZt8cIF5fclm2TikB50fA7PtxTqjKNmtvXeZznjNVaXRdnk-REK2HOCXIhAFKmSjglTsVIeP8YwjHg_fAB2QqMvEBrvz7ShgPAgUr7FHIXuf4t/s3066/006LR%20Uncapped%20Honey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2453" data-original-width="3066" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFsjAuFlJIL3cG9UNOMPx366LoZCH-o4u6uF8mBhRgh-uTQlL2lPwueY5FyUY5lrxkhzxvOQaWNKxZt8cIF5fclm2TikB50fA7PtxTqjKNmtvXeZznjNVaXRdnk-REK2HOCXIhAFKmSjglTsVIeP8YwjHg_fAB2QqMvEBrvz7ShgPAgUr7FHIXuf4t/s320/006LR%20Uncapped%20Honey.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Rita in the Honey House</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikct6NANcUxQCr67q51lM1DRp_kVOCnZDZR7ycqy1h6gbjCt5geCB4ZBK4oZB3OJIBIg4-Gfuh3DQWSP7nKStJ9AKzh0PQrfZCSondq9NmGaQ1nny7Q0QDG20nh_jQJmCi3XRVVEoqggDDzvJ7cvCcxFb7ZJQxOIOS0lcMZstl19qResBbqvKGxfq1/s1080/088%20Rita%20with%20Grafts.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1080" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikct6NANcUxQCr67q51lM1DRp_kVOCnZDZR7ycqy1h6gbjCt5geCB4ZBK4oZB3OJIBIg4-Gfuh3DQWSP7nKStJ9AKzh0PQrfZCSondq9NmGaQ1nny7Q0QDG20nh_jQJmCi3XRVVEoqggDDzvJ7cvCcxFb7ZJQxOIOS0lcMZstl19qResBbqvKGxfq1/s320/088%20Rita%20with%20Grafts.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Rita Inspecting Her Grafted Queen Cells<br /><div><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-20644315637203145962021-12-24T08:11:00.007-06:002021-12-24T08:14:11.623-06:00Pax Vobiscum<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0fMd5xHpub0xqZq70nUOQ7166cUnPVcaYDFR2GBpEy-6KjoFk7uY2pDyJrTSo4Db5KKxUDvWfpYdnON4y5xcQHH9Cu3UqBbRED4tD_zm9G0BogEkgIfU0Yxo8ruannrqYuNCIrqY2b_vXr9KjLjCUkEyef62wkvhcoeMzTOTTAae8ECO4zZCjQyo9=s537" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="537" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi0fMd5xHpub0xqZq70nUOQ7166cUnPVcaYDFR2GBpEy-6KjoFk7uY2pDyJrTSo4Db5KKxUDvWfpYdnON4y5xcQHH9Cu3UqBbRED4tD_zm9G0BogEkgIfU0Yxo8ruannrqYuNCIrqY2b_vXr9KjLjCUkEyef62wkvhcoeMzTOTTAae8ECO4zZCjQyo9=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br />Beekeepers are science people. Everyday, they practice
applied honey bee biology. Successful beekeepers apply both the craft of
beekeeping passed down for generations by those who handled bees and the
science of honey bee health. The science is our understanding of the life cycle
and nature of honey bees and their pests and pathogens based upon observations
and experiments. Our understanding of the science is not fixed; it changes as
more observations are made and new experiments are designed, conducted, and repeated.
Successful American beekeepers adjust their beekeeping practices to help their
bees survive the adverse effects of viruses vectored by two invasive parasitic
mite species that arrived in the mid-1980s and an invasive hive-scavenger
beetle introduced in the late-1990s. Those who do not take measures to combat
these invasive species see their bee colonies die. As colonies decline before
dying, they spread pests and pathogens to other hives.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Beekeepers, and the public at large, are continuing to cope
with Covid-19 virus, which continues to mutate into new variants. Now, within
two years of Covid’s introduction into the human population, the U.S. has
confirmed over 800,000 deaths. Individuals who do not take precautions to avoid
the virus are likely to acquire a deadly disease. Fortunately, we have learned
much about the nature of the novel Covid-19 virus and how it is passed between people
via aerosol droplets. We have effective vaccinations, and we know that we can
greatly limit the spread of Covid by wearing masks, sanitizing hands, and keeping
a distance between people. Just as we can protect our bee colonies by controlling
the parasitic mites and their vectored viruses, we can protect ourselves, our
families, and our community by taking measures to prevent the spread of the
Covid virus. Almost everyone knows someone who has been affected by the Covid virus.
I look forward to meeting beekeepers at our training events in the coming year.
The Underhill family of Peace Bee Farm wish everyone: Peace be with you.<o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">--Richard</span>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-42750144469782945722021-12-21T17:51:00.000-06:002021-12-21T17:51:05.031-06:00Winter Solstice<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3tm0fxw5lJ6QHhpsH0u8CCJFbcauvfDDnpwJ78qNq31uh6scWHAOf6mXv_LAOyYB0vdAX0RlqV-1Sma3bDS2YvCRE-_M5Vyjnt8dMArBIAOLgkHK0nehjBJTArbfcEv4v3EdYzdXUTtPjaRyAfcdw6Z3UuLdVw_KoVWJD6N6XxuRxgMnGu_94DyxY=s1080" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1080" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3tm0fxw5lJ6QHhpsH0u8CCJFbcauvfDDnpwJ78qNq31uh6scWHAOf6mXv_LAOyYB0vdAX0RlqV-1Sma3bDS2YvCRE-_M5Vyjnt8dMArBIAOLgkHK0nehjBJTArbfcEv4v3EdYzdXUTtPjaRyAfcdw6Z3UuLdVw_KoVWJD6N6XxuRxgMnGu_94DyxY=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br />People become beekeepers for a number of reasons. Some are
interested in producing honey; some want to increase the number of pollinators
available for their gardens; and some are simply interested in learning the
craft of keeping such interesting social insects. Many new beekeepers are
already aware of the environmental conditions affecting bees and people. Almost
all beekeepers rapidly become environmentally conscious. They see that honey
bees have the same requirements as those other social creatures—humans: food,
water, a dry place to live, and an environment free of toxins. Until parasitic
mites of honey bees arrived in the mid-1980s, a person could order a bee hive
and a colony of live bees from a mail-order catalogue and expect that they
would have live bees and honey for years to come. However, with invasive pest
species, changing agricultural practices, and the ever-increasing use of
pesticides, keeping honey bees alive has become much more challenging. Well-informed
beekeepers have taken the challenge seriously. Individuals who keep a few hives
in their backyards, those who keep dozens of hives as a part-time business, and
commercial beekeepers each study the biology of the honey bee and the pests and
the pathogens that affect bees. They learn the science of bee health and the
behavior of honey bees from text books and training classes. They learn the
craft of beekeeping from the generous sharing of knowledge by experienced
beekeepers via local, state, and national organizations.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A number of urban beekeepers experienced the loss of
colonies as the result of environmental poisoning in 2021. Since healthy
colonies have enough bees to withstand the loss of a sizable number of worker
bees, some colonies survived. Other colonies died. Some of the affected
beekeepers were able to politely inform their neighbors of the importance of
the bees and the need to handle pesticides prudently. Beekeepers are
environmental stewards. Today, the winter solstice, marks the beginning of the
honey bee year with queens starting to lay eggs again.<o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">--Richard</span>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-68157191668032750352021-11-21T16:41:00.005-06:002021-11-22T17:27:33.529-06:00Congratulations, Jon Z!<p> </p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ndjJEThz3M8/YZrKkAlurTI/AAAAAAAACB0/GVFhLf-Y7845T6Qpkp5mqSWuUyJA6_EywCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/0901%2BJon%2BZawislak%2BResearch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1080" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ndjJEThz3M8/YZrKkAlurTI/AAAAAAAACB0/GVFhLf-Y7845T6Qpkp5mqSWuUyJA6_EywCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/0901%2BJon%2BZawislak%2BResearch.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Beekeepers across Arkansas and beyond our borders know Jon
Zawislak (rhymes with Zah-Fish-Lock) simply as Jon Z. Now, we are delighted to announce
that Jon has successfully defended his dissertation for a PhD in Entomology from the
University of Arkansas. Jon, an Apiculture Instructor with the Cooperative
Extension Service of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture is a
valuable resource to beekeepers. An Eastern Apicultural Society Master
Beekeeper himself, Jon often helps me analyze honey bee health issues. When I
needed to respond to a beekeeper’s question about haplo-diploidy sex
determination in bees, I called on Jon for an explanation (<a href="https://peacebeefarm.blogspot.com/2012/09/honey-bee-super-sisters.html">https://peacebeefarm.blogspot.com/2012/09/honey-bee-super-sisters.html</a>).
Jon trains many beekeepers, and he is a tremendous asset to the Arkansas
Beekeepers Association. Jon serves as an <i>ex officio</i> member of the ABA’s
Executive Committee, its webmaster, guest speaker recruiter, and himself a frequent
presenter. Jon’s research looks into serious problems associated with honey bee
health. He participated in measurements of the effects of neonicotinoid
insecticides on honey bees. In one of his research projects Jon identified
pathogens retarding the growth of the invasive honey bee pest, the small hive
beetle. Jon found some of these potential biological control pathogens in the
soil of my Arkansas bee yards. Jon conducted research into the foraging
behavior of honey bees by attaching tiny labels onto bees and photographing
their movements as they flew out and back into their hives.<o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Jon Zawislak is a recognized leader in his profession, and
he encourages others to excel. He challenged one of his sons to make good
grades in school, and he rewarded him with a sky-diving experience. Jon encouraged
me to complete the EAS Master Beekeeper certification program, and he recruited
me to teach beekeeping in Africa. Jon’s PhD program did receive an interruption
when he donated a kidney. Such generosity! I am deeply proud of Dr. Jon
Zawislak, shown here at an ABA conference with Dr. Jeff Harris and Audrey Sheridan of Mississippi State University and EAS Master Beekeeper, David Burns.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">--Richard<o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gTT9eSL7PqI/YZrKthk6ubI/AAAAAAAACB4/aMTZCABUkCs9hsgYS5G5MdD0wA_yp5nawCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/015%2BJon%2BJeff%2BAmanda%2BDavid.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1080" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gTT9eSL7PqI/YZrKthk6ubI/AAAAAAAACB4/aMTZCABUkCs9hsgYS5G5MdD0wA_yp5nawCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/015%2BJon%2BJeff%2BAmanda%2BDavid.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-65542775074332035222021-10-24T13:44:00.001-05:002021-10-24T13:44:44.628-05:00The Bee Hive in Fall<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_n4nQmpxw5w/YXWpdDKXQBI/AAAAAAAACBk/Hgz2EqT5eS0hHwdj5mOWiiQ3Na2hr6tiwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/006%2BHouseleek.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1080" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_n4nQmpxw5w/YXWpdDKXQBI/AAAAAAAACBk/Hgz2EqT5eS0hHwdj5mOWiiQ3Na2hr6tiwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/006%2BHouseleek.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />As the seasons change from summer to fall, conditions in the
bee hive and tasks for the beekeeper change as well. Summer flowers that
produce light flavored honeys become replaced by fall flowers that produce more
robust honeys. Beekeepers typically finish their summer honey harvests and
begin ensuring that hives have enough honey stores for entering the winter
months when flowers are not blooming and bees rely upon stored food. Bee hive
pests take an increased toll on hives in late summer and early fall. Small hive
beetle populations often explode in weak or queenless hives. Small hive beetles
begin laying eggs in great numbers when they detect a hive is under stress.
Within a few days, thousands of ravenous small hive beetle larvae begin
consuming a hive’s pollen stores, combs, and brood. Yeast, spread by the
beetles, ferments honey in the hive; fermented honey is unacceptable to the bees
and useless to the beekeeper. With the start of the fall season, queen bees naturally
reduce their egg laying, and bee populations gradually decrease. At the same
time, parasitic varroa mite populations typically reach their annual peak. As
soon as the honey harvest is completed, hives need to be checked for varroa mite
loads. The Honey Bee Health Coalition offers useful information for treating
varroa mites at <a href="https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroa/">https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroa/</a>.
If mite populations exceed thresholds, treatments need to be applied. Harsh
chemicals should be avoided. Persistent chemicals remain in the beeswax combs
and lead to resistant strains of parasitic mites.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Honey bees that emerge as adults in the spring and summer
typically live about six weeks. However, honey bees that emerge in the fall may
live for six months. This is important because the long-lived fall bees that
survive the winter feed the first bee brood of the following year. Beekeepers
can extend their queens’ egg laying through October by feeding pollen substitute
which stimulates queens to lay eggs. Today’s photo: bumblebees and native pollinators
are attracted to houseleek in our pollinator garden.<o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">--Richard</span>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-14872528637821297472021-09-09T18:47:00.000-05:002021-09-09T18:47:32.741-05:00Small Hive Beetles<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r578OE_Tw1Y/YTqc0pBWZZI/AAAAAAAACA8/ebhFwc2wFLwmNY-7pOXbf_Svk014Y1HlACLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/0866%2BSHB%2BLarvae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1080" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r578OE_Tw1Y/YTqc0pBWZZI/AAAAAAAACA8/ebhFwc2wFLwmNY-7pOXbf_Svk014Y1HlACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/0866%2BSHB%2BLarvae.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />The worker bees in a strong colony protect the fragile
beeswax combs that hold honey, pollen, bee bread, and brood required to sustain
the colony. However, whenever a colony is weakened, either by becoming queenless
or through disease, hive scavengers rapidly move in and destroy the combs. The
principal hive scavengers are wax moths and small hive beetles, and it is the
larval stage of both of these insects that destroys the combs of unprotected
hives. Wax moths have been a part of American beekeeping since the bees were
brought to the New World in colonial times. However, the small hive beetle is a
much more recently introduced invasive pest, having arrived from Africa in 1998.
It spread across the country in just four years.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Strong honey bee colonies have plenty of workers to drive adult
beetles to the far edges of the hive where the bees build “jails” of propolis
to trap and hold beetles. If a hive loses its queen or is stressed by disease or
environmental damages, the opportunistic beetles rapidly expand their
reproduction, and small hive beetle populations explode exponentially. Beetle
reproduction is especially rapid in hot weather. Today’s photo shows beetle
larvae in a hive that lost its queen in a late summer supersedure attempt. The voracious
larvae are attracted to the protein of stored pollen. As beetle larvae devour
the hive’s pollen, honey, brood, and beeswax combs, they leave behind a “slime”
of their waste. Yeast grows on the slime which has the odor of fermenting
oranges. The odor repels honey bees and attracts small hive beetles from great
distances. The beetles’ highly sensitive antennae detect honey bee alarm
pheromone from distressed colonies small hive beetle slime odor. It often takes
the bees a full year to build their combs, and they can be destroyed quickly by
small hive beetle larvae. Scavenging beetle larvae destroy natural beeswax hive
foundation, but plastic foundation can be reused after washing away the slime
with water.<o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">--Richard</span>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-24272312443776365802021-08-21T19:51:00.004-05:002021-10-24T17:24:50.129-05:00Insecticides Kill Bees<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fcb2pCaDwYw/YSGfcbur6hI/AAAAAAAACA0/yppwgT1RsCgvVpCM1MjoTd9sCa-E0-OhgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/0883%2BDead%2BBees.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1080" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fcb2pCaDwYw/YSGfcbur6hI/AAAAAAAACA0/yppwgT1RsCgvVpCM1MjoTd9sCa-E0-OhgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/0883%2BDead%2BBees.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Honey bee foragers bring flower nectar and pollen into the
hive as food. The nectar is carbohydrate that the bees convert into honey. Pollen
is primarily protein; it also contains fats, vitamins, and minerals. When honey
and pollen are combined in the hive, the food is called “bee bread.” Yeast and
bacteria from the bees’ gut microflora cause fermentation of bee bread,
breaking down the hard shell around pollen grains and exposing the proteins. Fermentation
also preserves bee bread. Young worker bees consume bee bread, and glands in
the workers’ head produce brood food that nurse bees feed to developing bee
larvae. Bee bread is also used to produce royal jelly, a high-energy food fed
to all brood in its first day and fed to the queen bee throughout her life.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When honey bee foragers visit flowers, pollen grains adhere
to the bees’ hairy bodies. The bees groom the dusty pollen into pellets that
they carry on “pollen baskets” on their hind legs. Honey bees at times pick up
environmental dusts that adhere to their bodies similarly to pollen. Grain dust
from poultry feed is commonly collected by honey bees. Chemical pesticides in
dust form are also accidentally collected by bees and brought back to the
hives. Carbaryl, an insecticide sold under the name “Sevin,” is particularly
deadly to honey bees when applied to flowers in dust form. Insecticides may
kill honey bees rapidly on contact or ingestion. However, they may kill bees
more slowly if the poison is stored as pollen and later converted into bee
bread. When the bees feed their brood secretions from poisoned bee bread, they
kill the developing bees. Likewise, they can kill the queen by feeding her
poisoned royal jelly. Beekeepers look for larger numbers of dead bees on the
ground near the hive entrances, seen in today’s photo. I, and other area
beekeepers, lost brood and queens in a number of hives. Those using insecticides
should use caution and be prudent applying chemicals.<o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">--Richard</span>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-26477181510809341732021-05-17T11:56:00.000-05:002021-05-17T11:56:20.199-05:00Nuc Hives and Packages<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Il9vL_uN5H4/YKKgAP2NeRI/AAAAAAAAB-c/crpbqMumtb8ti3IdZDfq95IW_Aw5OuFkwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/0807%2BBee%2BDay%2BNucs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1080" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Il9vL_uN5H4/YKKgAP2NeRI/AAAAAAAAB-c/crpbqMumtb8ti3IdZDfq95IW_Aw5OuFkwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/0807%2BBee%2BDay%2BNucs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />How can you get a colony of bees for your new bee hive? You
may purchase a complete hive from a beekeeper along with its colony of bees, or
you may purchase a nucleus hive, or nuc, which is a small colony taken from a
full-size hive. A nuc is a bee colony in equilibrium; it contains an egg-laying
queen, brood of all stages, and workers of all ages. A nuc may be a split, or
colony division. A split is made by dividing a hive, moving frames of bees to a
new hive and introducing a new queen. Alternately, you may purchase a package
of bees: bees in a box and not on frames. A package of bees typically contains
three pounds of bees, about 12,000 bees, and a mated queen held in a protective
cage. The bees in a package are workers gathered from numerous hives, and the
queen is reared separately. A package of bees only becomes a colony after a few
days when the bees detect and then organize their behavior around the queen’s
pheromones.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">You can gather bees when colonies swarm. Swarming is a
natural occurrence; it is reproduction of bees on a colony-wide basis. European
honey bee colonies, like those we have in the U.S., typically swarm once a year.
If you are able to capture a swarm, it can be moved into a hive. You can put swarm
catcher hives, or bait hives, in trees to attract swarming bees. There are two
methods of moving bee colonies that are already established in structures like
hollow trees or walls of buildings. You can attempt a trap-out, where you build
a funnel to allow bees to exit the structure and not reenter. A cut-out
involves physically opening the structure and cutting out the combs containing
the bees and brood. I’ve bought or sold bees using each of these methods. Today’s
photo: nucleus hives awaiting beekeeper pick-up at Bemis Honey Bee Farm in
Little Rock.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">--Richard<o:p></o:p></p>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-11379769637963521952021-02-19T19:16:00.000-06:002021-02-19T19:16:25.692-06:00Winter Tests Bee Colonies<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2lzbeI_M9Bk/YDBisYSCdAI/AAAAAAAAB9U/EnBHcv_LySYXBjs9khkaMJr89-Gk8vk1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/17820%2BHives%2Bin%2BSnow.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1080" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2lzbeI_M9Bk/YDBisYSCdAI/AAAAAAAAB9U/EnBHcv_LySYXBjs9khkaMJr89-Gk8vk1wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/17820%2BHives%2Bin%2BSnow.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Winter weather tests honey bee colonies and the beekeepers
who set up the hives last fall. This year’s cold temperatures and heavy snow
contrasted with recent years which saw mild temperatures and very little
snowfall. Winds that normally swirl around the arctic, known as the polar
vortex, took a dip deep into the South. Southern states recorded the coldest
temperatures in years, and Arkansas and much of the South was blanketed with
snow. Honey bees have the same requirements as humans: a warm, dry house, food,
water, and an environment free of toxins. When beekeepers set up their hives
for the winter, they make sure that the bees have plenty of food, placed where
the bees can access it. Especially in the winter, bee hives must have adequate ventilation;
hives must be able to vent considerable amounts of water vapor. Honey bee
respiration produces water vapor, and water from condensation dripping in the
hive can kill bees. With air entering bee hives through screened bottom boards
or hive entrances, a small vent in the inner cover allows moist air to escape. Snow
covering the entrances is porous and should allow air to enter the hives;
however, bees must wait for a snow melt or the beekeeper’s clearing of hive
entrances to make cleansing flights.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bee hives are by design resistant to winter weather. Cold
winds are dampened by parallel sheets of honeycomb, and empty comb cells hold
dead air, providing natural insulation. In the South, wrapping of hives and
closing screened bottom boards is generally unnecessary. New beekeepers learn
the necessary hive preparation techniques from seasoned beekeepers in their
area. Regardless of the beekeeper’s care in setting up hives for winter, there
are often some colony losses. The majority of these losses are due to
starvation. Bees are capable at regulating temperatures in the hive, but starvation
often results from small wintertime bee clusters not being able to move about
the hive in extended cold weather to access stored honey.<o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">--Richard</span>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-85833192417005581832021-02-05T10:19:00.000-06:002021-02-05T10:19:07.309-06:00Winter Hive Walk Around<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NKWjjGKOSMc/YB1vyTh4AwI/AAAAAAAAB9E/6BM0peVUrp0ZYOu34TpKr1FNPjjY0Z_gACLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/7816%2B%2BAborted%2BPupae.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1080" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NKWjjGKOSMc/YB1vyTh4AwI/AAAAAAAAB9E/6BM0peVUrp0ZYOu34TpKr1FNPjjY0Z_gACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/7816%2B%2BAborted%2BPupae.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Beekeeping involves observing hives from the outside as much
as on the inside. Beekeepers can’t risk opening hives for a thorough
examination during cold weather, but we should occasionally visit the hives
during cold and inclement weather. Much can be told of the condition of the
colonies inside the bee hives by observing from the outside. Bees do not
venture outside the hives when temperatures are below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
They remain inside, clustered together to retain warmth. Honey bees eat their
high-energy food, honey, and generate heat in their flight muscles. Only on warm
days, bees venture from their hive to make cleansing flights to eliminate their
body waste. You will see forager bees that are collecting water, nectar, and
pollen. Observing foragers returning to a hive carrying pollen on their pollen
baskets of their hind legs usually indicates that their queen is laying eggs. Finding
some dead bees on the ground in front of the hives is normal, as a number of
bees die inside the hive every day, and they are removed from the hive. A foul
odor at a hive may indicate a dead colony with a large number of bees decaying
on the hive’s bottom board. If the air temperature is close to 50 degrees, the
beekeeper may briefly open a hive’s cover to see if the bees are alive. If the
colony has died, the beekeeper needs to protect the combs so that they will not
be destroyed by hive scavengers.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On my hive visit today, I observed bee pupae on the landing
board at the entrance to one hive as seen here. Likely, the workers are
aborting brood infested with parasitic Varroa mites. A genetic trait, called
hygienic behavior, allows workers to detect Varroa developing with the bee
pupae and abort the bee and mites. When the weather warms enough for me to open
the hives, I will measure the mite loads and apply an appropriate treatment if
the mites exceed prescribed thresholds.<o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">--Richard</span>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-43582638691784597962020-12-24T10:19:00.000-06:002020-12-24T10:19:09.006-06:00Pax Vobiscum<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4sOlJ2GPUpc/X-S_TMc-sPI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/wv1R5pJQfcQWEHd9Din1ALVHbj6m363gACLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/0506%2B60%2BChevy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1080" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4sOlJ2GPUpc/X-S_TMc-sPI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/wv1R5pJQfcQWEHd9Din1ALVHbj6m363gACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/0506%2B60%2BChevy.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />The year 2020 has been dominated by the Covid-19 virus. Viruses
are infectious agents, smaller than bacteria, that infect all types of life
forms, from animals and plants, even microorganisms. Millions of viruses exist;
some infect a narrow group of hosts, and others infect a wide group of hosts. Viruses
are carried, or vectored, from one host to another by a number of means. For
example, viruses are passed between plants by chewing insects, and viruses
causing the common cold are passed airborne between humans when infected people
cough or sneeze. Humans and honey bees are affected by a number of viral
diseases. Beekeepers fight the ill-effects of viral diseases of honey bees to
maintain healthy colonies, aware of sacbrood disease and bee paralysis, caused
by viruses, as well as Kashmir virus, black queen cell virus, and deformed wing
virus. At least 50 viruses vectored by parasitic Varroa mites have been
identified.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Humans are affected by a number of viral diseases including chicken
pox and the common cold. A number of viruses exist in both honey bees and
humans without doing harm to their host. However, a new virus, known as
Covid-19, entered the human population and spread rapidly around the world this
year. The highly contagious virus killed 300,000 people in the U.S. and
sickened many more. Persons are susceptible to becoming ill after exposure to the
Covid-19 virus unless they have developed an immunity either by having the disease
and recovering or by receiving a vaccine. Vaccines for Covid-19 are being
developed and distributed. Currently there are no vaccines to protect honey
bees from the many viruses that are vectored by Varroa mites. The only
effective means of protecting either humans or bees from viruses is to maintain
a distance from the vector. With humans, that means wearing masks, maintaining
separation, and isolation. With bees, it means controlling Varroa populations. Mindful
and saddened by our losses to Covid-19, the Underhills of Peace Bee Farm wish
peace be with you.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">--Richard<o:p></o:p></p>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-72178016168500332842020-11-21T18:22:00.000-06:002020-11-21T18:22:24.963-06:00Bees are Foraging Propolis<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QZJvIeNVNR8/X7mvBH2M-RI/AAAAAAAAB78/Hfv5BZNAw1s5yOF8uYa-eLYmfDihpRJmQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/7805%2BForaging%2BPropolis.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1080" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QZJvIeNVNR8/X7mvBH2M-RI/AAAAAAAAB78/Hfv5BZNAw1s5yOF8uYa-eLYmfDihpRJmQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/7805%2BForaging%2BPropolis.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Honey bees and beekeepers are preparing hives for winter. One
of the bees’ hive preparations involves collecting propolis. Bees gather resins
and gums from trees to produce propolis, the antimicrobial “bee glue” that they
use to varnish their hives. The bees seal all unwanted openings in the hive with
propolis to block entrance of unwanted insect intruders. Cracks inside the
hive, smaller than a bee space of three eights of an inch, are filled with
propolis. This includes the seams between the several boxes that make up a
modern bee hive as well as the space along the edges of hive frames. A sturdy
beekeeper’s hive tool is required to break the propolis bonds of individual
boxes and frames. Propolis is sticky in warm weather and brittle when cold. The
bees in today’s photo are foraging propolis warmed by the sun. Bees use the
propolis to control unwanted drafts inside their hive, even building propolis
plenums in the hive to block chilling winter air flows. Guard bees drive small
hive beetles into sticky propolis “jails” to help control these hive pests. The
antibacterial and antifungal propolis is an important element in the honey bee
colony’s health. If a hive invader, such as a mouse, cannot be removed by the
bees, they will encapsulate the dead body in propolis to prevent the spread of bacteria
in the hive.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Inside the hive, worker bees are concentrating the honey from
cells high in the hive to cells closer to the brood nest. While the bees
continue to forage for fall nectar, beekeepers need to ensure that every hive
has adequate honey stored for the winter. The essence of beekeeping is to tend
to healthy colonies and not get too greedy when robbing the hives. If a
beekeeper takes too much honey from a hive, the colony will starve over winter.
How much honey should one leave on the hives? The answer comes from the shared
experience of beekeepers in the local area.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">--Richard<o:p></o:p></p>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-5892783541347695112020-10-19T19:04:00.000-05:002020-10-19T19:04:34.111-05:00Bees Identify Nest Mates<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rFcl9ss3qSA/X44pZ9hbXLI/AAAAAAAAB7g/1xim_W7K2vYfjZcC6trqGK9JS5LIpkeJACLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/0530%2BQueen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1080" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rFcl9ss3qSA/X44pZ9hbXLI/AAAAAAAAB7g/1xim_W7K2vYfjZcC6trqGK9JS5LIpkeJACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/0530%2BQueen.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Drones are the male reproductive members of the honey bee
hive. Drones perform no work in the hive and have but one duty: They mate with queen
bees. In the Mid-South, colonies produce queens from April through August, and
these queens mate a few days after queens emerge as adults. Since drones serve
no purpose to the bees during the winter, colonies drive all drones from the
hive in the fall. Removing non-working drones from the hive helps conserve
winter food stores and ensure colony survival. There is one instance, though,
when drones are not removed from the hive. Queenless colonies often retain their
drones through the winter. While making a recent inspection of my hives, I
found that most of the drones had been driven from the hives. However, one hive
held a number of drones, a situation that calls for further investigation.
Normally, beekeepers don’t need to find a queen, only evidence that the colony
has one and that she is laying eggs. In today’s photo, we see the queen, a
healthy, young queen, marked in blue. This queen was introduced into the hive
in late summer, and she is laying plenty of eggs. A number of drones, bees larger
than the workers, are visible in the photo.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">An important part of our fall hive set-up for winter
involves determining that every hive has enough honey to sustain the colony
through the winter. With decreasing forage available for the bees to make
honey, bees will readily rob honey from any hive if its colony is too weak to
defend itself. Every hive is protected by guard bees that check bees attempting
to enter. Bees not belonging to the colony are rejected by the guards.
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis found a mechanism for bees
identifying hive mates. See <a href="https://phys.org/news/2020-10-gut-bacteria-key-bee-id.html">https://phys.org/news/2020-10-gut-bacteria-key-bee-id.html</a>?.
They found that bacteria in the bees’ gut affects the odor of the bees’
exoskeletons. Guard bees identify bees belonging in their hive by their distinct
odor.<o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">--Richard</span>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-27311139070157304112020-09-19T11:07:00.000-05:002020-09-19T11:07:02.442-05:00Donkey Days of Summer<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JrDq1IOlrvM/X2YsH2klVdI/AAAAAAAAB64/t9t8zYsOdeAtA5hfEHsslpdKZsAUENAdACLcBGAsYHQ/s1080/0743%2BDonkeys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="863" data-original-width="1080" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JrDq1IOlrvM/X2YsH2klVdI/AAAAAAAAB64/t9t8zYsOdeAtA5hfEHsslpdKZsAUENAdACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/0743%2BDonkeys.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />I met Elvis Opris, the owner of Brothers Honey Company, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/brothershoneyco">https://www.facebook.com/brothershoneyco</a>,
in his bee yard, and we started our day early with a breakfast of coffee and
graham crackers on the tailgate of my truck. As I lit the smoker, a pair of
donkeys, guardians of the farm’s livestock, invited themselves to join in on
eating our graham crackers. After the harvest of the summer’s honey, it was
time to perform a thorough inspection of the bee hives and start any needed
treatments for parasitic mites. As with all hive inspections, we checked for
obvious hive diseases and evidence that each hive had a prolific egg-laying
queen. In the late summer and early fall seasons, queens lay fewer eggs, and
bee populations begin a slight decline. Parasitic varroa mite populations,
however, reach their annual maximum. It is important that beekeepers determine
the number of mites in the hives and treat the hives if their mite loads exceed
recommended thresholds. Information on testing methods, treatment thresholds,
and appropriate mite treatments are found on the Honey Bee Health Coalition’s
website, <a href="https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroa/">https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroa/</a>.
Many of the available mite treatments have restrictions on their use. For
example, to prevent contamination of honey by chemical treatments, most cannot
be used when honey supers are on the hives. Some treatments have temperature
restrictions, and need to be applied in the fall with cooler temperatures.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We measured the mite loads on hives that had stayed on the
farm throughout the year using an alcohol-wash test and found varroa at close
to the treatment threshold. Other hives that had been moved to another location
for honey production returned in weakened conditions with a large percentage of
colonies dead. We measured these surviving hives and found mite loads above the
treatment thresholds, so we applied a treatment to all hives. We will measure
the mite loads again during the fall to see if the treatments brought the mites
below recommended thresholds. I suspect that the donkeys will expect graham
crackers.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">--Richard<o:p></o:p></p>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-77189646734308156642020-08-22T18:47:00.002-05:002020-08-25T11:30:06.264-05:00Dog Days of Summer<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WAKMtwAeSbk/X0GvwNde1AI/AAAAAAAAB6k/8nst4_k3SUQYvdO-lucSZGBLTyUgyURegCLcBGAsYHQ/s882/0095%2BForaging%2BWater.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="705" data-original-width="882" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WAKMtwAeSbk/X0GvwNde1AI/AAAAAAAAB6k/8nst4_k3SUQYvdO-lucSZGBLTyUgyURegCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/0095%2BForaging%2BWater.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The hot, droughty mid-summer period is often called the Dog
Days of Summer, and a significant dearth of nectar often exists from July
through September. At this time, locations that produce spring honey see a
dramatic reduction in honey production. Bee hives located near agricultural
crops continue to produce honey, especially if the crops are irrigated.
Summer’s dearth is a time for harvesting spring and summer honey before fall
wildflowers come into bloom. Typically, honey produced from flowers early in
the year are mild in flavor and aroma, while honey produced in the fall is quite more pronounced. Honey bees do
not bring into the hives as much nectar and pollen during the summer’s dearth,
however, they forage a considerable amount of water. In today’s photo, honey
bees are foraging water from moss-covered rocks and duckweed in the bee yard’s
water source. A short high speed video shows how the honey bee uses its tongue
to take in water either by lapping or by sucking: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/11/science/honeybees-drink-video.html">https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/11/science/honeybees-drink-video.html</a>.
Beekeepers should make sure that their hives have a reliable source of water
throughout the year, and this is especially important in the heat of summer
when bees use water to help cool their hives.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Dog Days of Summer are a good time to take care of other
bee hive issues. Small hive beetle populations often expand during the heat of
summer. If unchecked, the beetles can overwhelm bee colonies. Integrated pest
management approaches to beetle control include hive placement in the sun,
beetle trapping, and minimal hive manipulations. Beekeepers should try to prevent
multiple generations of beetles from existing in the hives before wintertime. Late
summer is a good time to provide pollen substitute feeding to stimulate the
queens to continue to lay eggs. It’s important that beekeepers plan for
controlling varroa mites as soon as the honey is harvested and temperatures
cool to within treatment limits. Consult the Honey Bee Health Coalition’s
Varroa Management Decision Tool: <a href="https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroa/">https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroa/</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">--Richard</span></div>
Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-19696340246011418022020-07-05T17:25:00.000-05:002020-07-05T17:25:07.431-05:00Clover Honey<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6yg6awZmEJU/XwJTIMmmY2I/AAAAAAAAB5w/_UBvpHR637IElRUbMRL6AQlU4g7fX63YQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/0094%2BClover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1600" height="255" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6yg6awZmEJU/XwJTIMmmY2I/AAAAAAAAB5w/_UBvpHR637IElRUbMRL6AQlU4g7fX63YQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/0094%2BClover.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Throughout the spring, bees have been visiting flowering
trees and plants to collect nectar and pollen to gather food for their
colonies. Nectar from spring flowers makes for delightful, mild-flavored honey.
Bees, like the one in today’s photo, make a surplus of honey from clover if
there is a large population of forager-aged bees in the hive. Clover, the world’s
greatest source of nectar for honey, is a legume which secretes nectar freely
when temperatures are between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Beekeepers maximize
their honey production by encouraging the build-up of the colonies to a maximum
six weeks prior to the major nectar flows. Beekeepers are challenged to
maintain their hives at such large populations, which are often on the verge of
swarming. Once a hive has swarmed, it holds too few bees to make a harvestable
surplus of honey. Beekeepers enjoy taking advantage of springtime swarming to
add colonies to their bee yards. Captured swarms make up for winter colony
losses as well as increasing one’s hive count. This year saw plenty of seasonal
springtime swarming; we shook a number of swarms from tree limbs, and we
captured several colonies of bees in swarm traps. Swarms captured in Arkansas before
the Fourth of July have enough time to build honeycombs in their new hives for
the queen to have cells to lay eggs and for the bees to store honey for the upcoming
winter if the beekeeper provides the hive with supplemental feeding. However, swarms
hived after the Fourth of July do not have enough time to build combs in their
hive, and usually perish over winter. It is, therefore, better to combine these
late-season swarms with existing colonies.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Covid-19 pandemic is forcing everyone to make
significant changes in their daily activities to protect each other as the
virus spreads. The local library is providing online entertainment and information
for young children through their Family Nature Club. You may watch Mary Spears
Polk interview me at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=264340481462017">https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=264340481462017</a><span class="MsoHyperlink">.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">--Richard</span>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-86910853136222812792020-05-03T13:11:00.001-05:002020-05-03T13:11:49.230-05:00Toad Suck Daze<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MDOM2A3kjVc/Xq8JOqAWyaI/AAAAAAAAB44/J4TiWXEWuicEBvG9ZNf55PLTPffcblOdwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/0082%2BBulldog%2BAricraft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="941" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MDOM2A3kjVc/Xq8JOqAWyaI/AAAAAAAAB44/J4TiWXEWuicEBvG9ZNf55PLTPffcblOdwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/0082%2BBulldog%2BAricraft.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Toad Suck Daze is a social gathering held every spring in
Conway, Arkansas, a state that has its share of towns with names reflecting a
rich pioneer history. There’s Oil Trough, Fifty-Six, and Greasy Corner. Conway
has its Toad Suck, a landing on the Arkansas River where the river makes a
sharp bend from west to south. There are several speculations as to the origin
of the region’s name, but a favorite involves rugged rivermen stopping at area taverns
and sucking tankards of ale till their bellies swelled up like toads.
Typically, crowds gather at Conway for Toad Suck Daze, a festival with live
toad races, music and singing on the old court house grounds, and street vendors
selling foods and crafts. Local beekeepers have tables filled with honey. This
year’s Toad Suck event was interrupted by the world-wide spread of the deadly
Corvid-19 virus with its necessary social distancing requirement which rendered
the public event impossible. In response, aviators from the Lollie Bottoms
Pilots Association conducted an airplane parade over the city for people to
share an event while remaining personally separated. Today’s photo is the Bulldog
Flight Formation Group passing over the city. When a virus enters a vulnerable
population, it is likely to spread unchecked. With humans having no natural
immunity to the virus, or vaccine, the virus spread exponentially.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Honey bee colonies experienced massive losses since the
introduction of parasitic mites in the mid-1980s. The Varroa mite is especially
harmful to bees because it vectors numerous viruses. One way that Varroa mites
are spread between honey bee colonies is by having hives in close proximity.
Separating hives, like separating people, helps reduce the spread of viruses.
An interesting study of Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus describes a mechanism
that the virus employs giving it a reproductive advantage, <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/04/deadly-virus-turns-honey-bees-trojan-horses">https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/04/deadly-virus-turns-honey-bees-trojan-horses</a>.
Jon Zawislak states, “There’s a fascinating and frightening arms race between
bees and viruses. The biologist in me thinks “Wow!” but the beekeeper in me
cringes.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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--Richard<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8712110501673732079.post-28449978777116642842020-04-17T19:50:00.001-05:002020-04-17T19:50:32.816-05:00A Swarm Moves In<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bdqUhURZHrQ/XppOskMpkhI/AAAAAAAAB4k/DEJ-pHMo_ewiIOZfHG8fJY7EUUfEZhJgwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/663%2BScout%2BBees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1600" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bdqUhURZHrQ/XppOskMpkhI/AAAAAAAAB4k/DEJ-pHMo_ewiIOZfHG8fJY7EUUfEZhJgwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/663%2BScout%2BBees.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The queen bee doesn’t have any royal duties. Thousands of bees
in her hive don’t even pay her much attention; a dozen workers attend to her.
The rest of the workers go about tending to the hive, feeding the brood, and producing
their future food supply. The queen just lays eggs and secretes pheromones, and
her pheromones organize the colony. It’s quickly apparent to the bees if she’s
gone. The queen, drones, and workers produce many pheromones as their principal
means of communication. Most are aromatic scents that the bees detect and react
upon. One pheromone the queen produces, that we call “queen substance,” is conveyed
to the workers by touch rather than by scent. The queen secretes queen
substance pheromone, and her retinue of attendants collect it by stroking her
body. They pass the pheromone to other bees in the vicinity, and then it is
passed from bee to bee throughout the hive. As long as queen substance is
detected by the bees, the colony is content. If the queen dies, or the
beekeeper removes her from the hive, the bees will know within one hour that she
is gone by the loss of queen substance.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The amount of queen substance pheromone in the hive diminishes
as it is divided among an increasing number of bees as the colony’s population grows
in the spring. Reduced queen pheromone stimulates the workers to start building
queen cells, one of the first steps involved in swarming. The queen lays eggs
in these, and the workers feed the developing queens a high-energy brood food,
called royal jelly. A queen will emerge from one cell to take over the
egg-laying duties of the hive when the colony divides through swarming. Half of
the hive’s bees and the older queen fly from the hive and gather nearby. Scouts,
seen here, visit my swarm trap. They explore the cavity and find it suitable.
In a day the swarm moves in, and I transfer it to a hive.<o:p></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">--Richard</span>Richard Underhillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00014016516339819639noreply@blogger.com0