Taking Inventory

It always brings me much pleasure to see my honeybees enjoying flowers I have planted for my enjoyment and for their benefit.  During the next several months I will long for warm days, colorful flowers and the sight and sounds of buzzing bees.

Honey has been extracted, beeswax has been collected and melted and we are heading into the long winter season.  We had a warm day yesterday, so took advantage of it and went through our hives.  Two years ago we started out with 4 hives.  Between swarms we have caught and ordering of new packages this last spring our goal was to be at 25 hives this summer.  We didn't make that goal this year, but overall it has not been a bad year.  We have had 3 months of wonderful, drier weather which helped make up for such a rainy spring and summer. 

We are going into winter with 16 strong hives and hope it is nothing like last winter!  Now that the outside work has pretty much come to a standstill I look forward to using the long winter months creating skin products with my honey and beeswax.  For everything there is a season!
                                                                    

Tree of Enchantment

 

In an earlier blog I commented on my love of any kind of weeping trees. This weeping pussy willow is planted right outside my front door and I get many comments on it because it is such a unique and graceful tree. Seeing this tree any time of the year just lifts my spirits, but there is nothing better than this time right now! I took a picture of this tree just a couple days before the honeybees found it and then have a picture showing a bee foraging on this delightful tree. Their pollen baskets were just loaded!


It is one of the first trees to bloom in early spring and once they are full of blooms and they turn from white to yellow, the honeybees show up in numbers! Since there aren't many things for them to feed on so early in my part of the country I am glad I have this to at least help them get started.

Among the most graceful trees. It is connected with all that is feminine-dreaming, intuition, emotion, enchantment, healing and revitalization. The willow has long since been recognized as a sacred tree by poets, philosophers and religious leaders because of the flexibility of its twigs. The willow's flexibility symbolizes resilience and inspires us to move with life rather than resist what we are feeling".

If you are like me, I try to plant something new and different every year. I encourage everybody to think about planting some flowers that will attract beneficial insects such as the honeybee. Some favorites to consider are Red Maple, CrabApple, Floxglove, Evening Primrose, Lavender, Hydrangea, Cosmos, Bee Balm, Oregano, Sunflower and Aster. This is just a small list of the many trees and flowers that honeybees love and will grace your landscape too!

Package Bees in 32 Degrees

It's that time of year when we start to receive our long awaited new packages of bees.  Although it may not look like the first picture above with snow all around, in my neck of the woods, it is not unheard of to have some snow when your bees arrive and for temperatures to be in the 30's!  It is certainly not the ideal, but can be expected sometimes!

During my class this winter one of our guest speakers talked about installing package bees in 32 degrees.  He did an experiment that I thought was very interesting.  When he received his bees the outside temperature was 32 degrees.  He put the bees on top of the frames, (not in the bottom of the hive) then placed a newspaper over the bees and covered with a hive body.  He also put a thermometer inside the hive and checked the temperature a few hours later.

In just a few hours when he checked the temperature the thermometer showed 60 degrees!  The bees had generated that much heat in just a short amount of time.  The more I learn about these honeybees the more I am amazed at them!  If you are interested in more information on this experiment there is a DVD available titled Package Bees in 32 Degrees.

Defying the Odds

I know those of us beekeepers who live in colder climates are tired of looking at snow!  But I just have to share this story - and after all - they say a picture is worth a thousand words!

This picture is of my husband clearing some of the snow away from the hives.  The next day we were expecting another foot of snow.  As you can see the snow is almost even with the top of this one little hive that is just one deep hive body.

Even though this would be our first year wintering  bees, we knew the chance of this little hive making it through the winter was slim to none.  This was a very late season, small swarm.  I remember we were debating what to do, and just decided to go for it.  Several people had told us that you just never know what those bees will do and can always surprise you.  We knew they had plenty of food for such a small cluster, but with such a long, bitter winter we didn't even have a chance to check them for a long time.

Every time we looked - they were still alive!  I started feeding them about 3 weeks ago with a gallon jug placed above the inner cover, and they went through a gallon of sugar syrup in 10 days.  They still have honey reserves but I am assuming they did not want to break their cluster to get to it.  We have finally had some warm enough days that they have been able to get out and fly around.

It seems like we are more excited about this little hive making it then the bigger, stronger ones.  I have always rooted for the underdogs! 

Now, I don't know if I would keep trying this just because we have been successful so far with this one, but it does put a smile on my face and warms my heart to think that they have so far made it through this tough, unforgiving winter!

A "not so fun" Topic - Pest Managment

Pest Management - something that is never fun to talk about, but cannot be avoided.  If you are new to beekeeping I just thought I would share a few simple things to think about.  Just a few very simple things   without getting into what product should I use for this, etc.

Four Pest Managment Strategies

1. Do nothing (an option, but probably not the best one if you want successful hives)
2. Reduce the number of pests
3. Reduce the susceptibility of the host
4. Combine steps 2 and 3 (probably your best choice)

When Following Your Strategy You Must

1. Accurately Identify the Pest
2. Assess that pest population
3. Assess the economic evaluation of the population
4. Timing of Control - so very important

I am still fairly new at this adventure of beekeeping and often think about how much "easier" it would have been many years ago when they did not have such a large number of pests to identify and control.  But as the saying goes, "that was then and this is now"!  So we carry on trying out best to have happy, healthy hives as we continue to learn and grow.

Premier Pollinators

Premier Pollinators - I even like the sound of that!  For those of you who live in a cold winter climate like I do, I hope this little picture will give you a tiny bit of encouragement that yes, we will see this again soon!

This past year of beekeeping has been quite an adventure for us and when I think back on how much we have learned it is kind of amazing.

I have a cousin who has kept bees for over 25 years.  He started with one small hive from his wifes uncle.  He takes his hives to the warmer climates in the winter for pollination.  My husband is spending the week with him just to see what it is all about!  I can't wait to see his pictures. 

What is sad is that the almonds are in bloom right now, but there is a shortage of honeybees to pollinate them.  Most of us know that the honeybees pollinate almonds, blueberries and many of the plants and flowers we have in our yards.  I thought it would be fun to list a few that maybe you never thought of before.

• Allspice
• Buckwheat
• Coffee
• Eggplant
• Macadamia
• Okra
• Papaya
• Persimmon
• Rose Hips
• Starfruit
• Sour Cherry

This is a very small list of what these premier pollinators do to ensure we have so many choices and types of food to choose from.  It is so important for people to know just how important they are to our food chain!

What are some of your favorites?

I'm Confused - Did I Hear That Right?

Have you ever felt like this duck - a little confused?

I just have to share this story.  Have you ever had times when you just weren't quite tracking with what was going on?  I know I have had many of them so I don't want this to be a put down in any way.  It just struck me funny how one person can say something and people  hear it so differently!  So here goes...we were in Beekeeping 101 class and since the class is only for 6 weeks you can imagine how much information the instructors want to cover...

At one point we had been talking about  American Foulbrood and how you need to burn everything if you want to totally eradicate it from the hive.  Then right before break we were discussing how and when to move your bees if you needed to.  We took a short break and class resumed and out of the blue a question was raised something like this.  "So if I have my bees  located on another property and they call me to say it is not working out and I need to come move my bees.  Do I just burn my bees if I don't have any other place to take them? 

Now one of the teachers is a kind, gentle man who has been keeping bees for over 40 years.  He almost didn't know how to respond.  He just said, "What?"  It was quiet for a few seconds while everyone was trying to process this question, and then he said, "No, no, no, no, NO - don't burn your bees - they are precious".  At this point half of the class was saying, if you don't have a place for your bees, just call us - we will take them for you!

I just hope the man who asked the question got it right by then.  It would be a tragedy if he really thought that is what he needed to do with so many people trying so hard to INCREASE the honeybee population! 

As I said I have had many times when I didn't quite "get" what was going on, so I guess it is a good thing he asked his question!  Has anybody else been asked a great question like that when trying to explain all the wonders of beekeeping?

Small Winter Honey Harvest

Before - Our Handy Dandy Hand Extractor

My daughter and I curled up on the couch ready for an evening of Olympic entertainment.  I heard my husband downstairs but didn't know just what he was doing and boy was I surprised!  You see we had some frames of honey saved that we were trying to decide what to do with - to save for the bees or go ahead and harvest. 

Now they had just said in our bee class that marital bliss would usually come before honey harvesting in the house....  Maybe he thought I was so thoroughly occupied with the Olympics that I wouldn't check on him!  Whatever the case, before the evening was over he had filled 13 bottles of honey (1 pound bottles)!.  I was excited and what was even better was he completly cleaned up the mess - wow! 
                                 

      After!

Do any of you have any interesting "in the house" honey harvest stories?!

CliffsNotes from Class

This is the book we are using in Beekeeping 101 this year.

First Lessons in Beekeeping is a great book - very easy to read with many awesome colored pictures that help tell the story.  A very good resource for any beekeeper to share or keep for your own library.

I wrote down some intresting notes from last weeks class and wanted to share a few of them with you. 

• The one that I was most fascinated with is that when the bees are really agitated and worked up the scent of the pheromones they are fanning about smells like bananas!  Now there were a few times last year when we were working our hives that we knew it was time to close up and get out of there - but we never smelled bananas!  Probably a good thing!
• Some newer research studies show that honeybees are attracted to plants that produce nicotine (tobacco) and caffeine!
• On the days our state inspector wants to keep his smoker lit all day he will use  wood heater pellets,  packs them very tightly and it will still be burning at the end of the day.
• It is probably best not to put your smoker between your knees when checking your hives!
• One man knew of 2 people who lost their trucks because their smoker was out of control, and one person who lost his honey house.  Very sad.
• Even though the cluster of bees inside the hive stays around 90 degrees, the outside of the hive is just as cold as the temperature outside.
• The inside of a healthy honeybee hive is one of the closest things to a sterile and sanitary environment you will ever find in nature.

These are just a few of the things I found most interesting.  I am really curious to know if anybody out there has ever smelled bananas when working with your bees?!

                                                                                 

Term of Endearment

The most common term of endearment I have for my husband is "honey".  In fact it actually feels strange to call him by his first name!  I also have an affection for my honeybees and always try to find new ways to use that sweet, sticky substance we call honey.  It is much more than that bottle or jar that sits up in your cupboard hidden behind spices and sauces.  That is where my jar used to be, but now it is either right in front or left out on the counter, and gets refilled often!

• My newest favorite is to sweeten grapefruit and all kinds of fruit instead of using sugar - fabulous!
• I eat a lot of oatmeal during these cold, winter months and it is my favorite sweetener.
• Blending honey in with butter makes a fantastic spread for just about anything!
• If you happen to get stung while working your bees - apply some honey.
• Have you ever tried using it to remove a fruit stain on your clothing?
• If you need a quick boost of energy anytime during the day, honey can work just as well as caffeine.
• This means energy without chemicals, but with healthy nutrients and vitamins!
• And don't forget about honey in your skin care products - it absorbs and retains moisture and can help with those aging skin problems.
• This wonderful product can be found all over the world - naturally!  With all the artificial sweeteners that have become so popular, I think why would I choose one of those over this "nectar of the gods" as Aristotle called it.

I would love to hear about your favorite and ususual ways you use your honey?!

Here is the honey from our first harvest that we saved back for ourselves for consuming, baking and anything else we can think of.  We were looking everywhere for jars and bottles to put it in!

                                                                       

 

Classes for Clusters

How is this for a cluster?  Ones of the swarms we caught last year.  I love it when they are so close to the ground - makes it so much easier to catch.

Last night I went to the second week of beekeeping class at our local community college.  I always look forward to getting together with clusters of people who also love honeybees!  People who don't give you that weird kind of look when you start talking about your bees.  Most of our friends stopped asking us, "So, how are the bees?"  They just want to here a quick short answer such as "fine."  Not a commentary on the weeks activities!  They did love the honey though.

It was interesting to see that over half of the class were females and to know the reasons why people were taking the class.  Some lived in town, others had farms or an acerage.  A few people grew produce for farmers markets and were interested more in the pollination, others couldn't wait for honey.  Some didn't even know if they would get any hives - just were curious about the whole thing. 

After last nights class I am pretty concerned about the clusters in my hives though.  This is when we decided to take the plunge into beekeeping:  Iowa had the worst year of honey production since they have been keeping records, and the worst winter in several decades.  Our instructors are pretty concerned about just how many bees will still be alive come spring.  But I have ordered what I need for new hives and will get ready to order my packages soon and the excitement for spring grows every day!

Just wondering what others who live in colder climates do to pass the time before the first dandelion blooms?

Wonderful Weepers

I have a fondness for any kind of weeping tree.  Here is a picture of my Weeping Pussy Willow Tree beside the front entrance of my house.  This is a tree that grows fast and is easy to grow and the bees LOVE it!  It is one of the earliest trees to bloom in the spring and was simply covered with bees last spring.  I do know that honeybees love all kinds of willows and this is certainly no exception.  When we moved to our house a few years ago this was the first thing I ordered to plant outside.  I loved it even before I became a beekeeper.  You see last year was our first year to begin this beekeeping adventure and we were anxiously awaiting our first packages of bees....   

On a warm spring day I was taking a tour of my yard and noticed the honeybees happily covering this tree!  These were not even my bees because we hadn't even received ours yet!  I was so excited and wondered if all these years when I was not even thinking about honeybees, they have been right under my nose the whole time - doing what they do best and I did not even notice!  A warm, sunny spring morning and the contented sound of the bees buzzing and I was oblivious for so many years.  I simply cannot wait to get a picture of this tree this spring covered with my girls.  Just hoping all the frigid temperatures, snow and ice have not harmed this tree and all the other flowers I planted that will attract the ultimate pollinators.

I now have two shoots from this weeping pussy willow growing in pots over the winter to be transplanted as soon as possible this spring.  I also have a couple of the bigger Weeping Willow trees in my yard and hope they are big enough this year for the bees to enjoy also.

Just wondering what kinds of trees and flowers you have planted to attract the honeybees to your space?
I would love to hear your stories!

Dees Bee Boutique - Simple Luxury just for You! - Soothing Massage Bar - 3 oz Unscented or with Fragrance for Men and Women

Dees Bee Boutique - Simple Luxury just for You! - Soothing Massage Bar - 3 oz Unscented or with Fragrance for Men and Women

Nature's Slideshow

On these long winter days we sometimes need something to break up the monotomy.  Even looking out the window doesn't help because usually all I see is snow and more snow and again snow predicted for Friday.  They are just saying a measurable amount but nothing else.  So what could that be?  This year it could be anywhere from 5 inches to 12 inches - just what is measurable?

So I am learning to be thankful for nature's little surprises.  I was working away at my computer and noticed some movement outside my window.  There to my surprise was a whole flock of turkeys just a few feet from me.  My camera just happened to be on my desk with the correct lens attached, so I slowly reached for it - knowing that turkeys have VERY keen eyesight I tried to make as little movement as possible.  I was able to get a couple of pictures before they began wandering off towards the timber.

As I continued take pictures, more joined them and it was great fun watching them.  After loading the pics on my computer the one that cracked me up was when it looks like they are walking on TOP of the fence - funny!  In short order they all flew up into the trees - probably to roost.  I was thankful for that little diversion in my day and even more thankful that I live in a warm house with food readily available.

If I knew where my husbands turkey call was it would have even been more fun to see if I could have gotten them to respond, but I am sure it was packed away somewhere I wouldn't even begin to think of.

I have seen that flock of turkeys many times, but never were they this close.  They really are pretty big birds!

Tired of Winter?

What a week it has been here in Iowa.  It has been many years since I can remember an ice storm this bad.  We have had 2 days where we did not have electricity for most of the day.  Our phone line was out also (yes - we still have a landline)!  Thank goodness for cell phones.  And thank goodness for generators.  When I pulled into our little neighborhood last night it was COMPLETELY dark - what an eerie feeling.  Huge chunks of ice are falling off the house and they sound like big crashes of thunder.  Things are much better today but no sunshine - everything is just boring gray.  My pictures look like I was using black and white only!  How I miss the sunshine and we aren't supposed to see any until Tuesday!!  Tropical sounds better all the time.  I know these inconveniences are nothing at all to what the people of Haiti are going through.  So I count my blessings, do the best I can and try and help out others in need.

A week ago we checked our bees and we were pleasantly surprised.  We had some small late season swarms that we were able to catch and knew we would be lucky if they made it through the winter.  Two of them did not, but the rest of the hives looked good and still had plenty of food reserves left.  I have always been anxious for spring, but I think a beekeeper in a cold winter climate is more anxious than most!

Hard to believe it stays over 90 degrees in there!

Woke up this morning to 1/2 inch of ice covering everything and no power! 

                               

You don't realize just how much you depend on electricity until you are without it!  This frosty old oak tree has seen many winter storms and am sure it will survive this one too.