Bee Talks

Welcome to Bee Talks - jump to topics we discussed using the chapter markers below: 00:00:00 Welcome and announcements 00:02:10 Watch transparent hive creation & follow along (more discussion at 01:04:11 and 01:08:05) 00:07:20 Early season package installation cautions & reminders 00:10:18 Do bees like to feed on forsythia? 00:12:16 How do you grind pollen - what are the sizes etc.? 00:13:48 iNaturalist - how to use it and what CBA is doing to collaborate 00:21:01 View graph showing weight and temperature inside a colony (additional graph of another hive at 1:04:51) 00:27:14 What should I spray new bee packages with? Walkthrough of oxylic acid label and instructions. 00:32:48 Is a dribble as effective as a vaporization? 00:34:28 Should I be feeding in March? How will I know if my bees need food right now? 00:37:33 My bees haven’t eaten their sugar cakes - can I reuse them? 00:39:03 Will the solar eclipse affect on my bees’ behavior? 00:41:38 What is checkerboard mite check? What do the blocks mean on a sticky board? 00:42:21 Can feeders be left on during vaporization treatment? 00:43:42 Which electric fencing do you recommend for bee yards? Will it hurt my dogs? (more at 01:03:13) 00:48:05 Broodminder gave sensors to beekeepers in the eclipse trail to monitor activity 00:52:46 Is there a certain time of day that is better for vaporization treatment? 00:54:52 Is anyone using Slovenian hives in CT? Can I convert from Langstroth? 01:00:20 Will bees get shocked by an electric fence? 01:00:30 Do we need to worry about bees creating toxic honey if there is mountain laurel in our area? 01:03:13 Should I put bacon on my bear fence? No. No you should not. 01:04:11 How’s the transparent hive doing? 01:04:51 View additional graph showing temperature and sensor data in a different hive 01:08:05 Excitement about transparent hive experiment Follow along at the Bee Yard! Transparent Hive - https://studio.youtube.com/playlist/PLiVSlN0ZSIMvAA0mWUySDpdjZrbLqlDfU/edit MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org/ Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports backyard beekeepers and their local organizations. Our goal is to provide a common forum for the beekeepers of Connecticut to share information and ideas.

Do you have a beekeeping question? - https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00:00 Welcome and Event Calendar 00:12:10 What is iNaturalist and how do I use it? 00:19:50 What is Seek and how do I use it? 00:24:05 Example of a bee carrying pollen 00:24:50 When do I install Supers? 00:25:24 How do I prevent mass hive death? 00:35:10 What’s the difference in modern mite reading methods? 00:38:07 When do I add a second hive box? 00:40:39 How do I prevent beetle infestations? 00:43:00 When do I use an excluder? 00:48:14 How can I encourage specific hive entrance use? 00:50:34 Can I buy “winter-proof” bees? 00:55:50 How does Thymol actually WORK? 00:59:40 Why do my royal jelly cells look empty? 01:04:20 How can I encourage specific hive entrance use? 01:06:40 Why are my frames moldy? 01:08:35 Do I have too few bees? 01:09:00 Should I reverse my boxes? 01:13:10 How Is royal jelly harvested for sales? 01:17:00 When should I interfere with my bees? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more about backyard beekeeping - https://www.ctbees.org

Welcome to Bee Talks with Bill Hesbach IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00:00 Welcome and Event Calendar 00:02:40 Bloom Calendar 00:09:19 Using a thermal camera to view inside my hives 00:11:40 Using an iphone to identify plants 00:12:25 Why is mold growing on the inside of my hive covers? 00:17:58 How can I learn more about starting a top bar hive? 00:21:51 Do I need to use a following board in a top bar hive? 00:23:56 Dandelions are out - what does that mean for my bees? 00:26:25 What camera should I use for IR photos of my hives? 00:29:30 What is a swarm cell? What does it look like? 00:32:37 What are emergency queen cells? 00:38:10 Do swarm signs vary between bee species? 00:41:30 Do all colonies swarm? 00:42:53 What if my bees escape? Do I try to recapture them? 00:45:57 Let’s talk about Varroa - Bill shares his varroa management cycle 01:09:15 What is the approximate cost of varroa treatment? 01:13:00 Which type of overwintered formic acid treatment do you recommend? 01:16:05 Should I continuously treat my colony? 01:18:25 When will the treatment protocols change around oxylic acid? What is Bee Talks? Bee Talks are held the 2nd Thursday of each month. Each episode includes an open question & answer period and seasonally-appropriate topic discussion meant to help guide you through the beekeeping year. Open to everyone regardless of experience, so bring your questions and we'll help each other become better observational beekeepers. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more about beekeeping - https://www.ctbees.org

Welcome to the last Bee Talks of 2023! Bee Talks are held the 2nd Thursday of each month. Each episode includes an open question & answer period and seasonally-appropriate topic discussion meant to help guide you through the beekeeping year. Open to everyone regardless of experience, so bring your questions and we'll help each other become better observational beekeepers. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more about beekeeping - https://www.ctbees.org

Do you have a beekeeping question? - https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00:00 Welcome and Event Calendar 00:03:56 Bloom Calendar 00:09:34 How many times should I vaporize my hives, and when should I stop? 00:18:47 When is the most critical time to treat for mites? 00:24:42 Witch hazel in bloom 00:25:40 My hive has too much brood in October - why would this be? 00:32:14 Should I do a vaporization treatment if I have Apivar strips in the hive? 00:39:24 Discussion about Hopguard 3 treatment for mites 00:41:50 I have a single hive with only 5 frames, how can I help my bees make it through the winter? 00:42:59 Are there any places where mites aren’t infecting bees? 00:45:40 Should I feed my bees Hive Alive? 00:50:15 Should I try to reduce moisture in my hives over the winter? 00:52:55 Do I have mold growing on my hives? 00:54:10 Should I give my bees probiotics? 00:56:50 How much / What kind of insulation should I be using? 00:58:19 If a bee gets infected, what happens to their core temperature? 01:05:18 Let’s talk about: Bee Smart inner & outer covers 01:17:15 What is Randy Oliver’s sponge treatment? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more about backyard beekeeping - https://www.ctbees.org

Bring us your beekeeping questions - https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00:00 Welcome and Event Calendar 00:04:19 It’s the end of foraging season…what evidence do you see now? 00:19:07 What should I be feeding my bees right now? 00:25:37 I mixed too much 2:1 feed. How can I keep the extra from separating? 00:31:05 How can I stop robbing once it’s occurring? 00:34:02 Examples of robber screens and how they work 00:36:14 What can I do if my hive is infested with beetles? 00:38:52 What is the best number of mediums to over-winter with? 00:41:26 What should I do if I still have supers on at this stage? 00:49:19 I have barely any new brood - is that okay? 00: 52:19 Can I cover the exposed boxes to help control robbing? 00:54:33 Can I add pollen patties to my feeding routine? 00:59:23 Why are brood cappings darker than honey cappings? 01:00:50 Are sugar boards appropriate for overwintering? 01:04:14 Can I feed bananas to my bees? 01:10:42 How is a candy board different than regular sugar feeding? Bee Talks are held the 2nd Thursday of each month. Each episode includes an open question & answer period and seasonally-appropriate topic discussion meant to help guide you through the beekeeping year. Open to everyone regardless of experience, so bring your questions and we'll help each other become better observational beekeepers. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more about backyard beekeeping - https://www.ctbees.org

Bring your questions to Bee Talks! - https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00:00 Welcome and Event Calendar 00:04:48 Bloom Calendar Overview 00:10:36 Should I add a protein supplement? Which one should I use? Should I make my own? 00:16:06 Commercial beekeeping vs. backyard beekeeping - what’s the difference? 00:23:41 Do I need to add pollen to my hives? 00:28:48 What is the impact of honeybees on native pollinators? 00:33:59 Is this time of year the beginning of next years’ season? 00:37:22 How should I insulate my hives for winter? 00:39:07 What kind of precautions should we take to prepare for an approaching hurricane or high wind scenario? 00:40:00 Which type of foam board do you recommend? 00:41:50 What are the advantages of using the 1-step or 2-step formic pro treatment methods? 00:44:48 Can I remove the queen while treating with formic acid, to keep her safe? 00:52:44 If my mite check is good, should I treat anyway? 00:55:02 What is the new robber device you’re using? 00:59:05 How can I get rid of yellowjackets without using chemicals? 01:02:00 Should I be using mouse guards? When should I install them? Bee Talks are held the 2nd Thursday of each month. Each episode includes an open question & answer period and seasonally-appropriate topic discussion meant to help guide you through the beekeeping year. Open to everyone regardless of experience, so bring your questions and we'll help each other become better observational beekeepers. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more about backyard beekeeping - https://www.ctbees.org

Have a beekeeping question? - https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00:00 Bloom Calendar Overview 00:12:20 What should I look for when deciding which comb is too old or needs to be thrown out? 00:19:23 Can I do anything with old comb? 00:23:50 What is happening when my honey separates, and can those components be recombined? 00:26:30 How do bees know when to gather water versus gather nectar? 00:31:47 Why does only one frame of my hive have honey right now? 00:35:56 Do I need to be concerned about plastic foundation accumulating toxins? 00:36:50 When should I treat for mites? 00:37:47 Should I leave one honey super on for winter or remove in late fall? 00:38:15 Does CBA place bulk orders for equipment? Do you recommend certain suppliers? 00:41:43 Should I make my own boxes or purchase them? 00:44:53 If I have black comb, does that mean it has wax moths in it? 00:46:39 Should I use old comb to start my smoker? 00:47:19 Why is some of my old honey still liquid, while some new honey is crystallized? 00:48:16 Is it too late in the season to get a nuc or find a swarm and start a hive? 00:50:45 Is there a reason bees stay specialized - is it a reward network that stimulates specialization? 00:51:16 I just moved 2 nucs into a 10 frame brood box. Can I start feeding them now? Is using a frame feeder safer to protect against robbing? 00:52:48 What is CO2 injection for varroa? 00:57:40 What do you feed during the dearth - 2:1 or 1:1? 00:59:12 Are we experiencing a dearth right now? Is it regional/local? 01:01:21 What are the best smoker materials? 01:04:55 EasyCheck CO2 injector discussion 01:11:28 Is it too late to use Formic Pro? What is your recommended method for application? Bee Talks are held the 2nd Thursday of each month. Each episode includes an open question & answer period and seasonally-appropriate topic discussion meant to help guide you through the beekeeping year. Open to everyone regardless of experience, so bring your questions and we'll help each other become better observational beekeepers. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn more about backyard beekeeping - https://www.ctbees.org