Merry Christmas!

December 24, 2010

I wanted to let you know that the bees are fine and cozy in their respective beehive. As many of you know, here in Minnesota we have had a lot of snow so far, and somewhat colder temperature than usual.

The snow is fine for the bees, it acts as a natural insulator. As for the cold, well the honeybees have to cuddle a little tighter, and rotate like penguins to keep their little clustered buddies warm. With their constant movements, the bees generate warmth...if we were to put our hand inside the beehive into the cluster, we would be surprised to feel 80 degree F (23C). However, the hive itself is cold just like the outside temperature. Unlike us who need a heated home during winter, the honeybees need to be warm themselves to survive. By eating the honey that we left them, and moving their tiny legs, they have that incredible capacity to survive the cold.

We wish our friends and family a Merry Christmas!

The Last Chore

On the first week of November, Ben and I did our last chore at the apiaries. It was a beautiful sunny day but somewhat a little cold 42 F (5 C), but I had to remember that it was November. As we approached the 2 colonies in Chanhassen, Ben who was walking in front of me and seeing the hives before I did, got a little agitated. "Where are the bees? I don't see any bees...Oh! They 're all gone, I can't hear them...where are they?" We opened the first hive body... nothing...no bees, no sounds. We removed the first hive body and put it aside, and there our bees were sitting pretty and calm on top of the second box. They had managed to scare us, one more time! But then they saw us and came out, flying gently around us, as to say: "Hey, we are here do not worry!" I whispered to them to have a safe and healthy winter, and that we will be back in the spring. I petted few of them gently. It is funny, I think they knew that was it for the season.

After my goodbyes Ben proceeded, to place an absorbing wood board on top, and then slid a waxed cardboard carton over each hive to protect the honeybees against the frigid Northwest wind. He replaced the covers and put many rocks and bricks on them to make sure they will stay put. We then backed away, looked at the hives one more time wishing them well. We walked slowly to our car. That was it, the season was over. There is nothing else we can do for our precious honeybees. They are on their own, and we really wish them to be successful and be healthy and strong come next spring.

We repeated these last same steps in Shakopee. The golden Italian bees had returned to their own hive. The darker Carniolans were at peace in their own hive... they have fought an aggressive invasion in October, many died and they lost some honey. Hopefully they will have enough food to survive. I waved goodbye, and wished them well.

What an adventure it has been, and despite the ups and downs, the unknowns, and strange happenings; we enjoyed every minute of it. And along the way the bees taught us a lot: first of all they are a capable species that is combative, hard working and self reliant.

We wish to all our friends and families a good, safe and healthy winter. Thank you for being interested in bees. During the winter months I will be posting what we are doing and thinking for next year, and please if you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them.

"Bee" well,

Karine

In Chanhassen

1. Ben placed a moisture board on top.

2. Now the cardboard.

3. Ben closes the carton, leaving the exit hole open.

4. Voila! Ready for winter.

In Shakopee

1. Moisture board in place, and carton next.

2. Yes! well done!

3. Placing the cover a little

"crooked" to let the moisture escape.

Look at those 2 beekeepers....they look so proud!!!!

Karine at the Chanhassen apiary and Ben at the Shakopee apiary.

Be Well, Have a Safe Winter

Look our 2 hives in the background

November is finally here, and the honeybees have slowed down considerably. Even if like other insects, they are cold-blooded; they do not die off or hibernate like them. They are active all winter eating and transforming their accumulated honey and pollen to keep warm.

Since the cold weather started the honeybees have organized themselves in a tight cluster, moving their "back legs" muscles intensely to generate heat and to warm the cluster. Unlike us who need a warm home during winter, the bees need only to be warm themselves, and sharing this warmth among the group.

Something extraordinary happens to bees at the end of summer. The bees that are born in the Fall are different than the bees born in the Spring or Summer. So the so called "Winter" bees have a different blood protein, they are fatter which help them during the non-foraging months. They also live longer, from 4 to 6 months. Summer bees' life expectancy is about 45 days! However, those Winter bees have a daunting task... they have to get the colony through the winter. But they have prepared themselves since about August; the population is now smaller, and brood production is halted. Everything has slowed down.

Honeybees are geniuses! The cluster that they form will expand and contract as the outside temperatures go up or down. As temperature decreases , the cluster thus becomes tighter and tighter. The inside of the cluster is able to maintain a temperature of 85-90F! While the outside layer of bees can reach and maintain 55F. Extraordinary! The bees rotate...they take turn to be on the outside, protecting the core where the queen is located during the whole winter. This outer "coat" of bees always touches the honey stores. The honeybees eat during that time making sure to pace themselves as to preserve the food which HAS to last until April. That's 6 months of food reserve! I don't have 6 months of reserve in my pantry... How about you?

Preparation for Winter

The last 24 days have been spectacular in Minnesota. No rain, plenty of sunshine and above normal temperatures. However, the honey bees know that winter is around the corner, and they have been busy getting ready. The queen by now is laying fewer eggs, knowing that the food will be rationed for the next few months. Foragers are still going out and about collecting the little precious nectar left and the priceless pollen. This is also becoming a rarity as the flowers are mostly spent. Right now, the bees' activities are done later during the day than previously as the temperatures are lower in the morning, impeding them. However we can still see them hovering around flowers late morning and early afternoon. Then the honey bees seems sluggish again, and just walk around the hive, or fly nearby.

As beekeepers we still have one more thing to do before we "tucked them in" for a long winter and say: "Have a good and safe winter!" So, in order to protect our bees against the wind, we will plug the bottom holes with cork and we will wrap each hive in a waxed cardboard, making sure that we leave one opening at the top for the bees to get in or out as weather permits. Ben has been cutting out perfect little holes in our cartons. We will wrap them up sometimes during the first week of November. Then our job as beekeepers will be done until March! However in the meantime we will build more hives, order new bees and queens...and thinking about next season!

This is how the hives will look like

in the fields.

Pessimism is Lurking

Italian bees are still trying to get into Carniolans' hive despite the

contraption to slow them down.

The Green beehive in Shakopee which has been " rescued" many times over the season: Losing a queen, adding a new queen, honey bees killing the new queen, adding a nuc ( 5 frames of brood, nectar, pollen, Caniolan honey bees and queen), battling mites, and ants, feeding them, building a "super" structure to slow down robbing by their next door neighbors the Italians bees. It is not because we did not try to help them, we did really try very hard. However, after seeing the colony yesterday...the robbing continues, the fights are numerous around the entrance, and the Carniolan seem overwhelmed, and overpowered.

Fights among the bees.

The colony is robbed because it is weak, and nature knows, it will not survive. Even with all our ingenuity or because of my stubbornness to save the bees by feeding them some sugar syrup earlier, and protecting them; I have reached yesterday the sad and somber conclusion that it is really doomed. This colony cannot survive on this meager sustenance The Italian bees are stealing their honey; the Carinolans' reserve needed to survive the winter.

Ben looked at some frames, and not much honey was left for the Carniolans. Although these type of bees make a smaller cluster when the cold arrives and thus need less honey to feed the colony, the reserves are dwindling and insufficient.

I feel sad. I really thought that I could save them. But I guess I knew deep inside that it was a lost cause but I had to try, I had to hope. No one can win against Nature... she always wins. However, I take comfort in the fact that I gave it all. No regrets.

More fighting and trying to get in.

Mysterious Illness of Honey Bees: CCD Colony Collapse Disorder

In a recent article which I read with interest : " Iridovirus and Micosporidian linked to Honey Bee Colony Decline" published October 6, 2010 in the Scientific Journal PLoS ONE; Scientists have found new 2 unreported RNA viruses in North America which live in honey bees. It could be a clue to the cause of CCD (colony collapse disorder), which in recent years have decimated the American honeybee population by 40% with no known scientific causes so far. Many causes have been suggested to the mysterious disappearance of bees while overwintering: viruses, parasites, fungi, pesticides, malnutrition and stress, in combination or not. Some ideas have been already refuted.

However, a team of scientists with the help of the U.S. military, discovered as I mentioned two new viruses : Varroa destructor-1 virus and Kakugo virus, together called: IIV (invertebrate iridescent virus...no need to know that really!)
What is interesting to note is not only the IIV seems to be associated with the honey bee collapse, but paired with Nosema ( a common fungal bee disease which can be controlled) has been observed to be lethal to bees from samples taken from commercial apiaries across the USA. In comparison, the pathogen pairing was not observed in samples from colonies with no history of CCD. This important finding then could suggest that bees co-infected with those 2 pathogens at the same time is eminently more lethal to honey bees than either pathogen alone.

However like any viruses IIV is vulnerable and can't replicate at very high temperatures (85 F). As beekeepers we may receive some instructions on how to protect our bees in the near future but it seems to me that just like humans when our immune system is weak, the chance to get sick is greater. So maybe by controlling the overall good health of a colony of bees would help. Still a lot of questions remain with no clear answers.

Article: http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0013181

What a Treat...and the Bees Helped too!

What do they have in common?

But of course Caramel Apples! It has been a majestic and pleasant 2 weeks, here in Minnesota. Fall has arrived and the crisp sunny days are spectacular. It has to put a large smile on you face too ! Fall is also the perfect time to pick apples. Here is a recipe for caramel apples using a load of honey. I hope you will enjoy.

Caramel Apples

- 2 cups (yes!) of honey

-3/4 cup evaporated milk

-1 tsp. vanilla

- 3 Tbsp. butter

- a pinch of salt

-6-8 of your favorite apples

1. Mix honey and evaporated milk together in a medium sauce pan.

2. Cook and stir constantly until mixture reaches 258F ( 125C), or until a teaspoon of mixture dropped in cold water forms a firm ball.

3. Stir in vanilla, butter and salt.

4. Dip apples into caramel and place on greased cookie sheet to cool.

5. Chill until caramel is firm.

And voila! I will make them this week :)

PS: The honeybees are just like us, enjoying the beautiful days and waiting for winter.

A bit of Imagination

One day after being distressed at the view of the ongoing fights between the Italian and Carniolan bees over their golden liquid; Ben and I retrenched home to concoct a plan to reduce the pillage.

To slow down the enemies, some obstacles had to be in place. Therefore Ben built a "robbing screen" using a 1/8 metal mesh which he cut and bent in order to cover the whole and lonely entrance. This contraption will then force the honey bees to slow down and work harder to get their prized destination: Honey. After the Italians pass through the first obstacle, they will not be in yet! They will have to force their way via a 3" elongated gap covered with another 1/8 screen cloth where Carinolan honey bee guards will still be waiting for them, and ready to defend their hive.

In addition, during my copious reading about defending ones' hive; I fell upon an interesting tip given by a well known beekeeper named Michael Bush: "to reduce robbing by other bees, simply apply some Vick's Vaporub along the entrance". The strong odor of camphor, eucalyptus oil and menthol will confuse the robber bees which are guided by their sense of smell from their antennae to the source of honey. However the local Carniolans' dwellers are directed by their queen's pheromone and are not bothered at all.

I grabbed my jar of Vick's and with Ben having fashioned his apparatus; we headed back to Shakopee, more determined than a pack of mules! Ben installed his barrier and I smeared a good coat of the viscous concoction in front of the main entrance. We then stayed a little longer to observed. we could see that it was more difficult for the Italians to access the hive and they seemed to be repulsed by the powerful sent of the camphor mixture.

But would it be enough? Bees are smart. Will the Italian bees outwit the beekeepers? Only time will tell.

The Great Assault!

When we visited our Shakopee apiary yesterday,

something sounded and looked strange to us. At the

Carniolan's hive, the bees seemed very busy and

agitated...almost erratic!

Well they were! At a closer look, we saw 2 different

type of bees fussing around. One was golden, like our Italians

and they other was clearly darker, just like our Carniolans.

However, they were together, clustered and annoyed

by something. Ben and I spent a long time watching

the bees and their bizarre behavior. Suddenly, we

noticed that they were all gathered at one corner

of the Carniolan's beehive, where we detected a leak. The

syrup from the plastic bucket had been dripping a little,

and the wood had been soaking up the liquid like a sponge

attracting "other" honey bees. It was obvious that the robbers

were the bees next door! The Italians. They were robbing

the weak and less populous Eastern European bees. They were

frantic, and fighting 5 to one, pulling legs, pushing and killing.

The Mafia had entered the Eastern block... war was declared.

We had to think fast before the hive would be completely

destroyed. We thought like knights, fighting against the

conquerors: We needed to barricade, to build a moat, to... in

order to prevent the brutal assault. Plugging all circled

entrances with cork, was our first instinct, keeping

the enemies outside. The bottom entrance had been

already reduced to 3", and a mesh screen had been

placed in front of it to deter mice.

Karine and Ben devising a plan!

We left that ongoing carnage, a little relived. But would the

Carniolans' guard honey bees strong enough to hold the fort

preventing the Italians to steal their hard earned honey? Would

they be able to sustain the violent assault ? We sure hope so. After

all we had "nursed" that hive, after many set backs from spring to fall,

to a level that I felt had a good chance to endure the winter just fine.

What else could we have done to help them? We had to regroup

and think about a good strategy!

Learning from my Mistakes

Fall has arrived, and September has been quiet. Some late autumn flowers are still around like golden rods and wild asters. However, with each day passing the nectar is becoming a rarity. Anticipating winter, the honey bees are kiking out the drones (males) picture below.

which won't be needed until next spring. This innate behavior, is extraordinary to me. Think about this for a minute: the female bees are killing the males insuring that they will have enough food during the harsh winter. The way they do this is by pushing them out physically from the hive, 5 or 6 ladies against a big fat drone! The most surprising observation to me was the fact that the males don't fight back... somehow they seem to know and time has arrived. They sit pittifully right in front of the hive in the grass, eventually starving to death. What a greck tragedy again! However nature always amaze me... the drones' bodies are not wasted. One can observe ants, and wasps cleaning up the remenants.

September for beekeepers is a month were really caring for the honeybees becomes the most important task before the cold winter comes. It is our last effort to make sure the bees will have a good and safe winter. Therfore, Ben and I were busy giving them thymol for 4 weeks to help reduce the amount of mites. After that treatment, to prevent Nosema ( a fungal disease which affect adult bees and can lead to the entire colony to die), a powder is added to the heavy 2:1 syrup that they will drink happily until frost arrives. This disease is more prevalent for northern regions as the honey bees are closed up in their hives for a very long period of time... about 6-months.

Ben and I felt happy and confident that we had made it that far with our bees...and thought that we could now relax...until.....

Our Honey Was Tested

Yesterday, I brought our honey to the Hobby Beekeepers' Monthly Meeting. Jim an experienced beekeeper was testing honey using a refracometer. This tool measures the water content in honey.

I had a reading of 16.4! To be called "honey" the moisture content has to be lower than 18.6. Incidentally, the honey bees know when to cap their honey at exactly 18.6! We don't know how they know but they do.

Having a lower moisture content prevents fermentation, thus spoiling.

This is a honey refractometer

The eye piece is on the left, and the honey receptacle on the right.


Then a very small amount of honey is place on the blue pad.


Then like in chemistry lab, you place the plastic top down on top of the droplet, flattening it on the viewing window.



I then look through the eyepiece with the instrument held up toward the light, focusing by twisting the dial near the eyepiece until the chart can be read. There you'll see the good or bad news. The chart indicates the moisture level which you want to be at about 18.6% or less.

This is the scale that one has to read through the eye piece!

Bottling our Golden Liquid

Now that the honey has been extracted; it will sit in that 5 gallon bucket for 12-24 hours, to settle. While this warm and strained honey is sitting in the tank, the air bubbles and bits of wax will end up at the surface. It is then easy to remove them before bottling. We had to keep a portable heather on all night next to the bucket because the night was going to be cooler than expected.

Finally, we could put our honey into little jars. In our kitchen, we filled 36-4 oz jars, and 32-12 oz jars. We used a kitchen scale to make sure that every jar had the perfect amount!

Our First Jar! Ben at work :)

This is our 2010 "loot"

Honey Extraction Day

We set up our "Honey House" in our garage. The work zone was covered with Kraft paper for easy cleanup when done.

First with the use of a hot electric knife, the wax cappings (whitish color on frame) which tell us that the honey is at the right moisture (18.6% to be exact!) to be extracted are removed. Instinctively, this honey capping is done by the honeybees; they know when it is the perfect time to put a little amount of wax on each cell full of honey to preserve it without molding.

Then because the thickness of the wax can be uneven at times on the wooden frame and the hot knife cannot perfectly reach the frame's corners; Nicolas uses a capping scratcher ( looks like a big metal comb), to open the missed capped cells.

Now the uncapped frames, exposing the honey are placed in the extractor, vertically. Using the

centrifugal force by turning the yellow handle, the honey is dislodged from the cells and is

"thrown" onto the extractor's wall, dripping slowly downward, thus accumulating at the bottom of the tank..

The wax that is removed from each frame, falls into a double gray plastic bin ( see picture

above, and below) where the first bin has an open bottom, covered with a screen to let the honey go through

but preventing the wax to go into the second container. we collected another pound of honey from the bin.

After filling the extractor with 6 frames, elbow grease is needed! Turning slowly at the beginning and a little faster later on is the trick needed to see honey flowing through the gate.

Ben had to install a space heater on top of the extractor because the temperature that day was barely 70F (21C) and the honey was not warm enough to glide against the extractor's metal sides.

To help the flow of honey further, Nicolas was heating the extracted honey. This process of "lightly" heating the honey made it more fluid which was then easily pass through a set of mesh/filter sieves, obtaining a clean honey...with less potential debris.

We collected a total of : 33 lb. (15 kg) of honey and 5 oz. (300 g.) of wax!