Treating fo Varroa Mites and Feeding!

Hives in Chanhassen

We harvested on Labor Day weekend. We extracted : 243 lb. and we kept 189 lb Jamison has brought his supers from St. Cloud, and collected about 54 lb.

I returned the wet supers on top of each hives, so the bees could clean them well before storage for the winter.

Now I am treating for Varroa mites, I am using Apiguard (50g) per hive. I am done with the first dose, and will place the second dose this week. I will also feed them a gallon each of sugar syrup (2 parts sugar: 1 part water).

Both hives are actually very heavy...good thing as we are entering winter soon!

Good Honey Production!

Ben replacing the ventilation box!

I needed help to look into the supers, to see how much nectar was capped. I wanted to know when  we will be able to harvest this year.

The weather has been perfect for the foragers to gather lots of surplus nectar! The bees are working very hard. When we opened the hives, they smelled very sweet...I love it!

Both Italian colonies have many supers on,  it is so tall that even with a step stool I cannot reach the top...and besides it is too heavy for me to lift way over my head! This is why I need a helper!

The first colony has 3 deep brood boxes, and 5 regular supers and one deep super. A regular super weighs about 40 pounds and a deep super 50-60 pounds!

The second colony has  also 3 deep brood boxes, and 3 regular supers and 2 deep supers!

When I put those deep supers on , frankly I was not thinking... I will not do that again!  Way too heavy to lift, and to carry around. See I do learn!

We are planning to  extract during Labor Day weekend, September 5, 6 and 7th.

Happy Beekeeping!

New : University of Minnesota Bee and Pollinator Research Lab

Dr. Marla Spivak thanking supporters

 August 3, 2015

At 3:00pm under a beautiful blue sky and gentle breeze the first step was taken to build a state of the art Bee and Pollinator Research Lab. It has been a dream of Dr. Marla Spivak for many many years, and it is finally happening.

Donors, supporters, faculty members, students and volunteers were assembled for this Ground Breaking Ceremony.

It will take about a year to build, so the Grand Opening should be around the same time next year...2017!

Congratulations to Marla, and Gary Reuter for their huge endeavor and wonderful vision! I which them good luck!

Ground Breaking with dignitaries

Varroa Mites: Natural Treatments

Colonies in lavender field , Southern France

Here are few natural treatments that beekeepers can use to treat against Varroa mites. No particular order.

1. Apiguard
2. Apilife Var
3. HopGuard
4. Mite Away II
5. Oxalic Acid

Apiguard

Thymol, temperature needs to be above 59F (15C). Need to remove honey supers before treating colony.

Apilife Var

Thymol, eucalyptol, menthol and camphor. Not temperature sensitive. Need to remove honey supers before treating colony.

HopGuard

Hop. Not temperature sensitive. Honey supers can stay on colony while treating.

Mite Away II

Formic acid. Use from mid-April to mid-June and again mid-August to mid-September,temperature has to be between 50F to 85F  ( 10-30 C). The honey supers can stay on colony during treatment.

Oxalic Acid

Also known as "wood bleach", can be used only when little amount of brood is present in the colony. Honey supers have to be remove before the treatment. NOT YET APPROVED TO USE IN MINNESOTA.

AS WITH ANY MEDICATION, USE ONLY WHEN NEEDED, AND FOLLOW THE LABEL CAREFULLY.

Test for Varroa Mites Now!

August is coming fast and it is time for a Varroa test! This will give you a base line, to see if you need to treat for Varroa mites this season.

One of the easiest way to test is to use what is called the Sugar Roll Method or Sugar Shake Method.

 Gather your supplies:

-Domino powder sugar ( no starch ) it is bad for the bees

-Mason jar with screen lid

-white paper plate

-water spray bottle

-1/2 cup measuring scoop (~300 bees sample)

-Plastic box--to put everything and use it too!

Method :

-Put 2 TBS powder sugar in jar

-Take a frame of bees, and shake it in the plastic box --Take a frame from the center of you brood box, where there are open and capped brood and LOTS of nurse bees.

-WATCH!!! make sure the Queen is NOT in the plastic box!

-Tap the frame into the plastic box

-Scoop the bees with the measuring cup, and put in jar with sugar

-Put the lid on, right away

-Give the jar a little toss, to cover the bees with sugar

-Put jar in the shade 1-1.30 minute ( the heat will help dislodge the mites)

-Spray the paper plate with water

-Shake the jar over the plate until there is no more sugar in the jar!

-Count the mites in the plate

-Return the "sugary" bees in the hive ( They will be cleaned up by their sisters!)

Mites on plate!

"Sugary" bees!

Recommendation of Mite Load from the University of MN:

It has been recommended that if there are MORE than 3 or 4 mites/100 bees you should treat your colony.

It is only a recommendation, obviously you can do whatever you want. But this is the pre-determined threshold where it is a good idea to keep the mites in check so the health of the colony is not jeopardized. 

My next blog post will talk about the option of treating for Varroa mites.

My Tallest Hives Ever!

These 2 hives are really tall!

July 21, 2015

After just one week of my last visit, I had to add one more super on each of my Italian colony. It is so high that I needed to bring a step-stool so I could place the super on top. I was on my tippi toes, on the step stool and tried to balance the ventilation box and cover!

I made it but next time I would need a ladder! No Joke!
Those 2 hives have 3 brood boxes (bottom ones), he rest are honey supers...you can see that they both have one deep super! This weigh about 50-60 pounds.

Conclusion...we will extract and have some honey this season.

The Russian colony, is the same as last week: still small, but I saw eggs, larvae and pupae. The queen is not that great of a layer. I don't see how it can make it through next winter. It does not have enough foragers so they are not collecting much of anything. It is sad to see.

This is beekeeping, we do the best that we can to have healthy and prosperous bees but sometimes there is nothing more we can do to help them...this is nature.

Summer is Finally Here!

Look how tall those hives are?

July 14, 2015

Now that June is over, the swarming tendency is decreasing. Usually in July the weather is very warm, and honeybees are very happy. The nectar flow is on! It means, all foragers are fully deployed to gather as much nectar as their little wings can make them fly to wonderful floral sources.
I saw lots of flowers blooming in the past 10 days...white and yellow sweet clover, basswood, and birdsfoot trefoil. Fantastic food!

All we have to do right now is to keep ahead of the bees: Putting supers, as they are filling up quickly. Stack them, two at a time. Ours are so heavy (notice: we have deep boxes as supers!!!! It can weight as much as 80lb.! What were we thinking???) Soon I will need a crane to lift them up! Ben had to help lifting them last weekend. But still I need a step ladder to place the next 2 regular supers on. I guess it is a good thing... it means we will have plenty of honey!

As you can see my 2 Italian colonies are doing well. There have plenty of bees, eggs, larvae and pupae. They already have a huge collection of nectar, pollen and honey. Each queen is laying beautifully, textbook laying pattern.

My Russian hive was doing well, but now it is not anymore. The colony is very small, and the queen is not laying well...instead of depositing an egg per cell in an orderly fashion, the pattern seems very scattered, spotty. In addition, she does not seem to be very interested in laying eggs...she walks on the  frame without stopping, a bit strange.

She maybe injured, sick or has been poisoned. I do not feel that this colony will recover before winter. It is very unfortunate to see a queen not being well, especially one that has survive her first winter. I had so much hope.

I do think that we have a problem with having too little genetics available for prosperous, healthy  reproduction. The gene pool available has not being replenished with fresh "blood"yet.  The honeybees that we all have today are great-great-great grand daughters of the first bees and queens that came to America with the first European colonists! Give or take!

I will check the Russian queen soon and see what she has been up to in the last week or so.

Controlling Varroa Mites

Varroa mites on Bees

As you know by now, the biggest threat and challenge that we face as beekeepers is the parasite  Varroa mite which vector many deadly viruses to our honey bees.

Varroa mites have  been very difficult to control despite few new products available to beekeepers, every so often. The latest  for us in the USA  is oxalic acid, although it has been used for many years in Europe and Canada! 

I do believe that first and foremost we should not treat our colonies if we do not have any V. mites. It is counter productive, it increases the resistance to medications, and it is costly. As I said in my previous blog, know your mite level. Monitor and sample your colonies.

What is IPM? 

Integrated Pest Management is an approach that is sensitive to the environment, and  where the beekeeper reduces  the reliance  of conventional or "hard" chemical treatments and incorporates multiple tactics to decrease  the incidence of pests and diseases, reducing the risk of chemical residues in honey and all hive products while maintaining sustainable treatment options. I teach this approach in my all beekeeping classes. I believe that this strategy makes sense.

IPM Pyramid

How to use this IPM Pyramid? 

1. Start with prevention: 

Choose  bees that are from mite-resistant stocks

ex: Russian, MN Hygienic, New World Carniolan or VSH (Varroa Sensitive Hygienic).

Choose your apiary site wisely

Maintain strong colonies with young fertile Queen

2. Cultural/Sanitation:

—Soil well drained, sunny, wind protection, H2O

—Feeding sugar water/ pollen supplement if needed

—Keep clean and healthy site

3. Physical/ Mechanical:

Using drone comb, one per brood box

Using screen bottom board (warmer climate, not recommended in MN)

Bee Protection Gate ( not yet on the market)--Made by Bayer Healthcare's Animal, Health Division.

4. Biological

Researchers are looking into manipulating the sexual behavior of V. mites, or using another insect to weaken the mites. A German company made a Bee-sauna, where every brood frame is steamed, dislodging and killing the mites! Maybe useful in the future for us, the beekeeper!

5. Chemical--Soft and Hard

Soft Chemicals (naturally occurring in nature)

Ex: Apiguard, (Thymol) ; Api Life (Thymol, eucalyptus, camphor)

Hop guard, (Hop)

Mite Away Quick II Strip, (Formic acid)--works well

Oxalic Acid--works well, just approved by EPA

Hard Chemicals  ( Developed in labs by scientists)

Ex: Apivar (Amitraz)--works

Apistan ( Fluvalinate) --accumulation in wax and possibly in honey, Varroa  resistance. I do not recommend.

Check Mite+ (Coumaphos)--accumulation in wax and  in honey, Varroa  resistance. I do not recommend.

NOTE

USE PESTICIDES AS A MEAN OF VERY LAST RESORT.
MITE-RESISTANT STOCK IS THE LONG TERM SOLUTION.

SINCE WE KNOW THAT MITES DEVELOP RESISTANCE EVENTUALLY TO ALL NEW CHEMICALS THAT WE CREATE...HONEY BEES WILL DEVELOP RESISTANCE TO MITES IN DUE TIME TOO.

However, I do believe that we need new "blood", new genetics to improve our American bee stocks. As  beekeepers, we help ourselves by dividing our best, healthy, populous and overwintered colonies. They already demonstrated that they are survivors, and that they are perfect for our own locality! I wish it would be that simple. 

Add your Honey Supers!

Colonies with supers on!

This week in Minnesota will be warm and perfect for our honey bees. They will go out and gather lots of nectar, and pollen. Make sure you are adding supers, so the bees have enough room to put their collection!

If not, your bees may leave the nest ... thinking there is no room! I usually place 2 supers at once because my hives are not in my own backyard. If the nectar flow is in full swing , the honey bees can fill up a super in a couple of days!

How do I know that there is a nectar flow?

You will notice many bees going in and out of the hive (foragers) from sun up to sun down.
If you look into your colony and remove some frames, you can see a lot of fresh nectar thetas uncapped.
If your super is "brand" new, you will see fresh white wax.

How do you put your supers on?

There are many ways to place your supers. I put my section honey super just above the brood nest, after the queen excluder, then I place a couple of supers on top of that. It is easy, and does not require any movement of honey supers. I don't like moving honey supers more than I need to.

Another way is to always put your new super on top of the last brood box; you will then have to remove your first super to place your second one, and so forth! Lots of effort...but it does not seem to make any difference in the amount of honey we will get.

Beautiful frame of capped honey

Ross round (section) being capped with honey

Left side: capped honey--Right side nectar

Are You Raising Varroa Mites?

4 Varroa mites on an adult honey bee

Do you know how many Varroa mites do you have in your colony? Are you treating, not knowing how many "ugly vampires" you have?

Varroa mites have a great impact on the health of the colony as a whole and on the honey bee itself. The mites feed on the bee's haemolymph (bee blood), as they pierce the bee's body, they transmit all kind of viral pathogens. Then the bee becomes weak, and cannot functioned properly, this affect not only the individual insect but the colony as a whole. If the Varroa mites are not under control, the hive will die within 2 years.

It is  a good practice to know your mites level early in the season, so the beekeeper can make an appropriate decision based on facts. Why would you treat your colony if your mite count is low? That is plan silly, and it encourages resistance to medications. TREAT ONLY IF NEEDED!

I like to have a baseline, so I can make the right decision about my colonies. Now  is the time to know your level of mite load.  I use 2 simple methods: Sticky Board OR Sugar Shake. Those 2 techniques are easy on both the bees and the beekeeper!

1. Sticky Board Method:    

     

Home made sticky board

Sticky board after 72 hours

I made my own sticky board, using a white poster board cut to fit the bottom of my boxes.  I cover the board with petroleum jelly using a thin and small paint roller. I then cut out a screen that I attached to the board with binder clips.

I slide the unit (board and screen) through the entrance of the hive onto the bottom board.

I leave it 72 hours. Not only the mites will be on that board but a lot of debris!

I remove it, and count ONLY the mites (reddish oval things!) Because I left it 72 hours, I have to divide my mite count by 3. This result gives me the mite load in 24 hours.  If you count 5-10 mites, you need to treat your  colony. This is called the threshold. Many options are available to decrease the number of mites. I will write about this topic, next time.

2. Sugar Shake, or Sugar Roll

I made my own using a preserving jar, and I cut out a 1/8 screen to fit the cover. The centre ring of the preserving jar is replaced with mesh that bees cannot fall through, but varroa mites can. You will need some confectioner sugar or icing sugar. A 1/2 cup measuring cup ( ~300 bee sample) to collect bees from frames, a white container or white paper plate and a spry bottle with plain water!

Homemade jars

The Process

1. Fill the  Jar with about 300 Bees. Collect bees from at least three brood frames, be sure not to collect the Queen by mistake.
2. Gently roll or shake the jar so  that ALL the  bees are coated with the icing sugar. 
3. Leave the bees for one minute in a shaded location.
4. Shake sugar and mites out of jar for around one minute, onto a white surface or plate. 
5. Spray water onto the sugar and mites in the white plate/ container. This dissolve the sugar, and  it is  much easier to see the mites.
6. Return bees to hive. They will groom themselves and will be fine.
7. If you have 3-4 mites, you will have to treat your colony.

Bees coated with sugar

Bees return to hive!

Mites onto white plate

The Great Divides!

Italian Colonies left to divide

Dividing or splitting a healthy colony is good bee management.

The advantages are numerous: It increases your number of hives, it decreases the size of the parent colony, discouraging swarming, it helps to control Varroa mites (break in brood cycle), and it produces an income from selling your nucs!

On May 17, 2015, I divided 2 of my strongest Italians colonies with each have a MN hygienic queen. They are winter survivors, and looked populous and very healthy early this spring.

I used the method I was taught at the University of Minnesota: about 4 days before getting my new queens from Nature's Nectar in Stillwater, I divided hive 1 and 2. 

From Hive 1, first on the left:

I took one box from hive 1, with frames of different stages of brood (eggs, larvae and pupae). I made sure I did not have the queen on any of the 10 frames.

Then I put it on top of colony 1, separated with a queen excluder.

From hive 2, second from left, I split it in half, 2 boxes each. I put a queen excluder in between the 2 sets of 2 boxes.

May 21, 2015

I looked in the first box of the first colony. I did not see any eggs, so I could deduct that the queen was below the queen excluder! I took that box, and placed it at location 3 on the picture.

I did the same with the other colony. I saw eggs in the top 2 boxes, so I knew the queen was there. I then took both bottom boxes with no eggs and transferred them to location 4, on the picture.

I also added a pail of 1:1 syrup and half a pollen patty, to each divide. The probability of queen acceptance is greater if the divide is fed sugar syrup, and kept queenless for 24 hours. 

I added 2 honey supers to each "parent" colonies.

        Then I drove to Stillwater and got a couple of queens. Jim Kloek , owner of Nature's Nectar told me that many beekeepers this year are dividing...this is a good sign  May 22, 2015My husband and I installed our 2 queens, and left the bee yard happy! I will not disturb them for 5-7, 10 days, so the queen can get aquatic with her new family. 

This weekend, I will inspect both the parents and the divided. I will look for eggs/ and or growing larvae, this indicate that the colony is queen right.

I will be adding a deep box with frames, on each divide.

Happy Beekeeping!

The divides: Hive 3, and 4

Last Beekeeping Class of the Season in Eden Prairie

Karine and 2 students learning beekeeping!

I am happy  to teach the last class of the Beekeeping Series this season. Backyard Beekeeping II, will discuss such topics as: 1st class: Honey Bee Health: Diseases, Parasites, Pests and Predators. 2nd class: Pesticides, and CCD. 3rd class: how to manage your hive during each season.
Then you may want to start your new adventure by keeping bees on your own.

                                 EDEN PRAIRIE COMMUNITY EDUCATION

                                                    8040 Mitchell Road

                                                   Eden Prairie, MN 55344

                                             To register call:  952-975-6940

                        OR visit the website: https://edenprairie.thatscommunityed.com

Backyard Beekeeping II

Wednesdays  May 6, 13 & 20 2015 From 6:30-8:30pm

Education Center in E.P. Room # 319

Cost: $35

Looking to take your backyard beekeeping skills to the next level? Part 2 of our Backyard Beekeeping series, you will learn all about seasonal colony management like fall harvest and processing. We will also discuss bee health and what you can do to keep your hive healthy. At the end of this class series, you will have the knowledge necessary to create, cultivate and grow a thriving beehive!

Honey Bees and their Nutrition

Apple blossom

Nutrition affects honey bees, like any other animal. They require a balance diet of sugar, proteins, vitamins, minerals and water to be and stay healthy during their life.

With the high mortality of managed honey bee colonies a new study demonstrated that poor nutrition not only affect the single bee but the entire colony as well.

The global accepted consensus among scientists is that: " ...the effects and interactions of many factors: parasites, pathogens, pesticides, low genetic diversity and poor nutrition is causing or exacerbating these losses." 

In the newly published scientific paper, Bailey Scofield and  Heather Mattel found that the chief source of nutritional stress in colonies were the inadequate access to pollen, which is of utmost importance for larval growth and development. In addition, when those young bees became adults; their foraging and recruiting performance was " substantially compromised." The relation was obvious when they compared bees reared with an abundance of pollen; the pollen stressed bees were lighter, died sooner and fewer were foraging. Furthermore, they were less likely to perform the waggle dance or dancing poorly. This atrophied behavior compromised the foraging and recruiting that those bees were supposed to do. If there are less foragers or less able foragers, the food may not be collected in sufficient quantity  to nourish the colony's larvae. In turn those developing bees can become under performer, compromising the health of the whole colony.

The authors concluded that workers raised in  pollen-limited colonies were more likely than their well nourished counterparts to " disappear after one day of foraging" their reasons were  " maybe difficulty returning to their hive, inferior ability to evade predators, insufficient vigor, poo homing ability, and other physical limitation. All brought on by undernourishment."

The big concern in this study is the impact of the poor nutrition of the colonies and  the " possibility that it acts synergistically with other environmental stressors to undermine colony function."

It seems logical that undernourished creatures would be susceptible and vulnerable to other stressors like: pest, pesticides, and pathogens.

In another previous study, Judy Wu found that" high level of pesticides in brood comb during larval development reduce adult longevity."

This perfect storm of stressors coming at once seems to make it difficult for worker bees to get the proper nourishment they need to function as efficient foragers and dancers, compromising the whole colony. 

The declining health and productivity of honey bee colonies is concerning because honey bees pollinate many of our fruits and vegetables.

Honey Bee Workers That Are Pollen Stressed as Larvae Become Poor Foragers and Waggle Dancers as Adults Hailey N. Scofield, Heather R. Mattila 

• 
  

• Published: April 8, 2015
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121731

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0121731

Sub-Lethal Effects of Pesticide Residues in Brood Comb on Worker Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Development and Longevity Judy Y. Wu,Carol M. Anelli , Walter S. Sheppard

• Published: February 23, 2011
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0014720

http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0014720

You Hived your Package now What?

Hive after hiving Bee package

I know many of you hived your bee packages for the first time in your life, in the last couple of weeks. That is wonderful!

By now your hive should still look like this one, EXCEPT the grass obviously should be gone! Both boxes are plugged and a very small entrance is used.

You put you queen cage in and used a marshmallow to plug it. The queen should have been released by the workers chewing  the sweet marshmallow. This took about 3 or 4 hours. You also remembered to put some pollen patty. If not, put it as soon as possible, right on top of the frames.

24 hours after hiving you should have looked in your hive (using your smoker!) to make sure that the holes in your feeder are not plugged by some sugar. That's it.

Leave you hive alone for 4-7 days, so the queen can start laying eggs in peace and quiet, and the worker bees can make the wax needed for the nest.

As I write this... it is snowing! and only 35F. You bees will be ok, they will cuddle and get warm. Don't open your hive when it is this cold. It needs to be 50F, otherwise you may chill your freshly laid eggs, and larvae .

So, now it has been a week since you installed your bees. You can know look inside the hive. Remember from now on you need to use smoke and have your veil tight!

What you should look for? Good question! You are new at this, so take the first frame out, very slowly, look on both sides. If there is no queen on it, place it on the side of the brood box.

Take another and look if you can spot any eggs? Or larvae, little white c snapped "worm"?
If yes, you have a laying queen...no need to see her. Close everything back.

Put your pollen patty pieces back on , and replenish your sugar syrup (1:1).

New package should be left to themselves for a while. Relax you will have plenty of time to observe them when they are in full swing!

Your next inspecting should be in another 7-10 days.

Happy Beekeeping to all :)

Hiving/ Installing a Bee Package

Beautiful Bee Package

Soon, many of you will pick up their first bee packages...So exciting! Many of you will also have to hive/install your own bees in their new hives by yourself. Yes, you can do it.

As you package has travelled from far away, once you get home ,  spray your bees with water so they can  get a good drink. Place them in a cool place, like your basement, and let them relax a bit...it has been a long journey for your bees. 

I hope that your hive is set up in its proper location, if it is the case...you are ready!

Remember if it is too cold , rainy or windy wait a day. In the meantime you should spray them 3x per day with light syrup (1:1 water: sugar).

Do not use your smoker on this first day with your bees, there is no need. 

Hiving/Installing a bee package

I hope you remember the things you learn in your beekeeping classes!

Stay calm, and be gentle your bees will thank you.

Happy Beekeeping! Enjoy your new hobby...it is a fascinating one :)

Last 2 Beekeeping Classes in Eden Prairie for the Season!

Backyard Beekeeping I class is  starting next week: April 15. Then in May the second part Backyard Beekeeping II will take place on May 6th ; both classes are offered in Eden Prairie, MN. I will be teaching those 2 classes, the last one of the season. Many students already took them and will be keeping honey bees.  It is always a joy for me to see new students so enthusiastic about learning something different...Beekeeping! Some people take my class just to be informed, others because they are seriously considering keeping bees as a new hobby.


                                                   All classes will take place at:

                                      EDEN PRAIRIE COMMUNITY EDUCATION

                                                    8040 Mitchell Road

                                                   Eden Prairie, MN 55344

                                             To register call:  952-975-6940

                        OR visit the website: https://edenprairie.thatscommunityed.com

Backyard Beekeeping I

Wednesdays April 15, 22 & 29  2015  From 6:30-8:30pm

Education Center in E.P. Room # 319

Cost: $35

What's the Buzz? Join Part 1 of our backyard beekeeping class! It is an introduction to keeping bees by learning the basic beekeeping skills: history, honeybee society and biology, equipment, hive products and more! Learn much of what you need to know to start a new hobby--caring for and enjoying your own honey bees.

Backyard Beekeeping II

Wednesdays  May 6, 13 & 20 2015 From 6:30-8:30pm

Education Center in E.P. Room # 319

Cost: $35

Looking to take your backyard beekeeping skills to the next level? Part 2 of our Backyard Beekeeping series, you will learn all about seasonal colony management like fall harvest and processing. We will also discuss bee health and what you can do to keep your hive healthy. At the end of this class series, you will have the knowledge necessary to create, cultivate and grow a thriving beehive!

Spring is Here...Take a Beekeeping Class in Eden Prairie

I know that it does not feel and look like spring ...yet...But I promise you warmth is on its way!

              Listed below is what the Eden Prairie Community Education Center is offering in 2015

                                                      All classes will take place at:

                                      EDEN PRAIRIE COMMUNITY EDUCATION

                                                    8040 Mitchell Road

                                                   Eden Prairie, MN 55344

                                      To register call:  952-975-6940

              OR visit the website: https://edenprairie.thatscommunityed.com

                              Here are the classes FOR APRIL & MAY 2015

Exploring Beekeeping  

Tuesday, April 7  2015  From 6:30-8:30 pm

Education Center in E.P. Room # 319

Cost: $ 15

This two-hour course offers an introduction and brief overview of beekeeping. It will cover: city ordinances, equipment, time and financial requirements, races of honey bees, beehives location, obtaining and installing your new bees, honey plants and bee food needs, pollination, pesticides, as well as helping your honey bees to stay healthy. If you are interested in keeping honey bees, but not yet sure how to start, this class is for you. After taking this course, you will be able to make a well-informed decision about keeping bees in your backyard. And, if you would like to pursue beekeeping, Eden Prairie Community Education will offer other beekeeping courses as part of their spring course offerings.

Backyard Beekeeping I

Wednesdays April 15, 22 & 29  2015  From 6:30-8:30pm
Education Center in E.P. Room # 319
Cost: $35

What's the Buzz? Join Part 1 of our backyard beekeeping class! It is an introduction to keeping bees by learning the basic beekeeping skills: history, honeybee society and biology, equipment, hive products and more! Learn much of what you need to know to start a new hobby--caring for and enjoying your own honey bees.


Backyard Beekeeping II
Wednesdays  May 6, 13 & 20 2015 From 6:30-8:30pm
Education Center in E.P. Room # 319
Cost: $35

Looking to take your backyard beekeeping skills to the next level? Part 2 of our Backyard Beekeeping series, you will learn all about seasonal colony management like fall harvest and processing. We will also discuss bee health and what you can do to keep your hive healthy. At the end of this class series, you will have the knowledge necessary to create, cultivate and grow a thriving beehive!