Line: Mad Urban Beekeepers

Here is a new bee business in Madison, WI: Mad Urban Beekeepers.

Fox Blocks As Hive Insulation

For the last few years I've been searching for a convenient, yet effective way to winterize my hives in the cold Minnesota environment I live in. Hay bales were effective but tended to attract vermin, and presented me with a problem after winter: I could not find enough people who wanted to utilized these bales after their winter use. We tried pink insulation foam last season but they were not insulating enough it seems. This year we will try insulating the hives with Fox Blocks, insulating concrete forms. This insulation should be as effective as hay bales, yet reusable and easily stored.

Monta designed and built these structures using her skills as a sculptor. Pink insulation foam was used to close off and fill in the gaps.

We will see how this works.

Getting Metpropolis Ready for Fall/Winter

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon moving bars of honey around in the top bar hive, Metpropolis. The hive surprised me. I'd been thinking that, while watching from the outside the last few days, it was rather weak. This was not the case. It is thriving with much capped honey, a healthy looking queen, and a solid population. I cannot say the same with the other top bar hive, Plan Bee... . I looks like it was weakened and robbed in some way. It is essentially dead! This was a surprise as well because in August it looked like the strongest hive I had. I fed sugar syrup and pollen patties to the other hives. They seem to be doing well just like Metpropolis.

Article: Beekeeping "Gangs of New York"

This is a very interesting article which shows just how far beekeeping has come in the American imagination.

Playing Catch Up On the Blog

I've neglected to write in this blog for a few weeks, all for good reasons. This entry is meant to catch everyone up on "doins" in Beelandia..

• I have reluctantly finished  4 of the hives treatnent with Api-Var.  While I would like to treat the bees "naturally", I recognize that my bees do not live and forage in a "natural" world, but a world of globalization,   monoculture, urban development, neighbors with pesticides and herbicides, and a nearby golf courses. Given the high mite counts, I made a decision to treat with the safest, most sustainable miticide. Nothing is ever fixed in my mind, so we will see how this works.
• I combined Bee Glad... with the nuc I had started earlier this spring. The nuc was too far behind while Bee Glad... went queenless.
• Lake No-Bee-Gone is now fishless. A local leopard frog got in the pond and ate all the fish while I was in the hospital. I will rethink the pond arrangement for watering  the bees.

Mite Counts

The mite counts have been high, so a tough decision needs to be made. I've read and heard all sides in the "treat-don't treat" debate. I am committed to sustainable beekeeping but also cannot buy and build up packages each year. More later but I will probably choose the compromise of Api-Var.

Photo: Visitor To Beelandia

Click here to see a photo of a beautiful butterfly (swallowtail?) foraging in Beelandia Sunday morning. The butterfly seemed to hangout all morning. The photo was taken by the mosaic artist Monta May.

It's Been a Long Time

I have not written in a few weeks. I have not been able to really beekeep either. (I have done some really cursory examinations, especially of the top bars.) Three or so weeks ago I had unexpected abdominal surgery. It may take awhile to do some major lifting, though I have plenty of volunteers who will help me out.

What I could see the last two weeks look fine though Bee Glad... has little nectar though plenty of honeybees. I will be testing the hives for mites this week and judge what I need to do in August to control them.

My surgery has been making me consider whether to go to all top bar hives. Top bar hives, except for the initial set-up, might be a bit safer for me if I continue in this abdominal state.

Inspections: Top Bars Only Good

I went out late morning to inspect my two top bar hives as storm clouds started blowing into Winona.

I went to inspect the hives with a bit of fear and discouragement. I was disappointed with the langstroths the last two days and expected the same in the top bars. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised as both top bar hives are healthy and productive.

Both Metpropolis and Plan Bee... had stored away an abundance of honey already and the brood patterns, though not perfect, were solid. Larvae could be found at all levels of development. I did not find either queen in the hustle and bustle of workers and drones. I added an empty bar between the honey area and brood nest of each hive.

I might harvest a bar of capped honey from each hive next week.

Inspections: The Good and the Bad

I did two sets of inspections on my langstroth hives the last two days. Somethings look better then they were, others looks worse. The weather has been hot, clear and muggy finally!

Yesterday, I inspected Worker Bees... and Lib-BEE-taria and things look a bit better in these hives then last week. The bees are building up now though the brood pattern is still not to my liking. I added a third box to each hive though as it was getting a bit crowded in the two.

I am not really pleased with Bee Glad... at all. The brood is spotty, and the workers have raised supersecedure cells. I will see how the bees work this all out with a new queen but I am not confident.

I am inspected the nuc and while I saw the new queen who looks mated, I saw no signs of egg laying.

I don't know whether it is me or not but it seems to me that my langstroths are all not producing as many drones as they did in previous years. I am going to email some local beekeepers to see if they noticed the same thing in their hives. I hope there are some drones around the local area for mating.

24 Hour Mite Drop Count

I did a 24 hour mite drop count on the three langstroth hives. The counts were as followed:

• Worker Bees... - 2
• Lib-BEE-taria - 2
• Bee Glad... - 1

Looking back at my records, these are unusually low counts which I can't yet explain. I will look back at my records and look for any possible patterns to explain this.

Video: Bees on a Hot Summer Day

I filmed the above video this afternoon. Please forgive the mess up on Bee Glad... The view finder is so hard to see in the bright sun.

Best Hive?

In my last post, I offered some of my reflections on Oliver's excellent article in the July 2011 issue of American Bee Journal. In this post I would like to comment on a small side issue (p. 656-7) written in his "Best Hive" section of the article.

Let me quote Oliver:

My point - standard Langstroth hives are "standard" since they have proven the test of time for over 150 years. Believe me, if anything better had been invented, commercial beekeepers would have adopted it in a heart beat! (p. 657)

 Before I discuss this quote, let me make this perfectly clear: I am not wedded to any particular hive. I have no axe to grind here.  (I  have both top bar and langstroth. I might try a Warre sometime as well.) This statement is probably true in many respects as well. My problem is that it doesn't really settle the issue of  what is the "best hive" for me.

First, the fact that the langstroth hive has been used a long time does not mean anything in itself. The "test of time" is only one test and it is often used to retrospectively justify the continuing use of a technology or an institution. Banjos have had bodies shaped like drums for longer than langstroths have existed. Is this because that shape is or was important/functional to the particular use and sound of the banjo? Maybe, though some historians disagree. The first non-gourd banjos were made from old circular wooden cheese crates simply because they were conveniently available. Most banjos continue to follow that same shape because of tradition (that's what a banjo looks like after all!) not function. We should remember that  Egyptian beekeepers still use clay pots like their ancestors 1000 years ago.

Secondly, before we can judge whether something works or is successful we have to ask, what is it meant to do exactly? To judge whether or not a langstroth is the best hive, we must first ask: what exact purpose is it meant to serve? Is it   being used for migratory pollination services? To supplement an older retired couples income? As a source of amusement? As a cottage industry that provides a person with some honey for their toast? Bee hives do not serve the same function for all beekeepers.

Oliver is partially right.  The langstroth hive serves the needs of commercial beekeepers very well, but are the needs of a commercial beekeeper  exactly the same as the needs of other types of  beekeepers? Granted, a top bar hive is not very convenient for a migratory beekeeping outfit, but it will allow a disabled individual in a wheel chair access to the field of beekeeping.

Reflecting on Oliver's "Rules" for Successful Beekeeping

This month's American Bee Journal (July 2011) contained an important article, "Rules" for Successful Beekeeping, by Randy Oliver. I have always liked reading Mr. Oliver's works whether in a bee publication or on his website. Oliver approaches beekeeping as an empiricist, subjecting beekeeping "wisdom" to experimental verification. Over the few short years I've been beekeeping, I know that his writings have influenced my practice and have always forced me to ask, "Why am I doing this?"

Besides containing general suggestions for our beekeeping regimen, this month's article includes an assessment and critique of the field of beekeeping. In this world of the internet, new beekeepers are faced with a barrage of misinformation,  "slanted" and more "faith-based" than empirical. Oliver lays some of the blame for this on 2nd or 3rd year beekeeping bloggers (ooops, that's me!) who portray themselves as experts but lack the knowledge that comes from years of beekeeping. According to Oliver, these individuals spread misconceptions which are picked up on by newer beekeepers just starting out.

I think there's a great deal  of truth to this critique and I am probably as guilty as anyone of doing this. I started blogging about bees before I had them! I have expressed strong opinions on things occasionally, though generally, I have attempted simply to describe what is going on in my apiary. I have attempted to bring the insights of sociology (the discipline I am trained in!) into the discussion of beekeeping and have always been (at least in my own mind) tentative in anything I've written. I always try to be critical of what I've written and willing to revise my ideas as evidence comes in. I apologize to anyone who might have been led astray by things I've said. I try not to confuse my models of reality with the reality of my models.

I think my boldness in stating my opinions strongly in this blog comes from living and working  in the field of academics where the young hot shot  with new ideas often has more capital than the old-timer. The new academic can make a name for him/herself by shooting down holders of the old paradigm. Experience, in itself, is not given very much authority in this world.

Having said this, I wonder if the field of beekeeping is a little more complex than either Oliver or I see it. My experience as a newbie to beekeeping has been rather different than Oliver describes. When I entered beekeeping I was often faced with deciding which old-timer should I believe. One of these experienced,  well-known beekeepers demanded total, unquestioned allegiance, ridiculing those who asked honest questions about her practice. I steered away from that and found healthier places (e.g. biobees.com) to learn where I could still question, and, yes, sometimes disagree. The humility, challenge and support of  Phil Chandler's website has kept me in beekeeping, even though, Chandler and his colleagues may have fewer years of experience than other "experts".

----

I agree with Oliver's discussion of the misuse of the  term "natural" in connection to beekeeping. I would add one other point however. 

I do not think it's possible for me to manage bees "naturally" since the world in which my bees forage is not natural. My bees collect pollen, nectar and resin in a world of "pesticided and herbicided" golf courses, weed free lawns, open garbage pails at local convenience stores, and a city where there is a "noxious" weed ordinance. These realities mean I may need to remove comb from frames every three years, feed pollen supplements at certain times of the year,  or control mites periodically. None of these are "natural" apicultural activities.

I have always preferred to describe my practice as long term sustainable beekeeping rather than "natural".

So what are your thoughts on Oliver's article? What can we all learn from him and each other?

Top Bars, Nucs, and Swarm Cells

Today's entry is a "catch-up" post. With my busy schedule this week, I neglected to report on Sunday's inspections of my two top bar hives. I will also report on today's inspections of the "walk-way nuc" I created a few weeks ago, and my examination of Bee Glad...

Sunday, my grand-daughter Taylor and I inspected the two top bar hives. From all appearances these two hives are doing so much better than any of the langstroths I maintain. (Whether this has anything to do with being top bar hives remains to be seen.)

Both top bars are strong with great, solid brood patterns. The bees have brought in a good deal of nectar and pollen. The queens look healthy. There were no signs of swarm or superseder cells as well. I am very pleased with their progress in this cool, rainy June we've had here in Winona.

Today I inspected two hives. First I opened up Bee Glad..., a langstorth hive; the only one to survive the winter.

Bee Glad... seems moderately strong, though its brood pattern is too spotty for my liking. I also discovered 10 or so swarm cells not yet capped but containing brood. This was unexpected.( I probably placed too much faith in my first attempts at checker boarding.) I pulled some capped drone comb for mite prevention, as well as two frames of capped honey which I placed in the nuc. I will watch Bee Glad... over the next week.

The walk-away nuc I created a few weeks ago is doing fine. I saw the new queen though no sign of her laying any eggs. I placed two frames of capped honey on either side of the nucs broodnest. I will watch this hive closely as well.

Photos: Taylor and the Bees, Part I

Chalkbrood Continues, Mite Count Is Minimal

I did an inspection today of the langstroth hive, Worker Bees... and the chalkbrood problem has returned. I suspect the unseasonably damp and cool weather is partly to blame. The chalkbrood problem probably accounts for the spotty brood pattern in the hive. I will try to keep the hive strong by feeding some supplemental pollen patties. I may look to requeen from Bee Glad...

As far as mites, the 24 hour mite fall was 1. That's something to be thankful for.

Video: You Can Lead a Bee To Water...

In between activities, I was able to film a bit of Beelandia bee activity at their chief watering hole, Lake No-Bee-Gone.

Who'll Stop the Rain?

We've had 4 straight days of intermittent rain and unseasonable cold. It has not only kept me from inspecting the bees but has kept the bees "indoors". Like last summer, the bees have not had the chance to forage as much as the "should".

I plan on placing some sticky sheets under the hives today in order to test for mites.

Top Bar Inspections

I inspected the two top bar hives at noon today. I didn't think the weather was going to allow this but the cloud cover broke up and the bees decided to cooperate.

Plan Bee... is doing very well. I did not see the queen but I saw evidence she's there and healthy. There were all stages of brood in the hive and the brood pattern was solid. The bees are storing much nectar and pollen.

Metpropolis is doing well though, it seems, somewhat behind Plan Bee... The same healthy brood pattern (and I did see the queen here) but less bars drawn and less nectar stored. I am not necessarily worried about this as it seems, overall, that the honeybees are doing well otherwise.

I placed two empty bars in each hive, one on each end between the brood nest and honey storage area. I opened another entrance on each.

I also took the entrance reducers off of each langstroth.