Transcript Beginner Beekeeping – Week 1 Getting ready to start Spring  What do I need? Where do I get it? How do I start?  And what’s it.

Beginner Beekeeping – Week 1
Getting ready to start
Spring

What do I need?
Where do I get it?
How do I start?

And what’s it all about?


Bees build comb from wax
The use the comb for storage of
brood (babies) and food
smoke?
The Challenge of Spring
Like many animals
in the spring
the hive wants
to make a new hive
They make queen
cells and prepare
for swarming.
 Allowing them to do this tends to freak out
the neighbors!
A more controlled method:
A package is an imitation swarm
 3 pounds of bees and a caged queen
A nucleus colony (“nuc”) is a
miniature hive
 4 or 5 frames with brood,
resources, and a laying queen
Summer
• What am I doing here?
• How often should I get
in?
• What can go wrong?
• Am I going to get stung?
• Am I going to
get any
honey?
Inspections for queen and brood health,
pest management, always thinking about
winter
Fall
• Pulling honey supers
• Treating for Varroa mites*
• Preparing for winter
*If you learn only one thing from this class, learn about Varroa mites!
Winter
Learning . . .
and waiting . . .
For the coming spring
When the cycle begins again
Equipment – Necessary and nice
[here is where you need to make some choices]
Necessary Parts

Bottom board
Recommended Parts

◦ Use a screened one
◦ With an entrance reducer

Hive Bodies
◦ 2 Deeps vs. 3 Mediums

Honey Supers
◦ medium, or shallow

Hive stand with landing board
◦ with legs, or other support

Slatted Bottom Board
◦ Helps with swarm prevention and
overwintering
 Some kind of feeder
Inner Cover
◦ Two sided, with a dado

Telescoping Outer Cover
◦ “English Garden” Style, or galvanized

Frames
◦ 8 vs. 10

Foundation
◦ Beeswax vs. Plastic
* We strongly recommend you start with two hives
Tools – Necessary and nice
Necessary Tools

Smoker
Recommended Tools

◦ And fuel

Hive Tool
◦ Ammo box from the Army store

◦ Good, better, or best

Queen Catcher
◦ Metal vs. plastic
Protective Gear

Bee Brush
◦ Veil (with or without jacket)

Reading Glasses
◦ Gloves

Queen marking kit
◦ Leg Straps

Wintergreen Alcohol (a really good idea)
◦ Or a full suit (not really necessary)

Smoker box
Spray bottle (for packages, or swarms)
Sources of Supply

Local vs. catalog
◦ The Honey Exchange
◦ Brown’s Bee Farm
◦ Humble Abodes
◦ Bee Pride
◦ Brushy Mountain
◦ Betterbee
 Packages vs
Nucleus
 Buzz Cooper
 232-3807
 Swan’s
 437-2251
 Merrimack
 (978) 667-5380
 Bob Egan
 474-2945
We’re not fans of allinclusive “Beginner
Kits”
◦ BeesCheck out the Maine State Beekeeper’s website
Join the Club!

Register with the state June 1st
◦ Bookmark Tony Jadczak, save his e-mail

Maine State Beekeepers Association
◦ The best $15 you can spend
 The Bee Line

Cumberland County (or York Co.)
Beekeepers Association
◦ The best $4 you can spend
◦ Get a mentor
Neighbor Management
Like it or not, you will become a Bee
Ambassador
 Camouflage, vs. visibility

◦ Put your name and number on your hives

Site selection
◦ Flyway barriers
◦ Water source
Read the South Portland Beekeeping
Ordinance, even if you don’t live in South
Portland