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Getting Started in

Beekeeping

Dr. Marion Ellis

University of Nebraska

Reasons to Keep Bees

Honey

Beeswax

Pollination

Environmental awareness

Ties to the natural world

Pollination value is

18.6 billion dollars

More than 95 crops

grown in the U.S.

depend on bees for

pollination

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Beekeeping encourages

conservation and biodiversityReasons Not to Keep Bees

You will automatically age

You will be a male

You like being normal

You like to converse about other topics

Mrs. Sallie E. Sherman

Mrs. Sarah J. AxtellMrs. L. Harrison

Mrs. J.N. HeaterMiss Emma Wilson

Five Representative Bee Women

American Bee Journal Cover – September

1895

Your friends will

see you differently

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Your enthusiasm may get out

of hand

Getting Ready

• Read a book

• Request supply catalogs

• Subscribe to a bee journal

• Join a beekeeping organization

• Attend a field day or short course

• Accompany an experienced beekeeper

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Bee stings

happen

Know Reactions to

Insect Stings

Normal

Large Local

Anaphylaxis

Normal Reaction

Symptoms

• Local pain

• Redness

• Swelling

Treatment

• Remove stinger

• Cold compress

• Analgesics

• Sympathy

Large Local Reaction

Symptoms

• Local pain

• Redness

• Swelling

extending

from sting

Treatment

• Remove stinger

• Analgesics

• Antihistamines

• Corticosteroids

• Elevate site

• Much sympathy

Anaphylaxis - ShockSymptoms

• Varies with person

• Generalized

urticaria

• Flushing

• Angioedema

• Hypotension

• Respiratory edema

Treatment

• Remove stinger

• Rush to a medical

center

• Epinephrine – soon!

Sensitization: Initial exposure to allergen

Allergen

Antibodies

(IgE)

Mast cell

H

H H

HH

B-cell

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Hypersensitivity: Later exposure to same allergen

Allergen

Mast cell

H

H H

HH

Allergen

Mast cell

H

H H

HH

H

H H

HH

Release of histamines

If you are allergic to

bee stings

• See an allergist

• Avoid bees until

desensitized

• Carry an EpiPen

Testing for Bee Sting Allergies

Who should be desensitized?

• Venom drops on skin

• Skin prick with lancet

• Result after 15 minutes

• Positive reaction: weal

with red flare

• Cross - reactivity

Lethal Doses of Bee Venom

Body Weight

• 10 kg child

• 30 kg child

• 60 kg adult

• 90 kg adult

No. Stings LD50

• 190

• 570

• 1140

• 1710

LD50=19 stings per kg body weight

Some people think bee

stings are good for what

ails them

The American Apitherapy

Society

Getting Started in Beekeeping

• Start right

– Good equipment

– Healthy bees

– Good strain

– Good location

• Start small

• Grow slowly

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Why New Equipment

• To learn about hive components and design

• Colonies in new equipment are easier to manipulate

• Used equipment can carry reservoirs of bee diseases Plan ahead, it will take several days

to prepare your new hive

Safety Equipment

• Smoker

• Bee veil

• Long-sleeve

light colored

shirt

• Pants

• Gloves

• The most

important

protective

equipment

• How smoke

affects bees

• How to light

a smoker

Beekeepers use smoke when they

examine a colony Smoker Fuels

• Burlap

• Rotting wood

• Pine needles

• Dried grass

• Sumac bobs

• Select a fuel that produces lots of cool white smoke

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Second Most Important

Safety Tool

• Covers

holes

• Closes

pant legs

& shirt

sleeves

How to Begin

• Package bees

• Swarms

• Nucs or divisions

• Established colonies

• Bee rustling

Starting with package bees Why Package bees

• They will exhibit minimal defensive behavior

• Management is simple

• You can observe colony grow

• Your skills will grow as your colony grows

How Many Pounds of Bees?

• 2 lb. package – 7,000 bees

• 3 lb. package – 10,500 bees

• 4 lb. package – ships poorly

• There are approximately 3,500 bees per pound

Starting With a Swarm

• When swarms occur

• How to get on call list

• Prime & secondary swarms

• Hiving a swarm

• Swarms are not free bees

• Once established, swarms are difficult to remove

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A swarm in MayIs worth a load of hayA swarm in JuneIs worth a silver spoonA swarm in JulyIsn’t worth a fly

Starting With a Nuc

• What is a nuc?

• Size?

• When to purchase?

• Diseases and parasites?

• Selecting a supplier?

Starting with an established colony

Races of Apis melliferafound in the U.S.

• Apis mellifera mellifera (German dark bee)

• Apis mellifera ligustica (Italian bee)

• Apis mellifera carnica (Carnolian bee)

• Apis mellifera caucasica (Caucasian bee)

• Apis mellifera scutellata (Africanized bee)

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Varieties of Bees Sold in the U.S.A.

• Russian Bees

• Varroa-Sensitive-Hygenics

• Minnesota Hygenics

• Buckfast Bees

• Ellis Blue Ribbon Babies

Choosing Apiary Locations• Nectar and pollen resources

• Water availability

• Morning sun

• Accessibility

• Windbreak

• Avoid areas where pesticides are applied

• Exclude livestock

The Basics of Good Management

• Productive queens

• Adequate stores

• Disease free bees

• Good location

• Standard equipment

Why is there so much disagreement among beekeepers about managing bees?

Because the bees are so tough that they usually survive our crude attempts at management -while each of us thinks they survived because of what we did.

Can you disagree?

• Queen excluders

• 9 or 10 frames

• Deep vs. shallow hive

• Use of frame spacers

• Frequency of requeening

• Recognize and control AFB

• Recognize and manage Varroa

• Don’t leave empty supers on during winter

• Use mouse guard in winter

OK to disagree Not OK to disagree

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How to Examine a Colony

• Smoke application

• Propolis seals

• Light colored clothing

• Slow deliberate movements

• Avoid vibrations

• How often to examine a colony

External Factors that Affect Colony Defensiveness

• Weather

• Colony strength

• Honey flow

• Robbing

• Recent disturbances

Beekeeper-Controlled Factors that Affect Colony Temperament

• Dark colored clothing

• Fuzzy clothing and exposed hair

• Vibration

• Rapid movement

• Keeping colonies open too long

• Odors that trigger defensive behavior

• Smokers that quit smoking

Join state and local beekeeping associations for fellowship, fun and

educational programs

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