Class #4 of BUMBA Short Course

This very interesting class covered diseases and pets and how to recognize which is which.

American Foul Brood (effects pupae), European Fool Brood (effects larva), varroa mites (begins with pupa), tracheal mites (cough, cough), and the like... Out of the bazillion things one needs to know about keeping bees, I found this easiest to learn.

Class #3 of BUMBA Short Course

The 3rd class covered fall and winter management as well as queen rearing.

Hopefully, the new colony will be well established and strong for the spring honey flow so that it will have adequate food for the winter. Feeding fondant (bee candy) will be necessary if they don't.

Most of the activity in a bee colony is aimed at surviving the coming winter. Winter bees have a live span of 120 days enabling them to live clustered within the hive. Enough food and good ventilation are keys to successfully wintering a hive.

I was most fascinated with the queen rearing presentation having no prior knowledge of what that entails. I have studied the supplies in the catalogues and now I understand how they use queen cell cups.

Making a Hive a Home

This weekend was one of those lovely early spring days where sun was bright and the temps were warm... just right for working in the yard, constructing the hive boxes and giving them a coat of paint.

While it is still way too early to begin moving things around, sowing seeds and planting, we worked out the perfect spot in the garden for the hive and surrounding landscaping.

Winter will probably come back around one last time this month but we're ready for the bees come April!

Class #1 of BUMBA Short Course

Really enjoyed the first class. I ride to the course with my co-worker Jonathan. He and his wife, Brenda used to keep bees. With Becca back in Texas and Anna heading back to Michigan this spring, Jonathan will be taking over the hives at Hard Bargain Farm. Jonathan is so much fun and a wealth of information and practical experience!

No knowing what to expect at the first class, we found the room full of students and the folks at BUMBA are so much fun! Dave Polk of Free State Bees did a presentation of the parts of a hive, giving lots of tips on what you need to get started as well as what things you don't really need even though the catalogues try to convince you that you do! :-)

The talk on bee biology was extremely amusing as the presenter had a great speaking style but she also wore a bee costume which made for such fun! Did you know that bees will not 'go' while in the hive? I knew that bees are very tidy but I didn't give a thought to their 'potty' habits. They manage to hold it through the winter while clustered inside. Warmer late winter days will find the bees taking 'cleansing flights' to take care of 'those' needs.