Bill Hesbach

Bee Talks Recap | February 2024

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In this episode of Bee Talks:

00:00:00  Welcome and Event Calendar

00:02:40  Bloom Calendar

00:09:19  Using a thermal camera to view inside my hives

00:11:40  Using an iphone to identify plants

00:12:25  Why is mold growing on the inside of my hive covers?

00:17:58  How can I learn more about starting a top bar hive?

00:21:51  Do I need to use a following board in a top bar hive?

00:23:56  Dandelions are out - what does that mean for my bees?

00:26:25  What camera should I use for IR photos of my hives?

00:29:30  What is a swarm cell? What does it look like?

00:32:37  What are emergency queen cells?

00:38:10  Do swarm signs vary between bee species?

00:41:30  Do all colonies swarm?

00:42:53  What if my bees escape? Do I try to recapture them?

00:45:57  Let’s talk about Varroa - Bill shares his varroa management cycle

01:09:15  What is the approximate cost of varroa treatment?

01:13:00  Which type of overwintered formic acid treatment do you recommend?

01:16:05  Should I continuously treat my colony?

01:18:25  When will the treatment protocols change around oxylic acid?


Mentioned in this episode:

Sugar Cake Recipes >>

Seek by iNaturalist >>

How to identify plants using just your iphone >>

Top-Bar Hive Beekeeping: Wisdom & Pleasure Combined, by Wyatt Mangnum >>

FLIR Infrared Camera >>

Thermology of Wintering Colonies by Charles D. Owens >>

Swarm Essentials: Ecology, Management, Sustainability by Stephen Repasky >>

VarroxSan >>

HopGuard >>

Seasonal Proactive Varroa Management Schedule >>

New to Beekeeping?

Attend Bee School >>

Register Your Hives >>

Review Connecticut Beekeeping Laws >>

Order Bees >>

Attend Beekeeping Workshops >>

Find a Beekeeping Mentor >>

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About Bee Talks:

Bee Talks are held the 2nd Thursday of each month. Each session includes an open question & answer period followed by a seasonally-appropriate topic discussion to help guide you through the beekeeping year. Open to every beekeeper regardless of experience or the type of equipment you use, these sessions will support your beekeeping practice and help you get the critical information you need to be successful.

Bee Talks are led by Bill Hesbach, Eastern Apicultural Society Certified Master Beekeeper and graduate of the University of Montana's Master Beekeeping Program. He teaches bee biology and beekeeping methods at events hosted by regional organizations, and appears as a guest speaker at national seminars. Bill is on the Board of Directors for the Eastern Apicultural Society, and is President of the Connecticut Beekeepers Association. His articles appear in Bee Culture, Bee Craft, and The American Bee Journal.


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