Bee Talks

00:00:00 Welcome & Bloom calendar overview 00:04:01 Do I have mold in my colony? 00:06:48 What is a nuc (nucleus colony) and what issues should I expect when starting with one? 00:09:29 Can I use equipment that has been stored since last year? Should I be worried about the current bee die-offs happening in commercial beekeeping? 00:12:00 I don’t see evidence of drone cells in my hives yet. How long should I wait before I can do splits? 00:15:01 Is it a good time to feed supplemental pollen? 00:18:28 When should I replace my brood frames? 00:23:16 What do I use to catch a swarm? 00:24:43 If my hive goes queenless into winter, will it die out? 00:25:46 Which small hive beetle traps should I use? 00:31:02 Can I use the honey & bee bread from my dead hives for a new package of bees? 00:33:46 Do bees always create queen cells before they swarm? 00:36:40 Should I take my insulation covers off yet? 00:37:44 Can you discuss your Sticky Board Mite Population article in American Bee Journal? 00:39:41 What is the best way to preserve comb? More about the episode, including links to products and recommendations at https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks-recap-march-2025 __________________________________________________________ Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports beekeepers and their local organizations. Our goal is to provide a common forum for the beekeepers of Connecticut to come together to share information and ideas. #beekeeping #bees #beelife #beetalks MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org

00:00:00 - Widespread die-offs in Commercial Bees - does it affect backyard beekeepers? 00:04:59 - What’s happening in our colonies right now? 00:07:24 - What does it mean if I see dead bees outside of my hive during the winter? 00:09:25 - When is a good time for oxalic acid treatment? 00:10:39 - What is the best electric fence for keeping bears away from my hives? 00:12:41 - When is the best first treatment for varroa in Spring? 00:15:30 - How to use Varroxsan Oxalic Acid Strips 00:20:37 - Should I use someone else’s frames in my hives? 00:24:17 - In-depth discussion of Connecticut’s Bloom Calendar and Seasonal honey flow 00:30:12 - Does temperature matter when doing oxalic acid vaporization treatment? 00:31:04 - Hives shouldn’t be vented during the winter - here’s why 00:32:50 - Don’t make fondant - why you should be making sugar cakes instead 00:33:55 - Where can I find a new hive setup for a new beekeeper? 00:35:19 - Can I treat new packages with Varroxsan or should I vaporize them? 00:36:35 - Can I use OAV and sticky boards to assess mite levels in the colony? 00:38:02 - Can I use “Better Comb” to get bees to draw out comb? 00:42:43 - Can I use Varroxsan alone or do I need to use additional treatments throughout the year? 00:45:02 - Do I need to use hot water when making sugar cakes? 00:46:05 - Will a mouse in the hive kill my bees? More about the episode, including links to products and recommendations at https://www.ctbees.org/bee-talks-recap-february-2025 __________________________________________________________ Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports beekeepers and their local organizations. Our goal is to provide a common forum for the beekeepers of Connecticut to come together to share information and ideas. #beekeeping #bees #beelife #beetalks MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org

00:00:00 - Introduction 00:00:16 - Bee School Agenda 00:00:58 - 2025 Upcoming Guest Speaker Lineup 00:02:30 - 2024 Seasonal loss Numbers 00:04:16 - Feeding Bees 00:07:43 - Bloom Calendar 00:09: 21 - Emergency Feeding versus Current Practices 00:11:07 - Treating with OA Vapor in Winter 00:12:31 - OA Dribbles in Winter 00:13:03 - Books on Bee Biology 00:13:55 - Capped Brood in Winter 00:15:15 - Hefting a Colony 00:16:40 - Understanding a Brood-Minder Scale 00:22:08 - Heated Bottom Boards  00:24:06 - Insulated Bee Boxes 00:30:20 - Quilt Boxes 00:33:37 - New Beekeepers 00:34:50 - Raised Dome Transparent Inner Covers 00:36:15 - Closing Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports beekeepers and their local organizations. Our goal is to provide a common forum for the beekeepers of Connecticut to come together to share information and ideas. #bee #bees #beekeeping #beekeeper #beelife #honeybee #beetalks #science MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org

In this episode of Bee Talks: 00:00:00 - Bee School Announcement 00:01:09 - November Bloom Calendar and Warm Weather Discussion 00:03:35 - Feeding 2:1 in November 00:04:21 - Winterization 00:06:49 - Chat Questions/ Oxalic Acid Applications 00:09:07 - Insulation Types 00:09:56 - More on OA treatments 00:12:03 - Winter Entrance Openings 00:13:52 - Incoming Pollen and More on Insulation 00:17:17 - Small Hive Beetle Traps 00:25:23 - Capped Brood Present and Tropy Mites 00:29:20 - Varroxsan Miticide 00:32:41 - More on Entrance Reducers 00:37:22 - Thermoregulation 00:38:53 - Marta’s Treatment Spreadsheet 00:40:57 - Closing Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports beekeepers and their local organizations. Our goal is to provide a common forum for the beekeepers of Connecticut to come together to share information and ideas. #bee #bees #beekeeping #beekeeper #beelife #honeybee #beetalks #science MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org/

In this episode of Bee Talks: 00:00:00 - Introduction, fall blooms, and robbing 00:04:13 - Upcoming Events 00:06:33 - Deep Pesticide List 00:13:09 - Small Hive Beetles Hiding Under Treatments 00:16:50 - Deep Pesticide List Cont. 00:19:25 - New Bee Inspector, Paula Wolfe 00:20:31 - Questions about the pesticide list 00:22:56 - VarroxSan, new varroa miticide 00:25:06 - Varroa management during the season 00:25:43 - Wax Moths 00:29:10 - Broodless Colony 00:33:57 - Winterization 00:34:26 - Using Black Plastic Frames 00:37:28 - Robber Bees 00:40:18 - What to do about an empty bottom deep 00:45:24 - Overwintering in a Single Deep Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports beekeepers and their local organizations. Our goal is to provide a common forum for the beekeepers of Connecticut to come together to share information and ideas. #bee #bees #beekeeping #beekeeper #beelife #honeybee #beetalks #science MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org/

00:00:00 - Introduction of Paula Wolf, our new bee inspector 00:05:14 - The benefits of registering your bee colonies 00:11:48 - Bloom calendar 00:18:56 - Questions / dead bees on a sticky board 00:22:03 - Disposing of the drones 00:23:47 - Pulling out frames with pollen 00:25:02 - Bees building bridge comb between frames 00:29:35 - Beekeeping tasks in September 00:31:12 - Queen cells in September? 00:34:43 - Peter’s Broom Minder Scale Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports beekeepers and their local organizations. Our goal is to provide a common forum for the beekeepers of Connecticut to come together to share information and ideas. #bee #bees #beekeeping #beekeeper #beelife #honeybee #beetalks #science MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org/

00:00:00 - Introduction 00:00:30 - Transparent Colony Update 00:01:55 - Varroxsan Miticide Update 00:03:08 - New State Inspector Update 00:03:37 - Bloom Calendar for August 00:11:31 - Nosema and Hive Tool Sanitation Practices 00:18:30 - Drone Congregation Areas 00:19:45 - Late Season Swarm 00:22:11 - Laying Worker Colony 00:23:15 - Late Season Swarms Survival 00:24:06 - Observational Beekeeping 00:24:26 - Uncapped Honey in Supers 00:25:19 - Spotted Lantern Fly 00:28:45 - Yellow Jackets Connecticut Beekeepers Association promotes and supports beekeepers and their local organizations. Our goal is to provide a common forum for the beekeepers of Connecticut to come together to share information and ideas. #bee #bees #beekeeping #beekeeper #beelife #honeybee #beetalks MORE BEEKEEPING INFO - https://www.ctbees.org/