New Addition to my Shop! - Beekeeping Veil

If you are a beekeeping teacher who needs better visibility from your bee veil, you might be interested in the veils I now have in my online shop. The glazed panel in the veil will allow you to see and communicate with your students much more clearly!

Those Clever Bees!

Experienced beekeepers will know just how clever those busy bees really are! 

We are dependent on them for pollinating our crops and underpinning our
agricultural systems.  And as a by product of that, they provide us with
honey to spread on our toast!

And whilst the benefits of honey are well known, enabling us to boost our
immune system and fight off colds and sore throats, the honey bee is now
being trained to detect both illness and threats to our national security.

A whole new field of medicine, apitherapy, is being developed, to use the
properties of bee venom to help sufferers of multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid
arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.  The venom has anti-inflammatory
properties which help improve the nerve transmission in of these patients.

And scientists have been taking advantage of the honeybee's exceptional ability
to determine scents.  Repeating the experiments of Ivan Pavlov and his work
on conditioned reflex, they have taught bees to respond to over 60 different 
smells.  They mix chemicals with a sugar liquid and feed this to the bees. 

This is done 5 times a day, and the bees begin to associate the smell with
the food.  When it smells the scent again, the bee extends its tongue to lap
up the nectar - and the scientists are able to measure this reflex.
The implications of this training for human health is huge - and honey bees
are already being used as early detectors of lung and skin cancers, and
silent diseases such as diabetes.  Even pregnancies can be confirmed by the
bees!  Patients breathe into diagnostic tools and the bees that have been
trained to detect any of these diseases will move nearer to the tube that
contain the breath of the sick patient.

In effect the bees are now challenging the position of sniffer dogs, and the
security industry is now extremely interested in using bees to detect
explosives or drugs.  With approximately 100 million landmines in existence
in 70 countries around the world, think what brilliant results the tiny honey
bee could achieve!

Whilst our canine agents are around 70% accurate and need investment and a
training time of up to 3 months, apparently bees have an accuracy of 98% and
need only 10 minutes training to determine a particular scent.

With the current threat to both cargo and passenger flights, a British
Company, Inscentinel Ltd, has devised a sniffer box to identify fertiliser
bombs, and  plastic explosives .  Just three trained bees are placed inside
the box, the size of a shoe box, and air is sucked in via tubes.  If the bees
detect the scent of any of these chemicals, they stick out their tongues,
sending an immediate Red Alert message to the handler.

Perhaps these tinyinsects will save us a huge amount of money (and our dignity) by avoiding the installation of full body scanners at our airports.  Currently Inscentinel are looking for partners with whom to deploy their technology.

So, take care of your bees, and who know, they may take even better care of
us!

Useful Beekeeping Forum

In a bid to learn more about the field I am selling in, I have been scouring the web, and came across a useful US beekeeping forum:

www.beesource.com

The heading of this posting links to the site.  Happy reading!

Beekeeping Courses

Beekeeping courses, full day courses, evening courses and even weekend courses are taking place all over the country.

To view details just click the headline of this post, and you will see what is available in your area.

New Disease Resistant Bees

Beekeeper Ron Hoskins has bred the Swindon Honeybee, which is resistant to the varroa mite.

He spotted some of his bees were combing each other to remove the mites, and he has now bred these bees with their own built in resistance to the mite.  Click the heading above to read the full story.

Podcast on Colony Collapse Disorder

I have found an interesting podcast on Colony Collapse Disorder, recorded by an expert at the University of Pennsylvania. Just click on the link below to listen to it:

www.tbeaneypublishing.com/ColonyCollapseDisorder.mp3

Beekeeping Suits

I provide beekeeping suits in the sizes XS, S, M, L, XL and XXL, made of 100% cotton, with a fencing style veil and 6 pockets.  See link to my website. I now have beekeeping gloves and bee smokers in stock too.

Beekeeping Equipment You Will Need

The minimum equipment you will need will be a hive, protective clothing, a smoker and a hive tool, and later on equipment for dealing with your honey crop.

The illustration below is of a standard Langstroth 10 frame hive. However, the size and type of hive you use will be influenced by the type of operation you intend to run.


You should order your hive in plenty of time before your bees arrive, so that you have time to familiarise yourself with the various sections and become adept at handling it.

A bee smoker is also vital, so that you can calm down your bees if they object to being disturbed - the video linked to this blog shows an experienced beekeeper using his smoker whilst examining the hive frames.

The bee smoker is basically a fire pot and grate with bellows attached. The 4 x 7 inch smoker is widely used. Fuels to use include wood shavings, corn cobs, pine needles, cardboard, dry leaves and cotton rags.

You will need a hive tool to separate frames in the brood chamber or honey super, it is essentially a metal bar. To keep it free from disease, clean the hive tool by burning it in the hot pot of the smoker.

And finally you will need protective clothing. A veil is essential at all times, to protect your neck and face from stings. There is a wide variety of clothing, smocks, jackets, trousers, and coveralls. White or tan clothing is probably best, as bees are disturbed by dark colours and fuzzy materials.

Newcomers to beekeeping should also use canvas or leather gloves. Remember to clean your protective clothing and gloves to get rid of sting and hive odors that may irritate bees.

Protective beekeeping suits are available from my online shop - click here to view them.

Beekeeping Gloves Now Available!

Finally taken receipt of a supply of new beekeeping gloves.

They are really well made, from cow hide leather with a rubber cuff at the wrist for extra protection, and cotton sleeves.

On sale now at http://www.beesuitscheap.co.uk!

Fuel for your Bee Smoker

A few suggestions for fuels for bee smokers which some beekeepers have found to be successful:

Sunflower stalks
Dried grapevine prunings
Used egg cartons - the paper mache type
Lavender - run it through a compost shredder first.  It apparently has a calming effect on the bees.
Used hessian material.


Any other suggestions gratefully received!

How Bees can make you beautiful again!

An article in today's newspapers features the benefits of bee venom as a natural facelift.

Apparently bee venom is used to make face masks which stimulate the body into producing chemicals which reduce wrinkles by relaxing and strengthening the muscles.  Rumours abound that the Duchess of Cornwall has been treated with it.

The venom is provided by an organic hive in New Zealand, where keepers place a pane of glass alongside the hive and run a weak electrical current through it.  This encourages the bees to sting the surface.

Personally, I think I would just prefer to eat the honey and hope for the best ....

Moving Your Bees From One Home To The Next

Author: Jack Stanley


You've done your beekeeping homework. You've chosen a site for your beehive where it won't be knocked down in a strong wind, or be bothered by pets and humans. You've purchased all the right equipment and are comfortable using it. You've tried on all your beekeeping gear and are comfortable that it fits you properly and are confident that you are reasonably protected from bee stings. During the cold winter months you placed an order for your bees and were notified that your bees were successfully shipped. Now you have gotten the call from the post office where a frazzled postal worker has politely asked you to please come and remove your package of angry stinging insects from their work environment.

You've picked up your bees and noted that other then a few dead ones at the bottom of the container (you should really be prepared for a few to not survive the stressful travel routine they have been asked to endure) the bees look healthy. Now all you have to do is transfer the new bees from the screen container they were shipped in to the hive you have set up for them.

Have your smoker handy when you are ready to transfer your new bees from their shipping container to the hive. Also make sure you have your beehive gear on.

You should notice a small container within the bee's shipping container. This small container is where your new queen is being kept. The top of her personal shipping container is covered with a cork. Remove the cork and you will see a second cap that is made out of sugar. Hang the queen's container in your hive. Your going to want to put it in between the two frames that are in the center of your newly constructed hive. Pierce the top of the candy top with a nail. The worker bees will have an easier time freeing the queen if there is already a small hole in the sugar barrier.

When using the nail be very careful that you do not inadvertently stab the queen. You won't be able to purchase a replacement queen after the winter months. Once the workers have chewed through the sugar barrier the queen will be able to escape into the hive. Once you have the queen in the hive use your smoker and place a puff of smoke into the shipping package. Gently shake the bee's shipping container, gently allowing the bees to spill out of the container and into the hive. When you are no longer able to coax any bees out of the container, set the container down near the hive, any bees that are still in it will eventually find their way out of the container and into the hive.

Make sure you inset a feeder filled with a simple sugar recipe into the hive. Leave your new bees alone for a week. During this week the bees will become acclimated with their new home. The queen will start laying eggs and the bees will start to make honey. Bees like to be transferred from their shipping container to the hive either early in the morning or late evening.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/moving-your-bees-from-one-home-to-the-next--797468.html

About the Author

For tips on african bees and bee types, visit the Bee Facts website.




.

Top Bar Hive - An Alternative Beekeeping Method

The topbar beehive is not a new concept. Historical reference to the top-bar hive date back to the 1600's. Most of today's top bar bee hives are derived from work in the 1960's. It was perfected for use in Kenya, Africa, and is often referred to as the Kenya Hive. Today it is also used in many other developing countries for it's simple design and cost effective management methods. In recent years it has also become more popular in the United States.

The traditional Langstroth beehive consists of several boxes (supers) and numerous other parts that are either difficult to build or expensive to buy. In addition to the beehive, the Langstroth hive requires many other pieces of equipment to harvest honey and manage your bees. Not so with the top bar hive as you can read below.

Simple and Maintenance-Free

The top bar hive has only a few components: the hive body (box), 20 to 30 top bars (frames), and a lid. That's all you will ever need. Compare that to your Langstroth hive. Bees build their own comb which eliminates the need for costly frames. The top bars are re-used after the harvest.

Non-Invasive Design

The top bar hive is healthier for bees. To check your bees, you will not have to take the whole thing apart. Hence, your bees will be less disturbed by your presence and checking of the comb.

Easy Harvest

To harvest your honey, you simply remove the bars with honeycomb. Unlike traditional methods, you won't have to take the hive apart and disturb the bees as much. Not only is the top bar hive less stressful to harvest for you, it also does not disturb the bees as much. In addition to honey, the top bar hive has more beeswax to harvest. You also do not need a honey extractor/centrifuge or uncapping knife which saves you thousands of dollars. Smoking is completely unnecessary and many top bar hive users do not wear protective clothing either. (For the beginner I do advise to use some kind of protection, gloves and veil as the minimum!) Once you remove the honey comb, the bees will go about their business as usual. Try that on a Langstroth hive.

Healthier Bees

The top bar hive is designed for the bees' optimal living conditions. This makes a colony much stronger and enables it to fight off pests and diseases on their own, much better than in a Langstroth hive. Besides healthier bees this will save you hundreds of dollars in medication as well as disappointment.

Why doesn't everyone use top bar hives?

The top bar hive is not designed for maximum honey production, although there have been reports otherwise. For the hobby beekeeper a few pounds less honey are well worth the ease of management. You will harvest more beeswax with a top bar hive though. Any hobbyist should have more of an interest in keeping healthy bees than in squeezing out a few more pounds of honey from a stressed, overworked colony. With just one top bar hive, you will still have more than enough honey for your whole family and friends.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
More information about the top bar hive as well as pictures, construction plans, forum and sources to buy one can be found on PetitePets.com

Read more: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Top-Bar-Hive---An-Alternative-Beekeeping-Method/51734#ixzz0uW9bILW7
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution No Derivatives

How to be a Beekeeper

How to be a Beekeeper - the Bee in Spring

Author: Chris Haycock

As the days get longer with the onset of spring, the mass of bees clinging to the combs start to feel the slight increase in temperature, and the cluster begins to move. Those bees on the outside of the cluster move into the warmer centre of the group, and those on the inside start to move to the outside, making their way to venture out into the world again.

The beekeeper, who should by now be watching for signs of activity, will be pleased to see these first emissaries coming out of the hive. First one or two, then a few, then many will find their way out. They don't go far, or stay out for very long initially. Just re-aquainting themselves with their surroundings, and gathering strength before getting back to the daily grind withing a few days. Gathering food for the hive.

At this time the Queen is stirring, she produces a pheromone which tells the hive that breeding time has started again. General activity then spreads throughout the hive. Now the Queen will start moving in a small circle to begin with, going from cell to cell. Examining each one, and when satisfied laying an egg in it. These eggs are looked after by "nurse" bees, who lavish care and attention on them. After three days the eggs hatch, and the resulting grub is is fed by the nurses for five days on honey and pollen collected from flowers the previous season, and stored for the purpose.The cell is then sealed with wax, and kept warm by the nurse bees until, after a week, a perfect fully formed new bee emerges. Ready to involve themselves in the increasingly busy life of the colony. In the meantime the Queen has enlarged her brood, moving onto fresh combs. Now, with new bees being produced constantly, the population is growing at a great rate.

Within the hive, those bees whose job it is to produce wax from the building of new combs, have fed themselves from the stores of honey. They form into compact clusters, generating the high temperatures necessary for them to produce it. This wax is prepared in the mouth, then transferred to the "builders" to make the comb. The comb is an amazing piece of engineering, having the shape and form which gives the greatest possible strength, with the least expenditure of materials, time, and labour.

Other bees are the sanitation crew. Their job entails general cleaning of the hive. They remove the winters dead bees. Also any dead cells, which could be a cause of infection in the hive. The floor, which over the winter will have aquired a carpet of broken comb, pollen pellets, and dust, is swept. Ensuring that all is clean and infection free, ready for the new season ahead.

Still more "sentry" bees are employed around the entrance to the hive in order to ensure that only bees from their own hive are allowed entry. They will vigorously defend their hive against any attempt by robber bees, wasps, and any other would be thief to gain access to their colony and it's riches. Any beekeeper who has witnessed their sentries in action against marauders will know they will give their lives for the good of the hive, and they do.

After only about three or four weeks the hive is in full swing, and the beekeeper is looking forward to another prosperous summer.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/how-to-be-a-beekeeper-the-bee-in-spring-771674.html

About the Author

Chris Haycock is a successful information publisher with many hobbies and interests. One such interest is the fascinating world of beekeeping. If you would like to find out more you should go to http://secretsofbeekeeping.com

Starting a Beekeeping Business

Beekeeping For Beginners

Author: Ron Rullman

Contrary to what you might think starting a beekeeping business is not that difficult. It doesn't require a lot of knowledge, special skill or even a large investment. It does involve learning a little about bees and the types of things you will need.

Although starting is not difficult, most beekeepers enjoy their new found business because it is a project in which you will continually learn.


-First Step-

Your first step in a beekeeping business is to read about beekeeping and the process, then you will need to purchase the equipment you need. Stay away from used equipment, or if you do purchase used equipment be sure to get it inspected by an expert. You don't want to purchase hives that have had a previous virus, or illness, and which scares away new bees.


-Second Step - Figuring out the Type of Hive You Want-


In most cases it's hard to give a general "best" hive to buy. It really depends on the region you are in. The best thing you can do is talk to local beekeepers and ask them what they use, and which works best for that area.

-Third Step-


You now need to add bees to your hive, and you can do that in one of three ways. You can use a nucleus, a package, or a swarm.


The nucleus is where you buy a 3 to 5 frame, hive with a brood and a laying queen. You usually buy a "nuc" with bees of all ages. You will also need to feed the bees immediately after installation and until they get used to their new home.


*Package*

This is where bees are sold by the pound with a laying queen that is inside the main bee cage. The package comes with a sugar feeder so the bees won't starve while you transport them. The length of time it takes to install a package depends on where you live, and you should get advice from a local beekeeping association, or beekeeper.

*Swarms*
There are beekeepers that catch swarms and they use these to supplement their hives, but this system sometimes works and sometimes doesn't, because of the risk of the onset of Tracheal Mites or Varroa. The good thing about this method is that the swarms march right in and go to work immediately.


-Fourth Step - Your Equipment

Your best bet is to start getting different suppliers and comparing prices. In the first year though, you probably won't need an extractor, because your harvest will likely be small. You probably want cut comb honey instead of extracted honey for that first year.


*A Smoker*



Depending on the type of hive you get, you may need a smoker, as these help calm the bees while you are doing your inspection. The best of these comes in copper, so it lasts for a long time.



*Your Protective Suit*
You need some type of protective suit, and you don't want to skimp here. A little piece of netting on a flimsy hat won't do. You need something that wont com loose and let a bee get caught inside.



You don't need to overspend here, and so you want a dealer that is honest, not someone who will try to sell you every product on the market.



As you can see, you don't need a lot of equipment, and for a lucrative business, you don't have to make much of an initial investment, but you do need to read up on bee husbandry, so that you do a good job of managing your bees.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/gardening-articles/beekeeping-for-beginners-846057.html

About the Author

Learn all about beginning beekeeping today with The Ultimate Beekeeping Package... tips, tricks and secrets of beekeeping revealed! Visit at: http://www.ultimatebeekeeping.com

The Basic Beekeeping Equipment You Will Need

The minimum equipment you will need will be a hive, protective clothing, a smoker and a hive tool, and later on equipment for dealing with your honey crop.

The illustration below is of a standard Langstroth 10 frame hive. However, the size and type of hive you use will be influenced by the type of operation you intend to run.


You should order your hive in plenty of time before your bees arrive, so that you have time to familiarise yourself with the various sections and become adept at handling it.

A bee smoker is also vital, so that you can calm down your bees if they object to being disturbed - the video linked to this blog shows an experienced beekeeper using his smoker whilst examining the hive frames.

The bee smoker is basically a fire pot and grate with bellows attached. The 4 x 7 inch smoker is widely used. Fuels to use include wood shavings, corn cobs, pine needles, cardboard, dry leaves and cotton rags.

You will need a hive tool to separate frames in the brood chamber or honey super, it is essentially a metal bar. To keep it free from disease, clean the hive tool by burning it in the hot pot of the smoker.

And finally you will need protective clothing. A veil is essential at all times, to protect your neck and face from stings. There is a wide variety of clothing, smocks, jackets, trousers, and coveralls. White or tan clothing is probably best, as bees are disturbed by dark colours and fuzzy materials.

Newcomers to beekeeping should also use canvas or leather gloves. Remember to clean your protective clothing and gloves to get rid of sting and hive odors that may irritate bees.

Protective beekeeping suits are available from my online shop - click here to view them.