CONNECTICUT BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION MASSARO FARM BEEYARD PRACTICAL BEEKEEPING CURRICULUM CONNECTICUT BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION Practical Beekeeping Syllabus Massaro Farm Beeyard Session 4 – September-October – Winter Hive Preparation/Hive Closing Introductions, Announcements: Preliminary Questions and Answers. Preview stepby-step discussion about the course of instruction. Instructor should “walk” the participants through the steps that will be taken during the instruction. 5 Minutes Participant readiness: All participants entering the beeyard must have protective clothing, minimally a veil which is supplied at the beginning of the program. Cautions should be given to those participants without trousers and without long sleeve shirts. 5 Minutes Review of equipment needed for the instruction: protective clothing, large smoker, smoker fuel, hive tool, brush, appropriate treatment medication. Demonstrate how to start and maintain the smoker and apply smoke to the hive entrance. 5 Minutes Demonstration of tipping the hives to determine approximate weight. Participants should be allowed to get a “feel” for a 90 lb. hive. 15 Minutes Demonstration of inspecting the hive and examining for clusters, inspection of frames looking for sealed brood, eggs, larvae and honey. Inspection of at least 2 hives, repeating the step-by-step process. 20 Minutes Discussion of varroa mite count techniques and equipment. Gather samples from one or two hives and demonstrate the alcohol wash. Encourage participants to examine the mites collected in the alcohol and count the mite level. Explain the formula for estimating mite count and the threshold for intervention and/or medication. 15 minutes 2013 RJM CONNECTICUT BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION Practical Beekeeping Syllabus Massaro Farm Beeyard Session 4 – September-October – Winter Hive Preparation/Hive Closing - continued Discussion of the use of medication treatment with a review of the various types of treatment available and consideration of the “economic threshold”. 10 Minutes Review of the types of winter protection for the hive, and the use of fondant and fondant candy during the winter. Discussion of conditions under which the hive can be inspected under favorable weather conditions in January and February. 5 Minutes Review and recap of the steps taken to prepare the hive for the winter 5 Minutes Instructor equipment checklist: • • • • • • • • • • • Protective clothing Supply of veils for participants Smoker – large Smoker fuel Hive tool Brush Alcohol wash jars Alcohol Strainer Medication Evaluation sheets Instructor Research • www.scientificbeekeeping.com 2013 RJM CONNECTICUT BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION Practical Beekeeping Syllabus Massaro Farm Beeyard Session 3 – August – Fall Hive Preparation, Inspection, Varroa Mite Inspection/Count, Feeding Methods Introductions, Announcements: Preliminary Questions and Answers. Preview stepby-step discussion about the course of instruction. Instructor should “walk” the participants through the steps that will be taken during the instruction. 5 Minutes Participant readiness: All participants entering the beeyard must have protective clothing, minimally a veil which is supplied at the beginning of the program. Cautions should be given to those participants without trousers and without long sleeve shirts. 5 Minutes Review of equipment needed for the instruction: protective clothing, large smoker, smoker fuel, hive tool, brush, appropriate treatment medication. Demonstrate how to start and maintain the smoker and apply smoke to the hive entrance. 5 Minutes Discussion of the types of varroa mites, their history in the United States, the life cycle, monitoring and types of intervention. Estimates of hive loses within two years without appropriate levels of intervention. 10 Minutes Demonstration of varroa mite count methods: drop count using the panel in the bottom board. Clean panel coated with vaseline or cooking spray; sugar roll procedure, alcohol wash procedure. 20 Minutes Sugar roll procedure: smoke the hive entrance and outer edges of frames to be removed. Remove 2 outer frames, inspect 3rd, 4th and 5th frames. Sample approximately 300 bees from brood box. A one-half cup measure contains the measure needed. Add 2T of confectionery sugar and roll the jar for at least 2 minutes. To a white or light colored tray add a small amount of water and shake the jar onto the tray dissolving the sugar and revealing the mites. Explain 2% threshold and review the calculation of the mite count: number of mites divided by 3.Return frames to the hive and close hive with cover. 15 Minutes Alcohol wash procedure: smoke the hive entrance and outer edges of frames to be removed. Remove 2 outer frames, inspect 3rd, 4th and 5th frames. Sample approximately 300 bees from the brood box. Place bees in alcohol wash jar and shake for approximately 2 minutes. Examine bottom of jar for evidence of mites. Explain 2% threshold and review the calculation of the mite count: number of mites divided by 3. Return frames to the hive and close hive with cover. 15 Minutes 2013 RJM CONNECTICUT BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION Practical Beekeeping Syllabus Massaro Farm Beeyard Session 3 – August – Fall Hive Preparation, Inspection, Varroa Mite Inspection/Count, Feeding Methods continued Describe the natural drop method for mite count and show the position of the drop panel (white plastic sheet) in the hive bottom board. Explain the calculation of the count by suggesting a count of over a period of 72 hours (3 days). A count of 50 or more per day, a total of 150 mite count is the threshold for intervention/medication. Replace the bottom board panel and close hive. 10 Minutes Review supplemental feeding methods for the remainder of the season. Sugar mix should be in a 2:1 sugar to water ratio going into the fall. Describe and demonstrate feeding equipment, including top feeders, jar feeders, jar or bucket feeders within an empty deep and below inner cover, jar over inner cover with empty deep and telescoping cover, and frame or division board feeders. 5 Minutes General review of instruction and important points to remember. 5 Minutes Instructor equipment checklist: • • • • • • • • • • • • • Protective clothing Supply of veils for participants Smoker – large Smoker fuel Hive tool Brush Alcohol wash jars Alcohol Strainer Medication Sugar roll jars Confectionery Sugar Evaluation sheets Instructor Research • www.scientificbeekeeping.com 2013 RJM CONNECTICUT BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION Practical Beekeeping Syllabus Massaro Farm Beeyard Session 2 – April – Spring Management Workshop - Introducing Bees to the Hive Introductions, Announcements: Preliminary Questions and Answers. Preview stepby-step discussion about the course of instruction. Instructor should “walk” the participants through the steps that will be taken during the instruction. 5 Minutes Participant readiness: All participants entering the beeyard must have protective clothing, minimally a veil which is supplied at the beginning of the program. Cautions should be given to those participants without trousers and without long sleeve shirts. 5 Minutes Review of equipment needed for the instruction: protective clothing, large smoker, smoker fuel, hive tool, brush. Demonstrate how to start and maintain the smoker and apply smoke to the hive entrance. 5 Minutes Demonstration of recommended installation of a package of bees. Define a package of bees as a screen box of bees with a tin can feeder and a queen in a separate cage. Describe permanent location conditions for the placement of the hive. The hive entrance should face south or east. Discuss advance preparation of sugar syrup in a 1:1 ratio. 20 Minutes Lift the cover on the package using a hive tool and exposing the tin can of sugar syrup. Soundly hit the package on the ground to settle the bees to the bottom of the package so that the queen cage can be removed without too many bees escaping. Remove the queen cage and recover the package. Exam the queen, remove the cork of the queen cage at the candy end. Install the queen cage with the candy end up between the 5th and 6th frames near the top and center of the frames. Demonstrate the use of string or wire to hold the cage in place. Explain that the screen on the cage should face the entrance of the hive not the foundation. Shake the remaining bees from the package into the hive and place the inner cover on top and then the telescoping cover. Leave the package with the remaining bees in front of the hive. 20 Minutes Demonstration of recommendation of installation of a nucleus package of bees. Define a nucleus as a mated queen with a frame of two of her brood and additional frames of honey and pollen. 20 Minutes 2013 RJM CONNECTICUT BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION Practical Beekeeping Syllabus Massaro Farm Beeyard Session 2 – April – Spring Management Workshop - Introducing Bees to the Hive – continued Transfer frames from the nuc to the hive gently smoke the bees down into the frames and install the inner and telescoping covers. Dump any remaining bees in front of the hive as close to the entrance as possible. 10 Minutes Review supplemental feeding methods for the remainder of the season. Sugar mix should be in a 2:1 sugar to water ratio going into the fall. Describe and demonstrate feeding equipment, including top feeders, jar feeders, jar or bucket feeders within an empty deep and below inner cover, jar over inner cover with empty deep and telescoping cover, and frame or division board feeders. 10 Minutes General review of instruction and important points to remember. Instructor equipment checklist: • • • • • • • • • • • Protective clothing Supply of veils for participants Smoker – large Smoker fuel Hive tool Brush Sugar roll jars Confectionery Sugar Evaluation sheets Packages of bees Nucs Instructor research • Connecticut Beekeeping – Starting Beekeeping 2013 RJM CONNECTICUT BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION Practical Beekeeping Syllabus Massaro Farm Beeyard Session 1 – March - New Hive Assembly Introductions, Announcements: Preliminary Questions and Answers. Preview stepby-step discussion about the course of instruction. Instructor should “walk” the participants through the steps that will be taken during the instruction. 5 Minutes Participant readiness: All participants entering the beeyard must have protective clothing, minimally a veil which is supplied at the beginning of the program. Cautions should be given to those participants without trousers and without long sleeve shirts. 5 Minutes Review of equipment needed for the instruction: protective clothing, large smoker, smoker fuel, hive tool, brush. Demonstrate how to start and maintain the smoker and apply smoke to the hive entrance. 5 Minutes Demonstrate the assembly of a deep hive body with instructions on size of nails, type of weatherproof glue and sealing, painting or staining. 20 Minutes Demonstrate the assembly of medium supers with instructions on size of nails, type of weatherproofing glue and sealing, painting or staining. 20 Minutes Demonstrate the assembly of frames and foundation. Describe the various types of foundations available for purchase. Compare wooden frames with plastic or wax foundation with plastic frames. Discuss the difference black and natural colored foundation. 20 Minutes General discussion of the grades of wooden ware, assembled, unassembled kits. Describe medium brood foundation and drone foundation. 10 Minutes General review of instruction and important points to remember. 10 Minutes 2013 RJM
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