Year: 2022

 

Whew! Whirlwind summer!

First off, I must apologize for missing the summer edition of this newsletter and being late in getting this one out. The good news is that it was due to a very busy and productive summer. We were able to accomplish our goals for this year, and I am excited to see where our program is headed. Of course, the work continues, but I will try to make up for the missed edition here.

I was able to hire a summer technician, which helped tremendously. Many of you met Byrnes Britton at the summer conference. Byrnes expressed to me how friendly and fun all of you are and that he really enjoyed the job. Byrnes has returned to studying business at The Citadel. While he does not have a background or experience with beekeeping or agriculture, he told me that because of his experience in this position, he is interested in focusing on ag business. Thanks for being a positive influence in his professional development.

Speaking of the summer conference, it was so good to see all of you that attended! I had the pleasure of helping coordinate speakers for the conference, which turned out to be a real challenge. Larry Connor, well known beekeeping author, was scheduled to be one of our keynotes, but early in the summer suffered from a health issue that prevented him from travelling this summer. I want to personally thank Dr. Lewis Bartlett of the University of Georgia for stepping-in on short notice. I have since learned that Larry Connor has recovered from surgery and plans to be in SC this fall. Also, a huge Thank You to all of the vendors, volunteers, sponsors, and speakers that contributed. This year’s conference brought two new training options including a youth program and a half-day intro to beekeeping workshop. It was my pleasure to work with Danny Cannon to offer a working bee yard again with lots of demonstrations. Special thanks go to Doug Vinson (NCSBA president) and Robert Smith (NCSBA Master Beekeeping Program co-chair) for joining us at the conference and helping us in the bee yard. While it is a lot of work to set up the yard and schedule the demos, it is something I thoroughly enjoy and look forward to offering again next year. Also, we had the opportunity to engage about fifteen young folks along with their parents at the first ever youth program. I had a great time helping with that as well.

I am super excited about the pollinator plots at the Pee Dee Research Station. Timely rains have made for exceptional growing conditions, and the plots look FANTASTIC! We are collecting data now on percent germination, cover, and insect diversity. Also, we are testing a few annual crops for summer forage, including buckwheat, phacelia, yellow sweetclover, hyssops, and zinnias. I had the pleasure of showing nearly 200 farmers and landowners the new plots and discussing the benefits of providing pollinator habitat at the Fall field day on September 1^st.

The next phase of work has begun on the Master Beekeeping Program to continue updating the training materials. We plan to update the certified training study guide to have it match the new curriculum and be more user friendly. The plan is to make this more of a workbook that coincides with the new presentations and includes a glossary of terms commonly used by beekeepers. We also are working on the journeyman level materials. We would like to standardize the journeyman curriculum and presentations to make sure that all aspiring journeymen are receiving the same level of training. This is a delicate balance between increasing the intensity of training without overwhelming the students. Becoming a journeyman requires a very thorough coverage of all apicultural topics, but the amount and detail of material covered is a very serious step up from the certified level trainings. This really requires a training format that allows the student more time to complete the reading assignments and conduct independent study in preparation for the exam, so we are considering developing a modular training which allows the student to review the material on their schedule and ensures that all participants receive the same degree of instruction.

Let me address some questions I received regarding the Basics of Beekeeping Hybrid Course that was scheduled for back in May. I had to postpone the course due to a family health issue that pulled my wife away for several weeks, preventing me from conducting the field days as planned. I rescheduled it for September which turned-out to be an excellent shift. The hybrid course provides a virtual learning opportunity for the underserved parts of the state and to respond to the numerous requests our extension offices receive for introductory beekeeper training.  This training program is not intended to replace the beginner trainings that local clubs offer. We continue to send inquiries to the local clubs that offer training, especially if they use the training materials developed for the Master Beekeeping Program. I feel much more comfortable doing this now that the certified level training presentations were updated earlier this year. I know that these beginner trainings are important for generating membership to the local associations, so I have intentionally limited the scope of this hybrid training program. Rather than replicate the training model of our neighboring states which provide pre-recorded and on-demand trainings, I offer the training once per year, deliver the lectures live, and limit registration to 40 participants statewide. Also, I firmly believe that successful beekeeping requires mentorship and a lifelong pursuit of knowledge. Both of which are well served by local associations, the SC Beekeepers Association, and the SC Master Beekeeping Program. Throughout the training I emphasize the importance of joining local clubs and the State Association for ongoing support and growth. While I admitted 40 students into the course, I received over 100 requests. Those additional requests were directed to their local associations, and the admitted registrants were encouraged to join their local association and to become certified. All ships rise with the tide, and it is the mission of the Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program to develop dynamic training options that raise the “watermark” of beekeeping statewide. This means providing instruction at all levels. The hybrid course is the best way to offer entry level instruction that supports local associations. We plan to make the Basics of Beekeeping Hybrid Course an annual program to be offered in September.

Add to these projects a flood of calls, emails, and apiary visits, and this has been an extremely productive and busy year. Thanks to all of you for your support of our efforts to build a solid apiculture education program at Clemson University. Delivering a statewide apiculture program requires cooperation with many stakeholders, and teamwork is essential if we are to advance our trade within and beyond South Carolina. Thanks to all of you that have given of your time and talents this summer to make all of this happen. Let’s continue to help beekeepers help bees.

Kindest regards,
Ben Powell
Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program Coordinator

 

 

 

 

           Corpus Politicum, The Body Politic

Ancient Greek philosophers often debated what form of governance would lead to prosperity for all members of society, their question… “How should civilization be structured to ensure that a community should prosper?” Another way of asking this question is “What assurances are there to prevent one member of a community from disaffecting another?” They often discussed cities and communities as if each is a living organism, the Body Politic, a collective of individuals with different roles that through their personal actions either support the body in its endeavor to grow and prosper or, conversely, infest it as an ailment that causes sickness and decline. The head equated to the administrative state and the hands and feet to the working classes, and the debaters understood that there must be balance among the different parts of the body. Strong mind but weak arms and legs, and the body is stifled. Strong body and weak mind, and the body is unruly, and its members compete for dominance. The metaphor continues to this day.

As beekeepers, we should be quite familiar with this concept. After all, the creature that we adore, the honey bee, displays a level of coordination and collective reasoning that exemplifies the Body Politic. Of course, we use the term “superorganism,” but the philosophical concept is similar. The queen puts forth signals through her pheromones and production of brood that drive the colony to collect resources and grow, and the workforce regulates the queen’s behavior as they assess the economy of the environment and the condition of the nest. This system of inherent communication among the members of the body maintains balance, and balance leads to prosperity.

Unfortunately, no community is without its malevolent constituents. Prosperity attracts those that would feed off it, selfishly focused on their own interests while contributing nothing to the growth of the community. In the case of the honey bee, the most malicious parasite is the Varroa mite. It takes advantage of the most prosperous honey bee colonies, the ones that have been most successful at finding resources and growing the workforce. As it infiltrates these colonies it sows deceit and maliciousness, aka viruses. These viruses corrupt the normal and healthy pathways of communication in the colony, which leads to decline of the colony’s “body politic.”

This is where many of us find our bees in the fall of the year, especially if we have done little to prevent Varroa mites from infesting our colonies. Over the last few weeks, I have fielded numerous emails and Facebook posts about “abandoned hives” and inexplicably queenless colonies. Almost all of these inquiries claimed the colonies to be very strong just weeks prior to the losses. Many callers made unproven claims that pesticides were at fault, but in most cases, the losses were attributed to Varroa mites and the rampant spread of viruses through the colony.

The question then is, what can be done now? If you haven’t taken steps to control Varroa mites, is it too late? I would say the answer is “better late than never,” but there may be colonies that have developed virus loads that are so high that they may not recover in time for winter. A recent study of Deformed Wing Virus transmission (Locke et al. 2017, see ) demonstrated that simply treating to reduce Varroa in heavily infected colonies does not remove the virus because other modes of transmission exist. Even after Varroa mites were removed, the virus persisted at high levels. Also, current DWV research has shown that the new DWV-B variant is more virulent and deadly and has largely replaced the original DWV-A variant (Paxton et al. 2022, see “Science Review” below). This shows why it is so critical to keep Varroa mite levels low throughout the year, not just in the lead up to winter.

That being said, now is a very critical period of time for your colonies for a variety of reasons. We have already mentioned Varroa mites and the viruses they exacerbate, but I must emphasize how important it is to have colonies producing healthy winter bees right now. Keeping mite percentages below 2% is essential for that to happen. Just as important as mite control, the beekeeper should take initiative to make sure the bees are well fed and ready for winter. This is a time of natural constriction both in the availability of food and the growth of the colony.

The fall nectar flow, which consists mainly of goldenrods, asters, and a few other perennial flowers and annual crops, is underway, but it produces less honey than the spring. Depending on your location, the bees may or may not add any honey stores to supply their winter needs, so the beekeeper may need to feed. After Hurricane Ian passed through, we abruptly entered fall with very cool nights in the low 50s F and moderate daytime temperatures in the 70s F. While the bees may be bringing in fall nectar, they probably are consuming it quickly to generate heat for the still large brood areas. The demonstration colonies at the Pee Dee Research Station are maintaining weight, but not adding any new honey stores. Even though goldenrods and some crops are still blooming, colonies are consuming the food as fast as it comes in.

In most of South Carolina, our first frosts do not begin until the first or second week of November. This gives the bees about one more brood cycle before nectar sources will abruptly end, so a 1:1 syrup is sufficient through October. After frost, feed should be switched to either 2:1 syrup or candy/dried sugar feeds which do not require drying and stimulate brood production less. It is not recommended to add pollen at this point because brood production will decline sharply in the next few weeks, and unused pollen will attract undesirable pests such as small hive beetles.

As incoming food declines in the fall, bees are quick to rob when given the opportunity. Beekeepers should be careful when conducting inspections and refrain from keeping colonies open for long periods. The smell of drying nectar coming from open colonies will attract potential robbers. Weaker colonies need to be combined to help them fend off robbers and pests. Also, it is important to begin restricting entrances and closing screened bottom boards. This will help not only with reducing robbing and pressure from other pests such as yellow jackets and mice but also make it easier to maintain more constant temperature in the brood area. These are standard winterizing practices that you can do to reduce stress on colonies.

Another important activity is to reduce unused space in the colonies. If you have supers on but the bees are not actually adding honey to them, then it is best to remove them and store them for winter. This reduces the amount of comb the bees have to defend from pests and heat loss to empty space above the brood area. If your supers have a frame or two of honey, then you might consider placing the supers away from the bees for them to clean-out the honey and transport it back into their overwintering configuration.

Remember, the condition of bee colonies going into winter will largely determine their condition coming out of it. The good news is that our winters are relatively mild, and well fed and defended colonies with low Varroa mite counts typically do quite well the following spring.

 

 

“To faction an end, to wealth increase”

Many years ago I participated in voice competitions. No, this was not like American Idol or The Voice. These were recitals of classical works intended to demonstrate range and technical proficiency of the singer. My voice instructor, Dr. Bill Hobbins, helped me select songs and prepare for the recitals. One song Dr. Hobbins suggested was an old English drinking song from the 1700s, not exactly what most would categorize as a classical work, but “Down Among the Dead Men” is both challenging and fun and did a great job of capturing the judges’ attentions. The song opens jubilantly with the lofty proclamation, “Here’s a health to the king and a lasting peace, to faction an end, to wealth increase.” Apparently, the merrymakers gathered in those English pubs recognized that fracturing of a community into “factions” and focusing on the minute differences among groups over the overwhelming commonalities of the community will lead to the destruction of the community. Here I go again, harkening back to the Body Politic.

The beekeeping community is no different, and it seems that this group of people who share a strong common interest continuously focus on each other’s differences. I suppose that is going to happen anywhere there is passion for one’s trade, but the problem is that new beekeepers find this confusing and the conflicts off-putting. Many beekeepers turn away and avoid beekeeper organizations all together, turning to resources like “YouTube” and other sources of information online. Some beekeepers do try to get involved, and they ask me questions like: “What organizations should I join?”, “Where do I get the best information?”, “Who should I believe?”, “Whose side should I be on?”, and “Who is right?” It seems like I get just as many questions about other beekeepers as I do about the bees themselves, so I thought I might take a moment to discuss some of the various beekeeper organizations.

First off, let’s start locally. You may have heard the adage that “all beekeeping is local.” Well, whoever coined the term is spot-on. The performance of colonies is directly determined by the surrounding landscape, climate, and biological stressors such as predators, pests and diseases, and beekeepers are affected by local markets, laws, and activities of other beekeepers in their community. No matter where you keep your bees, their health and your profitability will be affected by local conditions, so it makes perfect sense for local beekeepers to gather and communicate with each other regularly. I argue that every beekeeper should participate in their local beekeeper organization(s), even if you do not agree with its leadership and have personality conflicts with other members. There is no better place to learn and share information that directly affects your colonies and operation. Also, local associations are uniquely important for new beekeeper onboarding and mentoring, which is important for preventing pests and diseases across the region and maintaining consumer confidence in beekeepers and their services. One other important role local associations serve is to be an advocate for beekeepers. When counties or municipalities consider laws, ordinances, regulations, development and public health activities that can affect beekeepers, the Association can be a voice to help officials make informed decisions. In South Carolina there are at least two dozen local beekeeper associations that are actively meeting and involved in their communities, so most of you have a group within a short drive of your location. https://scstatebeekeepers.com/about/local-associations/

State and regional associations also influence beekeeping at the local level. Most states have a state beekeepers association, and South Carolina is no different. The South Carolina Beekeepers Association (SCBA) is a non-profit organization consisting entirely of volunteers who provide educational resources to beekeepers across the state, support local beekeeper associations, and advocate on behalf of beekeepers at the state level. To accomplish its mission, the SCBA offers two annual conferences which include trainings and invited speakers that address timely topics in apiculture. The SCBA also manages the state’s Master Beekeeping Program, a training and certification program for ambitious beekeepers. The Association offers financial support through grants for clubs that offer youth programs and for beekeepers who conduct research. There are many services that the State Association can offer that most local clubs cannot. I would argue that the most important aspect of participating in your state Association is to fellowship with a large audience of people with common interests and goals as you, and the flow of information that happens at SCBA events is certainly worth the investment of time and money. https://scstatebeekeepers.com/about/local-associations/ Our neighboring states conduct similar activities through their state associations, and many SC beekeepers also attend meetings and trainings in Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, and beyond. For beekeepers seeking a broader scope, there also are three regional beekeeper societies in the U.S.: the Western Apicultural Society, the Heartland Apicultural Society, and the Eastern Apicultural Society. Each covers a section of the country with delegates and members from various states. South Carolina is covered by the Eastern Apicultural Society (EAS), which operates much like the SCBA but with a broader geographic scope. The EAS offers an annual conference which moves each year to various locations across the eastern US, and the Society manages its own master beekeeper program and grant program. https://easternapiculture.org

Then there are the national organizations, which differ largely in their target audience and advocacy platform. The national association that most suits you is mostly determined by your reason for keeping bees and the goals for your operation. Let’s discuss your options.

The American Beekeeping Federation (ABF) is the largest organization with the broadest scope in North America. Beekeepers of all scales and intents join the ABF which provides an annual professional development conference and legislative advocacy programs at the federal level. The ABF conference offers presentations and workshops by industry experts that cover current research, best practices, legislative updates and keynote presentations. The conference has the largest tradeshow in North America, a massive honey show, silent auction, and youth programs. One tradition that sets ABF apart is the coronation of the annual “Honey Queen,” which is a rising female beekeeper who is elected to be the official spokesperson for beekeepers and the beekeeping industry in North America. https://www.abfnet.org/page/about

The American Honey Producers Association (AHPA) is another large organization, but it’s focus is directed more at advocating for commercial honey producers and processors. The AHPA offers an annual conference which features presentations on honey bee health, honey markets, business economics, legislative and regulatory updates, and the trade show features equipment for honey producers of all scales. The AHPA is much more involved in policy and legislative matters and has been the primary driver for investigating honey fraud and interference in international honey markets. For instance, the AHPA was integral in the recent honey dumping investigation by certain other countries that is suppressing honey prices in the US. https://www.ahpanet.com/about-ahpa

The National Honey Board (NHB) is a collaborative effort between large scale honey packagers and importers and the US government to improve honey markets nationwide. The Board was a result of the Commodity Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1996 and was established under the rules and regulations of the Honey Packers and Importers Research, Promotion, Consumer Education and Industry Information Order, effective May 2008. The Board consist of representatives from honey processors with oversight from the Agricultural Marketing Service of the US Department of Agriculture. The purpose of the Board is to promote honey usage in the US through advertising, promotion, consumer education, development and marketing research for honey and honey products. The Board self-assesses the first handlers (packers and importers) 1.5 cents per pound to be used for research and promotion projects designed to maintain and expand the market for honey and honey products in the United States and abroad. This revenue also is used to support honey bee research. One of the most useful things the Board does for all beekeepers is to provide recipes and information about honey and its various uses to help beekeepers market their products. https://honey.com

The American Association of Professional Apiculturists (AAPA) is primarily made of researchers and extension specialists from the Nation’s universities and federal agencies. Members must have a research and education component to their job descriptions, so this group is not open to practicing beekeepers. The AAPA members typically publish in peer reviewed journals. The AAPA hosts the American Bee Research Conference (ABRC) which meets jointly with the American Beekeeping Federation at their annual conference in January, which means that most of the academic researchers working with honey bees in North America also attend the American Bee Federation conference and present on the most recent results of their research and extension projects. https://aapa.cyberbee.net

North America has been a leader in the beekeeping trade and honey bee research since the Langstroth hive system was developed nearly 200 years ago, but we by no means are the center of beekeeping in the world. Beekeepers from every continent are contributing to the wealth of knowledge we have of this remarkable insect. As an attempt to pool that knowledge and help beekeepers solve the most critical problems the industry faces there are two international organizations that have formed.

The International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations, also known as Apimondia (https://www.apimondia.org/about.html), represents the beekeeping community at the international level. They operate much like the American Bee Federation does but on a global scale, offering a biannual conference that moves among the continents to expose participants to the cultural and practical influences on apiculture in all parts of the world. The trade show is the largest of its kind, represented by products from all over the world, and the conference consists of the brightest minds and researchers in all aspects of apiculture and honey markets. If any of you are looking for a good excuse to visit Chile, you might think about attending Apimondia in Santiago next year.

There also is an organization known as COLOSS (https://coloss.org), that operates at an international level much like the American Association of Professional Apiculturists does here. The organization gets its name because it is focused largely on the “prevention of COlony LOSSes.” Like the AAPA, its members are researchers and extension educators from universities and research labs across the world, comprised of more than 1,600 members representing 106 countries. The most important role COLOSS plays is to establish accepted scientific methods for conducting various aspects of apiculture and honey research, so that results are vetted and more widely accepted among the scientific and beekeeping community. These methods are published in the COLOSS Beebook: Standard Methods for Apis Mellifera Research.

In summary, your level of involvement in beekeeper organizations is likely determined by the intensity of your operation. If bees are a source of income for you, then you probably need to be involved at the national or international level. All beekeepers, no matter how invested they are in the trade, should participate at the state and local level, even if it’s just to learn from others and share your knowledge. While commercial and sideliner beekeepers manage the vast majority of colonies, it is the hobbyists that are widely distributed across the state and have the greatest impact on their neighboring beekeepers. If you are not involved with your state and local associations, you probably are missing out on critical information that affects your operation, and you are missing the opportunity to be a positive influence on your fellow beekeepers and community as a whole.

 

 

In the Balm of Your Hand

They go by many common names, including horsemint and bergamot, but the common name I like the most for the plants in the genus Monarda is “Bee Balm.” Just as the name suggests, this group of plants is highly attractive to all types of bees and other pollinators and is a fantastic addition to any pollinator garden, providing an attractive flower display and nectar through the hot summer months.

Monarda is a genus of plants endemic to North America. As members of the family Lamiaceae, also known as the mint family, these plants share many common traits with other more familiar mints, including stems that are square in cross section, leaves that are arranged opposite of each other, and flowers clustered at the tips of the branches. Species in the tribe Mentheae, which is the largest tribe of mints, have distinctively aromatic odors which make them favorites for use in cooking, scented candles, potpourri, and even for medicinal purposes. The bee balms also belong to the Mentheae and have been used in teas to ease sore throats and digestive issues along with other ailments.

There are about two dozen species of bee balms across North America, most of which occur in the south-central part of the continent. Texas is actually home to the greatest diversity, but there are five species common to the eastern US and the Carolinas. The most common and widespread is the lavender-colored Monarda fistulosa, also known as “wild bergamot.” The two northern species are aptly named for the colors of their flowers, scarlet bee balm, M. didyma, and purple bergamot, M. media. The fourth species is lemon bee balm, M. citriodora, named for its distinctly citrus odor. The fifth species is spotted bee balm, M. punctata. While spotted bee balm is probably the best adapted for South Carolina’s hot summers, it is not planted as commonly as the other species because its flowers are not as vibrantly colored. I would argue that it is more interesting than the other species because of its unique texture and that the leaves around the flower clusters are colored lavender.

Another advantage of the spotted bee balm is that it is the only eastern species that is attractive to western honey bees. While all of the bee balms are exceptional nectar producers that are visited by numerous species of bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, and hummingbirds, the flowers of most bee balms are too long and narrow for honey bees to access the nectaries. The spotted bee balm has shorter and wider flowers that honey bees can access. The pollinator test plots at the Pee Dee Research Station include spotted bee balm, and I have observed honey bees using them through the late summer and fall. They started blooming in mid summer and continue to be productive even as this newsletter is published. I have been very impressed with how long they have bloomed, their tolerance for the hot, sandy site, and the diversity of pollinators that they have attracted.

The spotted bee balm is still blooming at the Pee Dee station, but bee balms in general are mid-summer bloomers. You might ask why I would discuss them in the fall if they bloom in the summer. Well, I’m glad you asked. Bee balms are perennial plants, and perennials are best planted in the fall of the year. You can plant them now either by seed or by seedlings. If you plant by seed, be patient. They will not germinate until next spring. If you are considering adding bee balms to your yard, or better yet, to field borders and firebreaks at the farm, then now is the time to get them in the ground. Find a sunny location, eliminate competing vegetation, and keep the soil moist after planting, and you will get to enjoy bee balms next summer.

 

 

 

Evidence is mounting that honey bee viruses, especially deformed wing virus, are critical factors in colony decline and losses. A thorough study of deformed wing virus and its new variant, DWV-B, has shown that the old variant (DWV-A) has largely been replaced by the new variant. This is concerning because the new variant appears to be more virulent and deadly.

Paxton, R J, M Schäfer, F Nazzi, V Zanni, D Annoscia, F Marroni, D Bigot, E R Laws-Quinn, D Panziera, C Jenkins, H Shafiey. 2022. Epidemiology of a major honey bee pathogen, deformed wing virus: potential worldwide replacement of genotype A by genotype B.” International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife 18: 157-171.

Deformed Wing Virus, variant B, appears to be able to replicate in Varroa desctructor, something variant A could not, which may be a primary reason for why it is more virulent and pathogenic in honey bee colonies. Promiscuous feeding by Varroa mites infected with DWV-B may explain the significant spike in prevalence of DWV-B in honey bee colonies world wide.

Gisder S, Genersch E. 2021. Direct evidence for infection of Varroa destructor mites with the bee-pathogenic deformed wing virus variant b, but not variant a, via fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis. J Virol  95:e01786-20. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01786-20

Varroa Sensitive Hygiene traits have been selected for with a variety of honey bee breeding programs. The trait involves a behavior where workers sense and remove infected brood. The cannibalization of brood infected with Deformed wing virus can serve as an alternate mode of virus transmission even after Varroa mites have been removed from a colony.

Posada-Florez, F., Z S Lamas, D J Hawthorne, Y Chen, J D Evans, E V Ryabov (2021). Pupal cannibalism by worker honey bees contributes to the spread of deformed wing virus. Scientific Reports, 11(1), 1-12.

A recent study of Deformed Wing Virus transmission demonstrated that simply treating to reduce Varroa in heavily infected colonies does not remove the virus because other modes of transmission exist. Even after Varroa mites were removed, the virus persisted at high levels. This shows why it is so critical to keep Varroa mite levels low throughout the year, not just in the lead up to winter.

Locke, B., et al. “Persistence of subclinical deformed wing virus infections in honeybees following Varroa mite removal and a bee population turnover.” PloS one 12.7 (2017): e0180910.

 

Research on small hive beetles is ongoing, so efficient methods for raising significant numbers of healthy, disease-free beetles outside of bee hives are needed. The USDA Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology developed a simple and inexpensive system for raising small hive beetles outside of the hive, which raises the question, “Do small hive beetles have to have bee hives to reproduce?”

Charles J. Stuhl (2022) A novel method in small hive beetle rearing, Journal of Apicultural Research,DOI: 10.1080/00218839.2022.2130596

 

 

Check the SC Master Beekeeper Program website for a certified course near you. Many courses occur during the winter season. https://scstatebeekeepers.com/master-beekeeper-program/

Feb 24^–25, 2023          Spring meeting of the SC Beekeepers Association. This year’s spring meeting will be expanded to two days. The theme will focus on honey production, marketing and health benefits.  https://scstatebeekeepers.com.

We are working on advanced trainings for next spring.  Stay tuned.

 

 

 

 

Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.

 

2022 is off to a raging start, and so are we!

Here it is nearly the end of March, and I am just now finding time to write this edition of CAPPings. I guess being busy is a good thing, because it means that we are working our way past the COVID-19 restrictions and that we are largely back to “business as usual,” or at least something close to it. It is hard to believe that it was this month two years ago that the first COVID restrictions went into effect and that many places in our great nation are still bound by those rules surrounding this horrible virus. Last week was the Sportsmans’ Expo in my home town of Conway, and it was the first community gathering in two years where nobody was wearing a mask. It appears that most folks are moving on.

Along that theme, the SC Beekeepers Association held its annual spring meeting in Spartanburg, and it was so encouraging to see so many of you there in person and enjoying each other’s company. Including vendors, there were nearly 300 people there, which is a great turnout for a Spring meeting. I was honored to help line up speakers for the event, and our speakers did not disappoint. I received many compliments about the theme of the event and the content provided by the speakers, so kudos to everyone that spoke at the event and to all of the folks working diligently in the background to make it happen. I look forward to the Summer meeting in Columbia, July 21-23.

After nearly two whole years of largely meeting virtually, the Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program is making a concerted effort in 2022 to get back out to the local associations to teach and to enjoy the company of beekeepers across the state, especially our colleagues in the upstate. In the past two months I have visited with the Lake Wylie, Fort Mill, Pickens, Lakelands, Chesterfield, York, Pee Dee, Edisto, and Blackwater.

I also had the pleasure of speaking to the West Piedmont District meeting of the Garden Clubs of America, which was an energetic group of gardening and landscape enthusiasts. Their focus this year is on protecting pollinators, especially bees, and we gave them some things to consider as they go back to share their passion with their communities. Garden Club members are very active in their communities providing service projects and education to their neighbors, much like our Master Beekeeper Program participants do. The good news is that I will be presenting to several other similar service groups through the spring.

We will be training staff at the Commission for the Blind this month. The Commission has a program to help visually impaired South Carolinians learn trades to help them be productive and self-sustaining, and they have a wood shop where they teach clients how to form and assemble furniture. We will be teaching them how to assemble bee packages and hive components (hive bodies and frames). We have several large honey bee producers that must assemble package boxes and nucs each year for their bee sales. We envision that graduates of this program could provide hive assembly services for these beekeepers and for our hive equipment retailers around the state. Stay tuned.

If you had not seen it yet, you might see me on TV this month and next. Our gardening program on SCETV, “Making it Grow,” featured bees this month during its stewardship drive, and yours truly had the pleasure of speaking about honey bees and their importance to South Carolinians. I made every effort to encourage would-be beekeepers and pollinator conservationists to engage their local beekeeper associations to “think globally but act locally.”

For those of you contributing to the Honey Bee Forage Phenology Project, thanks again for your contributions, and please keep taking and submitting pictures of flowering plants to the iNaturalist project. https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/clemson-honey-bee-forage-phenology-project

We are now in the process of planning our spring and summer trainings. First on the docket will be a hybrid beginners course in April/May which will include a series of evening lectures using Zoom combined with field days in the Clemson apiaries. The course will cover the certified level material for the Master Beekeeper Program, and the field days will be informal trainings located strategically around the state to make it easy for beekeepers to participate. The field days will offer opportunities for new beekeepers to interact with experienced beekeepers as we perform critical beekeeping tasks. Later in the summer we hope to hold “honey days” when we begin harvesting honey from the demonstration colonies. This will give new beekeepers a chance to learn how to harvest and extract honey and process other hive products such as wax and propolis.

We also are working on the summer conference speaker lineup. We tentatively have a theme of “Growing Your Beekeeper Operation,” which will focus on three aspects of a successful beekeeping operation: making increases, marketing, and business planning. Of course, these are subject to change, but this is the general direction we are considering for the summer conference, which will be held at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center July 21 – 23. This convention center is the best in the state. It is an excellent venue with plenty of space and wonderful amenities nearby to encourage social interaction and fellowship. We will again have a bee yard at the event, and the facility has an amazing terraced court yard where the bees will be placed for the event. We look forward to seeing everyone there.

One final note… Dr. Hood has recovered well from his heart surgery in January and is back in the Clemson bee yard. I have spoken with him frequently over the past few weeks. His spirits are high, and he is feeling pretty good. He wanted me to tell everyone “Thank You” for the prayers and support during this time.

Kindest regards,
Ben Powell
Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program Coordinator

 

 

 

 

                           False start…

I love the Winter Olympics! As an avid snow skier, I find few pleasures more exhilarating than sliding down a sheet of ice at an exceptionally high rate of speed, teetering on the edge of disaster. One event that I really enjoyed watching at this year’s Olympics in Beijing was the short track speed skating. It feels like watching a NASCAR race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The racing is fast and furious, and wipeouts are common. There is one thing about short track speed skating that drives me nuts, and that is the false starts. Invariably, someone jumps the gun in just about every race, breaking everyone’s rhythm and forcing them to reset.

That’s how I feel about beekeeping this spring. In the last newsletter, I talked about the unseasonably warm weather we had after Christmas and how the Clemson bee colonies began spring build-up much earlier than expected. Large areas of brood and even drones were present in January, conditions normally reserved for March. Well, that trend continued with strong brood production through February, and the stage was set for an early and active swarm season.

Outside of the hive, similar things were occurring. In fact, after our spring meeting (Feb 25-26), a warm spell triggered most of our early spring nectar trees to begin flowering. By the first week in March, most of South Carolina was experiencing the start of our spring nectar flow. Trees such as wild plums (Prunus spp.), redbuds (Cercis canadensis), willows (Salix spp.), and even some hollies (Ilex spp.) started their bloom cycle well before their normal time. Farms and forests all across the state began flushing with spring color, and the Clemson colonies began adding weight, until the evening of March 12^th.

Like a false start, a flash freeze on the evening of March 12^th dropped most areas in South Carolina into the low to mid 20s (F). Many of the trees with open flowers suffered freeze damage, and the nectar flow that was just beginning came to an abrupt halt. Our colonies began losing weight again, and in the week following the freeze, almost all of the nectar that had been collected was consumed, rendering the colonies strapped for food.

I very seriously considered feeding the bees, but my schedule required me to travel to the upstate for several days each week during that time. I was concerned about swarming and not being present to intervene if swarm cells were started. All of the colonies had drones and new queen cups, and most were very congested. Conditions were good for swarming, but one swarming pre-requisite had not yet occurred, and that was the rapid influx of food. I was concerned that feeding might actually stimulate the colonies to swarm while I was away, so I opted to not feed.

It appears the decision paid-off. Either the frost bitten-trees rebounded rapidly or there were enough sources that survived the cold to supply food for our congested colonies. Hive weights are not increasing, but they are not declining either. There appears to be just enough food to sustain them for the time being, and the limited food supply has staved-off the swarming process. That being said, the nectar flow is looming, and a jolt of food is all the colonies need to begin the swarming process.

As most of you know, we usually are not free of frost or freezes until after Easter, which is very late this year (April 17). While cold nights will hold the nectar flow at bay, rest assured that the last trigger for swarming, the influx of food during the spring nectar flow, is imminent, and colonies across the state are on the cusp of swarming if they have not done so already.

By the time you read this, swarm season will already be underway. In fact, I heard of swarms as early as February this year. If your goal is to prevent swarming, then you need to be taking steps to prevent it now. Supers should be added. Monitor colonies for swarm cell development. Consider splitting colonies with developing swarm cells, or harvest swarm cells for making splits. If you are looking to catch swarms, now is the time to get your traps placed and baited, and keep cluster catching equipment with you for convenience.

For those of you that raise queens, it is go time. Pollen has been plentiful for several weeks, and most colonies have already built sufficiently to begin making starters, finishers, and mating nucs. Colonies are growing rapidly and drones are at peak production right now. The next few weeks will provide the best conditions for finding food, drawing queen cells, and getting virgin queens mated.

Good news folks! It’s spring time in the Carolinas, and for beekeepers it is a marvelously busy time of year. Go forth, and enjoy your bees!

 

Better than par for the course

The first time I walked past the tall hedges that separate the Augusta National from the rest of the world, I felt like I was stepping onto another planet, one where trees and grass were the landlords, and humans were only allowed to visit for a few hours at a time. As if I was visiting someone else’s house for the first time, I wasn’t sure if I should take off my shoes first. Of course, I’m biased. I grew up in Augusta, Georgia, home of The Masters Golf Tournament – the premier golf tournament in the world, and I, like many of my childhood friends, developed an almost religious affection for the course.

You can best describe my status as a golfer as a weekend warrior. Though I was competitive on my high school golf team, I could never “hack it” as a professional golfer. I thoroughly enjoy time on the course, away from the demands of the office and family-life. Now, as I think back to when we attended the Masters tournament, one memory dominates… how quiet it was. Thousands of people were packed tightly together, yet the rustling of the trees and the singing of birds were the most prominent sounds, broken only by occasional waves of applause that seemed to pass through the pines on the wind.

The experience inside the Augusta National is in stark contrast to its surroundings. Washington Rd., one of the busiest roads in Augusta, lies just outside the hedges, and the course is bordered on all sides by condominiums and dense residential neighborhoods. Somehow, the fence and hedges protect the soft interior of the course from the harshness of its developed surroundings. It almost appears natural.

Despite its appearance, a golf course is anything but natural. From the slope of the grounds to the plants selected, every part of a golf course is meticulously designed to permit play and create visual effect, and maintaining the course requires a herculean effort. Irrigation, weed control, fertilizers, insect management, mowing, top-dressing, aerating, and renovating are ongoing tasks necessary to keep areas of turf grass from turning back into forests. All of the tools of turf management are employed on a golf course, and many of these practices are performed to prevent undesirable plants from affecting the course design.

Unfortunately, the field of play on a golf course is not exactly pollinator or honey bee friendly, but golf courses are not just fairways, tees, greens and bunkers. There are areas that are out-of-play that are less contrived and more naturalized. It is in these areas between holes, along water hazards, behind tees and greens, around buildings, and beyond the rough that are now attracting the attention of golf course superintendents and maintenance crews. The conversation about honey bee challenges and pollinator decline have reached them, and many see opportunities to make a difference.

Seizing on the opportunity, Syngenta, a chemical and crop management company, is partnering with golf course superintendents to launch “Operation Pollinator,” an initiative to “successfully establish and manage attractive wildflower habitat for bumblebees and other pollinators” at golf courses worldwide. Syngenta, which manufactures technologies and useful compounds including pesticides, understands that it is in its company’s best interest to support pollinator conservation efforts. They developed Operation Pollinator to provide technical guidance for installing habitat and to deliver educational and marketing materials to help golf courses share their accomplishments with golfers and the community. Operation Pollinator started in Europe about ten years ago, but now is gaining traction in North America, and has even reached South Carolina. Thanks to the popularity of golf courses in SC, especially around our coastal communities, this initiative could provide real benefits for sustainable communities and for beekeepers. https://www.greencastonline.com/operationpollinator/

One such course is Eagles Nest in North Myrtle Beach. Eagle’s Nest is one of the older and more popular courses along the Grand Strand, an area that was once deemed “the golf capitol of the world” for its proclivity towards golf courses. Eagles Nest has installed pollinator habitat, but they took their dedication a step further. They reached out to Patricia King of Carolina Bays Apiaries to install honey bee colonies on the course. Her story and successes and Operation Pollinator were recently featured on the local news. https://www.wmbfnews.com/2022/03/22/little-river-golf-course-raises-awareness-about-honeybees-new-global-initiative/

Golf courses see the program as a win-win. By installing wildflowers and other pollinator forages and improve how it uses pesticides, the course can improve its sustainability goals, beautify the course, market its uniqueness, and attract clientele that are tuned into conservation issues. Increasing pollinator habitat is one way the course can demonstrate its dedication to providing therapeutic green spaces for people but also make real improvements for honey bees and other pollinators.

I know that some of the beekeepers reading this newsletter also are golfers. As a partaker in both activities you have a unique appreciation for the benefits of a round with your friends. Now you can enjoy the challenge of chasing a little white ball across a field while also supporting your bees. Perhaps you would like to patronize the courses that are putting forth a little extra effort to help our bees. I am aware of a few courses near Greenville (The Reserve at Verdae Green, The Cliffs Mountain Park, and the Greenville GC) and Eagles Nest in Little River (near North Myrtle Beach). I do know that the Walker Course at Clemson is planning to join the program and has reached out to me for guidance. Perhaps there are others. If you find any, let me know. I’d love to book a tee time there this summer when the pollinator plots are in full bloom.

 

Don’t blink. You might miss it.

Springtime always seems to be exceptionally busy! Bees are gearing up, and there is no shortage of tasks for the beekeeper. Add a slough of other job responsibilities, family, friends, festivals, and it seems like every spring zips by in a flash.

One particular insect can definitely relate. The azalea mining bee, Andrena cornelli, lives a brief, high-intensity life when she emerges from her subterranean home next month. As with all other mining bees (Andrenidae), the azalea mining bee is a solitary bee that nests in the soil. Each female performs all of the tasks necessary to keep the population going, all except for mating. She does need a male for that task.

Each female mining bee makes a nesting site by burrowing into the soil and excavating chambers that she will provision with bee bread (pollen and nectar combined). Once fully provisioned, she will lay an egg, then move on to make a new chamber. Each burrow can have several larval chambers. One interesting trait of many mining bee species is that they are communal. While each bee lives a solitary life, mining bee females will use each others’ burrows and nest together in large aggregations. For this reason, when you see one nesting mining bee, you usually see hundreds more using the same area. This behavior and their general appearance often causes people to confuse them for honey bees. One behavioral trait that helps distinguish them from honey bees is that they tend to fly very close to the ground, especially near their nesting sites.

Mining bees emerge collectively when their food plants are blooming, which for the azalea mining bee is now through June. I usually start receiving calls this time of year when people are startled about large numbers of bees zooming around their yards. This large number of bees in one area sometimes makes residents think they are swarming, but actually the lucky person has stumbled onto a communal nesting site. Unlike social bees, they are not defensive of their nests. Yes, they can sting, but they don’t do it in defense of the nest.

Mining bees tend to use the same nesting areas year after year, and they tend to live their entire lives in an area no larger than a few acres, depending on the species. This means that they are particularly susceptible to land disturbances such as construction and development.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most mining bees are not generalists like honey bees. Instead, they are oligolectic (restricted to small groups of plants). For instance, the azalea mining bee forages on plants in the genus Rhododendron, which includes our native giant and mountain laurels (R. maximum and R. catawbiense) in the Blue Ridge mountains and the deciduous azaleas in the piedmont and coastal plain (R. arborescense and others). This also includes the exotic azaleas (R. indica and others) that are so common in landscaping across South Carolina. This plant genus is known for producing toxins in its tissues, even its nectar and pollen. These toxins restrict the insects that can pollinate them, which means that the azalea mining bee is one of only a few pollinators capable of pollinating some of our most iconic plant species.

Local populations of mining bees seem to come and go with the passing of their flowers. Across most of South Carolina, they coincide with the azaleas which are blooming as we speak. Climb a couple thousand feet above sea level, and you can enjoy them working the mountain laurels in June. No matter where they exist, they have a narrow window to make the next generation of bees while their host plants are blooming. If you happen to see them, relish in the experience, because they probably will be gone in a week or two until next year when they arise when the Azaleas signal the onset of spring.

 

 

 

Acaricides in royal jelly? A recent study suggests that residues of a common acaricide used to control Varroa mites in bee colonies can be transferred from wax into royal jelly well after the treatment has been removed.

Emmanuel Karazafiris, Dimitrios Kanelis, Chrysoula Tananaki, Georgios Goras, Urania Menkissoglu-Spiroudi, Maria-Anna Rodopoulou, Vasilios Liolios, Nikolia Argena & Andreas Thrasyvoulou (2022) Assessment of synthetic acaricide residues in Royal Jelly, Journal of Apicultural Research, DOI: 10.1080/00218839.2022.2048948

 

Nosema ceranae is problematic gut parasite of western honey bees (Apis mellifera) worldwide, but the disease has minimal effects on the original host, the eastern honey bee (A. ceranae). What would happen if you fed gut microbes from the eastern honey bee to western honey bees? Would the microbes help western honey bees fight the parasite? There is some evidence that it might.

Wu, Z.,  X. Wei, L. Zhang, Z. Zeng, W. Yan & Q. Huang (2022) Impacts of Apis cerana gut microbes on Nosema ceranae proliferation in Apis mellifera, Journal of Apicultural Research, DOI: 10.1080/00218839.2022.2047422

The smell of sex. They said it, not me! Insects use olfactory cues to recognize mates, and a recent study identified specific compounds produced by small hive beetles that distinguish males from females and virgins from mated females. This discovery could play a role in control of these hive pests by disruption of mating cues.

Papach, A., R. Balusu, G. R. Williams, H. Y. Fadamiro & P. Neumann (2022) The smell of sex: cuticular hydrocarbons of adult small hive beetles, Aethina tumida (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), Journal of Apicultural Research, DOI: 10.1080/00218839.2021.2015057

 

 

Check the SC Master Beekeeper Program website for a certified course near you. Many courses occur during the winter season. https://scstatebeekeepers.com/master-beekeeper-program/

Apr. 19, 2022. 6 PM   Basics of Beekeeping Hybrid Course – entry level beekeeper training using live Zoom lectures and a series of field days in May. Register now. https://calendar.clemson.edu/event/basics_of_beekeeping_-_hybrid_course#.Yksgui-B1pR

June 2022  “Honey days” join us for the honey harvest when we begin pulling supers in June. Dates and times TBA.

Jul. 21-23, 2022  SCBA Summer Conference, Columbia, SC https://scstatebeekeepers.com 

Aug. 1-4, 2022 Eastern Apiculture Society summer meeting, Ithaca, NY https://easternapiculture.org/conference/ 

 

 

 

Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.

 

Happy New Year!!!

First, I must apologize for the delay in getting this edition published. Streptococcus ravaged our household after the new year, fractioning my productivity. Thankfully, I am on the mend and back to work.

We at the Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program are excited for what this year will hold. While there has been a recent uptick in COVID cases, the State and Clemson University have given no indication that they will restrict in-person programs and trainings. CAPP is moving forward with scheduling our spring and summer trainings. Our plan is to offer a series of spring and summer field days at our demonstration apiaries (Clemson, Florence, and Charleston), and we will host a virtual beginner course later in the spring for students who may have missed the classes already underway.

Our pollinator test plots at Pee Dee REC are coming along nicely. As to be expected, a flush of volunteer henbit took advantage of the freshly disturbed soil, and the demonstration colonies have been taking full advantage of it, collecting the distinctively pink pollen henbit produces. We are waiting with anticipation for warmer days to assess germination of the intentionally planted species, but we are pleased to see how the bees are benefiting from the new forages already present in the plots.

The Honey Bee Forage Phenology Project is underway as well. As a quick reminder, this is a project using iNaturalist to track bloom cycles of important honey bee plants across South Carolina through 2022. Beekeepers across the state can submit images of plants in flower to help us track bloom cycles. Just three weeks into the project and participants have already submitted 800 observations. If the data continues to be entered at this rate, we will have a tremendous data set to use for updating our bloom charts. Thanks to everyone that has contributed so far. Anyone interested in contributing can visit https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/clemson-honey-bee-forage-phenology-project to read about and join the project. Also, we will hold another informational web meeting on February 15th for anyone that would like to participate. You can join us for that meeting at https://clemson.zoom.us/j/98402881341?pwd=SWw2bHZER2hBTDNWU0JUeTdxRktHdz09.

We are looking forward to the SC Beekeepers Association’s spring conference in Spartanburg on February 25-26. It will be a two-day event with Master Beekeeping Program classes and instructional demonstrations on Friday, followed by a full schedule of presentations on Saturday. We are pleased to host Dr. Juliana Rangel-Posada from Texas A&M University and Dr. Wyatt Mangum of Mary Washington University. Both are engaging speakers and carry impressive resumés dedicated to apiculture. Registration is open now, so we encourage everyone to renew your membership and sign-up for the conference so that we can enjoy your company at the event. Early bird registration will close on February 4th.

I am excited to announce that we have funding for a temporary summer technician. Sorting through the forage project data, tending to the pollinator plots, managing the demonstration apiaries, and compiling survey data will keep this person quite busy through the summer. We will be looking for a motivated person in the Florence area that possesses computing skills and is willing to work outside. Perhaps you know of a college student that would like to work with our program over their summer break. We have not begun the hiring process but hope to do so soon.

Last, we wanted to let everyone know that Dr. Wm. Michael (Mike) Hood, retired apiculturist at Clemson University, underwent heart surgery on January 18^th. We are happy to report that he is recovering and has returned home. Gifts and cards can be sent to us at 2200 Pocket Rd., Florence, SC 29506, and we will make sure Dr. Hood receives it.

Kindest regards,
Ben Powell
Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program Coordinator

 

 

 

 

Not so fast…

Is there such a thing as a typical year in beekeeping?  If so, then this year is off to an inauspicious start. Perhaps there are years when our predictions align with how the bees actually behave, and we fondly label them “normal.” Then there are other years when our anticipations and the bees’ do not necessarily jive. Perhaps “normal” is a human construct. Despite our best attempts, we perceive the world differently than they do. Honey bees are living organisms that sense, react, and adapt to the finite stimuli around them, and, being colonial by nature, honey bees respond even more dynamically than most other organisms. Not only do individual bees respond to their environment, but their individual reactions influence the behaviors of their nest mates, which influences the behavior of the entire colony.  Case in point… the winter of 2021-2022.

The typical winter pattern for honey bees in South Carolina is to produce diutinus (winter) bees in the fall in preparation for the cold, lean months of winter. As temperatures decline, the winter bees reduce brood production and begin clustering tightly in the hive. They generate heat by consuming stored honey and vibrating their flight muscles, maintaining the temperature necessary for brood development (92° F). On warm days when temperatures rise into the 50s (F), they will become active, taking purging flights and foraging for whatever may be available, but that activity is mainly reserved for mid day. From evening through morning are clustered inside the hive keeping the small area of brood warm. This pattern normally begins in late November and continues into February. Generating heat to maintain brood is a serious metabolic strain on the colony, so during the winter, colonies minimize brood production, which helps the bees conserve their food stores.

This year has not followed that pattern. November proceeded as expected. Brood area shrank, and bees began clustering. December, in turn, was not typical. Warm temperatures in excess of 70 degrees (F) persisted through December. There were several days where record high temperatures were recorded, and the colonies in the Clemson apiaries responded by increasing brood production at a rate normally observed in March in the build-up prior to the spring nectar flow. Colonies that normally have only a frame or two of brood expanded to cover three or four times the normal winter brood area (six to eight frames of brood). This has created two very serious challenges that we must address: 1. starvation and 2. Varroa mites. Increased brood production correlates to increased food consumption and increased Varroa mite populations.

Starvation is always a concern during winter, but it tends to be most common in late winter (Feb-Mar) when food stores are dwindling and brood production is increasing. Nectar is in short supply this time of year, so colonies must rely on the honey they have stored from the previous growing season to get them through the winter dearth. They typically extend the life of their winter stores by reducing brood production, which reduces food demand; however, the early increases in brood production we observed in December has increased the rate of honey consumption significantly and created ideal conditions for winter starvation. The take home message… check your colonies and feed them if they are getting light. Sugar syrup at a 2:1 ratio or candy are suitable for winter feeding, and I suggest in-hive or hive top feeders. These feeders allow the heat generated by the bees to also warm the feed and are more effective during winter months.

In December, I was focused intently on updating the certified training presentations to have them ready for the new year. I also injured my leg thanks to some holiday frolicking, and I was unable to tend to the bees for about three weeks over the holidays. Coincidentally, my absence from the bee yard occurred exactly while the warm spell triggered increased brood production, and two colonies succumbed to starvation. There are few things more gut-wrenching than finding a starved bee colony, but at least it gave me a chance to collect images of quintessential starvation symptoms: piles of dead bees on the bottom board and dead workers face-down in comb cells dead from struggling to stay warm without food.

Another symptom of increased winter brood production and dwindling food stored is “chilled brood.: Under the current conditions, workers may be unable to cover and heat all of the brood during prolonged cold spells, and the uncovered brood may succumb to the cold. Workers will remove the dead brood and deposit it outside the hive entrance. This is not necessarily a problem for the colony, but it can startle a beekeeper to see larvae and pupae being discarded by the colony. Chilled brood is a natural way of the colony “self-regulating” brood production. While it does represent a metabolic cost, it is not a major threat to the survival of the colony as a whole. It might actually save the colony from complete starvation later by reducing the food demand of the colony.

The other problem that coincides with increased brood production is the increase in Varroa mite loads. Winter normally provides a brief respite from worrying about Varroa mites. Beekeepers that controlled Varroa mites in the previous growing season can normally trust that their efforts to keep Varroa pressure low in the fall will extend into the following spring because Varroa only increase when colonies are raising brood. In winter there is normally little brood production, so Varroa numbers tend to remain low. The increase in brood production we observed in December may result in increased mite pressure this spring. I wish I had numbers to share with you, but I was out sick the last two weeks, and this week is too cold to enter hives. Rest assured, the next warm day we get when temps rise above 55° F, I will be in the bee yard conducting mite washes. I hope that I am wrong, but I suspect that mite loads will be abnormally high for this time of year due to early increases in brood production. The good news is that treating for mites this early in the season allows for more options than most other times of the year. Temperature dependent products such as Thymol and Formic Acid just might provide the necessary control of mites needed in this “odd” year. Stay tuned to the Clemson Apiculture Facebook page. I will post my results there. https://www.facebook.com/ClemsonApiculture

 

 

Beirniad sioe fêl – Judge of Honey Shows

Several years ago, my mother began tracing our ancestry, mainly to determine which of our ancestors were the first to come to the United States. What she learned was quite interesting. One side can trace its American roots to the pre-revolutionary period, and that she likely qualifies as a Daughter of the Revolution. That is pretty cool (in my opinion), but it’s the other side that intrigues me even more, and that is the lineage of my grandfather George Merle Powell.

The surname “Powell” is derived from “ap Hywel,” which means “son of Hywel” in the Welsh language, Cymraeg (pronounced “kəm ra ig”). We were able to trace our lineage back to medieval Wales. “Son of Hywel” refers to Hywel Dda, a benevolent and well-respected ruler in late 9^thcentury Britain. He unified the territories known today as Wales and established the well-respected Welsh Law, much of which remains codified today. His name is translated as Hywel the Good, and he was known for compassion, the recognition of women’s rights, and the right of the people to self-govern. Hywel Dda was a diplomat that found balance in feudalistic Britain by cooperating with English monarchy while maintaining a unique Welsh identity.

The Welsh have long been known for their independence. During the Norman Conquest (ca. 1066), which resulted in the absolute demolition of English nobility, Welsh rebels staged uprisings, such that William the Conqueror never had complete control over the region. William’s solution was to erect magnificent castles with heavy fortifications in the Welsh territory, architectural icons that still stand today. After the Norman dynasty waned in Britain, King Edward I was determined to unify Britain and force his authority over Scotland and Wales. He hammered the rebellious Scotts, killing their iconic leader, William Wallace (anyone remember the movie “Braveheart”). To subjugate the fiercely independent Welsh, he named his first-born son “The Prince of Wales,” a tradition of the English monarchy that continues today.

You might ask, “What does this have to do with beekeeping?” Well, even though King Edward I may have forced English rule on the Welsh, he may have inadvertently laid the groundwork for establishing the tradition of honey judging in Britain. About 700 years ago, Edward I codified in the charter of the town of Conwy in North Wales that the 13^th of September shall be the annual honey fair. The town was to open its gates to the honey producers of the region so that they could sell their goods free of charge. This annual event continues today along with many others just like it across the British Isles.

This is not to say that Conwy and the English can lay claim to the first honey festival. Assuredly honey festivals and shows have been happening anywhere honey is produced, especially across Europe, the Mediterranean, and, more recently, in the Americas and Asia.  Anywhere fine foods are present, rest assured that critics will follow, and the same goes for honey. After all, honey producers need methods for showing their customers that they sell the highest quality honey. The result was that honey shows and methods for judging honey products were developed to help producers market their products as authentic, safe, and reliable.

Honey judging is a time-honored tradition, and most beekeeper associations around the world offer “honey shows” where honey producers submit samples of their products for judgement. To avoid bias, judges have developed systems for objectively critiquing honey submissions.  I found it interesting to learn that there are many different systems for judging honey. To quote Nancy Simpson, one of South Carolina’s certified honey judges, “The honey judge systems remind me of karate institutes. There are different “schools” with different “Masters.” Having binged on the new Netflix show “Cobra Kai” with my boys, I think I understand what she means. While there are different approaches to teaching karate (or judging honey), the goal is to culture the highest quality students (or honey) through education and constructive criticism and to recognize achievements with awards through friendly competition.

The South Carolina Beekeeper Association follows the Welsh Honey Judging (WHJ) system. At first, I thought, ”AHA!” Perhaps there is a historical link to medieval Wales and the tradition of honey shows that started there. Maybe it is clandestine that my Welsh roots would lead me down the path to beekeeping. So, I took the queen-line jar that said “drink me,” and dove down the rabbit hole.

What I learned was that the WHJ system is based off of the British Honey Judging system and has been used by the Welsh Beekeepers Association for its honey shows. This is why Welsh honey judges adorn a badge that bears the red dragon of the Welsh flag and the motto Beirniad sioe fêl, which means “Judge of Honey Shows” in the Welsh language. The WHJ system closely resembles the standards of the British Honey Show, which is known to be one of the most rigorous and respectable systems in the world.

With the help of Dr. Keith Delaplane of the University of Georgia, Michael Young, apiculturist at the University of Belfast in Northern Ireland and senior honey judge at the British Honey Show, brought the WHJ system to the United States in 2001 at the Beekeeping Institute at Young Harris College. Since then, training of Welsh Honey Judges has been a part of the Institute. The number of certified Welsh Honey Judges has grown in the US, and the WHJ system has spread beyond Georgia, adopted by Florida, Alabama, Maryland, Ohio, and South Carolina.

South Carolina established the Welsh Honey Judge Academy in 2019. Since that time, there have been at least eight judges trained. Aided by the experience of senior judge, Steve Genta, South Carolina’s Welsh honey judges are diligently working to improve South Carolina’s honey shows and provide education about honey bee products. In fact, the spring meeting of the SC Beekeepers Association is themed “From Flowers to Fare” and will offer a special opportunity for beekeepers to learn how to diversify the products they offer to consumers. In addition to an expanded honey show that will include an artisan show, a special training session on Friday the 25^th will be dedicated to “Notions, Lotions, and Potions.” It will include demonstrations of how to make balms, lotions, tinctures, and an array of other products from honey, beeswax, and propolis.  Also, the honey judge team offers training through the academy for other aspiring honey judges. Perhaps you are interested in helping to improve the quality of South Carolina’s honey bee products and maintain the integrity of the honey produced here. To learn more about SCBA’s honey judging system visit https://scstatebeekeepers.com/sc-welsh-honey-judging-academy-2/.

While honey judging is an important method for beekeepers to self-regulate and protect the integrity of the products they produce, It is not the only way the South Carolina honey producers are protected. Honey production and sales are regulated by the SC Department of Agriculture (SCDA). Laws are in place to ensure that honey brought to market is safe for consumption and authentic, and the Food Safety Compliance division of the SCDA is charged with enforcing the honey law. All SC honey producers, no matter what scale, need to familiarize themselves with the honey law and regulations, even if they harvest small quantities for themselves, friends and family. The good news is that this will also be addressed at the spring conference. Maddison McKenna, regional inspector with the SCDA, will give a presentation on what is required for honey producers to bring their products to market.

 

 

 

Henbit deadnettle… sorry, this is not a character from a Harry Potter novel

Fields, roadsides, and yards across South Carolina are soon to be blanketed in pink as a prolific winter plant begins flowering this month. Lamium amplexicaule, more commonly known as henbit deadnettle (henbit for short), is a very common winter annual plant that thrives in disturbed soils statewide. Although it most likely originated in the Mediterranean region of Europe, it has spread worldwide to every continent except Antarctica. Though it is exotic to North America, it is often considered to be a relatively beneficial plant because it grows when other plants are dormant, and it provides food for pollinators and grazing animals.

Henbit is easily identified by its short stature (<18 “ tall), sprawling growth habit, lobed leaves that are clustered at the tips of square stems, and distinctive pink, tubular flowers. A member of the mint family (Lamiaceae), henbit shares the bright aroma common to other members of the family which includes plants such as peppermint, catnip, and basil. Henbit is edible raw, cooked, or in a tea, and there are claims that it provides medicinal benefits. Henbit also is an excellent forage for livestock and actually gets its name from the observation chickens pecking at it. Despite its exotic origin and ability to spread, it is generally considered to be a beneficial plant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is definitely a beneficial plant for honey bees. While it has been reported to provide nectar that is used by long-tongued bees and hummingbirds, the real benefit to honey bees is the ample pollen it produces during a time of year when honey bees are increasing brood production and need a source of protein-rich pollen. A vivid red or bright pink, the pollen is very distinctive, and it is usually quite easy to determine if your colonies are collecting henbit pollen by watching entrance activity or inspecting frames of bee bread.

Henbit is considered a weed in certain situations. It can be aggressive in lawns, and it competes with other winter crops such as wheat, oats, and canola. Broadleaf herbicides are often used to control it. These compounds are not normally a problem for honey bees so long as they are not applied while bees are actively in the field. The good news is that foraging tends to be restricted to the middle of the day thanks to cool morning and evening temperatures, so we recommend for herbicide applications to be done in early morning or late evening while the bees are still in the hive. Once the herbicides are dried on the surface of the plants, they are not easily pick-up by bees. Usually shortly after an herbicide application, henbit stops producing pollen and nectar and is no longer attractive to the bees.

 

 

Queen reproductive failure has been reported as a contributing factor to honey bee decline. Understanding the microscopic structure (histology) of the queen’s reproductive system is essential to understanding why and how the organs and tissues involved in egg production fail. A recent investigation using photomicrographs provides some of the most detailed images of the queen’s reproductive organs of to date.

Ivanna V. Kozii, Sarah C. Wood, Roman V. Koziy & Elemir Simko (2022) Histomorphological description of the reproductive system in mated honey bee queens, Journal of Apicultural Research, 61:1, 114-126, DOI: 10.1080/00218839.2021.1900636

 

Sodium butyrate, a compound common in legumes (beans/peas), has been shown to reduce or reverse the adverse effects caused by infection of deformed wing virus in honey bees.

Tang et al., Real-time monitoring of deformed wing virus- infected bee foraging behavior following histone deacetylase inhibitor treatment. iScience 24, 103056
October 22, 2021 https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.isci.2021.103056

 

Hygienic behavior where worker bees remove larvae that are infected with deformed wing virus is thought to be an important methods for bees to control colony decline, but assessment of how the virus is spread has determined that removal of infected larvae may actually spread DWV.

Posada-Florez, F., Lamas, Z.S., Hawthorne, D.J. et al. Pupal cannibalism by worker honey bees contributes to the spread of deformed wing virus. Sci Rep 11, 8989 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88649-y

 

Check the SC Master Beekeeper Program website for a certified course near you. Many courses occur during the winter season. https://scstatebeekeepers.com/master-beekeeper-program/

Feb. 8, 2022. 6 PM     We have revised the SC Master Beekeeping Program’s certified level training presentations and will offer a web meeting to introduce instructors to the new schedule and slide set.  If you are an instructor that would like to offer the certified level training this year, we encourage you to attend this web meeting to learn about the new format and presentations.  Please preregister to attend this web meeting at https://clemson.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMvcOisrTIvE9Rk3793_0ggD3pMCofCjlBL

Feb. 15, 2022. 6 PM   Web meeting for the Clemson Honey Bee Forage Phenology Project.
We have launched a project using iNaturalist to track blooming of honey bee forage plants in SC. This informational web meeting will discuss the project and how to submit photos of plants in bloom to the project to help us update our bloom charts. The meeting is open to anyone at https://clemson.zoom.us/j/98402881341?pwd=SWw2bHZER2hBTDNWU0JUeTdxRktHdz09

Feb 25^–26, 2022          Spring meeting of the SC Beekeepers Association. This year’s spring meeting will be expanded to two days. The theme will be “From Flowers to Fare” and will include hands-on demonstrations of lotions/potions and planting for honey bees as well as keynote speakers and other presentations covering honey bee nutrition. Early bird registration ends on February 4^th, so register now at  https://scstatebeekeepers.com.

April, 2022                  Introduction to Beekeeping virtual training and field days at the Clemson apiaries. More information will be provided on the Clemson Apiculture facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ClemsonApiculture and at your county Extension office.

 

 

 

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