Category: Uncategorized

How I long for the day when I can open this newsletter with news that we have resumed all normal operations, but, sadly, this is not the case. Six months in, and little has changed with regard to COVID-19 and our program operations.  Extension offices remain closed to the public, but the good news is that virus statistics are trending in a desirable direction.  Perhaps we will begin to see the state authorities loosen restrictions on in-person trainings and gatherings soon. Meanwhile, all Clemson staff have been asked to get tested for COVID-19 before returning to university facilities and extension offices.

Extension is still operating at 100%, albeit mostly virtually.  The Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program likewise has expanded its virtual repertoire.  We have been hosting virtual meetings and delivering presentations for the state and local beekeeper associations, and we are working to offer more formal trainings through our Zoom meeting platform.  Ben Powell, the program coordinator, has given several presentations on wax moths, pesticides and pollinators, hive beetles, and native pollinator conservation, and we have plans to offer many more in the coming months. Please contact Ben if you would like for him to present to your local association virtually.

The most exciting announcement is that we have coordinated with the South Carolina Master Beekeeper Program to offer a much-awaited Journeyman Prep Course in October.  This will be a live, online series of lectures provided by South Carolina’s own journeyman and master beekeepers.  These experienced beekeepers have successfully passed the journeyman exam and will teach participants what they need to know to pass the exam. Registration is open now for any certified beekeepers that aspire to take the journeyman exam. Register online at https://scstatebeekeepers.com/journeyman-online-prep-course-information/.

We also are working on an Introduction to Entomology course for SC Master Naturalists and Master Gardeners.  This will be a condensed version of the Intro to Entomology course that is available to students enrolled at Clemson University.  It will not be a college credit course, but it will cover much of the same material and counts towards advanced training for master gardeners and master naturalists.  More information will be available once we set the dates for that program.

We hope that everyone can enjoy the cooler weather that comes with the approaching Autumn season and that your beekeeping operations are well prepared for the coming winter.  This is my favorite time of year. Pollinators are most active, and outdoor activities are pleasant and bountiful.  I hope that you can take some time to stop, reflect upon the year, and admire Nature as she hurries to prepare for the coming winter.

Kindest regards,
Ben Powell
Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program Specialist

The only thing predictable about September in South Carolina is that it is unpredictable.

September marks the beginning of the transition from the sweltering heat of summer to the cooler, drier days of fall. From year to year and week to week, September can be unpredictable, and changes come abruptly.  Some years September is no different than August, hot and humid.  In other years, September is punctuated by cold fronts that bring cool air into the area after they pass and hot, humid tropical storms that remind us that the summer has not quite released its grip yet. One week can feel like summer and the next like fall, and this year September appears to be bringing cooler conditions across the state.

Cooler conditions and shorter days should be driving honey bees to work vigorously to prepare for winter. Colonies will make a mad dash to collect nectar and pollen this month and next, so this is a very critical time.  Cotton and soybeans are already in peak bloom, and goldenrods and asters are ramping up in the coastal plain. The steady supply of moisture this summer should have supported the growth of fall-blooming plants and hopefully will result in a bountiful fall nectar flow for most areas in the state. The bees’ ability to collect winter stores and grow the winter workforce this fall will determine their winter survival, so the forager workforce active now will largely determine if the colony survives or starves this winter.  Colonies that are weak now will be more susceptible to failure this winter. This is where the beekeeper’s management becomes critically important.

Beekeepers need to be checking the weights of hives.  Most colonies should begin to add weight this month as the fall nectar flow begins. Also, beekeepers should watch the activity at the hive entrance.  Foragers should be coming and going vigorously this month and next and should be carrying pollen. Low activity at the hive entrance may indicate a weakening colony, and further investigation is needed. It is best to avoid disturbing colonies during the fall nectar flow so as not to disrupt foraging, but if the colony is not adding weight and has limited entrance activity, then it is wise to inspect for pests, especially small hive beetles, and to check the egg and brood pattern.  Although the queen is not normally laying as vigorously now as she did prior to the spring nectar flow, she should still be laying multiple frames of eggs, and the colony should have multiple frames of capped brood and eclosing young bees.  The bees eclosing this month will be next month’s foragers, which will supply the food to get the colony through the winter.  If a colony has a weak queen or is queenless this month, it will not survive unless it is either combined with another colony or is requeened.  If a colony has gone queenless, it is too late to allow them to raise their own. The colonies will begin removing drones soon, and virgin queens will probably not be mated well if at all.

Small hive beetles have been very problematic this year as reported by numerous beekeepers across the state.  This can probably be attributed to the high soil moisture from high humidity and excessive rainfall this summer.  August and September are the peak months for small hive beetle activity as the eggs laid earlier in the summer have completed development and are now adults seeking new hives to infest.  We have learned a lot about small hive beetles since they first arrived in South Carolina in 1996. The full extent of their biology and management is too much to cover here.  Thankfully, due to the work of my predecessor, Dr. Wm Michael Hood, and several other dedicated researchers and inventive beekeepers, we have very detailed publications and management guides available.  There is no need for me to rehash the knowledge these publications already contain. For the most complete review of small hive beetle biology and control, I encourage beekeepers to obtain a copy of Dr. Hood’s book, “The Small Hive Beetle,” which is available for purchase from several bee equipment vendors.  There are also a number of free Extension publications provided by apiculture programs at most of the southeastern land grant universities (U. Florida, UGA, NC State, etc.), but the first and most thorough was Clemson’s Handbook of Small Hive Beetle IPM available in the Bee Health section of eXtension.org (https://bee-health.extension.org/handbook-of-small-hive-beetle-ipm/).  This publication is in need of updating (I’m working on it) because it pre-dates the use of entanglement cloths and some of the new IPM bottom boards, but it still contains an excellent review of this pest’s biology and general control.  I encourage every South Carolina beekeeper to download and read this publication.

Last, varroa mites, the ever-present threat, will have peaked in late summer.  Beekeepers should have been monitoring mites and treating or managing for them to disrupt their population growth in the summer months so as to enter the fall with strong colonies ready to take advantage of the fall nectar flow.  Treating for mites during the fall nectar flow may disrupt the bees, so beekeepers might consider waiting until later in the fall to treat for varroa mites unless the colony is already experiencing severe Parasitic Mite Syndrome as evidenced by high mite counts (more than 3 mites/100 bees), deformed wing virus, and snot brood.  Delaying mite treatments until later in the fall (oct/nov) works very well with organic acid treatments (oxalic or formic) which are much more effective when mites are not concealed under the caps of sealed brood. Frosty nights will slow brood production forcing the mites to become phoretic, meaning that they will be exposed on the adult bees and no longer protected under cappings. While on the adult bees, varroa mites are much more susceptible to treatments.  Learn more at the Honey Bee Health Coalition website https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroa/.

If you are not aware of how hard Susan Jones, Rosalind Severt, Hank Smalling, and Larry Coble have been working for South Carolina’s beekeepers, then you need to visit the SC Master Beekeeper Program webpage (https://scstatebeekeepers.com/master-beekeeper-program/) and look at the revisions and guidance documents they have been posting.

The South Carolina Master Beekeeping Program (SCMBP) deserves the conservation spotlight this month because of the significant strides it is making to revise and enhance the program and to overcome the severely restricting COVID-19 regulations. Initiated in 1995 by Dr. Wm. Michael Hood (Mike) of Clemson University in coordination with the South Carolina Beekeepers Association and key beekeepers such as David Macfawn, the SCMBP was developed to provide training to aspiring beekeepers and recognize their experience and achievements.  The SCMBP is a four-tiered certification program: Certified (beginner), Journeyman (intermediate), Master (advanced), and Master Craftsman (expert).  Each tier requires the candidate to gain active beekeeping experience and demonstrate proficiency through a progression of tests.  Each successive test covers more advanced beekeeping topics in greater detail. The ultimate purpose of the program is to provide a way for South Carolina’s beekeepers to objectively review their peers to determine who among them is knowledgeable, serious, and reliable. It also encourages the candidate to seek professional development and share what they have learned to advance the trade across the entire state.

For local clubs, the SCMBP is extremely valuable because it develops leaders and provides knowledgeable speakers to teach other aspiring beekeepers.  As candidates advance through the program, they are required to obtain service credits which they can achieve by giving presentations, writing articles, serving in leadership or other tasks that help to support local beekeepers. This encourages SCMBP participants to give back not only to their local associations and communities but also to the apiculture industry statewide.

Since its inception fifteen years ago, the SCMBP has had several thousand beekeepers participate in the certified level courses many of which have gone on to complete certification.  In general, fewer than 5% go on to achieve journeyman certification, and presently only 14 active South Carolina beekeepers have achieved Master level certification. Only three beekeepers are Master Craftsmen.  These advanced beekeepers are vital to South Carolina’s apiculture industry.  They provide immeasurable benefit to their fellow beekeepers and the industry as a whole.  In a time when anybody can write a blog or post a YouTube video about “their” beekeeping secrets, the SCMBP strives to ensure that its candidates provide real, practical, science-based and objective beekeeping advice and recommendations through peer reviewed education programs.  For this reason, South Carolina’s beekeepers can count on their colleagues in the SCMBP.

The rigor of testing and commitment to service in the SCMBP develops industry leaders that are extremely helpful to the Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program. Master beekeepers advise our Extension programs, serving as the voice of South Carolina’s beekeepers.  They also serve as surrogates for Extension, supporting and delivering public education and engaging local communities and beekeepers.  When local news or community leaders have questions related to beekeeping, our program will involve local SCMBP participants because they are trusted to represent beekeepers well and engage the public with the same science-based, unbiased, and objective approach that the University and Extension Service use.

COVID-19 has made operating the SCMBP very difficult.  Traditionally, trainings and testing events are held in person. The virus restrictions on gatherings have prevented these events, so the Program is shifting gears.  First, Susan Jones, the program coordinator, is scheduling testing for students that were prevented from testing in the spring when the State shut-down. If you started the program this spring but were unable to test, you need to contact here to arrange for testing. Also, the Program is pleased to announce a Journeyman Online Prep Course that will be offered in October.  You will be able to attend that journeyman training from the comfort of your home or wherever you can find internet access.  Registration is open now at https://scstatebeekeepers.com/journeyman-online-prep-course-registration-now-open/.

South Carolina needs more beekeepers to consider participating in and advancing through the SCMBP.  The knowledge that our experienced beekeepers have needs to be handed-down and built-upon to ensure that this trade remains vibrant and sustainable.  Our beginning beekeepers find great value in the certified level trainings, but the candidates that have advanced on to higher levels can attest that the motivation, the education, the recognition, and the service have made them not only better beekeepers but also better members of the beekeeping community.  Hopefully you will consider taking your beekeeping education to the next level by taking part in the South Carolina Master Beekeeping Program.

Thars gold in them thar hills (and in the flat lands too)!

The rustling of dried corn stalks, stacks of pumpkins at the roadside stand, Halloween costumes at your local general store… all are signs that Fall is lurking, but none of these announces Autumn as loudly as Goldenrod, the plant that, like a restless toddler, seems to think that its playtime when most other plants are winding-down before their winter slumber. For beekeepers, the splashes of yellow goldenrods along roadsides and field edges are welcome signs that the fall nectar flow is underway and that bees no longer must suffer the summer dearth.  For the bees, this is crunch time, the last major push to prepare for winter and overcome the thievery of humans.

Although goldenrods are generally acclaimed as both nectar producers and medicinal plants, they are often poorly understood, even among the scientific community.  Goldenrods are members of the genus Solidago, which includes more than 100 species native to North America. The exact number of species is unknown because botanists have difficulty developing a consensus.  Some species exhibit extreme polyploidy, meaning that they have many more than just two copies of each chromosome which results in highly variable traits. Modern molecular tools are showing that our understanding of goldenrods is weak at best. That being said, the primary point is that goldenrod is not just one plant but rather a collection of many species of plants with highly variable traits.  Some, like Tall Goldenrod (Solidago altissima, the SC state wildflower), grow up to 6 feet tall, while others, like Wreath

Goldenrod (S. caesia), grow to only 2 feet.  Some species like wet sites, while others prefer dry, well drained soils.  A few species prefer shady understory habitats, but most prefer mostly direct sunlight. While we usually associate goldenrod flowers with fall, a few species bloom in the spring.

All goldenrods, as with other members of the Asteraceae, are referred to as “composites,” meaning they have flowers clustered together into a composite flower that contains both ray and disc flowers.  The most recognizable composite is the sunflower which has a ring or broad, petal-like flowers (rays) around a disk of dozens or hundreds small, tightly packed flowers (discs).  Upon close inspection, you will find that each goldenrod “flower” has these samy rays and discs, but they also bear dozens or even hundreds of these composite flowers which gives them their dazzling show of color. In general, composite flowers are highly attractive to a wide array of pollinators, including honey bees, and goldenrods provide a substantial nectar source for fall foragers. An array of different beetles, flies, butterflies, wasps and bees vigorously forage on goldenrods when they are blooming, and fields containing goldenrods will be bustling with insect activity. Another feature common to all goldenrods is that they are perennial, meaning that they survive the winter as root stock.  Because they are also hardy and tolerant of disturbance, they can be transplanted and subdivided.

Goldenrods sometimes get a bad reputation among the general public.  They are often accused of causing hay fever and allergies, but that accusation is undeserved.  They have large sticky pollen grains which are carried by insects, but because their showy blooms coincide with the inconspicuous ragweeds, they sometimes get blamed for peoples’ discomfort.  Also, goldenrods are frequently referred to as “weeds,” because they are quick to colonize disturbed areas such as agricultural fields or powerline rights-of-way.  Generally, though, they take two to three growing seasons to get established at new sites, so “weed” might be a little too harsh a term.

Goldenrods have received some attention recently among horticulturists and gardeners, and several ornamental varieties are now available as seed or seedlings.  These include ‘fireworks,’ ‘golden sun,’ ‘golden fleece,’ ‘baby sun,’ and a few others.  These ornamental varieties do not spread as quickly as wild types, and are less likely to become weedy in small gardens.

I have yet to meet a beekeeper or entomologist that is not intrigued by a walk through a blooming field of goldenrods.

Drs. Humberto Boncristiani and Jamie Ellis of the University of Florida along with a cadre of collaborators announced in the journal “Bee World” that they have compiled a list of the pests and diseases afflicting Western Honey Bees worldwide and produced maps illustrating the worldwide distributions of the afflictions listed. While many of the pests and diseases will be familiar to US beekeepers because they occur here, many of the health challenges listed are only reported in other countries, and the maps help depict where they occur. The website they created very usefully provides a succinct list of honey bee maladies and provides references.  This makes learning and teaching about honey bee pests and diseases faster and more efficient.  You can view the maps and references at the website http://worldhoneybeehealth.org.
Humberto Boncristiani, James D. Ellis, Tomas Bustamante, Jason Graham, Cameron Jack, Chase B. Kimmel, Ashley Mortensen & Daniel R. Schmehl (2020) World Honey Bee Health: The Global Distribution of Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L.) Pests and Pathogens,Bee World, DOI: 10.1080/0005772X.2020.1800330

Just about everything, including honey bee research, has been impeded by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Raffaele Dall’Olio, Tjeerd Blacquiere, Maria Bouga, Robert Brodschneider, Norman L. Carreck, Panuwan Chantawannakul, Vincent Dietemann, Lotta Fabricius Kristiansen, Anna Gajda, Ales Gregorc, Aslı Ozkirim, Christian Pirk, Victoria Soroker, Geoffrey R. Williams & Peter Neumann (2020) COLOSS survey: global impact of COVID-19 on bee research, Journal of Apicultural Research, 59:5, 731-734, DOI: 10.1080/00218839.2020.1799646

Tues. and Thurs., Oct. 6^th – Nov 3^rd               Journeyman Online Prep Course
https://scstatebeekeepers.com/journeyman-online-prep-course-information/.

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.

July was an interesting month for the Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program.  We remain under restrictions that prevent in-person meetings and trainings, and I can understand why.  I, too, caught the COVID-19 virus over the July 4^th holiday, which disrupted many plans in the apiaries. My intent was to make significant increases to be able to establish apiaries at two of our Research and Education Centers.  Unfortunately, the virus prevented me from tending to the splits that I had.  The result was only a 40% success rate.  I still plan to establish those demonstration apiaries by the spring of next year.  Hopefully, we will be able to resume field trainings by that time.

Fall program plans are coming together.  There is still a lot of publication updating to complete, but we are making headway.  Also, be on the lookout for new publications on predatory hornets, Africanized honey bees, and wax moths which should be posted this month. We are working with local beekeeper associations to deliver web-based trainings for their memberships.  I encourage all local clubs that would like to have a virtual meeting to contact me if you are interested. Also, we are formalizing plans with the SC Master Beekeeper Program for a fall advanced beekeeper webinar series that will serve as a preparation course for aspiring journeyman beekeepers.  The idea is to have evening lectures offered by SC Master Beekeepers and other experts over Zoom to cover the material necessary to pass the journeyman test.  More information about this opportunity will be coming soon, so stay tuned to the Clemson Apiculture and SC Beekeepers Association Facebook pages.  Last, we will conclude the Needs Assessment survey in September.  I will make one last push to collect surveys from beekeepers and local associations that have not yet contributed.  You can find the link to the survey on the right side of our web page https://www.clemson.edu/extension/pollinators/index.html.

This week is the lead up to WORLD HONEY BEE DAY!!!  The third Saturday in August (Aug. 15^th) is designated World Honey Bee Day to celebrate honey bees, apiculture and the beekeepers who care for the world’s stock of honey bees. This insect has played a huge role in advancing the human condition, and it is well worth acknowledging the contributions it and beekeepers make everywhere, everyday!  Most of our public festivals and outdoor gatherings are curtailed because of the virus, but it does not mean that we cannot celebrate and raise awareness in other ways.  I encourage local clubs and honey bee businesses across South Carolina to make use of social media every day this week to engage your communities.  Encourage your neighbors to plant more flowers and less lawn, post recipes that incorporate honey, give out honey samples, invite folks to visit your apiaries, make videos and share stories.  Let’s show people the positive influence bees have on our communities.  Our program will be posting daily, and you are welcome to share and repost.

Kindest regards,
Ben Powell
Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program Specialist

Heat, humidity, severe thunderstorms and biting flies… yep, it’s August in South Carolina.

Most parts of the state are finally in the depths of the summer dearth, but it will not be long before this begins to change.  The agricultural areas should begin to see a bit of nectar increase as cotton and soybeans begin to bloom this month, also sunflowers in dove fields may provide some additional nourishment. Sourwood (piedmont and mountains) has just completed its bloom cycle as have palmettos in the coastal plain. The first signs of fall flowers will begin this month.  Sumac, devils walking stick, yarrows, and many of the milkweeds begin flowering this month.  Bee balm, mountain mint, joe-pye weed, and coneflowers are close to if not already blooming, and in the swamps you can find button bushes, pickerel weeds and swamp mallows in flower.  Rainfall seems to be abundant statewide this year, so it is likely that bee colonies will have enough incoming nectar to maintain but are not likely to add honey stores to the colony. For beekeepers interested in learning what might be blooming in your area, a great resource is the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center https://www.wildflower.org/collections/.

Localized conditions affect local forages, so be sure to check the weight of your colonies.  I have received several calls pertaining to colonies that have died of starvation mainly as the result of robbing.  The tendency to rob increases in a dearth, so take precautions.  Reducing entrances, installing anti-robbing screens and avoiding opening hives can help reduce robbing. Also, the days shortly after moving hives can be critical for robbing as the bees learn their new area and search for nectar sources. Robbing can be difficult to identify, but a few behaviors will indicate it is occurring.

• Activity at the entrance will be increased, and you likely will see bees wrestling and pulling each other off of the box and landing board.
• Robber bees frequently gain access through the top vent. Increased bee activity at the top vent and on the inner cover may suggest robbing.
• Robber bees will cluster at the box corners and seams following the scent of honey leaking from the seams between boxes.

Hurricane season is upon us. The glancing blow by Hurricane Isaias reminded me that we as beekeepers must prepare for both the storm and the storm’s aftermath.  With four of the last five years being some of the wettest in South Carolina’s records, punctuated by tremendous rainfall events, communities across the state have experienced widespread flooding and all of the problems that come with it, including massive emergences of mosquitoes.  Mosquito abatement programs use methods that minimize pesticide application to honey bees and pollinators, but conditions sometimes occur that result in honey bee exposure to vector control pesticides. These exposures can result in lethal or sub-lethal effects to honey bees. Beekeepers should take precautions to minimize exposure to pesticides applied for mosquito control.

• Contact your local mosquito control program to learn about your community’s program and to provide contact information and apiary locations. There are nearly 70 public mosquito abatement programs in South Carolina.  Eighteen are county-wide programs, and these are mostly the counties in the coastal plain plus around Columbia, Greenwood and Greenville. The rest of the programs are city-based programs that do not spray unincorporated areas. Each program operates and interacts with beekeepers and sensitive areas differently.  Beekeepers should familiarize themselves with their mosquito control program and develop a relationship with the program coordinator. Approach conversations with municipal employees and elected officials with the understanding that they are under tremendous pressure by the general public to manage mosquito populations. This will build mutual respect and allow you to improve the program’s awareness of apiculture.
• Register your apiaries with the Clemson Volunteer Hive Registry. Some mosquito programs and other pesticide applicators use the voluntary hive registry to notify beekeepers of pesticide applications. The registry does not show applicators where apiaries are located, but it automatically sends notifications to beekeepers with apiaries within a critical distance of the application site.  For your convenience, Clemson has developed a link to use with your mobile device to mark your apiaries. Visit https://www.kellysolutions.com/clemson/beekeepers/ to register and to access the mobile tool.
• Consider where you locate your hives. Mosquito abatement programs must respond to citizen complaints about mosquito activity. Suburban communities at the urban-wildland interface are frequently where mosquito complaints are highest. Also, the container breeding mosquito species that tend to breed in association with human developments are the same species that carry the most concerning diseases. Avoid placing apiaries in or near residential neighborhoods, during mosquito season especially July through October when afternoon thundershowers and tropical storms are at their peak. In rural areas, avoid placing apiaries adjacent to row crop agriculture because insecticide applications over crops can also be damaging.  Set hives at least 100 feet from fields with row crops, and provide notification to the farmer/landowner that the hives are nearby.
• Take safety precautions. If mosquito spraying is planned near your apiaries you can protect the bees from exposure using a number of management techniques. Mosquito insecticides used for area suppression are applied as ultra-low volume fogs (ground applications) or mists (aerial applications). While airborne it is available and active, but once it passes or contacts a surface, the active ingredient is no longer available to insects.  Small operations might consider building three-sided shelters with roofs to further protect hives from the spray. The shelter can include a tarp over the fourth side for protection on the night of the application. Mosquito applications do not normally enter hives, but bees that are bearding or washboarding on the outside may be exposed.  If the beekeeper is aware of the day the application is to occur, the beekeeper can screen entrances to lock bees inside the hives. Wet cloths laid over the hives or a water sprinkler can encourage bees to go inside the hive.  Your Extension Apiculture specialist, Ben Powell, can provide more specific guidance on protecting bees from pesticides.  Contact him at BPOWEL2@clemson.edu.
• Educate your neighbors. News coverage has most residents concerned about mosquitoes and diseases which has led to intolerance and increased pressure on mosquito control programs.  Teaching communities how to reduce mosquito prevalence by eliminating breeding sites, targeting larvae and protecting themselves with fans, screening, appropriate clothing, and repellents will increase tolerance for biting flies and reduce demand for area wide spraying.

The Richland Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) in Columbia, SC, received a federal grant worth nearly $30,000 to help an area in Southeast Richland bloom into a teaching initiative for pollinator conservation. The pollinator demonstration area at Pinewood Lake Park, which remains closed to the public because of COVID-19, includes 12 raised garden beds. Some of the beds have been planted with annual vegetables and small fruits that depend on pollinators for survival, while others are designed to provide habitat for pollinators. “This garden will model plant selection and maintenance practices that encourage pollinators,” said Anne Marie Johnson, Pollinator Garden Manager.

The $29,287 Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant was awarded through a partnership with the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. Nationwide, 21 conservation districts received funding through the Urban Agriculture Conservation Grant Initiative. Grant funding will help rehabilitate, expand and maintain the pollinator demonstration area as well as provide educational outreach opportunities to educators, small farmers, and home and community gardeners.

Richland SWCD Chairman Kenny Mullis stated, “Pollinators are facing many challenges, including habitat loss. We hope our work can help educate the community about the importance of pollinators and showcase things we can do in our own home and community gardens to support pollinator health.” Garden updates will be provided to the public through a weekly Engage Richland “Watch and Learn” video series which debuted on Aug. 5 on Richland County’s YouTube channel. The first “Watch and Learn” session was watched in its entirety by more than 800 people.

The garden includes the following plants:

SPRING BLOOMS
New Jersey Tea, Ceanothus americanus
Spiderwort, Tradescantia virginiana
Red Columbine, Aquilegia canadensis

Lanceleaf Coreopsis, Coreopsis lanceolata
Lyre-leaf Sage, Salvia lyrata

SUMMER BLOOMS
Mexican Sunflower, Tithonia rotundifolia
Annual Sunflowers, Helianthus annuus
Blanket Flower, Gaillardia pulchella
Yellow Cosmos, Cosmos sulphureus ‘Klondyke’
Scarlet Sage, Salvia coccinea
Lavender Hyssop, Agastache foeniculum
Three-leafed Coneflower, Rudbeckia triloba

Mountain Mint, Pycnanthemum virginianum
Bee Balm, Monarda fistulosa
Spotted Mint, Monarda punctata
Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea
Passion Flower, Passiflora incarnata
Butterfly weed, Asclepius tuberosa
Swamp Milkweed, Asclepius incarnata
Partridge Pea, Chamaecrista fasciculate

FALL BLOOMS
Indian Grass, Sorghastrum nutans
Anise Scented Goldenrod, Solidago odora
Smooth Aster, Aster laevis
Goldenrod, Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’
Sweet Joe-Pye weed, Eupatorium purpureum
Scaly Blazingstar, Liatris squarrosa

The garden is not accepting visitors at this time because of COVID-19, but you are welcome to contact the Richland SWCD Education Program Coordinator, Chanda Cooper, at cooper.chanda@richlandcountysc.gov for more information about the project.

It fortified the walls of Fort Moultrie and made them impenetrable to British cannon fire. Its leaves are used for basket weaving and duck blinds, and the stems are used for fuel and construction material.  It has deep cultural and historic meaning for residents of the Lowcountry and excites visitors as they approach the beach.  Our flag has borne its image since 1861, and it is recognized worldwide as a symbol for South Carolina. Yes, the palmetto tree, or cabbage palm (Sabal palmetto), is one of our most important and recognizable native species.

For beekeepers, it has even deeper meaning.  It is an iconic nectar source that renders a delectable and unique honey.  Typically peaking in June and July, the cabbage palm bloom has just ended, and beekeepers in the lowcountry, mostly in and around the ACE Basin (Ashepoo, Combahee, and Edisto Rivers), are just now harvesting honey derived from this plant. Because it follows the main spring nectar flow, it can be harvested as a “monocultural honey” and marketed as unique. In some ways palmetto honey can be described as the sourwood honey of the coast, because it blooms about the same time and produces a desirable honey that is recognizable by the public.

The term “palmetto honey” can be misleading. Cabbage palms are not the only source of palm-derived honey in the region.  The saw palmetto, Serenoa repens, also serves as a nectar source for honey bees, blooms at the same time as cabbage palms and lives in the same region in South Carolina.  Actually, saw palmettos are more abundant and probably supply more nectar than their cabbage palm cousins. Both honeys are labeled as “palmetto” honey, but the two honeys are distinct.  Cabbage palm honey tends to be lighter with citrus overtones, while saw palmetto honey tends to be darker and often described as “smoky.”  Despite the differences, both are desirable.  In fact, it has been suggested that saw palmetto honey may have health benefits for men because extracts from the plant have been successfully used for treating prostate conditions.  The health benefits of the honey have yet to be proven under any clinical trials.  Another palm, the dwarf palmetto, Sabal minor, also grows in the SC coastal plain, further complicating the situation, but dwarf palmettos bloom earlier (May-June) and do not produce large flower clusters like saw palmettos or cabbage palms.

Bloom times of saw palmettos, cabbage palms and dwarf palmettos overlap, but they tend to live in different ecosystems.  Cabbage palms are adapted for full sun and sandy soils found along the estuaries and barrier islands of the southeastern coast.  They possess a single stem that grows to 40 feet tall and can withstand wind storms.  They do not tolerate fire, but they can tolerate salt.  For these reasons they are mostly found along forest edges and beaches.  Saw palmettos are very different.  They are multi-stemmed understory plants that only grow to about 12 feet tall. They live in well-drained upland soils and are common in pine flatwoods.  They are very tolerant of fire and can handle some shade.  Dwarf palmettos prefer the heavy soils of freshwater wetlands.  They are the shortest of the three palms mentioned here. Dwarf palmettos tolerate shade, but they are not tolerant of

drought, salt or fire.  Forested wetlands in the ACE Basin often contain expansive groves of dwarf palmettos where they are the dominant understory plant in areas that are frequently inundated with water.  Although these plants do not grow together, bees forage over large enough areas that all three palms may be in the forage radius of a colony, which means that “palmetto” honey often is a blend of the species.  Saw palmettos are more abundant inland near pine plantations.  Dwarf palms also are most common in hardwood bottoms and freshwater wetlands, while cabbage palms become more prevalent near the coast. Palmetto honey may take on different characteristics based upon which ecosystem is dominant in the bees’ foraging area.

Palms are desirable landscape plants, but they can be difficult to propagate and transplant.  They are rarely planted in large quantities, but all three species are readily available at garden centers.  For more information on palm varieties, planting instructions and care, take a look at Clemson’s fact sheet on Palms and Cycads and contact your county horticulture extension agent.

Temperature fluctuations during the development of honey bee larvae can alter their behaviors after they develop into adult workers; therefore, honey bees tightly regulate temperature of developing brood.  Heat treatments (hyperthermia), a relatively new technique for controlling varroa mites, has both positive and negative effects on developing adult worker bees.
Kablau, A., Berg, S., Rutschmann, B. et al. Short-term hyperthermia at larval age reduces sucrose responsiveness of adult honeybees and can increase life span. Apidologie 51, 570–582 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-020-00743-8

Temperature fluctuations also affect drone development.  Periods of lower temperature produce larger drones.  This may be one reason why drone cells tend to be constructed around the perimeter of brood comb.
Czekońska, K., Tofilski, A. Body mass of honey bee drones developing in constant and in changing temperatures. Apidologie 51, 510–518 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-020-00738-5

Do you know what 5-Hydroxymethyfurfural (HMF) is?  Perhaps you should, because it is a contaminant that can form in stored honey and prepared sugar syrup feeding solutions.  Hydroxymethyfurfural forms when simple sugars react in hot, acidic environments, and it can affect both humans and honey bees.
Shapla, U.M., Solayman, M., Alam, N. et al. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) levels in honey and other food products: effects on bees and human health. Chemistry Central Journal 12, 35 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13065-018-0408-3

Also, HMF that forms in prepared syrups for feeding bees can cause bee mortality.  The practice of adding acids to sugar feeds for bees may increase the formation of HMF and may not be necessary.
Frizzera, D., Del Fabbro, S., Ortis, G. et al. Possible side effects of sugar supplementary nutrition on honey bee health. Apidologie 51, 594–608 (2020).  https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-020-00745-6

Researchers investigated several essential oils for controlling Varroa mites in bee hives.  They identified one, Cinnamomum verrum, the Ceyron cinnamon tree, which showed promise.
Barbara Conti, Rossella Bocchino, Francesca Cosci, Roberta Ascrizzi, Guido Flamini & Stefano Bedini(2020) Essential oils against Varroa destructor: a soft way to fight the parasitic mite of Apis mellifera,Journal of Apicultural Research, DOI: 10.1080/00218839.2020.1790790

Saturday Aug. 15^th – WORLD HONEY BEE DAY!!!

Saturday Aug. 15^th – Mite-A-Thon, Honey Bee Health Coalition

Sep-Oct – Fall webinar series for aspiring journeyman beekeepers – TBA

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.

July is upon us and little has changed in our progress to get back to normal operations. COVID cases have increased in most counties across the state, halting progress towards reopening extension offices. We remain under restrictions preventing in person programs, and the current situation appears as if it will persist for the foreseeable future.  To that end, the Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program is looking to offer more digital learning opportunities this fall. Please stay tuned for those developments, and you can stay up to date by following the Clemson Apiculture Facebook page. Priority number one right now is the revision of our current fact sheets and publications, an arduous task that requires a lot of editing and peer review.  Also, we will be concluding the needs assessment survey by the end of the summer.  If you or your fellow beekeepers have not participated in the survey, you are missing an important opportunity to direct our program development and ensure that your training needs are met.  Please go to the Google Form to complete the survey.  You can also reach it on the right-hand column of our website https://www.clemson.edu/extension/pollinators/index.html.

While National Pollinator Week (June 22-28) did not go as planned because many of the field days we were planning had to be cancelled, we did have some great engagement on the Facebook pages, and our segment on SCETV’s “Making It Grow” received a lot of great positive feedback.  We will continue using those platforms while we are social distancing.  Be on the lookout for another “Making It Grow” segment called “Hollies for Honeybees,” featuring yours truly talking about some of my favorite plants from the genus Ilex.

Many of the local bee associations have resumed meetings and are offering field trainings. For those clubs that are finding it difficult to meet, then perhaps you would like to try a web meeting. I would be happy to help your association, if you need assistance with hosting web meetings. bpowel2@clemson.edu

Kindest regards,
Ben Powell
Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Specialist

For most of the state, July is a stressful month for honeybees. Most areas will enter a dearth of nectar. High heat and humidity can make cooling the hive a significant metabolic cost, and pests are ramping up rapidly.

For the honey producers in the audience, removal of honey stores in June often leaves the bees with limited food resources in July, and beekeepers may choose to feed the bees 50:50 sugar water which provides two services: 1) food for the colony and 2) moisture to aid in cooling the hive. Most beekeepers will notice that building of new comb slows significantly, but maintaining a sugar water source may stimulate the bees to continue drawing new comb. If you are not feeding, you still need to make sure that the bees have a water source nearby. Remember, bees need to maintain the brood chamber temperature at 35° C (95° F) for optimal brood development.  When external temperatures approach 95° F, bees will vigorously seek water to carry back to the hive to cool it.  If your apiary is in a neighborhood or in town, it is critical to provide water in the bee yard this time of year to reduce the tendency of bees to visit neighbors’ pools and birdbaths.  I was tagged in a post this week asking about a “bee swarm” around an air conditioning unit.  The bees were not swarming. Instead, they were gathering water from the condensation drain, and the amount of activity had the homeowner scared to go outside, even though the bees were harmlessly collecting water.  It is also critical to make sure hives have proper ventilation.  Our high humidity forces the bees to move a lot of air through the hives to cool them. Winds from summer thunderstorms can shift covers that are not weighed-down, blocking top vents, so check your hives after storms to make sure the covers are positioned correctly.

Pests are ramping up their attacks on bee hives as we speak. It is time to conduct varroa mite checks and treat if you are so inclined. I have received an increasing number of calls about wax moths.  It might be related to higher rainfall than normal, or the abrupt end to the nectar flow that many areas have experienced.  Maybe it’s just a cyclical or natural phenomenon, but I, too, have experienced increased wax moth activity in the demonstration hives as compared to years past. I figure it is worth a discussion here.

The term “wax moth” actually applies to two distantly related moths, the lesser wax moth (Achroia grisella) and the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella).  Both species are fairly nondescript brown moths in the family Pyralidae, the main difference between the two being their relative sizes.  Full grown caterpillars of the lesser wax moth reach about 20 millimeters long while the greater wax moth caterpillar reaches 30 mm.  Both species are active in South Carolina from March through October, but South Carolina can experience warm spells in the winter that allow for some limited moth activity.  The adult moths are primarily nocturnal and enter honeybee hives at night while the bees are relatively inactive. It is a safe estimate that every hive in the state will be visited by wax moths every year and probably has eggs or developing larvae in it.

While beekeepers often think of wax moths as pests, they really are better described as commensal organisms in bee hives.  A

commensal organism is one that derives food or resources from another organism without helping it or hurting it.  (Wait! Did he just say wax moths don’t hurt honeybees?!!!)  Yes, wax moths are symbiotic organisms with honeybees and serve as decomposers of abandoned honeycomb.  They actually provide an indirect service to honeybees by removing toxin and disease-laden honeycomb that bees have abandoned.  In fact the arrival of wax moths to New Zealand many years ago resulted in the reduction of American foulbrood prevalence in the country because the wax moths recycled the old disease-ridden comb after colonies died. While wax moths will lay eggs anywhere they can in a honeybee hive, the worker bees will remove any eggs or developing caterpillars from honeycomb that is being used. Wax moths take on average 5 to 7 weeks to develop from egg to pupa, so the only way wax moths can proliferate in a hive is for portions of the honeycomb to go unused by the bees for more than a month at a time.  The solution to minimizing wax moth damage is to ensure that none of the comb goes unused for extended periods of time.

July is a critical month for wax moth management in SC.  As we enter the nectar dearth, bees will consume some of their stores.  This may open up some of the comb to wax moth attack.  Also, queens sometimes reduce their laying rate and brood production in response to limited pollen availability, which further opens-up comb to wax moths. Worker mortality is at its highest in mid summer because of predators, environmental stresses and natural physiology.  Plus, other pests, most importantly Varroa mites, begin to peak in July and August which contributes to a declining workforce in the hive.  These factors may cause portions of the comb to be abandoned for lengthy periods and provide an opportunity for wax moth caterpillars to develop.

Wax moths do not kill honeybee colonies.  They take advantage of the unpatrolled honeycomb in declining colonies. The solution to preventing wax moth damage is to make sure that the workforce can cover all of the comb in the hive.  This can be done through a variety of strategies.

• Replace declining queens. Queen longevity has decreased over recent years, and most beekeepers find they need to replace queens every 1 to 2 years to maintain vibrant colonies.  Vigorously laying queens ensures an expanding workforce which can manage the moths.
• Remove unused supers/frames from declining colonies. You may find that a colony has gone queenless or has swarmed.  Perhaps the colony is declining from Parasitic Mite Syndrome or a brood disease.  If the workforce is declining and there are frames that are not being used for brood or storage, then you need to consider reducing the cavity size to allow the remaining bees to cover the essential comb until you remedy the problem that is causing the decline.  You can constrict a two-box hive to a single deep if necessary.  You can also use a following board to reduce the cavity size in a single brood box. The tendency to swarm usually subsides by this time of year, so increasing congestion in the hive is not as big of a concern as it is in the spring. There is still a chance they will swarm if it is made too congested. Just remember to allow for room to grow once the colony begins to rebound from the decline.
• Manage pests that cause decline. Bees suffering from parasitic mite syndrome do not perform their nursing and hygiene tasks as well as healthy bees.  Varroa mites and their associated diseases account for the majority of the summer declines beekeepers experience.  In fact, last year summer losses increased to some of the highest rates ever while winter losses decreased according to the Bee Informed Partnership annual survey of colony losses.  Varroa mites continue to be a big problem, but small hive beetles also are a concern this time of year.  In-hive traps can help reduce small hive beetle prevalence. While small hive beetles are secondary pests that infest declining colonies, they can foul a declining hive and force the bees to abscond, leaving the moths to ravage the unprotected comb.
• Feed the bees during the dearth. Comb that is being filled with nectar will have bees patrolling it to transfer and dry the nectar.
• Replace aging comb every three years. The primary job of wax moths is to consume old honeycomb, so they are attracted to aged, dark brood comb more so than to new honeycomb. Removing old comb reduces the attractiveness of the hive to wax moths.

The tell-tale sign of wax moth activity is a trail of silk over the honey comb cells. Usually the young caterpillars go unseen because they burrow through the cell walls near the bottoms of the cells.  They construct silk nets over the tops of the cells to avoid patrolling bees, and this silk gives them away. If you see a silken trail, then it is safe to assume that there are other eggs and larvae waiting to develop on that frame. If you find that you have wax moths on unused frames, the simplest way of dealing with them is to remove the frames and freeze them for 24 hours to kill the moth eggs and caterpillars.  The frames can be stored under covered sheds with open sides to allow airflow, which will prevent re-infestation of the comb. The frames can be replaced into the hive once the colony rebounds from decline.

Have you met Nancy Lee Adamson? Well, you should, especially if you are interested in pollinator conservation in the southeast.

Nancy is a pollinator conservation specialist for the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service.  She works at the Eastern National Technical Support Center in Greensboro, NC, where she serves the entire eastern US on the technology transfer and assistance team.  She focusses mostly on promoting pollinator habitat conservation through Farm Bill programs. Through the Farm Bill, the federal government encourages pollinator conservation on private lands through a series of incentives programs designed to offset the costs of installing and maintaining pollinator habitat.  The programs are for land that is cultivated for production of a forest or agronomic crop to maintain conservation practices on working farms and forests.  There are a variety of programs, and Nancy can help farm owners and managers determine which programs are suitable for their purposes.  If you own or keep bees on a working farm, you should look into the various conservation programs that can improve pollinator habitat and honeybee forages on the farm, and your local NRCS office can clarify your options.

Nancy also is the southeastern region representative for the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation .  The Xerces Society is the world’s premier invertebrate conservation organization, and they focus heavily on pollinators. “The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit organization that protects the natural world through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitats. As a science-based organization, we both conduct our own research and rely upon the most up-to-date information to guide our conservation work. Our key program areas are: pollinator conservation, endangered species conservation, and reducing pesticide use and impacts.”  Xerces is mostly focused on education and provides a wealth of resources helpful to beekeepers and conservationists.  They have region specific habitat planting guides, pollinator identification tools, facts sheets on reducing pesticide exposures, and an array of other resources that you and your local beekeeper association may find useful.  For clubs that engage schools and youth groups, the Xerces Society has developed activities and resources designed for youth audiences. They provide information for conserving pollinators on working farms, in home landscapes, along roadsides and rights-of-way, across urban landscapes and throughout natural areas, and they have developed certification programs for pollinator conscious products (Bee Better Certified) and cities/campuses (Bee City USA/Bee Campus USA). Xerces is the primary sponsor of several citizen science projects such as annual monarch counts and pollinator surveys. Also, they offer webinars and other training programs.

Nancy has participated in Clemson Extension programs such as the SC Master gardener conference, and is excited to support South Carolina’s beekeepers and our mission of public education.  Perhaps when we can safely resume our annual beekeepers meetings we will invite Nancy to teach us more about the Xerces Society and the federal conservation programs that support pollinators

Well, it’s not a native, but it is worth discussing.  I saw for the first time a giant resin bee (Megachile sculptularis) in my yard this spring.  Most sightings of this exotic bee come from the upstate, but I can confirm that they are present all the way to Horry county at the coast.

The giant resin bee comes from southeast Asia (sound familiar?). It was first sighted in North Carolina in 1994.  It has since spread across most of the eastern states and extended its range as far west as Kansas.  It is considered to be an adventive species rather than an invasive species.  Adventive means that it has successfully established populations in North America but that it does not appear to cause significant problems for native species, although there is some evidence that there is direct competition between giant resin bees and our native carpenter bees.

Giant resin bees are solitary bees that nest in wood galleries. They behave much like our native mason and leaf-cutter bees which are distant relatives in the family Megachilidae. Giant resin bees are not able to excavate their own galleries, so they must use existing cavities. They often choose to use the galleries constructed by carpenter bees.  There is some evidence that giant resin bees will force carpenter bees out of their galleries, but this behavior does not appear to affect carpenter bee populations negatively.

Giant resin bees pollinate more than 40 plant species in the US, but they appear to show a preference for plants that hail from their home range in Asia.  This means that they preferentially pollinate exotic ornamental plants in home landscapes as well as some invasive plant species such as privet (Ligustrum spp.) and golden rain trees (Koelreuteria paniculata).

The giant resin bee is distinct and easy to recognize by its relatively large head and its sculptured, elongated abdomen.  They are roughly the same size and color as carpenter bees, but the elongated abdomen has very few setae (hairs) on it and is matte rather than shiny like most carpenter bees.

Giant resin bees pose little threat of stinging.  As with most solitary bees, they are not defensive of their nests, and are only inclined to sting if they are trapped.  Some people have reported “swarms” of giant resin bees, but this appears to be congregations using old, well established carpenter bee nests.  These bees are not social and do not display swarming behavior.

Management of giant resin bees is basically the same as for carpenter bees.  Because they do not actually excavate tunnels in wood, they do not usually warrant control.

Conversations at bee clubs often mention “hive strength” and its effect on controlling pests, generating honey, and supporting pollination services, but what constitutes a “strong” hive and how do you quantify it?  A German researcher proposed a simple method that can be applied to large numbers of hives.  The “Leibefeld Method” has now been translated into English and made available online.
Dainat, B., Dietemann, V., Imdorf, A. et al. A scientific note on the ‘Liebefeld Method’ to estimate honey bee colony strength: its history, use, and translation. Apidologie 51, 422–427 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-019-00728-2

This study investigated a variety of potential baits that could be used to deliver small doses of boric acid to kill small hive beetles in bee hives.  Several mixtures worked well, but all required some form of trap to prevent bees from also accessing the bait.
Stuhl, C.J. The development of an attract-and-kill bait for controlling the small hive beetle (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae). Apidologie 51, 428–435 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-019-00729-1

Most of us have heard about honey adulteration and the difficulty in identifying it and preventing it to maintain the integrity of honey crops, but are you aware that bees wax also can be adulterated.  This research project investigated a method for identifying adulterated beeswax.
Alexandra Špaldoňová, Martina Havelcová, Ladislav Lapčák, Vladimír Machovič & Dalibor Titěra (2020)Analysis of beeswax adulteration with paraffin using GC/MS, FTIR-ATR and Raman spectroscopy, Journal of Apicultural Research, DOI: 10.1080/00218839.2020.1774152

Honey has long been used as a treatment for wounds and sores because it has antimicrobial properties. While its use has waned in the era of pharmaceutical antibiotics, there is renewed interest in honey as a wound treatment as antibiotic-resistant bacteria become more common.  The use of honey in this manner is not without risks, so quality control standards must be established for medical-grade honeys.
Renée Hermanns, Cristina Mateescu, Andreas Thrasyvoulou, Chrysoula Tananaki, Frank A.D.T.G. Wagener & Niels A.J. Cremers (2020) Defining the standards for medical grade honey, Journal of Apicultural Research, 59:2, 125-135, DOI: 10.1080/00218839.2019.1693713

Most of the events scheduled for July and August have been cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19.

If your local association needs assistance holding a virtual meeting while many locations are closed to public gatherings, please contact me.

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.

Wow! As if 2020 couldn’t get any weirder and more worrisome, along comes May. An invasion of “murder” hornets, two named tropical storms and a worldwide protest later, and most of us are probably fearing what the rest of this year could possibly have in store.

Clemson University and the Extension Service have been busy developing plans for safely resuming normal campus and office operations.  Although the county offices and research centers remain closed to the public, agents and specialists are hard at work developing programs, conducting research and assisting clients remotely.  We have had to be innovative, switching mostly to online webinars and meetings and practicing social distancing while assisting constituents. As with most of you, we are looking forward to the time when we can again meet and offer trainings in person, and a plan to resume operations is in place. Extension will follow a three-phase plan to reopen to the public.  As of June first, most offices and research centers will enter phase one, which involves the return of essential personnel to offices while placing limitations on the number of staff present and accommodating high-risk employees.  Phase two, which might occur as early as June 15^th for some offices, involves the return of most extension personnel to office operations while still accommodating high-risk employees. The offices will remain closed to the public, but there may be some limited services resumed.  The final phase will be the return to full office operations and opening to the public. Determining when offices move to the next phase is at the discretion of administration.  They will use the number of new COVID-19 cases reported in the county and the decisions of county officials to determine if that office can open safely.  This may mean that some county offices open as early as July while others remain closed.  We hope that the entire Extension Service will be fully opened by the end of the summer, but an absolute opening date has not been established to allow for flexibility and safety.

The Apiculture and Pollinator program has been operating basically in phase one since the initial shut-down, working remotely and maintaining demonstration apiary operations.  I have been involved in several web-based programs (an environmental horticulture training and several web meetings for local beekeeper associations), but mostly I have taken this opportunity to review and update old publications and to write new ones for the website. The arrival of “murder hornets” to North America created a viral sensation that consumed the Program for a couple of weeks with a flood of calls, emails, and specimen identifications from concerned citizens.  The initial hype has subsided, but it brought a larger issue to our attention which I will address in this month’s “Conservation Spotlight.”

We have regrettably had to cancel many of our program plans due to COVID.  We miss not having the Charleston Honey and Bee Expo, hosting the Journeyman course in Conway or having the in-service training we had planned for a group of excited extension agents. We are disappointed that we will not have the SC Beekeepers Association summer conference or be able to offer the field trainings we were planning for this year’s Pollinator Week (June 22-28), but we are making plans to offer other opportunities and reschedule events for the fall.  I hope that you will stay tuned into the Facebook page (@ClemsonApiculture) for announcements.

Many local associations have had to cancel their monthly meetings because of COVID restrictions.  The Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program would be happy to help host virtual meetings for your association if you would like to continue meeting.  Please contact me if you would like to give it a try. BPOWEL2@clemson.edu

Kindest regards,
Ben Powell
Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program Specialist

May historically is South Carolina’s driest month of the year, and it was shaping up to provide a stellar nectar flow this year.  April seemed to progress slowly because of persistent rains and low soil temperatures, but the moderately cool temperatures and steady flow of moisture in early May was making for excellent growth conditions across much of the state.  Then tropical storm Arthur hit followed abruptly by Bertha, two named storms in the course of ten days confounded by an entire week of overcast and humid conditions between them. As Bertha moved through South Carolina most of the state received large volumes of rain on soils that were already saturated.  Farms reported crop losses, many rivers peaked into flood stage where they remain and many areas experienced an abrupt end to the nectar flow.  Some colonies (including my apiaries in Horry county) began consuming the honey they had stored in April, making for a modest honey crop at best. The effects seem to be most pronounced in the coastal plain, but beekeepers statewide have made similar observations.  This year is expected to be an active hurricane season with as many as 22 named storms predicted.  Perhaps this will provide moisture through the summer and minimize the dearth, but that remains to be seen.

Now is the time to remove filled honey supers, if you have not already. If your location is experiencing a severe and prolonged dearth from the excessive precipitation in May, then your bees may be consuming what they had stored, especially if we maintain these overcast and rainy conditions.

Now also is the time to get your hive pest control strategies ready to go.  Wax moths and small hive beetles are already active and will become more prevalent over the coming months.  While strong hives with 4-6 frames of brood per hive body have no trouble keeping moth and beetle larvae at bay, colonies that are declining will likely begin to develop infestations as the adult moths and beetles begin laying eggs. It is likely that wax moths have already laid eggs in honey supers even in strong hives, and the caterpillars will be free to ravage the drawn comb after extraction if you do not take precautions to protect the drawn supers.  Some methods for controlling wax moths in stored supers are 1) freezing frames, 2) placing supers in sunny, well ventilated locations or 3) using Paramoth or other approved fumigants on stacked supers.  Old comb is much more attractive to wax moths than new comb, so it is wise to replace wax foundation after three years of use.  This also helps control pesticide exposure and brood diseases resulting from old comb.

Small hive beetles are more interested in the stored bee bread and bee larvae, so they are less of a concern in extracted honey supers.  They are definitely active now.  Look for multiple small hive beetles along top bars and inner covers when you start your inspections.  You need to consider installing traps for them.  There is a wide array of trapping options, too many for me to detail here.  Perhaps we will delve into that in the next newsletter. For more information on small hive beetle biology and trapping, visit https://www.clemson.edu/extension/pollinators/apiculture/fact_sheets_publications/small-hive-beetle.html.

More importantly, it is absolutely critical that SC beekeepers begin monitoring for varroa mites as soon as the honey supers come off.  There are very few treatments that can be applied to hives when honey supers are present, but as soon as the supers are removed, the options for treatments expand.  Also, this is the time of year when mite numbers begin to rise exponentially. Although there is still some debate about what the acceptable treatment threshold should be, most specialists are settling on the 3 mites per 100 bees ratio. Others advocate that mid-summer mite tests do not account for the mites on the brood and that thresholds should be lower.  There also is not a consensus on how many times to treat or what compounds to use.  Recent research has shown that the viruses that the mites are transmitting are actually the colony killers, so your treatment threshold may be based more upon evidence of twisted wing virus or chronic bee paralysis virus than by mite counts, although there is a strong correlation between high mite numbers and these detrimental viruses.  That being said, the Honey Bee Health Coalition has developed a decision tool to help beekeepers to answer if, how, when and what to consider for varroa mite control. Beekeepers are strongly urged to visit the site and review the Varroa guide, the management decision tool, and the presentation made available for bee clubs.  In fact, if your club is not meeting because of COVID restrictions, playing the video over a zoom meeting would be an excellent way to engage your members while you are social distancing.  If you need assistance, I would be happy to help.

For the treatment-free contingent of SC beekeepers, it is still critical to monitor for mites.  Even if you have varroa sensitive hygiene genetics in your colonies, it does not mean that they are mite free.  It also does not mean that the viruses associated with Parasitic Mite Syndrome are not present.  If you insist on treatment-free colonies, then this is a critical time to conduct a brood break.  Naturally, colonies would have just swarmed, both the parent colony and the daughter colony will experience about a month of brood break. You can mimic this condition by caging, separating or removing/replacing queens. Also, treatment-free beekeepers quite possibly will experience higher virus loads, more declining colonies, and higher colony losses than beekeepers that treat for mites. Honey bee genetics have come a long way in recent years, and promising strides are being made with regard to Varroa resistance. Perhaps western honeybees will develop equilibrium with varroa mites eventually, but they are not there quite yet, and honeybees have not developed much immunity to the viruses yet.

Last, most successful beekeepers learn that young, vigorous queens raise vibrant, active colonies which are able to fend off diseases, pests, and environmental stresses better than older queens with idling colonies.  Beekeepers should learn to rear their own queens in order to replace their aging stocks.  Small hobby beekeepers may find that purchasing new queens each year is sufficient yet expensive, but most sideliners and commercial beekeepers quickly learn that they need a supply of replacement queens.  Anytime in the spring up to now is the time of year to begin preparing for queen production.  There are a wide array of methods, some are best for hobbyists needing only a few queens while the Jenter and Doolittle methods allow the beekeeper to produce large numbers of queens.  The Ohio State Beekeepers provide a good overview of queen rearing methods in their Queen manual, but no method of learning how to rear queens beats trying it under the supervision of an experienced queen rearer.

INVASION OF THE MURDER HORNETS

I awoke that Sunday morning to a headline from the New York Times: “Murder Hornets in the US!”  I immediately thought to myself, “Crap! Well, there go my plans for this week,” and I wasn’t wrong. Sure enough, a viral flurry of social media and local news picked-up the story.  Next thing we knew, everyone was seeing ‘murder hornets’ everywhere, even here in South Carolina.

The NYT story was actually old news.  Asian giant hornets were found in North America for the first time in the fall of 2019, but the NYT slapped the name “murder” on it, and it went viral.  Personally, I had never heard anyone refer to asian giant hornets (sometimes called Japanese hornets) as ‘murder’ hornets, so I went looking for the origin of the term. It appears to relate to an obscure comment a scientist made to describe the carnage asian giant hornets inflict on colonies of western honey bees.  While the term ‘murder hornet’ congers all sorts of menacing thoughts, especially for anyone already suffering from entomophobia, rest assured it is not an accepted name because it is obviously misleading in many ways. But, hey, that is just something we entomologists have to navigate.  There are many misleading common names for insects, like “barklice,” which are not lice at all, or sandfleas, which aren’t even insects, or how some people call cicadas locusts while others use ‘locust’ to refer to grasshoppers.  Personally, I’ll stick to the scientific names.

Asian giant hornets (Vespa mandarinia) are the largest hornets in the world, and they have a reputation for being voracious predators which can inflict a very painful sting.  They hail from eastern Asia, mainly the Korean peninsula and Japan, where they are significant pests of western honeybee colonies. Japanese beekeepers have long reported asian giant hornet attacks on managed colonies. These attacks often result in the total destruction of the colony, and asian giant hornets are considered to be one of the most significant pests of apiculture in the region. For this reason, it was alarming to learn last year that they were found in North America for the first time.

Asian giant hornets were found near Vancouver, Canada in late summer of 2019, and reports of attacks on honeybee colonies as well as a few dead hornets were recorded in the fall of 2019 and spring of 2020 in northwestern Washington state.  One active colony was found and destroyed in Nanaimo, Canada, but an asian giant hornet colony has yet to be confirmed in the US.  The Washington State Department of Agriculture has put beekeepers and the public on alert and is monitoring for this exotic hornet.  Because hornets build colonies from a single queen each year, it is likely to be later this summer or early fall before they can determine if the hornet is established in the region.

South Carolina beekeepers should not be concerned yet about the asian giant hornet.  It is on the other side of the continent and is not likely to migrate to the southeastern US any time soon. Its introduction does bring a bigger challenge to light. It demonstrates how easily new pests can arrive from overseas.  Actually, eastern beekeepers should be more concerned for the potential introduction of the yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina).  This hornet was introduced into Europe in 2004 and quickly spread to neighboring countries, where it is ravaging bee yards just like the asian giant hornet does in Japan.  Considering the amount of commerce among the eastern US, Europe and southeast Asia where the yellow-legged hornet originated, then it seems more likely that it could arrive in the southeast before the asian giant hornet.  Another hornet, the European hornet (Vespa crabro) has been in the eastern US since the mid-1800s as a result of commerce with Europe, and the yellow-legged hornet has shown itself to be proficient at thriving in the same climate as the European hornet. Consequently, almost all of the “murder hornets” seen by concerned SC residents since the NYT story ran have been European hornets which are very common all across the state.  Thankfully, the European hornet does little more than pick-off a few honeybee workers and does not attack honeybee larvae like its Asian cousins.

IMAGES CREDIT: Allan Smith-Pardo, Invasive Hornets, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org.  Edited by Ben Powell, Clemson University.

I developed a bulletin that discusses biologies and ways to differentiate the european hornet from the asian giant hornet and the yellow-legged hornet.  It is currently undergoing peer review.  Beekeepers likely will be the first ones to notice if the asian giant hornet or the yellow-legged hornet arrive in the eastern US, and hopefully this document will help them differentiate the three.  Thankfully, for now, the only true hornet you will find in the southeast is the European hornet which is not a major threat to honeybee colonies.

If you need help with identifying hornets or any other hive pests, you are welcome to send pictures to my email at BPOWEL2@CLEMSON.EDU.

What can I plant to help the bees?  This might be the single most common question I receive, both from beekeepers and from the public.  Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this question, because it involves time of year, soils, climate, space requirements, care, available equipment and so forth. There is one group of plants that I often mention in response… the Hollies (Ilex spp.).  Although hollies are rarely thought of as focal plants by landscapers and horticulturists, they are definitely focal plants for honey bees and pollinators.

Holly flowers are mostly small and inconspicuous, so hollies are planted mainly as foundation plants (hedges or anchor trees).  When they are blooming, the flowers are prolific, and hollies make up for their lack of showiness with an abundance of nectar.  Holly flowers are small and perfectly sized for a large number of our native pollinators.  The small open flowers are accessible to honeybees, solitary bees, wasps, butterflies, flies, beetles, and just about every type of insect pollinator you can imagine.  When hollies are blooming, they will be covered in an array of pollinators. Because different hollies bloom at different times, providing multiple types of hollies extends the nectar flow in your yard.

Hollies are versatile.  The genus Ilex includes many different species that are well suited for most locations in South Carolina.  There are large trees like the American Holly (Ilex opaca), mid-sized trees like the Dahoon Holly (I. cassine), large shrubs like the native yaupon holly (I. vomitoria), and smaller shrubs like the inkberry (I. glabra) or the dwarf yaupon (I. vomitoria ‘nana’).  There are even a few deciduous species like the winterberry (I. verticilata), and these are just the native hollies that are common to the nursery trade.  When you add in the hybrids and exotic varietals like the Foster Holly (I. x attenuata), the burford hollies (I. x cornuta), box hollies (I. crenata), and my favorite, the East Palatka Holly (I. x opaca) which is a cross between our native American and dahoon hollies, then the options are bountiful.  It also should be noted that in every ecosystem in South Carolina there are dozens of native hollies that are not common to the ornamental trade, such as the swamp holly (I. amelanchier), a common midstory shrub in wetlands across South Carolina.

One particular holly common to the lowcountry is known for the honey it produces.  Inkberry hollies (I. glabra), also known as gallberries, produce a light flavorful honey that rivals that of tupelo and sourwoods in the southeast.  Inkberries grow naturally in the sandy soils of the coastal plain and are mainly understory shrubs in pine flatwoods.  There are locations in South Carolina such as the Francis Marion National Forest where longleaf pine savannahs are maintained using prescribed fire.  These areas often produce large expanses of inkberry hollies. Because inkberries bloom towards the end of the nectar flow (May-June), savvy beekeepers can collect monofloral honey from this productive plant.  Wild inkberries have a loose branching structure and fewer leaves than other hollies, so they have not been used much in landscaping.  That has changed with new varieties that are available.  Varieties such as ‘gembox,’ ‘strongbox,’ ‘densa,’ ‘shamrock’ and others make excellent alternatives to boxwoods and dwarf hawthorns, which are now suffering from unmanageable blight diseases.

Hollies perform many duties.  Besides being excellent nectar plants, hollies are excellent foundation plants for home landscapes, hedgerows for field margins, and understory forest cover. They provide preferred nesting sites for many native birds, and some hollies are essential food sources for wildlife like berry-eating cedar waxwings.

Hollies require low maintenance and care.  Once established most native hollies do not require irrigation or fertilizing, and they have relatively few pests or diseases.  This means they rarely need treatments (Yay!).  If they outgrow their space, most ornamental hollies can be sheared and trimmed without harming them.  Hollies are best planted in the fall or early winter, and most prefer well drained soil rich in organic matter.  It helps to incorporate peat moss at planting. If you are interested in planting hollies, you can get more information on our fact sheet or by contacting the Extension horticulture agent in your county.

Once rare, emerging infectious diseases such as Chronic Bee Paralysis Virus are now widespread, and the symptomology are more common.  A study in England shows that the number, distribution, and intensity of cases of CBPV have risen sharply and that there is a strong correlation between new cases and imports of new bees into bee yards.
Budge, G.E., Simcock, N.K., Holder, P.J. et al. Chronic bee paralysis as a serious emerging threat to honey bees. Nat Commun 11, 2164 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-15919-0

Just because carpenter bees are solitary does not mean they are not social.  This project determined what influences social interactions among carpenter bees such as when and where they use and abandon nest sites. Ostwald, M.M., Lyman, B.R., Shaffer, Z. et al. Temporal and spatial dynamics of carpenter bee sociality revealed by CT imaging. Insect. Soc. 67, 203–212 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-020-00761-w

Nicotine, a phytochemical known to reduce gut parasites in bumble bees was tested for its effect on Nosema in honeybees, to no avail.
Hendriksma, H.P., Bain, J.A., Nguyen, N. et al. Nicotine does not reduce Nosema ceranae infection in honey bees. Insect. Soc. 67, 249–259 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-020-00758-5

Ever wonder how the floral sources of honey are identified?  There is more than one method, and new DNA techniques may provide significant advances in technology.
Ralitsa Balkanska, Katerina Stefanova & Radostina Stoikova – Grigorova (2020) Main honey botanical components and techniques for identification: a review, Journal of Apicultural Research, DOI: 10.1080/00218839.2020.1765481

Most of the events scheduled for June and July have been cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19.

• SCBA Summer Meeting (July 23/24) – cancelled
• EAS Annual meeting in Orono, Maine (AUG 3-7) – cancelled
• SCBA Journeyman Course has been postponed to the fall – TBA
• Pollinator Week June 22-28 https://www.pollinator.org/pollinator-week

4H Virtual Pollinator Camp (kits still available for Abbeville, Aiken, Anderson, Edgefield, Greenville, Greenwood, and McCormick counties).  There are only a few kits left, so please contact your 4H agent if you live in the lakelands counties and are interested in getting a kit. https://tinyurl.com/Lakelands4h?fbclid=IwAR2g0vegpa31e0Z03ryMY_c433FU33hpqdw-vyCWUjhde9E4oWtOZzIT5Ew

If your local association needs assistance holding a virtual meeting while many locations are closed to public gatherings, please contact me.

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.

Highly transmissible viruses, massive investments to find cures, concerns about crowding and global impacts with no definite end in sight… you might think I’m talking about COVID-19, but actually I’m referring to beekeeping in the 21^st century.  Thankfully, good management techniques, new treatments, and unflappable perseverance among beekeepers have allowed apiculture to survive despite new challenges. I can only imagine if we as a community approach our current health crisis with the same energy and dedication that beekeepers apply to their trade, we will overcome this virus and rebound from its impacts.

Clemson Extension and the Apiculture and Pollinator Program remain open for business despite our county offices and research centers being closed to the public. Our Agriculture Service Lab is still processing soil samples and other testing services, our agents are still taking calls and offering programs, and our researchers continue to conduct vital research. Our agents and specialists are taking this time to create and update our digital education resources and offer as much programming as possible through online platforms.  We recently launched our Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program (CAPP) website and will continue to add content to the website over the next month.  This time of social distancing allows us a chance to review and update the old fact sheets.  We also are looking into providing some digital meetings and trainings for local beekeeper associations.  We encourage SC beekeepers to check the website regularly and like the @ClemsonApiculture facebook page for announcements.

In response to restrictions issued by SC government, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture has provided guidance for the state’s producers, including beekeepers.  Growers (and beekeepers) are determined to be essential and should continue operation while instating social distancing and hygienic behavior recommendations.  For beekeepers with employees, the SCDA has issued a letter of determination and a notice of essential agriculture employee that should be signed and given to employees in case they are questioned by law enforcement.  These resources are available at https://agriculture.sc.gov/coronavirus/.  Also, Clemson has compiled COVID-19 resources for agribusinesses at https://www.clemson.edu/extension/agribusiness/covid19.html.

Let me leave you with these words of encouragement.  You as beekeepers perform an essential service to our communities.  The products your bees produce, the services they provide and the education and outreach your businesses and associations provide to your neighbors make this a most noble trade.  Take this time to tend to your apiaries and enjoy being among your bees.  For us in Extension, we are seeing a surge in interest in home gardening, urban farming and locally-sourced foods now that people are spending time at home and grocery supplies are strained.  We hope that this presents an opportunity for beekeepers and other local producers as our communities pay attention to the value of local growers that provide for their communities.  Perhaps we will become better neighbors and rekindle our connection with the land.

It’s not Christmas time, but it is “the most wonderful time of the year!” Warm air and longer days have triggered a bevy of flowers and a collage of natural color. Nectar and pollen are plentiful, and bees dash in and out of hive entrances, driven to make the most of the bounty that Nature provides.

For most of the state, the concern for starvation has abated.  The higher elevations in the extreme upstate may continue to provide limited nectar sources into mid april, but, for the most part, bees have plenty of food available this month all across South Carolina.

The greatest management concern for beekeepers in April is swarming. I say management concern from the perspective of a beekeeper that intends to harvest honey or sell bees.  Swarming is a natural and beneficial behavior for honey bees, but it does interrupt productivity for the entrepreneurial beekeeper. Healthy colonies will approach or reach peak population this month, which means that most of the colonies that are likely to swarm this month have already begun preparations by the time this newsletter is complete.  Advanced colonies may have already made the natural split.  Methods to control swarming fall into three categories 1) prevention, 2) intervention or 3) recapture.  Preventative strategies are designed to alter the conditions that trigger swarming.  These include providing more comb for brood rearing and honey/pollen storage, reversing/rearranging brood chambers to encourage full use of the entire comb, replacing filled brood comb with open comb (and using the brood to bolster weaker colonies), and replacing older queens with new queens to improve pheromone distribution among the colony.  Once preparations to swarm have begun, then intervention strategies can be used.  These include making splits (which mimics the swarm event), removing queen cells, clipping the queen’s wings, and separating the queen from developing brood (Demareeing).  Last, despite a beekeeper’s best efforts, some colonies insist upon swarming. Beekeepers should always carry swarm capturing equipment with them this month to capture swarms when they are found. For more details on these methods, review the Swarm Control Fact sheet developed by the Mid-Atlantic Apiculture Research & Extension Consortium (http://agdev.anr.udel.edu/maarec/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Swarm_Prev_Control_PM.pdf). For a very detailed guide to managing brood arrangement and other swarm management techniques, read the guide authored by Wally Shaw and published by the Welsh Beekeepers Association (http://www.wbka.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Swarm-Control-Wally-Shaw.pdf). Also, Meghan Milbrath provides a great review on swarm management in April edition of the American Bee Journal.

If you have not added honey supers, you are behind schedule. If you use queen excluders, they should be applied when adding supers. If you have screened bottom boards, they should be open.  If you have entrance reducers, they should be removed from strong hives.  If you plan to make splits, now is a good time.  Taking into account that most varroa mite treatments are much more effective when the colony has little or no capped brood, then it makes sense to treat newly installed packages after they have begun to draw new comb but before they develop capped brood which typically occurs in the third week after the package is installed.  Because these new packages will not be producing harvestable honey this season, then your treatment options are wide open. If you are considering treating established honey producing hives for varroa, then your options are extremely limited to formic acid (MiteAway quick strips, FormicPro) or hops beta acid (Hopguard II). These are the only treatments that can be applied when honey supers are present. Use the Honey Bee Health Coalition’s Varroa Decision tool to determine the treatment options for your particular situations (https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/varroatool/). Most honey producers will wait to treat for varroa mites after they have removed honey supers. Other than that, this month is about providing your colonies with enough room to store the nectar they will be collecting.

TENDING HIVES IS SAVING LIVES

Wes Bromer, retired submarine chief for the US Navy and former president of the SC Beekeepers Association, was not quite sure what he had volunteered to do when he answered a request to visit the Allendale Prison. Now, eight years later, he can’t stop talking about it, and he returns weekly to help mentor their inmate beekeeping program.

Wes will tell you that the program does not require much from him.  The inmates are motivated and thirsty to learn.  They do the work.  They self-police, meaning that they regulate each other’s behavior because of how much they value the activity and do not want it taken away.  Now that the program has been running for several years, the inmates are even teaching and mentoring newcomers.  As an added incentive, the inmates get to sell their hive products to the prison staff, and the revenue they generate goes back into the beekeeping program which helps them with business skills.  Wes mainly serves as the initial “force multiplier,” a term most military folks will know.  He teaches a few eager inmates, and they run the program.

For the warden, beekeeping and the other Better Living Incentive Community programs are dramatically improving the work environment for his staff and living conditions for the inmates.  His officer vacancy rate is the lowest in the state, and the prisoner recidivism rate (re-incarceration rate) is far below the national average. These vocational programs rehabilitate inmates with purpose and help them express themselves in constructive ways.  In the eight-year history of the beekeeping program, only one inmate has been removed for misbehavior, and only one inmate released from prison has been re-incarcerated.

The beekeeping program at Allendale has trained over 120 beekeepers, most of which are certified through the SC Beekeepers Association. Four of the inmates have become journeymen beekeepers.  This is a tremendous feat considering that the average participant in the program reads below a fifth-grade level.  Many had to learn to read before they could even take the test.

Prison beekeeping programs are growing all across the nation and are now active in Texas, Illinois, Nebraska, Washington, Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio, Georgia and South Carolina. Allendale is one of several prisons in South Carolina to develop an inmate beekeeping program. Similar programs were instituted at Perry, Lee, Broad River, Ridgeland, and Trenton Correctional Institutions, but most of these programs have been discontinued for various reasons.  The success at Allendale can be attributed to the diversity of programs offered, the mindset of the program participants, and the dedication of volunteers such as Wes Bromer.

The SC Department of Corrections is interested in building upon the success of the inmate beekeeping program.  Mrs. Mary Pauzauskie-Blackburn, the horticulture branch chief at the SCDOC, attended the 2020 SCBA spring meeting to inquire about developing similar programs at other installations.  If you or your beekeeping association would be interested in sponsoring a similar program, contact us at the Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program to learn more.

To truly witness the positive impacts that character building programs such as beekeeping are having on Allendale inmates, watch the SCETV special, “Character in Custody.” The principal inmate interviewed in the video, Geoffrey Payne, participated in the beekeeping program and keeps hives of his own after his release. https://video.scetv.org/video/character-in-custody-bty9sk/

They are huge.  They hang out around your home, and they like to get all up in your face.  Carpenter bees absolutely demand your attention this time of year.

Carpenter bees look like bumble bees, but that is where the similarities end.  Actually, carpenter bees (Xylocopa spp. and Cerotina spp.) include several species of solitary wood boring bees, but only the familiar eastern carpenter bee, Xylocopa virginica, has the yellow and black coloration like bumble bees.  This carpenter bee chews galleries ½ inch in diameter into exposed wood.  They bore into the wood across the grain for an inch or two then they turn 90 degrees and bore many inches with the grain. In early spring, males emerge from the galleries and other hibernacula (winter hiding places) to find last season’s galleries.  The males guard these areas vigorously to prevent other males from claiming them. This is the “aggressive” behavior that residents complain about each spring.  Actually, it’s all for show, because the males are harmless and cannot sting. Eventually the females become active, search for mates with protected galleries and begin reproduction.  After mating, the female largely does all of the work.  She will collect a ball of bee bread, lay an egg, and build a saw-dust partition to form a reproductive cell. She will continue this process until the gallery is filled with cells. The larvae will grow and pupate in the cell.  In late summer the developed adults in each gallery will emerge simultaneously.  These adults will overwinter individually to repeat the process the following year.

Carpenter bees are good pollinators.  Like other bees they seek pollen to feed their young, and they demonstrate moderate flower fidelity, which makes them efficient pollinators.  They also can buzz pollinate, so they pollinate closed flowers like blueberries, tomatoes and eggplants.  Carpenter bees are known to nectar rob, which means they will cut flowers from outside of the corolla to access the nectar without contacting the reproductive parts of flowers.  They typically only do this to deep tubular flowers when other flowers are limited.

Carpenter bees are notorious for the damage they cause to wood structures.  The majority of calls Extension receives is about how to eliminate these critters rather than protect them.  Our approach is to inform residents that destroying the bees is much less effective than protecting the wood.  Carpenter bees are fairly plentiful, especially near forested areas, so traps and insect sprays often provide little or no relief.  Instead, residents should paint or seal wooden structures to prevent boring and to prevent water damage and other wood destroying organisms.  If a structure is heavily infested, insecticides applied directly to holes can eliminate the individuals, but new bees will colonize the holes if they are not plugged.  Also, plugging the holes alone is not effective, because the bees will bore through the plugs.  Broadcast insecticides sprays are not very effective because they are quickly absorbed into the wood grain, rendering them inactive.

A possible remedy would be to trap and relocate the bees.  Modifying the mason jar traps with screened traps might allow the homeowner to capture the bees and keep them alive longer.  We suggest relocating the bees to forested areas at least 3 miles from the capture location.  This method may not ensure survival, but it should remove the bees from the offending area.

For more information about carpenter bees, review the article that Dr. Eric Benson and I authored for Clemson’s Home and Garden Information Center. https://hgic.clemson.edu/carpenter-bees-are-active-again/

Gut microbes that naturally occur in honey bee digestive tracts were modified to produce molecules that are part of the immune defensive response to viruses.  The modified bacteria effectively killed varroa mites that fed on the treated bees, and the virus load on the bees was greatly reduced.
Leonard, S.P., Powell, J.E., Perutka, J., Geng, P., Heckmann, L.C., Horack, R.D., Davies, B.W., Ellington, A.D., Barrick, J.E. & Moran, N.A. 2020. Engineered symbionts activate honey bee immunity and limit pathogens. Science. 367(6477), 573-576. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aax9093

All arthropods have naturally occurring pathogenic fungi that attack them.  Italian researchers explored the effects of applying Matarhizium anisopliae, a Varroa specific fungus, to infested honey bee colonies with promising results.  The fungal spores (conidia) resulted in reductions of mite loads with little effect to the honey bees.
Maria Celeste Fernandez Ferrari, Riccardo Favaro, Sieglinde Mair, Livia Zanotelli, Valeria Malagnini, Paolo Fontana & Sergio Angeli (2020) Application of Metarhizium anisopliae as a potential biological control of Varroa destructor in Italy, Journal of Apicultural Research, DOI: 10.1080/00218839.2020.1736814

Study finds that species richness of native bees is reduced around agronomic fields using neonicotinoid seed treatments but not in the way you might expect.  Wildflowers contained little or no pesticide residue, which results in little threat to bees foraging in the margins of treated fields.  On the other hand, pesticide residues in soil were elevated which affected native solitary bees that nest in the ground.
Main, A.R., E.B. Webb, K.W. Goyne & D. Mengel. 2020. Reduced species richness of native bees in field margins associated with neonicotinoid concentrations in non-target soils.  Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Environment 287:106693 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2019.106693

Most of the events scheduled for April and May have been cancelled or postponed due to COVID-19.

April 5^th Charleston Honey & Bee Expo – cancelled

April 24/25 SCBA Journeyman Course in Conway, SC  – postponed TBD

May 13-16 UGA Bee School at Young Harris  – cancelled (program will resume in 2021)

July 23/24 SCBA Summer Meeting – still “a go” for now

AUG 3-7 EAS Annual meeting in Orono, Maine – executive committee will provide a verdict about cancelling in early April.  Check EAS website for updates.

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.

Well, here it is, the first ever edition of our newsletter, CAPPings, “Happenings of the Clemson Apiculture and Pollinator Program.”  We at Clemson University are excited to write this new chapter in our legacy of beekeeper education and pollinator protection.  Along with a brand new website and an apiculture Facebook page, this newsletter is a first step in developing a completely new extension program for South Carolina’s amazing beekeepers.  The program also plans to engage the general public on the topic of pollinator protection and invertebrate conservation.  This combined approach is intended to protect the critical ecosystem services that honey bees and native pollinators provide to South Carolina.

Over this first year, our new coordinator, Ben Powell, will be working on several objectives in addition to launching the website, facebook page and newsletter.  

Needs Assessment Already underway is a needs assessment survey for beekeepers.  This survey will help guide the program to ensure we are addressing the needs of beekeepers statewide.  Ben is visiting with all of the local beekeeper associations to discuss plans for the program and to issue the survey.  The survey also will be made available on the website and over email very soon. If Ben has not yet visited your local association, please contact him to schedule a talk.

Extension Pollinator Focus Group We have convened a group of extension agents, researchers and regulatory officials to focus specifically on beekeeping and pollinator issues in South Carolina.  This group will improve pollinator education training within the Extension Service and will help guide and deliver new extension programs in apiculture and pollinator conservation.

SC Beekeepers Association We are working with the South Carolina Beekeepers Association to help with its mission to support and educate beekeepers.  This includes participating in the executive board meetings, the master beekeeper program committee, and spring and summer conferences.

Technical Trainings We plan to provide advanced trainings and citizen science projects for Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists. We are developing trainings for landowners and solar farm contractors on how to install and maintain pollinator habitat at the state’s rapidly expanding number of solar energy farms.  We are working with Soil and Water Conservation Districts on this year’s education theme “Where would we bee without pollinators?” and we are presenting at libraries, schools, professional conferences and workshops to advance honey bee and pollinator awareness.

4H Honey Bee Project The 4H Honey bee project is an independent study project for youth development.  We are working to expand participation and youth learning about beekeeping in general.

Demonstration Field Sites We are expanding our apiaries and field demonstration sites to provide more opportunities for hive and forage management education and research.

We also are working behind the scenes to address concerns with pesticides, land use changes, pests, diseases and invasive species with the intent to protect honey bees and pollinators.  We look forward to sharing more on those efforts in future editions.

We appreciate your interest in our program and encourage you to visit our new website, join our facebook page and provide us with feedback on how we can serve your educational needs and address the challenges that concern you. 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

An extremely mild and wet winter has made for interesting conditions across the state.  In some areas, spring seems to have already arrived with trees like redbuds, crabapples and black cherries in bloom, and it is only the end of February. Yellow jessamine, a principal indicator of the start of the nectar flow, is beginning to bloom. Reports from the lowcountry and midlands indicate nectar flows have begun, but warm spells intermittent with cold nights are leading to frost damage on many flowering trees.  Basically, it appears we are on the cusp of the full nectar flow.

Inside the hives the queens are laying at maximum rate, and populations are expanding rapidly.  This means that two serious management problems are likely, 1) starvation or 2) swarming.  Because it is near the end of winter and populations inside of the hives are growing rapidly, most colonies are working through their stored honey and pollen quickly.  Depending on the size of the colony and the amount of reserves they have, many colonies may be running critically low on food reserves.  If warm, sunny weather persists, then there may be enough flowers for the bees to ride-out this period until the full nectar flow begins, but we are several weeks away from the typical start of the nectar flow.  Some colonies may be one hard frost away from not having enough to eat.  For this reason, beekeepers should be checking the weights of their hives and probably should be feeding.  Several feeding methods work, including powdered sugar on the inner cover, fondant on the top bars, candy boards, or heavy syrup (2:1 sugar:water) in a division board feeder are all decent winter feeding methods.  Remember, we tend to have frosts all the way through March, so you may need to continue feeding through the next month.

The other major concern for this time of year is swarming.  Strong hives may be preparing to swarm.  There are few external signals that indicate the colony is making early preparations.  Bearding at the hive entrance even on cold, rainy days may indicate congestion in the hive which is a contributing factor to swarming.  Probably the best way to determine if the colony is in the early stages is to lift the brood box(es) and inspect for swarm cells (queen cells along the bottoms of the frames).  If you find swarm cells, then the colony has “decided” that it will swarm.  In this case, you probably should consider making an emergency swarm split by removing the queen and half of the brood comb plus a couple frames of honey/pollen and place these in a new box.  This procedure mimics the conditions that occur after swarming and can disrupt the urge to leave the hive.  It does not always work, so it also makes sense to place swarm traps.  These should not be placed right next to the apiary, rather they should be placed no closer than half a kilometer from the apiary in various directions.  A couple hints for placing swarm traps are 1) elevate them off the ground at least 5 meters, 2) place them in landmark trees, 3) make sure the trap is shaded, and 4) make sure water (stream, pond, wetland) is within 200 meters.

Last, I observed that my demonstration colonies never broke the brood cycle this winter. In this case, varroa mites are able to continue reproducing, so it will be critical to check your mite loads early this year.  There are very few treatments that can be used during the nectar flow with supers on the hives.  These include HopGuard, MAQs (formic acid), installing/removing drone frames, opening screen bottom boards, and breaking the brood cycle (a method that is not recommended for honey producers).  For more information about Varroa mite treatment options, check out the Honey Bee Health Coalition’s fact sheet.

The forthcoming spring should be an exciting time.  Hopefully you have prepared your wooden ware and are set for when spring springs!  We wish you the best in this year’s nectar flow!

For this first edition, we thought it would be best to introduce you to Brad Cavin, the apiary inspector for South Carolina.  Brad has been working to protect South Carolina’s bee operations from infectious diseases and Africanized honey bees for many years. As a Department of Plant Industry (DPI) inspector, working with beekeepers was only one part of his job duties, but that has changed.  Clemson regulatory services recognized the need for a position dedicated to the state’s growing beekeeping industry and decided to instate Brad as the full-time apiary inspector for the state.  In this roll, Brad is charged with enforcing the South Carolina Honey Bee Act and the department’s related regulations, which are designed to protect South Carolina’s bees from infectious diseases and pests.  In this position Brad oversees the regulatory activities of Clemson University’s Department of Plant Industry Apiary Inspection Service programs in South Carolina which…

• Conducts random inspection of beekeepers/queen breeders and investigate various trouble calls (swarms, mites, foulbrood, colony collapse, etc.).
• Establishes protective or restrictive quarantine(s) because of disease or deleterious exotic species; seize bees, equipment, pollen or honey, if necessary, to enforce bee laws and regulations. 
• Collaborates with Clemson University’s Apiculturist to develop education programs and practical research projects that will assist beekeepers with management of honey bee diseases, parasites, and pathogens.
• Educates the public by giving talks about bee removal and the laws that regulate the honey bee industry.
• Attends local, state and national apiculture meetings as appropriate.
• Issues certificates of inspection for queen breeders; issue certificates for exportation and importation commerce for colonies of honey bees and pollination permits.

To further assist beekeepers, Brad participates is national bee health surveys and has developed lab resources to diagnose infectious bee diseases here at the university, which greatly improves accuracy and response. We are excited to work with Brad and the Apiary Inspection Program to engage and serve South Carolina’s beekeepers.  

This month’s native is Yellow Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens), South Carolina’s state flower.  This evergreen vine is an iconic symbol for our state, chosen because “its delicate flower suggests the pureness of gold; its perpetual return out of the dead of winter suggests the lesson of constancy in, loyalty to, and patriotism in the service of the State (SC State Legislature 1929).”  No matter where you go in the state you will find it growing along roadsides and forest edges.  It is easily recognizable this time of year because it launches the spring season with a dazzling display of yellow flowers before most other trees and flowers awake from their winter slumber.  It also has a sweet fragrance that makes it desirable as an ornamental plant for gardens.

But, yellow jessamine has a dark side, especially for honey bees.  This plant is toxic.  Yellow jessamine contains alkaloid toxins in its leaves, stems, roots and even its nectar.  Despite this toxin, honey bees will forage on its nectar, because they have not evolved the ability to sense the toxins.  Occasionally, we receive reports of piles of dead bees at hive entrances in early spring, a time of year when insecticide use is uncommon.  Analysis of some of these colonies has indicated large concentrations of yellow jessamine pollen in the honey, suggesting that the bees are foraging heavily on this plant. 

It is difficult to determine how much this plant is contributing to honey bee mortality, so Clemson’s Apiculture and Pollinator Program is working with phytotoxin researchers at the university to explore ways to isolate the toxins and determine if they are present in honey in the hive.  This season we will collect yellow jessamine nectar and pollen to determine the toxin profiles and then test honey from suspected hives to determine if gelsemine poisoning can be diagnosed in bees.

For the most part, gelsemine poisoning has only temporary effects on honey bee colonies, causing a brief period of mortality in early spring.  This only occurs in locations where there are large populations of yellow jessamine and very few other nectar sources.  It appears that honey bee colonies with good winter stores and alternative forages are not affected significantly by this plant.

This section will be dedicated to discussing ongoing research projects or recent publications that we think will be of interest to South Carolina beekeepers. Here is a selection of research projects published this month.

Oxytetracycline (Terramycin) inhibits protein digestion in bees, especially when fed poor protein diets such as might be occur when pollinating a single plant species du Rand et al. Antibiotic treatment impairs protein digestion in the honeybee, Apis mellifera. Apidologie 51, 94–106 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-019-00718-4

Study finds coumophos residues in new comb and cappings constructed five months after a single treatment with CheckMite strips.  This suggests that wax from colonies treated with coumophos should not be used for making new foundation or coating plastic foundation. Kast, C., Kilchenmann, V. & Droz, B. Distribution of coumaphos in beeswax after treatment of honeybee colonies with CheckMite® against the parasitical mite Varroa destructor. Apidologie 51, 112–122 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-019-00724-6

Introducing Osmia bicornis, a commercially available mason bee, increases early fruit set in sweet cherries.  This means more consistently mature fruit earlier in the season which is an advantage to fruit growers. Ryder et al.  (2020) Impact of enhanced Osmia bicornis (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) populations on pollination and fruit quality in commercial sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) orchards, Journal of Apicultural Research, 59:1, 77-87, DOI: 10.1080/00218839.2019.1654062

Chinese researchers determined that several essential oils have acaricidal activity on varroa mites at levels that do not harm honey bees.  Two oils (rosewood and fennel) were explored further for testing as fumigants in hives and showed some promise.  These products are not approved mite treatments in the US. Zheguang Lin, Xiaoling Su, Shuai Wang, Ting Ji, Fu-Liang Hu & Huo-Qing Zheng (2020) Fumigant toxicity of eleven Chinese herbal essential oils against an ectoparasitic mite (Varroa destructor) of the honey bee (Apis mellifera),Journal of Apicultural Research, 59:2, 204-210, DOI: 10.1080/00218839.2019.1688493

28 March 2020 – 4H Honey Bee Project Field Day at the Charleston Community Bee Yard, West Ashley, SC

5 April 2020 – Charleston Honey  and Bee Expo in Mt. Pleasant, SC

24,25 April 2020 – Journeyman Beekeepers Course in Conway, SC

13 June 2020 – Bees in the Backyard field day at Midlands Beekeepers Association in Lexington, SC

22-25 July 2020 – SC Beekeepers Associaiton Summer Conference in Anderson, SC