BEGINNING WITH BEESAuthors: Dr. D. K. Pollet Professor (Entomology)
Dr. E. A. Cancienne, ARS (retired)
Keeping bees can be a fascinating and profi table hobby in Louisiana. Start with one or two colonies and, as you learn the mechanics of beekeeping, establish additional colonies. Two or three colonies of bees in a good location, properly cared for, should provide enough honey for your family and some to give to friends and neighbors.
Beekeeping requires some heavy lifting and constant attention to the needs of the hives. Unless you are physically able to lift heavy supers (hive bodies) and willing to accept occasional stings, you should not attempt to keep honeybees.
The valleys of the Mississippi, Red and Atchafalaya rivers are the most productive honey-producing areas of the state. Bees however, can be kept successfully just about anywhere. Since bees are easily killed by insecticides, locate colonies some distance from crops subject to pesticide application.
Honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) are not native to the Western Hemisphere. Hives of bees were brought to the Virginia Colony from England in 1622 and to Florida, possibly by the Spaniards from Cuba, in the 16th and 17th centuries. How they reached our stateby swarming or in box hives transported by early set-tlersis not known, but honey and wax were found in Louisiana in 1804.
SWARMS
Many beginner beekeepers start their fi rst colonies with a captured swarm. A hive containing either combs or frames of foundation must be readied in advance to receive the swarm (see Equipment, p.5). Select a swarm no smaller than a basketball or combine two or more smaller swarms (Fig.1). If you add a small swarm to an established colony, sprinkle peppermint extract and water spray over the bees in the colony and the new swarm.
This will cut down fi ghting. The stronger of the two queens will survive in the colony. The larger the swarm hived, the faster the colony will develop. Feed the new colony sugar syrup for a few days until it establishes it-self and the bees can begin to forage for nectar. To obtain swarms from your area call the local county LSU AgCen-ter Extension offi ce and give them your name and phone number.
Figure 1. A swarm of bees.3
ESTABLISHED COLONIES
The quickest and easiest way to begin beekeeping is to buy established colonies. Purchased colonies must be inspected by the state apiary inspector, according to state law, before they can be moved. This protects you from getting diseased or infested colonies. There should be a laying queen, worker brood, several pounds of worker bees and from 10 to 20 pounds of honey plus some pollen in the hive. The combs should be readily movable and consist mostly of worker-sized cells. Wooden equipment should be in good condition. You can usually get good basic information on handling bees from the seller. The price paid for a colony of bees will depend on the current price of honey, bees, and the amount and condition of the equipment.
BEE REMOVAL
If you remove bees from walls and structures, call your local LSU AgCenter Extension offi ce and give your name, phone number and how far you will travel to remove bees from walls or structures.
TRANSFERRING BEES FROM BOX HIVES
If you are a beginner beekeeper, you should not at-tempt to transfer bees from a box hive (one without mov-able frames) to a standard hive until you have had some experience in handling bees. If it becomes necessary, ask for help. The procedure is involved, and space does not permit detailed instructions. See pictorial demonstration in How to Keep Bees and Sell Honey (book listed on p.23). Spraying the package and the new hive with a pep-permint solution will help make the transfer easier.
PACKAGE BEES
The best time to start with package bees in Louisiana is in March or April. You can order a 3- or 4-pound pack-age and a queen bee from any one of several Louisiana producers (Fig.2). You should also indicate the date of desired delivery. Have everything ready before delivery and place two or three combs of disease-free honey and pollen, if available, in the hive with the package. This will help the new colony become established. If only founda-tion or empty combs are available, make provisions for feeding sugar syrup (see Feeding p.13).
When the bees arrive, put them in a cool, shady place. Feed each package about a cupful of thick sugar
syrup by painting or sprinkling the syrup on the screen of the cage. Allow time for the bees to take the syrup, and be careful not to drown them. Feed the bees again about an hour before dark and then take the package to the hive. Remove the feeder can and the queen cage from the package as well as the small piece of cardboard or cork from the candy end of the queen cage. With a small nail make a tiny hole through the candy. Place the queen cage, candy end up, between two frames, and push the frames tightly together to keep the cage upright. Shake all the bees out of the package over the queen cage and install the remaining eight frames. Replace the inner cover and place an inverted friction can top of syrup over the hole in the inner cover. Place an empty hive body over the inner cover. Finally, put on the outer cover or use a top feeder. Make sure the hive entrance is nearly closed to prevent robbing of the bees from another colony. Use green grass or moss to close the entrance. As the grass or moss wilts the entrance will gradually open.
Except for fi lling the feeder when it becomes empty, do not disturb the colony for about a week after the pack-age is installed. At this time, see if the queen has gotten out, and remove the cage. Two to three days later, exam-ine the combs to see if the eggs and larvae are present. If you do not see eggs or brood, it may be that the queen is dead. In that case, get another queen as soon as possible, o
