In this Issue:

Bee-keeping: An Occupation as Pleasant as it is Profitable

Nebraska Honey Producer's Association Fall Meeting

New Varroa NebGuide Released

Removing Problem Honey Bees and Their Nests

Subscription Information

Bee-keeping: An Occupation as Pleasant as it is Profitable

The Midwest Master Beekeeping Workshop provided 64 beekeepers with valuable training for keeping bees "zealously and on rational principals".

"The keeping of bees is an occupation as pleasant as it is profitable. Nothing affords such pure and lasting pleasure as the contemplation of the works of the Almighty in the wonders of nature; but nowhere do we find such exhibition of the wonders of nature as in a colony of bees. It will not be an easy thing to induce a true bee-keeper to exchange bee-keeping for any other occupation; for the more intimately he becomes acquainted with the nature of bees, the more wonders he will discover, and the more enjoyment he will derive from bee-keeping. The genial Baron von Ehrenfels, who has called bee-keeping the 'Poetry of Agriculture', could not have expressed more beautifully the charm which bee-keeping possesses. But the material advantages to be derived from bee-keeping, if carried on zealously and on rational principles, are also considerable".

Nebraska Honey Producer's Association Fall Meeting

Other speakers include:

1. Dale Bauer, a member of the National Honey Board and the executive committee of Sioux Honey Association, will present "What your banker wants to know and why". Mr. Bauer has been in the honey business for 35 years. He owns and operates Bauer Honey Inc. Which manages approximately 8,000 colonies of bees.

2. John Miller, Chairman of the National Honey Board, who will provide tips on pollination contracts. Mr. Miller is a fourth-generation beekeeper. He has been active in his family business for 21 years which manages over 12,000 colonies in seven states.

3. Roger Starks, with Howalt-McDowell Insurance of South Dakota, will talk about today's insurance concerns for beekeepers.

4. Dr. Marion Ellis, University of Nebraska Apiculture Specialist, will present his research on pollen resources and bee repellents.

5. Warren Nelson, Nebraska Beekeeper's Association President, will report on the Nebraska State Fair.

For registration information contact Reed Koeppe, secretary at 308-234-1226. For hotel reservations contact the Holiday Inn at 800-652-1909.

Fall Meeting Agenda:

Friday, November 15, 1996:

Saturday, November 16, 1996

New Varroa NebGuide Released

Removing Problem Honey Bees and Their Nests

While honey bees can be maintained by beekeepers, they are not truly domesticated. They can establish nests in hollow trees and other empty cavities such as the walls of structures. Honey bees prefer a cavity of around 40 liters (10 gallons), but they will nest in cavities from 20 to 100 liters. Wild nests in hollow trees should be ignored if located in areas that do not create a hazard.

Occasionally, honey bees found in buildings and high traffic areas must be removed. While honey bees are not aggressive, they have a stinger and will defend their nests if disturbed. Since a honey bee colony can contain up to 60,000 bees, removing problem bees is a job for a skilled beekeeper or pest control specialist with the proper tools and protective equipment.

Removing honey bee swarms:

When colonies swarm, the air can be filled with thousands of bees. While a swarm can be intimidating to persons not familiar with bees, the bees have minimal defensive instincts. Honey bee swarms are a fascinating phenomenon and pose litte hazard to humans unless profoundly disturbed.

If a swarm lands in a remote site, it should be left alone. When a swarm lands in a homeowner's yard or public place, a beekeeper should be called to remove them if possible. Honey bee swarms are seeking a nesting site. A beekeeper can capture them by providing an empty beehive and shaking the bees onto the ground at the entrance. The bees will enter the hive body and begin nest construction in most cases. The beekeeper may need to leave the hive at the site until dusk to allow all of the bees to enter the hive. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (402-471-2394) and the Cooperative Extension Service (402-472-2123) maintain lists of beekeepers and can recommend someone to contact for swarm removal.

If a beekeeper cannot be located, or if the swarm is in a high-traffic area, the bees can be destroyed if necessary by spraying them with a mixture of one cup of liquid dishwashing detergent dissolved in a gallon of water. As the outside layer of bees falls away, the inner layers will need to be sprayed. Bees are rendered unable to fly as soon as they contact the solution. Soapy water kills the bees by suffocating them, and bees destroyed by this method do not become defensive. The use of insecticides to destroy a swarm is not recommended since they can cause the bees to become defensive. It is best to have a pest control professional with the proper tools and protective equipment do this job if public safety is involved.

Removing honey bee nests from structures:

Honey bee nests in structures are often extensive and may contain 100 or more pounds of honey, pollen and beeswax.. To transfer bees from a structure to a beehive, beekeepers tie combs of brood into frames using string.

Honey bee nests are often extensive and may contain 100 or more pounds of honey, pollen and beeswax. In general, one should remove the nesting materials if a colony is destroyed. Without live bees present to control nest temperature, honey may leak from the comb and drip from walls or ceilings causing extensive structural damage. Dead bees and brood will decay and produce strong odors. Finally honey, pollen and wax combs will be an attractive food source for rodents, wax moths and a variety of other nuisance insects such as ants and dermestid beetles.

In some cases the cavity can be opened and the live bees and nesting materials removed by a skilled beekeeper. Honey combs can be cut, tied into frames and placed in a beehive located near the colony's entrance. If the beekeeper is able to locate the queen and place her in the beehive, the bees will quickly establish their nest in the new hive. Several days later when combs have been secured in the frames, the beekeeper can remove the beehive to an apiary. Honey obtained from nests in buildings usually is not fit for human consumption due to the presence of dust and insulation. A good nest removal job entails several trips to the site and considerable time and effort. While the bees have some value, most beekeepers will not will not consider nest removal unless they are compensated. Repair to the structure will be necessary in most cases after nest removal. Responsibility for structural repairs should be agreed upon before the job is begun. Nest removal should not be attempted by new beekeepers without the assistance of an experienced mentor.

Honey bee nests can be destroyed prior to removal, and frequently nest destruction is the safest, quickest and easiest way to eliminate the problem. It is important to exterminate a colony when all bees are in the nest (dawn or dusk). If colonies are destroyed during daylight hours, many foragers will be in the field and can return to cause problems. The best time to destroy problem nests is in the early spring when stored food reserves and colony population are at their lowest levels.

The first step is to locate the nest which often extends several feet from the entrance. Toxins applied at the entrance frequently fail to eliminate nests and may result in highly defensive bees. Occasionally, entrance treatments result in bees creating new entrances which open inside the structure. Nests can be located by placing a stethoscope to the wall and tapping, Bees will respond to the tapping with an elevated level of buzzing. Toxins can be introduced by drilling several holes in the wall at or above the nest site. In some cases, combs may be reached by inserting a flexible tube through the entrance and into the nest. There are a number of ways to kill bees. Commercially available wasp and hornet sprays can be used to knock the bees down quickly. Dust formulations of labeled pesticides may also be pumped into the nest. Carbaryl (Sevin ) dust is readily available and is labeled for destroying problem bees. While soapy water is effective on a swarm, it is not very effective in a nest as the wax combs prevent adequate penetration. If colonies are poisoned, do not use the honey or wax! Nest materials should be removed and burned or buried in a manner that does not allow other bees access to the poisoned materials. Attempts to destroy honey bee nests can result in highly defensive bees if done improperly. Again, it is best to contact a pest control professional with the proper tools and protective equipment to do the job safely.

Prevention and maintenance:

Equipment needed for bee removal:

Supplies needed for removing and salvaging bees include: hive body with frames, lid, bottom board, string for tying combs into frames, knife for cutting combs, two five gallon buckets with covers for honey combs, hammer and nails, crow bar, skill saw, staple gun, caulk to seal cracks, foam insulation to fill cavity, and a ladder.

Equipment needed to destroy bees: Liquid dishwashing detergent, water, hand sprayer (one gallon), drill, stethoscope, wasp and hornet aerosol, carbaryl (Sevin ) dust and applicator with flexible tube, caulk to seal cracks, foam insulation to fill cavity, a ladder and shop vacuum (to remove dead bees).

Subscription Information

To subscribe to Bee Tidings, send a $10 check made out to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln along with your name, address, and phone number to:

Bee Tidings

Box 830918

108 Ag Comm Bldg.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Lincoln, NE 68583-0918

This newsletter was respectfully written by:

Marion D. Ellis

209 Plant Industry, Box 830816

University of Nebraska

Lincoln, NE 68583-0816

Phone: 402-472-8696

Fax: 402-472-4687

Internet address: mellis@unlinfo.unl.edu

Your comments and suggestions about the newsletter are always welcome.