Please list five basic requirements for successful wintering of honeybee colonies
Describe three approaches that a beekeeper could use to feed colonies found short to food in January in the north eastern USA
Colonies should not be opened to check cluster location and determine if emergency feeding is necessary until the temperature reaches a minimum of:
20°F
40°F
60°F
30°F
50°F
Colonies should not be torn apart and thoroughly inspected in the spring until temperatures are at least:
65°F
80°F
40°F
75°F
50°F
Give three reason why a beekeeper would consider requeening a colony
Give three reason why dead colonies should be removed from the apiary when they are discovered
Name three colony management procedures normally done by the beekeeper in the spring that is effective in preventing swarming.
Quiz Answers:
Possible answers
Adequate food stores (honey and pollen) located in the upper part of the hive.
Strong colonies
Young productive queen
Colonies free of disease, mites under control
Adequate hive ventilation (often provided by an upper entrance)
Prevent mice form entering the hive
Remove queen excluder and frames of foundation that are not drawn out
Feeding heavy sugar syrup is not recommended since it places additional stress on the clustered bees. Inverting the sucrose and handling excess water will cause problems. The best way to supplement food stores at this time is to feed sugar candy. Combs of honey in storage or from colonies with a surplus can also be used, if they are disease free. Dry granulated sugar may also be poured around the top of the vent hole of the inner cover or spread on a piece of paper above the frame top bars. Dry sugar, however is not an efficient way to rapidly increase food stores.
B 40°F
A 65°F
Reasons for requeening colonies are:
reduce the swarming tendency
increase the chances of winter survival
control of some bee diseases, i.e. Sacbrood, European foulbrood, chalkbrood.
production of larger forager population to increase honey yields
Improve colony temperament
Dead colonies should be closed up and removed from the apiary as soon as possible...
Failure to follow this recommendation could result in the spread of diseases when the combs are robbed out.
Leaving the colony in the apiary or improper storage of the equipment will absorb moisture and ferment.