Monday, January 31, 2011

The Story of Bees, Part Two

Part One . . .

It's a charming little book. Obviously outdated, but I thought that it was worth sharing. We've learned a lot about bees, beekeeping, and the science it's based on since 1940, but there is still so much more to explore.

You can download the book in its entirety, as a PDF, here.

The Story of Bees

A children's bee book, written, illustrated, and published by the Work Projects Administration, in 1940, and purchased for 10 cents from my hometown library book sale.

Part Two. . .

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Weekly 101 Update

Thanks to everyone who came out to Bee Night at the Brooklyn Brainery. I really enjoyed talking with you guys, and I hope that you learned something! I'm going to try to host semi-regular talks, workshops and seminars, so hopefully I'll see y'all again soon!

Speaking of which, I'll be teaching another section of Beekeeping 101 at the Brooklyn Brainery, starting February 21st! I'm planning on keeping the class size small, 20-25 people, so sign up quick! I'm getting a whole bunch of props and goodies to share with the class, and it'll include another honey tasting! Hyperglycemia here we come!

Sign up here!

For those of you who have been attending the New York City Beekeeping Meetup Group FREE Winter course, there is a lecture tonight, 1/26/11, at the Central Park Armory.

Today's topic:
Last week we reviewed the pests, diseases, and problems of bees. This week we will cover how to keep them from overwhelming and killing your bees while still complying with different sets of practices, ranging from "USDA Certified Organic", to "Demeter-Certified" to "Biodynamic" and others.

The invasive pests and diseases of bees, mainly the varroa mite, have created an ecosystem that is filled with both unrepentant charlatans and misguided but well-intentioned people, and even a few actual beekeeping cults. The concepts of "Integrated Pest Management" and "Metrics" will be used to separate the useless from the useful ideas.

A deep and abiding respect for the welfare of all bees will be combined with a healthy suspicion of those who can't keep a notebook to reinforce the point that while we may not be "our brother's keeper", we may have to be "our neighbor's beekeeper".

As always, RSVP with the group on their website.

Super Sad True Bee Story

So. . .

The bees died.

At least the ones I keep with my neighbor did—the hives in Ohio seem to be doing well. Unfortunately, losing colonies is a common experience, one that is shared by all beekeepers. Everyone loses their hives at some point. The key to successful beekeeping is accurately determining WHY your bees died and taking realistic precautions to prevent it from happening again. Beekeeping is a constant learning experience and it is so important not to let yourself
get stuck in a rut, making the same mistakes over and over.

Mistakes are an OK thing, so long as you take the opportunity to learn from them.

This isn't the first time I've had hives die. It won't be the last time I'll have hives die. It will be sad every time. I'll try to avoid getting any more philosophic than that.

Instead, I'll walk you through my process of determining why these two hives died. In the US, the most common reported causes of death are starvation (32%) and weather (29%), followed by weak fall colonies (14%), mite infestation (12%), and poor queen quality (10%). That leaves less than 3% for losses due to diseases, including CCD. (source) These numbers are probably more than a little skewed, as they were based on responses to surveys, not impartial inspections. Beekeepers are a prideful bunch and are reluctant to admit their mistakes, so when someone asks you why your hives died, it's easy to pass the buck and blame the weather. I'll get this out of the way now:

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Classes, Talks, and Another Class!

After a week off, the NYC Beekeeping Meetup Group is coming back on January 18th with another FREE winter course lecture. This is going to be one that you don't wanna miss:

"Predators, Pests, and Diseases, Oh My!"
Prior to the 1980s, beekeepers had but one disease that could kill their
bees - Foulbrood. Most beehives thrived with little or no attention from the beekeeper.

As rampant unregulated World Trade grew during the 1980s, beekeeping changed
forever - suddenly, any neglected beehive soon became a dead beehive.

We are lucky in NYC - many diseases and pests have not been brought across
the Hudson River. But to be able to eradicate any incursion of pests and diseases, we have to
be able to identify symptoms and detect specific evidence.

This class will explain in detail the specifics behind the oft-quoted phrase
"The Price of Honey is Eternal Vigilance."

As always, check out their website to sign up for the class and RSVP for the lecture (a must!)

In my neck of the woods, I'll be hosting a screening of "Vanishing of the Bees" at Brooklyn Brainery AND giving a talk on the latest CCD research and information. Apparently, the prospect of listening to me prattle on about bees is more exciting than I anticipated, as seats sold out in a matter of days. (It might have been the honey tasting.)

Sorry I didn't get it up here earlier and give y'all first chance at seats. Mea culpa. However, they saved a few seats for me, so if you just missed it and really wanna go, shoot me an e-mail and I'll see what I can do.

Getting ahead of the ball (for once), I will be teaching another Beekeeping 101 course at the Brainery in February/Early March and will be sure to post about it as I get specifics! Keep on checking back here for details!

Monday, January 10, 2011

Hive Bodies: DIY

After my crotchety old man rant the other day, it seems only fair that I do my part in guiding those people who were foolish enough to take me seriously and assemble their own hive equipment. The winter is the best time to do assembly work, since the bees just want to be left alone and, you know, it's cold out. Really cold out.

So. . . I had a bee brunch! I invited my beekeeping apprentice, Emily, over for some bacon and buckwheat blini (crème fraiche and caviar! [don't be jealous (OK be jealous)]) and some hive assembly! Hoo-ray! Hive assembly!

We're going to start with the simple stuff and move onward and upward from there, and hive bodies of all sizes are the easiest components to assemble. They can really only go together one way, and if you have quality equipment, they really want to come out straight and square. However, there are always some small variations in the lumber, be it a slight bowing of the wood or millimeter differences in the width or depth of box joints. These variations rarely turn out to be a big deal, but to someone who has never knocked a super together, it can seem pretty daunting. Luckily, I have a method that works every time (60% of the time.)

Totally, like, angular, dude!
Image Copyright 2011

First, you want to mock up the hive body, just to make sure that everything fits right, that you have all the right pieces, and that you have them oriented correctly. Most manufacturers build their boxes in such a way that it is impossible to put any side upside-down, but it never hurts to make sure. Personally, I try to match sides that have similar grain/texture, but I'm neurotic like that.

Dab it.
Dab it good.
Image Copyright 2011

Second, you put a dab of glue on each contact face of the box joints. You really don't need to use very much, especially if you're using one of the newer glues. I've been using Elmer's Ultimate and have found that it both foams and expands as it dries, so just a dot of it will spread and expand to fill any cracks.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Oh, Antony...

Roman beehives from Malta
Image from

The posture of your blows are yet unknown;
But for your words, they rob the Hybla bees,
And leave them honeyless.

Not stingless too?

Oh yes, and soundless too.
For you have stol'n their buzzing, Antony,
And very wisely threat before you sting.

Julius Caesar, Act 5, Scene 1
by William Shakespeare

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

NYC Beekeeping Meetup Group Class tonight!

Just a quick reminder that the next installment of the NYCBMG Free Winter Course is tonight.

If you're interested in learning how to keep bees, or already know how to and would just like to brush up, the NYCBMG classes are a fantastic resource are totally worth the two hours out of your busy schedule. Plus, the price is right!

Tonights lecture topic:
"OK, I've got 70,000 stinging insects in a box - now what do I do?"

So far, we've covered the life of a typical worker bee, we've looked at bee anatomy and physiology, so the Jan 4th class will address the burning question on everyone's mind - management. We will break down the goals of the prudent beekeeper into seasonal chunks, and summarize the choices and options open to the dogma-free beekeeping practice.

Much will be made of the massive difference between managing a hive in its first year (a "package" or "nuc") versus a hive that overwintered at least one season.

RSVP's are MANDATORY, so if you're interested in attending, join up at and e-mail Liane at

Monday, January 3, 2011


Many beekeepers, especially old school ones, have a decided DIY streak. You can't be a beekeeper if you don't enjoy working with your hands and for many of us, that enjoyment spreads out from the apiary and into our homes and apartments.

There is a growing trend in beekeeping toward the sterile standardization of beekeeping practice and equipment. Some experts suggest that beekeepers (new ones in particular) go so far as to purchase pre-built and pre-painted hives. They argue that so few people have the time, skills, tools, or space to assemble their own equipment and that it is often more effective and
enjoyable to have the work done for you.

That's bullshit.

One of the greatest pleasures in beekeeping, at least in my opinion, is working through a colony and realizing that you built it. Obviously you didn't make the bees or the comb they built, but the framework was your doing, your labor, your love, and I think that counts for something. The enjoyment just doesn't flow as deep when you don't take the time and effort to get your hands dirty knocking together some woodenware on your living room floor. You didn't make these things, you just pulled out your credit card and had someone else do it for you.

That's sad.

In a time when it is so easy to disconnect from the life going on around you, there are more and more people struggling to rebuild that bond. People like Martina at Farmtina who work hard to grow their own food and try new things. They may not always go the way they expect, but they gain an invaluable appreciation for just how much time, effort, and love can go into something as simple as eating a fresh tomato in the summer or putting local honey in your morning tea.
Beekeepers should strive to have a deeper connection with their bees, not to weaken it by giving one more honest experience away to the faceless voices at the beekeeping catalog.

My friend Melanie, who proofread this article for me, told me that I sound a little (read: really) judgy. She's a knitter and she loves it, but she has no interest in spinning her own yarn. Does that make her a bad knitter? No. Of course not. Nor does not having a full on woodworking shop in your shoebox of a NYC apartment make you a bad beekeeper. I certainly am not recommending that you go out and buy a bunch of power tools and start practicing box joints. I just think that you should try your hand at making something before you get someone to make it for you. Maybe it'll be a disaster! Maybe it just won't be for you. And there's nothing wrong with that.

The experts who push toward pre-built hives cite the fact that beekeeping supply catalogs are terrible at providing instructions. It's true, and I know beekeepers who have killed off entire colonies by misassembling equipment sent without any sort of instructions. Some kits are worse than others. Some are like IKEA from hell. Mistakes have been made and will continue to be made. I've built my fair share of crooked frames, but I've gotten better with practice and so will you.

I'm not saying it's easy.

I'm saying it's better.