Diutinus Unveiled: Exploring Winter Bees
Outcomes Gain an understanding of the unique characteristics and adaptations of Diutinus bees. Key Takeaways Diutinus bees, also known as winter bees, exhibit unique physiological traits that set them apart from summer bees, including lower levels of juvenile hormone, higher levels of vitellogenin, and larger hypopharyngeal glands, enabling them to perform essential tasks […]
Supplemental Feeding
Outcomes Learners will gain insight into the timing and scenarios for effective feeding, and recognize different supplementation options. Key Takeaways Responsible feeding practices are essential for maintaining bee colony health and vitality, emphasizing proper nutrition over past practices. Timing is critical when deciding when to feed honey bees, with specific considerations for colony establishment, […]
Nature’s Insulator: How Honey Keeps Beehives Warm in Winter
Outcomes Gain an understanding of how honey acts as a natural insulator in beehives during winter, and the importance of strategically organizing honey and avoiding over harvesting to ensure the warmth and survival of honey bees Key Takeaways Honey acts as a natural insulator for beehives, creating a thermal blanket around the bee […]
Social Immunity and Propolis
Outcomes Learners will develop a comprehensive understanding of the principles underlying social and individual immunity in honey bees. Key Takeaways Honey bees, like many social insects, have collective behavioural defences called “social immunity” to help defend and protect the colony against pathogens and parasites. Propolis is known to have many antimicrobial proprieties against bacteria, fungi, […]
Combining Mating Nucs
Outcomes Learners will be able to effectively prepare and combine mating nucs to ensure thriving colonies during the winter season. Key Takeaways Optimal Winter Preparation: Focus on achieving the right winter weights and cluster size by reviewing weight requirements and assessing brood frame numbers for strong winter clusters, regardless of your hive setup. […]
Sampling for Varroa
Outcomes Learners will gain an understanding of the significance of regular sampling for Varroa mites in beekeeping. They will be able to recognize and differentiate between effective treatment methods. Key Takeaways Early Detection and Prevention: Regular sampling for Varroa mites is crucial for detecting infestations early, preventing colony failure, and mitigating the spread […]
Using a Fumeboard
Outcomes Learners will understand how to extract honey from bee hives using the fume board. Key Takeaways Efficient and Gentle Honey Extraction: The fume board strategy offers a proven approach to honey extraction that emphasizes both efficiency and gentleness. By allowing bees to leave their hives at their own pace through the use of […]
Controlling Varroa with IPM
Outcomes Students will have gain an awareness of various strategies for managing varroa mites and the differing levels of efficacy associated with these strategies. Key Takeaways There are 5 strategies for applying IPM: Prevention, Cultural, Mechanical, Biological, and Chemical. Prevention is all about decreasing the risk of contact with diseases which are rated […]
Sampling for Nosema
Outcomes Learners will recognize the procedure for conducting a Nosema field test in a bee colony. Key Takeaways Nosema, a subtle fungal parasite, can affect bee colonies’ health without obvious signs. Sampling helps uncover its presence, enabling informed actions to protect bee vitality. Sampling for Nosema is an accessible process involving collecting bees, […]
Ongoing Beekeeping Tasks
Outcomes Learners will have a comprehensive understanding of the year-round tasks necessary for successful beekeeping. Key Takeaways Beekeeping involves managing hives for honey production and immersing in the intricacies of nature. Successful year-round beekeeping requires adapting tasks to changing seasons. Seasonal preparation includes stocking up on feed, equipment, and medications. Regular hive inspections […]
