Critical Hive Management

      A sharp incline in colony losses peaked in 2007–2008. This past winter a similar uptick occurred. Obviously, the honey beekeepers anxiety is at a critical state.

     In part, there exists a plethora of honey bee information and unfortunately disinformation. For the novitiate it becomes exceedingly difficult to differentiate. A couple years ago at a Washington State Beekeepers Conference two entomologists, back to back in their presentations, offered diametrically differing opinions on winter wrapping of hives. One said no while the other said yes. Last year, 2024, at the Washington State Beekeeper’s Conference another strongly suggested honey bees need water that would come from wrapping hives, keeping the moisture internal. Who is right and who is wrong?

     First, the beekeeper needs to have an understanding of where the information is coming from in terms of the geolocation. What is the weather? How does this differ from your area.

    Beekeeping is challenging! Sorting out the honey bee physiology, anatomy, and behavior in relation to the surrounding hive environment. What a mouthful! Even more compounding is the limited appreciation, in spite of voluminous research, of the entire picture of the honey bee. Fret not! Every day new information unfolds on us humans.

WHAT IS CRITICAL

     Acquiring an appreciate of the colony dynamics throughout the year is imperative. Coming out of winter with 15,000 population exploding upwards to 50,000 by May/June only to slowly decline back to the winter population.

     What are the colony needs at each stage of the year? When is the nectar flow? If not in the western geographic area of the Cascade Mountains, which flora opportunities support nectar flows? During what period does the nectar dearth occur?

     As complex as all this may seem, beginning the season with a management plan goes a long way to end the season in success.

     What are the elements of the plan? Two critical issues that are the core of any beekeeping plan are nutrition and Varroa Control.  

 If this is the first year for the colony, then nutrition is primary. No matter how the hive was created (NUC, Package or Swarm),  No matter whether the frames have honey comb or not. The small population is faced with a plethora of issues: Wax comb building, foraging for nectar/pollen/water/propolis, brood feeding among all the other hive duties.

     All these duties require nutrition! Nectar is central to wax production. Pollen contains protein which in turn supplies amino acids (building blocks of life). Copious amounts of nutrition is key!

     HiveAlive Fondant Patties are an excellent nutritional support. Otherwise, sugar syrup along with a pollen substitute patty containing fresh pollen can help.

     The second critical issue becomes Varroa destructor mite control. ALL COLONIES HAVE MITES! With this in mind, consider the mite infestation at the beginning of the year is minimal. Colony population begins its rapid expansion toward 50,000. Varroa’s lifecycle begins in the brood cell.

Lifecycle of the Honey Bee and Varroa destructor mite

     The foundress mite enters the brood cell just prior to it being capped. She dives to the bottom under the bee larvae laying on her back with her snorkel up for breathing.

    The first egg is a male laid around seventy hours post wax capping. Successive female eggs are then laid every thirty hours with mating occurring about day 5 post egg laying.

     Varroa have an affinity for drone brood early in the season. As drone brood diminishes in numbers, the worker brood becomes overwhelmed.

     The more significant issue becomes the vectoring of viruses. Peak Varroa mite infestation coupled with virus titers occurs around August.

    Another significant issue becomes the approximately sixty percent of mite population residing beneath the wax cappings. The beekeeper must consider the volume of newly hatched bees along with their resident Varroa mites daily.

     Overwintered colonies require a spring treatment. Newly formed colonies should have their first mite treatment post nectar flow. Subsequent treatments are a must.

Complacency becomes the beekeepers enemy!

     Varroa destructor mites have become the invisible enemy. The beekeeper cannot see the mites within the capped brood. As the honey bee emerges from her cell the Varroa is typically housed in between the body segments on her underside. Thus, mites are not seen.

     This has supported complacency! Dumping chemicals into the hive does not seem appropriate to the new beekeeper. Yet, not aggressively treating for Varroa infestation rapidly leads to colony death.

DON’T BE REACTIVE , BECOME PROACTIVE

      The future of beekeeping will not be any easier! Tropelaelaps mites are rapidly moving east from south Asia toward Europe just like Varroa’s path to the United States. Therefore, it will only be two or three years before this highly destructive mite appears.

     Not having a management plan only leads to greater hive losses.

WANT TO LEARN ABOUT BEEKEEPING?

     Oregon State University and Oregon State Beekeepers Association offer excellent programs for beekeepers. There are four levels that one can advance through, or merely take the beginning level and stop.

• Getting Started

• Apprentice

• Journey

• Master

     Beekeeping is tough, complex, while offering an insight into nature at its best.

  The Columbia Gorge Beekeepers Association meets on the third Wednesday of each month, http://www.gorgebeekeepers.org/, at the Hood River Extension, 2990 Experiment Station at 6:00 PM. A different subject is presented by an Entomologists or experienced beekeeper. All are welcome. Visitors may attend in person or via Zoom. You may reach out to the club for login information - admin@gorgebeekeepers.org. You may also enjoy a visit to the Hood River Extension to view the three bee hives maintained by the Columbia Gorge Beekeeping Club and financially by the Hood River Master Gardeners, Klahre House and the Columbia Gorge Beekeepers

Association.