Links
Please note: The STBA does not endorse the products offered by any individuals or businesses listed and all risk is assumed by the advertiser.
Local Swarm Catchers:
See "Swarms - Got Bees?" page
Local Bee Product Producers
See "Local Bee Products" page
NY Dept. of Ag. and Mkts. Labeling Guide (also check Federal Guidelines)
Food Labeling | Agriculture and Markets (ny.gov)
Honeycomb-to-Consumer-13n5j37.pdf (cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com)
Apiary Products Judging at the Harford Fair - open to Broome County, NY and other counties adjacent to Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
Department 23: Apiary and Maple Products - Harford Fair
Bee Journals and Bee Supplies:
Locally developed bee tools
American Bee Journal
http://www.americanbeejournal.com/
Bee Culture Magazine
Organization and Educational sites:
Bee Wellness Program, excellent disease diagnosis information
Cornell University bee lab website:
Eastern Apiculture Society
Susquehanna Beekeepers' Association
Finger Lakes Beekeepers Club
Beltsville Lab "how to" for submitting bee samples
http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=7473
For a comprehensive list of bee clubs visit:
www.beeculture.com/content/whoswho/
or http://www.americanbeejournal.com/site/epage/84408_828.htm
Excellent Photos of brood diseases and DWV/PMS
http://beeinformed.org/2012/11/whats-wrong-with-my-hive/
University of Florida Guide to Building Bear Fences for your Apiary
UC Berkley Guide to bees and bee gardening
http://nature.berkeley.edu/urbanbeegardens/
Mead Making Information
Excellent article on Swarm Prevention at the U of Florida site:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/IN/IN97000.pdf
Excellent article on Honey Crystallization
Honey Crystallization: Why Does Honey Crystallize? (learnbees.com)
Making wintering candy boards video (recommended by a member)
Making a candy board shim: 1’’ by 2’’ pieces of wood to make a rim for your equipment size hive bodies. Nail or better screw together. I would also suggest putting in an upper entrance into the shim. (9/16 is too small for a mouse) or one can make a hole and make sure that the screening covers up the hole so no animals can enter the hive other than bees. Hint: The screening must not bulge below the shim or interfere with it sitting on a flat surface. Staple all of the screening on the inside of the shim.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_WLCc21-Hk
Bee Candy
· 15-16 lb. of sugar
· ~3 cups water
· 1 tbsp. plain white vinegar (optional)
· 1 Pollen patty (optional)
If you choose to use the vinegar (as a mold inhibitor) add it to the water.
Pour 2 bags of sugar into a very large container and gradually add about half the water, stirring to wet the sugar well. Continue adding sugar and water alternately until all the sugar is wet.
Put newspaper or waxed paper under your candy board. Place a scrap piece of wood in the center to leave a non filled area for a pollen pattie. Also place a scrap piece of wood in the front near the shim edge for a ventilation and access point for the bees to get up to the sugar. Now fill the entire shim minus the wooden areas with the wet sugar. Do not fill over the edge of the shim height. Use a piece of wood to level off the wet sugar with the edge of your shim and pat down the sugar. Allow the entire candy board to dry. Raising it up on blocks let's both sides dry. It can take a week. Pull out wooden pieces once sugar is dry.
To place in the hive:
Remove inner cover from hive; place two or three small strips of scrap wood or dowels (think thin) on top of top bars of frames. These are so that you will not smash bees when you place the candy board down on the uppermost hive body. The candy board will hang down towards the frames due to the weight of the sugar. Place the candyboard screen side down on top of the hive. Replace outer cover. Think about putting some insulation say a foam board under the outer cover. Make sure it does not rest inside the candy board.
During the winter once the temp rises above 30 degrees one can very quickly crack the outer lid up on one end and see if more pollen paties are needed and how the bees are doing eating the sugar. If the weather is favorable one can also gently lift the candy board to peek at the bees below. Gently lower it down once done looking. Add additional pollen patties (½ or ⅓) as needed. Remember winter patties for Nov- Jan and brood builders patties Feb on thru April.
Alternatively one can make shallow sugar bricks using this recipe and place a few on top of the top bars. Remember one may need a shim to cover the space you are adding with the bricks.