Winter is coming... for the bees

By: Margaret Brogan

Stephanie Scott addresses the Brier Creek Bee Club which is held monthly at the Scott Family Farm in Burke County. Brier Creek Bee Club is free to attend for anyone interested on every fourth Saturday of the month.

Scott speaks to club members about preparing their hives for winter. The club discusses several preselected topics each month like modern beekeeping methods.

A club member lights a bee smoker which is used to calm the bees when keepers have to open the bee boxes and ensures their safety from bee stings. Most of the attendees of the bee club are local beekeepers who come to exchange tips and discuss current events affecting their hives.

Scott demonstrates to members how to properly secure their suits. Beekeepers wear protective suits including mesh masks to protect their body from bee stings.

Pictured is part of the process of making a candy board. This month, club members learned how to make candy boards, which are used in the winter to help feed the bees.

Beekeepers can use different frames to create candy boards. If using a frame with holes, beekeepers should first lay down a layer of window mesh so that the sugar mixture will stick.

Scott explains the importance of wearing a respirator mask when administering oxalic acid to hives. Oxalic acid is utilized to rid hives of Varroa mites, a parasite that feeds on honeybees, and can be administered in several different forms.

Scott demonstrates how to use an oxalic acid vaporizer. Oxalic acid, when delivered in vaporized form, can be harmful to humans but does not harm honeybees.

A bee club member uses a hive tool to open a bee box, hive tools look like small crow bar style tools to pry the top of the box off. When opening the bee box, the beekeeper must first smoke the hive through the hole in the box, and continue smoking them while slowly prying the lid off.

Scott demonstrates another method of feeding hives in the winter with granulated sugar. Sugar can be administered to the hive in a variety of forms such as candy boards, sugar syrup or capped honey.

Scott places a bag of sugar in the hive to feed the bees while they’re docile. Beekeepers can take a simple bag of sugar and place it in the bee box rather than making a candy board when necessary.

A bee club member removes the inner cover. The inner cover is turned over during the winter to help keep the honeybees warm and turned back in the summer.

Bee club members examine the hive. Scott opened several of her hives to explain the different measures taken in preparing a weak hive for winter versus a strong hive.

A beekeeper reaches for his smoker. The bee club discussed Varroa mite treatments, winter feeding and new yellow-legged hornet traps at this month's meeting.

Another beekeeper smokes the hive. A fourth yellow-legged hornet's nest was discovered near Savannah this past week, and Scott has taken to preparing club members for the possible threat to their hives.

Two club members work to remove a bee box lid. Scott distributed the new traps to members and instructed them to use tilapia as bait until the winter months, then switch to syrup.

All photos are credited to Margaret Brogan