BeeKeeping
BeeKeeping: Recipes & How to
Note: Keep checking back as this page will continue to grow and expand. LAST UPDATED: 8/26/2021
-SUGAR SYRUP (O-Sucrose):
Makes 1 Gal of Mixed Syrup:
-1:1 Ratio
*6lb 11oz Granulated sugar
*3 quarts 1 cup Water
-2:1 Ratio
*11lb 1oz Granulated sugar
*2 quarts 2 1/2 cups Water
Directions:
Heat water until almost boiling (DO NOT BOIL: will result in syrup crystallization) remove water from heat.
Stir in sugar until completely dissolved and allow to fully cool.
Recommended Use:
-Feed 1:1 ratio in spring and summer (Resembles Nectar: Stimulates wax production)
-Feed 2:1 in fall or winter (Resembles Honey: Bees will store for winter or consume as needed)
-Sugar Syrup should only be used to supplement hives when needed, Such as:
*Times of dearth, usually before or after nectar flow, during a drought or during winter (if the bees do not have enough stored honey)
***or***
*when trying to stimulate the bees to build comb such as after installing a package of bees into a hive with new frames or after adding a second brood box with new frames. Syrup is also used as a vessel to administer certain kinds of medications such as Fumidil-B
-DO NOT Feed sugar syrup while honey supers are on (Bees will store syrup in the honey frames resulting in "Adulterated" honey.)
Tip: Be sure to add a feed supplement such as Pro-Health, Hive Alive, Honey-B-Healthy, etc..
It is better for your bees and will prolong the storage life of your syrup
- POLLEN PATTIES FROM ULTRA BEE
Makes 1 lb of Patty material:
*0.24 lb granulated sugar
*0.40 lb or 0.0346 Gal sugar syrup 2:1 or equivalent (HFCS, Pro-Sweet, ETC....Do not use O Sucrose)
*0.30 lb Ultra Bee Dry Pollen Substitute
- POLLEN PATTIES FROM BEE PRO
Tip: Whichever recipe you choose be sure to use Sugar Syrup that contains a feed supplement such as Pro-Health, Hive Alive, Honey-B-Healthy, etc..
Makes 1 lb of Patty material:
*0.25 lb Granulated Sugar
*0.58 lb or 0.05 Gal Sugar Syrup 2:1 or equivalent (HFCS, Pro-Sweet, ETC....Do not use O Sucrose)
*0.25 lb Bee Pro Pollen Substitute
-High Fructose Corn Syrup VS O-Sucrose
-How To: Making Beeswax Candles
-How To: Rendering Beeswax
-Blank VFD (Veterinarian Feed Directive) Form
-Conversion Chart: "Honey Weight" to Liquid Volume
BeeKeeping: Getting Started
FIRST & FOREMOST:
Do your homework!
Read beekeeping books, visit beekeeping websites, watch youtube videos, ask questions on beekeeping Facebook pages, whatever your learning style is do something. But please, do not, I repeat DO NOT just wing it.
Yes, losing hives is an unfortunate part of keeping bees, but it is truly tragic when it's due to something that could have been easily avoided by taking a few hours to read a book or doing a simple google search. In todays modern world there is way too much easily accessible information out there to not do a little research before diving into something like this.
So please, for the sake of our honey making, flower hopping, fuzzy little friends, "BEE" prepared!
*Recommended Reading:
THE NEXT STEP:
Equipment!
Ok! So you've done your research and weighed your options and decided to go with a langstroth hive.
Yes langstroth is not the only type of hive out there, but based on what is most common and ease of availability we are going to talk about the Langstroth.
Below you will find a list of equipment we recommend that you acquire (purchase or build yourself) when you are first getting into keeping bees. 8 Frame vs 10 Frame is a decision that you will have to make on your own and many of the items on our list have several different versions. It will be up to you to research and decide what will work best for you based on where you are located.
If you purchase everything that is on our list you will have enough equipment for two complete hives. We always recommend that you start with at least two so that you can compare them to each other, which will help you to identify any issues much earlier.
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4 x Deep Hive body Box(s) (9 5/8" Tall)
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4 x Honey Super Box(s) (6 5/8" Tall)
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40 or 32 x Frames (9 1/8" Tall) with Foundation
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40 or 32 x Frames (6 1/4" Tall) with Foundation
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2 x Hive Bottom
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2 x Hive Top
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2 x Syrup Feeder
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2 x Queen Excluder
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1 x Gloves w/Long Sleeves
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1 x Veil, Jacket or Full Suit
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1 x Smoker w/ Fuel (Cotton, Pellets, Burlap, etc...)
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1 x Hive Tool
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1 x Bee Brush
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1 x Frame Perch
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1 x Frame Grabber
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2 x Hive Stand
*Have questions? Or need help with ordering?:
I Can Almost Taste The Honey:
Order your Bees!
Now you're probably asking yourself "what type of Bee should I get?"
Right off the bat we are going to recommend Italians. They are the most common, most popular type of Bee kept by beekeepers in the United States and are a great bee for beginners.
(If you scroll down this page you will see a list of Bee types along with their traits.)
The next question is "where do I get bees from?"
Visit our "Api-Map" to see any beekeepers in your area that sell packages or nucs. If there are none within driving distance of you a quick search online and you can find several reputable companies that are willing to ship packages of bees right to your door. If you would like a recommendation please feel free to email us.
One More Piece of Advice:
Never stop learning!
Join your local beekeeping association, find a mentor, join a Facebook beekeeping group, ask questions, read more advanced books, share your ideas and be open to constructive criticism from other beekeepers. Whatever you do, no matter how long that you have been doing this, never think that you know everything about beekeeping. There will always be more to learn, there will always be new ideas or simply old ones that you just haven't heard of yet.
I hope that you found this section to be useful and informative, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to email us. Scroll down for Online tools, tips, recipes and "How To" instructional guides.
Thank you for visiting us and good luck with your BEES!
Bees: Types & Traits
*NOTE: This section does not contain EVERY type, or subtype, of Honey Bee that exists. We will continue to research other available types and their traits and add them as we do. If you would like to aid us by referring us to knowledgeable sources, please send us any links via email. Thank you for visiting!
- Italian:
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Calm and gentle
(Great for Beginners) -
Easy to manage
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Strong
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Great honey production
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Great for all environments
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Known brood producers
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Highly hygienic
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Excellent foragers
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Excellent honey producers
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Very susceptible to robbing
Source: Mann Lake LTD
- "Southern" Italian:
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High productivity and honey creation
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Focuses on raising brood
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One of the gentlest and most docile of the bee subspecies
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Readily builds comb
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Wonderful foragers
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Less tendency to swarm than other subspecies
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Strong cleaning behaviors
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Great for areas with continuous nectar flow and favorable weather throughout the summer
Source: Mann Lake LTD
- Carniolan:
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Mostly gentle
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Good choice for colder climates
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More likely to forage on cool, wet days than other bees
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Excellent honey production
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Quick to brood up when nectar is available
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Regulates colony size well, based on availability of resources
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Prone to Swarm
Source: Mann Lake LTD
- Saskatraz:
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Known for excellent honey production
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Good wintering ability
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Selected for increased varroa tolerance and resistance to brood diseases
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Show increased hygienic behavior
Source: Mann Lake LTD
- Russian:
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More resistant to varroa
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Highly resistant to tracheal mites
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Rear their brood during times of pollen availability
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Low likelihood of robbing
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Accustomed to cold climates
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Slightly more aggressive
Source: Mann Lake LTD