All Hail the Queen!

Wow! Things have been hectic!

Please allow me to catch you up on things:

On the 11th my older hive swarmed. I was a little surprised as the day before Jason and I had switched out some new brood frames in a move to  A) create more space and B) boost the population in my newer hive.

I didn't put all the clues to why this happened until Wednesday, when I opened them up... what a mess I created.

The population in the Old Hive was drastically diminished. I wish I was over-exaggerating, but I'm not. This hive was almost empty. To make matters worse, I couldn't find a queen (although there were plenty of queen cells to be seen). Needless to say, I had a sleepless night.

I think the hive swarmed because they were unhappy with the plasti-cell foundation that was in the new frames that I put in. It's the only thing that makes sense to me.

Anway, this past Sunday, I added some room to the New Hive and decided to check on things in the Old Hive as well as remove the plasti-cell frames. I cracked Old Hive open and was pleasantly surprised to see quite a few more bees than before. I removed the honey supers and got down to the brood to replace the frames. As I was gathering the plasti-cell frames to put into storage I happened to look down and see the queen! By this point I had already put the hive back together, so I gently scooted her in through the front door.  That was a close one!

I'm happy to report that the Old Hive is thriving and that there is more activity than last week. The New Hive is going gang busters and will probably generate about 20lbs of honey this season! Hooray!

My Boss is a 6 legged Carpenter...

Bee.
My Boss is a 6-legged Carpenter Bee! Get it?!

Okay, maybe that’s only funny to me. Anyway… Today I’m going to focus on Carpenter Bees and that will be the end of this little foray into different bee and wasp species.

Behold: The Industrious Carpenter Bee.

Why are they called “Carpenter Bees”?

These bees get their names because their nests( also called galleries) are found in excavated holes in wood. Contrary to popular belief, these little critters do not actually eat wood. They survive off of nectar and pollen, like most other bees.

If they don’t eat wood, how do the create holes in my house (shed, garage, building…)?

Female Carpenter Bees are responsible for the holes and tunnels you see in your structure. Because building a gallery is requires so much hard work and energy, it makes more sense for the bee to build off a pre-existing tunnel. She does this by using her mandibles to create a perfect hole about the width of her own body. Generally, it takes her about six days to build an inch of her tunnel. Eastern Carpenter Bees prefer to nest in soft woods, such as cedar, pine, and fir. They also really enjoy weathered wood, as it’s already “broken in” and easier for them to tunnel through.

Carpenter Bee "Gallery":

Interesting Fact: Male Carpenter Bees do not have a stinger. Only females do.

How do I keep them away from my house?
A good way to keep Carpenter Bees from invading your structure is to coat any exposed wood with a polyurethane or oil-based paint. You may also want to consider using alternative materials such as vinyl siding, aluminum, or asphalt.

It’s too late for me. I already have them. What can I do?!

If you already have damage from Carpenter Bees you may be able to stop them in their tracks. A simple wood putty may be used to plug up holes. After you have done that, paint over the affect surface with an oil or polyurethane-based paint. Always be sure to repaint the wooden surfaces of your home or structure every few years, as the paint will begin to weather from being exposed to the elements.

The Humble Bumble

Meet the Bumblebee:

Hello!

Bumblebees are often confused with Carpenter Bees:

Notice the differences!

What exactly does a Bumblebee do?

 Well, like the Honeybee, Bumblebees are pollinators. A pollinator is a creature that carries pollen from one flower stigma to another. Pollinating flowers, fruits, vegetables, and trees are the primary function of Bumblebees.

 Interesting Fact: Bumblebees are used for a practice called buzz pollination. This is because the frequency of their buzz can actually cause plants to emit pollen! Crazy, huh? (They are used in tomato greenhouses- wild!)

Where do Bumblebees live?

Bumblebees can live in tunnels (similar to Yellow Jackets ) or in the abandoned nests of other animals such as mice. Bumblebee nests are rather small, with a large nest housing around 50 bees.

Witness:

        It really does look like a nest!

Do Bumblebees sting?

Yes. And No.  Bumblebees do have stingers, and like Wasps, have the ability to sting multiple times. Will they sting you? Probably not. You are more likely to "buzzed" as Bumblebees would much prefer to bully and intimidate you, than sting you. They are much more passive than aggressive. However, I was stung by a Bumblebee at camp once (in my finger) and it hurt like the dickens! As with any stinging creature, practice common sense, people!

Interesting Fact: The buzzing sounds that bees make aren't actually made by the beating of their wings, but by their flight muscles.....

Flight of the Bumblebee

According to myth, Bumblebees should not be able to fly. This would be true if you were soley to apply the Law of Aerodynamics. However, it turns out that Bumblebees actually fly more similarly to a helicopter!

Hi, my name is Maura, and I'm addicted to beekeeping....

What an incredible weekend. The weather here in the ATL is nothing but georgous with sunshine and cool breezes. It's almost been like living at the beach.

Celo and I spent the entire weekend outdoors doing yardwork, grilling (yes, even breakfast), playing with the pups and cats, or just sitting and soaking it all in.

Our Saturday was busy, busy, busy. We had some good friends over- one who has just "retired" after 7 years of beekeeping.Well, he says he's retired, but I don't see how one could ever really give up beekeeping. Yeah, you can  physically stop beekeeping, but how can you ever stop thinking about them?  Once you start, you can't stop, folks. Beekeeping is addicting. I am an addict.

Anyway, we decided to perform hive inspections on both of my hives (mostly because I've never actually had another beekeeper present when I do this, but also because my "new" hive was not near as active as my "old" hive and I was getting concerned). We cracked open the new hive and it was a bustle of activity. We spotted few Small Hive Beetles, and lots of brood. There wasn't much capped honey yet, but the flow has begun and the bees are just getting started. We were looking for any signs of disease or distress, but thankfully found none. My worries were for naught.

We opened up the old hive and holy cow! Bees everywhere! Lot of congestion, nice tight brood cells, not many drones. Perfect, perfect, perfect. The honey supers on this hive are getting pretty full already! Jason said to expect at least 20lbs of honey this season. The best part was watching the bees being born. Yes, you read that correctly. We watched bees being born.

Witness: 
















 Bees have to chew their way out of the cell that they've been growing in. Then, they spend a few weeks as a "house bee" doing chores, nursing other developing bees and allowing their wings to strengthen. Then, as soon as they are strong enough, they become foragers and guard bees. Bee development is so amazing that it's really a whole other topic unto itself.



 I'm still not sure why there are discrepancies between the two hives-it could just be one faired better over the winter, but it doesn't really matter to me as long as they are both healthy and thriving.

Yellow Jacket vs.Honeybee

In response to a request from a lovely reader, Samantha, I have done some research on the different species of bees that live in and around Metro Atlanta. I hope that this will help you to identify what kind of bees and wasps are in your yard.

Yellow Jackets

Bee or Wasp?
Contrary to popular belief, these picnic pests are actually social wasps. They are generally yellow and black or white and black. White and black Yellow Jackets can be easily confused with Bald-Faced Hornets. You may be able to distinguish a Yellow Jacket from a Honeybee by their markings, their frenzied side-to-side flight pattern, and their small size. Remember: Honeybees are generally more of a tan and black color and are noticably able to carry pollen on their legs ( they look like pollen "pockets" or as I like to call them: leg warmers).Also, Yellow Jackets have the capacity to sting more than one time. Honeybees, in contrast, can only sting once and then die. Yellow Jacket venom is only deadly to those who suffer from bee or wasp allergies or to those who have sustained a large number of stings at one time.

HONEYBEE:

YELLOW JACKET:

Notice the different shapes in the wings and body structure. Honeybees are hairy little guys- this allows pollen to stick to them when they visit flowers; Yellow Jackets are sleek and streamlined. Also, pay attention to the bright colors of the Yellow Jacket and the dull color of the Honeybee.

Where they live:
Yellow Jackets build colonies in trees, shrubs, attics, eaves, under porches, or in underground locations such as mouse burrows or soil cavities. They construct their colonies out of wood fiber that has been chewed into a paper pulp. On the other hand, Honeybees build their nests out of wax and take the shape of comb and do not dwell underground.

Yellow Jackets:

Notice the paper-like material of the nest and the conical shape.

Honeybees:

Bees create their colonies out wax and form comb to store brood (baby bees) and honey!

Life Cycle

Unlike Honeybees, Yellow Jackets only survive during the warmer months. In the winter, the colony will die off, leaving only the fertilized queen to survive. She will hide out in in a protective place (re: log, attic, burrow in the ground, etc) until spring. When spring arrives, she will build a small nest and raise about 50 brood. Once these youngYellow Jackets are reared and raised, she will let them take over the responsibilities of the nest and continue to lay eggs. At full capacity, a Yellow Jacket nest can have a maximum of 5,000 workers and about 15,000 brood cells. Giant Yellow Jacket nests have been reported in the Southeastern United States, as the weather is perfect for them.

All and all, I don't think it is very difficult to distinguish a Yellow Jacket from a Honeybee.

We are the swarm....

Let's take a minute to talk about bee swarms.

Why do bees swarm?

Why would anyone ever want to leave this place?













A bee swarm is a natural phenomenon that occurs when a colony splits itself in half. This is primarily due to overcrowding in the hive. The queen gets fed up with everyone and splits- usually taking about half the hive with her. Swarming behavior is frequently exhibited in the spring, when the queen is very busy laying eggs to boost the population for the honey flow. Swarming allows the honeybee population to grow and is their natural way of expanding their population.

Are swarms dangerous?

Of course, with any large number of stinging insects there is a danger factor. The deal with swarms is this:
These bees are full of honey- this added weight causes them to be a bit slower than usual. Bee swarms are looking for a new place to call "Home" and frankly, could care less about you. However- if bees feel threatened under any circumstance, they will attack.

I have a swarm in my backyard at this very moment. Can I just go and cut them down? My neighbor has a can of insect killer and has offered me that solution as well...

In the wonderful State of Georgia, we appreciate and value our honeybees. They are an integral piece of our agricultural economy. In Georgia, it is illegal to molest and/or kill a honeybee hive. Besides, there are few things more upsetting than a dead bee colony (at least to me anyway).

Witness:

                                               The Horror!

Instead of contacting the proper people, this guy decided that a can of RAID attached to a plastic rake was the right thing to do. However macho his decimation of these innocent bees must have made him feel; his remedy was cruel and unethical. This is the exact WRONG way to treat a swarm or unwanted beehive.

If you are not an experienced beekeeper and have unexpected bees on your property the singular best thing you can do is call a professional. I cannot stress this enough. Do not bug them. Do not poke sticks at them. Do not let your kids throw rocks at them. Leave them alone and call the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association at:  678.653.7507.

Your other option is to simply leave them alone. Swarms don't like to be out in the open. The bees are not protected and they are very vulnerable in this state. Their main priority is to quickly find a suitable home. Most swarms relocate themselves within 24 hours.  However, this can cause problems in an urban setting. Many times a colony will relocate into an attic or in between the walls of a house. This can cause major and expensive damage, as removing a bee colony from structure of a home is a complicated process that requires specialized equipment.

The quick and dirty:

If you have a swarm, call a professional. Consider it your mitzvah for the day.

A funny thing happened on the way to the hardware store....

So, last Friday I was on my home from visiting with my grandparents when I  decided to swing by the Lowe's at Edgwood and pick up a ceiling fan for our overly-hot kitchen.
I was not even five minutes away when J called to tell me that she was standing outside of Target and that there was a swarm of bees right in front. And yes, everyone was freaking out.
I tried to call the Atlant Bee Rescue group, but they are apparently defunct- which is a shame.

It was up to me.

I told the grounds keeper and the manager of Target that I'd be back in half an hour. I went to Lowe's and instead of buying the much needed ceiling fan, I purchased the ever-handy 5 gallon bucket instead. I went home, changed out of my skirt and pumps and into my jeans. Grabbed my smoker and hedge clippers and was on my way to BeeTown.

The photos following depict me catching a swarm of bees. Please do not try this if you've never had any experience with bees. Also, in the state of Georgia it is illegal to kill honeybees, so if you have a swarm your best bet is to call the Metro Atlanta Beekeeping Association. Their number is: 678.653.7507. Do not try this at home, folks.

The photos pretty much describe what happened next:

This is what a swarm of bees looks like.

This is me smoking them to keep them calm.

This was a pretty substantial colony. Easily 30,000 bees.

Kelvin, Julia and I all worked together to get these babies in the bucket.

(yes, my underwear is hanging out of my pants, I know, I know)

All we had to do is trim the branch and put on the lid!

I only squished 3!

I wish I could say that the bees are happy in their new home in my backyard, but alas, I cannot.

They overheated in the bucket on the car ride home and by the end of it they were all goners.

I was devastated.

Bees are fragile, delicate creatures, people. The 15 minute car ride home proved to much. I am trying to take this loss as a  learning experience, but it is difficult to do. I gave no consideration to ventilation and that thoughtless error cost the entire colony their lives- I have no one to blame but myself. And that SUCKS. As of yet, I have not been able to find a bucket with screened lid, so perhaps I will have to make one myself... for the next time!