Beekeeping Today Podcast Blog

Fri, 29 Mar 2024 15:33:23 +0000

Introduction

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Embarking on beekeeping can be an incredibly rewarding experience, but it\'s not without its challenges. To ensure your first year as a beekeeper is a success, it\'s crucial to prepare properly and be informed about the realities of beekeeping. In this blog post, we\'ll delve into the essential considerations that will set you on the path to a thriving apiary.

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Part 1: Importance of Local Knowledge and Mentorship

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Before diving into beekeeping, it\'s vital to gain a deep understanding of your local environment and the specific challenges faced by beekeepers in your area. This knowledge will empower you to make informed decisions about hive placement, foraging resources, and seasonal management. Additionally, connecting with experienced beekeepers in your region can provide invaluable mentorship and support, especially during those initial learning stages. Joining local beekeeping clubs or seeking guidance from knowledgeable individuals will help you navigate the complexities of beekeeping and avoid common pitfalls.

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Part 2: Realistic Expectations and Preparing for Challenges

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It\'s essential to have realistic expectations about beekeeping and to be fully aware of the potential challenges you may encounter. Beekeeping involves ongoing care and maintenance, and it\'s important to set aside time for hive inspections, honey harvesting, and other management tasks. Additionally, honey bee populations are facing numerous threats, such as pests, diseases, and climate change. Being prepared to address these challenges and adapt your practices when necessary will help you create a resilient apiary.

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Part 3: Practical Tips for a Successful First Year

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To make your first year as a beekeeper successful, consider these practical tips:

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Start small: Begin with a manageable number of hives and gradually expand as you gain experience.
Choose the right location: Hive placement should provide adequate sunlight, shelter from wind and rain, and access to water and forage.
Acquire reliable equipment: Invest in high-quality hives, frames, and other essential equipment to ensure the well-being of your bees.
Secure a reliable honey source: Ensure your bees have access to abundant and diverse nectar and pollen sources throughout the year.
Be patient and observant: Beekeeping requires patience and a keen eye for detail. Regularly inspect your hives, observe bee behavior, and seek professional advice when needed.

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Part 4: Embracing the Beekeeping Community and Resources

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The beekeeping community is a valuable resource for both novice and experienced beekeepers. Joining local clubs and organizations provides opportunities for networking, educational workshops, and support from fellow beekeepers. Additionally, leveraging online forums, social media groups, and reputable websites can connect you with a wealth of information and advice.

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Conclusion

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By embracing the essential considerations outlined in this blog post, you can increase your chances of success as a beginning beekeeper. Remember, beekeeping is a continuous learning process, and staying informed, adaptable, and connected to the beekeeping community will empower you to navigate the challenges and reap the rewards of this fascinating and rewarding endeavor.

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For more in-depth insights and practical guidance, be sure to listen to our related podcast episode, "How To Get Started With Bees - 2024, Part 1 of 4 (S6, E36)." Listen to the episode here.

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You can also visit our How To Get Started in Beekeeping blog page!

Beekeeping Today Podcast Blog

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 02:28:43 +0000

Baby, it’s getting warm out there!

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We recently received a voicemail from a listener who asked about the impact of unseasonably warm temperatures on beekeeping management. She is not alone in noticing advanced colony growth this year. A record eight states have recorded their warmest winter on record (//www.noaa.gov/news/us-had-its-warmest-winter-on-record) and that can impact your honey bee colonies. While early warmer temperatures can benefit your bees, it can also create life threatening conditions in your colonies. Here are a few tips to help you manage colonies during unseasonably warm winters and springs:

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Check your food stores and feed your bees if necessary. If temperatures in your region have been warmer than usual and your bees are bringing in fresh pollen, they might be rearing more brood than usual and depleting their food stores. Large populations, warmer weather, and a lack of significant incoming nectar could be perilous to the supply of honey that your bees have in the spring. Regular inspections and checks for ample carbohydrates are critical if the worker population is growing without being replenished. If daytime temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees F, you may feed with 1:1 sugar syrup until the flowers catch up with your colony’s nutritional needs. Feeding a pollen supplement, even when fresh pollen is available early, will provide a protein source to your bees in case temperatures dip below foraging friendly conditions.

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Check for space, reverse and/or add brood boxes. If your bees are bursting and you are weeks from being able to split (divide) your colonies, you can take a couple of steps to make sure they have space to expand. These steps could help prevent crowding conditions that encourage swarming. Reversing your boxes (bottom to top) is the first step to making sure your bees are using their space effectively. Follow the rule of not splitting the brood nest if you decide to incorporate these reversals into your management program. Cooler overnight temperatures will result in colonies clustering and they could leave the brood chilled if your reversal created two brood nests.

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Alternatively, If you have empty drawn comb, you can added a box to the top of your colony if your bees are running out of space. Finally, check out the Demaree Method to deter swarming and encourage early honey production. Steve Donohoe’s website details this method and the pros and cons of this practice (//thewalrusandthehoneybee.com/demaree/).

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Update your mite management strategy. Early brood production might be great for your bees, but it is even better for Varroa destructor mites. Warmer seasons encourage honey bee brood production and as a result, varroa mites will increase as well. Check out the Honey Bee Health Coalition’s varroa management website and update your strategy in order to stay ahead of this virus vectoring parasite (//honeybeehealthcoalition.org/resources/varroa-management/).

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Early springs can bring populous colonies sooner than expected. But unseasonably warm and unpredictable weather can also result in hungry and/or crowded colonies. Strong early season colonies will boost the population of varroa mites. The bright side of an early spring means that with a little planning and a few more trips to your apiary, your bees might be able to take advantage of an early nectar flow resulting in a surplus honey crop.

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Thanks to our listener who asked us about what steps she could take to keep her bees healthy this spring. Leave your comments and thoughts below.

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If you have a question that you want us to tackle, contact us here.

Beekeeping Today Podcast Blog

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 13:00:00 +0000

In 2020, the late Kim Flottum, Jim Tew, and I launched an innovative podcast series focused on the fundamentals of beekeeping. This four-part series was among the first podcasts to comprehensively address what newcomers to beekeeping need to know. Collaborating with Betterbee, the series quickly became a favorite, consistently ranking among our top 10 most downloaded episodes.

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We\'re excited to announce an expansion of this series, introducing four new episodes that incorporate fresh content, additional cohosts, and new perspectives, alongside a dedicated How to Get Started in Beekeeping webpage. This resource is designed to guide new beekeepers through the basics, offering practical advice and insights.

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While episodes can be enjoyed in any sequence, we recommend following the suggested order on the HTGS page to optimize learning. The 2024 update kicks off with a discussion on why people choose beekeeping, considerations for beginners, and advice for a successful first year. Subsequent topics covered include DIY vs. purchased equipment, honey bee biology, sourcing bees, feeding, honey harvesting, and managing pests and predators, including the varroa mite.

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As the beekeeping landscape evolves, so will this page and series. We encourage you to bookmark it and share with fellow beekeeping enthusiasts, clubs, and organizations. Our goal is to support your beekeeping journey, enhancing both your success and enjoyment of this enriching hobby.

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Check it out today! //thamericas.com/htgs

Beekeeping Today Podcast Blog

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 16:31:43 +0000

I\'m still buzzing with excitement from my weekend at the North American Honey Bee Expo in Louisville, Kentucky. It was an extraordinary event, and our booth, conveniently located right next to our key sponsor, Betterbee, was at the heart of the action. The NAHBE, undoubtedly one of the largest honey bee expos in existence, saw a staggering turnout of over 3,200 attendees – a testament to its growing popularity.

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This year, I had the pleasure of having my daughter, Amanda, join me all the way from Ohio to assist at the Beekeeping Today Podcast booth. Her presence was a lifesaver, especially since our other podcast\'s hosts, Jim and Becky couldn’t make it. We were hoping to explore other booths, but the continuous flow of enthusiastic attendees kept us happily engaged at our own.

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One of the highlights was meeting so many of our podcast listeners, from Honey Bee Obscura to 2 Million Blossoms. Your stories and feedback truly invigorate our passion for what we do. It’s heartwarming to now have faces to visualize when we’re recording or releasing new episodes – you are the reason we keep going!

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Attendees and I also felt a shared sense of loss for Kim, whose absence was deeply felt. His love for bees and his impactful words touched many, and it’s clear he left an indelible mark on our community.

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Reflecting on the importance of conferences, NAHBE was a resounding affirmation of beekeepers needs to attend at least one a year. The diversity of attendees, from hobbyists to commercial beekeepers, and the array of products, from honey and balms to advanced beekeeping equipment, highlighted the inclusive nature of this event. Whether you were there to browse, shop, or learn, the expo had something for everyone.

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The presence of beekeeping celebrities like Fred Dunn, Bob Bennie, Etienne Tardiff, Marla Spivak, and Kamon Reynolds added to the expo\'s allure. While I regret not having enough time to fully explore or indulge in the shopping opportunities (limited by luggage space for my flight home), the experience was still enriching.

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Amanda and I were fueled by the fantastic culinary experiences in Old Louisville, after the show closed each evening. I definitely look forward to exploring the area next time!

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A heartfelt thank you to Kamon and his team for organizing such a successful event and to all our listeners who stopped by our booth. Your interactions and stories are what make these events truly special. We’re excited to share more with you in the upcoming weeks, so stay tuned!

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You can listen to my daily bonus episode updates recorded live from NAHBE floor. Plus! We have quite a few more states to color in on our Listener Openings map in the coming weeks!

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Here’s to a thriving and successful beekeeping season in 2024!

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Beekeeping Today Podcast Blog

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 02:29:00 +0000

It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that I share the news of the passing of Kim Flottum, a cherished friend, esteemed cohost, devoted husband, and father. After a courageous battle with cancer, Kim left us, leaving behind a legacy enriched with kindness, passion for beekeeping, and a deep love for nature, particularly his garden.

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Kim's presence was a beacon of positivity; he was one of those rare individuals who seldom spoke ill of anything, finding joy in his work with bees and people alike. I had the privilege of working alongside him since my first article for 'Gleanings in Bee Culture' in February 1991, an experience filled with learning, camaraderie, and shared enthusiasm for beekeeping.

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In honor of Kim’s remarkable life and his profound impact on the beekeeping community, we will be releasing a special celebration podcast episode of Kim’s Life with Bees. It will be a fitting tribute to a man who dedicated so much of himself to the world of bees and the people who care for them.

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During this difficult time, our thoughts are with Kim’s wife Kathy and daughter, Jess. We stand together in mourning and in celebration of a life extraordinarily well-lived, marked by kindness, wisdom, and an unwavering passion for the natural world. Kim’s legacy will continue to inspire and guide us in the years to come.

Beekeeping Today Podcast Blog

Thu, 02 Nov 2023 16:43:55 +0000

As the leaves turn and the temperatures drop, it\'s tempting to think that beekeeping takes a seasonal hiatus, but that couldn\'t be further from the truth. In fact, the fall and winter are golden opportunities for beekeepers to expand their knowledge, hone their skills, and network with fellow enthusiasts.

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So, why is it so essential for beekeepers to stay engaged during the off-season? Well, let\'s start with the bees themselves. As we all know, honeybee colonies are complex, dynamic organisms, and understanding their biology, behavior, and needs is an ongoing journey. By continuing your education, you\'re better equipped to make informed decisions about hive management and ensure your colonies thrive.

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But where can you find this valuable knowledge? One fantastic resource is regional and national beekeeping conferences. These gatherings bring together experts, researchers, and beekeepers from all walks of life, creating a melting pot of beekeeping wisdom.

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Regional conferences, which often occur in the fall, offer a more intimate setting. They\'re an ideal place to learn about local beekeeping challenges and solutions tailored to your specific region. You\'ll also have the chance to meet fellow beekeepers from your area, exchange ideas, and build a local support network.

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National conferences, typically held during the winter months, take things to the next level. They attract renowned speakers and researchers, offering deep dives into the latest beekeeping science and innovations. These events are like a crash course in beekeeping excellence, and they\'re not to be missed.

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The benefits of attending conferences extend far beyond the lectures. They provide a unique opportunity to meet face-to-face with beekeepers you may only know from online forums or social media. Building these connections can be invaluable, as you\'ll be able to tap into a vast pool of experience and knowledge when you encounter challenges in your beekeeping journey.

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Now, I understand that not everyone can make it to a conference, whether due to distance, time, costs, or other commitments. But fear not, technology comes to the rescue. Many conferences now offer virtual attendance options, allowing you to participate from the comfort of your home. So, there\'s no excuse to miss out on this valuable learning opportunity.

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Remember that beekeeping is a lifelong learning adventure. Fall and winter offer a perfect chance to invest in your skills and expertise. Whether you choose to attend a regional conference, go virtual at a national event, or simply immerse yourself in a good beekeeping book, keeping your education alive during the off-season will pay dividends in the health and success of your colonies!

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Beekeeping Today Podcast Blog

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 08:00:00 +0000

Forgive me if I am oversharing, but I do not enjoy winter. Especially January gets to me. The holidays are over and I find the cold, grey days tiresome. Everything starts to take on the appearance of the landscape in an old black and white photo.

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On the afternoons when the sun does pop out and the air temp edges over 40 degrees or so, I get out to the bee yard to see which hives are flying. Watching the bees fly out and zip back in, I can almost hear them saying, “Geez, it is COLD out there!” as they scramble back to find the warmth of the cluster.

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Then there are the hives that are not flying. They haven’t flown since late November. The landing board is littered with the rotten shells of fall bees long passed. It’s sad. I make a mental note of the probable deadouts and comeback on the next cold day when I need a job to feel like I am making progress… with something… anything. All the while trying to offset a sense of failure.

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I personally prefer a cold day to clean dead colonies. Primarily for two reasons. First, it it’s less likely other bees will investigate the smell of free honey and broken wax. Second, cold wax and propolis is brittle and I find it easier and quicker to clean the boxes.

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I also prefer to clean out what I can in January and February before the days warm up and the deadout starts to mold. Dead bees and pollen tend to mold quickly as it warms, so the sooner I get on it, the easier the job.

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I start at the top, moving efficiently. I look for signs of what may have lead to the colony’s demise. I remove the lid, the inner cover and any insulation. If I added a winter patty in the fall, is it still there? Did they eat it? It will give me some indication how long ago the colony died. I remove the patty and any temperature sensors I have in place. I scrape off the top bars, then start pulling frames to determine the amount of honey the top brood chamber contains. I shake off the dead bees, scrape off wax and propolis from the end and bottom bars. If the main cluster of bees is in the top box, I search for the queen. If there is no cluster, then it might be in the lower box.

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I should mention here that I take care to scrape, clean and shake the boxes, frames and equipment off and away from the hive stand and other colonies. I don’t want to be stepping in the mess throughout the day. Also, if winter varmints show up, I don’t want them scrounging around next to the remaining colonies.

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Once I have removed all the frames, I scrape out the box, including any brace comb and the frame rests. Then I reassemble the entire hive body, set it aside and repeat the process with the lower brood chamber. With these early season deadouts, I am typically finding the main cluster in the lower brood chamber, if there is a cluster. One hive this season did not have a ‘main cluster’. I also found random attempts at starting emergency queen cells. I made a mental note…

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I prefer to find the dead queen, then I can blame varroa.

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Once I am done with the brood boxes, I clean off the slatted racks. Yes, I like them. They are more a habit of mine, than anything I can back with scientific reason. I like having that additional separation from the outside world and the bottom brood chamber of the Langstroth. I also clean off the bottom board of all the fallen honey bees.

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Once all done and clean, I reassemble the hive, replace the entrance reducer, with only the smallest opening turned up and to the outside. If there is a screened bottom, I remove the tray so the air flows. The hive is just about all set for springtime splits, replacement packages or nucs.

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I’ve rarely had any robbing problems in winter/spring when they’re closed up like this. Ultimately there enough spring flowers that neighborhood bees do not pay attention to the empty hive before I get it re-colonized.

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I do this for every deadout. It is hard work and not very rewarding. To solve the ‘why’ is like performing a ‘post-mortem’ on the colony super organism. Why did it die? What evidence do I see? Just as important, what don’t I see? I make a mental crime board with notes, strings of colored yarn stretched between points and scattered images of the crime scene. Then I draw some conclusion as to what caused the colony’s death. I feel I owe it to the bees to understand what happened. What could have killed the colony? Varroa? Starvation? Bad queen? Whatever it is, I ultimately blame myself. I hear that nagging voice taunt me with, “A better beekeeper would’ve…” and fill in whatever management mistake I made. If I suspect varroa… I should have treated sooner.

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If the queen cannot be found… Did I kill her? Or, maybe I should’ve replaced her - what sign did I miss that she was failing?

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Heaven forbid if they starved. Though that doesn’t happen until the February or March die-offs. THOSE are definitely within my control as a beekeeper. But if they DID starve in January, that was an avoidable tragedy.

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Cleaning deadouts is one of the unglamorous jobs of beekeeping. Not one often mentioned in the literature. Definitely not the top discussion at “Bee Day” every spring. The best thing to do, and one I try to tell myself, is to learn from my mistakes. If I can learn and NOT repeat the mistake next year, then this year’s bees did not die in vain.

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Beekeeping Today Podcast Blog

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Now that Fall is here, honey is harvested and most of us are buttoning up our colonies for the winter, what is a beekeeper to do with all that new-found time?

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There is lots you can do: Get caught up on all your reading by gather up your scattered beekeeping magazines/journals, maybe the book you impulsively bought and haven’t opened? Maybe you are a woodworker and you can set up for making next year’s equipment? Of course, you could finally get after all the household repairs and chores that were put off during the summer.

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I suggest you consider one more activity. Check out your local bee club. Maybe even join it. If are already a member of a club, attend a meeting. A local beekeeping organization is a wonderful resource for beekeepers regardless of experience!

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How is this so?

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If you are a new beekeeper, you will meet other new beekeepers who have the exact same questions you have on what you saw and experienced this season. They are facing the winter with the same concerns. At the meeting, you will be able to ask your questions and receive an answer (or two) from more experienced beekeepers - and this is important - from your local area.

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If you haven’t heard it before, all beekeeping is local. As you read that book or watch that YouTube video and listen to that beekeeper, look at and consider their surroundings. Do they live where you do? Are they located in the midwest and you are in the northeast? Are they in Florida and you in Oregon? Do their bees experience the world with identical weather, season after season?

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Yes, you are both keeping bees in boxes… but the environment is different, timing is different. The small variances in management adaptations make a big difference on whether or not your bees survive the change of seasons or strong enough to produce surplus honey. I argue that a beekeeper who’s local to you and has kept their bees through multiple seasons is a more valuable resource to you as a beekeeper than any book or any YouTube video.

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If you are an experienced beekeeper who hasn’t joined a club or joined one but doesn’t attend meetings… break out of your stasis and give back to other beekeepers. If you’ve been keeping bees for years and years, you have a wealth of experience that can help newer beekeepers! Share it!

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I know, not every bee club works for every beekeeper. Check to see if there is another bee club nearby. You may consider joining the State beekeeping organization. There is a bee club that will be a good fit for you!

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Oh! And one last benefit of a bee club, when it comes time to move a bee yard, you will know who you can call to help! Just be ready to lend your hand when they call you!

Beekeeping Today Podcast Blog

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 07:00:00 +0000

Some of you may remember this past spring, I joined Bee Informed Partnership’s 2022 Sentinel Apiary Program. As part of this program, I sent in monthly samples from four of my beeyard colonies from May through October. I also collected pollen samples for pesticide analysis… though in full disclosure, I missed the deadline for that analysis due to a... time management issue… I also entered inspection and management data from the field on a very convenient app for my cell phone or iPad.

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For participating in this program, I received monthly analysis of the number of varroa found in each hive’s sample, as well as the results of two nosema tests. All of this is tracked and reported back to me on a dashboard the BIP team created for each participant. My data is also combined with other Sentinel Apiary Program participants (hobby, sideline and commercial beekeepers) for national reporting on the health of honey bees. You can see how all of this data summarized on the BIP site. See how your state is doing!

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What did I learn from this exercise? I have to admit, that being a BVD beekeeper [now get those tighty-whitey visuals out of your head - just don’t go there - it is not pretty!] What I am mean is - as someone who learned beekeeping Before Varroa Destructor, it’s reinforced on me the absolute and utter destructive nature of the varroa mite on a colony.

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It has taught me that one MUST take regular mite samples. Yes, it is not fun killing 300+ bees per colony a month in a sample. However, what I gained is a true understanding of how the varroa are destroying my colonies - right under my nose.

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You know, from from the outside, a colony will appear totally normal. If you pop open the top and peer inside it will look normal. Look at the top of the frames, everything will appear normal. If you pull a frame… the bees will be working and all will appear normal. The bees will appear healthy until they don’t and the colony dies. Usually, this is during the winter, while surrounded by a full hive body of honey.

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It is depressing to open colonies in the spring and find they died earlier in the winter. Odds are, if you left enough honey on them, they didn’t die because of starvation or the cold or moisture or temperature swings or mice or anything else. They died because of varroa mites.

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That of course is a broad generalization, so take it as that, but in this case, a corollary to Occam’s Razor is definitely in play. You know Occam’s Razor: the simplest solution is almost always the best. A corollary is the simplest cause is almost always the reason. If you do not manage year round for varroa, your bees will die. And what’s more, before your bees die, there is a strong likelihood they will take varroa with them to your neighbor’s hive. Varroa is a gift that keeps giving.

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So, regardless of your approach to beekeeping - natural or chemical free, Langstroth or top bar, Warre or Horizontal, have a solid management plan for varroa and do regular mite counts. They will not go away on their own.

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Join BIP Sentinel Apiary program in 2023, force yourself to look in the mirror and see just how effective your current management practices are against varroa. You may surprise yourself.

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Beekeeping Today Podcast Blog

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 07:00:00 +0000

I suppose I am like most beekeepers. I like bees. I like to watch them and marvel at their beauty – in function and form. I can (and have) spent hours just watching them.

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I also like to tinker. I am not over the top, but I like gadgets and experimenting. So, when I started reading about Long Langstroth (LongLangs) Hives, my curiosity was piqued. I found some instructions on the Internet for building one. Then one day last winter, I was talking with a neighbor who is an avid woodworker, about what I was looking to do. He said he was interested, in fact, very interested in helping.

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He did not have to say that twice.

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Several days later, I took him the plans. “Whatcha think, Gene?”

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He said, “You know, I have most of this lumber laying around here.”

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"Even the two-by,” I asked?

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“Yes! Take a look at this.” He took me into a back storage area of his shop and found several old and weathered 2x boards. “I’ve been wanting to do something with this wood I salvaged from our house when we replaced part of the roofline. Will this work? There is more than enough…”

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And that was the start of my LongLang journey.

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My intent was to help Gene on weekends and after work in the afternoons. But he, being retired, jumped right into it. He’d send me phone messages occasionally, stating… “I hope you don’t mind; I did some work today. I was bored and needed something to do in the shop…”

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I’d answer a texted question or two along the way. I’d stop by and make sure the dimensions were right on the bee space and even held boards while they were being cut on the table saw, but I didn’t even have to pick up a piece of hardware from the corner big-box store. He was “there anyways and got what was needed.”

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When the time came for deciding where to place the entrance… I did decide I wanted to do an end entrance and make it one colony instead two side-by-side colonies with entrances on the sides. We were talking about how fun it would be to add a unique opening. Something other than a small landing pad. That would be boring. I am not sure who’s idea was a gargoyle… but I really liked it and found one, “Ralph the Gargoyle”. THAT I did order and Gene mounted it to the end of the hive.

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A few days later, Gene, his wife Amanda, and another neighbor, Gary helped to move it to my bee yard and set it in place.

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This past weekend, I installed the nuc and we are off and running.

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As I said earlier and if you listen to the podcast regularly, I like gadgets. So, it goes without saying “Ralph” is wired with temperature sensors and sits on a scale. You can take a look at the current readings, here: //mybroodminder.com/share/hive/4e37d52e45f247029c4cb547763a8741

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I will be writing about my LongLang journey here in the blog. I am certain I will find things I’d change, management practices that I need to modify… things I cannot even begin to imagine. But it’s been a fun start.

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Thanks to Gene, Amanda, Gary and Paul.

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If neighbors and friends were gems then I am surrounded by a crown. I am grateful.

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Beekeeping Today Podcast Blog

Fri, 04 Mar 2022 08:00:00 +0000

A new report released in early March by the UN\'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) looks at the causes, impacts and solutions of climate change. It gives the clearest indication to date of how a warmer world is affecting all living things on Earth.

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Here are five things learned from the report and shared by UK’s BBC:

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1- Things are way worse than we thought

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From the melting of the Greenland ice sheet to the destruction of coral reefs, climate related impacts are hitting the world at the high end of what modelers once expected. And much more quickly than previously assessed by the IPCC. Right now, as the new report makes clear, around 40% of the world\'s population is "highly vulnerable" to the impacts of climate change. But the burden is falling mainly on those who did the least to cause the problem.

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"For Africa around 30% of all the maize growing areas will go out of production, for beans it\'s around 50% on the current emissions trajectory," said Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation, which assists governments and the private sector in pushing for large scale adaptation solutions. "So, there are certain parts of the world, particularly in Africa, which will become uninhabitable... and time is running out, as the IPCC report clearly says, to stop the forces driving this new climate apartheid," he told BBC News.

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2 - Loss and damage gets scientific backing

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For several years, developing countries have been trying to get richer nations to take the idea of loss and damage seriously. It\'s defined as those impacts of climate change that can\'t be adapted to, or slow onset events like sea level rise.

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It has been very controversial because it is bound up with the long-term historical responsibility for carbon emissions - and richer nations fear being dragged through the courts and forced to pay indefinitely for current and future losses and damages that they have contributed to. Now the IPCC clearly states that the observed impacts of climate change include "widespread adverse impacts and related losses and damages to nature and people."The endorsement by the IPCC is likely to give loss and damage a major boost in climate talks, a fact recognized by the UK\'s COP President, Alok Sharma, who is in charge of UN negotiations until COP27 begins in Egypt later this year. "Today\'s report underscores the urgency with which we must prepare for climate change and address a new reality of loss and damage, especially in the world\'s most climate-vulnerable communities," he said. "The next decade is crucial."

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3 - Technology is not a silver bullet

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According to the IPCC, the use of some technologies designed to limit warming or reduce CO2 could make matters worse rather than better. There are also worries that machines that suck CO2 from the air could simply trigger the release of more warming gas. Planting trees is seen as a good solution to climate change but the IPCC cautions that planting in the wrong place can do more harm than good. "If you remove CO2 from the atmosphere, you\'ll get a rebound effect from the others in the carbon cycle," said Linda Schneider from the Heinrich Böll Foundation, who was an observer at the IPCC discussions. "The oceans, the land reservoirs, will have an outgassing effect. And so some of the CO2 that that you removed from the atmosphere will be returned to the atmosphere."

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4 - Cities offer hope

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While large cities are hotspots for climate impacts, they also offer a real opportunity to avoid the worst impacts of warming. As cities continue to grow they can push for renewable energy, greener transport, and buildings. This could limit destructive climate impacts for millions "We point very clearly to the cities of the world as a key place for mobilization," said IPCC co-chair Debra Roberts. "This is where some of our most vulnerable people are located in coastal cities so that\'s already an entry point, you can change your options by beginning to mobilize around coastal urban development."

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5 - The small window is closing fast.

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While this is a bleak assessment of the impacts now and in the future, the authors remain convinced that the worst impacts can be averted - if we act in time.

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The IPCC says this opportunity for action will only last for the rest of this decade, as the final sentence in the new report underlines.

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"Any further delay in concerted global action will miss a brief and rapidly closing window to secure a livable future." If the world can cut emissions drastically and significantly boost spending on adaptation, that could avoid locking in certain disaster. And it\'s not just about spending on green energy and electric cars. The authors say that investing in education, health systems and social justice could help people to cope with the impacts of rising temperatures. Investing in nature will also be a bulwark against the worst, says the IPCC, which calls for 30-50% of the world to be conserved. "Nature can be our saviour," said Inger Anderson, the head of the UN Environment Program.

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"But only if we save it first."

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Beekeeping Today Podcast Blog

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 08:00:00 +0000

One of the articles I wrote long ago for Bee Culture was about woodenware (Bee Culture, "Wooden World," February 1992, pp 80-87). You know, the frames - both deep and medium, hive bodies, honey supers, inner covers and telescoping covers. I didn’t look at bottom boards, but you will understand why in just a bit. At the time, I ordered samples of frames and hive bodies from all the different manufacturers of the time, laid it all out in my basement, then stepped back.

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It all looked about right. Some was more ‘finished’ than others - but it was all bee equipment, right? I mean, there really isn’t too much to it. Then I started making individual measurements of all the pieces-parts. Then I assembled the parts and took even more measurements.

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The purpose of the article was to compare the components to see if they were all sized properly, fit well, were clean and not warped, cracked or damaged in some other way. Were they cut accurate? It had never been done.

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Why? Why go through all the bother and expense? Isn’t a hive body a hive body? Isn’t a deep frame is a deep frame? One would think. Here’s what was driving this review.

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Have you ever separated two hive bodies only to find the space filled with burr comb, dripping with honey or drone brood? If it’s been several summer months since you last opened that hive, separating those two boxes took some effort, didn’t it? Why? My running hypothesis, was different manufacturers built their equipment to different specifications and that woodenware is really not all that interchangeable. The different specifications made a difference to bee space in a hive body and the hive body or super above it or below it. The review of the woodenware proved this to be true.

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Disregarding any sloppy tolerances due to old jigs, dull blades, or poor lumber, how a frame sits in a hive body makes a big difference in bee space. How deep into the hive body is that rabbet the frame sits in? That depth determines where the bee space is created between one box of frames and the one above or below. Set deep, the bee space is above the frame. Set shallow, then the bee space is created below the frame. Generally.

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I am not going to recount the entire article here in our blog, especially since… that was back in 1991 and many - if not all but one of the manufacturers - have changed. The take away I learned is that mixing equipment between manufacturers can lead to burr comb or excess build up of propolis.

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Today, I try to buy everything from one manufacturer - or at least the frames and boxes. It really does cut down on the problems associated with bee space problems. (I am not as obsessive about the bottom board, inner covers and tops… no really!)

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I suggest you take a look at that stack of equipment you have waiting for spring. Mark it, so you can keep your boxes and frames from different manufacturers grouped together as much as possible. This will cut down on the time you spend this summer on inspections. If you are making equipment orders this spring, consider settling on one manufacturer (we prefer BetterBee!)

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Let us know what you think!

Beekeeping Today Podcast Blog

Sun, 20 Feb 2022 08:00:00 +0000

The serious ethanol industry began in the 1970s when petroleum-based fuel became expensive and environmental concerns involving leaded gasoline created a need for an octane additive. It was soon obvious that corn was a good choice for ethanol production because there was lots of it and there could be a lot more. Government subsidies for ethanol helped keep the fuel in production when ethanol prices fell with crude oil and gasoline prices in the early 1980s, which gave birth to a policy called the “Minnesota Model” for ethanol production. This gave farmers a boost because The Minnesota Model was an agreement between local public and private parties who work to keep profits in the community the ability to provide jobs (and the economic and political benefits associated with job growth and income) and added value to agricultural products while strengthening rural communities. Which means farmers were better off too.

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Thus, ethanol’s use as an oxygenate to control carbon monoxide emissions encouraged increased production of the fuel through the decade and into the 1990s.

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New research led by the University of Wisconsin–Madison (my alma mater, by the way) found that this:

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Increased corn prices by about 30%,
Expanded corn cultivation by 8.7%,
Increased fertilizer use by 3 to 8%,
Degraded the water supply with chemical runoff, and
Caused enough domestic land use change emissions such that the carbon intensity of corn ethanol produced no less than gasoline and likely at least 24% higher.

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This basically reaffirms what many suspected, that corn ethanol is not a climate-friendly fuel, and we need to accelerate the shift toward better renewable fuels. Fast.

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The Renewable Fuel Standard really did drive up crop prices and corn cultivation in the U.S., covering an additional 6.9 million acres of land. Other commodity crop prices, such as wheat and soybeans, rose by 20%. This increased agriculture has obviously been accompanied by more fertilizer use and more water quality degradation (3–5% increases in nitrate leaching and phosphorus runoff) and more carbon emissions attributable to simply more farmers using more land, bumping up pollution by the entire agricultural industry by several percent.

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The Government’s new Renewable Fuel Standard was supposed to encourage the development of cellulosic biofuels that didn't compete for the land where food is grown, but they have not proven to be economically viable. You could envision replacing the existing 15 billion gallons of corn ethanol now produced with those next-generation biofuels as that production came online, restoring millions of acres of cornfields into perennial native grasslands and other landscapes that could potentially be utilized for bioenergy, still be economically productive, and also help reduce nitrate leaching, erosion and runoff. And, keeping a whole bunch of the carbon in the soil, in the soil. But here's real money in corn and Americans are paying for this in two ways: Through increased prices for food and out of their taxes for subsidies.

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Under the Renewable Fuel Standard, a fuel had to achieve at least a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions relative to petroleum to qualify as renewable. Originally, corn ethanol just met the threshold in the EPA’s 2010 regulatory impact analysis, with emissions estimated to be 20–21% lower compared with gasoline. But ethanol’s environmental profile hasn’t matched expectations. With 20:20 hindsight it’s easy to see why. In the EPA’s original analysis, they estimated a very small amount of domestic land use change. They hadn’t expected such a big response because cropland area in the U.S. had been declining for the previous 30 years.

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At the time the EPA’s estimates suggested that the U.S. land use change would sequester carbon and help improve the carbon footprint of ethanol. But it didn’t. Instead, it looks like it actually increases it 20% higher than gasoline.

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Cellulosic and other advanced biofuels — such as those made from switchgrass, other perennial plants or waste materials — offer an opportunity to build off that start in a more sustainable manner. But they don’t exist. Yet.

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As a result of this ethanol mess, agricultural bankers reported a 22% increase in farmland values in the central Corn Belt during 2021 and they expect values to continue to rise in the opening months of this year. Iowa had the largest increase, 30%, in the corn belt.

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So, do you want to bet that the land that was supposed to be turned into something environmentally friendly isn’t going to be changed? More corn, more fertilizer, more carbon released, more pollution, more, more, more.

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And not one square foot of bee pasture.

Beekeeping Today Podcast Blog

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 08:00:00 +0000

It is that time of year in many parts of the country where the bees will start to get out on the sunny days, make a quick flight and get back into the cluster before they get too cold. As the Winter wanes, you may see some colonies have this activity where others… seem too quiet. Way too quiet.

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Then one day, the wind dies down, the sun comes out and the air warms a touch. You are able to go out to that colony and carefully crack it open. What do you hear? What do you smell? Finally… what do you see?

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Opening a dead colony (or ‘deadout’) is a sad experience. Not a ‘can be’, or ‘might be’. It is a loss: Emotional or financial or both.

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You can learn a lot by opening a deadout. Kim Flottum and Jim Tew talk about this in their Honey Bee Obscura podcast episode “What’s That Smell (The Bad)” released November 11, 2021.

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Winter inspection of a deadout is a Winter chore you will need to do. There are a couple goals of this exercise: 1.) Determine the cause, 2.) Clean out the equipment, 3.) Prep for the spring.

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First, you want to try and determine the cause of the colony’s demise. I will go out on a limb and state that today, the most likely cause of a deadout is varroa - or more exact, viruses introduced by the varroa mite late summer and fall. If varroa levels were high, (more than 3-5 mites per 100 adult bees) chances are your colony succumbed to an infestation.

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The second most likely cause is that the colony starved. Generally speaking, (remembering there are exceptions to everything in beekeeping, as Kim says, “… it depends…”) If there is lots of food and pollen, but no bees in a center cluster. Probably varroa. You can also confirm this diagnosis by turning a brood frame upside-down and look for varroa fecal spots on the tops and sides of brood cells. This is not a sole indicator though… since varroa is always present. But if individual cells are heavily speckled, there is a strong probability varroa factored into the deadout.

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If there is lots of food and a big center cluster of bees and you’ve had a cold winter - as much of the mid-to-northern tier of states experience, they probably starved to death because it was too cold to move to where the food was stored.

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Next, if the cluster of bees is small and crammed into the top hive body, then the primary cause of their death is they ran out of food and starved.

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There are multiple other (and combinations of everything) that can lead to a colony’s death over the winter. I’ve listed only two likely reasons which should be ruled out before going down more obscure reasons. When in doubt, enlist the aid of another (more experienced) beekeeper or mentor. Draw on their knowledge of the local conditions.

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I will add at this point, while you are making your inspection, pull our your cell phone and take lots of photos for later review and analysis.

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After this ‘determination of cause’, tear apart and clean out all the dead bees. You don’t want the mass of dead bees between the frames and on the bottom board to get moldy. THAT is a mess. Take the hive body away and perform this in a different part of your bee yard. Clean each frame of dead bees. Cull/remove old, black comb so it is not reused. This is a miserable job, but you get used to it quickly. If you do this on a colder day, you will not have to put up with curious or hungry bees. Just be careful of the comb as it will be fragile in the cold.

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Final step, is to figure out what you want to do with the empty equipment. All those frames of drawn brood comb have been referred to as a ‘beekeepers most valuable resource’ - and they are. The drawn comb and drawn comb with honey and pollen, will be readily accepted by the new colony (package or nuc) and the queen will get to business right way. There is no delay or while the colony draws out foundation.

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If you are ordering new nucs and packages, then you can set up the empty equipment in your beeyard, where you will want the new colonies. You’ll want to put mouse guards in place and I like to open them up to keep the air circulating, by removing the collector trays under a screened bottom board and provide some upper (screened) opening. They should keep until the packages or nucs arrive with little or minimal problems with pests.

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If you chose to store the empty equipment, ideally you will want to move them indoors so they are protected from the elements and pests. They don’t need to be heated and it is best to store them where they are out of the elements but can freeze to help ward off pests such as the opportunistic wax moth.

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Late winter inspection and cleaning of colonies that did not survive the winter is a difficult job. Try to use it to better your beekeeping management skills. Remember also, sometimes no matter what you do, colonies will die. You can improve your odds (and therefore those of your colonies) by learning what caused a loss and adapting your colony management techniques and skills to prepare for the next winter.

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Thanks for reading and thank you for listening to Beekeeping Today Podcast.

Beekeeping Today Podcast Blog

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 08:00:00 +0000

I was intrigued by one result of the huge climate change conference held a bit ago in Scotland. That is, the concept of “Net 0”. Each participant presented promises of reducing CO2 and other warming gas emissions to “Net 0” by some future date.

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I’ve done some digging and turned up what I think was meant by that - that is, by that certain future date this or that country will be adding only as much greenhouse gas as it was removing or preventing from being formed, thus a “Net 0” change in atmospheric carbon.

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What wasn’t addressed by this, however, is just because we aren’t adding additional carbon, doesn’t make what is already here go away, right?

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By one estimate, the Global Land Temperature has risen by 1.5C in the last 250 years – roughly since the beginning of both modern agriculture and manufacturing – and 0.9C, roughly 60% of that total, has occurred in the past 50 years. But look around you. That increase is causing the problems we are having today, right now. Floods, extreme weather events, droughts, fundamental warming – is this what we are willing to settle for?

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Because at “Net 0”, that’s what we’ll have.

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What else came from that conference and a whole library of research, was a bit more promising. They pointed to how we can accomplish not a “Net 0” but rather a less than “0” net. The research illustrated the fundamental ways and means to not just keep what we have, but reduce what’s already there. This while at the same time not adding any more, they report the effects of greenhouse gas emissions will not stay the same, but will actually be reduced.

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Now there’s a promising goal!

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Next time here we’ll take a look at some of these actions and better, what side effects may occur that will enhance the probability that bees, beekeepers and beekeeping might not only survive, but thrive in a world with LESS than ‘Net 0’ and… cooler at that!