Classroom Beekeeping with Phil Kahler Tualatin Valley Academy

Classroom Beekeeping with Phil Kahler Tualatin Valley Academy Hillsboro, Oregon Add excitement to your classroom by opening a window to the hidden world of the honeybee. Observation beehives allow students to observe the industrious work and life cycle of the honeybee. Discover the passion and commitment needed to make your classroom beekeeping project a success.

The Secret Life of White House Bees Video available online at http: //www. whitehouse. gov/blog/2010/06/23/secret-life-white-house-bees and http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=g. Na. LV 8 Kw. Tr 8

Classroom Observation Hives Old 2 -Frame Hive New 8 -Frame Hive

Classroom Observation Hive

Observation Hive Designs • Available at Your Local Beekeeping Supply Company

Observation Hive Designs • Available at Your Local Beekeeping Supply Company • Order Online

Observation Hive Designs • Available at Your Local Beekeeping Supply Company • Order Online • Build It Yourself – Construction Plans Available to Purchase or as Free Downloads Online.

Observation Hive Designs • Design Considerations: – Bigger is Better for Long-Term – Smaller is Better for Short-Term and is Portable

Getting Started • Parent Volunteer • Local Beekeeper

Getting Started • Parent Volunteer • Local Beekeeper • Accidental Beekeeper (AKA the Teacher)

Safety Considerations • Beeline (Flight Path) • Allergies / Epi. Pen – Know your students • Classroom Management • Plexiglas vs. Glass

D a y 1 Our first package of 10, 000 honey bees and a queen. April 2006.

We spray the bees with sugar water to feed them.

Lucas helps me suit up.

The hive feeder is filled with sugar syrup.

The bees are knocked down to the bottom of the package.

Ready to put the queen cage in the hive.

D a y 2 Lucas opens up the pollen patty.

Father and son after closing the hive.

D a y 3 Our first hive inspection.

Shaking out the last of the bees into the hive.

D a y 6 Lucas tries out the smoker.

We prepare to open the hive for inspection.

We open the hive.

Removing a frame from the super.

We spot the queen and notice lots of new cells.

The queen bee.

The drone bee.

The worker bee.

The worker bee gathers pollen and puts it in it’s leg pockets.

Lucas holding a frame swarming with bees!

We return the frame and bees to the hive.

All done for now. We’ll check on the bees next week.

Lucas with a new package of bees for the observation hive.

Lucas sprays the bees with sugar syrup.

The bees are knocked down to the bottom of the package.

The feed can is removed from the package to retrieve the queen cage.

The queen cage cork is replaced with a marshmallow.

Once the workers eat through the marshmallow, the queen will be released into the hive.

Transferring the bees from the package to the observation hive is a challenge.

Feral bees in a Wood Duck nest box.

The feral bee swarm.

Too heavy with honey, the feral nest falls.

The bees are gone and the honey smells fermented.

Bee removal from a structure.

Hair clips are used to hold the wild comb to top bars.

Without regular maintenance top bar hives can become unmanageable.

Swarm Capture Box

Lucas with a basket ball size swarm that refused to enter the capture box.

Ready to capture the swarm.

Making a tragic mistake.

A properly ventilated swarm removal box.

Calming the swarm with sugar water.

Backyard Swarm on Fence

Hey neighbor, there are two more swarms in our backyard!

We have another swarm for you!

My homemade hive box is too deep. Note drone cells, queen cell, and honey storage.

My homemade hive box is too deep. Note drone cells and queen cell.

Four more queen cells.

Western Tanager eating bees.

Four of our hives.

Hive air conditioning. Bees also need a reliable source of water.

Hive Ventilation

Brood

Varroa Mites

Winter

Winter Die Off

Hive Temperature

28°F Outside, 100°F Inside!

Winter feedings of sugar syrup.

Queen Excluder

Honey Harvest

Brushing the bees off takes time, but is much better than using smoke.

Quick, put the lid on before the bees find it!

Dogs and Bees (and equipment storage)

Honey Comb

Cutting Comb

Cutting comb with wired foundation.

Cut Comb

Cutting comb with thin foundation.

Cutting top bar comb.

Scraping comb off plastic foundation.

Crushing the honey comb.

Double filtering the honey.

Jars of honey.

Jars of chunk honey.

Honey ready to sell.

The Modern Beehive Outer Cover Inner Cover Honey Supers (Shallow) Queen Excluder Food Chamber (Deep) Brood Chamber (Deep) Bottom Board Hive Stand

Tools of the Trade n n Hivetool Smoker Gloves (if you must) Veil

Where to Put Your Hive n n n Don’t Create a Nuisance Easy, Level Access Nearby Water Source Dappled Sunlight Shielded from Winds Facing South-East

Getting Started n n n Read-up on Beekeeping Join a Regional Club Latch onto a Mentor Order Start-Up Kit Order Package Bees Begin your love affair

Webster, T. , & Caron, D. (1999). Observation hives: How to set up, maintain and use a window to the world of honey bees. Medina, OH: The A. I. Root Company. Phil Kahler’s Beekeeping Information and Links: http: //www. tvja. org/science/bees. htm E-mail: philk@tvja. org Keep Learning!

Sessions • • Title: Timeslot: Unique ID: Room Name: Bird. Sleuth: Most Wanted Birds Breakout Session 200, 11: 15 am-12: 30 pm, MONDAY, AUGUST 6 224 Lincoln A (87) • • Title: Timeslot: Unique ID: Room Name: Classroom Beekeeping Breakout Session 300, 3: 45 -5 pm, MONDAY, AUGUST 6 353 Ryman Studio C (24) • • Title: Timeslot: Unique ID: Room Name: Bird. Sleuth: Investigating Evidence Breakout Session 400, 11: 15 am-12: 30 pm, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7 422 Lincoln C (72) • • Title: Timeslot: Unique ID: Room Name: Bird. Sleuth: Authentic Scientific Inquiry Using Free Online Wikispaces Breakout Session 600, 9: 45 -11 am, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 8 624 Lincoln C (72)