Introduction to Keeping Bees How Sweet it is

Introduction to Keeping Bees How Sweet it is!

Benefits of bee keeping Bee species & races Native bees Bee castes Bee hives Equipment Using the Smoker Handling bees & siting a Harvesting the honey hive What will we be talking about?

Pollination Honey Beeswax Propolis Pollen Interest Benefits

Native Tetragonula (Trigona) Cabonaria (cool climate) Austroplebeia Australis (warmer areas) European Apis Mellifera Ligustica (Italian) - docile, most common race; 2 -5 yellow abdominal bands Apis Mellifera Carnica (Carniolan) – can tend to swarm – brown bands, greyish overall Apis Mellifera Caucasia (Caucasian) – hard workers, may rob other hives – brown bands but overall darker appearance Species

DON’T STING! Found in mature trees with suitable hollows Produce small amounts of dark strongly flavoured honey Store in irregular shaped pollen and honey pots Mix their wax with tree resin Native bees

Bee Castes

Hollow Log Original Australian Trigonia Hive (OATH) Klummpys Insulated Tubing Hive (KITH) Native Bee Hives

Skep Langstroth Top Bar Honey Bee Hives

Bee veil Gloves Hive tool Smoker Bee brush Overalls Equipment

Fuel – pine needles; dry bracken; hessian; dry leaves rolled corrugated cardboard. Light a small amount of fuel, pump bellows, pack with more fuel Calms bees down, less likely to sting The Smoker

Put on the gear & light smoker Approach from the side & give 5 or so puffs at the entrance Allow time for bees to gorge Remove cover & smoke over frames Remove frames & check one at a time, keeping vertical Replace and reseal hive Handling Bees

Face north – north east Allow clear flight path for 10 metres A hedge or fence a couple of metres in front will force them to fly up. Near a water source Out of the wind Out of vision of the public Siting a Hive

Harvest only from “supers: not brood box Slice off cappings with steam or electrically heated knife Place in a bought, borrowed, made or rented centrifugal extractor Filter resultant honey and pack off Harvest

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