[The Thinking Beekeeper 01] • The Thinking Beekeeper by Hemenway, Christy -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Part One

CHAPTER 1

How Did We Get Here From There? Forward, into the Future of Food

The products of War Big Agriculture Systemic Neonicotinoid pesticides Outmoded Testing Methods Genetically Modified Organisms Our Broken Food System

And now, Back to the Bees

CHAPTER 2

It’s All About the Wax

Honeycomb Frames Foundation Straight Comb Head Start Same Size Wrong Size More Unintended Consequences Preventing Natural Swarming Multiplying the Number of Swarms at pleasure Taking The Honey in any Form or Quantity Desired Without Destroying the Bees Limiting the Number of Drones Controlling the Sex of the Bee Changing the Size of the Bee Chemical Contamination in the Hive—the New Worry A Few More Thoughts on the Use of Foundation Wrong Shape Bees Don’t Like It Does Standardization Make Sense?

CHAPTER 3

Basic Bee Biology

Time and Temperature Who’s Buzzing in this Beehive? Queen Bee Drone Bee Worker Bee Bee Math for Different Inhabitants of the Hive More about Queens Long Live the Queen Swarming Supersedure Emergency Queen Replacement Laying Worker A Hive Can Save a Hive—An Argument in Favor of Interchangeable Parts Temperature Location and Climate The Pollination Behavior of Honeybees The Stinging of Bees Dark Colors Strong Scents Not All Bugs that Fly and Sting are Honeybees—or Even Bees Are You Really Allergic?

Part Two

CHAPTER 4

Your Top Bar Hive

The Important Elements of a Top Bar Hive The Cavity The Top Bars The Entrance Management Differences due to Entrance Location Follower Boards Roof Landing Boards Observation Windows Other Significant Features of Top Bar Hives The Gold Star Top Bar Hive On Interchangeability among Top Bar Hives A Brief Note regarding Warre Hives

CHAPTER 5

On Getting Started with Your Own Top Bar Hive

Doing It Yourself Buying a Ready-Made Top Bar Hive Where Do the Bees Come From? A Swarm A Package A Split Hack’n’Slash of a Nuc Relocating Bees from Buildings Equipment and Supplies You Will Need A Top Bar Hive—Assembled and Appropriately Placed A Feeder Protective Bee Gear Bee Logbook Miscellaneous Supplies Preparing the Hive for Bees Setting up a Center Side Entrance Hive to Install the Bees Setting up an End Entrance Hive to Install the Bees Installing the Bees Get Yourself Ready Getting the Bees Ready Finishing the Installation Top Bars

CHAPTER 6

Inspections

Why Do Hive Inspections? Wax and Inspections How to Correct a Cross-Comb Wax problem To Wax or Not to Wax—What about the Top Bars? Anti-Absconding Tricks Handling Honeycomb Hive Tools for a Top Bar Hive Replacing the Top Bars When there are Bees in the Way Keeping the Bars Touching While Inspecting To Smoke or not to Smoke Keep a Bee Log How to Inspect a Top Bar Hive What Things Look Like Day One: Hiving the Bees Days 3-10: Removing the Queen Cage Days 10-20: Early Inspection Days 20–40: Hive Expansion Days 30–50: Adding Bars In One Direction Days 40–60: Continuing to Expand Days 60–80: Filling the Hive in the Original Direction Days 70-100: Mid-Season Shift Days 80–120: Building Again in One Direction Days 110–160: Wall-to-Wall Bees Day 140 through Late Season: Filling the Hive Winter Shutdown

CHAPTER 7

Overwintering Your Top Bar Hive

Why is Winter Such a Challenge? When to Start Preparing for Winter Unidirectional Bees Wind is a Four-Letter Word Natural Planting Privacy Fence Hay Bale Fort Tarp Skirt Foamboard Insulation Panels Tar Paper Wrap Food Is a Four-Letter Word Too Reserved Honey Sugar Syrup Dry Sugar Fondant or Bee Candy Cold Is a Four-Letter Word as well Containing the Colony Solid Lid of Top Bars Adjustable Bottom Board Inside the Roof Outside the Roof Entrances Mice When to Stop Preparing for Winter Preserving the Propolis Seal Sitting On Your Hands When Spring Finally Comes April Success!

CHAPTER 8

Treasures of the Hive

Ah, Honey! Beekeeper Focus When and How Much to Harvest? How to Harvest Honey Cut Comb Honey Liquid Honey Bottling Honey Healthy and Nutritious—It’s the Real Deal Save it for Bee Food Amazing Remedies from Honey and Venom Pollen Allergies Wounds and Burns Apitherapy—Bee Venom Therapy (BVT) Rendering the Beeswax Candles Salves and Creams Household Uses

CHAPTER 9

Bee Pests and Diseases

An Ounce of Natural Prevention is Worth a Pound of Chemical Cure Cleanliness Tidiness Inspections Learn Signs and Symptoms Terrible Things that Can Happen to Your Wonderful Bees American Foulbrood European Foulbrood Honeybee Viruses Chalkbrood Wax Moth Small Hive Beetle Nosema Varroa Mites Treacheal Mites Common Backyard Nuisance Pests Mice Bears Skunks, Raccoons, Opossums Chickens Ants

Afterword

Early Enthusiasm Making the Connection. . . Speaking of the Government. . . Shifting to a Bigger Paradigm But Let’s Go Back to Talking about Bees, Shall We?

Endnotes

Chapter 1: How Did We Get Here From There? Chapter 2: It’s All About the Wax Chapter 4: The Top Bar Hive Chapter 5: On Getting Started with Your Own Top Bar Hive Chapter 6: Inspections Chapter 7: Overwintering Your Top Bar Hive Chapter 8: Treasures of the Hive Chapter 9: Bee Pests and Diseases

Afterword Glossary Appendix A: Sample Hive Inspection Diagram Appendix B: Bee Resources Index About the Author A Guide to Responsible Digital Reading

Issues and Resources Recycle Old Electronics Responsibly