Creating a Depository of Local Honey Bee Strains From Feral Swarms and Demonstrating a Sustainable Beekeeping Model Using Horizontal Hives and Bee-Friendly Management

Creating a Depository of Local Honey Bee Strains From Feral Swarms and Demonstrating a Sustainable Beekeeping Model Using Horizontal Hives and Bee-Friendly Management

Summary

WORK ACTIVITIES 2015

In March-April 2015 we constructed and set out 60 swarm traps (bait hives) at 36 sites in the Ozark wilderness (Douglas, Howell, and Ozark counties in Missouri). The traps were placed away from known apiaries, so as to attract feral (wild) honeybee swarms. The bait hives were monitored, and swarms that occupied them were moved into newly constructed horizontal hives at our demonstration apiary. SARE funds were used for constructing (building materials) and managing (travel and personnel cost) the swarm traps and the new hives.

We presented numerous seminars (see below) and published several articles in leading beekeeping journals. We developed and uploaded to our website detailed free hive construction plans and a swarm-catching guide. SARE funds were used for travel and personnel costs developing these educational materials and delivering the presentations.

RESULTS

Despite the very rainy and cold May thirteen swarms were attracted to the swarm traps and transferred into hives. The largest swarm was over 9 lb; the average swarm size was 4.5 lb. All swarms arrived in late May – June.

The apiary was increased from 8 to 19 hives, all of which are now going as of December 22, 2015. Two swarm queens were lost during transfer from swarm traps into hives, and their colonies were merged with other colonies.

We are confirming that:

– Ozark forests are home to a substantial feral honeybee population; this is probably true about other forested areas in the Northeast region of the US.

– Setting out swarm traps in forested areas is a viable and economic way of starting and increasing an apiary. We caught 60 lb of bees this season, which represents at least $3000 in value for the bees alone. Our success rate this season was 37% per site.

– We tested two different kinds of swarm lure: lemongrass essential oil and synthetic Nasonov pheromone. Both lures are equally effective. This is a very important finding: pheromone lures are many times more expensive than lemongrass essential oil. Our finding that lemongrass essential oil performs just as good will enable any farmer or beekeeper to confidently use this more affordable option when baiting their swarm traps.

– For best results and easy transfer of bees into permanent hives, all swarm traps must be equipped with frames. Some of our swarm traps had top bars only, and this is not recommended as this complicates transfer into the permanent hive; besides, the newly built comb can be damaged during swarm trap handling.

– Horizontal hives built out of thick lumber (“two-by” boards) are an economical and simple way to establish an apiary, very easy to build and manage.

– Feral bees are resilient and disease resistant. Once transferred into permanent hives, the swarms developed well, some even yielded a small honey harvest, and all persist to the present date without any treatments. The only two colonies lost were lost due to accident: heavy rains in May flooded creeks and cut off access roads to some swarm traps; three weeks later, by the time the swarm traps were accessible, resident swarms had built very big and heavy combs which collapsed when swarm traps were taken off the trees, killing the queens (these two traps had only top bars in them).

WORK PLAN 2016 

We will set out swarm traps again in the Spring 2016. The swarms will be transferred into hives at our apiary. We are hoping to further increase our apiary to some 30 or 40 hives.

We will continue to disseminate results of our work by developing printed and online content. In fact, two big articles we authored are coming out in the February and March editions of the American Bee Journal.

We will continue to give seminars, presentations, and field days (see below).

OUTREACH

We performed EXTENSIVE outreach during 2015:

ARTICLES: The following articles were published in the major national publications:

– Leo Sharashkin, “A Swarm Trap on Every Tree”, American Bee Journal, March 2015 (circulation: over 20,000)

– Leo Sharashkin, “Not by Clover Alone: Native Honey Plants for Bees”, Acres USA, April 2015 (circulation: over 20,000)

– Leo Sharashkin, “Horizontal Hive Advantages “, Bee Culture, November 2015 (circulation: over 20,000)

WEBSITE: we expanded website content to include more free plans for building simple and efficient horizontal hives; and created and posted a detailed swarm catching guide.

EMAIL LIST: our efforts are generating a lot of interest. Since March 2015 more than 2000 people signed up for our e-newsletter.

PRESENTATIONS & FIELD DAYS:

Dr Leo Sharashkin gave the following invited presentations on swarm catching and natural beekeeping in horizontal hives this year:

– Bozeman, Montana, March 14-15, 2015 – Bozeman Natural Beekeepers – two-day natural beekeeping seminar. Attendance: 25 beekeepers, farmers, and ranchers from Montana, California, and Idaho.

– Tulsa, Oklahoma, March 27-28, 2015 – North Eastern Oklahoma Beekeepers Association Big bee Buzz Conference. Attendance: 160 beekeepers from Oklahoma and surrounding states.

– Drury, Missouri, April 11-12, 2015 – two day natural beekeeping class at our apiary. Attendance: 30 beekeepers and farmers from Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, and New Hampshire.

– Monroe, Washington, April 23-24, 2015 – two-day natural beekeeping class. Attendance: 20 beekeepers and farmers from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia.

– Baker Creek Spring Planting Festival, Mansfield, MO, May 3-4, 2015 – presentation attended by 250; booth for both days, even attendance 10,000 of gardeners, farmers, and ranchers from Midwest and all over the US.

– Searcy, Arkansas, June 8, 2015 – White County Beekeepers Association meeting. Attendance: 75.

– Lynnville, IA, July 11, 2015 – Iowa Honey Producers Association Field Day. Attendance: 100.

– Columbia, MO, September 12-13, 2015 – Keynote address and natural beekeeping presentation, Missouri Master Gardeners Conference. Attendance: 150+.

– Springfield, MO, September 17, 2015 – Springfield Organic Club. Attendance: 100+.

– Columbia, MO, October 16-17, 2015 – Missouri Beekeepers Association Conference. Attendance: 150+.

– Springfield, MO, November 24, 2015 – Beekeepers Association of the Ozarks. Attendance: 50+.

For 2016, Dr Leo Sharashkin has the following confirmed engagements thus far:

– January 28, 2016 – presenting and having an exhibit at the National Agroforestry Symposium devoted to pollinators, in Columba, MO. Presentation title: “Agroforestry and Wilderness Beekeeping for Conservation and Profit”

– February 4-6, 2016 – giving THREE presentations and having an exhibit at the Missouri Organic Conference, Springfield, MO

– February 12-13, 2016 – giving two presentations at the South Iowa Grazing Conference, Bloomfield, IA

– March 19-20, 2016 – two-day natural beekeeping class and field day at our apiary in Drury, MO

Objectives/Performance Targets

Accomplishments/Milestones

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Collaborators: