What is propolis and what is it made of?  And why do bees make so darn much of this sticky substance?  In short:  It's bee glue.

Propolis is a mixture of resins from trees and other plants which bees collect, mix with wax and then use to "caulk" the hive itself as well as many items in the hive.

Why do bees cover everything in propolis? Just like you would use window caulking to fill air pockets in your window sill, so bees do with propolis.  Further, the bees use it to secure the moving parts of the hive together to keep out the weather and bugs.

The antibacterial nature of propolis helps the bees to keep the hive hygenic.  Thus, rather than something sitting there rotting, the bees will coat the surface or the whole item with propolis.

For example, bees use propolis to "mummify" intruders that are too big to move.  This mummification process essentially covers the critter in propolis, and the dead creature dries out.  This protects the colony from diseases and putrification of this rotting creature.

What do I do with propolis?  While there are many uses for propolis by bees, as a beekeeper, you may think of propolis as just a nuisance.  It gets on your gloves, your hive tools, your wood.  But there are many uses for propolis, most of which involve natural remedies for mouth sores, cuts and scrapes, and many others.  There's a market out there, and many ways to harvest this fine bee-made product.

Personally, I love the smell of propolis.  When I was a kid beekeeper (yes, a long time ago), I used propolis to repair my archery arrow fletchings (that's the feathers), since Elmer's glue just didn't do it well enough, and this was before "super glue".  The only problem I had was that propolis, when cold, gets very brittle very fast.

Other people I know will chew propolis, like gum, to provide some relief from mouth sores. Propolis has a lot of antimicrobial properties. Be sure to brush your teeth later though, as this will stick to your teeth!  Or, you can make a tincture or lip balm and so on.  Some recipies at this link or this one.  In short, you have to extract the propolis by dissolving it in alcohol (e.g. Everclear), straining out the sludge, and then using the result in tinctures, balms and salves. 

Now you know a lot about propolis!  There is always more to learn around the hive.

See you there soon!
tim

Today I made a candy board for one of my hives.

You can do this too, by going to this link and following these simple directions.  You can download these as well.

As you can see from the photo on the left, I used some old plywood to make mine.  I did wash it a few days ago, since it had some winter crud-sludge on the board, which I didn't want in my hive.

When I made my candy, I added a capful of "Honey B Healthly".

I use this product (there are others out there like it) to add a boost to my bees during the winter months.

The directions on our site also recommend adding a pollen patty, which I did on the candy board shown above.

Again, during the few warm days you will get from time-to-time this winter, have these ready to go so you can pop these onto the hives on those days.

Until next time, see you around the hive.

What are you going to do with all that wax?

This week we heard from Fred and Caroline about how to process wax and make it into various products.

Think about:
Candles (all sorts)
Wax Bars
Lip Balm
Hand Lotion
Creative Artwork
and more....

True Artistry takes time.  Caroline showed us the process to collect and process the bees wax.  First you have to sort the wax:  white cappings versus older, darker wax. Gently clean it with water.  Melt the wax in a solar wax melter or double boiler (Always monitor the wax when around fire, as wax is flammable). Be certain to keep straining the wax to keep the junk from getting into your final product.

Then use molds and castings to make your candles.  Note the coloring differences between the candles.

If you are really patient, you can make some fabulous, award-winning creations, like this one!

Yes, those are rose petals made one by one, with beeswax.  If you come to the Illinois State Fair this summer, you will see even more of these on display.  Perhaps you can make something interesting and submit your honey or wax-creation entry to win a prize.  

Now's the time to be working on these creations, in between checking on your bees during breaks in the weather. 

Until next time!
tim

A few years ago, I received a magazine that told me about Heifer International.   The article went into the idea of giving a bee hive to a family as a nutritional or money-making source.  While I realize it's past the end of the year, you can start out the New Year right with a charitible (tax deductible) contribution to this fine project.  A $30 donation funds a hive of bees to someone in a country where they need help to make a living.  In this case, a family receives a package of bees, the box and hive plus training in beekeeping.

If you've not heard of Heifer, you can also check them out at CharityNavigator.org.  They get a 3 out of four stars for accountability and transparency, which functionally means that 3/4 of your dollar goes to the actual recepient of the donation.  I'm sure there are other organizations that do this, but I didn't find any in a quick search on the internet.  Maybe you or I can start another one!   

Division = Multiplication.  Another thing I like about Heifer, when the new beekeeper gets going, and as part of the program, the recipient has the responsibility to pass their experience on to another person.  So, like the rest of us beekeepers, in the next year they'll do a split of the donated hive  and give the split to another new beekeepr, helping that person get started as well.

So, what are you going to do? 

Grab your favorite hive tool, crack open the check book, and write a check out to these fine people. Or you can use your credit card at their site. 

Can you imagine the thrill this person will have in entering the beekeeping world?
 
And you'll feel better about helping someone out there that shares our love of honey and bees. 

Last thing, take your right hand, raise it up over your head, and pat your self on the back.  You did a good thing today for your fellow travellers, and for bees too.  On the whole, that's a great day!

Until next time, see you around the hive!
tim

The new seed catalogs are coming!
What should you order? 

Bees like LOTS of flowers (and trees and bushes).  Like a kid reaching for a cookie jar on the top shelf, bees will even try to get to flowers in which their tongues are too short.  The current trend is to try and plant flowers and shrubs that will bloom at various times throughout the growing season.  You get extra bee points if you plant varieties that are native to your area.

Luckily, there are no shortage of flowering annuals and perennials, as well as trees and shrubs that bees race to when the weather warms up.  Today, I'm just going to mention some bee friendly plants in Central Illinois.  However, you can browse many seed catalogs online or call and ask for a "local mix".

You may also want to talk with your local Master Gardener, who can recommend some varieties that will keep your garden blooming from April to October, and your bees happily gathering pollen and nectar.
 
Below are some (of many!) sources for seeds, along with a list of bee friendly plants in Central IL, as provided to me by Friends of Sangamon Valley (Thanks, Verne, LaGess!)
 
Until next time, thanks for reading.
tim
 

Seed Sources (a start):
Your local gardening enthusiasts, garden clubs and neighbors.

Barefoot Nursery:  PO Box 5176, Springfield IL 62704

IL Pheasants and Quail Forever offers a pollinators-mix -  IhuntIllinois.com/seeds.html

Pinetree Seeds : superseeds.com

Seedsavers Exchange (heirloom and non-hybrid seeds):  Seedsavers.org

Wildseed Farms (you can order “zone mixes” for your growing zone:  wildseedfarms.com 

Bee Friendly Plants for Central Illinois
April
Virginia Spiderwort
Wild Hyacinth
Golden Alexander’s

May
New Jersey Tea
White Indigo
Bee Balm
Black-eyed Susan
Patridge Pea
Ohio Spiderwort

June                                        
Butterfly Milkweed
Prairie Milkweed
Common Milkweed
Leadplan
Prairie Coreopsis
Purple Prairie Clover
Pale Purple Coneflower
False Sunflower
Compass Plant
IL Bundle Flower

July
Purple Coneflower
Culverts Root
Dense Blazing Star
Joe Pye Weed
Rattlesnake Master
Prairie Dock
Rosinweed
Western Sunflower
Wild Penstemon

August
True Boneset
Rough Blaszingstar
Round headed Bush clover
Hairy Mountain Mint
September
Rigid Goldenrod
New England Aster
False Boneset
Sneezeweed
Bottled Genetian

October
Smooth Aster
Showy Goldenrod
Stiff  Genitian

 

What do Bees have to do with Christmas?  You ask a great questions.

Bees have a long and lovely friendship with Christianity and its older brother, Judaism. 

Look around your local church and you are likely to find images of bees or honeycomb.

In Scripture, Bees are specifically mentioned 6 times and honey or honeycomb 69 times!Throughout church history, bees have bee used as a natural model of the mystery of the faith, of the model of self-giving labor and of the Virgin Birth of Christ.  The later because in early church history it was not yet known how the queen was able to rear the brood of the hive.

The symbolism furthers the comparisons as bees work without rest and readily offer their lives for the good of the hive. Bees militantly protect against the hive's enemies. The bee protects not only the hive, but the honey within it.

The honey, delicious, is a symbol of the sweetness  of Life in the Spirit.

The purity of beeswax and honeycomb have provided a sacramental nature to the use of beeswax candles in many churches. Because worker bees are virginal, the comparison is made to the purity of the Church, which give its gifts to the world through spreading the Good News, the sacraments and ordinances. Likewise, the bees give us honey and wax. Their wax is considered worthy to burn in the candles on the altar and sanctuary, and as votive offerings because it is produced by pure, virgin labor.

Lastly, as beekeepers and lovers of honey and beeswax and all things bee, we love to give the gift of our joint efforts with our favorite little creatures, to our favorite friends and relatives.

People appreciate our honey and beeswax and look forward to that special jar of love during Christmas.  And we love to share -and tell our closest 20,000 bee-friends a mighty thank you!

Until next time!
Enjoy your Christmas!
tim

Bees do not hibernate.  Bees cluster around the queen and the bee eggs (brood) that are in the hive.  These energetic critters take turns moving in and out of the cluster and vibrate constantly to keep the hive warm.

Of course, the queen is in the middle of all these fine creatures.  She's waited upon and fed and groomed, just like normal, but her egg laying may have slowed considerably or stopped.

Bees are very hygenic:  they will wait for a warm day in order to go out side and relieve themselves.  Talk about crossing your legs!

Bees will go into the honey stores and get some honey and work through the hive this way all winter. The cluster moves accordingly. 

The best thing a beekeeper can do to help the bees in winter is to provide a wind-break.  Also, you may want to feed your bees either with a 2:1 Sugar-to-Water syrup, or put a candyboard on the inner cover.  Your average beekeeper probably also put in a patty or two of pollen as added insurance to boost the bees store of food.

Bees in the winter tend to die from starvation or an excess of moisture, which then freezes them. Properly ventillate so the moisture can escape and not condense inside the hive.  It will then drip onto the cluster and kill the bees. 

Some beekeepers wrap their hives in roof paper to add some extra warmth to the bees.  Not a bad idea, but be careful not to over-do it and cause more condensation.  Plus, the girls need a way to get out on nice days.

Until next time, enjoy your Christmas!
tim

Our little friend, the amazing bee, produces beeswax, which they use to store honey and we use for candles, lip balm, lotions and potions.

Here are some sticky facts for you on beeswax -

Bees need to eat between 7 and 9 pounds of honey in order to produce 1 pound of beeswax.

Bees have special glands from which they "sweat" small wax scales on their abdomen, and they then form these scales into the typical shapes you see above.

Bees can make 35,000 wax cells from 1 pound of beeswax.

It only takes 1 pound of beeswax to store 22 pounds of honey.
 
Under ideal conditions, 10,000 bees will produce 1 pound of beeswax in 3 days.  I hope my bees are reading this!

Until next time, that's the buzz from around the hive!
tim

With colder weather setting in, you should have stopped feeding your bees any liquids by now.  If you still have feeders, you probably notice the bees do not take much when the night time temperature plunges and they cluster.

Did you check the weight of the colonies the last time you were at your hive(s)?  Even if the hive(s) are not light, it is still a good idea to furnish each colony with a candy board.    It may prevent your bees from "starving to death"  even though there may be many frames of honey just inches away from the cluster.

There are several recipies for the "candy" in candy boards.   Do an internet search to get more information on construction of the candy board, the recipe for the candy or where to buy them if you prefer not to or do not have the time to make  them.

Check our download page for a tested candy board recipe.

The candy board  (candy side down) will replace the inner cover on the hive.   You can quickly check it every 3 weeks or so to see if it has been consumed and needs to be replaced.   So it is a good idea to have one spare board to give to a colony which has consumed all the candy on the board you previously put on the colony.

If you have not done so yet, you need to check your colonies (weather and temperature allowing) and install mouse guards / entrance reducers on the the hives to keep mice from gaining access and taking refuge in a warm hive for the winter.