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Beekeeping in Northern ClimatesBeekeeping in Northern Climates <br />What to Look for in the Hive <br />Ɣ The presence of egJV RQHHJJSHUFHOO ZLOOLQGLFDWHWKHTXHHQLVWKHUHDQGOD\LQJ,I\RXVHHHJJV <br />it is not necessary that you see the queen. <br />Ɣ Move around the hive so the sun is behind you and shines into the cells to better observe eggs. <br />.HHSWKHIUDPH\RXDUHLQVSHFWLQJRYHUWKHFRORQ\VRWKHTXHHQGRHVQRWLQDGYHUWHQWO\GURSWRWKH <br />ground where she may be lost. <br />Ɣ 1RWHKRZPXFKFRPEWKHEHHVKDYHFRQVWUXFWHGRU³GUDZQ´RQWKHIRXQGDWLRQWKHSUHVHQFHRIVWRUHG <br />sugar syrup in some cells, and possibly some stored pollen. The colony may have larvae in cells. <br />Ɣ )RUDQXFPRYHIXOOIUDPHVRIKRQH\DOOWKHZD\WRWKHRXWVLGHVRIWKHGHHSER[ RQHWRWKHULJKW <br />DQGWKHRWKHUWRWKHOHIW EXWNHHSWKHIUDPHVZLWKEURRGLQWKHPLGGOH7KLVSODFHPHQWHQFRXUDJHV <br />the bees to draw comb on the foundation. If there is brood on the honey frames that came with the <br />nuc, leave those frames in the center. Remember, the brood frames always need to stay centered. <br />If you move frames with brood to the edges of the box, the bees will not care for it. <br />Ɣ Slowly and calmly replace the combs with brood in their original order. <br />Ɣ ,IWKHVPRNHULVVWLOOOLWFRQJUDWXODWLRQVDUHLQRUGHU <br />Feeding the New Colony <br />&RQWLQXHIHHGLQJOLJKWVXJDUV\UXS  XQWLODFRQWLQXRXVVXSSO\RIQHFWDULVDYDLODEOHLQWKH¿HOGDQGWKHEHHV <br />KDYHFRQVWUXFWHGRU³GUDZQ´ZD[FRPEVWKURXJKRXWPRVWRIWKH¿UVWGHHSKLYHERG\)HHGLQJVXJDUV\UXSLV <br />especially important when starting with foundation since the bees need to produce comb to raise their young <br />DQGVWRUHIRRG*HQHUDOO\DWRWDORIOERIJUDQXODWHGVXJDU JDOVRIVXJDUV\UXS LVUHTXLUHGSHU <br />SDFNDJHDQGOHVVIRUDQXFVLQFHLWZLOOKDYHVRPHGUDZQFRPE%HVXUHWKHV\UXSLQWKHIHHGHULVQRWVSRLOHG <br />,IWKHV\UXSORRNVRUVPHOOVEDGWRVVWKHV\UXSDQGULQVHWKHIHHGHUDQGUH¿OOZLWKIUHVKV\UXS7KHFRORQ\ <br />should have at least two full frames of syrup stored before you stop feeding. Buy ample sugar and err on <br />feeding your bees longer. <br />)LJXUH7KLVEHHLVVHFUHWLQJZD[ÀDNHVIURPJODQGVRQ <br />WKHXQGHUVLGHRIKHUDEGRPHQ SKRWRE\-HVVLFD+HOJHQ  <br />+RQH\EHHVKDYHJODQGVRQWKHXQGHUVLGHRI <br />WKHDEGRPHQWKDWSURGXFHDQGVHFUHWHZD[ VHH <br />)LJXUH (DFKJODQGSURGXFHVDWKLQZD[ÀDNH <br />ZKLFKWKHEHHVLQVWLQFWLYHO\PROGÀDNHE\ÀDNH <br />LQWREHDXWLIXOKH[DJRQDOFHOOV%HHNHHSHUVFDOOWKH <br />process of the bees secreting wax and building <br />out the wax comb, “drawing comb.” <br />Wax is a complex carbohydrate, which means <br />to produce it, bees must be consuming a <br />ODUJHDPRXQWRIQHFWDURUVXJDUV\UXS VLPSOHU <br />FDUERK\GUDWHV 7RHQFRXUDJH\RXUFRORQ\WR <br />construct wax cells on foundation in spring and <br />early summer, feed them lots of syrup. <br />'XULQJDJRRG³QHFWDUÀRZ´IHHGLQJWKHPZLOOQRW <br />be necessary. By late July and early August in <br />Minnesota, bees naturally stop drawing comb and <br />feeding syrup will not convince them to start up <br />again. Do not expect your colony to draw comb <br />on foundation in late summer. <br />Biology Box <br />Wax Glands and <br />“Drawing” Combs