Ep 133 Queen Excluders: the good the bad etc

Part 2 of a radio-reader episode of Kayla deJong's March 2024 article on the division of labor in a colony. It's fascinating to remember the many roles the bees move through in a lifetime! If you are a subscriber to American Bee Journal you can read the article in the digital archives : https://americanbeejournal.com/ If you are not a subscriber then here's your chance! Enter you special number in the comments on this Patreon post (details in the episode. :-) Free and open to everyone, not just patrons. I appreciate each and every one of you patrons and listeners, Leigh -- Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible and keep it advertising-free. In addition to huge gratitude, you get:   • Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments • Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos • occasional bonus podcasts and early access episodes • Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions • Input on the podcast topics • Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!    If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple -- About Beekeeping at Five Apple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.         

A radio-reader episode of Kayla deJong's article in American Bee Journal March 2024 on the division of labor in a colony. It's fascinating to remember the many roles the bees move through in a lifetime! This is part one of two. If you are a subscriber to American Bee Journal you can read the article in the digital archives : https://americanbeejournal.com/ If you are not a subscriber then here's your chance! Enter you special number on this free page (details in episode) over on Patreon. I appreciate each and every one of you patrons and listeners, Leigh -- Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible and keep it advertising-free. In addition to huge gratitude, you get:   • Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments • Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos • occasional bonus podcasts and early access episodes • Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions • Input on the podcast topics • Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!    If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple -- About Beekeeping at Five Apple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.         

Ep 133 Queen Excluders: the good the bad etc-- A wonderful patron asked that I talk about the pros and cons of using queen excluders so that is the subject of today's episode.  Detailed show notes (all the resources I used to prepare today's episode) are available for patrons for further exploration of the MANY opinions on this piece of equipment.   https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple Not a patron yet? You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible and keep it advertising-free. In addition to huge gratitude, you get:   • Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments • Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos • occasional bonus podcasts and early access episodes • Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions • Input on the podcast topics • Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!    If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple -- About Beekeeping at Five Apple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

Springtime greetings to you all!  Part one of today's episode is a chat on the evolution of how I keep records in my own apiary, in hopes there may be helpful ideas for your own. Then part two is a wonderful letter about experiences with Layens Hive beekeeping from listener William along with some of the great gadgets he has developed for working with them. Today's patreon page is FREE and open to everyone so you can all see the photos he shared. Here's the link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/ep-132-keeping-128457959 Thank you SO much William for taking the time to share your experience and the photos. Your observations are important for folks to consider who are thinking of going Layens. Plus, the gadgets you have problem-solved with are excellent! Thank you to every Patron and listener who support the podcast! If there are topics you have been wondering about and would like me to explore, please reply on the Patreon post!  Hope you have a wonderful week! --Leigh -- You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible and keep it advertising-free. In addition to huge gratitude, you get:   • Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments • Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos • bonus podcasts and early access episodes • Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions • Input on the podcast topics • Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!    If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple -- About Beekeeping at Five Apple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.   

This episodes concludes the series on splits, with the best saved for last: The Reverse Doolittle, aka The Cutdown. (Best for intermediate beekeepers. ) Also, a review of split dynamics for beginners. Exclusive for patrons on the Patreon post are links for the how-to, drawing of the whole process, and the complete handout for the splits talk I gave to a few bee clubs on this topic: https://www.patreon.com/posts/ep-131-best-for-127402747   -- https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible and keep it advertising-free. In addition to huge gratitude, you get:   • Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments • Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos • bonus podcasts and early access episodes • Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions • Input on the podcast topics • Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!    If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple -- About Beekeeping at Five Apple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

Talking today about the handy and easy Nuc (or Retirement Nuc) split; using a quiet box; making and using a Doolittle Box....with a printable PDFs on making a Nucleus Split and a Doolittle box exclusively for patrons on the Five Apple Patreon Post -- https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple   You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible and keep it advertising-free. In addition to huge gratitude, you get:   • Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments • Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos • bonus podcasts and early access episodes • Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions • Input on the podcast topics • Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!    If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple -- About Beekeeping at Five Apple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.   

With some swarm prevention skills, you can better time your splits! Patrons, the printable of the notes/links on this episode can be downloaded on the Patreon post. Thank you all for your support! Leigh -- https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible and keep it advertising-free. In addition to huge gratitude, you get:   • Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments • Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos • bonus podcasts and early access episodes • Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions • Input on the podcast topics • Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!    If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple -- About Beekeeping at Five Apple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

Patron "Show Me Bees" from Missouri asked that I talk about the ins and outs of running all 8-frame mediums. So in today's episode I do. :-)  -- https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible and keep it advertising-free. In addition to huge gratitude, you get:   • Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments • Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos • bonus podcasts and early access episodes • Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions • Input on the podcast topics • Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!    If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple -- About Beekeeping at Five Apple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year. 

Telling the recent story of how my apiary was saved by bee friends after a tree fell right over the middle of it. Ed and Jim, you saved the day. Plus a reminder to keep an eye on your hive's stores as we start getting more warm days. Photos of the rescue (open to everyone) at: https://www.patreon.com/posts/123119994 -- You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible and keep it advertising-free. In addition to huge gratitude, you get:   • Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments • Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos • bonus podcasts and early access episodes • Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions • Input on the podcast topics • Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!    If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple -- About Beekeeping at Five Apple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.   

A couple things the bees do with propolis I forgot to mention in the episode: embalming hive intruders, fencing in hive beetles! Bee caulk is amazing. Links collected over at Patreon on the post: The first video I watched on the unexpected winter losses among commercial beekeepers in the US by Dr Humberto Boncristiani of Inside the Hive TV. More on the losses from The Bee Supply channel. GA Master Craftsman Beekeeper Cindy Hodges' excellent presentation on Propolis. Dr. Marla Spivak's presentation on her research on propolis. An interview with her on propolis in general. Ian Steppler on selecting for high propolis bees. Do you have any favorite uses for propolis? Wishing you a wonderful week Patrons and Listeners! I sure appreciate all of you! You are warmly invited to become a Friend of Five Apple on Patreon to join the folks who make the podcasts possible and keep it advertising-free. In addition to huge gratitude, you get:   • BONUS podcasts and early access episodes • Detailed show notes with links, tips, comments • Access to Patreon blog posts including tips and videos • Commenting on posts (and DMs) allows me to answer questions • Input on the podcast topics • Shout-outs on the show because I appreciate you!    If you can support the show with $3 a month or more, please sign up today: https://www.patreon.com/fiveapple -- About Beekeeping at Five Apple: Leigh keeps bees in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina (gardening zone 6b). She cares for around a dozen hives in a rural Appalachian highland climate. Colonies are managed for bee health with active selection for vigor, genetic diversity and disease resistance, but without chemical treatments for over a decade. The apiary is self-sustaining (not needing to buy/catch replacement bees since 2010) and produces honey and nucs most every year.