Want New Bees? Need Help? 

NewBees

Those that have no bees now but want to start BeeKeeping

1. Will need a place to keep bees with great floral population nearby, water source nearby, not placed near neighbors habitation or near pedestrian pathways and preferably not near major traffic area. Good wind protection but also full sun. Off ground and ideally at a height to ease with inspection and manipulation. Can be placed facing a wooden fence or solid object to not have a beeline path low to ground. Clear pathway around the hive to prevent stumbling and other objects restricting access. Colonies should always be worked ideally on each side never standing in front entrance and very seldom from the rear.

      2)  Equipment should be bought in advance with extra thought in type, number, and  

           Style. Woodenware (hive bodies,tops,bottoms, supers) may be painted if desired for

           Longevity. Minimum PPE should be a hive tool, smoker, and veil.

       3)  Bees may be purchased from local beekeepers, swarms, different bee providers in Texas

            Or shipped in. A nucleus hive(nuc) is most common way to acquire bees or a full hive.

            The club has several commercial beek’s( beekeeper) that sell bees to members.

         4) The club has decided the best reference beekeeping book for reference is ”Beekeeping

              For Dummies 101.” Also there are websites, Facebook, Forums, other clubs,

              Universities, etc. for beginners to learn. Be aware that beekeepers are constantly

              Learning new things keeping these wonderful insects.

          5)  The club has 200 members and all can and are capable of being”mentors” for new

                Beeks. Be expected to do the same once you have and have kept bees for a short

                time.If you don't know or cannot answer than we do have mentors that can.

                No one is considered an expert on any given subject.

           6)  Be extremely aware that beekeepers have to actively plan out a program to handle

                Varroa Mites and also Small Hive Beetles. This can be achieved through several

                 different ways but your colonies will have mites and certain viruses caused by the

                 mites.

New Beeks Information

Local Source for Nucs, Bees,Hives.

Paul Howard  713-248-3620

Konstantin  979-922-9899

Steven Brackmann  832-887-6141

B Weaver   https://www.beeweaver.com/

R Weaver    http://www.rweaver.com/

Costa Kouzounis  281-932-4887

Sources for woodenware and bee supplies

Steven Brackmann-Local stevenbrackmann@yahoo.com

Pecos Jack-Local  832-276-6885

Dadant  https://www.dadant.com/

Kellys   https://www.kelleybees.com/

Mann Lake   https://www.mannlakeltd.com/

Websites, social media

http://www.brazoria-county-beekeepers-association.com/

https://www.facebook.com/brazoriacountybeekeepersassociation/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQGsCic7Lu4xfoA2NeOuQHA

http://www.uoguelph.ca/honeybee/videos.shtml

Club Mentors

Mike Stein   Alvin Area  281-386-6375

Jack Berry   Alvin Area   832-579-4198

Sam Degelia  Alvin Area  281-460-6034

Dave Lucas   Alvin Area  713-299-3059

Dane Bieto   Pearland Area  713-530-3161

George Rodriquez  Pearland Area  713-320-6263

Harrison Rodgers   Pearland Area  281-468-0190

Fernando Martinez    Rosharon Area  832-226-8396

Ken Nugent  Angleton Area  979-922-9725

Glenn Weise  Angleton/Danbury  Area   979-848-6397

Bill Evans   Brazosport Area  361-571-8430

Chuck Myers  Santa Fe Area  409-502-7262

PESTS

Varroa destructor (Varroa mite) is an external parasitic mite that attacks the honey bees Apis cerana and Apis mellifera. The disease caused by the mites is called varroosis.

Varroa mites can only reproduce in a honey bee colony. It attaches to the body of the bee and weakens the bee by sucking hemolymph. In this process, RNA viruses such as the deformed wing virus (DWV) spread to bees. A significant mite infestation will lead to the death of a honey bee colony, usually in the late autumn through early spring. The Varroa mite is the parasite with the most pronounced economic impact on the beekeeping industry. It may be a contributing factor to colony collapse disorder, as research shows it is the main factor for collapsed colonies in Ontario, Canada[1] and the United States.

Small Hive Beetle (Aethina tumida) is a beekeeping pest.

Endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, the small hive beetle, Aethina tumida was first discovered in the United States in 1996 and has now spread to many U.S. states including, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, California, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Maryland, Missouri, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Virginia, Texas, Kansas, and Hawaii. The movement of migratory beekeepers from Florida may have transported the beetle to other states. Recent findings also indicate transport of the beetles in packages.

The small hive beetle can be a destructive pest of honey bee colonies, causing damage to comb, stored honey and pollen. If a beetle infestation is sufficiently heavy, they may cause bees to abandon their hive. Its presence can also be a marker in the diagnosis of Colony Collapse Disorder for honey-bees. The beetles can also be a pest of stored combs, and honey (in the comb) awaiting extraction. Beetle larvae may tunnel through combs of honey, feeding and defecating, causing discoloration and fermentation of the honey.

Waxworms are the caterpillar larvae of wax moths, which belong to the snout moth family (Pyralidae). Two closely related species are commercially bred – the lesser wax moth (Achroia grisella) and the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella). They belong to the tribe Galleriini in the snout moth subfamily Galleriinae. Another species whose larvae share that name is the Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella), though this species is not available commercially.

The adult moths are sometimes called "bee moths", but, particularly in apiculture, this can also refer to Aphomia sociella, another Galleriinae moth which also produces waxworms, but is not commercially bred.

Waxworms are medium-white caterpillars with black-tipped feet and small, black or brown heads.

In the wild, they live as nest parasites in bee colonies and eat cocoons, pollen, and shed skins of bees, and chew through beeswax, thus the name. Beekeepers consider waxworms to be pests. Galleria mellonella (the greater wax moths) will not attack the bees directly, but feed on the wax used by the bees to build their honeycomb. Their full development to adults requires access to used brood comb or brood cell cleanings—these contain protein essential for the larvae's development, in the form of brood cocoons. The destruction of the comb will spill or contaminate stored honey and may kill bee larvae or be the cause of the spreading of honey bee diseases.

When kept in captivity, they can go a long time without eating, particularly if kept at a cool temperature. Captive wax worms are generally raised on a mixture of cereal grain, bran and honey.

Microbes found in the guts of waxworms are able to feast on polyethylene, and could help dispose of plastic.