Is this a Good or Bad Brood Pattern ?
HoneyBee Life Cycle –
• Queen
• Mates when 6 – 8 days old
• Mates while flying (8 – 12 ft above ground)
• Mates on multiple days & with multiple drones (if present)
• Diverse Drone Populations are better (genetic diversity)
• Mates when weather condition is acceptable (rainy days affect success)
• Properly mated queens are fertilized with over 5 million sperm
• Commercially raised queens (Dr David Tarpy)
• 81% - fertilized with less than 5 million sperm
• 19% - fertilized with less than 3 million
• Pheromones, Chemical Substances & Worker Bee Activity
• Avg. eggs/day = 1200 to 1800 (Spring & Early Summer)
• Avg. Reproductive Life Span 1 – 2 yrs.
• Avg. Life Span (Subspecies influence) 3 – 5 yrs
HoneyBee Life Cycle –
• Queen Cells
• Supercedure Cells
HoneyBee Life Cycle –
• Queen - Reproductive Anatomy
HoneyBee Life Cycle –
• Drone - develops from unfertilized egg
• Male (fertile)
• No Pollen Basket
• No Honey sac
• No Stinger
• No Hive Duties
• Mates w/virgin queen while flying
• Dies
• Non Mating – Avg. life cycle = ?
Note Eye Color !
HoneyBee Life Cycle –
• Worker – develops from fertilized egg
• Female (infertile)
• Newly Emerged 2-10 days
• Worker 11 – 20 days
• Foragers 21 days - DOA
• Avg. life cycle = 4 to 6 weeks
• Glands – Royal Jelly
• Pollen baskets
• 4 pr wax glands – underside of abdomen
• Honey Sac
• Stinger
HoneyBee Life Cycle –
• Worker
• Royal Jelly
• Secreted from
• hypopharyngeal glands in head
• Fed to all bee larvae
• First 3 days – Workers & Drones
• All days – Queen
• Active component – “Royalactin”
• a single protein, responsible for queen development
HoneyBee Life Cycle –
• Worker
• Specialization/Responsibilities
HoneyBee Life Cycle –
• Color recognition to a Bee
HoneyBee Life Cycle –
• Color recognition
What a Bee sees
HoneyBee Life Cycle –
• Communication between Bees
• Foragers communicate their floral findings:
• 2 Theorems
• The “waggle dance” theory
• 1947 - Karl Von Frisch
• 1973 received Nobel Prize
(Physiology/Medicine)
• The “odor plume” theory (Adrian Wenner)
State Law
Ohio Revised Code –
909.01 to 909.18
Register with the Dept of Agriculture (ODA)
$5 per Apiary Location
ODA supports County Inspectors
Cuyahoga County
Appoints Apiary Inspector - Annual
Inspections sent to ODA – Annual
Apiaries Registered - 177
Colonies - 471
Cities in Cuyahoga County ordinances
Apiaries Allowed w/Restrictions
Brook Park – No
All Others – Yes
City of Cleveland requires registration
30% of Ohio Bee Colonies died over 2010/2011 winter
How to improve your odds?
• Study Best Practices - leverage your experience & what works for you
• Embrace Apiculture Management Tools
• Classes
• Techniques & Skills
• Mentors
• Ask Questions
• Keep a Journal
• Study - Study - Study
• Join GCBA
• Attend Conferences
• Membership
- Advantages
• Experienced & Knowledgeable Beekeepers ( 100+ yrs combined )
• A deep caring and concern for the fragility of the Honeybee population
• Profound dedication in the collective management of honeybees and their
impact on the ecological health of Cuyahoga County, the Western Reserve,
and Mother Earth as a whole.
• “Making a Difference” • “Queen Rearing Projects” – Improved Regional Adaption & Genetics
• Membership
- Participation
•
•
•
•
Meetings
Field Day
Earth Fest
etc.
- Mentoring
• Help a Neighbor
- Annual Conference
What’s it all about !