SMICHINSKI’S
NORTHERN BRED BEES
George Smichinski
28 East Hill Road-East
Oakham, Ma. 01068
508-882-3336
E-mail: George@NortherBredBees.com
http://NorthernBredBees.com
FALL HIVE PREPARATIONS
****ALL HONEY SUPERS MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE HIVE BEFORE ANY
MEDICATIONS ARE APPLIED.
To prepare your hives for winter, it is suggested that they be treated with Apistan, menthol
and terramycin (all at the same time), starting between the first and second week of
August and with Fumagilin-B as soon as the terramycin treatment is completed.
Treat as follows:
APISTAN
Place the Apistan strips for the most contact with the bees. They might all be
placed in one super, or some in both supers. Use one strip for each five frames of bees.
This can mean one strip or three or more strips per colony. Leave the strips in place
from 28 to 45 days only.
TERRAMYCIN
Use 1 level teaspoonful of Terramycin soluble power per ounce of confectioners
sugar or mix one 6.4 oz. package with 2 lbs. of confectioners sugar.
One packet mixed with sugar will treat approximately 20 hives once.
Discontinue use 30 days before honey flow.
Sprinkle 1 ½ rounded teaspoons of the premixed Terramycin on the front ends and 1 ½
teaspoons more on the back ends of the top bars. Do not sprinkle in the middle of the
frames. Repeat twice more at five days intervals. This will be a total of 9 teaspoons.
MENTHOL
Do NOT touch your eyes after handling the menthol, serious injury could result!
Remove the perforated bag of menthol from the solid plastic bag. Place it toward the rear
of the hive. If daytime temperatures are 60 to 79 degrees F, place it on the top bars in the
upper supper. If 80 degrees F or higher, place the packet on the bottom board. If on the
upper super top bars, turn the inner cover upside down with the notch to the rear and
down. Leave in place for a minimum of 15 days, to a maximum or 25 days.
FUMAGILIN-B
After the Terramycin treatment is completed, begin fumagilin-b treatment.
To feed one hive (in the fall), dissolve 20 pounds of granulated sugar in 6 quarts of hot
water. This will make 2 gallons of syrup.
In a separate container, add 2 rounded teaspoons of fumagilin-b to two ounces of warm
water and mix.
Add fumagilin-b mixture after syrup is cooled and stir.
Using your feeder of choice, feed each colony 2 gallons of the medicated syrup.
**Any extra, unused medications can be stored in a tight container and placed in a
freezer for the next season use.
** In the beginning of October (because of mice), place an entrance reducer in the
entrance of the hive, with its large opening facing up. Place a mouse guard over the
entrance and the reducer and staple it in place.
**Place wedges between the inner cover and the top super, with their thick ends to the
rear of the hive. The inner cover notch should be up and to the rear of the hive. Push the
outer cover toward the rear of the hive, so as not to block the wedge created opening.
**Place a weight of 30 pounds or so, on each hive cover, as protection from the strong
winter winds.