Alright, let's dive into Part 5 of our beekeeping journey. We're so excited you're here! At Hagens, we genuinely want you to succeed. We'll be right there with you, holding your hand through those first few months, offering free advice and guidance whenever we can and whenever you need it.

Isn't beekeeping just the most fascinating hobby? It's the kind of thing that grabs you and never lets you go. Remember, we covered the basics in B-Hive Talkin’ Part 4, and now it's time to build on that. Just keep a few simple things in mind: treat your bees like you'd treat your family. You wouldn't use dirty gloves to serve up food for your family in your kitchen, would you? Or be clumsy, banging around the house? And nobody likes acrid smoke or a bad diet, right? It's the same for your bees. They're your hobby, and you'll develop your own unique style as you go.

Practice is key, of course. Keep detailed notes, and don't just write them down and forget about them! Read them right after your inspection to make sure you got everything right, and then read them again before your next visit. Your smartphone is going to be your best friend, and if you can get your hands on a headcam, even better. You'll be amazed at what you pick up on video after the fact, especially when it comes to things like stores and brood patterns.

So, you've probably already decided where you're getting your bees from, and that's a big decision! It's going to shape your beekeeping experience in so many ways. We want to show you the right way to get started, building a strong foundation that will serve you well for years to come. And hey, later this year, you'll even have the chance to split your hive and create a whole new colony – all you'll need is a new queen! More about this subject later in the season. If you are still undecided about where to get your bees from, us here at Hagens have a few more nucs left for this season.

Up until now, we've mostly talked about the good stuff – honey, pollen, propolis and of course pollination, as well as the benefits to your physical and mental health. But now, we're going to get into the nitty-gritty, the stuff that separates someone who just keeps bees from a true beekeeper.

And speaking of essentials, I'm sure we don't need to remind you about your bee suit and all that, right? But there's something else we need to talk about: your smell. Everyone has their own unique scent, and bees are generally pretty tolerant of that. But what they don't like are strong artificial smells. Perfumes, aftershaves, scented hair products, soaps – you name it. We recommend washing your bee suit in soda to get rid of any lingering scents. To bees, these smells mean flowers, and they'll get pretty annoyed if they come looking for nectar and find none. We are not going to discuss coulure here because the subject is just too big, needless to say, if you look bright and colourful the bees will love you for all the wrong reasons. Keep it white in my opinion!

Now, let's talk about pests and diseases. Every living thing on this planet has to deal with them, and bees are no exception. We could try to rank them in order of nuisance, but honestly, they can all be troublesome.

Before we get too deep into this rabbit hole, let me just say that bees, or at least insects from the same order (Hymenoptera), have been around for about 200 million years. That's right, they were buzzing around when dinosaurs roamed the earth! They're incredibly clever and adaptable, a true testament to their survival skills.

We don't want to overstate the impact of these pests and diseases, but some days, it's hard not to wonder how they manage to survive at all. But here's the thing: we CAN make a difference. We CAN help them.

Let's start with the most immediate threat: the Asian hornet. They're in the same order as honeybees, but while honeybees are herbivores, feeding on pollen and nectar, Asian hornets are predators, hunting insects like honeybees. If we don't collectively take action against them, we risk serious consequences for our ecosystems.

I know that's heavy stuff, but the Asian hornet is one of the top three threats to our bees, along with American foulbrood and European foulbrood.

Let's focus on the Asian hornet first. How do we protect our hives? We can use guards, and we can try to restrict hive entrances, but the hornets often catch bees in flight. At Hagens, we recommend the Hive Defender, which gives your bees a larger area to take off and land, making it harder for the hornets to ambush them.

But above all, trapping and nest destruction are the most effective ways to slow the spread of the Asian hornet. If we can get more trapping sites set up and get more people involved in looking for overwintering queens, we can make a real difference. This is a big topic, so we'll point you to the excellent Asian Hornet article on the National Bee Unit website. Pay close attention to the procedure and what to do if you spot one. You can also find good advice on the BBKA website, another great site for beekeepers in the UK.

And remember, if you're setting up a trap, put it some distance away from your hives. You don't want to attract hornets to your apiary!

While we're talking about pests and diseases, let's take a moment to discuss registration. You're not legally required to register your bees, but if you're keeping bees to make a difference – whether for your health, the environment, or both – then you should definitely register on BeeBase. It's a fantastic resource, and I wish it was mandatory. It would help us control the spread of notifiable diseases so much better. While you're there, get the contact details for your local Seasonal Bee Inspector, make contact with them. They're a wealth of knowledge!

Now, let's move on to American foulbrood (AFB) and European foulbrood (EFB). Both are notifiable diseases, meaning if you suspect it in one of your hives, you have to report it to your Seasonal Bee Inspector (SBI). We'll also add chalk brood and sac brood to this group, even though they're not notifiable, because they can be confusing. The important thing is, if you're in doubt, call your SBI! We'd all rather have a false alarm than let these diseases spread.

Remember, getting foulbrood doesn't reflect on your beekeeping skills. They're often spread by bees drifting between hives, and drones are notorious for that. Robbing and swarming can also play a role. Strong hives are your best defence. Bees are excellent housekeepers; they'll drag out anything that doesn't look right, like chalk brood (fungus) or sac brood (virus), especially in early spring.

These diseases are highly contagious, so hygiene is crucial. If you suspect something's wrong, close up your hive, don't inspect any others, and call your inspector. Don't get a second opinion by reopening the hive with another beekeeper. Take a photo of your concerns; it'll help the inspector.

If you eventually have multiple colonies, you might consider setting up two apiaries. That’s when hygiene is really important using the same gloves, that's how diseases travel. And remember, disposable gloves are your best friend! Inspecting two hives in the same apiary, rinse your gloves off in the soda solution. Its good practice to have a hive tool bucket filled with soda water, keep things like a craft knife with a retractable blade, tweezers, the crown of thorns, and roller for isolating the queen and a spare hive tool all in soak.

We at Hagens have made available addendums under the heading 'How To'. Here you will find links to information regarding this area of beekeeping.

Alright, let's pick up where we left off, and talk about Varroa mites. Now, at Hagens, we've compiled some extra information for you, and you can find it under the heading 'How To' or click here - that's where we've put all those helpful addendums.

So, Varroa. They're a real pain, aren't they? They're one of the main reasons that hives collapse, and they're reportable, too. But honestly, if everyone reported every single Varroa sighting to the bee inspector, they'd be absolutely swamped. That's where BeeBase comes in handy. It's a fantastic resource, easy to use, and really worthwhile.

The thing is, pretty much every honeybee colony in the UK has Varroa. We're not going to get rid of them completely, so we need to focus on managing them. There are some great treatments out there, but some beekeepers have kind of shot themselves in the foot by treating their hives prophylactically, like how people used to overuse antibiotics. It's made some treatments less effective. So, the best thing to do is monitor your mite levels and treat only when you need to.

Now, Varroa mites are incredible breeders. They can double their population in under three weeks, especially when there's lots of brood around. They really love drone brood, so if you've got drones in your hive, the mite population can explode even faster. Treating before the mite levels get too high is the only way to keep them under control. If you don't, your hive will likely collapse. Some bee strains can be more resistant to Varroa. Here at Hagens, we have looked at many different producers and have finally found the Queens we are happy with - these are some of the most hygienic available and are available on our website.

We usually check for Varroa two or three times a year, but there's one place that often gets overlooked: the hive floor. With screened floors, it's actually really easy to check for mites every time you inspect. It's a bit of a double-edged sword, though. The screened floor is great for ventilation, but it also collects all sorts of debris – cappings, pollen bits, dead bee parts, spiders, ants, and of course, Varroa mites-both dead and alive.

So, at every inspection, take out the floor tray. Have a plastic bag handy to put the tray in, and inspect it away from the hive so you don't get swarmed by bees. You're looking for Varroa, so try to count them. It helps if you've drawn lines on the tray, like 50mm apart, with a felt-tip pen. If you count 30 to 50 mites, it might be time to treat, depending on the time of year. For more info on Varroa, check out BeeBase. There's a really helpful fact sheet there.

After you have examined the floor screen, scrape it off into your plastic bag and dispose of it, never, and I mean never scrape the floor off into a convenient hedge or anywhere that cannot be sealed and disposed of, this is another of those simple ways to spread diseases. Keep a record of what varroa count you find.

And speaking of records, keeping good records is absolutely vital. You can use a camera, of course, but a written record, either on paper, your smartphone or on your computer, is the best way to go.

Now, let's talk about health checks. We're usually told to do a thorough health check twice a year, but honestly, you should be checking every time you're at your hives. And it starts before you even open the hive! Just watching the entrance can tell you a lot. You'll learn to read the signs over time. For example, if you see lots of pollen coming in, that means they're probably raising brood. If they're fighting, it could be robbing. Yellowish streaks mean dysentery, which could be Nosema. Dead larvae could be good housekeeping, or it could be a sign of brood disease. Lots of dead bees could mean someone's using pesticides nearby.

All these little clues help you understand what's going on inside the hive before you even open it up. It's like being forewarned, you know?

It's hard to separate checking for eggs, larvae and healthy brood from everything else, because you can't just look at the brood and ignore anything that looks off. So, what we're really doing at every visit is checking for a healthy hive. We're looking for eggs at the bottom of the cells, larvae curled up nicely, and those beautiful, glistening, pearly white larvae. Sealed cells should be a consistent biscuit colour, slightly domed, and without holes, unless a bee is emerging. That's the picture you want to keep in your mind. If anything looks different, then you need to investigate.

And remember, observation is key! Regularly inspecting your brood frames is crucial for catching problems early. And by getting familiar with what healthy sealed brood looks like, you'll be able to spot any signs of disease or other issues much more easily.

So, to recap, what do you do if you see something off?
• Inspect: Carefully check the brood frames for healthy-looking capped brood, eggs, and larvae.
• Check: Do a Varroa mite count regularly.
• Assess: Make sure they have enough food stores, in the right places.
• Observe: Watch for signs of pesticide poisoning.
• Consult: Call your bee inspector if you suspect a serious problem.

By being observant and taking action, you can keep your bees healthy and happy.

Now, I know this all sounds a bit daunting, but honestly, in your first year, you probably won't encounter most of these issues. Bees are like any family; they get sick sometimes, and they recover. And just like kids, they grow up and leave home.

In the long run, beekeeping shouldn't be expensive. It should be cost-neutral, or even make a bit of profit once you factor in the value of your honey. Your annual expenses should be around £40 to £50 per hive, mostly for smoker fuel, treatments, feed, and replacing brood foundation every couple of years.

And remember these key points:
• Know why you're opening your hive.
• Keep good notes.
• Refer to your notes from the last inspection.
• Stay calm around the hive.
• Be clean, respect their environment.
• Next time, handling your bees, more about inspections as well as some useful tips.

Some helpful documents:
• When To Treat
• IPM Choices - 2 Year Plan
• Identifying Diseases