Advanced techniques for mastering beekeeping. Skills: Small scale raising of local queens: selecting and culling breeder colonies, managing for successful mating of virgin queens, managing five frame and double nucs as “brood factories”, using the Demaree (and modified Demaree) split for swarm control, quality control for selling nucs and queens, IPM and biosecurity advanced practices, and more.
Happy Beekeeping in 2026!! Spring is coming!!
The class will offer fresh ideas for producing more honey and growing bees consistently year after year. The ideas will be useful to beekeepers who want to limit hive numbers and those who want to increase hive numbers.
Editor’s Note: The ideas discussed and demonstrated during the Level 3 class have been practiced successfully by one or more of the three member teaching team members. Topics will include:
- The multiple uses of double screens boards. The first attached picture shows the 8 frame and 10 frame Bob Binnie double screen boards that are the class door prizes.
- The Demaree is a vertical split to prevent swarms & increase honey production. It’s a great split for beekeepers wanting to limit colony numbers.
- The second attached photo shows a blending of a Demaree split and using a double screen board to increase hive numbers. The photo shows the four honey supers harvested and the two 8 frame splits harvested. There is one queen excluder between the bottom brood box and the honey supers and another between the honey supers and the second top brood box. There is a Bob Binnie double screen board between the second and first brood boxes. The top box double screen opening faces opposite that of the second brood box. The bottom brood box and the two top brood boxes were queened with swarm cells. Two to three swarm cells were placed in each brood box. Each box produced a virgin queen that returned successfully from a mating flight.
- The next three photos show the two top brood boxes harvested from the Demaree split and placed in a different bee yard. Please note that the Bob Binnie double screen board was used as the bottom board. The pictures also demonstrate the use of a modified condensing hive model for overwintering.
- The last picture is the picture of a typical Demaree split to prevent swarming and for enhanced honey product. This colony had successfully overwintered its fourth winter. Beginning its fifth year this colony has been designated to provide a potential breeder queen.
- The techniques for managing summer splits of four and five frame colonies for overwintering success. Understanding hive thermal dynamics.
- The nurturing of five and five frame overwintered nucs to become “brood factories.”
- The selection of breeder queens. Testing for hygienic gene traits.
- The pros and cons of a single brood box management to maximize honey production.
- The options for maximizing honey production using two-queen colony systems.
- The feeding of overwintered colonies to minimize swarming and to have colonies at peak populations just prior to the major nectar flow.
- The new options for Varroa mite control, including Narroa.
- Q &A
Class students will receive:
- The U of MN “Guide to Beekeeping in Northern Climates”
- Several colony management hand-outs
- White colored queen marking pen
- The chance to win one of the Bob Binnie double screen boards
- The NWIABKA Board will provide great food for lunch and refreshments. Thank you!!!
Please pass on this information to other beekeepers.
