Beekeeping is an exercise in continuing education, experimentation, and acceptance.
Bearding Behavior in Bees: Don’t Panic, This is NOT a Swarm! Temperature and Humidity It’s a hot day. It’s humid. It’s hot AND humid outside, so what do you think it’s like INSIDE the hive? It’s hot! So what are honey bees to do? They hang out on the outside of the hive. You will…
Reasons for Queen Rejection Honey bees reject queen bees for a variety of reasons. It can be as simple as they do not like the way she smells! Bees can sense when a queen is poorly mated, or she may be older and in bad health. They will reject and supersede a queen when they…
What is a Nucleus Colony? Nucleus colony beekeeping is beekeeping with five-frame hives. Most hive bodies that you see will consist of eight or ten frames. So the five-frame nucleus boxes are going to be a smaller option, which is great for those who may be worried about dealing with the weight of the larger…
How many eggs can a queen bee lay? Queen honey bees can lay an amazing 2,000 eggs per day during their busiest time of year!
The queen honey bee is the most important bee in a honey bee colony. Her sole purpose is to lay eggs to keep the colony strong and healthy. Queen bees are naturally shy and want to stay in the cool shade of the hive. Queens will only leave the hive for one of two reasons:…
As a beekeeper, you will see queen cups in your hive. It’s one common concern I see or hear about often, especially in the spring and summer months when the bees are very active. Many new beekeepers see queen cups and immediately worry that something is wrong. Some new beekeepers do not know what the…
Your bees made it through the winter. Congratulations! It’s a rewarding and exciting time for beekeepers! One question that I keep hearing once spring time approaches: Can I split my beehives now? Can I do it now? How about now? When can I split my bees?!? Sunshine, warmer weather, and bee activity may make you…
Beehive entrance reducers can be a very helpful tool for beekeepers. Here is how and when to use them.
Nucs, packages, installation. It sounded like another language to me when my husband, the original honey bee obsessed member of our family, wanted to begin beekeeping. Should we start with a “nuc” (nucleus) colony or package bees? Does it matter? The nuc colony is the best option for buying bees. New beekeepers, especially, should begin…
Drones are male honey bees. When you see someone throw a bee into their mouth, it is most likely a drone because drones cannot sting you. In one of my daddy’s first hive inspections, he found and gave me a drone. I named him “Jerry.” After that, my sister called all of the drones Jerry.…
There is an overwhelming amount of beekeeping equipment available, but do you need all of it? This will tell you what is essential, not needed, or highly recommended.