Beekeepers Blog

BY - JAMES ELAM It’s fall! You’ve been looking forward to this time of year, unless you’re a drone honey bee. As beekeepers, we soon will be witness to “The Great Drone Dump” to occur at the entrance of our...

It is that time of the year – winter is nearly here! Granted, this is Texas…winter weather is apt to come and go randomly through much of the season. Despite its unpredictable nature, our bees prepare in much the same...

BY - JAMES ELAM It’s fall! You’ve been looking forward to this time of year, unless you’re a drone honey bee. As beekeepers, we soon will be witness to “The Great Drone Dump” to occur at the entrance of our...

Winter is often a worrisome time for beekeepers. Each new cold front makes us wonder if our bees have enough food, if they are warm enough, if there are enough bees in our hives, what else we can do to...

By Blake Shook For commercial beekeepers, overwintering indoors has become increasingly popular over the past 5 years. While a method for small scale beekeepers to do the same hasn't been developed yet, I'm sure it's only a matter of time...

  It may be cold outside preventing us from spending time with our bees – but one thing is for sure, you still have chores to do! Here is a checklist of some housekeeping that beekeepers can take care of...

It makes sense, right? Bees do best eating honey rather than syrups (though not substantially), so why not feed bees old or leftover honey? There are some major cons to feeding bees honey rather than sugar or corn syrup. They...

It may be cold outside preventing us from spending time with our bees – but one thing is for sure, you still have chores to do! 1. Paint boxes – Winter is the perfect time of year to give those...

I caught a little swarm in December and now an early spring swarm on January 18. It’s kind of unusual behavior, as most bees only swarm in spring or when resources are plenty. “Swarming” is how bees reproduce. A successful...

By Blake Shook You have most likely heard about California almond pollination. It's the single largest pollination event in the world, and financially, it's what keeps most commercial beekeeping businesses alive. Bees for pollination is also one of the greatest...

Winter is finally here...so now what? After months of activity caring for your bees, it's finally time to take a deep breath and wait for spring. If you are like me, waiting is the hardest part! Every cold rainy night,...

First, verify they are actually queenless. Depending on what part of the country you are from, queens either completely stop laying in the fall or at least dramatically reduce laying. If you are in an area that typically remains above...

Winter is coming!...maybe. You never quite know in Texas! But, over the next month, we should begin to see some cooling across the state! Let's discuss a few common winter prep practices when it comes to the exteriors of our...

Checking for honey stores is very important. Especially nearing the winter months and in the spring! Do the tilt test Do hive checks every 2 or 3 weeks One hive inspection mid to late November for a final check prior...

Feeding dry pollen substitute can be beneficial during the winter months, however, it is not as critical as feeding pollen patties. To feed dry pollen powder, you must place the powder outdoors, ideally at least 20 feet from your hive....

January is all about managing bees for the upcoming spring!

Join us as we discuss monthly tips for managing bees as they emerge from winter!

-January Beekeeping Tips

-January Hive Inspections

-Reversing Boxes

-Feeding

-Early Spring Preparations

-Q&A and More!

1. Make sure each hive has at least 30 pounds of surplus honey stored in the second box. Your bees will need at least 30 pounds of stores to survive the winter.  As temperatures drop, bees dramatically slow down the rate at...

Winter is often a worrisome time for beekeepers. Each new cold front makes us wonder if our bees have enough food, if they are warm enough, if there are enough bees in our hives, what else we can do to...

1. As your hive begins to grow, their need for food will grow as well. It takes up to 2 frames of honey to raise 1 frame of brood. Be sure to check your hive at least every other week...

1. As November progresses, you should begin to see less and less brood in your hive. Many hives are completely broodless by late November. However, on warm years, with strong hives, you can still see multiple frames of brood. As...