A hive covered in bees can definitely make you do a double-take, but during the heat of summer, bearding is often just bees being bees. Understanding why they do it can help you better support your colonies through the hottest days of the year.
These thieves of the day are more than just pests for sure. It's interesting to learn, that yellowjackets can soon follow a robbing frenzy. Nearing and during winter, nature's food resources are scarcer, and robbing can become a huge problem!...
This is largely a question of preference. It doesn’t generally hurt a queen to get her marked, but it does cost extra, since beekeepers have to find a queen, pick her up, and mark her. It is far easier to...
A refractometer is one of the most important tools a beekeeper can own when harvesting honey. It allows you to quickly measure moisture content, helping ensure your honey is properly cured and less likely to ferment. Learning how to calibrate and use a refractometer correctly is a simple step that can help protect the quality of every harvest.
Have you ever wondered where your bees forage? Me too! Did you know your honey “tells the story”? Turns out a LOT of beekeepers send honey samples to Texas A & M University for pollen testing! Full disclosure – we’ve...
I don’t recommend buying queens with clipped wings, nor do I recommend clipping the wings of a queen. The theory is that it will prevent a hive from swarming, since the queen cannot fly away with the swarm. However,...
By: Mary Reed Texas Chief Apiary Inspector Entomologist - Secretary, Apiary Inspectors of America Texas Master Beekeeper Program Manager I remember when I first got into beekeeping. I was overwhelmed with anticipation of getting to watch my bees grow...
By: Chari Elam May runs a close second to the busiest time of year for beekeepers – July honey extraction rightfully holding first place! Right now, we’re running around determining which hives are ready for supers and in some cases,...
Single deep hive management reduces the heavy lifting often associated with beekeeping while simplifying inspections and mite control. With proper space management—primarily by adding honey supers—colonies can thrive in a single brood box while still producing honey.
Only YOU Can Prevent Fires in the Bee Yard! With the heat and severe drought conditions we are experiencing, the smallest spark from a bee smoker can become a nightmare in minutes! Our bee yard happens to be located in...
By: Blake Shook How to Know When it's Time to Harvest Honey There are a handful of indicators to help you know when to harvest your honey. 1. The major nectar producing flowers begin to die. What those flowers are...
Drones are a normal and healthy part of every hive. Hives will usually remove drones from the hive in the late fall and begin raising them again in early spring. From early spring through late fall, about 10% of the...
Drawing comb takes a lot more resources than most people realize—about 10 pounds of honey just to make 1 pound of wax. That’s why feeding syrup can make such a big difference. Whether you’re working with a new hive, adding boxes, or getting supers ready before the flow, giving bees a steady food source helps them build comb faster so they can focus on growing and producing when it really counts.
Topics Beekeepers Can't Agree On! By: Lynne Jones On November 29th I posted a poll in two Facebook groups. I asked for beekeepers who have transferred bees from a removal into a hive box at least five times to indicate...
There’s been a LOT of discussion on social media about using sugar bricks, sugar cakes and “soft” sugar bricks to feed bees. Sugar brick feeding is a main stay for northern beekeepers due to extended winter months and the inability to open hives due to cold and snow.. but what about the rest of us?
