The Bee Supply Monthly

In a recent discussion, experts explored the emergence of the Yellow-Legged Hornet (Vespa velutina) in Georgia, which poses a significant threat to honeybee populations.

With all the talk about overwintering our bees, have you thought about overwintering drawn comb frames and equipment? Whether it’s hive boxes, honey supers, or frames from a dead hive or surplus drawn comb from combining hives, storing them for future use effectively and efficiently can be a challenge depending on how many you have.

Just when beekeepers on the West Coast were starting to breathe a sigh of relief, in August 2023 the murder hornet’s smaller cousin, the yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina), was found in Savannah, Georgia. This is of great concern for the beekeeping industry because, like the northern giant hornet, yellow-legged hornets (YLH) can decimate honey bee colonies. It is also concerning because we know that, based on France’s experience when YLHs were discovered there in 2004, once this invasive species gets established, it can spread fast.

Recipe: Chewy Honey Oatmeal Cookies

Try this yummy cookie recipe using your favorite local honey!  Super easy - Super DELICIOUS! 

Giving up on a hive is very hard to do. But the reality is that all beekeepers, even the best, lose hives—and a lot of them. The average annual loss rate fluctuates between 40% and 50%. It’s one thing when a hive dies on its own, but it’s much harder when you have to make the decision to stop pouring efforts and resources into a hive that isn’t going to ultimately make it.

It goes without saying—there’s never a good time to be queenless, and late fall or winter is the worst time! Suppliers are no longer offering queens, and—let’s face it—drones are all but gone and queen season is over! What do you do?