Key to any hive work is to be prepared, with your tools at the ready. Have a clear understanding of the steps you are about to undertake. Here is a YouTube video that gives you a visual of the below instructions – When you first get home with the bees set the nuc box in […]
Mold
In our northern environment our bees are subjected to cold damp weather through the winter months. As the hive forms a ball of bodies in the upper middle section box they are able to withstand the cold. Yet the heat generated by their bodies opposing the cold outside the huddle produces condensation. Consider a house […]
Huber Hive
Prior to the middle of the 1800’s, most bee hives in North America and Europe were simple shelters for the bees. Skeps, log gums and box hives were common types of hives in this period. Bees attached their wax combs to the hive’s roof and walls, just like they do in wild hives. Today we […]
Hive Post Mortem
If we are to remain a beekeeper, then it becomes part of our mentality to accept the loss of hives. BUT like all things in life we should not merely take out the towel but engage our critical thinking to discern the cause. Not only will we become a better beekeeper but others may learn […]
Bears
Bear Cub in our front yard Bears are great creatures, but just not compatible with honeybees. They have a great sense of smell, so the honey your bees spend their life collecting become a quest for the wandering, weary, hungry animal. Bear playing in wading pool As good as honey sounds, it does not compare […]
Michael Bush’s Bee Camp
Just returned from Michael Bush’s Bee Camp in Nebraska. Exhausted from long days, sleeping in a teepee, and mega time in hives and discussing bees. I am more convinced Bush’s system works. 1. Moving the hive entrance to the top allows the moisture to escape naturally. 2. Medium boxes with 8 to 9 frames per […]
Eggs
Eggs – Don’t know about you, but seeing some those eggs in the comb is challenging. But what to look for? When the egg is initially laid in the cell by the queen it is standing on its end. It then falls to the bottom of the cell appearing straight by day two and on […]
Pheromones
The honey bee inherently communicates through the “waggle dance” or “figure-eight dance” which provides direction and distance to nectar and pollen. It is also used by the scout bees from a swarm in hopes of gathering ‘votes’ for the selected target hive. My recent visit to OSU Field Day, part of the Journey Program of […]