Health & Pests
How do I Keep Bears Away from My Beehives?
Once a bear learns the location of a beehive, it will keep coming back for more. So the best defense against bear predation is avoiding them in the first place.
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Why Are There Bald-Faced Hornets in my Top Feeder?
I found a ton of dead, large black and white, what I think might be bald-faced hornets dead inside of a feeder. I killed a bunch outside my hives too. Entrance reducer was on also. Should I worry? I’m thrilled The Hive was strong enough to kill all the intruders at least.
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Hygienic Bees Smell Disease and Do Something About It
One form of social immunity is called hygienic behavior, wherein many young workers resist the spread of pathogens and Varroa mites by detecting, uncapping, and removing unhealthy brood.
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There’s Corn Syrup in My Bee Fondant. Is that OK?
Is corn syrup OK for my bees? I realized that the store-bought bee fondant I ordered contains corn syrup. Should I be worried about that?
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Feeding Honey Bees Successfully
When I participated in the Northern Colorado Beekeepers Association beginning beekeeping class, I was exposed to more than 15 hours of education. Needless to say, much of it was new …
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How to Treat Varroa Mites — A New Perspective
My wife and I took a beginning beekeeping class before becoming backyard beekeepers. We learned about wax moth treatment and how to manage ants in beehives. We also learned how to …
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Hive Robbing: Keeping Your Colony Safe
Honey bee robbing is an almost desperate commitment, en masse, to maximizing a resource. Here’s why it happens, how to prevent it, and how to stop it when you see it.
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Does Peppermint Deter Wax Moths?
David writes: Have you had any results from putting mint near your hives to prevent wax moths? While I have heard of folks suggesting mint could be a deterrent to …
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I Saw Wax Moth Larvae! Now What?
I think I saw wax moth larvae on one of my frames. I am new at beekeeping so I was unprepared to address the problem when I opened the hive and saw the larvae. Any suggestions on what to do?
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Are My Bees Too Hot?
Dave writes: I’m new to beekeeping. My bees seem hot in this 90+ weather, they are bearding a lot. What are your suggestions for keeping them cool? I have a screened bottom and …
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