Health & Pests Archives - Page 2 of 9

Feeding Honey Bees Successfully

August 4, 2021 · Josh Vaisman · Health & Pests

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 to my brain and I felt regularly surprised (in a good way!) by what I learned.

Raising Honey Bees with Pets and Livestock

July 28, 2021 · Angi Schneider · Health & Pests

When we decided to start raising honey bees, one of the things we needed to consider was the safety of the other animals on our property. If we had a large property where we would be able to put our hives away from our other animals it would be easy, but we don’t have a large property.

Can I Put Out Extracted Supers Without Encouraging Robbing?

July 17, 2021 · Rusty Burlew · Ask The Expert, Health & Pests

Finding a source of ready-made honey excites the bees, almost to the point of frenzy. So providing wet supers gets the bees agitated and more willing, it seems, to attempt robbing.

Hygienic Bees Smell Disease and Do Something About It

July 17, 2021 · Bridget Mendel · Health & Pests

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.

You’re Invited to Become a Member of Backyard Beekeeping

July 16, 2021 · Steph Merkle · Ask The Expert, Beekeeping, Beekeeping 101, Health & Pests, Hive Highlights, Hives & Equipment, Honey & Beeswax, Magazine Previews

We have some EXCITING news to share! There is something new in our community … introducing the brand-new Backyard Beekeeping Membership and Magazine!

Catch and Release Powdered Sugar Roll Varroa Mite Test

July 16, 2021 · Kristi Cook · Health & Pests

Knowing what a hive’s mite load is can mean the difference between a hive surviving the winter in a healthy state ready to tackle the next honey season and an almost guaranteed untimely death from the viruses and diseases contributed to high varroa loads.

On a Frame of Emerged and Capped Queen Cells, Will the Workers Destroy the Capped Cells?

July 1, 2021 · Rusty Burlew · Ask The Expert, Health & Pests

On a frame that has emerged queen cells and capped queen cells, is it most likely that the capped cell contents have been killed and of no use in trying to raise a queen in a nuc? Are these cells eventually torn down by the workers?

Which is Better for a Layens Hive: Fumigation or Vaporization of Oxalic Acid?

June 24, 2021 · Rusty Burlew · Ask The Expert, Health & Pests, Hives & Equipment

I am a new beekeeper and want to know what your thoughts are on using the fumigation method vs the vapor method? I am using Layens Horizontal Hives configuration and really don’t see a good way to use vapor equipment and see the fumigation method (fogging) as a better method for my application.

How Do I Encourage My Bees to Cap the Frames in the Super?

June 24, 2021 · Rusty Burlew · Ask The Expert, Health & Pests, Honey & Beeswax

The bees simply bite off a chunk of wax, mix it with their own saliva, chew it into the right consistency, and then build new comb with it somewhere else in the hive. If later in the season they want to use the frames they borrowed from, they will repair the entire thing such that you can barely see what they did.

The Invasive Spotted Lanternfly: A New Honey Bee Pest

June 24, 2021 · Rusty Burlew · Health & Pests

Global trade has landed a wide selection of goods on our doorsteps, and people throughout the world have benefitted in ways unimaginable in decades past. But one detriment of increased trade is the movement of organisms into new environments.