Health & Pests

Using a Beehive Inspection Checklist
July 25, 2022 · · Health & Pests

Using a beehive inspection checklist can help the beginning beekeeper have confidence in hive inspections and help the experienced beekeeper stay on track during inspections.

Read More
OAV: How to Treat Varroa Mites
July 25, 2022 · · Health & Pests

In this article, I’ll discuss our experience trying to manage varroa mites our first couple years in beekeeping, some lessons we learned, a new way of approaching varroa management, and address some common questions about our management plan.

Read More
Controlling Varroa Mites with Oxalic Acid Drizzle Method

It is essential that beekeepers control mites for hive health and survivability. This project used the oxalic acid drizzle method.

Read More
How Do I Know if My Bees Are Too Hot?
June 21, 2022 · · Health & Pests

Because I live in an area with long, hot summers I’m often asked, “How do I know if my bees are too hot?” During the dog days of summer, you’ll often find bees hanging out in clumps on the outside of their hive.

Read More
The Invasive Spotted Lanternfly: A New Honey Bee Pest
June 17, 2022 · · 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.

Read More
Varroa Mite Treatments for a Healthy Hive
June 10, 2022 · · Health & Pests

Varroa mites are considered a universal problem. Fortunately, varroa mite treatment isn’t hard, you just have to be diligent.

Read More
Conduct an Alcohol Wash for Varroa Mite Monitoring
June 9, 2022 · · Health & Pests

Of the many techniques possible, the alcohol wash for varroa mite counts is currently considered the most accurate.

Read More
Creating the Best Water Sources for Bees
June 8, 2022 · · Health & Pests

Like all animals, honey bees need a dependable source of water year round. The best water sources for bees are ones that won’t go dry in the summer, won’t drown the bees, and won’t be shared with livestock or pets.

Read More
Why do Bees Swarm?
June 3, 2022 · · Health & Pests

One of the most disappointing things that can happen to a beekeeper is to have a hive swarm. After it happened to us, we needed to find out why bees swarm.

Read More
Growing Your Apiary: All About Splitting a Hive

Splitting the colony is a natural part of the honeybee’s reproductive life cycle—in nature we call this action “swarming.” Why do bees swarm? With increased hours in daylight, the queen bee begins to lay her eggs and grow the hive’s population.

Read More