Featured Stories
Succession Planting With the Best Plants for Bees
Even before we began keeping bees, we tried to garden in such a way as to not harm bees and other pollinators. Now that we are keeping bees, our goal …
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Why We Need to Protect Native Pollinator Habitat
Doug Ottinger – Regardless of whether we live a rural lifestyle, an urban one, or something in between, our existence, and continuance of the world as we know it, is …
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Should You Feed Native Bees? Ask the Expert!
Do you know if the sugar water will work for wild bees as well? I haven’t undertaken starting my own hive, but I usually have quite a few bees that …
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Make Your Own Beeswax Wraps
By Amanda Paul – As we are all aware, plastic is everywhere — in our households, landfills, and even in the deepest depths of the ocean. Beeswax wraps (alternatively referred …
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Controlling Varroa Mites with Oxalic Acid Drizzle Method
By David Bridgers, North Carolina My research project was a collaboration with N.C. State University and Dr. David Tarpy on the control of varroa mites. It is essential that beekeepers …
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What’s Safe to Use in Your Smoker? Ask the Expert!
H.J.M. writes: Is it safe to use the wood pellets for a Pellet grill in your bee smoker? +++++++ That’s a great question, H.J.M.! The simple answer is, yes, it …
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What Bugs Your Bees in Winter? Know the Lineup of Beekeeping Pests.
Even before we open our first beehive, we are warned about pests that may live within. Small hive beetles, wax moths, and varroa mites are things we dread, so early in our training we learn how to deal with them. …
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Keeping Both Mason Bees and Honey Bees
Many people, especially those with fruit trees to pollinate, want to keep both mason bees and honey bees in the same yard. But is that good for the bees? Will they harm each other …
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What To Know As Spring Unfolds Into Summer
If April is the beekeeping equivalent of planting time, then May is when our efforts start to germinate.
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Let’s Talk About Losing Bees
Like many beekeepers, we lost bees this winter. New packages failed to build up in a normal way last summer and were unusually slow to build comb and put away stores into fall. In September, aggressive yellow jacket predation weakened them further leaving them unable to carry themselves through the cold.
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