The most sustainable manner of keeping bees requires Beeks to learn skills beyond hive inspection, feeding regimens, and pest control. Learning to create splits and raise queens are, without a doubt, the most sustainable manner of reducing costs.
Read MoreKnowing 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.
Read MoreWhile not all bees make honey, there are many species that do—perhaps hundreds.
Read MoreWhen you cook sugar or add an acid such as vinegar or cream of tartar, you break the molecular bonds that hold sucrose together and end up with the two simple sugars. It’s the fructose portion that causes the problem. When fructose is heated it produces hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), which is toxic to bees.
Read MoreFourth-generation beekeeper Andrew Coté keeps over 100 colonies in New York City. From selling honey at farmers markets to removing swarms from ten-story rooftops, he shares beekeeping with generation five (his son). He sells honey to celebrities, teaches seminars, and works with restaurants.
Read MoreAmidst the myriad of advice, pesticides, invasive treatments, and other methods for treating varroa mites, a hardy group of pioneers stands out: Those who refuse to treat the mites at all.
Read MoreRegardless of where you keep bees, varroa management is a constant topic within any beekeeping community. And with good reason; without proper varroa control, we beekeepers lose our valuable colonies.
Read MoreCombining bee hives can improve overall colony health and success. Colonies can be combined at any point in the season, and for a number of reasons.
Read MoreI live just outside of Seattle. Yesterday I found a queen dead on the landing board of my top bar hive. She was with two worker bees that were alive. I am not sure what they were doing. Pushing her off of the ledge?
Read MoreAdd to Favorites A guide to Beekeeping in the Northern Hemisphere. Loving Hive Highlights? Download other helpful resources in this series! CLICK HERE to get your pdf!
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