Featured Stories

How Long Can I Keep a Caged Queen Bee Alive?
July 27, 2021 · · Ask the Expert

Caged queens can be kept a week to 10 days, and perhaps a day or two longer. But queens lose quality when they are kept from laying for long periods, and the quality of their pheromones decreases, so always keep the storage time as short as possible.

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Why Did My Bees Remove the Frame Foundation?

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.

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Can I Put Out Extracted Supers Without Encouraging Robbing?

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.

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You’re Invited to Become a Member of Backyard Beekeeping

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

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

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?

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Should I Split if I See Queen Cells on Three Frames?

If I have queen cells on three different frames, and I know they are going to swarm. This is a new colony from a nuc. Could I make a split from this situation?

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My Swarm Returned to Where I Found it. Now What?

If I have queen cells on three different frames, and I know they are going to swarm. This is a new colony from a nuc. Could I make a split from this situation?

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Which Bees are Attracted to Douglas Fir Sap?

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?

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

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.

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How Do I Keep Bees Away from My Pool?

It is well-known that honey bees are attracted to chlorine in pools. Although bees have eyesight that is perfect for finding flowers and evading enemies, it’s not so good for finding water.

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