natural
What do Bees do in the Winter?
Unlike birds, bees don’t fly south for the winter, nor do they hibernate. So, what do bees do in the winter?
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What Causes Colony Collapse Disorder in Honeybees?
What is colony collapse disorder (CCD) and what causes it? Maurice Hladik tackles this confounding question.
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How to Decrystallize Honey
Every so often someone asks me how to decrystallize honey. Well, here’s the how and why.
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6 Simple Beeswax Uses
Since we started keeping bees a few years ago we’ve learned about so many beeswax uses. We had no idea it was so versatile.
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How Do I Know if My Bees Are Too Hot?
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.
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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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Top Bar Beehives vs Langstroth Beehives
Not long after our teenage son started raising honey bees, a family friend built him a top bar beehive with an observation window using beehive plans from a homesteading book. It was such an amazing gift.
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How do Bees Mate?
An interesting and deadly dance takes place all across the world; in fact, it’s necessary for human survival and yet goes unnoticed by humans year after year. The dance is actually the mating ritual of honey bees.
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Natural Bees Comb Building: Boon or Bust?
The construction of natural bee’s comb is a wonder to behold. Festooning bees clasp legs to form hanging chains, a behavior many beekeepers describe as measuring, and set to work building hexagonal cells using wax flakes they excrete from abdominal glands and shape with their jaws. Each bee appears to work independently, yet somehow cells built by many bees working on different areas of comb come together seamlessly.
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How to Talk to Vegans About Honey & Bees
I have yet to meet a beekeeper—commercial or hobbyist—who doesn’t adore his or her bees. There is a beauty and a romance to beekeeping that begins with the sun, and, if you are lucky, ends in a bonanza of the best tasting honey you have ever known.
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