Why Your Colonies May Need Pollen Patties Are you new to the beekeeping community? You may be surprised to hear beekeepers talking about buying or making pollen patties. Don’t bees collect their own pollen? Yes, they do. But sometimes the bees can use a little help. Feeding pollen patties can be the difference between having […]
Absconding Bees- Why Bees Leave The Hive
Bees Gone? You May Have Experienced Absconding Bees When a colony leaves what seems to be a perfectly good home (other than swarming) we call it absconding. This is a sobering thing to happen to any beekeeper and it represents a significant loss. Absconding bees are an unknown issue to new beekeepers until it happens. The […]
Honey Packaging – From the Hive to the Bottle
Honey Processing & Honey Packaging Tips Learning how to bottle honey is a sweet job for every new beekeeper. It’s one beekeeping chore that we always love doing. The beekeeper and the bees have worked hard all season. Our next step is honey processing. It’s time to get that honey packaged and ready to use […]
How to Start a Bee Farm
How to Start A Bee Farm Business-Using Common Sense Due to declining colony numbers, honey bees are big news. Even non-beekeepers are aware of the plight of the honey bee. And, people want to help. The result of this media attention is many people wanting to start a bee farm. What does it mean to have […]
How Long do Bees Live?
Like every living thing, bees have an average life span. The adult bees emerge from their cells ready to get to work. And work they do until the end. How long do bees live? It depends on the bee. It is important to understand that there are different kinds of bees. How long a bee […]
Understanding the Parts of a Beehive
Do You Need to Identify the Parts of a Beehive? Beekeeping is one of those activities that come with a lot of terminology. Different types of equipment, tools, bees, management styles, etc. Do you need to be able to name all the parts of a beehive? No, but it may be a big bonus if […]
How to Make Seed Balls
Making Seed Balls for Bees A diverse diet is so important to honey bees and all pollinators. Planting different types of flowering plants can be a big boost for bee health. One easy way to contribute to a diverse floral environment is to make seed balls. What are seed balls you may ask? They are […]
Knowing What to Look For Inside a Beehive
An important part of beekeeping is good hive management. The first time a new beekeeper decides to look inside a beehive can be a bit unnerving. But don’t worry, you can do it. Routine Beehive Inspection If you have been involved in beekeeping for any amount of time you know the importance of beehive inspections. […]
How to Build the Best Electric Bear Fence
Why Beekeepers Should Build a Bear Fence Bears are so cute and cuddly looking – on TV, in a picture and maybe in live view – from a safe distance. But bears can destroy thousands of dollars of beekeeping equipment and hives in one night. Every beekeeper that share space with bears should build a […]
Types of Bees We Love
Perhaps you think you know a lot about bees? Sometimes I think I know a lot about honey bees – and other times…not so much. While honey bees are one of the most popular types of bees, there are many different kinds of bees to appreciate. Bees are flying insects related to wasps but they […]