A queen cell located at the bottom of the frame is usually indicative of a swarm cell. A hive may prepare to swarm for a variety of reasons: The colony has outgrown its space. In this case, you may wish to consider splitting your hive. To split your hive, place 2-3 frames of drawn brood …
PERFORMING AN AUTOPSY ON A DEAD HIVE You open your hive after a long winter, excited to see how they weathered the cold. You find hundreds of bees dead in the hive, or none at all. Finding a hive empty or dead is one of the most devastating moments of beekeeping. The loss of hive, …
Pollen and honey provide the protein and minerals that honeybees need to survive. A healthy, successful hive will gather most of their resources from the natural world. Occasionally, beekeepers will need to feed the hive to ensure adequate stores in periods of low nectar flow and overwinter. SUGAR WATER The magic numbers… 1:1 (1 part …
The period of time between the emergence of a virgin queen and the presence of a brood can feel like watching water boil. If you have recently caught a swarm, ordered a package, or requeened, you may be wondering: Was my queen successful? Let’s start with dissecting the queen emergence process: When a new queen …
The presence of eggs, large, and capped brood is indicative of a mated queen. But as a new beekeeper, how will you know if your brood pattern is healthy? A mated queen will produce both worker and drone brood within the brood chamber, with the majority of the frames filled with worker brood. Worker brood …
TREATING VARROA MITES The detection and timely treatment of varroa mites is critical in preventing mite infestation, a principal cause of colony collapse disorder (CCD). One of the most common misconceptions among beekeepers is that a thriving hive does not need treatment. If their population is growing, they must be healthy, right? This assumption can …
A varroa mite is an introduced ectoparasite of the honeybee, Apis mellifera. Mites were first introduced to the Western honeybee when the Apis cerana Fabricius – The eastern European or Asian strain of honeybees – Were introduced to the United States. Since its introduction, the Varroa destructor is believed to be the leading cause of …
Winne-the-pooh has been around since 1926 and he hasn’t aged a day. There must be some health benefits to all that pure, raw, local and unfiltered honey he’s eating. As it turns out, there are many benefits to consuming pure and unfiltered honey. Ancient Egyptians and Greeks referred to honey as, “Nectar of the Gods”. …
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