The Beekeeper’s Companion Since 1861
American Bee Journal Volume 166 No. 9 September 2026 Cover Callouts: How are imports certified "USDA Organic"? - 1007, The Mystery of Navigation - 987, A Win for Kansas Beekeepers - 969

More on corbiculate bees, and arguments for a European Origin for Apis

corbiculate bees
Posted April 1, 2018

More on corbiculate bees, and arguments for a European Origin for Apis

Since January 2015 I’ve been writing a monthly serial on the social evolution of the honey bee. Both words count: social and evolution. Social in distinction to individual selection that produces basic body plans, and Evolution in the sense of those genetic adaptations made over time in the context of group living. This is why …

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Nucs that “After Swarm”: A Scenario for Failure

queen cell
Posted April 1, 2018

Nucs that “After Swarm”: A Scenario for Failure

A newly made nuc–that swarms–is ruined. This problem, in my opinion, does not receive enough attention (see Figure 1). In the spring, I spend considerable time with numerous swarms, nucs, bait hives, and queen cells. I see all kinds of situations. When nucs swarm, they become a problem. Typically, what remains is an excessively weak …

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INTRODUCED HONEY BEES COULD CAUSE PLANT EXTINCTION

Posted April 1, 2018

INTRODUCED HONEY BEES COULD CAUSE PLANT EXTINCTION

In plant poor regions honey bees out-compete local pollinators, which play vital specialist role in plant pollination New research indicates that introduced ‘alien’ honey bees are competing for rare resources with native bees and threatening the survival of plants that rely on interactions with specific pollinators. The study, published in the journal Diversity and Distributions, …

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SICK BEES EAT HEALTHIER

Posted April 1, 2018

SICK BEES EAT HEALTHIER

Good nutrition can help us ward off illness. But what happens when we’re already sick? In honey bees, sick bees appear to make smarter nutritional choices. A new study compared the feeding habits of healthy bees to those infected with the gut parasite Nosema ceranae. In the study, published recently in the journal Microbial Ecology, …

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WHEN DID FLOWERS ORIGINATE?

flowers
Posted April 1, 2018

WHEN DID FLOWERS ORIGINATE?

Bees depend on the flowering plants that produce nectar and pollen for sustenance. It’s a symbiotic relationship that evolved over time. New research shows that flowering plants likely originated between 149 and 256 million years ago. The study, published Feb. 4th, 2018 in New Phytologist by researchers from the UK and China, shows that flowering …

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Letters to the Editor – April 2018

Frank Family beekeeping
Posted April 1, 2018

Letters to the Editor – April 2018

Frank Family Girls Dear Editor, I’m a lucky father. Mary Frank is my now 13 year-old daughter. She is my right hand lady and business partner. We have 6 hives at present and hope to expand to 15 in the near future. I couldn’t keep bees without her and her sisters. Mary can do anything …

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Grant Me the Courage

Beekeeper with frame from behive
Posted April 1, 2018

Grant Me the Courage

How do you define yourself? This is a question that I’ve asked myself countless times. Mainly the answer has been a hyphenated jumble of the many labels that I acquired over the years. I started out as a good kid, but I had issues that I did not know how to face. Attempting to combat …

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April 2018

Posted April 1, 2018

April 2018

International Honey Market Ron Phipps and Norberto Garcia – 383 Grant Me the Courage Kane M. – 389 But Won’t They Fly Back? Making Nucs Within a Single Apiary Zachary Lamas – 395 Detroit Hives Fight the Blight Rusty Burlew – 399 Honey Bees, Mice and Propolis Al Avitable – 405 A Turn in Approach: The Long Lang Hive Caroline Abbott – 411 The Varroa Problem …

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April 2018 ABJ Cover

swarm of bees
Posted April 1, 2018

April 2018 ABJ Cover

A magnificent swarm photo by Åke H Nilsson. It appears in the Bonhoff article, where the author has us re-evaluate when a colony ceases to exist. The original queen leaves with a swarm, so the daughter colony left behind should be considered a new colony with a different genetic fingerprint.

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The More the Merrier? How Reproduction Affects Pyrethroid Resistance in Varroa

honey bee reproduction affects pyrethroid resistance in varroa
Posted March 1, 2018

The More the Merrier? How Reproduction Affects Pyrethroid Resistance in Varroa

How can I help my bees get rid of all these mites?” A question that surely emerges in beekeepers’ heads when they open their colonies and see legions of hungry monsters crawling around. Fortunately, many weapons are available in the fight against Varroa destructor. Unfortunately, they do not completely eradicate the parasite. Worse, the most …

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