The Beekeeper’s Companion Since 1861
American Bee Journal Volume 166 No. 5 May 2026 Cover features a close up of a drone bee emerging. Calouts: Do you really need a new queen - 491, AHB in the USA - 523, Where do honey bees mater?-527

JUNE 2017

Posted June 1, 2017

JUNE 2017

International Honey Market Ron Phipps………………………………………………………………………………….597 The Varroa Problem—Part 8—Regulatory Cascades, Varroa Tolerance, and a Moon Shot Randy Oliver………………………………………………………………………………613 Honey Bee Nutrition—Part 2 Dale Hill……………………………………………………………………………………..631 Hive Maintenance as an Athletic Event Jessica Kern…………………………………………………………………………………635 When Is a Colony Worth Saving?  Beekeeping Finance David MacFawn and Jack Elliot……………………………………………………………645 Business Insurance Issues for the Professional Beekeeper Rich Schell…………………………………………………………………………………….649 The …

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June ABJ Cover

June American Bee Journal 2017
Posted June 1, 2017

June ABJ Cover

Rick Knaub, a Pennsylvania beekeeper, took this great close-up photo of honey bees on a comb of honey, as well as several other nice honey bee and flower photos last summer.  Rick helps manage hives at the local Quaker Meetinghouse in York, PA.

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Honey Bee Nutrition

honey bee nutrition
Posted May 1, 2017

Honey Bee Nutrition

As a semi-retired professional animal nutritionist having worked with a large variety of animal species, my approach to honey bee nutrition is likely somewhat different than those trained in entomology. I have had the opportunity over many years to work with a wide variety of ingredients, many of which are best suited for specific needs …

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The Classroom – May 2017

Posted May 1, 2017

The Classroom – May 2017

Comment VARROA, VARROA, VARROA! I wrote you earlier in the year and asked you your opinion about why my bees died. I was positive that it was some kind of pesticide exposure from farmers around me late last year that showed up under winter conditions. You asked me about sampling and treating for mites and …

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U.S. Honey Crops and Markets – May 2017

US Crops and Honey Markets
Posted May 1, 2017

U.S. Honey Crops and Markets – May 2017

With the exception of parts of the Upper Midwest and Northeastern states, beekeepers over much of the country experienced a mild winter resulting in better colony survival rates. In some cases beekeepers still had high winter colony losses due to poor late summer and fall flows in 2016, as well as experiencing heavy varroa mite …

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Youth Can Change the World One Honey bee at A Time

Posted May 1, 2017

Youth Can Change the World One Honey bee at A Time

You might ask yourself “How can we fix the issues we have with the Honey bees?” The answer can be as simple as …. “Let’s ask today’s youth”. That is what FIRST® is doing. The mission of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is to inspire young people to be science and …

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Virginia “Honey Bee Sanctuary”

flowers for seniors
Posted May 1, 2017

Virginia “Honey Bee Sanctuary”

Leesburg VA Business Leader Plants “Honey Bee Sanctuary” — Yielding Cheerful Flowers for Seniors and a Learning Experience for Kids Without honeybees, the world would be a gloomier place. Besides brightening our environment with colorful flowers and plants, bees (and other pollinators like butterflies, birds and insects), also pollinate the fruits, nuts, and vegetables we …

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Letters to the editor – May 2017

Posted May 1, 2017

Letters to the editor – May 2017

New Project to Fight the Mite! : Treating Packages This Spring many beekeepers will be replenishing dead hives with packages. As all bees have some level of varroa mites, controlling mites in newly installed hives before brood is capped is key to ensure colony growth in the spring and summer. NY Bee Wellness, partnering with …

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Beginner’s Beekeeping Recommendations

Beginner's Beekeeping Recommendations
Posted May 1, 2017

Beginner’s Beekeeping Recommendations

This month is the second article in a trilogy to help mentors, teachers and beekeeping associations address the tide of incoming hobby beekeepers who want to keep bees. Most novice beekeepers want one hive to keep in the backyard. This is a bad idea. The chance of a single hive failing within 2 years is …

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Henry Alley, a Pioneer Queen Producer

mature queen cells
Posted May 1, 2017

Henry Alley, a Pioneer Queen Producer

In 1889, a seismic shift occurred in queen-rearing technology leading to the rise in fame of one beekeeper and the fading of another. First though, appreciate how different beekeeping was back then. In the United States, seven bee journals were devoted to apiculture, either wholly or partly. Two more bee journals were in Canada.1 That’s …

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