The Beekeeper’s Companion Since 1861
American Bee Journal Volume 166 No. 10 October 2026 Cover Cover Callouts: Apis mellifera, weather girl - 1077, Winter hive ventilation - 1093, 1101, 1105, How does the colony respond to OA? - 1127 Cover shoes a frame of brood with a queen cell and several bees near the center of the frame.

August 2017

Posted August 1, 2017

August 2017

The Varroa Problem—Part 9—Knowing Thine Enemy Randy Oliver…………………………………………………………………………………..835 A Syrup Mixing System for Backyard Beekeepers William Blomstedt……………………………………………………………………………..853 Going Molecular: Insights into the Life of a Varroa Mite Alison McAfee………………………………………………………………………………….857 Honey Bee Nutrition—Part 4—Lipids Dale Hill…………………………………………………………………………………………861 Requeening Hot Hives T’Lee Sollenberger…………………………………………………………………………….873 David Burns of Long Lane Honey Farms Strives to Help Educate Beekeepers Mary and Bill …

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August ABJ Cover

Amercian Bee Journal Cover August 2017
Posted August 1, 2017

August ABJ Cover

Some beautiful black locust honey produced at the Dadant Research Beeyard in Hamilton, IL. Our black locust honey flow normally comes during an unsettled part of spring when rains almost always ruin this flow for us. This year, however, strong colonies were able to take advantage of early sunny weather to make a nice honey …

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Birds vs. Bees: Study Helps Explain How Flowers Evolved to Get Pollinators to Specialize

Posted July 1, 2017

Birds vs. Bees: Study Helps Explain How Flowers Evolved to Get Pollinators to Specialize

Work by Robert J. Gegear at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) shows that flowers that were thought to have evolved to lure hummingbirds, actually have combinations of traits that discourage wasteful visits by bumblebees. Worcester, Mass. – Ecologists who study flowering plants have long believed that flowers evolved with particular sets of characteristics–unique combinations of colors, …

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How Varroa Mites Take Advantage of Managed Beekeeping Practices

Posted July 1, 2017

How Varroa Mites Take Advantage of Managed Beekeeping Practices

Closer colonies and less swarming allow mite populations to grow and spread Annapolis, MD — As the managed honey bee industry continues to grapple with significant annual colony losses, the Varroa destructor mite is emerging as the leading culprit. And, it turns out, the very nature of modern beekeeping may be giving the parasite the …

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Letters to the Editor – July 2017

future beekeeper advocating for bee research at the March for Science even in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Posted July 1, 2017

Letters to the Editor – July 2017

Future Beekeeper I’m a former bee research technician at Virginia Tech. I’m now at UF as a technician and working on a PhD in termites, but I stay current in apiculture by keeping bees, reading ABJ & teaching for Jamie Ellis’ Bee College a couple of times a year. Rick Fell at VT saw this …

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U.S. Honey Crops and Markets – July 2017

US Crops and Honey Markets
Posted July 1, 2017

U.S. Honey Crops and Markets – July 2017

UNITED STATES Poor honey flow and beekeeping conditions in Florida have curtailed honey production in this huge beekeeping state. The terrible drought is blamed for poor honey crops in many instances, but other problems such as the extensive wildfire along the Florida-Georgia border, loss of bee pasture, varroa and small hive beetles are also high …

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The Classroom – July 2017

Posted July 1, 2017

The Classroom – July 2017

Comment FROM THE LAND DOWN UNDER…COMMENT In the April 2017 issue of American Bee Journal (pp 361 & 362), there are a couple of letters for which I would like to add my comments to your answers. No doubt your computer has a delete button if you doubt that my comments are of interest. Firstly, …

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Natural Beekeeping and Ideal Hives – Tom Seeley Interview

Natural beekeeping
Posted July 1, 2017

Natural Beekeeping and Ideal Hives – Tom Seeley Interview

Leo Sharashkin: Is there such a thing as natural beekeeping? Some people feel that “keeping” bees is inherently unnatural. Tom Seeley: It depends on how natural it has to be to qualify as natural beekeeping. I don’t think there’s a set definition. But I can keep bees and simulate bees living in the woods very …

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Finding Apiaries from Above using Google Maps (Part One)

finding apiaries using google maps
Posted July 1, 2017

Finding Apiaries from Above using Google Maps (Part One)

Good apiary sites seem to be more difficult to find, at least in my area. The most important consideration is, of course, plenty of forage–both in the main spring nectar flow and the flow. If possible, some nectar dribbling in during the summer dearth would be good too. A variety of pollen plants is important …

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The Evolution of Swarming

Posted July 1, 2017

The Evolution of Swarming

This month we finish a three-part series on swarming, the pivotal event around which the 12-month life cycle of Apis mellifera revolves. Since May we have established that (1) swarming is reproduction at the level of superorganism – the fission, or budding of a new colony off of a parent colony; (2) swarming involves a …

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