It is all about the weather when it comes to managing bees in March. I have seen March weather disappoint me many times. We are most likely thinking of things we can do such as make splits, prevent swarms, try to raise queens or get ready for a honey crop. All I can say is …
Read MoreIn this article series, we have been exploring how bees see each other in ultraviolet light (UV). I have been using UV at 365 nanometers, which as shown earlier is close to a honey bee’s maximum sensitivity in UV. Seeing bees more like they see each other can bring us closer to understanding their lives. …
Read MoreSimple questions don’t always have easy answers Question: “Should I requeen every two years?” Answer: “Well, yes and no.” This common subject came up again during some short email interactions a few weeks ago. At first glance, and from the perspective of an established beekeeper, yep … you should requeen every two years. Next question? …
Read MoreWhy do bees beard? My November issue of the ABJ arrived a couple of weeks ago and I have recently finished reading it. I was particularly interested in Dewey Caron’s explanation of why bees sometimes hang in clusters around the entrance to the hive. This is a question that turns up regularly on the Facebook …
Read MoreWhat makes a poor queen poor? Alison McAfee – 271 Who’s keeping whom? Peter Keilty – 285 Propagating Varroa-resistant Colonies Stephen Martin – 289 Arkansas Honey Festival Serves Beekeepers and Public Dewey M. Caron – 305 A Tribute to Sue Cobey on Her Retirement Jackie Park Burris – 311 A Commercial Perspective – From Conventions …
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Apis artistry: Gavonna Fore of West Plains, Missouri, discovered this work of art in her very first hive in the spring of 2023. Note the pristine white cell walls – accentuated by black foundation below – whereas the top edges are already travel-stained with pollen and propolis from the “dirty” feet of construction workers.
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Drone brood lead to more Varroa I have a question regarding the consequences of your answer regarding flooding an area with drones (December 2024 Classroom). Letting the drone brood, especially multiple generations of drone brood, hatch will very negatively affect a colony’s Varroa population. How would you recommend countering this issue? I was trying to …
Read MoreEntomology 101 was required for my agronomy degree. On the first day of class, encircled with posters of drosophila, moths, and beetles, I recoiled at the scent of old wooden desks — outfitted with inkwells and graffiti — and the chemical odor of bugs lying dead in cottony beds. Although I grew up around honey …
Read MoreConsuming cold honey Honey bee colonies — anywhere in the world — require some way to store food products for lean times. Such foodless periods occur in all climates. While stores are required anytime there is a dearth, the Queen Mother of all dearths is a long, hard, cold winter. After reading the simplest of …
Read More"I want the American Bee Journal to be the finest publication about bees and beekeeping in the world."
- C.P. Dadant, Editor of ABJ 1912-1938
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