The Beekeeper’s Companion Since 1861
American Bee Journal Volume 166 No. 1 January 2026 Cover Callouts: Invisible Bee Communication - 45, Vadescana: A new varroa control - 51, The impacts of pollen trapping - 61 Cover depicts a honey bee with propolis on its legs.

June 2016

Posted June 1, 2016

June 2016

Book Review—The Sting of the Wild by Justin O. Schmidt M.E.A. McNeil…………………………………………………………………………623 A Dream Realized—The University of Minnesota Bee Research Lab Karen Nielsen Lorence………………………………………………………………..629 Feed Bucket Lids and Ergonomics Andy Hemken………………………………………………………………………….645 Replacing Old and Damaged Combs Howard Scott…………………………………………………………………………..647 Creating a Permanent Observation Hive for the Public Gene Foley……………………………………………………………………………..653 Beekeeping Best Management Practices Peter Loring Borst…………………………………………………………………….667 …

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June 2016 Cover

June 2016 ABJ Cover
Posted June 1, 2016

June 2016 Cover

Honey bee on a Fugi apple tree blossom.  This excellent photo was taken by Michael LaSpina in Northern California.

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Study Finds Larger Colonies of Social Insects Have Weaker Immune Response, Highlights Role of Hygiene

Posted May 1, 2016

Study Finds Larger Colonies of Social Insects Have Weaker Immune Response, Highlights Role of Hygiene

North Carolina State University Research from North Carolina State University finds that among eusocial insects – like ants, bees and termites – the more individuals there are in a typical species colony, the weaker the species’ immune response. The finding strongly suggests that hygiene behaviors, and not just immune systems, play a key role in …

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National Honey Board Launches New Online Catalog

Posted May 1, 2016

National Honey Board Launches New Online Catalog

Firestone, Colorado – The National Honey Board (NHB) announces that it has launched an online catalog for members of the honey industry. In a continued effort to provide materials to help promote honey, the NHB has made available to all industry members various materials that can be utilized to educate the general public about the …

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The Classroom – May 2016

Posted May 1, 2016

The Classroom – May 2016

Question 1: WHEN TO TREAT? When’s the best time to put Apistan strips in hives? Right now? Missouri Beekeeper Answer 1: Well it should have been last August/September. If your bees are still alive, you could treat now. Do a survey of how many mites per 100 bees first. If it is 5 or over …

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Letters to the Editor – May 2016

Posted May 1, 2016

Letters to the Editor – May 2016

Honey Bee Comic Strip I am a middle school Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teacher in Lakewood, Ohio, and on the side, I create educational comics. I began creating my comics as an effort to reach my struggling readers, but I have recently felt it necessary to use my skills to reach a much …

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U.S. Honey Crops and Markets – May 2016

US Crops and Honey Markets
Posted May 1, 2016

U.S. Honey Crops and Markets – May 2016

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service published their U.S. and state honey crop production estimates for 2015 in late March. They estimated that U.S. honey production fell 12 percent in 2015. It is notable that honey production fell in almost every large honey production state which includes North Dakota, South Dakota, California, Florida, Montana and …

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How to Protect Bees from Pesticides

Read the Label
Posted May 1, 2016

How to Protect Bees from Pesticides

The University of Georgia, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences states: “For fruit or nut bearing crops, pollination can be a grower’s last chance to increase yield. All post pollination inputs, whether growth regulators, herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides, are generally designed not to increase yield but to conserve losses.” AgriCultures Network writes in “Managing for …

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May 2016 Cover

ABJ MAY 2016
Posted May 1, 2016

May 2016 Cover

Michael LaSpina took this wonderful photo of a honey bee in his yard in Northern California.  The flower is a Crepe-Myrtle variety known as Prairie Malus. Michael said that the bees love it!

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May 2016

Posted May 1, 2016

May 2016

U.S. Honey Production Down 12 Percent in 2015 National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA……………………………………………..513 Big and Small Things to Learn from an Observation Hive, or Something to Build This Season Tina Sebestyen…………………………………………………………………………………533 Fungal Alliances Against Varroa and the Viruses They Vector M.E.A. McNeil…………………………………………………………………………………541 How to Become a Beekeeper (The Not-so-Straightforward Way): Part II—Conclusion William Blomstedt…………………………………………………………………………….553 A …

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