The Beekeeper’s Companion Since 1861
American Bee Journal Violume 166 No. 6 June 2026 Cover Call-outs: Surprising Bee Venom - 611, The Beehive Apothecary - 615, Bees in Space- 673

August 2016

Posted August 1, 2016

August 2016

International Honey Market Ron Phipps………………………………………………………………………………………871 A Study of the Causes of Falling Honey Prices in the International Market Norberto L. Garcia…………………………………………………………………………….877 How to Keep Honey from Granulating before Extracting Ron Miksha…………………………………………………………………………………….899 Why Did My Honey Bees Die Last Winter? Meghan Milbrath……………………………………………………………………………….907 Understanding Colony Buildup and Decline—Part 13b—The Winter Continued Randy Oliver…………………………………………………………………………………..911 Jim Cherry’s Life Has …

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Why Did My Honey Bees Die Last Winter?

large brood nest frame dead honeybees
Posted August 1, 2016

Why Did My Honey Bees Die Last Winter?

Getting Ready for Winter 2016-2017 Introduction Beekeepers in northern climates lost a lot of colonies last winter (2015-2016). Some trends are starting to emerge. One of these trends is a specific type of colony death. In Michigan, I’ve received so many calls describing the scenario below, that I can describe the dead-out before opening the …

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August 2016 Cover

American Bee Journal August 2016 Cover
Posted August 1, 2016

August 2016 Cover

C.F. Wengenroth of Fairfield, CT sent this wonderful photo of a queen and her court.  Read his Letter to Editor beginning on page 849.

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Honey Bees More Likely to Regulate Hive’s ‘Thermostat’ During Rapid Temperature Increases

Posted July 1, 2016

Honey Bees More Likely to Regulate Hive’s ‘Thermostat’ During Rapid Temperature Increases

Honey bees use their wings to cool down their hives when temperatures rise, but new University of Colorado Boulder research shows that this intriguing behavior may be linked to both the rate of heating and the size of a honey bee group. The findings, which were recently published in the journal Animal Behaviour, indicate that …

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Nation’s Beekeepers Lost 44 Percent of Bees in 2015-16

ABJ Extra July 2016
Posted July 1, 2016

Nation’s Beekeepers Lost 44 Percent of Bees in 2015-16

  Summer losses rival winter losses for the second year running Beekeepers across the United States lost 44 percent of their honey bee colonies during the year spanning April 2015 to April 2016, according to the latest preliminary results of an annual nationwide survey. Rates of both winter loss and summer loss—and consequently, total annual …

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U.S. Honey Crops and Markets – July 2016

US Crops and Honey Markets
Posted July 1, 2016

U.S. Honey Crops and Markets – July 2016

United States Earlier spring bee foraging and buildup in parts of the Northeast, Mideast and Southeast was at times sporadic due to erratic and often stormy weather. However, later spring and early summer weather improved and the added moisture may help later honey flows. Spring weather in the Southwest was also rainy, but beekeepers were …

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Letters to the Editor – July 2016

2016 4-H Ag Innovators Experience Kicks Off at Ohio State
Posted July 1, 2016

Letters to the Editor – July 2016

2016 4-H Ag Innovators Experience Kicks Off at Ohio State Honey Bee Challenge helps students understand the connection between honey bees and food production. Columbus, Ohio – Did you know that one in every three bites we eat is the result of honey bees at work? Now, thanks to the 4-H Ag Innovators Experience (AIE), …

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The Classroom – July 2016

Posted July 1, 2016

The Classroom – July 2016

Q Who is in the Caste? We are debating the correct answer relating to what is a caste? We have a question on our Master Beekeeper test that is at issue. In First Lessons in Beekeeping by Keith Delaplane, a Dadant Publication, he states on page 12: “There are three types of individuals in a …

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The Plantaginaceae – The Plantain Family

The Plantaginaceae – The Plantain Family
Posted July 1, 2016

The Plantaginaceae – The Plantain Family

Relatively recently, based on genetic evidence, this family has been expanded to include groups not originally considered to be within the family. The treatment below represents the older view of the family. In the older view the family consisted of 3 genera and 270 species[smith] of both annual and perennial herbs. The leaves are mostly …

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In Summer Heat, Bees Need Water: Some Tips on Providing It and How a Colony Collects and Distributes It

Mosquito larvae
Posted July 1, 2016

In Summer Heat, Bees Need Water: Some Tips on Providing It and How a Colony Collects and Distributes It

The heat of summer brings a dire necessity. The bees need water to cool their hives. Where will they get it and what is the bee biology behind water collection? Those are the subjects for this article. Bees desperate for water will get it from unlikely places. For example, in 1878 during a hot dry …

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