The Beekeeper’s Companion Since 1861
American Bee Journal Volume 166 No. 9 September 2026 Cover Callouts: How are imports certified "USDA Organic"? - 1007, The Mystery of Navigation - 987, A Win for Kansas Beekeepers - 969

Bees’ Ability to Forage Decreases as Air Pollution Increases

Honeybee on Flower
Posted September 1, 2016

Bees’ Ability to Forage Decreases as Air Pollution Increases

Air pollutants interact with and break down plant-emitted scent molecules, which insect pollinators use to locate needed food, according to a team of researchers led by Penn State. The pollution-modified plant odors can confuse bees and, as a result, bees’ foraging time increases and pollination efficiency decreases. This happens because the chemical interactions decrease both …

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A New Method for Observing Honey Bee Behavior

Posted September 1, 2016

A New Method for Observing Honey Bee Behavior

Observation hives have been used to study the behavior of honey bees since the pioneering studies of François Huber in the 18th century. Observation hives generally consist of glass walled hives containing a small number of combs and bees. A frequent objection to their use is that they are usually housed and observed in daylight …

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The Classroom – September 2016

Posted September 1, 2016

The Classroom – September 2016

COMMENT ON CASTES QUESTION I read with intrigue, your answer to the question about castes. I probably would have answered the same way, but we both would be wrong. Darwin, in his book “Origin of the Species” refers to castes to distinguish between the different types of workers, not the different sexes. Diana Wheeler, writing …

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Letters to the Editor – September 2016

Posted September 1, 2016

Letters to the Editor – September 2016

Honey Stick and business Card combination My wife and I work a lot of farm markets and events, and are increasingly asked to donate honey and items for various causes. We pick and choose carefully, who we send honey, candles and mead to. The other day, our very best Market Manager, Carol Reed, asked for a …

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Ceanothus

Ceanothus Flowers
Posted September 1, 2016

Ceanothus

Scientific name: Ceanothus prostratus (Rhamnaceae) Synonyms: Ceanothus divergens Origin: Western North America (see map) Plant description: Ceanothus prostratus is a dense mat or mound-like bush or shrub that is generally less than 3m (~ 118 in). The Stems are spreading and root at their nodes.1 The twigs are reddish brown. The evergreen leaves are placed …

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An Early History of the Honey Extractor in America

Honey Emptying Machine
Posted September 1, 2016

An Early History of the Honey Extractor in America

Before the honey extractor became well known, consumers purchased honey in the comb, the traditional way to buy honey. To the consumers of the late 1800’s when liquid honey from extractors was available, honey in the comb was the mark of purity, put in the comb and sealed up by the bees. That was protection …

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Dancing Bees: How Could Such a Thing Happen?

open nesting honeybees
Posted September 1, 2016

Dancing Bees: How Could Such a Thing Happen?

When it comes to the dance floor, my Cuban-born wife of Spanish descent belongs to a different league than her Hoosier-born husband raised on a hog farm. Need I bother to say, a better league? Whether it’s her genes or her culture or the rhythm of the Caribbean waves, she just simply gets it, while …

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Keeping colonies Safe from Varroa Mites

Varroa mite graph
Posted September 1, 2016

Keeping colonies Safe from Varroa Mites

We are in the middle of an epidemic of varroa mites (Varroa destructor). Varroa mites damage developing honey bees and transmit a number of deadly viruses, often leading to colony death. This deadly pest has become so widespread in the United States that they are in virtually every honey bee colony, and can re-infest colonies …

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September 2016

Posted September 1, 2016

September 2016

Keeping Honey Bee Colonies Safe from the Varroa Mite Meghan Milbrath……………………………………………………………………………….985 Light or Heavy Syrup for Drawing Foundation Randy Oliver…………………………………………………………………………………..993 “Smooth Honey”—The Art of Making Creamed Honey Ron Miksha……………………………………………………………………………………997 Delaware’s Big Joe Nicolai Keeps Busy with Bees and His Careers Cecil Hicks……………………………………………………………………………………1001 Anita Deeley—Keeping Bees and Helping Beekeepers in Massachusetts Mary and Bill Weaver……………………………………………………………………….1007 Understanding …

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September ABJ Cover

American Bee Journal September 2016 Cover
Posted September 1, 2016

September ABJ Cover

September Cover Picture Photographer Michael LaSpina captured this excellent photo of a honey bee working Yellow Star Thistle in Northern California.

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