May 2015 Table of Contents

Posted May 1, 2015

May 2015 Table of Contents

U.S. Honey Production Up 19 Percent in 2014 USDA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …

Posted April 1, 2015

Tree-Climbing for Swarms: Doing It Carefully and Correctly

Climbing trees to retrieve swarms with a ladder is not for everybody. It requires comfort with heights, a keen sense of balance, concentration on every movement, and planning every maneuver well ahead. And above all else – always expect the unexpected. I started climbing trees for swarms when only a kid, learning to use ladders, …

Posted April 1, 2015

First Came the Nest

Before I go much further into the evolutionary history behind honey bees and beekeeping I need to pause and consider something so obvious it almost escapes notice. In fact, it did escape my notice until just recently when I realized my near-mistake. And I’m talking of course about the nest – or more accurately, the …

Posted April 1, 2015

Organic Beekeeping

Last month this column had suggestions on how to keep bees in an agricultural environment where acres are treated with insecticide 1-2 times each season, fungicide 1 time each season and herbicides 3-4 times each season. My suggestions were based on 34 years of experience keeping bees in this environment. I have proven it can …

Posted April 1, 2015

Installing Packages and Hiving Nucs

One of the greatest joys of beekeeping is acquiring one’s first hive. I dedicated an entire article to discussing how to acquire bees and queens (see Ellis, J.D. 2015. Acquiring bees and queens. American Bee Journal, 155(1): 29-33). In the current article, I discuss the next step in becoming a beekeeper: initiating your new colonies. …

Posted April 1, 2015

The Classroom April 2015

Apiary Inspectors are the unsung support network of successful beekeepers in many states. I think they are sometimes taken for granted because they fill both the roles of Extension and Regulatory and this is a confusing combination. But, I wanted to take a closer look at State Apiary Inspectors and so from time to time …

Posted April 1, 2015

Scrub-A-Dub-Dub

As I type this, spring may be around the corner. Hard to tell, when Monday starts with 30°F, blustery wind, snow flurries, sleet and rain, while Friday ends with 68°F and partly cloud skies. No matter. Beekeeping work must go on if one is to be ready for the real spring buildup and subsequent harvest. …

Posted April 1, 2015

Wisconsin Honey Queen

The Wisconsin Honey Producers Association is proud to announce that Kim Kester was selected as the 2015 Wisconsin Honey Queen at their annual convention. Kim is the daughter of Jim and Barb Kester of Nekoosa, Wisconsin. She is a July 2014 graduate from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where she double-majored in Dairy Science …

Posted April 1, 2015

New American Honey Queen and Princess

The American Beekeeping Federation is proud to announce that Gabrielle Hemesath and Hayden Wolf were selected as the 2015 American Honey Queen and Princess at its annual January convention in Anaheim, CA. Queen Gabrielle is the 19-year-old daughter of Mary and Russell Hemesath of Clermont, IA, and the granddaughter of Karen Hemesath of Castalia, IA, …

Posted April 1, 2015

Government Agents in Houston Seize Illegally Imported Honey Valued at $2.45 Million

HOUSTON— Special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have seized since October illegally imported Chinese honey valued at $2.45 million destined for U.S. consumers. The seized illicit honey that was abandoned or forfeited totals 660 barrels weighing 203,280 kilograms (448,156 …

May 2015 Table of Contents

Posted May 1, 2015