The Beekeeper’s Companion Since 1861
Cover for the November 2024 issue of the American Bee Journal. The cover depicts a painting of a bee hive in the foreground surrounded by lavender, with seveal white building with brown roofs in the background. Call-outs: The honey bee is not the enemy - 1185, DWV: Is there a vaccine for that? - 1175, Unlocking the sexuality of the honey bee - 1179

Strips of prairie wildflowers improve colony health in corn- & soybean-dominated landscapes

Posted July 1, 2023

Strips of prairie wildflowers improve colony health in corn- & soybean-dominated landscapes

Agriculture is so dominant in some parts of the Midwest that you often see little else. For example, approximately 85% of Iowa’s land is currently used for agriculture, mostly corn and soybeans. If you’ve ever lived in Iowa or driven through the state, I’m sure you can picture the nearly endless fields of shimmering knee- …

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Letters to the Editor – July 2023

All in the family
Posted July 1, 2023

Letters to the Editor – July 2023

All in the Family I started beekeeping many years ago, because I thought it would be a fun hobby for me, and a fun activity for my growing family. Years later, this turned into a commercial operation producing honey and beeswax candles for a variety of farm markets in southeast Wisconsin. My son Scott started …

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Contents – July 2023

Posted July 1, 2023

Contents – July 2023

Book Reviews: Summer Reads Carol Hrusovszky, Tina Sebestyen, Tom Seeley, David Shimo – 713 Help! What’s wrong with my honey? Hanna Bäckmo – 735 The Status of Our Industry Regarding Varroa Management — and What Can We do About It? Part 1 Randy Oliver – 743 A Year as a Commercial Beekeeper — July Charles …

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ABJ JULY 2023 COVER

ABJ COVER JULY 2023
Posted July 1, 2023

ABJ JULY 2023 COVER

Harvest time: After all the hard work we’ve done this spring and early summer, here is the payoff. Honey extraction can be hot and labor-intensive, but it is one job that brings immediate satisfaction. This month’s cover was painted by Marie App, of Ogdensburg, Wisconsin.

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Letters to the Editor – June 2023

Posted June 1, 2023

Letters to the Editor – June 2023

Mixed messages confusing to new beekeepers I am a new beekeeper who is very happy to receive and read your magazine. I am, however, unhappy at the lack of editorial guidance in the latest issue, March 2023. You have an article by Fred Jones — “Natural Beekeeping: A Reckoning”— and an interview with Tom Seeley …

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The Classroom – June 2023

The Classroom - ABJ - Jamie Ellis
Posted June 1, 2023

The Classroom – June 2023

Q  Honey bee feed additives  Has any study been done that proves essential oil stimulants actually help a bee colony? Paul Caplinger March A The answer to this question is a bit tricky. The shortest, most direct answer is that there have been some studies on essential oil impacts on Varroa, Nosema, honey quality, toxicity …

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A Hive Cleanup in the Aftermath of Small Hive Beetles: Part 1

Posted June 1, 2023

A Hive Cleanup in the Aftermath of Small Hive Beetles: Part 1

In my July 2022 American Bee Journal article, we saw how small hive beetles can evict a colony off its combs. Now with the approach of summer, the time is appropriate for another small hive beetle article, not like the previous one. This article is more from a beekeeper’s perspective confronting the typical symptoms of …

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Sexy Legs and Amazing Feats: they’re Not Just for Dancing

Posted June 1, 2023

Sexy Legs and Amazing Feats: they’re Not Just for Dancing

Imagine you’re playing a word association game such as Password and your secret word is “bee.” The clues you might give to elicit that word include “honey,” “sting,” and “swarm.” But “legs”? Never. Nothing about legs reminds us of bees. Yet bees, especially honey bees, have some of the niftiest legs in the animal kingdom. …

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Honey Bee Stings

Posted June 1, 2023

Honey Bee Stings

A casual discussion of a common beekeeping event Honey bees’ big three In no prioritized order, honey bees are known for producing honey, pollinating plants, and stinging. Honey and pollination are appreciated and have been discussed at length in every medium available to us, while defensive stinging is in a category all by itself. Most …

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NATIONAL HONEY BOARD INTRODUCES A NEW EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE

Posted June 1, 2023

NATIONAL HONEY BOARD INTRODUCES A NEW EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE

Introducing the Hive Sessions A sweet, new educational resource for the honey industry. Elevating the collective knowledge of the honey industry is essential for us to effectively capitalize on honey’s positive positioning and navigate challenges from traditional and emerging sweeteners. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce the launch of the National Honey Board’s Hive Sessions. …

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