The Beekeeper’s Companion Since 1861
American Bee Journal Volume 166 No. 3 March 2026 Cover Cover depicts colored stones in water with a bee on one of the stones drinking the water Call-outs: Queens from swarm cells - 257, 263, Organic management pays off - 331, An Idiot's Guide to Selling Honey - 317

Searching Moses Quinby’s Early Impact on American Beekeeping

Posted August 1, 2023

Searching Moses Quinby’s Early Impact on American Beekeeping

The history of apiculture is full of beekeeping books accompanied by unique hive designs created by their authors. To survive more than a century, books would be expected to fare better than hives, being sheltered indoors. The protection was far from perfect. Leaky roofs were a notorious and chronic problem in old houses, wetting and …

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Farmers should think beyond the farm to maximize crop pollination by honey bees

Posted August 1, 2023

Farmers should think beyond the farm to maximize crop pollination by honey bees

Crop pollination is critically important for farmers and it’s a major revenue source for many beekeepers. Depending on the crop and location, farmers currently pay from ~$30-250 per hive and stocking densities are recommended at ~1-4 hives per acre for the field where they’re placed. Given the importance of pollination, it’s equally important to assess …

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Varroa Intervention — on a “Natural Beekeeping” Ethic

Posted August 1, 2023

Varroa Intervention — on a “Natural Beekeeping” Ethic

Monitor your mite load, or you’re beekeeping blind Forensic discussion is some of the most important bee talk we beekeepers share. No one should feel ashamed to talk about their hive losses. It’s part of the detective work we do. Telling our deadout stories at our bee clubs, and listening to other beekeepers’ opinions, helps …

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Appalachian Beekeeping the Foxfire Way

Posted August 1, 2023

Appalachian Beekeeping the Foxfire Way

Feeling industrious one spring day, I tackled a dusty shelf of books I’d been avoiding. Concealed in a rarely visited room of the house, it was easy to overlook. But I knew what lay ahead. I sat cross-legged on the floor and began extracting books one by one. The old volumes, falling into desuetude with …

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The Mysterious Two-headed Swarm

Posted August 1, 2023

The Mysterious Two-headed Swarm

Where do they come from and where do they go? The swarm — when you least expect it I was recently at a birthday party attended by a small group of senior citizens. Now, there’s an exciting event! On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, after eating pieces of finger food and drinking some sugary punch, I …

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Letters to the Editor – August 2023

Posted August 1, 2023

Letters to the Editor – August 2023

New Beekeepers There have been a lot of questions this spring on beekeeping chat forums. Same questions always; I want to get a beehive, how do I start? The answers are pretty united on finding a local beekeeping organization and finding a mentor. One question startled me this morning. Someone asked why they should do …

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BEE INFORMED PARTNERSHIP COLONY LOSS SURVEY 2022-2023 RESULTS

Posted August 1, 2023

BEE INFORMED PARTNERSHIP COLONY LOSS SURVEY 2022-2023 RESULTS

Winter losses estimated at 37.4% Note: This is a preliminary analysis. Sample sizes and estimates are likely to change. A more detailed final report is being prepared for publication in a peer-reviewed journal at a later date. Previous years’ peer-reviewed publication can be accessed on the survey information page: https://beeinformed.org/citizen-science/loss-and-management-survey/. The Bee Informed Partnership (http://beeinformed.org) …

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DALAN ANIMAL HEALTH RAISES $4.5M IN SERIES SEED 3 FUNDING TO ACCELERATE GLOBAL EXPANSION AND PRODUCT PIPELINE

Posted August 1, 2023

DALAN ANIMAL HEALTH RAISES $4.5M IN SERIES SEED 3 FUNDING TO ACCELERATE GLOBAL EXPANSION AND PRODUCT PIPELINE

ATHENS, GA. – June 27, 2023 – Dalan Animal Health, Inc. (www.dalan.com), a pioneering biotech company in insect health, today announced the successful closure of a $4.5 million Series Seed 3 funding round. The round was led by Prime Movers Lab with participation from At One Ventures, bringing Dalan’s total funding to $10 million. The …

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POLLINATOR HEALTH STUDY UNDERWAY

Holbrook-Pollinator Health Study
Posted August 1, 2023

POLLINATOR HEALTH STUDY UNDERWAY

The Apiculture Program and the Kentucky State University Pollinator Health Laboratory are conducting an in-depth survey of hives throughout the state of Kentucky in conjunction with a grant from the USDA. Each voluntarily participating apiary with a minimum of five hives is sampled in the fall, spring, and summer. Samples are taken of capped pollen, …

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Contents – August 2023

Posted August 1, 2023

Contents – August 2023

Help! What’s Wrong with My Honey? Part 2 Hanna Bäckmo – 843 A Year as a Commercial Beekeeper — August Charles Linder – 851 What are Winter Bees, and Why Do They Matter? Gard W. Otis – 855 The Status of Our Industry Regarding Varroa Management — and What Can We do About It? Part …

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