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

Prospecting for plant toxins that will keep bees healthy

Posted June 1, 2022

Prospecting for plant toxins that will keep bees healthy

COVID has made me hypervigilant about the slightest tickle in my throat. But even in pre-COVID times, I and pretty much everyone I know had something they would take when they felt that tickle. Green tea, echinacea, garlic, cloves, perhaps a tincture of propolis? Each of these herbal remedies has something in common: They contain …

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The Ecoterrorist and the Beekeeper

Posted June 1, 2022

The Ecoterrorist and the Beekeeper

The landscape of beekeeping is in flux. Ten years ago, beekeepers were folk heroes, the saviors of our food supply. But since the so-called insect apocalypse began shifting attention to other bees, beekeeping has come under attack. Some keepers are now feeling like pariahs, finding themselves being cross-questioned like criminals. The problem? Native bees. Recently, …

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Bees and Lawns

Posted June 1, 2022

Bees and Lawns

Homeowners positively impact bees and pollinating insects. We are well aware that our urban bees need more and better food. But most homeowner lawns are largely deserts as they cultivate the “ideal” lush, green carpet meant to draw the admiration of neighbors. The ideal lawn is NOT the bee ideal. An informative Xerces Society 2018 …

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Letters to the Editor – June 2022

Posted June 1, 2022

Letters to the Editor – June 2022

Why Not Manage Drone Cells? This letter is about drawing ideal worker combs. Have you ever wondered why bees draw drone cells in our 10-frame equipment where they chose? Some of it is phenology, but most may be how we manage the hives. Are communication gaps found in natural colonies? Or are they the product …

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ARS-DEVELOPED VARROA-RESISTANT HONEY BEES BETTER WINTER SURVIVORS

Posted June 1, 2022

ARS-DEVELOPED VARROA-RESISTANT HONEY BEES BETTER WINTER SURVIVORS

Baton Rouge, La., April 7, 2022 — Pol-line honey bees, a type of Varroa mite resistant honey bee developed by the Agricultural Research Service, are [much more] likely to survive through the winter than standard honey bees, according to a study published in Scientific Reports at https://www. nature.com/articles/s41598-022-08643-w. Although ARS developed Pol-line bees in 2014, …

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Contents June 2022

Posted June 1, 2022

Contents June 2022

International Honey Market Report Ron Phipps – 607 A Test of Smoker Fuels Jim Berndt – 627 Colony Confidential … What Really Goes on Inside the Hive Chapter 5: A Royal Audience Peter Keilty, with illustrations by Bridget White – 642 Walking the Walk — Selective Breeding for Mite Resistance; 2022 Update, Part 1 Randy …

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ABJ – JUNE Cover

ABJ June Cover
Posted June 1, 2022

ABJ – JUNE Cover

Our adorable cover this month comes from April DeLay of Silver Spring, Maryland. “I am in my second year of beekeeping and have two hives now. My daughter is 6 years old, and we took this photo today while she helped me with a hive check. She wanted to hold the bees because ‘they are …

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The Classroom – May 2022

The Classroom - ABJ - Jamie Ellis
Posted May 1, 2022

The Classroom – May 2022

Q  Do feed supplements work?  Are the various diet supplements for bees (SuperDFM and the various products from Honey-B-Healthy) effective? Has research been done? I cannot find any studies online. Dave Smith Wisconsin, March A Before I answer, I want to make sure and elaborate a bit on what you are asking so that we …

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Historic Comb Foundation Mills

Dunham mill
Posted May 1, 2022

Historic Comb Foundation Mills

Building new frames in the winter, immersed in the pleasant scent of wax from the comb foundation, is when beekeeping renews itself for a new start come spring. On a larger industry level, comb foundation was a crucial invention needed by modern apiculture to abandon the old box hives with fixed combs and fully embrace …

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Soybean yield increases when bee-friendly habitat is located next to fields

soybean field
Posted May 1, 2022

Soybean yield increases when bee-friendly habitat is located next to fields

If you live east of the Rockies, chances are you live within a few miles of a soybean field. After corn, which covers 92.7 million acres in the United States, soybean fields cover the most land of any agricultural crop — 87.6 million acres. Soybean fields are a ubiquitous part of the landscapes that many …

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