The Beekeeper’s Companion Since 1861
American Bee Journal Volume 166 No. 1 January 2026 Cover Callouts: Invisible Bee Communication - 45, Vadescana: A new varroa control - 51, The impacts of pollen trapping - 61 Cover depicts a honey bee with propolis on its legs.

VERMONT BEE EXPERT ELECTED PRESIDENT OF APIARY INSPECTORS OF AMERICA

Photo of Brooke Decker, who has been elected President of the Apiary Instructors of America. She is smiling at the camera while holding a sign that details an Apiary Program.
Posted August 1, 2025

VERMONT BEE EXPERT ELECTED PRESIDENT OF APIARY INSPECTORS OF AMERICA

January 17, 2025, Montpelier, VT – The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets is pleased to announce that Brooke Decker has been elected President of the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA), a non-profit organization established with a mission to promote sustainable and healthy honey beekeeping conditions in North America.  Decker, the Pollinator Health Specialist …

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RESEARCH BRIEF: VIRUS TRANSMISSION BETWEEN BEE SPECIES DOES NOT LEAD TO NEW VARIANTS

Posted August 1, 2025

RESEARCH BRIEF: VIRUS TRANSMISSION BETWEEN BEE SPECIES DOES NOT LEAD TO NEW VARIANTS

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL, June 17, 2025 — A new study led by researchers at the University of Minnesota found transmission of viruses between different bee species did not lead to the formation of new virus variants. Results of the study, published in Communications Biology, may be a rare bit of good news for bee pollinators, which …

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Contents – August 2025

Posted August 1, 2025

Contents – August 2025

An In-depth Look at Juvenile Hormone Christine McDonald – 847 From Dust to Superfood: Bee Bread as Food for Bees and People Part 1: History of bee bread as human food May Berenbaum – 853 A Plant that Attracts Thirsty Bees Randy Oliver – 859 Are Cedar Hives Bad for Honey Bees? Alison McAfee – …

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ABJ AUGUST 2025 COVER

American Bee Journal Volume 165, No. 8 August 2025 Cover. Call-outs: Bread for Bees and People - 853, Ants and the Beekeeper - 909. The Magic of Honey - 919 Cover depicts a little boy dressed in a beekeeping suit holding a smoker and a hive tool, sticking his tongue out at the camera. Yellow hive boxes can be seen in the background on either side of the boy.
Posted August 1, 2025

ABJ AUGUST 2025 COVER

Our cover photo was taken last summer by Bill Werning of Sullivan, Wisconsin, when he took his son out to see the bees for the first time. After declining many times to accompany his dad, finally Carlin “came to me ans asked, so we went out for a look and he had a blast.” A …

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The Classroom – July 2025

The Classroom - ABJ - Jamie Ellis
Posted July 1, 2025

The Classroom – July 2025

Q: Nectar, honey and wax I am curious about how much “comb” is equal to the 7 lbs. (3.2 kg) of honey equaling 1 lb. (0.45 kg) of wax. I am thinking that if I am selling honey for $12 a lb., and I get a full deep [super] drawn, it seems like a good …

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Low-impact Beekeeping – So much as possible, let your bees control their destiny

Posted July 1, 2025

Low-impact Beekeeping – So much as possible, let your bees control their destiny

The Beekeeping Journey A “beekeeper” is not a standard entity. There are many different versions and varieties of apiculturists. As we evolve in our beekeeping experiences, so do our specific interests. But interests come and interests go. As a neophyte, I built most of my wooden equipment. Indeed, I even built my frames. After hardly …

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A Brief History of “First Lessons in Beekeeping”

Figure 1: First Lessons in Beekeeping cover. Depicts a beekeeper inspecting his hive with trees in the background. The ttile is located above the beekeeper with the authors name off to the left of him.
Posted July 1, 2025

A Brief History of “First Lessons in Beekeeping”

In my historical work with American apiculture, I am working on dozens of reconstructions using primary sources when possible. Most of these endeavors are many years old. Usually they lack a certain old piece of equipment or a crucial literature reference, maybe from a pamphlet just a few pages long to help complete the story …

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Never Underestimate a Jar of Honey

Posted July 1, 2025

Never Underestimate a Jar of Honey

This article will not reveal the origin of purple honey, nor will it explain its fantastical ability to alter human behavior. Like magic mushrooms, purple honey changes people from sane and sensible to illogical and irrational. Except, unlike magic mushrooms, you don’t need to eat it. Instead, you simply gaze, transfixed, into the depth of …

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A Year of Successful Beekeeping Starts in July

Posted July 1, 2025

A Year of Successful Beekeeping Starts in July

The funny thing about us Americans is that we think of the new year as starting in the middle of winter, while some cultures celebrate their new year in the fall, and others in the spring. However, since we are beekeepers, our new year needs to start when the bees begin a new year. It …

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Letters to the Editor – July 2025

Posted July 1, 2025

Letters to the Editor – July 2025

Dealing With Loss Hi Tina, I saw myself in your May article (“Dealing with Loss”), lost all five hives last winter. One I think was queen failure in a hive I caught as a swarm, but the others were varroa that was totally my fault. I had a busy year and my treatments were later …

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