The Beekeeper’s Companion Since 1861
American Bee Journal Volume 166 No. 5 May 2026 Cover features a close up of a drone bee emerging. Calouts: Do you really need a new queen - 491, AHB in the USA - 523, Where do honey bees mater?-527

Frames and Their Forgotten Diversity: Part 1 – Their Shapes

old beehive diagram
Posted February 1, 2020

Frames and Their Forgotten Diversity: Part 1 – Their Shapes

Today’s frame, based on the bee space, officially commenced with patent number 9300, on October 5, 1852, put forth by Reverend L. L. Langstroth (see Figures 1 and 2). Besides the standard sizes, currently the rectangular frames come with minor variations: The top bar has a removable wedge or is grooved; the bottom bar is …

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Do My Honey Bees Need a Veterinarian?

Beekeeper checking on hive of bees
Posted February 1, 2020

Do My Honey Bees Need a Veterinarian?

When my dog was due for a rabies vaccine, I took him to a veterinarian to get his shots. When I needed to sell some sheep to a farmer in Indiana, I called a veterinarian to get a health certificate. When my bees got sick, I never needed to call a veterinarian — until recently. …

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Contents – February 2020

Posted February 1, 2020

Contents – February 2020

The Condensing Colony Bill Hesbach – 175 How to Raise Queens in a Migratory Operation Tina Sebestyen – 181 Busting Queen Grafting Myths Nissa S. Coit, Gehrig R. Loughran, Elina L. Niño – 187  A Modern Approach to Producing Beeswax Queen Cups Ian Kennard – 193 Two from One: A Technique to Double the Number …

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Cover – February 2020

February 2020 ABJ Cover
Posted February 1, 2020

Cover – February 2020

Stan Gore took this gorgeous photo in mid-December, in his apiary near Burton, Texas. Note the golden light reflecting off the hive covers. “The image is right off my camera. The lighting was surreal, a sky like I’ve never seen before. It was there about five minutes and gone.”

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Letters to the Editor – February 2020

Posted February 1, 2020

Letters to the Editor – February 2020

A Dream Team? Milbrath, Webster, Oliver and Ellis all in the same edition? AWESOME! That’s a whole lot of practical beekeeping with the science to back it. John G. Yakim RPh Pittsburgh, PA Playing Opossum Reference: Queens “Playing Possum” (December 2019 letters): First of all it’s spelled with a “silent” O! You can take the …

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The Classroom – January 2020

The Classroom - ABJ - Jamie Ellis
Posted January 1, 2020

The Classroom – January 2020

Email Questions to Jamie at classroom@americanbeejournal.com Follow my lab on social media: Facebook Twitter Instagram An introduction: Greetings everyone. My name is Jamie Ellis and I am the new columnist for the American Bee Journal’s long running column “The Classroom.” As all of you dedicated readers know, this column was authored by Jerry Hayes for …

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Letters to the Editor – January 2020

Posted January 1, 2020

Letters to the Editor – January 2020

December Editorial Eugene, I just finished reading the Editorial. I’m an older man (age 68) and have been a beekeeper since 1980, and for me, beekeeping is a continuous learning process. I am also formerly president of the Essex County Beekeepers Society (New Jersey) twice over, and I well know the experience of leading a …

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U.S. Honey Crops and Markets – January 2020

US Crops and Honey Markets
Posted January 1, 2020

U.S. Honey Crops and Markets – January 2020

It seems that honey harvests were down in more places than they were up this year. Bad weather played a big part in that, starting with a late winter and a cold, wet spring, which delayed California queens to many parts of the country. Next, heavy flooding in much of the country wiped out spring …

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Summer Cotton Honey Production

cotton field and honey bees
Posted January 1, 2020

Summer Cotton Honey Production

When the spring nectar flow gets zapped by a late frost, flooded out by relentless rains, or crunched dry under a cloudless sky, I see fall sugar bills robbing my bank account to zero. Then visions of a huge snow-white cotton field soothe my agony (see Figure 1). That grand sea of white, so striking …

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Can probiotic supplements protect colonies from AFB?

Beekeepers
Posted January 1, 2020

Can probiotic supplements protect colonies from AFB?

No beekeeper wants their bees to develop infections of Paenibacillus larvae, the bacteria causing American Foulbrood (AFB). It’s deemed such a threat that colonies must be destroyed if positive detections are found. In addition, neighboring colonies in an apiary or operation must be quarantined, which can significantly impact beekeepers, especially those who need to move …

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