The Beekeeper’s Companion Since 1861
American Bee Journal Volume 166 No. 2 February 2026 Cover Callouts: The Tremble Dance: A Hidden Language - 153, honey bees search for sodium - 193, iNaturlaist on the Apiary -147

Usurpation: A Colony Taken Over by a Foreign Swarm

Posted May 1, 2019

Usurpation: A Colony Taken Over by a Foreign Swarm

After the spring nectar flow and swarming have passed, the weather conditions become hotter and drier as summer arrives. During this time, I watch for usurpation swarms.  A usurpation swarm is typically a small summer swarm that invades even a numerically strong queen-right colony. The mother queen of the colony is eliminated and replaced by …

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A Pesticide Success for Bees Pollinating Almond

Posted May 1, 2019

A Pesticide Success for Bees Pollinating Almond

Approximately 1.5 million honey bee colonies are currently used to pollinate ~950,000 acres of nut-producing almond trees in California. Since the estimated number of colonies in the United States is ~2.6 million according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, that means nearly 60% of the country’s managed honey bees are flying around in California …

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The Price Trap-Out: No Bee Left Behind

Posted May 1, 2019

The Price Trap-Out: No Bee Left Behind

I once described trapping out as a not-so-satisfactory way of removing a colony of bees from an enclosed structure or tree. Trapping requires much beekeeper input during a multi-step process. Even when things go well, a trap-out can leave a dead queen and her brood to decay, and may allow untended honey stores to ferment …

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BAYER’S FEED A BEE PROGRAM REACHES 50-STATE MILESTONE

Posted May 1, 2019

BAYER’S FEED A BEE PROGRAM REACHES 50-STATE MILESTONE

ST. LOUIS – Feed a Bee, the national pollinator forage initiative by Bayer, has reached its goal of awarding grants supporting diverse forage for honey bees and other pollinators in all 50 states. The 50th recipient awarded recently was Gateway to the Arctic Camp in Talkeetna, Alaska. Dedicated to service and agriculture, the nonprofit camp …

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HONEY BEE HEALTH COALITION MEMBERS RELEASE CORN, CANOLA GUIDES FOR BEE PROTECTION

Posted May 1, 2019

HONEY BEE HEALTH COALITION MEMBERS RELEASE CORN, CANOLA GUIDES FOR BEE PROTECTION

National Corn Growers Association, U.S. Canola Association partner with Coalition to develop best practices growers can use to reduce risk to honey bees, other pollinators Two Honey Bee Health Coalition member organizations — the National Corn Growers Association and the U.S. Canola Association — recently unveiled best management practices for growers to help protect bees …

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FIELDWATCH® ANNOUNCES TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS, NEW MEMBER STATES

Posted May 1, 2019

FIELDWATCH® ANNOUNCES TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS, NEW MEMBER STATES

Innovative row crop mapping system benefits FieldWatch usersin Arkansas and three additional states as California and Maryland join the national registry ST. LOUIS (March 5, 2019) – FieldWatch, Inc®, a non-profit company that enhances communication and stewardship among diverse agriculture stakeholders, expands its online mapping system technology and welcomes California and Maryland as new member …

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Foolproof Splitting

beekeeping basics hive splitting
Posted May 1, 2019

Foolproof Splitting

The biggest challenge I faced as a new beekeeper, and well into my beekeeping career, was splitting my colonies successfully. Some methods resulted in too few bees staying with the split.  Some were not effective in preventing the bees from swarming. Even after I figured out how to make the split successful for both the …

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Honey, Let Me Tell You About This City

Posted May 1, 2019

Honey, Let Me Tell You About This City

Honey bees don’t just bring home nectar — they also bring home pollution, making honey an excellent indicator of environmental contamination As I stir a teaspoon of honey into my coffee, I humbly dwell on the effort that went into creating that sweet spoonful. How many bees touched that nectar? How many flowers? Across what …

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May 2019

Posted May 1, 2019

May 2019

What’s Eating My Bees? Arthropod Enemies of Bees in Greece – Part 4 – Spiders John Phipps – 525 Nosema and Dysentery: Are They Really Related? Randy Oliver – 547 Bee Club Activity: Making Oxalic Acid Vaporizers for About $30 Steve Winchell – 551 The Pesticide Situation: Part 5 — Reinventing Nature Randy Oliver – …

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May 2019 ABJ Cover

Posted May 1, 2019

May 2019 ABJ Cover

Catching a swarm is about the most fun you will have as a beekeeper. You occupy a front-row seat to one of nature’s most fascinating shows. You’re held in awe ― even celebrated as a hero ― by those who called you in. And, with any luck, you come away with free bees! Photo by …

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