The Beekeeper’s Companion Since 1861
American Bee Journal Volume 166 No. 10 October 2026 Cover Cover Callouts: Apis mellifera, weather girl - 1077, Winter hive ventilation - 1093, 1101, 1105, How does the colony respond to OA? - 1127 Cover shoes a frame of brood with a queen cell and several bees near the center of the frame.

Using Naturally Built Queen Cells Part 1: General Biology and Cutting them from the Comb

queen bee cells
Posted October 1, 2019

Using Naturally Built Queen Cells Part 1: General Biology and Cutting them from the Comb

Naturally-built, well-constructed queen cells from good bee breeding stock can be a source of new queens in a beekeeping operation. To use these queen cells, beekeepers should know to how judge good queen cells from poor ones, how to cut queen cells from combs, how to transport queen cells between apiaries, and how to reattach …

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Crowded apiaries may not be bad for the health of your bees

apiary hive arrangement
Posted October 1, 2019

Crowded apiaries may not be bad for the health of your bees

Whether we acknowledge it or not, all beekeepers are farmers who are responsible for keeping domestic animals (our bees) healthy and productive. If you have a couple colonies in your backyard, you may simply enjoy watching your bees and stealing a couple gallons of honey every now and then. If you’re a commercial beekeeper, you’re …

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The Story of Incomplete Pollination

under-fertilized-corn
Posted October 1, 2019

The Story of Incomplete Pollination

If you ask a woman whether she is pregnant, she generally answers “yes” or “no.” Very seldom do you hear other versions, such as “more or less,” “partially,” or “somewhat.” She either is or she isn’t — go or no-go — and the reality is easy to comprehend. In plants, however, the situation is very …

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Why We Shouldn’t Fear 5G

5G Cell Tower
Posted October 1, 2019

Why We Shouldn’t Fear 5G

Adoption of 5G cell phone networks will lead to more cell towers, but there’s no good reason to expect it to harm honey bees The next generation of cell phone connectivity — the 5G network — has been launched. Most countries are projected to adopt the technology by 2020, and we should expect download speeds …

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The Queenless Conundrum

searching for queen in colony of bees
Posted October 1, 2019

The Queenless Conundrum

Here is a common scenario … you open your colony expecting to see your new queen getting started after a split or supersedure, and you see … nothing; no eggs, no larvae, no hope. All of the capped brood has emerged, and the frames are bare except for the bees walking around on them. The …

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Contents October 2019

Posted October 1, 2019

Contents October 2019

Suspended Bear Fence for the Hobbyist Joseph A May – 1113 Honey Bees Never Cease to Amaze: Buttress Combs Al Avitabile – 1121 Nosema — Monitoring and Disinfection – Part 5 of a Series Randy Oliver – 1135 Preparing Your Bees for Winter Travis Owen – 1139 The Sunflower State Is Abuzz: Tourists flock to …

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October 2019 ABJ Cover

ABJ October 2019 Cover
Posted October 1, 2019

October 2019 ABJ Cover

Everyone this way, please! Large group photography can be a challenge. There’s always one person looking the other way, someone else has their eyes closed, and when you’re finished you’re told one of the cousins had already gone home. Cheryl Burkhead took our cover photo while researching her article on sunflower tourism in Kansas. We …

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The Classroom – September 2019

The Classroom - American Bee Journal
Posted September 1, 2019

The Classroom – September 2019

Q  It’s All About Timing  I am proud to say that I caught a big swarm and it is doing well! I’m putting a 2nd super on today. Just wondered when would be a good time to treat for varroa with MAQS? I thought I should let them be well established before doing that, and …

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Letters to the Editor – September 2019

bee on coffee tree bloom
Posted September 1, 2019

Letters to the Editor – September 2019

Bee Latte A coffee tree on my porch draws an eager consumer this Sunday morning with a burst of fresh floral blend. Very few bees in my garden in Washington, D.C., I’m sorry to say. I’m happy to have this one. John Bray TheHoe.org Editor Response Hi John, Neat photos — is that an ornamental, …

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PAINTER RETURNS TO ADD 7-FOOT BEE TO CALIFORNIA MURAL

Posted September 1, 2019

PAINTER RETURNS TO ADD 7-FOOT BEE TO CALIFORNIA MURAL

Dixon, California native and artist Colleen Gnos was back home this summer to enhance and restore “Gazing Into Infinity.” She painted the 46-by-32-foot mural as a commission for Agriform Inland Terminal and the City of Woodland, CA from June to July 2012. Colleen hopes her updates using state-of-the-art materials and techniques will extend the resilience …

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