For Northern beekeepers, it is way past the time to prepare for winter, but in the southeast, we still have 90° F days and the goldenrod is finally in full bloom! The weather this year has been a complete downer with it raining almost every day from 03 June until 09 September and then Hurricane […]

We recently checked back on our hive after installing the new beetle jails to replace the beetle blasters. As I wrote about earlier, I haven’t been entirely satisfied with the beetle blasters and was looking for alternatives. In the comments to my post, many other beekeepers have shared their own strategies there for trapping small hive […]

Peponapis: Squash Bees (pep-on-AY-pus) FAMILY: Apidae SUBFAMILY: Apinae These bees get their common name from their very close association with squash flowers. Peponapis is a small genus of 13 species limited to the Americas. They are most abundant and diverse in the deserts of Mexico and the southwestern United States, but one species, Peponapis pruinosa, is transcontinental and has spread […]

A walk away split is exactly what it sounds like. Split the hive in half and walk away. Let the bees do what bees naturally do. Honeybees are predisposed to maintain the species by swarming. A beekeeper can take advantage of this instinct and control the swarming action by creating a split. This keeps the […]

I’ve had a terrible time with mites in my beehives this year and not just varroa but tracheal mites as well. I do not use medications or chemicals in my beehives at all so I searched far and wide for a more natural way to help them out. I know many beekeepers who use and […]

As the beekeeping season comes to a close and my hives need less of my time, I’m confronted with the jars and bags and racks and bowls of beeswax all over my house patiently awaiting my attention. There are a million methods for all things beekeeping out there but I’d like to share this very […]

This is a super delicious apple butter that is easy to make, and you don’t have to stand over the stove and stir for hours. MAIN ARTICLE: Save Money by Canning Food at Home Honey Apple Butter Recipe 12 cups peeled, cored and sliced apples (I really like the McIntosh and Gala apples for apple […]

Download this episode (right click and save) Join beekeepers Becky Tipton, Charlotte Brunin, Robert Riley, and Steve Tipton as they discuss the best way to harvest honey from a Langstroth hive. To hear more podcasts from MOTHER EARTH NEWS and Friends, click here.

Winter is coming…   We live in Michigan and the Farmer’s Almanac says we’re in for a doozy…The signs are all there. I have a few “superstition”/“wives tale” type clues that I swear by.   The oaks are LOADED with acorns this year. We had a cool summer following a mild winter (so we’re due) […]