You have a sweet idea to start a honey business but you are wondering “how much money can one make selling honey?” “Is the honey business lucrative?” “How much does it cost to start a honey business?” Well, we have been there and we know how all sorts of questions concerning the honey business can […]

Picture this — it’s a warm, sunny day and the birds are singing. You’re trying to enjoy a family picnic, but the bees are buzzing about. Should you pack it up and head inside? No! The truth is, people misunderstand these insects. Most bees won’t go out of their way to ruin your day. Here […]

Beekeeping is a fascinating hobby that is enjoyed by thousands of people across the world. Beekeepers come in all ages and from all backgrounds. Almost anyone can become a beekeeper and you can keep bees almost anywhere. Are you considering embarking on the road to becoming a beekeeper? If so, you are in for an […]

No one can deny the benefits that bees give to the world. The world’s food industry depends on them for proper pollination to feed people around the globe. Plants depend on bees to spread their pollen and many homesteaders appreciate the extra help with their crops. Bees are all around helpful to have if you […]

Have you ever wondered why one hive may act differently than others? Or maybe why your once gentle hive is suddenly out to sting anything that moves? Hive temperament can be somewhat subjective (as some people are more tolerant of froggy bees than others), however, there is generally variation from one hive to the other. […]

As your child grows through their first few years of life, it’s fun to introduce them to new things. You get to show them the joy of going down a slide, learning to dance, and eating new foods. Kids have to be introduced to new foods gradually, depending on how many teeth they have and […]

It’s common knowledge that honey is one of the healthy and accessible substitutes for sugar, but along the way to prove that it’s better than refined sugar several myths passed as truths in many people’s minds. Today, we are going to name all the myths regarding honey. In other words, we’ll be clearing honey’s name. […]

Honey bees and bumblebees are the two most well-known bee species. Many people assume that the two live very similarly or that what is true of honey bees is also true of bumble bees, but they have some fascinating differences. Read on to find out how bumblebees differ from honey bees. Bee Colonies Bumblebees and […]

I can see in their face that they expect a finite answer. They want my blessing or a warning against a certain hive style, but they are destined for disappointment. As with so many questions in beekeeping, my answer is not a simple “yes” or “no”. Read on for an exploration of this common query.

I am a third-year beekeeper in Northern Vermont. My husband and I own a store in a small town where our customers are more like friends and family. I have one friend in particular who comes in every day, a native Vermonter. He’s a farmer, logger, and a beekeeper. My husband loves honey and we […]

Bees get hot just like humans do. Be prepared to support them during extreme heat by taking a look at water, ventilation, nutrition and helping to make sure they have easy access to these. If you don’t, your beekeeping experience may be less enjoyable.

Every Time I’ve ever heard anything about American Foulbrood I’ve always heard that the disease comes with an odor. And while this is correct, often, by the time you can detect an odor, the disease has advanced.

There are other ways of telling if you might have American Foulbrood in your hive.

In the 8 years I’ve kept bees, I don’t hear a lot about American Foulbrood. But I think it’s important, especially to new beekeepers, to understand the risks, the investment and the things to be cautious of.

Bees are expensive and you don’t want to lose the swarms that come off your hives and hopefully catch others to increase your population. For an investment of about $25 in materials with scrap wood, paint, flashing, and lemon grass oil, I ended up with three additional hives with very little effort.

Cuckoo bees are closely related to their host species. Their appearance and size will depend on the host species. For example, if their host species is bumblebees then they will look like bumblebees. The difference is, cuckoo bees will always be solitary.