April in north Georgia means swarming season. I tried for about three years before I finally caught my first swarm last year. I put one of my nuc boxes up in a Bradford pear tree about 7 feet off the ground and put some lemongrass oil on it in mid-March. I caught a swarm in it about a month later. But I failed many times before.

In this post, I wanted to pass along what has worked for me and what has not so far.

Each hive inspection is different because each colony is different, and there are other variables to consider like the time of year for example. These variables will determine what you will do upon inspection. With practice you’ll get the knack, so be patient and you’ll soon be a seasoned beekeeper ready to tackle any situation.

guest post by Brushy Mountain Bee Farm Brushy Mountain Bee Farm has been serving the beekeeping community since 1977. Throughout our years of helping beekeepers succeed, we’ve realized that starting this exciting hobby can be daunting. Brushy Mountain Bee Farm wants to alleviate the stress of not knowing where to begin. The video below will explain […]

Top Bar hives are so cool. One of my very first colonies was a booming top bar hive that became our first “honey cow” for the backyard. I love watching the bees work the comb down the length of the hive. If you build one, make an observation window so you can check them out […]

TED-Talker Noah Wilson-Rich understands people’s natural fear of bees. If you are one of those people, Wilson-Rich encourages you to keep an open mind because of the benefits adding honeybees to urban areas will have on our quality of life – and for the honey bees themselves.

What’s better than surfing the web or watching Netflix? Having your very own observation bee hive of course! Whether you are a newbee or a long time veteran beekeeper an observation bee hive is the coolest addition to any home.

While scientists are not entirely certain what’s causing colony collapse for sure, this easy-to-understand animation carefully explains the phenomenon and why we need to help the honeybee if not for their species, at least for ours.

It’s best to only have enough comb in your hive that your bees can cover and with cooler temperatures coming, they will start to cluster. Keeping warm will be easier in a smaller space.

Well, NOW is the time to start preparing your bees for late fall and winter. I wanted to share some things that will help you get your bees ready in time so they can ride out the cold weather that will be here before you know it.

If you have multiple hives you want to elevate, you may want to consider a hive stand. You could easily fit four production colonies on just one hive stand, and if you’re using only nucs, you could put even more. Learn how to build the hive stand in this great video tutorial below.