There is conventional beekeeping in Langstroth hives. And then, there is beekeeping a wholly “other way.”

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 […]

When to Feed Bees Feeding bees is all about stretching the food stores so that bees don’t starve from lack of nectar, especially during the cold winter months. Feeding bees is essential at different stages of keeping bees.Newly installed bee packages also need a boost of sugar water until they get their house in order. As a gardener […]

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.

Winter is coming. Now is the time to begin preparing your beehives for a successful overwintering. During winter, instead of foraging for and storing food, the focus of the hive is to overwinter the queen. Successfully overwintering the queen ensures the hive’s survival for next spring. Honeybees during this time will cluster around the queen […]

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.

For readers who live in areas of the country with winters as harsh as those in Northeastern Pennsylvania, colony loss is expected in the spring. As we try to grow our apiary from year to year, winter losses are always a disappointing setback. Two years ago we decided to not just replace the hives lost over the winter, but to […]

With some spring-like weather finally arriving in Northeastern Pennsylvania over the Easter weekend, my wife and I were finally able to break down our hives and switch the big supers from top to bottom. As I mentioned in the last column, we had wrapped some of our hives in black shrink wrap, some in the […]

With the temperature rising above 50 degrees for a few days, it’s time to do a curiosity evaluation. With a smoker in hand and winter patties in the toolbox, I set out to do a quick inspection while the sun is shining and winds are calm.  I notice bee activity at the entrance. A beekeeper waits […]

With warming temperatures, you may find yourself mesmerized enough by the increasing hive activity to be tempted to open the hive. But reconsider. There may be another way to evaluate your hive without opening it sooner than you should.

The first picture is a beehive setting on the deck with more than 100 bees lay dead.  This makes one wonder what is going on inside the beehive. It’s late November and just had a record setting cold spell a week earlier.  Waiting for the chance to open up and see what is on the […]

It’s mid December and I find myself going in circles.  Checking dates that become available for surrounding bee schools and also watching weather reports so I can check my bee hives that I have out.  I feel that most of my hives are in good shape but needing warmer temperatures of at least 50 degrees in order to do […]