Late on the second evening of the recent cold snap I checked the outside temperature. It was 15° F, and I was very glad I had taken the nucs into the garden shed where it was about 44°. My husband asked me if the nucs had enough ventilation, and I said, yes, each nuc had […] Read more
A worker honey bee can sting whenever she wants—including the wee hours of night. Nevertheless, the rumor that bees can’t sting at night persists, and I hear it frequently. It is probably true that not many people get stung at night. But the reason is simple: bees are home at night and so are you. […] Read more
In the December 2010 issue of American Bee Journal, Dr. Wyatt A. Mangum describes the phenomenon of honey bee usurpation, which is the taking over of a healthy colony by a summer swarm. Mangum not only describes this unusual behavior in great detail, but provides photographs as well. Until recently, usurpation sightings have been limited […] Read more
Phoresy is a noun that describes a nonparasitic relationship whereby one species is carried about by another. The relationship is usually commensalistic, meaning one organism benefits from the association but the other organism is unharmed by it. Phoretic is the adjective. Varroa mites that can be seen riding on adult honey bees are often referred […] Read more
So what is a mite anyway? Generally, a mite is an invertebrate animal in the class Arachnida—a name that comes from the Greek word for spider. Like most other arachnids, mites have eight jointed legs. A simple leg count is probably the easiest way to tell an arachnid from an insect. Insects—including bees—have six legs. […] Read more
Honey bees do not hibernate. According to Wikipedia, “Hibernation is a state of inactivity and metabolic depression in animals, characterized by lower body temperature, slower breathing, and lower metabolic rate. Hibernating animals conserve food, especially during winter when food is short, by tapping energy reserves (body fat) at a slow rate.” Many insects hibernate, especially […] Read more
I just did something I said I would never do. Based on predictions of unusually cold weather for the next week or so, I decided to move my three nucs into the garden shed. At the last moment, I decided to move the top-bar hive inside as well. Now for those of you living in […] Read more