Yes, bees will eat crystallized honey and there is no harm in feeding it to them. Remember that crystallized honey is not a modern invention. Bees have had to deal with it from the beginning and they know what to do. In the depth of winter when bees cannot get outside, they use moisture that […] Read more
The following comment came yesterday in response to the post, “How to use a slatted rack.” I’ve decided to answer the allegations one by one. Your comments about slatted racks is inaccurate. First the original designer was a man in Hawaii by the name of Bovard back in the 1960s, hence Bovard Racks was the […] Read more
How you prepare your hives for winter depends on where you live, so some of the suggestions below may not apply to you. Nevertheless, the list may give you some ideas. Although the calendar still shows September, those long, dark, cold days of winter are just around the corner. It’s time to get busy. Remove […] Read more
It’s ironic that just two weeks ago I signed up with ZombeeWatch.org, intending to set up a light trap and send my results, positive or negative, into the database. I just had a feeling the parasite would be here because we are not that far from California and Oregon, places with known Zombees. Sure enough, […] Read more
Recently, someone asked if I had read the article in Bee Culture (November 2011, Volume 139, Issue 11, p. 63) about removing the center of the brood nest to make room for the cluster and, if so, did I have an opinion. Truth is, I had missed this little gem or I would have written […] Read more
It seems we become more aware of dead bees in the fall. I think this is partially due to the environment—the grass is not so lush so they are clearly visible and fewer scavengers are around to pick up the dead bodies. We are also more concerned about the health of our bees because the […] Read more
It’s that time of year when we look at partially filled, partially capped honey frames and say, “Now what?” Here is a question I received last night: I have a problem that I hope you can help me with. I have a honey super that has partially filled and capped frames and the honey flow […] Read more