If you follow the conventional wisdom, you will pinch that intercaste queen immediately and replace...
Author - Rusty
It’s time to soapbox the new beekeepers
Okay, new beekeepers, I’ve never seen a soapbox either. Long ago, soap was shipped to retailers in...
A virgin queen’s fertility window
Does a virgin queen’s fertility turn off like a light switch? Probably not. Mary, a beekeeper...
The Spectrum of Bee Sociality
When we think of bees, we usually think of social creatures. We often see drawings of bees circling...
The spotted lanternfly: black and white and red all over
In North America, we are losing the war against invasive species. Inexplicably, we believed we...
When yellowjacket traps don’t work
A reader from Oregon wrote to say his purchased yellowjacket traps did nothing to stop...
Hey Bee, Stick Out Your Tongue and Say “Ahh”
Maybe this was all a big mistake. Each time I research bee tongues, I find a cursory review...
Bees and flowers: best friends forever
It wasn’t long ago that nearly all beekeepers came into the practice from some agrarian pursuit...
How can I find a source of lavender beeswax?
A reader asked if I knew a source of lavender beeswax. She wrote: I’m wanting to make...
The winter solstice: day one of bee season
Here in the northern hemisphere, your calendar may tell you it’s the first day of winter, but...
Common and lance-leaved plantain for bees
My first encounter with plantain occurred when I was a kid in Pennsylvania. I had a brown pet...
Is a landing board necessary for your bees?
Landing boards and wee porches are unnecessary for honey bees. Nevertheless, the subject is...
Waste management: even the bees do it
I shivered in the evening wind as a full moon ripped through the horizon like the morning sun. It...
The Vocabulary of Beekeeping
Why unique words are important This may be the last ABJ article I ever write. Why? I have a...
Invasive honey plants: are they good for bees?
It’s not surprising that beekeepers are often in favor of invasive plants that “normal people” find...
Getting started: the cost of beekeeping
Some things should never be calculated. I learned this basic lesson many years ago from a skating...