Yesterday afternoon I was outside in a short-sleeve tee admiring the sky, a clear ethereal blue above a jagged frame of alder, maple, and fir. As I gazed beyond the pasture, a meteor slashed the blue just above the tree line, ripped an arc through the sky, and vanished in a heartbeat. Is it even […] Read more
Every now and again someone wants to know what happens when my moisture quilts become saturated. One beekeeper wrote, “I can’t believe you keep a soggy pillow over top your bees.” The short answer is simple. I don’t. Here’s the issue: if your moisture quilts are soggy, they are not made correctly. Moisture quilts are […] Read more
The six weeks between Labor Day and Columbus Day are often considered the fall management window. Although southern beekeepers can wait longer, most North American beekeepers can use this rule of thumb with good results. The objective of fall management The purpose of fall management is to assure your colonies remain healthy throughout the winter […] Read more
How much honey will your bees need for winter? Good question. But before I answer, here’s a question for you: How much heating fuel will my household use this winter? Well, you say, that is complex. It depends on where you live, your local climate, and the size and geometry of your house. It depends […] Read more
Call me crazy; you won’t be the first. When I got word that the temperature was going down in the teens for five days in a row, I decided to give my bees a little boost. I suppose normal bees in North Dakota or Ontario would be fine in such temperatures, but I have wimpy […] Read more
Wouldn’t you know it? Now we have the Canadians battling for first place in the snow wars. So far, I don’t think there’s much question. Phillip Cairns, intrepid beekeeper and author of Mudsongs.org, had to do some serious digging to find this hive right in his own backyard. The second photo shows the hive “after […] Read more