Like most hive pests, including wax moths and hive beetles, ants are opportunists. Ants in your beehive may be a sign of other problems because a strong colony that is both populous and healthy can generally keep them away. Most ant species are a mere annoyance in the hive. They often raise their young in […] Read more
No. Mothballs, whether made out of naphthalene or para-dichlorobenzene, are insecticides and insect repellents that have no place in a hive containing live bees. Several people have asked if putting the crystals in a bee-proof space—such as a net bag or wire cage—would keep the bees safe from contact. Again the answer is no because […] Read more
It turns out I’m not the first person to misidentify a bee louse. Bee lice are imports from Europe and they live in honey bee colonies. They are insects and so have six legs, unlike the Varroa mite which is an arachnid possessing eight legs. The bee louse, Braula coeca, is actually a small wingless […] Read more
Not often. Mice frequently move into a hive because it is warm and because there is a lot of food inside. But the food the mice are looking for is the honey and pollen, not the bees. Mice are certainly capable of ruining the comb, eating the honey, and causing the colony to starve, but […] Read more
You have no idea how terrible I feel about the following turn of events. I feel remorse mixed with guilt. I feel like I should buy the guy a new package of bees. At the same time, I don’t think I was wrong; I gave him solid, well-reasoned advice. Still, the entire incident is heart […] Read more
The purpose of freezing wax combs is to kill the eggs and larvae of wax moths. Wax moths can destroy beeswax combs, especially combs in weak colonies and those in storage. A strong colony of bees does a good job of controlling the moths, but a weak colony can become overrun. Although the moths cannot […] Read more