The answer to this question depends on whether you are starting the package on new equipment or on previously drawn comb. In truth, how long you feed a new package will vary with your climate, your bees, and your management style. Some beekeepers wean their new colonies as fast as possible, others feed much longer. […] Read more
Yesterday a reader, Harold Owen, commented on my post “Five Favorite Plants for the Bee Garden” by saying that anise is an excellent bee attractant. He is absolutely right. I want to thank him for mentioning it because anise is a great bee plant. I have never grown anise in the garden. But of all […] Read more
The role that essential oils play in the life of a honey bee colony is complex, fascinating, and not well understood. Beekeepers are just beginning to grasp the potential that these oils may have, and recently a host of scientific papers have delved into various aspects of their chemistry. According to one paper, “essential oil” […] Read more