Once upon a time two colonies of honey bees decided to spend an autumn weekend away from the suburbs. They packed their tents, sleeping bags, and plenty to eat before they took off into the foothills. One colony went into a sheltered valley. The other colony flew up to a wooded ridge. Before the first […] Read more
Don’t you love it when someone validates your opinions? Especially someone who knows something? Here’s what happened. Last week I wrote a post called Mitekeeping for everyone, in which I say that the most important thing a beekeeper can learn is the Varroa mite life cycle and how it relates to the honey bee life […] Read more
A few years ago a beekeeper friend announced to me that mold had taken over her hives and killed all her bees. Now whenever I see moldy combs—or even hear about it—I think about her. When I tried to explain that it was the other way around, that the bees died and then the mold […] Read more
Last night brought the first really heavy rains of the season to western Washington. It reminded me that beekeepers should keep their hives tipped slightly forward so rainwater doesn’t run into the hive. This is especially true if you are using a solid bottom board. If you are using a screened bottom, the water will […] Read more