Here is an unusual sight, one I’ve never seen before. This virgin queen, with severely deformed wings, was spotted by beekeeper James Burge in Santa Barbara, California. James explained that he was doing a trap-out for a friend. He used brood, eggs, and worker bees from another hive in the trap box so the bees […] Read more
Just days after I mentioned how rarely we see varroa mites on bees, Bryan Bender sent this fascinating photo of a mite riding his queen. It’s an amazing catch. Not once I have ever seen this in person, and only rarely in photos. Thank you, Bryan, and good work! Save
The worst beekeeping mistakes come from putting off what you should have done yesterday. Somehow, problems inside a bee hive don’t get better by themselves. I keep thinking they will, but they don’t. I normally remove my honey supers by June 30 because that is the start of our nectar dearth. Once the supers come […] Read more
How often are you walking past your hive when a (previously) virgin queen alights on the landing board right in front of you? And how often when she does this do you happen to have a camera in your hand? Okay, the camera was not turned on and the lens cap was still in place. […] Read more
All queen bees are females with the ability to lay fertilized eggs, but not all fertile, egg-laying females are queens. The term “queen” is often misused to describe female solitary bees that live and work by themselves. In fact, these are not queens but simply females. Well-known examples of queenless species are the mason bees, […] Read more
A first-year beekeeper e-mailed to say he was excited to see a new virgin queen in the act of emerging from her cell. But that was three whole days ago and still no eggs! He wanted to know if he should replace her. My answer? Holy guacamole, give the woman a chance! These things take […] Read more
Queens can get rolled when the beekeeper lifts a frame containing the queen or lifts a frame adjacent to one with the queen. In the tight space between frames, the bees become bunched together or pressed against the comb or frame. If a queen becomes caught in a tight space or within a mass of […] Read more