I was a newbee when my mentor took one look at my overcrowded, bearding colony and said, “I think you need a slatted rack.” And then he left. Huh? What the heck was he talking about? And later, when I asked around, people who never used one told me they were worthless. After all, they […] Read more
Rick Cheverton, a beekeeper in Knoxville, Tennessee just finished his wintertime project: four gorgeous homemade bee hives with all the accoutrements. Rick shares his thought process and explains some of the changes he made from standard designs. All text and photos below are courtesy of Rick. Winter’s work is done, and I’m just waiting for […] Read more
After writing a post about upper entrances in winter, I received a lot of mail from beekeepers who insisted that an upper entrance in winter would place the colony at risk of freezing. My own experience with upper ventilation has been the exact opposite, and my colonies have thrived since I began using upper ventilation […] 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
Many of us are in a summer nectar dearth or are fast approaching one. Several things happen to your bees when days are hot and forage is scarce. Here is a list of management ideas that will make the summer less stressful for you and for them. Rusty HoneyBeeSuite
Sometimes we do things, and pass tips onto others, without really thinking about why. This morning, for example, someone asked me how far he should tip his hive forward. It seems that the members of his bee club said it was necessary to tip a hive forward but didn’t tell him why or how much. […] Read more
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