Right now, many northern beekeepers are asking when they should begin to feed pollen substitute, as if it’s a necessary step. But pollen substitute is an option you don’t always need. If you determine your bees need it, then “right now” is the best answer. If they don’t need it, don’t give it to them. […] Read more
As beekeepers, we tend to underestimate the importance of winter bees. We are especially unconcerned late in August, just when the colony is on the brink of producing these winter wonders. On a sultry August afternoon when the cat is long and the air is too hot to move, the next brew may seem more […] Read more
Don’t be confused. Today’s post has nothing to do with science or facts; it has only to do with an inkling I get about wintertime honey bees. After years of first-hand observation, it seems to me that the stings of winter bees are worse than the stings of summer bees. Yesterday provided a perfect example. […] Read more
Darkness continues to creep in as our daylight hours are shorter and shorter, but not for long; the winter solstice is just around the corner. At noon today the temperature was pushing 54 degrees; dark, heavy cumulus clouds hurried across the sky being carried along by cool winds from the northwest. At times the rays […] Read more
This post relies heavily on personal opinion, so take it or leave it. I’ve heard much talk of pollen subs lately, so I decided to add my two cents. My thinking on pollen substitutes has evolved over the years, and I’ve become less and less enamored with the idea. That said, commercial and migratory beekeepers […] Read more
This post, bound to be wildly unpopular, is a reminder about Varroa mites. At this time of year, when colonies are large without a mite in sight, it’s easy to underestimate them. But like a terrorist cell, they work in secret. They know their time will come. During spring build-up of honey bee colonies, the […] Read more
Many beekeepers become alarmed this time of year when they realize dead bees are covering the bottom board, piled on the landing board, laying on the outer cover, or scattered across the snow. It looks like hundreds! In fact, it probably is hundreds. Many bees die this time of the year and there are many […] Read more