Why do bees often use only a single nectar source but often use many sources of pollen at a time?
Beekeepers often observe their bees flying past nectar sources, sometimes the very flowers that those beekeepers have planted as...
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eliochel
May 21, 20231 min read
Where can a beekeeper find a color chart of American pollens?
An American pollen color chart is difficult to find. One of the reasons appears to be the size of the area of the United State,...
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eliochel
May 20, 20231 min read
Do unusual colors on pollen frames show that bees collect sugary substances with food coloring?
Not necessarily: even a color as unusual as blue appears in pollen in nature. The color of the pollen may even be different from the...
19 views
eliochel
May 20, 20231 min read
Does a beekeeper have only a few minutes per hive to check for swarm cells? Best quick check . . .
Swarm cells are planned by the workers and therefore are placed close to the center of the brood nest - the safest, warmest, most...
16 views
eliochel
May 18, 20231 min read
Varroa or not varroa? It might be a mite and it might not.
It's about the time of year that beginning beekeepers are watching for varroa on their mite count (slideout) boards of their screened...
19 views
eliochel
May 17, 20231 min read
If your goal entering a hive is to cause as little disruption as possible, propolis is an obstacle.
Propolis can be really built up inside the hive at the end of winter and makes the first full inspection difficult. One way to keep down...
13 views
eliochel
May 16, 20231 min read
Honey harvest? or honey "on hand" right where you need it in the apiary in late spring/early summer?
Or instead of harvesting that honey, the “honey bank” is right there in the beeyard, on hand to make up splits or nucs. No need to carry...
6 views
eliochel
May 11, 20231 min read
No extra freezer space? How can a beekeeper still delay honey harvest to a convenient time?
What can a smallscale beekeeper do if without enough freezer space and without the time (or possibly without the desire) to extract honey...
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eliochel
May 10, 20231 min read
Small scale beekeepers often keep an extra freezer, sometimes just for seasonal use.
Freezing your “honey bank” frames is the easiest and best protection against insects, rodents, excess humidity and even crystallization....
18 views
eliochel
May 9, 20231 min read
If moving bees at night, use red light.
If moving bees at night, use red light. If you don't have a red flashlight, red cellophane (look in the gift wrap section of a store)...
26 views
eliochel
May 9, 20231 min read
Does brood examination show something suspicious? If a beekeeper sees anything odd about brood . . .
If a beekeeper sees anything odd about brood or the bees in a hive, s/he may leave the hive tool used to inspect that hive on the inner...
8 views
eliochel
May 9, 20231 min read
Two-person carrier saves backs from injury when moving hives:
A properly strapped hive with a 2-person hive carrier is a backsaver. On uneven ground, in the dark, on muddy ground, strapping and using...
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eliochel
May 8, 20231 min read
How to prepare a couple hive stacks for moving:
When moving a couple hives, securing the boxes of a stack together with cam lock buckle straps can be the fastest way to move them. Run...
5 views
eliochel
May 7, 20231 min read
Are you visiting another beekeeper’s apiary, for mentoring or for instruction? Do not forget you
Do not forget your disposable gloves and leave your tools in the car or at home unless otherwise requested. Use the tools and equipment...
9 views
eliochel
May 6, 20231 min read
Are beekeepers with a full-length mirror simply vain?
Not if it’s installed in the bee shed or on your porch . It's a great way to see how many bees you need to remove from the back of your...
3 views
eliochel
May 3, 20231 min read
Honey bees avoid entering deep shade.
When persistent defenders of the hive stay with a beekeeper after walking away from the hive, sometimes walking around a tree or building...
9 views
eliochel
May 2, 20231 min read
Don't step on those bees!
In order to keep bees calm, avoid stepping on them by never placing frames or boxes of bees directly on the ground. Beekeepers often take...
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eliochel
May 1, 20231 min read
Keep your bees in the dark, and reduce stress!
During hive inspections, reduce light stress on bees by covering boxes with an inner cover or even a piece of plywood House bees don’t...
5 views
eliochel
May 1, 20231 min read
How to keep that smoker fuel dry:
Buckets are easy totes but bucket lids can fit too tightly. A bucket lid that doubles as a seat can be the perfect solution and can...
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eliochel
May 1, 20231 min read
To smoke or not to smoke? Is smoking spring hives really necessary?
Having a lit smoker at hand is always a good idea; Murphy’s Law tells us that if we have it, we won’t need it. However, if we fail to...
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