How to feed syrup in winter
The following method of feeding syrup in winter was sent to me by Wayne Davidson of St Charles, Idaho. Although his climate is cold and the winters long, Wayne has been using this method successfully...
View ArticleHow to apply an oxalic acid dribble
Oxalic acid as a Varroa treatment first caught my attention two years ago when beekeeper Mark Luterra showed me a photo of his bottom tray after treatment. What an incredible display of dead bodies! I...
View ArticleHow to make a straw-bale pollinator garden
Straw bale gardens are unique. They fit anywhere, support your plants, provide ample space for roots, suppress weeds, and raise your garden up off the ground where it is easier to reach. Plus, if you...
View ArticleHow to build a slatted rack
I never go without a slatted rack in my beehives, and I extoll the virtues of them every chance I get. David Manning, a beekeeper in Missouri, makes some seriously good-looking slatted racks that you...
View ArticleHow to clean wireware
Whenever my queen excluders or screened covers get all blocked up with beeswax, I use a heat gun to melt it off. I used to try to scrape them clean but it took forever; the heat gun does a better job...
View ArticleHow to make a steam melter
When it comes to rendering beeswax from old combs, one common concern is the amount of wax that remains in the slumgum. Whereas it is fairly easy to melt new comb or cappings, old combs can be...
View ArticleHow to make value-subtracted honey
How can you do that? How can you lower the value of your honey? Extract it, of course. If you think I’m kidding, consider this. According to on-line sources, the average price for a pound of extracted...
View ArticleA no-cook candy board recipe for wintering bees
For several years I’ve been looking for a way to combine a moisture quilt with a candy board. I wrote a post about this a while back, but the board in that example contained cooked candy. I wanted a...
View ArticleWinter hive check: what to look for
When you check your winter hives, what do you look for? How often? Should you open them? Should you use a checklist? What if something is wrong? The answer for me is simple: I get nervous as a cat if I...
View ArticleHow to light a smoker so it stays lit
Once you decide to light your smoker, how do you keep it lit? Many beekeepers report that before they’ve finished just one hive, their smoker is cold as night and they have to begin again. In truth,...
View ArticleHow to hide a beehive
The first question to ask yourself is “Should I hide my bees?” If you want to hide a beehive because beekeeping is illegal where you live, then I don’t recommend it. It’s probably easier to keep the...
View ArticleHow should we train the newbees?
Tis the season. My inbox is flush with “amazing” deals. Unfortunately, many of the hard-sell marketers are heading straight for the wallet of the soon-to-be new beekeeper. I’ve watched wannabees, still...
View ArticleHow to store honey at home
Both beekeepers and their customers are often confused about the best way to store honey at home. To many, crystallization, which is also called “sugaring,” means the honey has gone bad. “My honey...
View ArticleHow to identify a honey bee using wing veins
Because I don’t want to embarrass anyone, I am obscuring the details in this case of mistaken identity. Still, it’s worth sharing because I don’t want this to happen to you. Last week someone forwarded...
View ArticleHow to make a steam melter for beeswax
When it comes to rendering beeswax from old combs, one common concern is the amount of wax that remains in the slumgum. Whereas it is fairly easy to melt new comb or cappings, old combs can be...
View ArticleHow to make value-subtracted honey
How can you do that? How can you lower the value of your honey? Extract it, of course. If you think I’m kidding, consider this. According to on-line sources, the average price for a pound of extracted...
View ArticleA no-cook candy board recipe for wintering bees
For several years I’ve been looking for a way to combine a moisture quilt with a candy board. I wrote a post about this a while back, but the board in that example contained cooked candy. I wanted a...
View ArticleWinter hive check: what to look for
When you check your winter hives, what do you look for? How often? Should you open them? Should you use a checklist? What if something is wrong? The answer for me is simple: I get nervous as a cat if I...
View ArticleHow to light a smoker so it stays lit
Once you decide to light your smoker, how do you keep it lit? Many beekeepers report that before they’ve finished just one hive, their smoker is cold as night and they have to begin again. In truth,...
View ArticleHow to hide a beehive
The first question to ask yourself is “Should I hide my bees?” If you want to hide a beehive because beekeeping is illegal where you live, then I don’t recommend it. It’s probably easier to keep the...
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