Beekeepers Blog

A good brood pattern doesn’t mean a whole hive, or queen, is in good health. But, it’s one of the  indicators that the brood is overall healthy, and at the moment, so is the queen. If you are new to...

Learning how to fix a weak hive is a critical skill in beekeeping. Every beekeeper will, at some point, have one or many weak hives that need help! One of the most important distinctions to make before fixing a weak...

You've worked hard, spent money, maybe made a bit of honey, but now your hive looks terrible. There aren't many bees, the wax moths are starting to move in, and robber bees are stealing what honey is left. When is...

By:  Chari Elam September? You’ve got to be kidding me! We’ve gone from Spring to Fall (well almost) – just like that! September implies cool mornings, sipping hot coffee on the porch, enjoying the change in the seasons…NOT! It is...

It's always confusing...how many boxes should I have on my hive going into winter? How many is too many? What do the bees actually need? These are common questions! The video above describes each configuration, along with the pros and cons...

By James & Chari Elam The topic of “how to treat” for Varroa mites has been one that has dominated bee clubs, beekeeping seminars and online blogs for many years. With so many options and opinions, one would likely be...

By Chari Elam We made it! This is the last article in the series of Mastering Hive Inspections. In this final segment I’d like to focus on problem identification and subsequent solutions. Problem solving is probably one of the most...

Winter is coming!...maybe. You never quite know in Texas! But, over the next month, we should begin to see some cooling across the state! Let's discuss a few common winter prep practices when it comes to the exteriors of our...

Checking for honey stores is very important. Especially nearing the winter months and in the spring! Do the tilt test Do hive checks every 2 or 3 weeks One hive inspection mid to late November for a final check prior...

Hive Inspections! By: Chari Elam Depending on where you are in your beekeeping adventure, you may have completely opposing views from other beekeepers concerning hive inspections. New beekeepers inspect hives to learn AND to manage the hives as they learn....

By: Chari Elam Probably one of the most intimidating aspects of beekeeping is a hive inspection! How often is it done? Do I really have to pull all of the frames? What am I looking at? We’ve ALL asked that...

By: Chari Elam  Why are my bees so mean? We can laugh at that statement, but how many of you have wondered that very thing? Do my bees just hate me, or is it something else? Honestly, if you’ve been...

By: Scott Souders In all the places I have lived, it seems there is always one house somewhere nearby with way too many people living there. Neighbors probably thought the same about my house growing up with eight of us,...

If your hive was fed sufficiently in the fall, odds are they won’t need any additional feeding. However, if they did not go into winter with sufficient stores, or are eating stores faster than expected, you may need to feed...

Every beekeeper was once a newbee, just beginning the learning curve. The initial exposure is one of fun, excitement and fascination leading to intimidation, reluctance and finally the “Ah ha” moment of confidence. How does the new beekeeper get to...

These thieves of the day are more than just pests for sure. It's interesting to learn, that yellowjackets can soon follow a robbing frenzy. Nearing and during winter, nature's food resources are scarcer, and robbing can become a huge problem! One...

A shook swarm is just that- a "swarm" you create by shaking the bees off of frames to create an artificial Swarm! Shook Swarm TBA from Honking Goose Media on Vimeo. Why use the Shook Swarm Method? Converting Deeps to Mediums If you...

By: James Elam Theory- a set of principles on which the practice of an activity is based. The theory of reversing brood boxes comes from the belief that a colony of honey bees, when necessary, moves upward as winter honey stores...

By: James Elam Often people are interested in trying beekeeping methods that are different from that of the traditional vertical Langstroth hive. Exploring various methods of beekeeping is both fun, practical and should be encouraged. Top bar beekeeping, with a...

Feeding dry pollen substitute can be beneficial during the winter months, however, it is not as critical as feeding pollen patties. To feed dry pollen powder, you must place the powder outdoors, ideally at least 20 feet from your hive....

You have most likely heard about California almond pollination. It's the single largest pollination event in the world, and financially, it's what keeps most commercial beekeeping businesses alive. Bees for pollination is also one of the greatest expenses for the...