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How To Create A Native Pollinator Garden
Creating a native pollinator garden is a great way to support local wildlife while also adding beauty to your outdoor space. Native plants are an important part of any ecosystem and provide food and habitat for a wide range of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. By following these steps, you can create a thriving pollinator garden that will benefit both the environment and your own enjoyment. Step 1: Choose a Location and Prepare the Soil The first step in creating a native pollinator garden is to choose a location that receives plenty of sunlight and has well-drained soil. If your soil is compacted, you may need to aerate it…
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What is the Best Beehive Stand Height?
Most beekeepers already know how important beehive stands are to successful colonies. Beehive stands have so many benefits that it is often considered a must have in beekeeping. Whether you buy a beehive stand, or build your own, many people wonder, what is the best beehive stand height? Beehive stand height is crucial because if it’s too low, pests could easily invade the hive. On the other hand, if it’s too high, it will be difficult to lift the supers off of the top. The supers can get quite heavy when they are full of honey, so having a beehive that is elevated too much can be a hassle for…
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5 Reasons You Should Eat Manuka Honey Daily
Made exclusively in New Zealand, manuka honey not only tastes great, it’s good for you too. Manuka honey boasts powerful health benefits due to its antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Read on to learn about manuka honey health benefits and see why you should eat manuka honey daily. Manuka Honey Health Benefits It’s hard to believe that something so sweet and delicious can be healthy, but it’s true. Manuka honey’s health benefits come from methylglyoxal, a unique compound that naturally occurs in nectar from flowers of the manuka bush. Methylglyoxal (MGO) contains powerful germ fighting properties, which is why manuka honey is used for healing and pain relief. The more…
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Spring Beekeeping Tasks
Spring is an important and busy time for beekeepers. It’s finally warm enough to open up the hives and see how their bee colonies have fared over the winter. They also have several tasks they must do to prepare for the upcoming season. What do Beekeepers do in Spring? Honey bees typically follow a seasonal pattern, so it’s easy to predict what beekeeping tasks must be done throughout the year. In the spring, beekeepers must check on their overwintered hives and prepare them for spring, as well as start new hives. Beekeeping Spring Management Beekeeping spring management times vary depending on the temperatures in your area. Some areas of the…
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Oxalic Acid Fogging for Varroa Mites
With varroa mites so prevalent among beehives, it is only a matter of time before a beekeeper will need to think about mite control. Proper mite detection and treatment is critical in preventing infestation and colony collapse. There are a few different methods for treating varroa mites, and it is best to change up the treatment every so often to prevent resistance. Oxalic acid fogging for varroa mites is an effective method for treating these pests. What are Varroa Mites? Varroa mites are tiny external parasites that feed and live on honey bees, their larvae, and pupae. These mites cause malformation and transmit viruses, resulting in weakened honey bees. While…
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When to Stop Feeding Bees in Spring
For the most part, bees can feed themselves, but there are times when a beekeeper may want to step in and offer some assistance. Feeding bees sugar water can be very helpful to new colonies or during a nectar dearth. While feeding bees sugar water can save a starving colony, it is also important to know when to stop feeding bees in spring. Giving bees too much sugar water when they don’t need it isn’t good for them too. What do Bees Eat? There are three things bees eat – pollen, nectar, and honey. Worker bees spend much of their time foraging pollen and nectar to bring back to the…
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Do Bees Need Water?
Everyone knows that bees gather pollen, nectar, and propolis, but people often forget about another very important resource bees must collect – water. As a beekeeper, you must provide an adequate water source for your bees. Even if you are not a beekeeper, it’s nice to leave a watering station out for the bees as well. Do Bees Need Water? Yes, just as bees need food, bees need water as well. Bees need water to survive, and if there isn’t a reliable water source near their hive, they will go out in search of water. Bees use water for drinking and for multiple uses within the hive. How Bees Collect…
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What is the Best Coating for a Beehive?
A well cared for beehive can last for years. One of the most important things a beekeeper can do to preserve their hives is to protect it from the elements. This is done by adding a coating to the beehive. So, what is the best coating for a beehive? Disclosure: As an affiliate I may earn from qualifying purchases. This is at no cost to you and helps to keep this website running. Why Coat a Beehive? Applying coating to a beehive gives the wood protection from the elements. Beehives are outdoors, so they are exposed to sun, wind, rain, and snow all year round. Without a protective coating, the…
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How Close Can Beehives Be to a House?
Backyard beekeeping is becoming increasingly popular lately. With beehives, beekeeping equipment, and bees easily shipped through the mail, many people can now enjoy beekeeping from their own backyard. When deciding where to place your beehives, there are a few things to take into account. You’ll need to consider the ground, the bee’s food and water sources, the sun, wind, and the proximity to houses. How Close Can Beehives Be to a House? When keeping bees in a residential area especially, you don’t want your hives too close to houses. You want to keep yourself and your neighbors safe, plus bees need ample space to fly up and over houses. But…
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Why do Bees Swarm?
In beekeeping, swarming occurs when a single colony splits into two colonies. This normally happens during the spring, but occasionally bees will swarm during other seasons. When the colony starts to get too large, the existing queen and half of the bees will leave to find another home. This phenomenon allows the colony to reproduce. It’s something the colony does to survive and thrive. Both the original colony and the swarm colony will have their own queens, so in the end, more bees will be made. The Swarming Process Preparation Once the hive starts getting crowded, the colony will make the decision to swarm. They will prepare for this by…
